Motion Picture Magazine (Feb-Jul 1915)

174 MOTION PICTURE MAGAZINE Almost every evening she attends our neighborhood^ show7-, and there she mingles with friends and forgets herself and her grief. Gradually, as she comes out from the daze caused by the shock, she will have broader views rather than the bitter, narrow views so often the result of grief. Some evenings an entire family comes in together: the mother and father forget the day's worries : the sons and daughters break off from their crowds, and the family tie is drawn just a little tighter — made a little more secure. The old people come in and they seem to delight in and enjoy the love-dramas as much as the grandchildren about them. Because of the movies their "evening" days have been brightened and the loveflame rekindled in their hearts. Our minister — a godly man ; a man of unusual ability and influence — can be seen at the movies with wife and children when extra good pictures are being shown. When the film "From the Manger to the Cross" was being shown here he saw it three times and then preached a wonderful sermon, using ''From the Manger to the Cross" as his subject. Some of the mothers in our neighborhood use the movies to work all sorts of charms. Lessons are more easily and quickly learnt when there is promise of a picture show afterwards. Chores and errands are more willingly accomplished, and nickels and dimes more easily made and saved when the movies happen to be the incentive. People who have never had the pleasure of traveling, of seeing high-priced plays, gain pleasure and knowledge in glimpsing the outer world, and they realize what a wonderful old world it is in which they are living. Not long ago a friend made the remark, "I dont see what there is in mere pictures to interest you." To me they are not "mere pictures," for thru the aid of the Motion Picture Magazine I have become acquainted' with the screen people, and to me they are alive and P am interested in their welfare. I visited in the north recently and was very much surprised to learn that my friends, altho they enjoyed the movies, scarcely knew one player from the other. I showed such enthusiasm in the players — calling them by name — and in the Mottox Picture Magazine, that before I left I had a very charming class of movie "fans." I advised them to use the Motion Picture Magazine as a text-book and I have great hopes of their graduating some time and helping a good cause along. I feel some better, for I have "had my say." so here's to the Motion Picture Magazine and the movies — a sure cure for the grouch, narrowness, heartaches and ignorance. The following communication proves that altho James Stevens, of Los Angeles, may be a reckless driver, he can certainly plead his cause well in the writing of a sound and scholarly letter : Pardon this intrusion on your time, but in your February issue there appeared some letters which move me to protest. These letters inveighed against the common herd, or rather its coarsness in applauding and finding humor in the Keystone photoplays. I am a teamster, and the photoplay house is my only theater. Keystones are my favorites. I can drop into a movie house, take my seat and let my brain take a rest, laugh and guffaw loudly at pictured absurdity, and thereby do my tired body a great deal of good. I would advise these carping critics, when they desire intelligence and sanity in comedy, to go to a book store and invest in a few copies of Shaw's plays. I have read most of these ; also Ibsen, from Peer Gynt to Hedda Gabler. I intend to read more of these when I have time. I think it is a sign of sanity and moral soundness at bottom when the masses take unto their bosom the good old slapstick comedy and reject the prurient flapdoodle such as "The House of Bondage," and other disgusting specimens of the art of imbuing in the minds of girls that every man outside of their immediate circle is the devil in disguise. Hoch ! Charles Chaplin, long may ycu wave! You keep the boys and girls out of mischief and keep many away from the "six best sellers." Let "them there" critics of yours study life a little, and read a little dramatic literature (modern), and they will find that, after all, vulgarity is inevitably part of sound national virtue. Your magazine is a dandy, and the accomplishments of the Answer Man inspire in me a stupendous admiration. Here comes a jolly, critical letter from L. P. Rogers, Wilkes-Barre, Pa,, which will surely chase the blues out of an overdone sob-drama:. Moving picture acting must be a mighty cheerful profession, for grief seems to be the hardest emotion to simulate. From most of the briny boo-hoo business a fellow sees upon the screen he cant tell whether the deceased left much or not. True, some of the artists thrash around kind of colicky, but healthy folks dont sympathize like they used to when ptomaine poisoning was more common. In "The Speed King," however, Miss Muriel Ostriche does some real, sureenough sorry stuff. She peers out from behind a portiere, looking as red-eyed