Motion Picture Magazine (Feb-Jul 1915)

176 MOTION PICTURE MAGAZINE and lugubrious as Uncle Nate Rosenb.erry used to after a Down-with-Drink campaign, and if you're human you have trouble with your swallow and feel like murdering the rummy that comes in laughing. Now I'm wondering if they spanked Miss Ostriche just before that scene or reduced her salary, or did she have a sliced onion hidden in that portiere? Just among friends, Muriel, which was it? If they've been violating the Monroe Doctrine there's a riled, unruly Easterner mobilizing his artillery right now, "an' he's sho'ly gwine ter git 'em ef dey doan' watch out." John A. Anderson, Petersham, Sydney, sends us some breezy player comment, as seen thru Australian eyes: The two greatest names out here are Mary Pickford and Charles Chaplin. Not to forget Mary Fuller, Blanche Sweet, Alice Joyce and John Bunny. About the latter, the rumor spread even out to Australia, that the highly estimable Mr. Bunny was dead. It is a high compliment to the Vitagraph comedian (and he deserves it, too) that the rumor spread to 'way out h'.jre. Such is fame! The other players are known more or less. The result of the recent Great Artist competition stands as a living monument to American "cleverness" (dont forget the inverted commas). I am sorry to say that we Australians are so stupid as to think Mae Marsh, a really great artist, worthy of being put in the front i ow. I am extremely sorry also to say that we think Blanche Sweet, Henry Walthall, the Misses Gish, Mabel Normand and "Little Mary" all as being very clever ( I do not use this in the same sense as I speak of the Americans). Maybe our tastes are very low — somehow 1 dont think so. There are many other clever artists who are liked out here — tho the public are only now really getting accustomed to their names. The artists I mention, however, will know that we, at least, appreciate them. Nearing the end. the film 'is getting "rainy" ; the scenario writer (who possesses a choice collection of ri-je tion slips) is getting exhausted— so is the Editor, I suppose. Insert Leader — "Dont forget to wish the Answer Man a Happy New Year." As before — Thank you very much, Good-nigbt. (It is five minutes to midnight. )( Concluding with the old trademark, and passed by the National Board of Censors. Serial pictures have a big following — some of them also cause a lot of absentees. R. S. Peacock, Atlanta, Ga,, gives his reasons for "going to the other theater": I am a great admirer of Moving Pictures, attend a large number of the theaters weekly, but I have one criticism I wish to make, one which I believe is held by many others. That is: Why is it there is getting to be such a large number of the so-called serial pictures being made? It is getting quite to be the fad for a theater to show at least two nights in the week serials which, in my opinion, are for the most part not worthy of the time used. In this city there are ten theaters, and on Monday of this week there were five of these .showing thi ' brand of picture, ending "to be continued in the near future," and* of the remaining five theaters I patronize only one, and I venture to state that theater had by far the largest crowd on that day. Many people do not have the time to go to a picture theater the same day ."every week, and missing one of the serials means losing the story. Of course, one may lay it to "war measures" on the part of some of the companies, at. least judging by the style of acting put before the audience, and this is not just a plain kpock either, for I believe I can judge a good actor when I see one. I would be pleased to see an editorial from you on (liis -subject P) the near future. Mrs. Lucie "Willums, Leavenworth, Kan., does not value some of the recent photoplay products' as high as their manufacturers do. Is* she right ? Please allow me to express my opinion on tiie various sorts of Motion Piet are's which are being released by the manufacturers, thru the pages of your good magazine. I have been paying particular attention to the audience as well as to the pictures lately, and I have carefully observed that the kind of play which is in most demand is the story of sweet home life, on a farm, or in a city, and not the blood-and-thunder kind, or the saloon brawl, which some companies make a specialty of producing. The photoplay entitled "The Sisters," which I witnessed about a month ago, was the most suggestive picture I ever saw. I actual] v felt ashamed to be seen watching it, and I noticed a good many people (the refined kind) leave tbe theater where it was being shown. Such plays are certainly not appreciated by any one, and most assuredly they do no one good, Or benefit them in any way. Such plays as "Wildflower," "Cinderella," "Zudora," "Behind the Scenes" and "Caprice" are the ones which every one loves and enjoys to see. and tbe ones which do no harm to our young men and women by witnessing them-.