Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

320 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XIX, No. 7 serials which have won fame for him and Vitagraph, has been selected to play the leading role in the screen adaptation of "Baree, the Son of Kazan," the powerful novel of the north by James Oliver Curwood. This should prove one of the strongest screen plays ever made and easily takes rank with the other ' big woods picture by Curwood, "God's Country and the Woman," in which Duncan and Nell Shipman were featured. Work on the "Kazan" feature, which will have a great many snow scenes in it, is scheduled to start within a very short time, the Vitagraph announcement states. Nell Shipman and Alfred Whitman are to be featured in "A Texan Romance," by Cyrus Townsend Brady, and "The Pariah," by Lowell Otis Reese. The former is said to be an unusually strong story, containing many thrilling moments such as the author gave to "The Fighting Trail," which he wrote in collaboration with J. Stuart Blackton, and "Vengeance — and the Woman," of which he was co-author with Albert E. Smith. "The Pariah" is an adaptation from the story of the same name, which created great interest when it appeared in the Saturday Evening Post last August. Both these stories are said to be ideally adapted to the talents of Miss Shipman and Mr. Whitman, who are now at work under direction of William Wolbert on "The Home Trail," scheduled for release late in March. The stars will be directed by Mr. Wolbert in both of the new features. Virginia Faces State Censorship Bill Introduced in Legislature for Board to Pass on Films — Has Strong Support in House Badger Directs Miss Normand in Second Goldwyn Clarence G. Badger, newspaper man, magazine writer and director of many motion picture successes, has been brought from the Pacific Coast by Goldwyn to direct merry Mabel Normand in her. second Goldwyn production. The new play, as yet unnamed, gives Miss Normand a role totally different from any she has ever essayed. She will be a newspaper "copy girl." Next Mozukin Film Feb. 1 7 Ivan Mozukin, the great Russian star, will make his next appearance in the Pathe release of February 17. A feature entitled, "The Inner Voice," affords him a role which calls for his characterization of a man at three distinct periods of his life: youth, middle age and old age. The picture deals with the "voice of conscience" and shows how a man who has apparently succeeded in life is brought to the knowledge of his complete failure through the instrument of something inside him which shows him that unscrupulous action and inconsideration for others do not pay. THERE WILL BE ROUGH SEAS ahead for every branch of the motion picture industry in Virginia, if a bill just introduced in the General Assembly is enacted into a law. The measure is one of those designed to "purify" and "elevate" the standard of the photoplay. The bill was offered by Representative J. P. Jones, a new member from Richmond. It was framed to meet the views of the women of a social uplift organization, and they have succeeded in rallying to its support the officers of several similiar associations. None of the other four members of the Richmond delegation has committed himself to support of the bill, but there is no doubt that the crusaders will be able to muster a formidable following in the House of Delegates, which cast an over whelming vote at this term for ratification of the Federal prohibition amendment. The course of the bill in the Senate is not so certain, able members of the upper branch having immediately expressed disapproval. The Jones bill provides for a censorship board of not less than three members, who shall examine and pass upon every film play sent into the state. The salaries of these censors are not fixed in the bill as it now stands, the measure merely stipulating "adequate compensation." This means salaries of $2,500 or $3,000 a year. They will be vested with absolute authority to bar out or expurgate all films. The bill has been referred to the house committee on public welfare, which will grant a hearing to all interested before action is taken. A tense moment in "The Turn of a Card," featuring J. Warren Kerriganand Lois Wilson, now being distributed by the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation.