Moving Picture News (Jul-Oct 1913)

THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS 15 THE CENSORSHIP QUESTION Berkeley, Cal., June 22, 1913. Editor, Moving Picture News. Dear Sir; I think I voice the sentiments of every exhibitor, and every patron of every theatre out here in the West, when I say with regard to your recent editorial on the socalled Censorship Board, "Keep up the good work." Under the circumstances which, ever recurring since the advent of the Board, have rendered that august body of nonentities a laughing stock and worse, the most graceful act they could do would be to resign for good and all. Will you tell your readers just who created the Board, who pays it, how it is worked, in fact, "Why is the Board of Censorship?" Never mind the personnel; as an organization, what is its legitimate standing? What good has it done? What good can it do? Same answer every time, "Nothing." If the motion picture industry is to step out of the lowly and humble sphere where it really began, the "nickelodeon" of a decade ago, to the respect that it deserves from those whose respect is worth having, it is high time that these "licensed" and "censorized" and "permitted" things be abolished. If, instead of a "national" we could have a "rational" Board of Censors, things might be a little better. The terms that should stand for something have in this country, alas, been dragged deep in the mire, until now every little two-by-four laundry or ten-cent eating house is either "National," "United States," "Federal," "Union" or something of that ilk. The Censorship Board is about as truly national in character as a Jap laundry or a London sufJragette firebug. Possibly "Notional" would better fit the case. One often hears a whisper that the Board "gets a hand-out" from the manufacturers. If they do, that is their own afifair. If they get no pay, they are fanatics. Honestly, I believe the Board as a body is conscientious but foolishly self-centred. If one of the censors would make a tour of the theatres out here, give a tenminute talk about the good the Board has accomplished, he would return to Manhattan a sadder and a wiser man. No, they wouldn't shoot him; that only occurs in censored films, you know; they only shoot "dangerous or predatory" animals in the West, for so runs the law. Nobody would think of shooting a flea, but it is a pest all the same. So keep hammering at this thing, Saunders, and if you can help to get the nauseating censorship tailpiece and the equally obnoxious "licensed" leaders deleted from the pictures, you will have made more friends than you dream of, and will have accomplished a real national good. LINDSAY BANCROFT. LITTLE RUNA HODGES ON THE ROAD The little four-year-old star, Runa Hodges, who is being presented in a series of Runa pictures by the Reliance Company, has been appearing for the past week in the larger moving picture theatres in Boston and several other New England cities. Manager J. V. Ritchey has had so many requests from exhibitors to give their patrons an opportunity of seeing little Runa "in the flesh" that he allowed her a couple of weeks' vacation from the studio to accompany her mother on the present tour. Much to everybody's surprise, Runa is not satisfied with merely making a bow to her audiences, but insists upon being a "regular actress." A letter from Manager J. L. Roth, of the Olympic Theatre, Boston, states that Runa walked out upon the stage like an old timer, and in tones that could be heard in the back of the house, told the audience how glad she was to meet them. Runa's appearance followed the running of the picture "A Dream Home," in which she is shown on the screen in a boy's part with Edgena de Lespine as the beautiful young mother. GAUMONT'S GREAT NEW CRACKSMAN VS. DETECTIVE SERIES— "FANTOMAS, THE PHANTOM CROOK" No. 1 — "Fantomas Under the Shadow of the Guillotine" Princess Sonia Danidoff is staying at the Royal Palace Hotel, Paris, and withdraws $20,000 from the cashier's custody, placing the notes in a drawer in company with her magnificent rope of pearls. A few moments after a well-dressed stranger steps from behind the curtains and with the coolest of sangfroid, steals the valuables in the very presence of the Princess, and with a polite bow hands her his card and makes a dignified exit. Upon the card the name "Fantomas" slowly appears. The police are quickly upon the scene, but Fantomas, true to his nom de plume, has vanished. Inspector Robert Juve is the sleuth entrusted to track the mysterious marauder. But, before Juve has time to move in the matter of the Princess's jewels and cash, yet another escapade of Fantomas is thrust upon him to investigate. Lord Beltham is missing. Juve calls on Lady Beltham and in a man's hat finds the initial "G." With so slight a clue Juve tracks down "Gurn" (none other than the elusive Fantomas) to his lodgings and makes the ghastly discovery of Lord Beltham's dead body in one of "Gurn's'' traveling trunks, and a packet of the special Fantomas cards establishes the connection between "Gurn" and Fantomas — they are one and the same man. Three months elapse. "Gurn" has been tried and condemned to die by the guillotine. Lady Beltham's name has not yet appeared in connection with the case and the story goes that the murder was the outcome of a violent FANTOMAS UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE GUILLOTINE quarrel between "Gurn" and Beltham, yet she is enamored of the gentlemanly scoundrel and sets about seeking a method of escape for him. By means of liberal bribes, the aid of Warden Nibet is enlisted and he arranges an interview between the condemned man and Lady Beltham in a house overlooking the prison. That night a new play has been produced by a famous actor, Valgrand, who acting the role of a condemned felon, adds a realistic touch by making up exactly to resemble "Gurn." At Lady Beltham's invitation, Valgrand, still made up as "Gurn," visits her at 3 a. m. and partaking of drugged coflee is rendered incapable of action. Warden Nibet returns and takes back his prisoner — no longer "Gurn," alias Fantomas, but the unfortunate Valgrand. who goes through all the terrible preliminaries of a criminal's execution, aye, even to the point of being led to the guillotine, before Inspector Juve makes the startling discovery that Fantomas has once more eluded him. Henceforth it is to be a fight between a clever, scheming, mysterious rogue on one hand and Inspector Juve, Chief of the Detective Department of Paris, on the other. Le Sueur, Minn. — The Pastime Motion Picture Theatre was formally opened under the management of Troy J. Himmelman and Elmer Lippert, of this city. Visalia, Cal. — The Grand Theatre will be remodeled. Cost, $3,000. Thompson Bros., managers.