Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1915)

528 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 23, 1915 bting run on a ten-cent basis, presenting some of the best attractions procurable. It is, indeed, regrettable that more influential exhibitors ivill not endeavor to charge more for really meritorious sublects. There is no more logic in running a twenty-five cent production for ten cents than there is to insist on a two dollar dinner at a five-cent lunch counter, but such steps must be made very gradually. Let us all talk, eat and sleep, "mcreased prices for worthy attractions." But first of all, why not do all the advertising, of a permanent value, that we can. British Notes. UNOSTENTATIOUSLY and deprived of its usual atmosphere of gaiety and rejoicing the year 1915 has ushered its presence over the British Isles. The gloomy cloud, already five months old, overhanging the whole of Europe shows no sign of immediate dissolution, and at a time when sentiments of peace and goodw.ill are supposed to predominate in the minds of men a consciousness of its existence, with ever present thoughts of friends or relatives in peril on land or sea has evaporated into a thm shadcpw of its former self the festive spirit of the English Yuletide. A considerable amount of the time and money ordinarily spent by the general public at this time of the year on amusements has been directed into other channels. A universal desire to send presents to soldier friends at the front has doubtlessly utilized much of "John Bull's" Christmas pocket money, and as a consequence elaborate theatrical productions are the exception in England rather than the rule. I mention this just by way of explanation for the phenomenal success of the filmic pantomime this season. The consummate skill in producing and the truly magnificent stage settings noticeable, for instance, in the Famous Players' "Cinderella," are regarded as very close competitors by the theatrical profession to the legitimate "panto." Certainly, taken upon any grounds, economical or comparative, no one can blame the public for seeing a good film pantomime for half the price charged to see a poor stage production. * * * While on the subject of a Famous Players production it would not be fair to leave unnoticed the cordial reception given to "The Sign of the Cross," released this week. Both the acting and the scenery leave little room for improvement, except perhaps in this small particular. It is better in productions where the players are garbed in white to tint or tone down scenes depicting a great concourse of people. When the Cines Co. produced nearly the same story under the title of "Quo Vadis," they took this precaution and obviated what otherwise would have been strong halation. The reception of "The Sign of the Cross" goes, however, to prove that success depends not so much upon the strength of the story as upon skill and thoroughness in production, for since the release of "Quo Vadis" there have been at least half a dozen cheap imitations of the legend of Nero, but not one was booked to a quarter of the extent of the two mentioned, * * * ^ Apropos the duplication of historical or classical productions. There is abundant material left for adaptation to the silent stage if scenario writers and editors will only take the trouble to read them up. Has no American producer ever heard of the legend of Jason in his search for the Golden Fleece, of Perseus the Gorgon Slayer, and other equally suitable fancies of ancient mythology? I give the tip for what it is worth, but a film manufacturer with a really clever producer could make his mark with either of the above and without a great outlay. Macauley's version in "Lays of Ancient Rome" is about the most suitalile. * * * The Australian Government has revised its duty upon imported moving-picture films from 5 to 10 per cent. For all imported foreign film to .\ustralia the tax will now be twopence (four cents) per foot. British films will be charged three half-pence (three cents) per foot. * * * In a few recent importations, in two cases feature films of note, the words "Passed by the National Board of Censorship" have appeared on the tail piece of the subject. Taken literally this is apt to cause misapprehension. If the Board of Censorship referred to is an American organization it would be well to state the fact. So far this country is concerned there is no National Board of Censorship. We have the British Board of Film Censors, but even that is not an officially recognized institution. * * ♦ Blackpool, the Coney Island of Great Britain, has hit upon an attractive idea for utilizing the moving-picture for advertising purposes. At the principal amusement hall in the town, the Power, there are two clowns who have performed daily in the circus since the place was discovered. The two personailities are almost an institution, so familiar are they to the millions of trippers who have visited Blackpool. A comic film showing their adventures on the different attractions, their escapades on water-chutes, flying-machines, scenic railways, toboggans, etc., has been made by the local advertising authorities and the film is being loaned free to exhibitors. There is no advertising matter whatsoever embodied in the production and hundreds of applications for its use have been received. It is a precedent that will be followed by other English resorts. J. B. SUTCLIFFE. VITAGRAPH THEATER CHANGES PROGRAM. The Broadway Star Feature at the Vitagraph Theater for the week beginning January 17 will be "Hearts and the Highway," a historical drama in five parts, picturized by Colonel Casper Ewing Brady from the book of the same name by the Rev. Cyrus Townsend Brady. It is directed by Wilfred North. Darwin Karr will be seen as Sir Harry Richmond and Miss Lillian Walker as Lady Kate. (Jther players in the cast will be Donald Hall, L. RogersLytton, Charles Kent, Harry Northrup, Anders Randolph, Ned Finley, Charles Eldridge, Charles Wellesley and Rose Tapley. Four shorter pictures selected from the week's most notable releases will precede the feature and will include, "Wanted, a Nurse, a Sidney Drew comedy: "The Right Girl," featuring Anita Stewart and Earle Williams, and "The Navajo Ring," a Western drama, all single part subjects, besides a two-part feature comedy, "War," in which Jay D'wiggins, Flora Finch, Hughie Mack and Kate Price will play the principal comedy parts. The program at the Vitagraph Theater for this week will be confined to pictures. WILLIE HOPPE IN MUTUAL MOBS. They have been making use of Willie Hoppe, the billiard player, in mob scenes taken at the Griffith-Mutual studios. Hoppe has been in Los Angeles visiting his brother-in-law, R. A. Walsh, and Director Jack O'Brien has caught him "loafin' around," so to speak, and put him to work. O'Brien also gave a dinner party for the noted billiardist the other night, and among the guests were Elmer Clifton, R. A. Walsh, Robert Harron, George Benoit and Eddie Dillon. "THE STILL ON SUNSET MOUNTAIN" PRODUCES GINGER ALE. Thomas H. Ince at last sanctioned "faking'' in a motion picture play when he consented to the use of ginger ale instead of whiskey in the production of "The Still on Sunset Mountain," a Kay Bee release in the Mutual program. It is a mountaineer story, and the mountaineers in the picture swig whiskey as if it were water. "Don't take a chance on stopping the production while the actors recover," Ince told Director Charles Swickard. "Make it ginger ale." REALISTIC PRISON SCENES IN "THE AWAITED HOUR." Views of a real state's prison with actor convicts roaming among the factories and the great quadrangle and with the armed guards walking the parapets in the distance, are shown in "The Awaited Hour," a two-reel Imp drama to be released on February 5. A sensational jump from the prison wall into the river flowing beneath it is a most realistic feature of the melodrama. REMOVAL NOTICE. .Announcement is made to the trade that the film organization known as the McEnnery Syndicate, the New York: branch of which was located in the Candler Building, has vacated those offices and is now occupying a suite with the Alco Film Corporation. Arthur Levey, formerly manager, will take over all the business, with full control, and also attend to the exploitation of foreign features, having secured the agency for a number of prominent producers in London. FAMOUS PLAYERS-MARY PICKFORD COMPANY. Papers have been filed in .\lliany for the incorporation ot the Famous Players-Mary Pickford Company. The incorporators are Ralph Kohn, Adolph Zukor and Edwin S. Porter. It is rumored that the significance of this action is the distribution of Mary Pickford subjects as a distinct series of releases.