Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1911)

532 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD Facts and Comments SOME years ago George Bernard Shaw drew this short and sharp and sweeping indictment against the English theater: "The conception of theatrical art as the exploitation of popular superstition and ignorance, as the thrilling of poor bumpkins with ghosts and blood, exciting them with blows and stabs, duping them with tawdry affectations of rank and rhetoric, thriving parasitically on their moral diseases instead of purging their souls and refining their senses, this is the tradition, that the theater finds it so hard to get away from." Such was the tradition, which the moving picture in its early history found it most difficult to get away from. Of course the moving picture of those days, having scarcely started into being, could have no tradition as such, but it inherited the traditions of some of the men, who then crowded into its ranks. The undesirable elements of the show world were largely represented. They neither knew nor cared anything about their responsibilities to the public, and seizing upon the wonderful invention much as vultures strike their prey, they applied to it all their crude, vulgar and offensive methods, too often discrediting the picture with the general public and giving it a reputation, which even the best efforts of the men, who later came into the business, has been unable to destroy entirely. How profound the change has been from the early days to the present status was shown but recently by the emphatic condemnation by moving picture men in every branch of the industry of the attempt to film a person, made notorious through a murder trial. To the discerning eye of the friend of the moving picture, however, there are numerous other indications of its progress. The quality and the character of subjects now filmed would never lead one to believe, that the industry at one time had to contend for its very life against the traditions and the heritage of the dime museum, the penny arcade and the shooting gallery. Whatever may be said against the tyranny of trade organizations, it must be manifest to us at this distance of time, that the men who saw their inventions threatened as a property by the chaotic conditions of the market and the motley character of exploiters did a wise thing, not only for themselves, but for the industry at large by combining to put the business on a safe and sound basis and guarding its early growth and development. Whether the actuating motives were purely selfish or not, is irrelevant, as far as the results are concerned. Whether the industry has now outlived this guardianship, because of the vast changes in the personnel of the exhibitors and the more settled condition of affairs is another question, which was discussed in these columns but recently at considerable length. * While on this subject we believe it is due to the Moving Picture World to say that it has ever since the beginning of the industry set its face sternly against the enemies of the picture, both from within and from without, and has in no small measure helped to bring about higher ideals, better quality and a proper moral standard. We have always stood for the dignity and the higher destiny of the cinematograph, and if today a healthy tone and an atmosphere of dignity surrounds the moving picture we believe ourselves justly entitled to some share of the credit. The accusation so fairly made by Shaw against the English stage will not lie against the moving picture in this country. It has purged itself successfully of its early baneful enemies within the ranks and has begun its career of positive achievement. The future will furnish proof, that it is an art as well as an industry. * * * We have received a letter from a lady, a writer of scenarios, protesting against "too much hugging and kissing on the screen." Our correspondent says : . . . "at the end, when the climax comes and the lovers gain the victory, they hug and kiss and squeeze up to each other in a most disgusting manner." There is merit in this protest. Some liberty must be conceded in lovemaking; the gushing heroine will throw herself on "Jack's" manly bosom or neck and nestle there a wee bit. An occasional kiss or embrace is unobjectionable, but more than this conventional display of love in pubhc is "de trop." As a rule our young people show laudable restraint and discretion in love-making when other persons are around, no matter how nearly related, and the love-making on the screen is of course always public, being witnessed by millions every night. To people, inwhom the Anglo-Saxon strain predominates, the manhunting female, so common in foreign pictures, is an abomination. We still believe as a nation, that woman's consent to wifehood should be accompanied by "sweet, reluctant, amorous delay." Anything that savors of the brazen or the immodest should never for a moment be tolerated in the moving picture film. We believe, that the great majority of producers in this country have paid due respect to the decent conventions of modern society. * * * A little sense of humor and a small part of that discretion, which thinks before acting or writing, would" have saved us the appeal to the Secretary of State at Washington anent the refusal of a Canadian board of censors to permit the display of the stars and stripes in films to be exhibited in Canada. Even if the appeal was made for advertising purposes, it was not well advised. What is the Secretary of State to do ? Refer the matter to the International Board of Arbitration and Peace at the Hague and failing to get redress there mobilize the boy scouts and mass them on the Canadian border with secret marching orders ? It is a blessed thing we do not stand on the eve of a national campaign with a secretary like the late James G. Blaine, otherwise the thing might become a national issue. The agonized roar of the British lion might be heard in the land, as patriots would take turns in twisting the animal's tail. Let us laugh about it and forget and forgive. Any impartial jury will decide that the "drinks are on the other fellows." * * * Just a line to give proper credit to William Lord Wright, the author of that delicious bit of photoplay lyrics, entitled "The Scenario Writer," which was published on page 467 of last week's issue of the Moving Picture World. The omission of Mr. Wright's namewas purely accidental. I M