The Moving picture world (January 1920-February 1920)

904 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 7, 1920 Films Encourage Trade Relations Between the Americas, Says Day T The Eugenic Bride. Betty Ross Clarke, who has the > in Taylor Holmes production, Very Idea." for Metro. b. role "The HE old adage, "commerce follows the flag," no longer holds good in the opinion of film men. Business these days, with all dreams of colonial expansion banished, is showing a tendency to follow other ideals. Nowadays it is the motion picture industry that has taken the lead, and other business is showing an increasing tendency to follow this leadership, according to John L. Day, South American representative for the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, who has just returned from a five month's trip through that territory. "American business men are just beginning to reap the benefits of the tremendous hold American motion pictures have obtained upon the people of the South American countries," said Mr. Day. "The war enabled American pictures to wrest the leadership away from the French and Italian manufacturers of films, and so solidly entrenched are our pictures that it will be impossible for European exporters to regain their Hutchinson, Back from Trip, Speaks of American's New Picture, "The Honey Bee 99 SAMUEL S. HUTCHINSON, president of the American Film Company, had just reached Chicago headquarters after several weeks spent at the American's Santa Barbara studios, where he has been advising in the production of the latest "Flying A" super-drama, "The Honey Bee." On his way back Mr. Hutchinson stopped off at the American exchanges in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Salt Lake and Denver, where he discussed with exchange men and exhibitors the present success and the future prospects of American's big Specials, "Six Feet Four," "The Hellion," "Eve in Exile" and "The Valley of Tomorrow." He found exhibitors vitally interested in what he had to say about the latest photonovel, now in the making, in which the Belgian prima donna, Mme. Marguerita Sylva, makes her initial appearance upon the American screen. The novel, "The Honey Bee," by Samuel Merwin, from which the drama is adapted, was one of the seven best sellers during the year of its appearance, and was chosen as admirably suited to the diva. Based on Natural History Facts. "'The Honey Bee,'" explains Mr. Hutchinson, "is based upon some of the most fascinating facts in natural history, the never-ending toil of the unsexed females— the workers of the honey bee family. The fact that they work and work until they die, and if, for any reason, there isn't work enough, become demoralized, taste the honey, get honeydrunk, and take to robbing the hives. "In his novel," continued Mr. Hutchinson, "Samuel Merwin has developed a most interesting analogy, using this sexless little creature as typical of woman, the worker — the woman who is forced by circumstances to be self-supporting and, as the title explains, is 'cheated out of love and home and babies.' Sub-Titles Minimized. "Speaking of titles, we are putting this picture through with a minimum of read ing matter. It is going to be a picture interspersed with a few necessary titles, and not a lot of titles, probably less than a hundred for six reels. Considering the fact that the grip of the story is in the subtle mental and emotional metamorphosis of the woman who yields her cramping conventions for a more human elbowing with humanity, considering the nature of the drama, the paucity of titles is a tribute to Mme. Sylvia's histrionic ability. "The scenes of the play are laid in New York and Paris. In the novel environment of that gay metropolis the heroine, Hilda Wilson, (Mme. Sylva in the screen adaptation) during a respite from her work falls in love with an American pugilist whom she knew only as a clean, high type of manhood. Later she sees him in action under the terrible stress of a prize fight, and while feeling is tense under the suspense of who shall win, Hilda does the unexpected. She is so affected by the brutal spectacle that she turns from hero with revulsion." Leah Baird Back from Florida. Leah Baird and her company of players engaged in filming "Cynthia-ofthe-Minute," the Louis Joseph Vance novel, for W. W. Hodkinson release, has returned from Tampa, Jacksonville and Miami, Fla., where they had been for three weeks enacting outdoor scenes. Ritchey Increasine^ Facilitie«. James V. Ritchey declares that distributors are increasingly using more and more lithographic work to advertise their product to the public. Picture showmen are likewise increasing their orders for printing, as further indication that lithographing and billposting is taking the same place in advertising photoplays that the art has long held in promoting regular theatrical attractions. Ten additional presses have just been installed by the Ritchey Litho Corporation to meet increased trade. lost leadership as long as America continues to develop and improve the art of the screen. Arouse Interest in Our Customs. "When the South American saw French fashions and French ideals as reflected in the photoplays from that country, his business inquiries were generally forwarded in that direction. French and Italian pictures were shown almost exclusively in the larger theatres, with the result that the public had little opportunity to become acquainted with American standards of living. The war brought about this much desired change, however, and motion pictures from this country are serving a highly important purpose as propaganda for American merchandise as well as for American films. "Thanks to the movies. South Americans are becoming better acquainted with the people of the United States. The visualization of American scenery, fashions, business conditions and standards of living is the object of the keenest interest on the part of the men and women of South America. "Our pictures are shown today in practically every high class theatre in South America and the demand for these films is increasing enormously. Leading exhibitors have told me that it will be impossible for European film exporters to supplant American pictures in the estimation of the public. Exhibitors Prosperous. "South American exhibitors are prosperous these days, conditions in Chile, Argentina and Brazil being unusually good insofar as American pictures are concerned. The demand for Paramount Artcraft pictures has increased tremendously in the last year and our various oflices and agents are reporting record-breaking business. In Buenos Aires, for instance, eighty-five of the largest theatres in the metropolitan district are showing Paramount Artcraft pictures regularly. In Rio, the Cinema Avenida, the first run house for Paramount Artcraft productions, is being remodeled and will have double its present seating capacity. Chicagoans Buy Milwaukee House. The Merrill Theatre, Milwaukee, has passed to the ownership of Handelsman, Hershberg & Gumbiner, of Chicago, at a sum stated to be $500,000. There is an unexpired lease-hold in the transaction with ninety-four years yet to go. Handelsman, Hershberg & Gumbiner heretofore have been operating separately in theatrical affairs This deal brings them together in a business transaction for the first time. J. Handelsman has been associated with the W. W. Kimball company, organ builders, for twenty-five years. His theatrical holdings have been many and varied. William Hershberg, who was the prime mover in swinging the Milwaukee deal, is a member of Metro's Chicago organization. He is a veteran picture man. Abe Gumbiner is a Chicago theatrical man with considerable holdings. He is operating a circuit of ten theatres in Chicago.