Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1920)

The Twelve Best Motion Pictures Winners of Second Photoplay Magazine Letter Contest PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE S Second Letter Contest closes with surprising results — results perhaps disappointing to producers who have spent thousands of dollars on elaborate productions. For the common message contained in the many letters giving the writers' opinions of the twelve best photoplays they have seen is this: The motion picture creating a lasting impression or accomplishing the most good is not the picture requiring the greatest number of reels or covering the most extensive range of subjects. Human interest, say PhotoPLAv's readers, is what the public appreciates most, and when this vital chord is drowned in rambling themes introducing foreign notes, interest in the picture ebbs. It might be discouraging to a producer who had spent a fortune on a picture like ■'Intolerance" to hear that the film most loved and appreciatetl was "The Miracle Man." This play had more votes than any other, although others had cost much more to produce. The picture that does not hit a responsive chord in the heart of its audience is not remembered. One man writes : "That which we cannot take seriously we do not long remember. The picture must strike home, for, curiously enough, the only way to make some people forget themselves is to put their lives on the screen." Simplicity is the keynote of a successful film. Complications in construction only confuse and amuse for the moment, but leave no definite impression. A simple appeal to Faith, Hope or Charity touches more responsive hearts and spreads more good in the world than all the films with "4.000 horses. 20.000 men, ten elephants," etc. Difficult locations, expensive stars, scenarios dealing with plot and counter-plot arc not the pictures that live in the memory. A homey "Daddy Long Legs." "Hoosier Romance" and "Stella ^L^ris" have brought a truth nearer hundreds of hearts than "Broken Hlnssoms." "Hearts of the World," and even "The Hirth of a Nation." In comedy the same taste seems to be universal. Chaplin's 82 Why I Do Not Bel ieve In Censorship, This is the subject for Photoplay Magazine's Fourth Letter Contest "' I 'HE official censor, meddling 1 with irtorals and art, invariab y hits what is true, i. e., what is art, and passes what is false, hence what is not art. "He spells the death of all progress and free experiment in ihc movies, and he represents a fundamental violation of both common Dense and common justice. Can't we even go to the theater without being dictated to by a medd esome old maid, whether in pants or petticoats?" So writes Walter Pritchard Eaton, the writer and critic who could never be accused of undue love for pictures, or motion picture censorship, in the Pittsfield Berkeshire Eagle. "Legalized censorship of the film is a dangerous departure in a free country, " reports the special investigating committee appointed by the New York State Conference of Mayors, which rj^ centiy condemned state censorship and recommended local regulation by license in the municipalities of the state. "Shoulder Arms" has spread more cheer and hearty enjoyment sprinkled with tears, than any Broadway comedy screened. The dominant note, sounded high above those of praise for this picture, is that Chaplin has not tried it again. How can a man — and even a million-dollar comedian must be human — hear thousands of voices calling him to help them along the rocky path-way of life by his lovable humor, and still deny these millions of friends a little of his cheer, which they long for and appreciate so thoroughly? It was encouraging to note that apparently no particular star influenced the choice of the pictures. Naturally, several were mentioned as favorites, but one could easily see that the film acted by any other name would not have changed the impression in many cases. The highly and often over-paid star may do to get the people into the theater, but the impression that lasts is that of the film— the story, the direction, the photography, and the human interest. These four elements are what made up a perfect picture to thousands of film admirers in this and other countries. "The indecent, improper and immoral film can be eradicated by the same methods as are used against indecent, improper and immoral books and p ays. ' Dr. James P. Warbasse. of the Methodist Episcopal Hospital in Brooklyn, says: "Official political censorship is a stupid violation of human liberty. It means pre-judgment by an official who sets himself up as a dictator to decide things which the people themselves must judge if they are to grow and develop a culture. The worst features of Prussianism offer nothing so vicious as pre-censorship of art."' Those are reasons why some thinkers and altruists who are sincere in their judgments do not believe in legal censorship of films. Photoplay Mag.\zixe wants to know why you do not believe in censorship — why you do not want h.icd political censors to decide what you and your children sha 1 or shall not see on the screen. PHOTOPI..\V WILL PAY FOR YOUR H lEAS of the evils of motion picture censorship: S25 for the best letter; $15 for the second best letter, and $10 each for the three next best letters of not more than 300 words. One side of the paper only must be u^cd. .Ml letters, addressed to Fourth Letter Contest Editor. Photoplay ^L^CAZI^•E, :s West 45th Street, New York City, must be in by .•\ugust I, 1920. The Pictures Make Her BcUcr e Again First Prize The twelve photoplays I would place in the first rank are as follows: "The Miracle Man" ' — There may be sermons in stones, but there is also a religion and a philosophy in this unusually human thesis. "Cabiria" — One scene. Hannibal's hordes crossing the .Mps. visualized the past for me as the study of Latin for six years never did. "The Rirth of a Nation '—Every character in this great -American epic lived the part in a way never to be forgotten; perhaps never to be equaled. "Carmen" — Merimee's good old story made a dazzling tapestr\" of pission. revenge, and fatalism. "Ramona" — "Once upon a time" used to thrill mc. and (Continued on pagr 84)