The Photo-Play Journal (Jul 1919-Feb 1921)

20 PHOTO-PLAY JOURNAL 1 July, 1919 } m 0 1L m When the famous Flying Circus was staged at Rockwell Field, San Diego, Margarita Fisher — "Flying A" star — proved as good as her name by accepting two invitations to fly higher. One came from Captain F. O. Wilson and the other from Lieut. E. F. Wiley. When Captain Wilson, for extra inducement, offered her the job of mechanician pro tern., Miss Fisher scornfully, and, it must be admitted, not a little fearfully, turned down the honor. "Why not?" queried the birdman. "Well, what if we were a couple of miles up and — er — suddenly that engine of yours got balky, and — er — you ordered me to get out and crank 'er up ! Would I have any guarantee that there'd be a nice, solid cloud around handy to stand on? With my contract I can't afford to take any chances, you know." The captain must have convinced Miss Fisher that playing mechanician would be a job in name only, or else she decided that it wouldn't do to waste that perfectly appropriate outfit they had scouted up for her. For, as hereinbefore stated, she ascended twice. And she was ready for more, only a high wind blew up and the cautious airmen refuse to risk any lives but their own. Which is all in the dav's work for them. Margarita Fisher, Capt. F. O. Wilson (Left) and Lieut. E. F. Wiley (Right) Conferring On How To Make Flight Photoplay criticism? There is little or none. If ever a form of amusement needed criticism, it is the photoplay. Not so much the pictures as a whole, but each feature. Criticism of pictures as a unit gives but one or two men's views, and is, therefore, unhealthy. Criticism by a number of critics on a number of pictures forms the foundation of universal opinion, and is more sound. Persons who criticise pictures are divided into three classes, those who write laudatory notices in accordance with a set policy of not offending the theatre men (i.e., the advertisers) ; those who use scissors and paste on the notices furnished them by the manufacturers ; publicity writers ; and those who indulge in occasional honest criticisms. The last named are few and far between, and even then some of them are often warped in their judgment by certain narrow views which they believe to be "moral." m m Screen Criticism BY MAURICE TOURNEUR H ffl Candid criticism is severely handicapped. It is hardly possible to take a man's money and decry his wares at the same time ; how can journals or papers carry the advertising for a certain film and then give it adverse criticism ? The maker of a film, as a general rule, does not zuant criticism, he wants applause, and here, I think, is one of the crying evils of the industry, the fear of honest, capable criticism. Then again, most of the so-called critics are not entitled to criticise. Many of them have never been inside a studio, have no idea what ever of dramatic construction and no dramatic instinct : they do not appreciate the scope or the limitations of screen work ; they are unable to distinguish the good from the mediocre. Many of them are biassed by certain religious scruples and see evil where it does not exist. "/hat is the use of fooling ourselves? I have made pictures I like and ones I do not like at all, and when I make a mediocre picture and read a laudatory criticism of it, I do not flatter myself that the feature must be better than I thought it was. I will probably be criticised for criticising the critics, but I am strongly in favor of capable newspaper criticism, and bear no resentment against those who have openly written they have not liked certain of my pictures : it does me good : honest opinions honestly expressed do us all good, and are far better for us than fulsome flattery and laudatorv comment when it is not deserved.