Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1925 - Feb 1926)

23 Tn? We who live in the big cities see ' the names of our film favorites peren Farmers nially blooming in electric lights along Choice our Broadways and never stop to con sider that perhaps the rest of the country — the backbone of the country, as the congressmen would have it — does not second our judgments. It is arresting, therefore, to glance over the results of a questionnaire sent out by The Nebraska Farmer which asked about the farmers' preferences in pictures and in stars. The big city favorites are usually conceded to be Gloria Swanson, Harold Lloyd, Norma Talmadge, Colleen Moore and Thomas Meighan. But the farmers pick as their favorites — in the order named — Tom Mix, Fred Thomson, Thomas Meighan, Colleen Moore, Norma Talmadge, Mary Pickford, Rudolph Valentino, Gloria Swanson, Lois Wilson, Hoot Gibson, Harold Lloyd, Betty Compson, Pola Negri, Jackie Coogan, Jack Hoxie, Bebe Daniels. And next appears on the list Silver King, who is none other than Fred Thomson's horse, which makes his position as one of the first favorites doubly secure. It is easy enough to understand why Gloria Swanson is caviar to the general, but why Harold Lloyd appears so low on the list is not so easy to comprehend. Among the pictures which had been most enjoyed by the readers of The Nebraska Farmer, "The Covered Wagon" led the list, as it would almost any list, but two Llarold Bell Wright productions which enjoyed no particular success in the big cities, were mentioned among the first six favorites of the farmers. The Lubitsch pictures, the foreign importations, the Sennett comedies, and the rare works of Erich von Stroheim— all of which bring joy to the hearts of metropolitan theatergoers — were not even mentioned in this survey. The When you pick up a newspaper and read a glowing tribute to a player who Long, Long has given a remarkably fine performJ{oacl ance in a motion picture, perhaps you feel that that player has gained recognition and is well on the road to success. Unfortunately, that is not the case — and often after a signal success a player struggles for a year or two before gaining a real foothold in his profession — that is, fairly regular engagements, or a contract. Norma Shearer, Zasu Pitts, Malcolm Macgregor, Jetta Goudal — to mention only a few — were discovered and lauded by film critics long before they reached the security of being regularly sought by film producers. It is interesting, therefore, to note the fairly obscure players who are being widely praised at present, for they may be the rising stars of a year hence. Priscilla Bonner, of "Tarnish," and more recently "Drusilla with a Million/' is being heralded everywhere as an accomplished trouper, and Laska Winter, still a player of small parts, is another who has received lavish praise. Opportunity Knocks Once Even after an actor is well known arid he has a contract that guarantees! him a big salary, he rarely scales the heights of which he is capable. It is only when a truly great role comes to him that he does work from which he derives any personal satisfaction. Mary Pickford had her "Stella Maris," Lillian Gish her "Broken Blossoms," and "Way Down East," Betty Compson had her "Miracle Man," Rudolph Valentino his "Four Horsemen." These were opportunities that were seized. Achievements perhaps equally great are being whispered about in the studios where pictures have been seen that have not yet been shown to the public. One of these is "The Unholy Three," which is said to give Mae Busch her great chance. Another is "The Wanderer," which it is predicted will make Buster Collier a sensational success. Yet another is "Kiss Me Again," a Lubitsch picture, in which Clara Bow is said to distinguish herself. If these predictions are true, and we hope they are, Ave have a truly "greater movie season" ahead of us. A Fan Slams the Highbrows A correspondent from Toledo, Ohio, who signs himself — or herself — "Memze," makes some interesting observations upon the attitude of the highbrows, particularly as applied to motion pictures. He writes : Highbrows are people who can think of high-sounding reasons for liking what they like. For instance, when you and I like jazz, it's N. G., and we have no musical sense. When the highbrows like it, what is it ? The beginning of American expressionism, music which will become the folk songs of the people of America. When you and I like movies they are mass productions of sentimentality with no more art than a canning factory. When you and I are movie fans we are morons with a Pollyanna complex, unable to face the factor of life. But, wait, some moonlight night we'll be discovered by The Knights of the Tall Forehead, and when we wake up we won't know ourselves. When we go around the corner to see Tom Mix, Bill Hart, or Hoot Gibson, what will they be but symbols of Western courage ! We decide to take in Mary Pickford's latest. What have we here? A symbol of American idealism ! Well, we always knew the movies were good, but if one of these daffydils of the elevated egg comes up and tells us that anything is a symbol of anything, we will tell them to go to a symbolical place of punishment in four letters.