The New York Clipper (September 1916)

32 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER MOTION PICTURES September 30 BA&BT SlinS, MOTIOI PICTCRB SOITOO. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION TAKES FIRM STAND ON CENSOR QUESTION. FILM MEN ADOPT RESOLUTION VOICING OPPOSI- TION TO ANY SORT OF GOVERNMENT REGULATION. At last the flfcn tatereats at the country repre- sented by the National Association of tiie Moving Ptctnre Industry, nave evidenced a keen desire to get together and present a solid front to those would-be reformers, scheming politicians and gen- eral all 'round bos; bodies, who would wreck the picture business, through the medium of drastic censorship lave. At a meeting ot the National Association, held In the Hotel Aster. New York City, last Friday afternoon, the question of the organization's atti- tude on censorship was decided once and for all. Hereafter the many different minded factions of tiie industry roost be bound 'by the sense of the National Association meeting's -viewpoint as ex- pressed tn tile following resolution: "Resolved, Ttiat it is the sense of the Board of Directors of the National Association of the Motion Picture Indus- try that we are opposed to the legal censoring of any motion pictures in any State or In the nation." Among those who made speeches denouncing the (principle of censorship was D. W. Griffith- The creator of "Intolerance" and "The Birth of a Na- tion" has suffered large financial losses In the past three years, due to the Idiosyncrasies of local and estate censor boards and lis opinion' of those who would practice this twentieth century form of In- tolerance was given in rather unmiatakabl© terms. Olr. Griffith, said In part: "Once Federal censorship is estehHehed what power can break it? WJio will stand a chance of arguing with the United States Government? Who would be able to object if the censors objected to Mary Flckford smoking a cigarette in the first act? "Seriously, gentlemen, I believe that Federal censorship means the end of the motion picture trade as an act, industry and form of speech. Not even the stage or the press could survive as forms of speech under Federal censorship. If we would use our weapons in fighting what censorship al- ready exists instead of seeking to impose more burdens on ourselves, we would be doing the logical tiling. There has been no concentrated effort to fight the evil, with the people behind the movement. Why not try that first end then, If necessary, go after Federal censorship? Person- ally, I snail devote my time m that event to chasing the sharks that have been infesting your Shores. In California we have fought and defeated censorship. Why not fight It here on those lines instead of putting ourselves In a position where we will be hanged before we have committed a crime 7 Lee Ocbs, Martin Littleton, Wm. A, Seabury, Adolph Zukor and several others also spoke against the establishment of any form Of government cen- sorship of pictures. POLITICAL FILM CAUSES ROW. A fine little Donnybrook has been started over the introduction of religion into the presidential campaign via the medium ot a two reel motion picture. Hal Bold made the film which depicted President Wilson asleep at his desk, while a cut-hack showed Villa and his bandits ravishing nuns and commit- ting other unspeakable outrages down Mexico way. The Neto Tort World, In an editorial, rapped the film so bard that the Republican campaign managers decided to eliminate the above mentioned objection stole scenes. The producer, Hal Beld, came In for an especially strong panning. While do names were mentioned; the New York dally pointed oat the Inconsistency ot a man wbose own record would hardly stand the spot light glare, placing the President of the United States tn such an unfavorable light. The film, In its revised form, will be used as Republican propaganda in the interests of Candi- date Cbas. E. Hughes, in the fortnight preceding •lection. "IS ANY GIRL SAFE? ** 44 WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN?" BANNED. The Universale so-called uplift feature, "Where Are My Children?" has been finally banned In the State of Pennsylvania by a Judicial decision ren- dered last week in the Philadelphia Court Of Com- mon Pleas. Judge -adenreid In reviewing the case, which came before him as an appeal from the Penn. Censor Board's edict barring the film from the screens of the Keystone State, upheld the conten- tion of the latter body, which designated the pic- ture as one "tending to debase or corrupt morals.™ ROT IN NEW YORK, OPINES JUDGE. "Is Any Girl Safe?" cannot bo shown in New Tork City, according to tha decision of Supreme Court Justice Cobalan. The feature with toe al- leged sociological uplift Idea struck a snag when It was exhibited at the Maxlne Elliott Theatre two weeks ago, in the form of an application for an injunction applied for by License Commissioner Bell. The Anti Vice Firm Co., who own the New Tork Tights to the film, secured a temporary stay, hut the picture was withdrawn pending a final decision In the matter. Justice Conalan'e decision barring "Is Any Girl Safe," is based on Section 1140 o fthe Penal Law, which treats of "corruption of the morals of the public." SUING SHEEHAN FOR $75,000. Winnie Sheehas, general manager of the Fox Film Corporation was made the defendant in a breach of promise suit for $75,000 last week, Julia Beaublen, a chorus girl, brought the action In til* New Tork Supreme Court PHYSIOC'iNEW CO. . Wrey Physic* entered the magnate class last week. Wray has a new film company, of which he is the producing general, and the tidy little sum of $250,000 to make pictures with. The home officea will be in New York, with manufacturing headquarters on the Coast. MISS WALKER RECOVERING. Lillian Walker, who was recently Injured in an auto accident, is recovering. M0R0SC0 MISQUOTED. PICTURE MAGNATE EXPLAINS. la a recent edition of The Green Boot Oliver Moroseo. who has large film Interests as well as Important stage connections, was quoted as ap- parently saying that the picture business was on the wane. Furthermore, the general tone of the Interview would seem to Indicate that Mr. Mo- sxwoo had a rather small opinion of the motion picture as a form of entertainment Now, according to Oliver Morosco, the forego ins; is all wrong, and he has Issued a statement, which folows. setting forth his real views: "I hire carefully gone over tiie article in The Green Book. A great many of the things quoted as coming from me staggered me quite a little. I do not believe the interviewer intended in any way to misquote me, but merely misunderstood me in several instances. "My article was based on the moving pictures, and I stated emphatically to the interviewer that I thought the future of the moving picture business would depend upon the manner in which pictures Would be made; that I thought the cheap class of feature moving picture films would not succeed as they bad In the past but that 'tiie high, class, well constructed, well acted story would live forever; that I Intended in our picture company to make our productions with as much merit end quality as I would the biggest production I made on the legitimate stage, and I would fight my own moving picture company with my dramatic productions throughout the country, not as an opposition, but kn tils making of same. In other words, that in tho building of a play or the making of a picture I would try to make one outdo tie otter in artis- tic endeavor. "I also said that tiie moving* picture industry of the future would prove a 'survival of the fit- teat' At no time did I intend to be quoted as saying that the high class picture or the worthy picture was on the decline How foolhardy that wvuild be of me, when I am in the picture business, making pictures for the public; and if you will take one clause In the artlele referred to I think It un- doubtedly speaks for Itself; f quote as follows: " There will be a place and demand for photo- plays containing good stories, good acting, fine pro- duction and all that goes to make a good picture, and it Will he the companies and producers ca- pable of firing these pictures that will survive/ " CHRISTMAN DEFEATED* The efforts of the M. P. E. League of America to defeat Senator W. T. Christman, who was ■ candidate for re-election at the State Primaries last week, were eminently successful. Mr. Christman, who incurred the displeasure of tiie picture folk by his sponsorship of the Cbrist- man-Wheeler censorship measure about six montns ago, was eliminated as a Senatorial possibility to tile tuns of four hundred votes, a small but never- theless sufficient majority. Theodore Douglas Robinson consequently will be tiie Republican candidate for Senator at tiie forth- coming November election. The district Robinson will represent. If elected, embraces the N. T. State counties of Herkimer, Fulton, Lewis and Hamilton. O'BRIEN WITII METRO. Jack O'Brien, Who directed Mary Plckford's last foot pictures, has been engaged try Metro. He win take charge of all of fimmy Whelen'e future screeu appearances. "KING LEAR" 0. K. "King Lear," the T tia n h ons e r production; will be released through Patite.despite ail rnmons and reports to the contrary. The Pathe Exchange was said to bare rejected tile feature, hot this report seems to hare been III founded. THE OPENING FALL NUMBER OF THE CLIPPER WILL BE DATED OCTOBER 7. BE SURE TO ORDER YOUR COPY IN ADVANCE.