The New York Clipper (February 1917)

February THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 33 !«V PICTURES WAR MAY CAUSE BIG TIE-UP IN FILM TRANS PORTATION If Conflict Between U. S. and Germany Eventuates Commandeer- ing of All Important Railroads Would Undoubtedly Ensue. National Association Considers Situation Should the war that the daily news- papers declare is impending, with Germany and the United States as adversaries, be- come a reality, the Sim industry may be confronted with serious problems affecting matters of distribution. The fact that the Government could immediately assume control of every rail- road in the United States in the event of a declaration of war has been the cause of much sober reflection on the part of those charged with the responsibility of marketing the enormous weekly output of American film concerns. The seizure of the railroads by the mili- tary authorities for the transportation of troops to strategic points along the At- lantic and Pacific sea coasts would natu- rally put the express companies out of business, temporarily at least. The Parcel Post system would also experience un- usual difficulties for the same reason. With the main arteries of interstate transportation clogged in whole or in part transferring guns and munitions of war to camps and important centers, picture theatres throughout the country would be forced to use the films on hand in local exchanges. Rebookings would become the rule, instead of the exception. Airplanes have been suggested as a means of transporting films should hos- tilities eventuate. This suggestion, how- ever, is impractical, as the Government would forbid an aviation except by the military. The danger of permitting mis- cellaneous aircraft to fly over cities is readily perceptible, even if commercial aviators could be engaged in sufficient numbers to warrant the innovation, which is exceedingly doubtful. The only recourse left open to the dis- tributing of film would seem to be the automobile, which could be utilized for transportation purposes to supply pic- tures to exhibitors within a five hundred mile radius from New York. In turn, these films could be relayed to farther dis- tant points. At best this would be a poor make- shift and there is little question but that countless small houses in the remote sec- tions would be forced temporarily to sus- pend performances pending a re-opening of the country's transit facilities. The condition that might obtain if the Government should decide to exercise its prerogative if we go to war with the Ger- man Empire has so impressed the National Association of the Motion Picture Indus- try that a special meeting was called last week to consider ways and means of handling the intricate situation which threatens. The expected railroad strike which came so near happening last September, would have resulted in crippling the distributing companies transportation services and while the effect of a strike of this sort would have undoubtedly caused losses of hundreds of thousands to film men in all branches of the trade the general amount of financial damage would be nothing as compared to Governmental commandeering of the railroads. About the only thing that consoles film manufacturers when contemplating the dire possibilities which they may have to face shortly is the fact that things would straighten out within a week or ten days after mobilization orders were given. Though slight, this is of some comfort. "MORMON MAID" PROPAGANDA Heller and Wilk will offer for state rights a new anti-Mormon picture of propogandistic tendencies entitled "The Mormon Maid." The film features Mae Murray and Hobart Bosworth and will be shown at the Strand Theatre at 10.30 A. M., Wednesday, Feb. 14 (today). The picture has the support of several societies opposed to Mormonism. An offer for the rights to all of the southern states has al- ready been made by the New York State Branch of the Anti-Mormon League. NEW OPERATORS LICENSE BILL A bill, which has the backing of Oper- ators' Union, Local 306, I. A. T. S. E., providing that after a six months' appren- ticeship motion picture operators may be licensed by the State of New York, is now ready to be presented to the Legislature for consideration. The measure has been promulgated with the idea of eliminating the competition arising from instruction nod correspondence schools, which regu- larly turn out each week more operators than the industry can economically assimi- late. P. P. LEAGUE MEETS AGAIN The Photo Play League held another meeting at the Rialto Theatre, last Thurs- day. The organization, which is one of the rapidly increasing group of "uplift" so- cieties formed within the past three or four months to create higher film stand- ards, was addressed by Frederick Warde, the veteran tragedian, who told of his ex- periences in the silent drama. WARREN'S NEW ENTERPRISE The Edward Warren Productions Co. has been formed for the purpose of making unusual multiple reelers for the state rights market. "The Transgressor," directed by Lawrence Marsden with Charlotte Ives, Sheldon Lewis and Walter Hampden in the cast, will be the initial offering. H. Z. Levine, who resigned from the Tri- angle publicity staff recently, has been appointed general manager of the new concern. SUBSEA FILM TO CLOSE RUN "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" closes at the Broadway Feb. 24. The sponsors of the subsea picture claim that it has been seen by 300,000 persons during its six week's run at the Broad- way. MUTUAL WINS "SCANDALS" SUIT After a long and stubbornly fought legal battle, the Mutual Film Corp. has finally been accorded the right to market the film entitled, "The House of a Thousand Scandals," by virtue of a decision handed down last week by Justice Pendleton in the Supreme Court, N. Y. The Selig Polyscope Co/s contention that the picture title was an infringement on "The House of a Thousand Candles" was not sus- tained. CHINESE PLAY U. NOVELTY The Universal will introduce an innova- tion in the line of picture plays next month in the shape of a feature film writ- ten by a Chinaman and acted by an all- Chinese cast. "JOAN" AT $5 A SEAT "Joan, the Woman," the Cardinal pro- duction that has been doing a turnaway business at the 44th St. Theatre, N. Y., since its premiere at that house seven weeks ago, was presented at the home of Edson Bradley, the Washington society leader, as a charity entertainment on the evening of Feb. 13. Six hundred specta- tors willingly paid $5 a seat for the privi- lege of witnessing the big spectacle. COMPLETING "ETERNAL SIN" The Selznick production of "The Eternal Sin," all work on which had to be necessarily abandoned during Herbert Brenon's recent illness, will be completed in a fortnight. Brenon has sufficiently recovered to direct the scenes left unfin- ished. Florence Reed is starred in the feature, which is said to represent an out- lay of $100,000. MERCER TALK RENEWED According to report there is a new move- ment on foot to merge several of the larger producing organizations. Goldwyn, Selz- nick, Paramount and Artcraft have been mentioned as possible parties to a new combination of interests. Representatives of all of the above mentioned emphatically denied the rumor. VITA REDUCES FORCE Following out a course of retrenchment decided on several weeks ago, the Vitgraph Co. dismissed over a hundred persons em- ployed In the mechanical departments of the Flatbuah plant last Saturday. It ia the intention of the Yltagraph to do more producing on the coast hereafter. Whether the eastern studios will be ultimately closed and rented later to private producers, aa has been reported, has not been decided as yet. WAR FILMS IN DEMAND The breaking off of diplomatic relations with Germany has re-created an interest in the numerous preparedness pictures thrown on the market last season. Big bookings are reported on "The Fall of a Nation," "The Battle Cry of Peace," "Civilization" and "A Nation's Peril." SHERWOOD HIGH BROW ACTOR Billy Sherwood, the picture player, has forsaken the screen for the nonce to elevate the drama. He is now a member of But- ler Davenport's company of ultra high brow thespians currently holding forth at the Bramhall Playhouse. ENDORSE WORLD FEATURE "The Man Who Forgot," a World fea- ture which takes a solid whack at tbe demon rum to excellent purpose, has re- ceived the enthusiastic endorsement of many temperance leagues throughout the country. The Michigan State Prohibition Committee has voiced its approval of the sentiment expressed in the film by send- ing out a letter of endorsement to citi- zens residing in Michigan and surrounding states. PARAMOUNTS NEW GEN. MGR. B. P. Schulberg, until recently publicity director of Paramount Pictures Corpora- tion, has been elevated to the post of gen- eral manager of that concern, succeeding Kenneth Hodkinson, who resigned Feb. 1. Schulberg started with the Famous Play- ers when that company was organized, and by a combination of brains, industry and a capacity for handling big things in a big way has risen steadily to the top. JAMES DINES THE CRITICS Arthur James signalized his debut aa a motion picture producer last Friday af- ternoon by giving the film critics of the press a regular .ten-reel luncheon at the Claridge. Frances Nelson, star of "One of Many," James' initial entry in the feature film sweepstakes, was the guest of honor. FOX CUTS OUT PRESS REVIEWS The Fox Film Corp. has discontinued' the regular weekly press showings of forthcoming productions, held in tbe pro- jecting room of the home office heretofore for the convenience of the trade paper critics. No reason has been given for the change. BIG FILM MEN IN CALIFORNIA The presence of several big film mag- nates in Los Angeles at this time, includ- ing Carl Laemmle, John R. Frenler and Charles Kessel, has given rise to rumors of a combination of interests regarding the distribution of the productions of the concerns each represents. PRIZMA COLOR FILMS SHOWN Prizma films, the latest development in the field of natural color cinematography, were shown to an invited audience in tbe auditorium of the . Museum of Natural History, N. Y., Thursday evening, Feb. 8. The new color process made a decidedly favorable impression. HORSLEVS LATEST RELEASE David Horsley ia receiving congratula- tions on his latest release. It's a girl and she arrived at the Horsley domicile in Grammercy Park, Feb. 4.