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W. D. Griffith's Intolerance, with its extraordinarily advanced technique, was enthusiastically received at Drury Lane Theatre in April, and in March, Hamilton Fyfe, in an article in the Daily Mail, claimed Charlie Chaplin as a national asset. He was in danger of being claimed by America. Mary Pickford, the 'World's Sweetheart,' announced the formation of her own company for the production of films.
The second half of 19 17 saw the launching of several fairly important films, both of mine and Edwards', but I am not going to risk the boredom of giving their names. It was also notable for the rapid growth of the trade unions in the industry. Does that sound like a knell? It had no effect whatever upon me or mine, for our sands were running out already, and so I could write about it without rancour if I wished to do so. But it is no part of the job I have set myself, to pass judgment upon the greed and avarice of people, the reckless extravagance, the utter waste of time and money and the senseless disregard of the difference between essentials and mere ostentation, which have brought a great industry to the very verge of ruin.
In June, 19 18, there was the first definite suggestion of the Trade Benevolent Fund, national and covering all sections of the industry and further developed at a Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association conference in July, when a substantial sum was subscribed for a nucleus. Paul Kimberley joined the Hepworth Company as general manager in August, and Tares and The Refugee, two of our propaganda films written by Temple Thurston, were trade shown by us in September when we entertained the trade press and some friends at luncheon, and, by October, the Trade Benevolent Fund was definitely in existence.
In that month I directed Broken in the Wars and the right Honourable John Hodge, the Minister of Pensions, appeared in it. In November Gerald Ames joined the company. But in the films of 19 18 there were very few of English make and only about half a dozen of them were from the Hepworth studios. Perhaps that is understandable, for this was the last year of the Great War.
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