Camera - April 14, 1923 to February 16, 1924 (April 1923-February 1924)

Hollvwood, California Established 1918 S. W. LAWSON, Publisher FRED W. FOX, £</fj PAULINE THOMPSON, Auxiliary Editor JOHN CORNYN, Advertising Director GENE WOOLWAY, SWi'o RcpresentaU Volume VI. SATURDAY. JANUARY 19, 1924 Number 1 THE FIRST COMMANDMENT \Shuler at the Shrine of Publicity] fly ^ ^0* "Thou shall have no other gods before me." This, Exodus 20:4 informs us, is the first of the Ten Commandments. It has a wealth of meaning and is easily applicable to many modern situations, one in particular, of which more anon. One evening last week, after a rather hectic day, 1 journeyed to Grauman's Hollywood playhouse to see Cecil B. De Mille's latest cinema offering, "The Ten Commandments." It was more at the instigation of friends who had seen it, and were long and loud in their praises of it, that 1 went; in short curiosity impelled me to go and see for myself just what there was to this picture that should cause so many of those to whom I had spoken to classify it as a masterpiece. 1 have never been very fond of De Mille's works and I didn't relish sitting through the same hackneyed plot of risque trend that characterized so many of his productions. 1 had assumed that he had injected the usual amount of delicate atmosphere into "The Ten Commandments," ' too, and I was somewhat bewildered as to what might be the attraction that was drawing such unusual comment. And I am certainly glad I went, for it sure "packs an awful wallop." It is age-old truth given to us in a modern, understandable way and it puts thoughts into our heads that should have been there long ere this. Further than that, however, it proved to be a Biblical treatise that afforded me with some rare insight into the present chaotic conditions in Christendom. It proved to me that there are some emissaries of Almighty God who are not abiding by those Ten Commandments that are the foundation of the Church. "The Ten Commandments" has a message of great worth for every one of you that you cannot af ford to miss. Do away with all your previous cone tions of De Mille as a producer of risque pictures. T production changes his place in the ranks of the Cinem creative artists. It is superb magnificent powerful. There are times when one's breath aim stops; the impressiveness of some of the scenes are s focating. And to me the greatest touches were wh Theodore Roberts, as Moses, was receiving the Cd mandments on Mount Sinai, and Ralph Cloninger, as Israelite slave, was crushed to death beneath the wh of a huge stone-wagon. ^r* 3r* (p ¥ Yes, it is to you. Bob Shuler, that I say: see "The Commandments." It will definitely prove to you to Motion Pictures are the greatest educational and in ential medium in existence today. I would suggest t you pay particularly close attention to the scene on Mount. You will note with what thunderbolt swiftr and directness the Commandments are presented on screen. Dwell for an instant on that First Comma ment . . . "Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Bef Me." Have you ever heard that before? This was word of God to his wayward people, who had ab doned their worship of him to gather at the shrine of golden calf. Later, when Moses came down from Mount and saw the revelry and licentiousness that rampant in the camp of the Israelites he roared to t to cease lest the wrath of God be visited upon them even while they stood and listened to him a terrific th derbolt struck the idol they had built and utterly <» troyed it. It restored them to their senses. "CAMERA!" The Digest of the Motion Picture Industry, including THE FILM TRIBUNE, The World's Greatest Filmpaper, issueoft Saturday morning of each week at 6318 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California. Entered as second-class matter August 11th, 1918, <<W post-office at Los Angeles, California, under the provisions of the Act of March 3rd, 1S79. Published by the Camera-Tribune Publishing Com M with executive and editorial offices at 6318 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California. National advertising representatives H. H. Conger ()M pany, New York, Chicago and San Francisco. Subscription Rates: $3.50 per year in Los Angeles County; $4.00 per year in outside zone; $4.51" year to Canada; $5.00 per year to foreign points. Address all communications to the company. All unsolicited manuscripts are sent at the 'S'l er's risk.