Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Apr-Sep 1918)

Page Eight THE CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST. | EH ES CE HERG MET HE OTR MSIE ORS AES SENT ENS BES + AR AD TIS MR AS MEIN DEED NS DLS CE PCED 4 MESES AES OEE PENS EERE TANGO IER A mE A AS UR PES & Ls SS CTS SDs SES SY PER 2A ODS PGES AS EEG HEH ACE AED MEE HOSED EE SE MS ME PSR GN MOBO ER TED vB OD U i! MONTREAL AND QUEBEC NOTES _ || THE STRIKE STRUCK US! Letter Carriers’ Troubles Caused This Montreal Budget to Reach Us Too Late For Last Week. Owing to the letter carriers’ strike, which ‘‘struck’’ Toronto with decided violence recently, the following newsletter from Montreal went astray, and only reached the Digest office in time for this issue.. On account of the fact that our Montreal representative is in the habit of sénding in a weekly newsletter that is brimming with interest for Digest readers, we are publishing it. Montreal—This city is on the point of important picture theatre developments and by the time these notes are in print there will in all probability have broken one of the’ most. significant moves of the year. Writing as I do a week before this page appears, I am necessarily handicapped to some extent for what is told ine now is told in partial confidence and it will be common property by the time this appears -—or it will again have been postponed to a later date. In cither case there is no harm done in hinting at what is proposed. Last Saturday the fate of the St. Denis was to have been decided. This house has been more or less of a white elephant since its erection some three years ago. It is one of the handsomest theatres in Canada, built on New York Broadway lines. In the first place it lies off the beaten track of better-class photo play business. Its location is in the east end where there is a big population—it is true—but not one that is prepared to pay a price for admission that is sufficient to meet the heavy overhead charges of the house. This summer the prices were cut down to 15 cents from a quarter, and even then there was little or no betterment in finaneial conditions. First run features were always given and a first-class orchestra was engaged. The latter was discontinued this summer with the reduction in admission prices, but there is still. I understand, a heavy deficit to face. Now comes another effort to put the house on a sound business basis. T am informed that the St. Denis will either be leased by Loew’s or by: the Keith interests., The latter have, it is rumored, floated a company here for ‘‘reorganizatign’’ purposes with a capital .of $500,000. That fact, if true, should make a very great difference to photoplay conditions in this city which have beer none too good since the hot spell. On the other hand if the Loew interests take over the St. Denis, there will be developments on the part of Messrs. Kith and Albee. Again, if the Keith interests take the St. Denis, Marcus Lovw is quite Hable to build a new the J atre not a hundred miles from the corner of St. Catherine and St. Denis Sts. Altogether , and taking one rnmor and development with another, we are likely to see some considerable happenings before the month is out. I would, however, suggest that all this be taken just yet with caution, as these rumors have a knack of cropping up regularly and then subsiding into quiescence before a thing is done. We shall probably have more light on these matters next week. Meanwhile there-:are other developments that are more certain. Paul Cazeneuve, the manager of the Empire theatre here, which in the spring had a suecessful season—though a short one—running sex play» and in the control of which George Driscoll, of His Majesty’s had a big interest, has taken a lease of the two French theatres here, the Canadien-Francais, and the National Francais, and will run stock companies at both during the coming fall and winter season. As showing the belief that obtains here that t sherieagib shrdl etaoi etaoi here that there is a big and profitable field in this city for French plays, Edgar Beeman, with a Parisian company has taken a long lease of the old Orpheum, the home of vaudeville, and will run French plays, hot from Paris, during the six months from the end of August. In regard to the Empire theatre plans are afvot to establish a first-class permanent stock company for the production of English comedies at this house in the near future. At ‘another well-known theatrical house in this city, the name of which I am not at present at liberty to mention, there is also talk of a complete change of policy for the fall and winter seasons. All these rumors and changes have their natural effect on the picture house situation here.This is at present none too brilliant. Added to the hot weather and the holiday season, which has cut sadly into receipts, at even the best photoplay theatres, there is something resembling a state of coma in the picture theatre world. Exhibitors are not fecling too sure in regard to future prospects. The heavy taxation at the beginning of the year that was imposed carries a heavy toll, this is possibly only the beginning of the wedge. Having once tasted blood and got away with it, the powers that be are known -to have a longing eye on what they foolishly consider to be new sources of taxation. If half of what I hear is likely to eventuate there will be some bitter pills to swallow this coming session of the Federal Parliament and the Budget next March will, I am informed on reliable authority, contain further Google See ae ale | pounds of flesh bitten ont of the ‘*swollen profits’’ of the picture theatre nidustry. Neither the Canadian Motion Picture Association nor the Exchange Men’s Association appear to have been very uctive in this city for the past month or so, but it would be a mistake . to suppose that they have not, both of them, an alert ear to the ground. They both are aware of the rumblings of the coming storm, and they are ready and prepared. to take such steps as may be necessary to protect their interests. What they have done in the past is a sound guarantee of what they will do in the future, and it cannot be denied that the able way in which the motion picture situation in this end of Canada has been presented at Ottawa has gone far towards relieving a menace which if carried would have been found intolerable. The Official Pictorial News under the direction of the British Minister of In. formation shown at the Imperial and whch is distributed in Canada by: the Specialty Film Import, had some exeeptionally attractive features this week. There were scenes showing the record riveters of London, Barrow, and Glasgow shipyards— the husky heroes of the shipbuilding industry upon whose efforts the upkeep of the mercantile marine depends. Another scene was the visit of Premier Lloyd George to Edinburg. Intercession Day at Westminster—one of the big historic events of the war--was another feature. Other examples of live pictures were an investure in the open air at Buckingham Palace; the stoicism of the British army on the Aisne; scenes of everyday life in Paris with the people gay and fearless of the Hun; and impressive views depicting the recent brilliant vietories by the Italians. These pictures coming so soon upon the news which everyone has read in the press reinforce the effect of such news and are absolutely authentic in every detail. They made a great hit at the Imperial here. S. Motgan Powell, the well-known dramatic critic, continues his series on ‘“‘The Appeal of the Movies’’ in last Saturday’s Star. He asks ‘‘ What does the overwhelming interest in the trivial, the exaggerated, the vulgar and unreal signify?’’ -He claims that its existence is not open to question. ‘‘ You have only to visit the moving picture houses in any city to ascertain the vast preponderance of public sentiment in favor of the type of picture I have indieated.’’ He does not, however, with the exception of a dig at Chaplin and Arbuckle indicate precisely by name the kind of picture he describes. On the other hand, he has a good word for pictures of ‘‘The Blue Bird’’ type, while claiming that this one gives an entirely different impression to that whica Maeterlink desired to create.