Educational film magazine; (January-December 1920)

APPROVED FILMS FOR CHIRCH USE Motion Pirturo Division of lln- Inli-rclnirrli WOrlil Movciiicnt in Tlicir Firs Dulli-tin Answers tlir Oui-slion "W here May Wp Obtain Motion I'iclurci* Suitable for tbe Cburches" The Motion I'itlure Division of the Interchurch World Movement at 45 \^Vst IBlli Street. New York City, places its official stamp nf approval on the following list of feature photoplays and one reel scenic, travel, and educational sub- jects as lieinp snilalile for church movie programs and free from objcclionalile matter. Representatives of the Division are constantly reviewing many films and the list given below is the final result of the weedinc-out process. An explana- lorv note from the Division states: " Ihis division is reviewing current and older releases and has selected for publication certain pictures that we think deserve the atlenlion of churches who wish to use motion pictures for entertainment. (Churches must secure jjictures from local ex( hanges, addresses of which may be had on request. It should be kept in mind that different copies of a picture in circulation may be composed differently. The copy you gel from a local exchange may have in it a scene or suhlitle that was not in the copy we reveiwed. To be sure of the copv vou are going to show, see it all first." rilF. < OIM'I-.KIIF.AD il'iirainmiiill. Star: Lionel Itarrymnre. btory of an iiilinialr friend of Abraluim Lincoln wlio was in liis personal service a» a spy in tlie Civil War. Me endured the Krcatest sorrow in his own home rather than reveal his secret and endanger the welfare of his country. A very fine picture featuring loyalty and patriotism; excellent for an .\nicricani/.alion pronram. One or two sublillrs may need to be cut. I.i'n(:tli, live reels. POI.I.VANN.V (United Artists). Star: Mary Pickford. Picture is based uiion Fleanor Porter's novil of the same name, and portrays a little nirl who has been tauglit by her father to find some good in everything. It is one of the best pictures Miss Pickford has produced. One or two cuts will make it acceptable to the most critical. I.en^jlh. six reels. IIL'CKl.Fr>FI{l!V FINN I Paramount i. A picturization of Mark Twain's book; well made and true to the original story. Interest- inj; to adults and children alike. Length, five reels. DOlini.F SI'Fi:i) (Paramount I. Star: Wallace Reid. A rich young man starts lUi an auto camping trip. His car is st(den. Later he finds it in the possession of a young women who has bought it. He becomes her chaulTeur. and later her husband. A good clean love slory with an interesting plot ami full of humor. Scene of farewill parlv may need to be cut. Length, live reels. I'llF WILLOW THKI': (Metn.t. Star: Viola Dana. A Japanese slory based on nii imago which represents the spirit of a willow lice. \n Fnglishmen buys llic image and it conu-s to life in the person of the image-maker's ilaughter. \ pleasing love story with a good moral. There are biief flaslies of a London ballroom, length, five reels. liASY TO i'.EV (Paramount). Star: Marguerite (lark. A young bride overhears her husband boasting to a friend that she was easy to get. .She runs away and makes her husband bring a largo Sinn of raoiicN to ransom liir from a band of ruflians. One or two titles mav need to be cut. Length, five reels. TIIF Tl'liN OF TIIF ROAD i Robertson-Colel. Story of a liomc that is broken up by the death of a mother at the birth of her first baby. Rccomilialion is brought about by the child a few years later. One of the characters is a minister and the picture has a prominent religious message. The death scene of the mother may be objcctionuble to some and could be shortened. Length, five reels. HOOnOOFD (Paramount). Stars: Mr. and-Mrs. De Haven. \ comedy on the follv of superstition. .-Ml the common superstitious praclices an- uscil bv the hero in an endeavor to win a favor from his emplovcr. Ihe storv is amusing and clean. Length, two reels. niK LAND OF OlM'ORTlMrY (Select and Republic). The first picture made for the United Slates Congressional Committee on Ainericani/alion. It is the slory of the conversion of a parlor Holshevist bv the recital of an episode in the life of .\brali.Tm Uncoln. It is chiefly interesting for the picture of Lincoln at the cost of great personal sacrifice undertaking the defence of a boy unjustlv chargeil with murder, and winning the case. Length. TUFSTRFF.T CALI.FD STRAICIIT (Cddwyn). Storv of a young .\nierican rescuing an embez/ler bv leniling him half a milll'm dollars. The title refers to an unselfish way of life. .-V love storv full of tense mental situations but with little action in it. T- moral lone is high Length, five reels. EDGAR A.\D THE TEACHER'S PEF (Coldwyn). Booth Tarkir ton series. Edgar is a school lioy and seems to have a good ma difficulties. He is not truthful but receives proper punishme i for his falsehoods. An amusing and well-done treatment of br hood's dreams and cares. Length, two reels. SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS (W. T. Gaskell. 1482 Broadway, N. Y. .■\ pi( (uri/atioii of Harold Bell Wright's novel of the same nam , well-done and trm^ to the original story. .\ few things in 1M novel that might be objectionable in a picture have been omittfl This film will delight all readers of tin- book. Length, eight rcH ALARM CLOCK ANDY i Paramount i. Star: Charles Ray. A ilotfl trodden clerk working for a manufacturer of motor trucks wil his employer's daughter by selling an order when the favorlH salesman met with failure. Some of the scenes arc at a summM hotel, showing dancing in which the leading characters take pari The acting of (iharles Ray is amusing and highly entertainiii|l Length, five reels. I .STREAM OF LIFE (Plymouth Film Corporation!. Life story cl a modern business man. following him from his infancy to hil death. As he succee<ls in life, he loses his failh. but after som distressing experiences relurns to it again and dies a happ honored man. A beautiful ( liristian story written and direcle< by a minister, and has a strong evangelistic appeal. Length, si reels. THE CHOSEN PRINCE (United Projector & Film Co.). Life stor of David, featuring especially his friendship with Jonathan. .\i excellent production, well interpreted and historically good. Length seven reels. THE GOOD SAMARITAN (International Church Film Co.). Pic turizaiion of Christ's parable, with a present day interpretatioi of it. One of the best Bible pictures that has been produced Length, one reel. FROM THE .MANGER TO THE CROSS (Vitagraph). A com plete life of Christ. A carefully staged production. pliotographe< in Palestine, and is one of the best pictures of its kind that hai been made. Length, six reels. The following series of short scenic and educational subjects an nearly all suitable for Church programs: Kineto, Prizma, Educa lional Films, Ford Educational Weekly and Bray Pictographs, BIBLE'S POPllL.\RITY FILM UPPORTUMTY In listing the "six best sellers" the average man does not! think of including the Bible: yet the .American Bible Society reports the year 1919 as the biggest in all its history with 35,000.000 copies of the Holy Scriptures sold andl distributed in the United States. The society predicts that 1920 will exceed this high record. Large numbers of sol-! diers became fascinated with the biblical records and have' become habitual Bible students. Development of Bible' classes by Sunday School and young people's societies has been in part resjionsible for the'increased interest, but even these facts do not completely explain the increase in the demand for the good old book. Here would seem to be a remarkable o|)portunity fori individuals or grou]>s in the non-theatrical branches of the' motion picture industry to capitalize the Bible's great popu- larity by filming those portions of it for which there is a pictorial demand. Several ambitious plans of this sort have been announced, but thus far little has been actually accom- plished. The Interchurch Federation of Philadelphia has under- taken to assist in protecting the juvenile public from the exhibition of the wrong kind of motion pictures. One hun- dred and fifty men and women volunteers have just com- pleted a sur\ev of ihe moving picture theaters of the city and upon the basis of their report the committee will pro- ceed. The federation has undertaken a vigorous program of social service for the city of which this movement is but a part. 20