Exhibitors Herald (1927)

30 STUDIO SECTION OF November 5, 1927 Do They Cost Too Much? ( Continued from page 10) movie will interest them all, and no one part of any movie will interest them all — but some part of each commercially and artistically successful movie must give each and every one of them an emotional reaction which is genuine and sincere. To accomplish this, the makers of pictures must know human nature. They must strive for human qualities as they now strive for technique. They must let technique be the handmaiden of humanity, and not the reverse. We, as human beings, are not yet robots, or mechanical toys. We have only a sci Nick Musuraca A. S. C. Cinematographer “Desert Pilot’ “Red Riders of Canada” “Phantom of Range” F B O Studios Charles Van Enger A.S.C. CINEMATOGRAPHER “SEA TIGER” Milton Sills “THE SILENT LOVER” “EASY PICKINGS” “FRAMED” “SMILE, BROTHER SMILE” “LIFE OF RILEY” FIRST NATIONAL CHAS. G. CLARKE— A. S. C. PHOTOGRAPHER “RED” GRANGE’S “ONE MINUTE TO PLAY” “THE RACING ROMEO” — F B O “GOING CROOKED” — FOX — “UPSTREAM” “GRANDMA BERNLE” — Fox entific interest in robots, but we have an insatiable interest in human beings of all kinds. I read the other day of a professor of mathematics at Boston “Tech” who had invented a marvelous mechanical brain. But if you were to choose, for your own possession, that great mechanical masterpiece, or my newest baby — just home from the hospital a few days — I venture the baby would win in 10 seconds, or less! A truly great studio, like a truly great art gallery, must be filled with the souls of men who know the souls of men. No matter how ornate its gates may be, no matter how complete its equipment, no matter how many millions of wealth it may possess, it has about the same value as a barn, unless it turns out films that not only portray life, but portray the sort of life which the great majority of people try to live and wish to live. A hundred thousand people recently gathered in Chicago to see a prize fight. They did not go to see who would win a million of the money they poured into the coffers at the gates. Neither did they go to see two men bruise and draw blood, one from the other. They went to see two young giants, who had worked strenuously to perfect themselves for a battle which took courage, and endurance, and knowledge of human reactions, test their bodies and souls and brains to the utmost for the title of perfection in the science of self-defense. This sort of thing always appeals to the American people and, in one form or another, to all nations and races of the earth. It is a healthy, solid mass reaction. In this business of providing entertainment for the masses, we must know these mass reactions and appeal to them. Otherwise, we may as well throw the millions we are investing in motion pictures into the ash cans of Hollywood. No camera trick, no makeup trick, no magnificent set covering even a city square, no art of the director or of the actor, no dollar of the producer’s money, is worth one S-cent piece unless it is deliberately and sincerely and honestly calculated to appeal to the humanness of people. A few days ago I saw a preview of what I believe is one of the finest pictures ever made. It cost more than two million dollars. In my opinion this is a million more than it could have been made for. But despite this, it has these BARNEY McGILL Cinematographer “ WHAT PRICE GLORY?” FOX “ Desired Woman” MICHAEL CURTIZ “ College Widow” ARCHIE MAYO “ Good Time Charley” MICHAEL CURTIZ WARNER BROS. qualities which I believe are necessary, and there is little doubt but that the public will pay back the investment and a profit. When all pictures are made with this idea in view, the costs will find their proper level automatically. Then the bankers, the producers, the exhibitors and the public all will be satisfied with the world’s most popular form of entertainment. And there will be less need of censorship, less need of such ponderous societies as the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences in Hollywood, less need of luxury and lavishness in production and exhibition. We will have good movies, priced right to the public, at a reasonable profit to all who invest their hard-earned dollars into this vast business of entertaining the wide world. J. M. Stahl Joins Tiffany, Purchase Fine Arts Studio (Special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 1.— John M. Stahl, one of Hollywood’s best known and most successful producers and directors, has aligned himself with L. A. Young and M. H. Hoffman, and becomes one of the owners of Tiffany-Stahl Productions, Inc. Mr. Stahl was formerly a director with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and will be in complete charge of production and also vice president of the newly organized company. Mr. Young is president and M. H. Hoffman, vice president and general manager. The Tiffany-Stahl company has just completed negotiations for the purchase of the Fine Arts studios and plans to produce on a large scale next year. A $15,000,000 budget has been appropriated for the coming season’s program. The Tiffany-Stahl Productions, following the amalgamation with Mr. Stahl, signed seven well known directors, Marcel De Sano, George Archainbaud, Christy Cabanne, A1 Rabock, Phil Rosen, Louis B. Gasnier, and King Baggot. The following writers have also been engaged : Peter Milne, John F. Natteford, Olga Printzlau, Gertrude Orr and Frances Hyland, with Albert Shelby LeVine in charge. Tiffany-Stahl has its own exchanges throughout the country and Mr. Hoffman states the firm is now negotiating for the services of many big stars. LEONARD SMITH CINEMATOGRAPHER “AT EASE” — Lloyd Hamilton. “UP IN ARMS” — Dorothy Devore. “KILTIES” — Dorothy Devore. “COUNTRY GIRL” — Dorothy Devore Directed by Norman Taurog EDUCATIONAL RELEASE