The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Apr-Jun 1922)

48 THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. IN THE MIDLANDS. TRADE April 29, 1922. (By our Birmingham Correspondent.) A Stratford Tirade—Miss Lena Ashwell’s Criticism—Miss Cicely Hamilton’s Attack—Super Films not Wanted—More Midland Halls—The Scala, Worcester— : A Stoll Trio. AST week's Shakespearean Festival afforded leading L Invmbers of the stave with an opportunity of indulzing In a firede against the kine, Miss Lena Ashwell started the ball rolling on the opening day of the Drama in Education Conference. Referring to the debasing effect of the comunercial theatre and the kinema, the actress decliured that an American Doctor of Divinity contended that the greatest dynamic force in modern life was the theatre, and that you could level the moral standard of a nation by its amusements. What, then, was the moral position of Pnebind 2? asked Miss Ashwell. A Serious Question? “Ut is a very scrious question” che continued. when consider that throush the Jenetin and breadth of this country there is hardly a place of entertainment deft which is not a To take a great publie building which is scaled with you kinema,. the work of numberless artists and is to then a library of living work, a sort of national gallery of art, and turn it into an exhibition af films, is a enue of ureat sorrow to some of us. It is like taking the National Gallery in) London and saying * We don't want these pictures: they are awfully dull. Let's throw them away and fill the place with photesraphs.’ ‘That is the fate of theatres throughout this country that have beon dignified by noble work, Toam not a highbrow, but To believe at) the present time the kKinema is used to stimulate the very vilest Teck at it with sorrow all the time. I ” things in diuman life. believe vou cannot live on that level and not suffer intolerably. Cicely Hamilton's Attack. On the follawing day another attack was forthcoming from Miss Cicely Hamilton, the well-known playwright, whose theory was that the theatre could only be preserved from degradation by the existence of tradition, ‘The kinema had no tradition and there were no artistes with traditions to control it. °° Believe me, if ever the kinema does become an art it will be due to nothing but the arrival cf persons who are artistes and make their tradition, saving, * We will do this or that, whether the public like it) or not.’ When have aoman like Charlie Chaplin, who apparently understands the technique of the kinema staves veu ean visualise a race of artistes who will be sou able to dictate to audiences.” ‘* Stupendous Rot.”' According to Miss Vianilton’s ideas the position of the clements in the theatre should be this: The actor and the playwright must be the creative clement. ‘Phey must not allow themsclyes to be dictated te by the inactive or receptive clement. The funetion af the audience at its highest is critical: it has a power of refusal but not of dictation, The audience has been allowed to jinitate. and the aetor has obeyed. an unhealthy state of affairs. ‘There is a glaring example in’ the kinema, in which the audience lias been given exactly what it The most etupend ous rot Tt usually Thus vou get asked for, and what have you got? you ean think of. No audience sets cut to educate, obtains its power through the slethfulmess and lack of initiative create, of those whose business it ie to Super Films Not Wanted? The outery against super-films dasting an hour or mare has been taken up by Abr AL EL Warren, the Wolverhampton ized ty GOORle Director of Education, Expressing his personal views, this official declured that) super-tils were driving many lovers of the movies out of the picture houses, because they could not stand such a darge proportion of the program being taken up by them. ON program of short filis lasting about twenty constituted his ideal ‘These should) consist of light comedies, films of venoral interest, with the introduction of a Minutes sinall percentage cf travel or eduction) pictures, More Midland Halls. News of two new kinemies in the Midlands has come to hand during the list few days. At the next sitting of the Birminghanus Jiccnsing Justices Mr. Jolin Hughes, of Phipson Road, a local builder, has given notice Unit he intends to apply for a licence fora picture house to be creeted at the junction of the main Stratford Road ond Castleford Rend. Sparkhill. Then a com. pans has just been registered ontithed the Senla (Worcester), Lt, with a erpital of £82,600 for the purpose of acquiring property in’ Angel Streot, Worcester, and to ereet on the site The first Mr. J. well-known Birnsineham architect and the designer of the city’s premier heuse, the Futurist. uno up-to-date kinern, directors inelude Goodman, the knenan The Scala, Worcester. Outlining the Sealn Co.'s scheme. Mr. Goodin states that Messrs. will be constructed on etiither Evins and = Sons, the Sela, Birninghian, and will dutve a capacity of about @ao, exclusive of waitin-roomis, the buikling is being creeted by Birmingham. ft lines to The plans include the provision of aenté capable of seating about 200 people. ‘Phe cost of building will be £20,000, while a further €12.000 has been allotted) for the purchase of the site and the equipment of the hall. Congratu: itions. Members of the Jocal trade will heartily congratulate Mir. A. A. Jianes upon being elected chairman of the West) Bromwich Board of Guardians, A director of several Kinemal companies in the Birmingham distriet, Mr. dsanes has dor several vears tiken an aetive part in the publie life of West) Bromwich, being al. for that boroueh, A Stoll Trio, Mr. C2 oL. Scletnan tells me thet he has secured first runs for the Stoll features.) The Glorious Adventure and ‘t Athantide,’ in oall the leading? Midland towns. Both have been seeured by Mr. Chares Williens tor the Futurist. Birmingham. He is also doing well with his latest offerine. * The Recoil’ one of Rafacl Sabatini's stories. Briefs of Interest. The new kinema now being ereeted ou Go osta Green, Birmingham, is to be called) The Dedieia. Mr. Cherles Hutchins (Walturdawy has found the twice daily trade show system: in the John Bright Street private theatre American Artistes’ production, ‘ Mlmost Marnie 17 featuring Maw Allison, Many Midland exhibitors attended the Futurist on Wednesday last for the Vitaeragh trade show oft Phe Prodigal Judee.’? starring Jean Prive, Pollowing the Senla trade show of the first series of Tdeal Mr. Harold Docdsoa inquiries for this interesting series. aopasing one. This week he screened th Famous short) features, reports satisfactory