Film Daily (1931)

THE Friday, April 17, 1931 -%£! DAILY Timely Topics A Digest of Current Opinion €) George Arliss Sees Films As Drama Stimulus '"THERE has never been, in ray opinion, such a stimulus to the drama as that which is offered by the mechanical contrivance which permits the best that the country can produce to be seen and heard in the most obscure corners of the United States. I think there can be no doubt about the educational possibilities to be derived from talking pictures. It is, in fact, difficult to realize the immense stride that has been taken from the silent to the talking screen. To tell stories by means of pictures, is, I suppose, the most primitive stage of education; whereas the literature of any country is its crowning glory. And just as soon as you get talking pictures you automatically get literature. The great authors of the world will soon be turning their attention to writing for the screen; in fact they are doing so now. The great mass of the movie public is quick to learn and to appreciate style in writing as they have already learned to appreciate good music My experience in the movies has taught me many things that have been useful to me in the theater as well. First and foremost it has brought home to me the value of sincerity; I found that every flicker of an eyelash, every shade of thought was registered on the screen, and so I reason that what is seen by the camera may be felt by an audience. The art of restraint and suggestion may be studied by watching Charlie Chaplin on the screen; he is in my opinion the ideal moving-picture actor. George Arliss, — Syracuse "Herald" TEN YEARS AGO TO-DAY IN STNE ■ msMis 0* HIMDOM Narimova terminates contract with Metro. * * * T.O.C.C. to urge adoption of standard contracts and elimination of advance deposits. * * * Germany gradually lifting embargo against importation of foreign film. THE ri\ito nun IUILM • • • IF THE class will come to order, we will go into a learned discussion of the subject of Ingratitude teacher will first bring to your attention what an ungrateful bunch of brats you are where this kolyum is concerned you let teacher do all the work and send all your good (?) original (?) stories to some other kolumist and when he publishes the junk, you run around shouting your fool heads off what a Great Kolumist he is which either proves what saps you are or what a wise guy he is Sell your stuff get real Dough for it starring tomorrow we will pay in real Spanish pesetas of the defunct Alfonso monarchy for all contribs published and when you go to Lunnon you can match pesetas with the exiled Kink he has a lotta outdated pesetas he doesn't want, too but to get back to Ingratitude lookit poor King Alfonso after his family ran the Spaniolas for 982 years, they kicked him outa his life job over the week-end now he can't even get a job in Hollerword as an extra which brings us to the subject of a lotta former extras who are now stars and when interviewed, most of 'em have marvelous memories about their past going back to early childhood and recalling the most insignificant details such as swallowing their first rattle or the joke the doc was telling ma as she came outa the ether boy, they remember Everything perfectly everything but giving credit to the guy who gave 'em their First Chance in the movies there are a coupla dozen oldtimers in the film biz who can produce the Evidence they'll show you documentary evidence written in the star's own handwriting thanking 'em effusively for the First Break which landed 'era on the Starry Path years ago and now? if they happen to meet the guy who was the Cause Of It All, they say in a cool but civil manner: "Er — what was the name, please?" it useter be different in the old days take Pearl White, f'r instance before she clicked with "Perils of Pauline" and Betts & Fowler were her booking agents in the old Knickerbocker theater building and the boys useter kid the firm as Beatem an' Foolem two of the squarest shooters that ever staggered through this dizzy biz B and F started Pearl with Pathe in the days when Ouida Bergere was casting director Ouida is now married to Basil Rathbone formerly married to Fitzmaurice, at that time director general of the ole Pathe stude at Congress Square in Union City, N. J pardon the digression and when Betts and Fowler grew old and were on the ole toboggan as happens to a lotta us event-u-ally did Pearl White forget 'em? nozzir she paid their office and home rent and supported 'em to their dying day lots of you oldtimers will recall it remember when the partners were at 1482 Broadway? with Pearl's dough keepin' 'em in the game? it's a sweet thought Pearl, the gal who was White and didn't have a lapse of Memory or Gratitude but today there are still a few regular fellers and gals there's Ann Harding who on her recent trip to New York took important and valuable time out to stop off at a certain town there she visited the gent who was responsible for her First Start and thanked him publicly giving him Full Credit for the job which confirms what we've always suspected of Ann as sweet a gentlewoman off the screen as she is on also Norma Shearer who over the nation-wide hookup the other day exploded all the bunk about her many Discoverers and stated flatly that a certain gent in this hamlet did the Magic Trick that started her skyrocketing and that gent is still walking around in a daze after cynically believing for years that all stars were ungrateful Jack Livingston is again believing in Santa Claus the Big Sill! some film gents are So Sentimental EXPLOITETTES A Clearing House for Tabloid Exploitation Ideas €) « « « » » » Flash Front for "East Lynne" SOMETHING quite unusual for a neighborhood house was a de luxe front constructed at the Fox Hempstead, L. I., for the feature picture "East Lynne." Monty MacLevy and assistant manager Philip Hecht, with the aid of the house staff built a compo board flash display that completely covered the front of the theater, alongside and above the entrance up to the marquee, and took in two stores adjacent to the house. This stunt was effected at a nominal cost of $25, and got over an effective play for the attraction. — Fox Hempstead, Hempstead, L. I. Novel Lobby for "Finger Points" AT the Stanley in Jersey City the Warner staff utilized a novel idea in the exploitation of "The Finger Points." The idea was to get away from the stereotyped form of lobby decoration with posters, stills and cut-outs. The order was to get up something with life to it. The problem was solved by taking a big corner of the lobby fitted up as the city room of a daily newspaper. All the fixings were there, including a news ticker, telephones and typewriters. There was a staff of editors and reporters on hand and with phones constantly ringing and visitors rushing in and out an appearance of reality was the scene that resulted in attracting crowds. — Stanley, Jersey City, N. J. MANY HAPPY RETURNS Best wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following members of the industry, who are celebrating their birthdays: April 17 Raymond Gallagher Charles Brabin Harry Gottlieb M. Hughes Oscar Reed Otto Lederer Ernest Wood Nathalie Hammerstein