Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1927)

Jkiic I U . I i) 2 7 lll\ Concerning a Certain Young Man Sought by Picture Producers AtiAiithenticStatementofCapt. Charles Lindberjih 's Attitude Towai'd Motion Picture Offers, and a Prediction as to His Plans IF Cajit. Cliarlcs rjiii(ll)er?li, dauiitli's-s trail blazer of the air, accepts one of the many motion picture offers now before him. it will not be to appear in any lurid melodrama or cheap sentimentality. It will have to be a picture whicli promotes the <i-eneral 5i:ood of aviation in America — it will have to involve real money — and that money will go to advance the cause of aviation in some manner. For strange as it may seem to an industry accustomed to celebrities who want to "cash in" even in advance of their achievements, Capt. Lindbergh is not interested in money — and that statement cannot be made too emphatic. We make the statement arbitrarily, because we have it on the authority of Frank Tichenor, film man and publisher of The Aero Digest, who was witli Lindbergh constantly until his departure, and one of our own staff men, L. C. Moen, who was in personal touch with Lindbergh on this subject during the week prior to the flight. And, we may add, some of those who unsuccessfully made offers to him at that time will eoncur with us in the statement. Capt. Lindbergh's life since boyhood has been devoted to aircraft — he eats, breathes and sleeps aviation. The fact that he refers to his historic feat as accomplished by "we," himself and the plane, shows how near flying craft are to his heart. Money, to him, represents simply something with whicli to advance aviation. If, therefore, some plan is evolved by which he may use the money received from a motion picture company to encourage or deAelop flying in America, he may accept — and if he does accept it will be to make a picture very different from the "mine run" of flying stunt films. If these conditions are not met, we make bold to predict that Capt. Lindbergh will reject any and all picture offers and go i-ight on flying. One banking house luus already extended the offer of unlimited financing for any plan he may choose, so he does not need picture money. Frankly, it seeims to us that any fictional melodrama from the typewTiter of even the best of scenarists would pale into such dull lifelessness beside the stark, simple drama of his one flight, that it would be ridiculous and unfortunate to put him iu "just a picture." If a picture is to be made, what could By William A. Joliiislou Lindbergh in his borrowed clothes, standing with Ambassador Herrick on the steps of the American Einbas.sy in Paris, acknowledging the plaudits of the Paris throngs. {Photo copyright International Newsrcel) be more appropriate and more forceful than the actual story of the New York to Paris flight? Why not do what the Russian picture makers have been trying of late in the re-creation of actual historic events? Show Capt. Lindbergh's boyhood, his first interest in aviaton, his exploits as a parachute jumper, his experiences as a student flier, in the mail service, his determination to enter the Paris "race," the building of the plane under his watchful eye, the one-stop fliglit acM-oss the continent, the anxious days of waiting for favorable weather — then the actual take-off and tlie breathless day and a half that followed until lie again came into conflict with his fellow men and the flash was received in ;i tensely watching America — "Lindbergh in Paris." There is color enough, romance enough, drama enough, here for any picture. Stage it witli an eye t« reproducing t!ie actual events authentically, incor])orate newsreel shots where they are available, filling in the gaps where they are not. Such a i)icture, riglitly made, could have all the realistic thrill of a "Chang" or a "Xanook, " and is the (inly thing, it seems to us, which would he fitting and adequate. If the sloppy ■"love interest,'' a "menace," and the usual paraphernalia of the scenario writer's craft are to be introduced, we are heartily oppo.sed to such exploitation of a stirring and dignified feat of valor. Such things are all right in their place, we do not deprecate them — but this is not their place. No doubt capitalizing upon prominence in various lines has a certain legitimate place in the motion picture scheme of things, but Capt. Lindbergh's achievement and motives are so far above the usual ideas of dollar-coining that a mere commercial exploitation of them would be very little to the credit of this industry — and we are glad that Capt. Lindbergh is the tj^pe of youth with the sanity and ideals to refuse to be a party to it. We hope, and firmly believe that he will continue so. Newsreels in Scramble for Lindbergh "Beat" By L. C. MOEN WHEN the liner ".Arajcstic" ai-rived in New York on Tuesday morning carrying the negative of Captain Charles Lindbergh in Paris, a mad race to be first on Broadway and elsewhere followed. The customs authorities refused to permit any of the film to be taken from the liner at quarantine by the newsreel firms, and the negative for Pathe, Fox, Kinograms and International was all delivered at the battery on a cutter. From here the race began. An independent check-up by Motion Picture News at the Broadway houses showed that Pathe News was received first, with Kinograms, International and Fox News following in about that order, with some individual variation. Fox News devoted its entire mid-week reel to Lindbergh; Pathe News used 700 feet; Kinograms about the same; while International put out its regular Wednesday reel and another reel of about 700 feet of Lindbergh in addition, furnished to regular subscribers and also available to non-subscribers as a special. Pathe News' scoop in being first on {Continued on page 22j2)