Motion Picture Classic (Jul-Dec 1930)

Tell Us All About It $20.00 LETTER Be Honest W ith Your Publicity Kansas City, Mo. "All Quiet On the Western Front," a splendid super-production, recently showed in Kansas City, and a newspaper critic announced that a publicity man for that picture had asked him to stress the "girl" angle. The critic was amused; we all were — and, indignant, too. That is a tabloid of talkie advertising today, and Hollywood pashas should realize that thousands of showgoers appreciate characterization, plot, and scenery, and endless footage of smiles, dimples, and suggestive lines, but why not use common-sense, and exploit pictures for other qualities than the number of Cut-uppin' Cuties it contains! I read Remarque's book. Ever>' word of it. It sank in. It was graphic, humanitarian, and the brief paragraphs of "woman interest" were there because they were necessary. And in the picture, little time was given to French mam'selles. Yet lithographs and signs gave the impression of. plenty of girls. Let the publicity men be fair to Mr. Remarque and let people who haven't read the book know the merits of "All Quiet On the Western Front." Other pictures are advertised that way, too. Are they fearful for their B. O., that they eternally play up Girls, Girls, and More Girls! In their talkie announcements? Not everyone attends a show for sex interest, absolutely not, so why discourage them with the lithographed prospect of viewing loo minutes of women? Besides, a corking story, a capable cast, and real directing in a picture attract more fans than a huge Review. Ask the Box Office Man — he knows! Stanley Jacobs $10.00 LETTER Urging You to See Byrd New ^'ork, N. Y. "With Byrd At The South Pole" is, in my estimation and also, as was proven by the box-office receipts, in the estimation of millions of other movie fans, the perfect motion picture. The only fault anyone dares find with it is that it was much too short for a picture of that calibre. Personally, I could sit through three or four times more than was shown to us. This film of a great historical event is a beautifully photographed picture of Admiral Byrd's expedition to the South Pole, presented in a manner which can be enjoyed by everyone, young or old. It is filled with human interest, is inspirational and educational and far more entertaining than many movies I have seen in a long time. The popularity of this motion picture of Byrd's great adventure proves that those who attend the mov^ie thea ters are not all young and foolish and that we don't always want the silly, cutie girlie type of pictures and that they don't always have to have those awful hot love scenes in them to make them go over big. It also prov-es that a good picture does not necessarily have to be a talkie. There was no dialogue in this picture with the exception of where Floyd Gibbons describes the actual flight over the South Pole. If you have not already seen "With Byrd At The South Pole," my advice is to do so at once. Whatever the box office price, it will be money well spent. M. F. $5.00 LETTER All Praise and ISo Complaints Corona, Cal. They came, they saw development, they conquered! The talkies, of course. And they've conquered with a vengeance. Even the tiniest and most suburban motion picture playhouse has its talkies now. They have become indispensable to the theatergoers of the world. Talkies, aside from their value as an entertainment, novel and inspirational, have won our approval as a good which brings other good with it. Countless improvements have been made in theater 'etiquette' if we may so term it. One remembers easily the day when occupants of the row in back of us constantly read titles aloud to children or the near-sighted. No more of this annoyance with the modern actors who "speak for themselves". Even the tiny tots . . . for some do still crash the sacred box office line . . . have given up their crying and babbling during the picture. There is simply too much competition to face . . . from the screen . . . these days. And, no, I'm not through yet. There is still another bouquet in my basket, if you please. I think the talkies have brought to us an era of beautiful and cultured voices to be more greatly appreciated as we watch the inevitable result which it will ha\ e upon people as a whole. Who knows, the old idea of the actors as vagabonds, may be in time replaced by a new spirit . . . that of real admiration for the qualities our favorites exemplify. But it's true! No longer is a pretty face and an unusual ability to act, the fore criterion of stardom. Today's audie demand, as wel' ... a cultured, and in lated voice from the screen. Schools' specializing in voice training and elocuti' and the results are ours to witness. In case my S. E. is still a minus qualit I'll be sure of myself and confess in ju plain words that I'm certainly placing n bet on the talkies. They're great! Mtixine J. Stickle $1.00 LETTERS A Righteous Howl of Indignation Oakland, Cal. This is a protest! Not a mere reprovin slap on the wrist accompanied by " naught\ naughty." I went to see " Ingagi " along with mor than half the population of our fair city an. sat in awed silence through a series of tens scenes. I gasped and shuda^red at the hug. gorillas, and trembled with fear when on. of the brutes, (which I now find was hut . 'man in ajje's clothing') attempted t<i klfl nap a village belle. Oh, it's well enough to laugh. I'vt noticed a number of cartoons all poking sl\ fun at the public for being so easily take:, in, but do you think it's fair for a motior; picture company to palm off such a com plete hoax on an unsuspecting audience' The reason everyone was so credulous was because of the obvious authenticity of pre vious travel pictures. A travel picture that is faked is trash, nothing more. How many would have gonito see this picture if they had known it wa^ a cheap fake? I think the majority went with the idea that a good travel pictun would relieve the monotony of a deluge ol "singies." If " the powers that be " would assert thcii authority and insist on honest advertising, at least to a degree, the status of a great industry would be vastly improved. A good many theater-goers were made "goats" and I, for one, don't relish the honis and whiskers! Lucille Hall You may have S.A., but do you have S.E.? Motion Picture CLASSIC wants to know. We want you to join our free clinic. If the tests show that you have a superior kind of S.E., you stand in line for one of three first prizes: $20 for first, $10 for second, $5 for third and $1 for every other letter published. To join the clinic all you have to do is to write a letter of, say, 200 to 250 words, about some phase of the movies, advancing an idea, an appreciation, or a criticism, without becoming ga-ga or vituperative. Sign your full name and address, and mail the letter to: Laurence Reid. Editor. Motion Picture CLASSIC, Paramount Building. 1501 Broadway. New York City. No letters can be returned, and we reserve the right to print any or all that we like. Having done this much, you will perhaps be conscious, without our telling you, that you have S.E. But if you win a prize, or your letter is printed, there can be no doubt about it: you have Self-Expression. A'o \eed for Exaggerated Stereotyped Characters Baton Rouge, l.a. The movies have always been known for the portrayal of exaggerated typfof persons. In the early days of tin silent screen, there were the vampi^e^ and the villains, which were well suited to the sensational melodramaof the period. Unfortunately. such characters still exist. We rarely see a stenographe: who doesn't chew some symphony on gum, — a reporter who doesn't run {Continued on page 104)