Motion Picture Magazine (Aug 1924-Jan 1925)

That's Out Frank Comment by TAMAR Lane More Hymns of Hate As Sung by the Amateur Scenario Writer I HATE the movies ! I hate the scenario editor who returns my brain-child with the curt reply, "unsuited to our present needs." when I have copied it from one of the most famous foreign masterpieces. In a few months he will probably be filming this very novel. Every day I see worse stories on the screen than the ones I write ; yet I cant even give mine away. As Sung by the Young Extra I hate the movies ! I hate the casting director who takes my name and address, asks for several photographs, my experience, my wardrobe, and then never sends for me. Everyone says that I look just like Valentino when I have my hair plastered down. Why dont casting directors ever notice these resemblances ? As Sung by the Ambitious Fan I hate the movies ! I hate the stars that I write to, telling them of my troubles and asking for a job in their company. They send back stereotyped replies advising me to give up the idea because it is such a hard life. If it is such a hard life, then why dont they give it up? Then they send me a photograph of themselves autographed by the office-boy. Is it any wonder that I hate the movies ? But so far as actual or potential ability is concerned, Griffith is still the peer of them all. He has greater versatility and knows more about the silent drama and the possibilities of the motion picture camera than any two of our other "great" directors put together. Griffith could make better pictures but he doesn't want to. The fires of his artistic ambitions have been smothered. It is because of this — and only this — that the screen must look for a new leader. Why Is a Stove ? It begins to look now as tho stoves were not made for cooking and heating purposes, but for comedians to sit upon. Movie Efficiency Things got so bad in the film industry recently that the producers decided to economize and cut down on expenses. So they started off by cutting the wages of the poor extra from $7 a day to $5. I wonder how many of the New York executives who receive $100,000 yearly for warming mahogany chairs four or five hours a day, received cuts in their wages ? The Screen's Greatest Director In discussing the question of who are the silent drama's greatest directors, it has recently become the custom of many scribes to cast slurring remarks upon the abilities of the "once great Griffith," and to hand the title of "greatest director" to such other supervisors as Chaplin, Seastrom or Cruze. While the writer has himself found fault with D. W. Griffith at various times, he has never, for a moment, questioned the wizard's abilities or greatness. The criticism to be made of Griffith is not that he cannot make films of a finer quality, but that he docs not make them. Because several of his worth-while celluloid efforts failed to score big financial success, Griffith has become discouraged and has sold himself out to the idea that in future he will make nothing but surefire box-office productions. He, therefore, selects inferior stories and hokum situations in order to play down to the public. „.-/ Stars That Will Shine Alice Day. Here is one of the most promising young comediennes seen on the screen for some time. In "Shanghaied Lovers," opposite Harry Langdon, she did some very clever work for a beginner and if she can keep it up Alice should soon be quite a favorite. Judging America by its movies: — to a road-house where they drink they are saved from the clutches arrives on the scene and All innocent damsels are lured what they think is tea. Then of the villain when the hero breaks down the door Judging America by Its Movies All young authors eventually sell their novels just in the nick of time to save the family, and are alwayrs given a $5,000 check for advance royalties by the publisher. All innocent young country damsels immediately get jobs in the Follies and become the rage of New York after playing before the footlights for a few performances. All innocent country damsels are lured to a road-house where they drink what they think is tea and are only saved from the clutches of the villain when the hero arrives on the scene and breaks down the door. TR5KEV PAGll