Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1923)

January 6 , 1923 51 ■muimmiiiuuiuiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiira naiHmiiMiujtiniM^ tmniniimin iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuaitiiiiiiiiiiirg jn Arbuckle's Contemplated "Come-Back" \ iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiniiiiiiimiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiii 11 iiiiiiiii;::iiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiimii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiii!iiii» vmm ■anaiiuniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Stenographer: Liked his pictures, and would like to see more of them. Expressed the opinion that " the woman was as much to blame as the man." Manicurist: Feels that he should be given another chance. Student: Absolutely opposed to his return; feels that it would be particularly bad to show his pictures to children, on the ground that it would be countenancing immorality. Housewife, also a clubwoman : Willing to give him another chance ; feels that Hays was right in barring him at the beginning. " If Mr. Hays feels that Arbuckle should be given another chance, let it go at that. Mr. Hays probably knows more about Arbuckle than I do, and I'd be willing to let his judgment stand. Undoubtedly Arbuckle has learned a good lesson. He would hardly stray from the ' straight and narrow ' again in the future." Housewife: Opposed to his return, apparently on moral grounds. Did not give definite reasons when pressed ; feels that a man who has acted as he did " should be barred. Cleveland, Ohio A broker : That Arbuckle has a right to another chance and that it is up to the public now either to condemn him or to support him. A prominent judge: Thinks that, from the standpoint of the motion picture business, it is highly undesirable for Arbuckle pictures to be exploited on the ground that the public will think it presumptuous for the producers to offer him as an entertainer. This judge feels that an audience will take it as a personal reflection on its own moral standards if it attends any Arbuckle films, and that whatever stigma may exist in the case of the Arbuckle pictures is apt to spread to other motion picture productions. From a personal standpoint he thinks the comedian should have a chance to come back, but that it would be a poor business move. College students: Expressed the opinion that Arbuckle had paid enough, and that he should come back to the screen. Local manufacturer: Says let him try it again. He was a good entertainer. If the public still enjoys his comedy, it is up to the public to decide. A leading physician : Stated as his opinion Arbuckle should have another chance. But only if the newspapers will co-operate with the producer of his pictures and not keep on re-hashing the Arbuckle scandal every time a picture is released. Bringing up the scandal for public airing has a bad effect on the adolescent audience, and gives added stimulus to the morally weak. A prominent woman in civic and club work : Says by all means give Arbuckle another chance. But give him a chance in some other industry, or in some other branch of the motion picture industry. He has proven himself unable to cope with the temptations which his profession offer. To reclaim him he should not be placed amid those same temptations. It would be an injustice to the man, because he has been shown to be unfit for that sort of life. On the same principle, I do not think that a banker who has gone wrong should return to the banking business. People go wrong because they are not equipped to meet the demands of their job. Arbuckle was un equal to the demands of his job as comedy king. It is an injustice to put him back in the same surroundings and expect him to come up to requirements. A woman in public life: Fails to see how Arbuckle can ever seem funny again, but thinks he should have a try at it if he wants it. Detroit, Mich. Efficiency man, automobile factory: Certainly not; should never be shown. The wide publicity of a well-known picture star exerts a vast indirect influence, especially on the young, and their (the stars') lives should therefore be clean. Personally, never enjoyed Arbuckle's films, considered man's personality too gross and sophisticated to be really funny. Foreman automobile factor}': We've had plenty of Arbuckle and all that dirt. The pictures might be mirth-provoking on the surface, but the man back of them had better keep off the screen. Why try to kill the industry by forcing such people on the public1? That would be what would happen. Teacher of ballet : The man ought to be allowed to get an inconspicuous job where he can earn a living if he needs to. But to allow him to come back and re-occupy the position which he formerly held puts too cheap a price on morality, besides being a bad example to the youth of the country. Indianapolis, Ind. Receiving clerk in department store: I don't blame Arbuckle as much as I do the woman involved in the case. The Hollywood people are a pretty rough bunch, anyway. " Fatty " ought not be treated any worse than the others. Elevator operator: Will Hays' action was a good thing. I think Lew Shank (mayor of Indianapolis, who said he would not permit showing of Arbuckle pictures) ought to stop rotten shows and let clean pictures like Arbuckle's alone. President of an engineering company: I admire Will Hays, but I think he has made a mistake. Laborer: Since Arbuckle has been out of the movies I think it would be a good thing to keep him off. President of board of directors of a street railway system : The question involves more than the Arbuckle case. It is up to the public whether it discriminates against him. The public must become educated so that it will patronize the fine things and let the others go. Girl stenographer: There is no reason for discarding his pictures when others who are just as bad are allowed to show their pictures. Girl stenographer: Arbuckle is one who was unfortunate enough to be caught. Other people out there are just as bad as he is. There is no reason for killing him while the others live. Housewife : Give Arbuckle a chance. I don't think he will ever be as popular as he was, though, because folks will be thinking about his history when he's being funny on the screen. Department store clerk : I don't think he should be permitted to return to pictures. Manicurist : He's a really funny comedian and we all like to laugh. If he makes a lot of us forget our troubles in the future maybe we can forget his. St. Louis, Mo. A machinist's helper: Personally, I will go to see " Fatty," but I think Hays pulled a boner," as he has given the fanatics something more to rave about. I am afraid that it may hurt the movies. But it won't make any difference to me. A girl stenographer: I don't see why Mr. Hays had to revive that matter. It was dropped some time ago. I thought Arbuckle was dead. I don't think Hays has guessed the sentiments of the theatregoers this time. There isn't any call for Arbuckle or his films. From an attorney : Poor " Fatty " got caught. That's his hard luck. He isn't any different than thousands of others, Rev. Dr. Hall, for instance. Why don't the ministers clean their own house and let the movies alone for a while. I believe in giving " Fatty " another chance. A housewife and mother: It is an insult to the womanhood of America to bring back Arbuckle. I thought that Hays was supposed to clean the movies. It doesn't look like it. I certainly won't let any of my children see the Arbuckle films or attend a theatre that shows them. A chauffeur: We all believe that Roscoe has repented. It is Christmas time and we shouldn't forget that the first virtue of real Christians is charity. " Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." But, after all, it is not the artist but the art we go to see. If the public likes Arbuckle films they will patronize them regardless of what Arbuckle himself does. Girl office clerk: Although a jury finally adjudged Arbuckle innocent the American people shall always hold him morally guilty. They don't want to see him again. Mr. Hays had better not fly in the face of public opinion. A merchant: I like the Arbuckle films but haven't any use for the man. I believe that Hays did right. There is no use penalizing the industry because " Fatty " made a mistake. There is too much money tied up in Arbuckle films to destroy them. A shop girl : " Fatty " from one of the best-liked men in the industry overnight became the most detested. And there hasn't been any change in the feeling of the women toward him. We don't want him or his films. A building mechanic : Hays has done more to bring censorship of moving pictures in Missouri than any other man. Did you see how quickly the ministers seized this opportunity? Why didn't he stick by his first stand? Judge Landis hasn't receded in the ease of the Black Sox, even if a jury did acquit them. The film industry needs a Ban Johnson and not a politician like Will Hays. The Arbuckle case proves conclusively that he is incompetent. A few more moves like it and we will have national censorshsip. Personally, I won't go to see the Arbuckle films. A housewife: Why not give Arbuckle a chance to come back ? None of us are without our faults. It is true that he was a party to a terrible scandal. If he slips again I say banish him for all time. But why not be charitable to the extent of giving him another chance! I say, yes. Milwaukee, Wis. Xewspaperman : I will never go into a pic(Continued on page 53)