Motion Picture News (Apr-Jun 1917)

4078 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 15. No. 26 A Few Characlc^istic Scenes From the Slate Right's Production, " Parentage " Klotz Seeks Only Reasonable Profit on Film Exploiter of Money in a TOSl-PH S. KLOTZ, of Klotz ,n.id J SlrcinuM-, bi;licve5 in l)i>ing satisfied with a reasonalilc profit from a picture. A lin.ver, who recently made him an olTcr for rihdits to " Whither Thon Goest," remarked that wliile the picture was well above the averaKc it was not a " million dollar " film. Mr. Klotz agreed that the feature was not in the " milliou tlollar " class, and said that he did not expect to make a milliou with it and did not care to make a million dollars ou any picture that his company mii;ht handle. " Tile mania to make a million in a hurry has hurt t\ot only the industry as a whole hut has been the main cause of many failures of stiite rights producers," said Mr. Klotz, " and my company intends to steer clear of this form of business insanity. We intend to sell our features at prices' based entirely upon cost, for we believe that the only way to make money and keep on making money is to sell pictures at prices that dii not put them in the catagory of gambling v entures, and the state rights buyer in the position of a speculator. "If tlie state rights operator makes money he will go back and buy more. He Will continue lo be a customer,' and he will naturally go to the company where he can buy pictures at fair prices. "This is sane business logic," says Mr Motz "and tile reason I say I don't want a milhoii of ;my picture is because I want 'o stay in the business, " That there is a very lively demand in ic stale, rights market for pictures with ">c requisite amount of dramatic value and artistic finish is evidenced bv the sales in »u incomplete condition, of 'our ' W hither IMiea Mitchell, according to Harry Sam w.ck and Reginald Ward * Mr \Vir^ Samwick and inspected and edited,:;. Whither Tlion Goest" Declares That Mania to Make Hurry Is Cause of Many Slate Rights Failures Samwick was so impressed with the possibilities the feature showed, even in the nnembellished state, that he immediately made an offer for the New York and Nonhcrn New Jersey rights. His opinion was paralleled by the judgment of Mr. Ward, who made an offer for the Australiiin riglil^." kl'il^ iiii.l Strcimer were reluctant iiiiikr vale before the production had been siiowii to the entire trade, but an agreement as to price was finally reached and contracts were immediately closed for these territories. to Kleine Considering Reissue of " Quo Vadis " "Quo Vadis" is to be reissued if the plans of George Kleine materialize Mr Kleiiie has been retiuested to republish this super-featiire and list it as a state rights release. If this be reissued it will be one of the few productions ever revived on the screeii It is ititendcd that the pro dd d" SixUi King-Bee in 'Work liilly W est's Sixth King Bee Comed,. well under way at the Frohman St.id'ic Flushing, N. Y., where the company ,s temporarily working. A conference of the directing staft has led to the selection of a stor> specially written to develop famous young star's personality. dios. the Lust Bjiys Motoy Rights The Peter Pan Corporation, New York aniioutices that Sidney B. Lust, of wrsi,' mg.on, D. C, has bought a we k y r tMe M°-Toy comedies tor the stae 01 Maryland, Delaware, North cr,'s.' District * Deals On for " Redemption " Several big deals for State rights are announced as pending for the Evelyn Nesbit-Russell Thaw picture, " Redemption," now running at Geo. M. Cohan's theatre. New York. It is understood some of the biggest and best-known State rights buyers in the country are negotiating for the film and it is probable that the deals for the richest territory in the country will soon be closed. It is JuHus Steger's production and Julius Steger and Jos. A. Golden directed it. Board Passes "Great White Trail" The National Board of Reviewers has passed "The Great White Trail," made ■ by the Whartons, wth a percentage of one hundred. The reviewers called the picture "excellent" in every one of its saHent features, and not a foot was ordered cut from the film, nor were any other changes suggested. Since the showing of the picture, fulty a score of letters have been received at the Wharton plant, at Ithaca, N. Y., complimenting the producers upon the faithfulness of the Klondike scenes, says an official of the company. All these letters have been from men who made the Klondike rush themselves, and who should be in a position to know. Cummings at Work on His Own Picture Ir\'ing Cummings, who recently formed bis own company in association with M. F. Tobias, is in the northern part of New Vork State, at work on a sevcn-reeler for release through the Superlative Pictures Corporation. Mr. Cummings has been before the public on the legitimate stage and on the screen for a number of years. His career began with the Davidson Stock Company in Chicago. Later he returned East, and made a reputation in juvenile and character roles. Samuel R. Hutchinson, of the North American Film Company, engaged him to play the stellar part in the serial, " The Diamond from the Sky."