Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

September 28 , 1918 2053 Screencraft Aims at the Highest Standard Mabel Normand as " Mickey," in the W. H. Productions Feature of That Name " Huns Within Our Gates " Has Novel Ad-Helps The Arrow Film Corporation announces that the press book on " Huns Within Our Gates,'' starring Derwent Hall Caine and Mile. Valkyrien, while containing approximately the same amount of material as the average press book, is novel in so far as its size is three and one-quarter inches in width by six and one-half inches long, wrich is about the size of a Herald folded over. Each page is devoted to a story or sample of an "ad," or cut. and is printed on but one side. This permits of the press book being easily carried in one's pocket, or when doubled over mailed in a smallsize envelope. The twenty-four sheet stand is also said to be unusual in so far as the main pictorial part of the sheet is printed in the centre so as to cover twelve sheets, leaving the six sheets on either side of the stand with other characters, so that an exchange if desirous of making use of a twelve sheet can easily discard the six sheets on either side of the centre of the twenty-four sheet stand. Each piece of advertising matter issued in connection with this six-part production is made from a separate drawing, even including the slides. Harry H. Thomas Joins United Theatres Harry H. Thomas has joined the field force of United Picture Theatres of AmericaMr. Thomas, with eight years of exhibitor experience, will be in special charge of field work in Long Island, Connecticut and New York State as far as North Albany. THE declaration that Screencraft Pictures is aiming at the highest film standard in its features is contained in an announcement from the company this week, in which a hint of the nature of the first production is given. "Throughout the filming of the initial feature," says, the announcement, " great cafe was fakerh'to make it as nearly perfect as money and brains could possibly do. The same method will be followed in all other, pictures to be made by this company, who plan to release at least twelve dramatic features annually. " Screencraft's first offering is a photodramatic adaptation of a short-story masterpiece published in Harper's Magazine. It is from the pen of Edith Barnard Delano, a past master in the act of writing absorbing stories of presetit-day life. The screen version of the story was prepared by Eve Unsell, who has any number of successful scenarios to her credit. " Messrs. Fleckles and Weinberg of the Screencraft corporation in their desire to do things right gave Director Frank Reicher a free hand. Mr. Reicher had absolute charge of the production, and every scene was made under his personal supervision. Those who have seen the picture screened assert that it is one of the finest things this competent director has done. " When it came to stars the Screencraft officials left no stone unturned to get the right ones, the sort of players that would fit the parts and ones that would be well known to theatre fjoers. They engaged Mary Boland, who has made several successful screen appearances, and who was John Drew's leading lady for many seasons, and Lucy Cotton, who registered such a decided hit in the stage production of " Turn to the Right." These two wellliked players will be the co-stars of Screencraft's first production. Both of them will be seen in roles that offer them wide opportunities. " Mr. Fleckles, who is a motion picture man of wide experience, has made arrangements with exchanges covering the entire country to handle Screencraft features. A full list will be published shortly." United Picture Theatres Reports Increases UNITED PICTURE THEATRES OF AMERICA, INC., whose declared policy is that of exhibitor-member co-operation in the securing of superfeature films, reports a remarkable increase of membership since the announcement that three stars in the persons of Dustin Farnum, Kitty Gordon, and most recently Florence Reed, are already at work upon superfeature productions for that organization. The first of these productions now being released is the Harry A. Sherman production of Zane Grey's " The Light of Western Stars," the private showing of which at the recent Chicago convention is said to have elicited much laudatory comment, and its settings and strength of situations are said to be marking a new standard in motion picture rating. Further stars are said to be rising on the United horizon. The essence of United co-operative plan is that every exhibitor-member, by the very share of membership, should be vitally interested in every United picture he exhibits, since, while he is perfectly free to exhibit other films, should he wish, thus obviating all charge of monopoly, he receives not only the additional profits afforded by the expected low cost of the United features, a low cost said to be made possible by the large number of United playing days and the dividing up of the cost among its members. The exhibitor-member of United is also said to have a direct participation in the dividends accruing from United profits, membership carrying with it a share in the proprietary rights in each film he exhibits, added to which is the prospective profit accruing from sales in foreign countries. The Kitty Gordon superfeatures are being produced in Los Angeles under the direction of Robert Brunton, while the Florence Reed series is being made in the East under the direction of John M. Stahl. The second Dustin Farnum production, now nearing completion, is Jackson Gregory's " The Wolf Breed." J. J. Goodstein a Writer The following jingle was composed by Joseph J. Goodstein, president of the Keystone Distributing Corporation of Philadelphia, and sent to the Arrow Film Comporation of New York : " The Sunshine Princess " went on an " Accidental Honeymoon " with " Her Aviator," who was the cynosure of " The Eyes of the World " because of her connection with " The Million Dollar Mystery," which caused her to invoke " The Woman's Law " in the " Struggle Everlasting," in which she was engaged with the " Huns Within Our Gates," so that finally, when she pointed " The Finger of Justice " at her accusers she said " ' My Husband's Friend " and " Harold Lockwood," together with " May Allison " will place things right when " J. Warren Kerrigan " recovers " Helen Badgeley," the Thanhouser kidlet. All of the subjects referred to in the Arrow bulletin are included in the above.