Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1919)

1058 Motion P i c t u re N c zv s CLIP THIS OUT Someday You'll Want to Quote a Clergyman on'the Motion Pictures NE of the most effective ways to combat the spread of Bolshevism ii the movie." said the Rev. Robert J. MacAlpine. pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church, of Buffalo, one of the most influential in the city, in the course of a sermon on this subject. " There are many ways of educating the public," said Mr. MacAlpine, " for example the press, the pulpit, the platform and the schoolroom. But by far the most effective means is the movies. Everyday it reaches 10,000,000 of our population. The moving picture theatre should, therefore, be used by our government, federal, state and city, to bring systematically before our citizens the genius and benefits of American democracy. " This is our biggest and best avenue for genuine Americanization. A four-minute Americanizing speech should be made in every movie theatre in the land at least once a week. Every movie manager and audience would welcome it. Think of the effect in Buffalo alone in reaching in this manner every week, 50,000 of our citizens with such a propaganda. Our city department of public welfare could do nothing more genuinely timely and farreaching than to lead the other cities of the nation in such a needed movement." All Prints Working on Willard's Picture "The Challenge of Chance," Frank G. Hall's big seven reel special, starring Jess Willard and Arline Pretty in a Western drama, is reported to be playing to big business by exhibitors in all sections of the country. According to reports from Independent Sales Corporation's branch managers, the feature is accepted by the fans as a Western drama of merit. Throughout the South where this picture has played in all the larger cities, the reports indicate that the feature has given the utmost satisfaction. Mr. Hall, who is handling the distribution of "The Challenge of Chance" announces that 114 prints are now working. During the second week of July these prints were working solid, the territory covered, comprising the entire country. Flash of the hincheon in honor of Sydney Chaplin at Hotel Claridge, New York City, July 18, 1919. This brought together the leading members of the trade press, magazines and newspapers prior to Mr. Chaplin's departure for Europe for Famous Players-Lasky Corporation Typical Broadway Playhouse for Australia Melbourne, Australia, is soon to have a huge motion picture theatre, fashioned after the familiar type that had its origin in New York. J. C. Williamson, whose activities in the Antipodes rank with those of the leading American amusement firms, announces through his American representatives, Sanger & Jordan, that arrangements have been completed for the immediate erection of the house, which is planned to seat 4,000. The policy will follow that which has been standardized by the best American motion picture establishments— a mixed programme of educational, news, scenic and comedy films, with a feature, and marked attention devoted to the musical side. It will be the first undertaking of the kind in Australia and will mark a pronounced advance for the motion picture in that distant land. An intimation is made that American pictures will figure largely in the programmes. Methodists at the Centenary Celebration of American Methodist Missions, at Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Flinn, whose subject was "Motion Pictures and the Church," on behalf of the National Association, pledged the support of the industry to the program of extension of pictures among the churches of America and foreign countries. "A heavy responsibility rests upon those in this country who were in favor of national prohibition, to provide a substitute better than the saloon for recreation purposes," said Mr. Flinn. "Moreover, it is evident from the keen interest manifested everywhere that this responsibility is well recognized and that the motion picture is looked upon as the wholesome medium by which this recreation may be supplied. "It therefore follows that the church needs the motion picture far more than the motion picture needs the church." Church Needs Pictures, Says John C. Flinn As the representative of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry, John C. Flinn, Director of Publicity and Advertising of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, on July 15 addressed three thousand New Film Concern Open in Minneapolis The Minneapolis Film Corporation has opened offices at 702 Film Exchange building, with Carl Michel, who has had considerable experience in the exchange business the past few years, as manager. The first new release, scheduled for July 15, is a six-reel Essanay feature, "Ashes of Desire," featuring Mrs. Sessuc Hayakawa and Frank Borzage. Corbett Tells New^ York of Future Plans James J. Corbett (Gentleman Jim) is vacationing in New York after his strenuous activities as a serial actor in "'The Midnight Man." At a press luncheon given in his honor by Lowell Cash of the Universal forces, the former hcavNvvcight champion of the world declared that all the years of training spent in pugilistic endeavors could not begin to compare with the strenuous weeks spent in making a serial. Jim intimated that if he had it all to do over again he would get himself in fistic trim by engaging in this hazardous screen work. Mr. Corbett has just completed the eighteen episodes of the Universal serial, "The Midnight Man," which is scheduled for release in September. The subject was written by J. W. Home and Kenneth B. Clarke and scenarioized by Harvey Gates. And it was produced under the direction of Mr. Horne. The star plays the part of Bob Gilmore, who earns his "Midnight" soubriquet because he starts out promptly in that hour of darkness, attired as a gentleman Raffles, with the object of learning his identity. Bob has been brought up by foster parents and when he reaches maturity his ambition is to clear up the mystery attached to his name. He wears a jade signet ring with the letters " MOR." Assuming that these represent the first letters of his name he conceives the id^ of entering at night the home of everyone whose name begins with "Mor," and leaving the imprint of his signet ring. Gentleman Jim became enthusiastic over the serial and it is no wonder when the luncheon guests were piloted through two episodes. The second one shows him taking advantage of his good right arm — and left, in routing a vicious group of pickpockets. Indeed in all the episodes Jim shows why he earned the title of champion. But the picture is not all "fight," it is well balanced with thrills, action, and all the other necessary ingredients. After Mr. Corbett is sufficiently rested from his strenuous activities he is going back to Universal City, where he will occupy his time in turning out Universal features. Exchange Man Promoted W. W. Kulp, for some time associated with the Exhibitor's Mutual exchange in Cleveland, has just been named manager of the office, to succeed Hugh Ronnie who is now Select branch manager in Seattle. Mr. Kulp has been exhibitor, salesman, operator and exchange manager in his long photoplay career. ROBERTSON-COLE SEEKS TO BREAK AWAY FROM EXHIBITORS MUTUAL A COURT fight is on between Robertson-Cole and Exhibitors Mutual, heretofore the distributing agency of that concern's product, following the attempt of RobertsonCole to cancel the existing contract. After the cancellation of the contract was forwarded, Exhibitors Mutual obtained a temporary injunction restraining the cancellation from becoming effective. Hearing of the case was begun July 23 in the Federal District Court. The charge is made by Robertson-Cole that Exhibitors Mutual has not kept faith, that it does not maintain 20 offices in the country for distribution, that accurate accounts were not kept, and that other concerns' product was handled. In reply to the latter charge Exhibitors MutUcil declares Robertson-Cole has not lived up to the agreement to supply a stipulated number of subjects weekly. Fire Destroys Single Theatre in Town Fire, of a supposed incendiary origin, destroyed the Lion Theatre, McAdoo, Pa., at 4 :30 o'clock on Wednesday morning, July 16th, entailing a loss of $8,500. The flames robbed the town of its only theatre, the Blaine Theatre having been totally destroyed by fire, also of a very mysterious nature, on Monday morning, July 7th, at exactly the same hour. Boosting a City Betterment Campaign L. M. Boas, general manager of the Empire Theatre in Fall River, Mass., is offering a prize of two season passes for the Empire Theatre in connection with a " Help Boost Your City" contest being conducted in that citv.