Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

1102 Motion Picture New We leave it to the judgment of the reader which stunt deserves praise and which should be condemned. W: The S. Rankin Drew Post of the American Legion, which includes a large number of film men in its membership, will hold its First Annual Theatrical Ball at the Hotel Pennsylvania on Thursday evening, March 2. “ The ‘ Chief ’ was prouder of that honor than he has been on any occasion in a long time. That’s the way a Universal man phrased Carl Laemmle’s gratification over the surprise presentation by E. L. Crandall, director of lectures and visual education of the Board of Education of New York City, of a silver cup. The gift was suitably inscribed “on behalf of the Teachers and Pupils who enjoyed Mr. Laemmle’s Central Theatre Matinees of ‘ Winners of the West.’ ” Mr. Laemmle has cause for pride, not only because of the fact that he is probably the first producer to be accorded such signal recognition by an educational body, but in his forward looking action in providing the series of E’RE to have the truth about Cannibals pretty shortly And what a story it is ! Captain E. A. Salisbury has just returned from a yea cruise on his yacht through the South Seas. Captain Salis bury will be well remembered by his “ Wild Life in America ! pictures several years ago. We have just viewed eight reels of his adventure cruise— along with Frederick I. O’Brien whose book on the Soutl Sea Islands is a best seller and who encountered Captaii Salisbury on his trip. The pictures are splendid. With titles they will make ten-reel production and probably a Broadway theatre wil house the show at an early date. No settled distributior plans as yet. Looks like the “ different ” kind of picture the public is seeking. Copyright, Underwood & Underwood Add appointments of the week: Frank L. Shall eharger, fox five years sub editor of the Paris edition of the New York Herald, and for twenty months with Arthur S. Kane’s organization, to fidl charge of the publicity department of that 1 concern. matinees. DOOR Mr. Hays! Everybody is pressagenting him — or rather using him as a stepping stone into print for them selv.se. And the newspapers fall with astonishing ease. An insurance agent got over a story of a $2,000,000 policy. A real estate man got a column in the N. Y. Times about a motion picture studio village on Long Island. We do need more studios so badly. There are not enough closed ones. Then someone shoved Arthur Woods, ex-Polic e Commissioner of New York City, into print — as Mr. Hays’ assistant at a salary of only $50,000 a year. And we received a dark and anonymous communication connecting Woods with J. P. Morgan and thence with Henry Ford ivho is out after the Jewish banking interests. What’s it all about anyway? And does it do the M. P. industry any good in the public eye? 1 T is worthy of more than pass/ ing note that the National Board of Review has publicly referred to the marked improvement in serial pictures of today. We have heard of and seen, the 4 bigger and better ’ feature ; the high class, improved comedy and educational. Now the faith of those few producers who believed the serial had its legitimate place in picture entertainment, has further contributed to a higher plane in all around film production. “ Go-Get-’Em Hutch ” ( Pathe ), and “ The Timber Queen ” and “ With Stanley in Africa ” ( Universal) may be cited as examples of the present day serial. Thrills they have — in so much they follow the old time “ continued next week ” episodic picture. But the thrills stop short of the ridicxdous, and through the productions run an industrial or historical thread. Production has begun this week on a second series of “ featuretts ” by John J. Glavey, and based on the famous Nick Carter detective stories. Contending that something can be done by the producer to save money for the exhibitor, heannounces his intentions to sell, as the producer directly to the buyer and thereby help the exhibitor pull a tighter rein on his purse string. IT has remained for R. S. Woodhull, manager of the Baker theatre, Dover, N. J., and John T. Collins, proprietor of the Criterion theatre, Rutherford, N. J., to put into practical operation the plan of the M. T. O. A., through its recently organized Public Service Department, to give special matinees with educational programs for children. See page 1106. The serial trend, indeed, seems toward dignified chapter presentations based on subject matter of real interest. < < /CENSORSHIP ” says Heywood Broun in the New York World, “ is centuries too late.” “ Biology, for instance, cannot be amended with blue pencils and shears. Unfortunately, Mr. Sumner was not present, or even represented, during creation week. At that time he might have been exceedingly useful in refining the facts of existence. Certain fundamental things are now beyond recall. Life has been released and it is likely to go on even without the benefit of a license from any of the appointees of Gov. Nathan Miller.” Mr. Broun also points out that the censors keep strictly moral in spite of all the bad things they see in pictures. They don’t, for instance, jump into onepiece bathing suits after viewing the bathing beauties. And if they can remain pure, why can’t the rest of us? The only answer must be that the censor is super-human and ordinary humans must be protected. Which seems to us to go right to the root of the silliness of censorship, and other such autocracy. Speaking from practical knowledge Franklin F. Hooper, chief of the circulation department of the New York City library, and Miss Lenore St. John Power, chief of the children’s department, declare motion pictures is making the public read — and read good works. As illustration of their paint they gave figures on the big demand for books from which big pictures, such as “ The Four Horsemen,” “ Miss Lulu Bett ” and others, are made, which follows the screen presentation. Jules Levy The appointment of Jules Levy to the District Managership for Universal of the territory embracing Philadelphia, Washington and Charlotte, is announced by H. M. Berman. Mr. Levy, after a career in the legitimate, embarked -in the picture field in 1913. He has been manager of exchanges in Detroit, Toledo and Washington for Universal.