Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS 17 THE MOTION PICTURE IN CANADA BY CHANDOS ST. JOHN-BRENON IT is an extraordinary fact, that wide as are the opportunities offered in the Dominion of Canada for the moving picture manufacturer and producer, the leaders of both branches of this wonderful industry have not yet seen to it that films of Canadian make and Canadian subjects have been placed on the Canadian market for the residents of the Dominion. The possibilities are tremendous, yet the field is at present in almost virgin state. Especially does this apply to Western Canada, where there is to-day a tremendous market for the film in all its phases, dramatic and educational. It cannot be that the big men among the manufacturers have entirely ignored this field and it certainly is not because there is no demand in Canada for pictures of Canadian tone and motif. Canada to-day is linked up throughout its entire length and breadth with societies and associations large and small, which have been formed to keep alive the idea of imperialism, and the members of which have, at regular and stated intervals, voiced their disapproval of the constant appearance of that fine old emblem "Old Glory" on the moving picture screen. Not that they have the least dislike or disrespect for that flag. Such is far from being the case and should not be thus interpreted. Nevertheless, it is but natural that exception should be taken to the continual appearance of the American flag and American subjects throughout the entire Dominion where films are known, and there is obviously some ground for this feeling. It is strange, therefore, that manufacturers have thus far ignored the demands of the great Canadian west and have given only such subjects as they have seen fit to the big motion picture public in this territory. % % ={: * ABORTIVE efforts have been made from time to time by manufacturers to turn out a Canadian picture, but these efforts have proven such utter failures that even small children in the audiences of Canadian theatres where such pictures have been shown have laughed aloud at the incongruities, the impossible scenery and the even more impossible costuming, as well as the obvious ignorance of things Canadian displayed by the producer. In the heart of the great West is planted a body of men who have won the admiration of the world, wherever the English language is spoken, the Royal Northwest Mounted Police. Could any moving picture producer find a more prolific field, a more popular field for a Canadian audience? Is any field more crowded with adventure, history, instances of individual and collective courage, pluck, romance, life and color? Yet this field, which is so essentially Canadian and which teems with such splendid material dealing with the history of the Canadian West, has been absolutely ignored save on one or two occasions. One of these occasions is a memorable one in Winnipeg at least. It was when a two-reel film purporting to deal with the Royal Northwest Mounted Police was widely advertised. When it was thrown on the screen, it aroused an uproar and it was taken off as quickly as it was put on. In Winnipeg resides one of the finest figures ever identified with the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, in fact, the first man to join its ranks, and a man who has helped to make western Canadian history. This is Col. S. B. Steele, C. B. M. V. O, the officer commanding the military district. With his staff he had been invited to see the great picture and he had signified his intention of being present. Who is there who does not known the boast of Canada's mounted police? "We have never lost a man upon whom we have once laid our hands. We have never taken a bribe." Yet the film shown with such noise and pride in the local house, depicted a member of this body accepting a bribe from a woman! The audience hissed and the film was relegated to the shelf, whence it should never have been removed. Fortunately the former superintendent did not see the film. Many angry voices were later raised in protest and the same feelings were expressed as would have been the case had a picture been shown in any United States city which held up to scorn and contumely the United States Navy or. Army. CANADA to-day needs Canadian pictures and when it gets them the receipts of those who make them will go upwards with a bound. The same complaint of "too much United States" applies to the various and numerous "weeklies" or news pictures. To-day ninety per cent show scenes taken in American cities which are of absolutely no interest to a Canadian audience. When these "weeklies" depict scenes of international interest, of course, any audience appreciates them. • But wherein lies the interest to a Canadian audience in pictures of the ruins wrought by a $100,000 fire in Akron, Ohio, or Jonesboro, Arkansas? Canadian cities have just as big fires and if one is to judge by the statisticans, the fire loss in Canada is far heavier per capita than in the United States. Why are not Canadian pictures shown? Canadian managers ask for them, Canadian audiences ask for them. Are not interntional pictures desirable? Yes! These are wanted all the time. But news pictures from minor United States cities should only be distributed where the interest lies. Two years ago the Duke of Connaught, an international figure, the uncle of the King of England paid a visit to the West, yet an infinitesimal percentage of "Weaklies" made any effort to show the Canadian public what he did or how he looked. Western Canada is still in the pioneer stage, at least to a great degree. It is still much of a "hinterland" to thousands of English-speaking people, and, as such, offers a wonderful field, if only to show the wonderful strides made in half a century of civilization and exploration. Imagine the possibilities of the numerous railroad construction camps! Imagine the tales which could be built around them and the wonderful pictures made, and above all, consider the hundreds of thousands of people who would enjoy films of their own country, telling stories of their own country, made in their own country. * * * * THE time is not so remote when Canada will offer almost as large a market for the motion picture as the United States. Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba, with a population of 200,000 has thirty motion picture theatres. This is small, of course, in comparison to the number in the larger American cities, but eight years ago there were not three which were wholly devoted to the picture. A few days ago a four-year lease on one of the second-class houses in Winnipeg was sold for $40,000 and added to. this is the rent for those four years at $500 a month. Surely this is indicative of the situation in the west of Canada. Of all the theatres which have been erected in the past five years (some eighteen), not one has closed its doors. And this in the face of two vaudeville houses and a popular stock house. Competition for exclusiveness has reached a high pitch and exclusiveness in programs has been eagerly sought after. The latest innovation is from the Mutual, which gives an exclusive program with a guarantee that none (Continued on page 50)