Motography (Jul-Dec 1914)

N MBEB 14. I'M I MOTOGRAPHY 661 FTR PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY ELECTRICITY MAGAZINE CORPORATION MONADNOCK BUILDING, CHICAGO Telephone: Harrison 3014 — All Departments. NEW YORK. OFFICE. 1022 LONGACRE BUILDING Forty-second Street and Broadway. Telephone Bryant 7030. Ed J. Mock and Paul H. Woodruff Editors Neil G. Caward -> Mabel Condon I A .... ,,,.. Charles R. Condon Y Associate Editor, Clarence J. Caine J Allen L. Haase Advertising Manager Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Chicago. Illinois, under act of March 3. 1879. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION United States. Cuba, and Mexico Per year, $3.00 Canada Per year, 4.00 Foreign countries within the Postal Union Per year, 5.00 Single copy 10 (For sale by all newsdealers.) NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Changes of advertising copy should reach the office of publication not less than fifteen days in advance of date of issue. Regular date of issue, every Saturday. New advertisements will be accepted up to within ten days of date of issue, but proof of such advertisements can not be shown in advance of publication. NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS Remittances— Remittances should be made by check, New York draft or money order, in favor of Motography. Foreign subscriptions may be remitted direct by International Postal Money Order. Change of Address — The old address should be given as well as the new, and notice should be received two weeks in advance of the desired change. This publication is free and independent of ail business or house connections or control. No manufacturer or supply dealer, or their stoch holders or representatives, have any financial interest in Motography or any voice in its management or policy. CHICAGO, NOVEMBER 14, 1914 TABLE OF CONTENTS Scene from American's "A Slice of Life" Frontispiece "Salomy Jane" a Masterpiece 649-650 Life Photo Joins Alco Program 650 -:ice of Life" 651-652 Recent Fatents in Motography. By David S. Hulfisb 652 "The Tell-Talc Hand" 653-654 Thanhotiser Mystery Deepens 654 Modern Photoplay Advertising. By Jacob Wilk 655-656 William Kessel Passes 656 Raver to Have New Itala Films 656 A Six Reel Keystone Comedy 657-658 "The Lost Chord" 658 Selig's Story of Restored Youth 659-660 A Powerful Universal 660 Editorial 661-662 A Move Against Legalized Censorship 661 Films for Uncle Sam 662 Just a Moment, Please 662 Washington Exhibitors' Mall 663-664 Problem Raised by Edison Film 665-666 To Fight Legalized Censorship 666 "The Perfect Thirty-Six" 667-668 Authors Collaborate on "Zudora" 668 Sans Grease Paint and Wig 669 Xews of the Week as Shown in Films 670 Taking Moving Picture Panoramas 671-672 Current Educational Releases 672 Brevities of the Business 673-678 Brief Stories of the Week's Film Releases 679-688 Complete Record of Current Films 689-690 A MOVE AGAINST LEGALIZED CENSORSHIP. N( )\\ that the United Managers Protective ^sso ciation lias joined forces with the National Board of Censorship for tin suppression >>! all legalized forms "i" censorship, we may expeel some interesting developments. The United is a powerful organiza tion, and its action gives tin supporl of the whole field of entertainmenl and tin efforts of its largest factors to a work which rested until now upon the shoulders of the picture men alone. 'The large theatrical interests are beginning to realize that censorship, if allowed to gain any foothold, will he onlj to., ready to extend its operations to the legitimate stage and all other recognized forms of amusement. Legalized censorship i^ one of those parasitical growths of political power which fatten on the ignorance of the public. Jt is not conceivable that the American people would permit its existence if they realized that it outrages the whole spirit of American freedom. But they do not realize it. To the lay mind censorship is a technicality, and pertains' to the trade rather than to the public. Attempt a newspaper censorship or a library censorship, and there would be trouble in a minute ; but familiar as they are with pictures, the people have not yet adopted them as their own, as they have newspapers and books. The name of the National Board of censorship is a fortunate one in some respects, and unfortunate in others. It recognizes the word censorship, and possibly so gives it cause for existence. But it also, because it is national and of irreproachable character, obviates any excuse for other censors. In reality it is not a censor at all, but a Board of Suggestions for Improvement. The parts that will not pass its inspection are rejected with the same rigid care that is exercised in rejecting defective mechanical parts in an automobile factory. For some time it has been customary for the National Board to send to producing companies bulletins touching on one or another of the phases of motion picture production. Those not familiar with the time and expense necessary for the production of a single scene in a motion picture do not realize the cost to the manufacturers of making even the smallest elimination. It is because the board does realize this that it aims, through the issuance of these bulletins, to caution the producing companies against the portrayal of certain types of photoplays, certain settings and situations which might be apt to be criticised by the board, and thus avoid changes in the completed story. Never, since the origin of the board in 1909, have the producing companies shown a greater spirit of co-operation in their desire to bring their photoplays up to standard, than now. As an example of the cooperative spirit shown, we attach Bulletin No. 11. and a copy of a letter received from one company with reference to it : During the past few weeks, the National Board has receiver! complaints from high class motion picture exhibitors and the public that some of the producers of motion pictures are presenting their women characters in certain society scenes so scantily clothed that both good taste and tin moral conventions are disregarded. We presume that the attempt of the producers has been to portray the elegance, luxury, and atmosphere of so-called "high life;" unfortunately it has sometimes happened that they have more nearly approximated in these "society" gowns the ideal of the demi-monde and the brothel. Public opinion frowns on women wearing gowns showing their hacks bare to the waist, cut out in front beyond the