Motography (Jul-Dec 1914)

662 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XII, No. 20. requirements of decency, and with nothing whatever over their shoulders. It is only in the demi-monde, the burlesque and variety show, and in some motion pictures that such gowns are presented as characteristic of women of taste, refinement, and morals. The producer who presents or permits his actresses to present society scenes with women gowned in this manner is not only guilty of bad art, but also of making pictures with bad moral effect. We would therefore urge manufacturers and producers to be on their guard against further instances of this kind. Several eliminations by the National Board have recently been necessary in pictures of this type, in response to public opinion. Attention to this bulletin will keep your company from the expense and inconvenience of having pictures mutilated by the Board. This whole matter of costuming is treated in paragraph 31, page 17, of "The Policy and Standards of the National Board of Censorship of Motion Pictures" as revised May, 1914. All producers are supposed to be supplied with this pamphlet and if any of them are not, we shall be glad to send copies upon request. The letter reproduced below, in response to this bulletin, is typical of the attitude of producers toward the board : We have your special Bulletin No. 11, relative to the dressing of female characters in our films and I would advise that while our company, up to the present time, has never been an offender in this connection, I am today writing to our director-in-chief and mailing him copy of this bulletin, in order that he may post same on his bulletin board. It is quite obvious that with this kind of co-operation between the National Board and the producers, further so-called censorship by political agencies is not only uncalled for, but is an unwarranted and arbitrary interference with the orderly methods of this industry. Motography's attitude in the matter of legalized censors is well known. We can only express the hope and conviction that the reinforced powers allied against inquitous censorship will meet with early success and so save the motion picture from its greatest enemy. FILMS FOR UNCLE SAM H. T. Cowling, official photographer, U. S. Reclamation Service, has recently returned from a 17,000 mile trip through the West, securing motion picture film for the government exhibit at the PanamaPacific Exposition. In addition to securing pictures showing the results attained by the government in reclaiming the arid sections, Mr. Cowling spent considerable time on the Indian reservations, picturing the life of the American Indians of today. He also secured pictures of the ancient cliff dwellings, and several of our national play grounds, taking thousands of feet of motion picture film which will be used after the exposition in connection with lectures designed to awaken interest in the beauties of our own country. Probably the most interesting feature of Mr. Cowling's summer work was the "Romance of Irrigation," staged on one of the government projects, showing all the steps taken in securing and developing a farm on an irrigation project. The film takes one from the time the tired school teacher reads the government advertisement and writes to AYashington until she goes to the desert country, puts up her shack, learns the methods of irrigating, falls in love with a neighboring bachelor, and goes in partnership with him for life. Mr. Cowling is now in the Washington laboratory finishing and assembling this material for the exposition and other lectures. Friend Charley, our Noo Yawk conferee, whom we took to task last week for writing us that a story was "perfectly digestive," is all "het up" over our gentle remonstrance, and writes us that instead of bawling him out for the use of "digestive" we "ought to consult Dan Webster." By golly, Chas., we wont take DAN Webster's word for it — don't believe he knows any more about it than us. Perhaps you niean Noah? He's the chap, we believe, that put the die in dictionary. Since he deems it an honor to "head the line" at the topmost pinnacle of our column, we'll take the curse off this second "call," perhaps, if we run him there again. 'Tsall right, don't mention it, Chas. O'ERHEARD AT THE PICTURE SHOW "I'll bet her fellow will come along now and discover them together, I can always tell what's going to happen next." "For the love of Mike, it's a wonder that guy on the end seat wouldn't move over and let us in, 'stead of making us climb over him." "Isn't Chaplin a scream? I could just die watching him." "That's the first time I ever saw Broncho Billy out of a cowboy rig. He looks pretty good, doesn't he?" "Wonder if Kathlyn Williams is married to that fellow. They always play together." What's this! What's this! E. Alexander Barrymore, Western representative of the Morning Telegraph, sued for breach of promise! That's what we read in our paper the other morning, but we've got our fingers crossed just the same. In the first place, "Barry" don't appear that kind of a chap to us; and in the second place no girlie in her right mind would ever try to get $10,000 out of an humble newspaper feller. It can't be done! Now if it had been L. R., one of the Telegraph's staff at the other end of the line, we might have fallen for it as "press stuff," but even then we'd have been doubtful. Guess this series of "The Adventures of Wallingford," to be released by the Colonial Motion Picture Corporation, is to be an untinted film, since we lamp by the advertising that White and Black. are included in the cast. ZERO IX ADVERTISING. Our notion of nothing to rave about is that boost given a certain make of cycle-car in episode twenty-one of Thanhouser's "Million-Dollar Mystery." Gosh, but we'll bet the publicity man of that auto company will tear his hair out by the handful if he ever beholds Jimmy Cruze on the screen, calmly "getting out and getting under" several times, and then winding up by giving his car away for junk, all because it breaks down at a critical moment. Pal Haase sends us a beautiful three-color portrait of the fifteen-story^and-roof -garden shack in which he is temporarily residing, while in Noo Yawk. but forgot to mark the "X" indicating. exactly where he hangs his hat when he's "at home." Bring a blue-print home with you, Pal. ' OUR BURG. Wilt Lackaye, Chet Barnett, John Viriderbrink and some other actor folks from the Effete Eastand the Peerless studio was to Our Burg this wk. taking pitchers of our stock exchange. Xoo Yawk can brag about its Wall St., but by Heck you gotto come to Chi for stock exchange scenes. A. M. Gollos, which is the same chap that made "the Littlest Rebel" famous around this neck of the woods, is now rumored to be going for to buy a whole studio for hisself in or near Austin, Tex. Soon A. M. will be making pitchers of his own, just like the rest of the fellers. The home folks is mighty proud of A. M. and wishes him luck in whatever he does. Another of our local industries has moved. The Offises of Warners Features was moved t'other day, from where they was, to Rooms 400 and 402 at 17 N. Wabash Ave. The new offises is fixed up grand and looks fit to entertain a King in. They got a real luxurious look to 'em and makes us proud of the enterprise of our home folks. The Missus says it looks as though the Allies were going to have Turkey for Thanksgiving. Looks to us as though she was trying to fill Heeza Nutt's job. N. G. C.