Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

April 6, 1918. MOTOGRAPHY 661 Film World Hails Chicago Decision Ruling Which Permits Unrestricted Showing of "Within the Law" Believed to Set Precedent Regarding Censorship FILM CIRCLES generally and the Vitagraph Company particularly are elated over the Chicago decision which permits the unrestricted showing of Vitagraph's big drama, "Within the Law." The decision, handed down by the Appellate court, is one of the most important ever given and may stand permanently as a precedent. The victory comes at the end of a contest which has lasted almost a year, the controversy having started when the company was refused a permit to exhibit the picture last May. The Chicago censor board had insisted upon certain cuts but these in the judgment of Walter W. Irwin, general manager of the Vitagraph distributing organization, were so radical that the production would have been weakened almost to the point of worthlessness. Mr. Irwin personally took charge of the situation and made several trips to Chicago in an effort to show the police authorities that in attempting to eliminate several of the most important features they were not only spoiling the picture as an entertainment, but also were denying the public the right to see the play as produced on the stage. Failing to make the authorities see the logic of his contentions, Mr. Irwin then agreed to let the leading citizens of Chicago sit as a jury on the picture, and a special showing was held in the Studebaker theatre. The audience, which numbered more than 1,000 persons, included judges of the state and federal courts, officials of the police department, various other city officials, members of the Women's City Club and Women's Trade Union League, the faculty of the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, social workers, church functionaries, members of the Salvation Army and Volunteers of America, settlement workers, parole law advocates, editors and others. To all of these were put the following questions: "Is this picture in your opinion immoral, obscene, or does it portray any riotous, disorderly, or any other unlawful scene, or has it a tendency to disturb the public peace, or anything which would create contempt or hatred for any class of law-abiding citizens?" "Does the picture tend toward creating a harmful impression on the minds of children?" The verdict, expressed in writing, was unanimously in favor of the picture. Following this public indorsement, Mr. Irwin caused another formal application for a permit to be made, but the police authorities still insisted on fifteen eliminations, which Mr. Irwin refused to accede to. The permit was again refused and Mr. Irwin then decided to seek redress in the courts. He took personal charge of the legal contest, which was conducted before the courts by Lewis F. Tacobson. Just as soon as Vitagraph was upheld, there was a stampede of exhibitors to show the picture. Ascher Brothers, Jones, Linick & Schaefer and other leading exhibitors booked it solid in their chains of theatres and the demand generally was so great that numerous extra prints had to be rushed to the Chicago office. Mr. Irwin, discussing the decision, said: "Vitagraph never knowingly has released a picture to which objection could be raised on the ground of immorality or crime-suggestion. 'Within the Law,' as produced by this company, is a faithful reproduction of the stage play, which proved by its popularity that it was the greatest modern melodrama the stage has ever seen. "The play took in approximately $3,000,000 on the stage and was shown in practically every city of importance in the civilized world. It has been endorsed by the leading thinkers of this country, including President Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, Mrs. Harriet Stanton Blatch and others. "The decision naturally is very gratifying to us, but we are further pleased by the knowledge that we have caused to be set a precedent which will benefit the whole industry." Parrot Has Role in Comedy Following the vogue for Western pictures, Montgomery and Rock are producing under the direction of J. A. Howe, a Big V comedy for Vitagraph with all the stunts of the West incorporated. The bucking broncho brought up to date is furnished by a motorcycle on which the two comedians with a tent camouflage tour the West where they have recently arrived from the East. A parrot, a wallet of money and a stage hold-up get them into laughable difficulties, which are brought to a merry finish by the same bird. Many Broncho Billies Booked The Broncho Billy dramas, which the Essanay company placed on the market through the George Kleine exchanges March 1, are reported to be doing a big business. Already there has been a call for more prints. Essanay is releasing these one-reel subjects in blocks of ten and several hundred exhibitors have arranged to take the entire number, running one each week as they are released. Tom Terriss directing Alice Joyce in her not ness of Life," which is taken from a novel by a Vitagraph Blue Ribbon Feature, "The Busithe well-known author, Robert W. Chambers.