Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

May 25, 1918. MOTOGRAPHY 1009 World Gets Line on Best Type of Pictures Canvasses Country Through Salesmen and as a Result Will Concentrate on Stories of Lighter Vein ONE of the strangest conferences in the history of the industry has just been conducted, through the mail, by World Pictures. To get a comprehensive idea of the wants of exhibitors during war times World asked all of its salesmen to give their honest opinion of just what the organization should be turning out. As the result of this conference and a careful survey of picture conditions in England, France and Italy, World determined to increase its output by the addition of the Fay Tincher and Marie Dressier comedies and to produce pleasing pictures of civil life, reflecting hope, optimism and uplift instead of the sordid and tragic phases of life. Of course, there will be occasional war pictures, depicting the tense, dramatic phases of the war, but these will not be morbid or depressing. In making these plans World feels that motion pictures in the coming months will more than do their bit in maintaining the nation's high morale, in giving the war burdened population cheerful, refreshing amusement and in emphasizing the fact that eventually the American boys will be back to resume their former normal life. In England the theatres have become so important that the government has re duced their taxes so that they can continue to operate and in France the theatres have been subsidized. An Attack and Defense of Pictures (Continued from page 989) recently. If I went back to 1917. I would have to pay extra postage on this letter. If what you say is true — "If any author wants $1,000 a year the movie man will have a fit" — then, we must by this time be a mad-house of epileptics, for it is hardly probable that any of these "plasterers and teamsters" would be satisfied with the wages which you say are the union scale. It is junk such as your editorial that holds us back when we need encouragement. We are trying our best to get good stories. We are paying a pile of money for them, and we are frank to admit that it's no easy job to pick them. Instead of your unfair criticism, we should be getting your help, because the motion picture is the universal amusement and it is up to all editorial writers to make that amusement better. They can't do it by criticism that is so inconsistent that nobody believes it. Sit right down now and give me a list of novels or plays that you think would make great motion pictures. Give me a list of authors who would be willing to write for motion pictures if they were given their own price. We will not only be grateful for your suggestions, but will go after the stuff. I think if you make out a list we will be able to show you that either a great many of them have already been produced and that you didn't happen to see them, or that for some good reason — not our reason but a reason that you will admit is sound — they will not make good motion pictures. Consider the drama. All of it — vaudeville, stock companies, Xew York productions and Omaha productions. Average them all up and I think you will find that the quality of the motion picture stories is higher than the quality of those produced on the stage. That's all. I didn't mean to be rough in this letter. I'm just bouncing back your own language to you. Pretty Peggy Hyland, Fox star, who has been transferred to the direction of Carl Harbaugh. Petrova Takes New Role A radical departure from the type of role usually portrayed by Madame Olga Petrova will be found when "Tempered Steel" is released for public view. Written especially for the star by George .Middleton, author of the Broad way success, "Polly With a Past," Madame Petrova's fourth special feature is an out and out melodramatic thriller. The role of Lucille Caruthers, which Madame Petrova depicts, is that of a stage-struck southern society girl who suddenly finds herself involved in the mad whirl of theatrical life in Manhattan. Through a chain of peculiar circumstances she finds herself guilty in the eyes of the law of murder. In the working out of the various dramatic emotions which abound throughout the picture, Madame Petrova is called upon to furnish acting of the most realistic variety. Her thousands of screen admirers will be delighted to find a versatility as odd as it is surprising. There are several sensational and exciting scenes in "Tempered Steel" which will make a direct appeal to so-called "movie audiences" and the picture may be classed as one of the real melodramatic features of the present year. Toledo Theatres Organize Toledo theatre and picture house managers have formed what will be known as the Toledo Amusement Managers' Association, with Joe Pearlstein of Keith's Theatre as president. Other officers are: Vice-president, H. B. McLelland; secretary, A. J. Beck; treasurer, E. H. Klink; directors. E. H. Gerstle, Carl Kneiser and A. Horwitz. C. K. Friedman has been retained as legal advisor. Film Inspectors Difficulties have arisen in Dallas, Texas, between the film inspectors and the exchange managers. The girls who inspect the films for the Dallas exchanges were urged to form a union. The managers objected to some of the demands and many of the girls struck. Gloria Hope, who has made a name for herself in Paramount pictures.