Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

1206 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XIX, No 26 Maryland Censors Again Rouse Industry Cause Lessee of Picture to Be Fined Because Cuts Ordered Were Exhibited with Film by Mistake THE industry has been aroused once more by the arbitrary Prussian-like methods of the Maryland board of censors. The heavy hand of the censor board has fallen upon a film that has been shown without official interference in five other states. The film is "It May Be Your Daughter," and because, through an error, it was exhibited at Baltimore without all of the eliminations ordered by the powers that be, Milton Caplan of the Varieties Pictures Corporation has been fined $25 and costs for leasing it to Joseph Bleachman, proprietor of the Picture Garden, a West Lexington street theatre Bleachman also was compelled to appear in court, but the charge against him was dismissed. The film, described in posters as educational, shows, according to the censors, "scenes in a house of commercialized vice, the woman head of the establishment lolling on a divan and smoking cigarettes, a woman kidnapped into the place, and women dancing together." In accordance with the usual procedure in such cases, it was testified at the hearing that the picture was exhibited before members of the Motion Picture Board on March 21 last. Certain eliminations were ordered. On April IS the film was again exhibited to the board. More eliminations were ordered, because, it is claimed, the expurgation of all the features to which the board originally objected was not carried out completely, as it would have destroyed the continuity of the play. Caplan then agreed to eliminate all of the objectionable scenes before showing the picture in the state and the film received the official seal. On Monday of last week, Mrs. Marguerite Harrison of the board complained that all of the objectionable features had not been eliminated and the picture was being shown to the public. She then swore out warrants for Caplan and Bleachman. Bleachman's defense was that when the film came to him it bore the official seal of the censors, and Caplan contended the film had been shown in five states, and that, after having eliminated the scenes objected to in Maryland, he put them back in the film and sent it to Hopewell, Virginia, for exhibition. When the film was returned to him it was inadvertently sent to Bleachman with the objectionable scenes still in it. "A boy in my office failed to block out the necessary parts," Caplan added in explanation. The film is now properly cut, clipped, expurgated and otherwise trimmed to suit the exacting taste of the censors." The fact that the picture in its entirety had raised no disturbance in other states has revived resentment against the Maryland censors, whose decisions have been anything but in harmony with the opinions of the guardians of morals elsewhere. Compiles Film Album of Players What he believes to be the only film album of players in existence is the proud possession of Horace Williams, casting director at Metro's West Coast studios in Hollywood. Mr. Williams, who before he entered the motion picture industry was a practicing attorney, is a stickler for efficiency. His present position requires an elaborate filing system as an aid to his memory in cataloguing the great number of screen players according to their specialties and qualifications. Some time ago he hit upon the innovation of making use of the various odds and ends of film that invariably are left over after a big production has been cut, titled and assembled in its final form. So the cutting room turns over to him leftover pieces of scenes that fail to get into the completed picture. These invariably contain acting "bits," by supporting players as well as some of the work of the star. Thus far Mr. Williams has collected nearly 200 strips of film, ranging in length from 15 to 70 feet, showing players in action. When his collection has progressed further he intends to classify the players into 1,000-feet reels. He will have a reel of "heavies," one of character men, one of character women, one of ingenues, and so on, for instant reference in the projecting room. World Gets "Eight Bells" Byrne Brothers' "Eight Bells," one of the best known comedies of the stage, has been picturized in five reels and will be distributed by World. The comedy when presented on the stage toured the United States for fifteen years, during which time it was seen by millions and became a household word wherever clean comedy and a hurricane of laughs were appreciated. John Byrne, the eldest of the famous Byrnes, directed the filming of the picture. He was aided both in the development of the scenario and its manufacture by his brothers and several members of the original cast. Edgar Hopp in U. S. Work Edgar Hopp, son of Joseph Hopp, of Chicago, has been transferred by the Government to Washington as cameraman in the Division of Films of the Committee on Public Information. Edgar enlisted sometime ago at Great Lakes. Last week the order was received for his transfer to the other branch of government service. A scene from "The Venus Model," Mabel Normand's latest Goldwyn feature.