Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

HIGHLIGHTS Film Reviews by the Editor, with Brief Film Comments by Other Members of the National Academy of Visual Instruction THE DIGESTS appearing below are excerpts from reviews of the notable films screened for me in the past eighteen months. The fact that certain good non-theatrical pictures are not mentioned in this group indicates nothing in regard to the character of those films ; it would have been physically impossible for one person to have examined personally in such a period of time all the high-grade non-theatrical material. The comments surrounded by quotation marks are the literal excerpts, but in the unquoted lines I take the privilege of adding any thoughts developed as the passing of time has given me greater understanding of this field and. its needs. The order in which the reviews appear is determined only by the order in which they were published in Moving Picture Age, and does not indicate relative merit. The Stream of Life. Distributed by Plymouth Film Corporation, 46 W. 24th St., Neiv York City. — " 'The Stream of Life' is frankly a religious film. The most commendable statement I can make concerning the picture is that it proves that the completely religious film may preach its sermon and yet include the valuable elements of accuracy, action, and humor. The film is a perfect sermon in itself, and its reaction upon anyone who has a spark of faith still burning can only be to turn him to the upward path." I see no reason to qualify this •analysis, but plenty of grounds for strengthening it. I believe that this film has received more unanimous approval for church use than any other religious picture in existence — and this includes biblical productions. The pastor who has not screened "The Stream of Life" in his auditorium has not given his projection equipment a fair opportunity to show what it can accomplish. That Something. Distributed by National Non-Theatrical Motion Pictures, Inc., 130 W 46th St., New York City; Edited Pictures System, 71 W. 23d St., New York City; Celebrated Players -Film Corp., 810 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago; Educational Motion Picture Service, Joseph Mack Bldg., Detroit. — "In an editorial concerning the letter received from a nontheatrical exhibitor whose exhibitions had not been successful, I agreed with the writer in the thought that it was practically impossible to obtain an entirely clean film from which the appealing human sparkle of strong drama had not been expurgated, and that such pictures would appear only as a development of time and experience. But the statement needs amendment, for since that editorial was written I have viewed 'That Something,' and I know that at least one of these ideal films has already been produced. 'That Something' confutes permanently the contention that uncleanness is a necessary component of dramatic interest. When the blase projector operator, usually as anxious to effect lassitude as a Yank during his second air raid, is enthused by a film, one may expect remarkable things; and the exhibitor's only objection to 'That Something' will be that it sets a precedent that he can maintain only with difficulty. I hope that every non-theatrical exhibitor will reproduce this masterly production for his audience ; I also hope that he will by his correspondence indicate to the producer and the distributor that such an epoch-making film is proportionately appreciated." Benjamin Chapin as Lincoln in "A Son of Democracy" It might be well to mention that this picture is appropriate for practically any non-theatrical exhibition. The church, the school, the community gathering, the farm bureau — all of these institutions could benefit by the use of this production. "That Something" is still, at this date, my idealof a picture for general non-theatrical purposes. A Son of Democracy. (A series of ten two-reel episodes.) Distributed by Community Motion Picture Service, Inc., 46 W. 24th St., New York City. — "I lolled back in the heavily upholstered chair at the rear of the projection room, our advertising salesman beside me. A duli half hour promised ; the title of the series, 'A Son of Democracy,' seemed to indicate another over-acted, sentimentalized collection of the commonly known incidents of Lincoln's life, and I had chosen this particular episode solely because it appeared most remote from the taint of the slush that is so interminably substituted for sincere emotion and becomes so sickening. Then the switch snapped and the action was on. Five minutes later I was erect in my chair ; then I was leaning forward, my chin on my hands. 'Say, but that's great stuff !' exclaimed the salesman, and he was both expressive and right — it was 'great stuff.' The competent characterization of Lincoln, the artistic simplicity and unstrained sincerity of the action, the skillful repression that charged every movement with integral emotion — they were as a cup of clear, sparkling water to the parched throat of the wanderer; and to one who has tried to believe that modern improvements have made for finer films, and was well-nigh discouraged, they were a joy. And so the editor who had come with mental scoffing remained to pray that another episode be screened for him the same afternoon, and promised, with the interests of his constituents' exhibitions in mind, to review two enisodes each issue until the series of ten had been covered. Yes; life is like that!" Enthusiasm over this series — commonly known as the Lincoln Cycle — is entirely warranted. After reviewing most of the episodes I had this comment to make : "There is no need to mention each month the dramatic sincerity that is so prominent a feature of the Lincoln Cycle; but I cannot refrain from commenting that, if every new non-theatrical film achieves the high tone found in these pictures, the school, church, and community-center exhibitions will soon be taking over at an accelerated pace the position of importance in the community from which the theatrical exhibitions are now being forced because of their failure to qualify." A Hoosier Romance. Distributed by World Pictures Co., 804 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago. — "The film that provokes laughter from me ought to carry some degree of sparkle for the individual not in hourly contact with motion pictures, and I am frank to state that I found more genuine fun in the five reels of 'A Hoosier Romance' than in any non-theatrical film I have yet seen. Its humor is of a wholesome, hearty nature quite different from the so-called humor of most recent comedies and comedy dramas." A Maker of Men. Distributed by Plymouth Film Corp., 46 W. 24th St., New York City. — "I believe that every church possess 16