Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1912)

24 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD is a howling absurdity. As our juries are noted for their howhng absurdities, we were not surprised to see them render a verdict of exemplary damages against the defendant. The fame of Binns was then on every lip and the masses of the people had ideas in regard to the profits of moving pictures, rarely found beyond the walls of a retreat for the feeble minded. Happily the outraged sense of justice found an eloquent voice in the person of Justice of the Supreme Court, Samuel Greenbaum, who in reducing the ridiculous award of $12,500 to $2,500, said some very true and pertinent things. As showing the disposition of a genuinely judicial mind toward the motion picture much of his opinion is worth quoting here, aside from its bearing on the direct question at issue. Says Justice Greenbaum : ". . .it seems to me that, while he (plaintiff) had an undoubted right to determine for himself and to what extent and in what way he would utilize his fame and reputation for gain, the fact, that he did not object to the advertising of his name in the business enterprise of an exhibition based upon the same heroic adventure as that which formed the subject of the moving picture exhibited by defendant must be considered in determining to what extent, if any, he suffered mental distress by the acts of the defendant. To my^ mind the jury . . . was either swayed by passion or prejudice or was perhaps afifected by the quite natural admiration one has for the heroic act of the plaintifif. . . . In one of the papers it was asserted, that the defendant realized upwards of $300,000 from the moving pictures in question, when, as a matter of fact, there was not a scintilla of evidence upon the subject of the profit or money receipts of the defendant. ... In view of the fact, that it appeared upon the trial, that plaintiff did not object to the wide publicity his name and picture received by reason of his heroic act, that he was not averse to the pecuniary advantage that his name and reputation gave him and that the representation of his achievements in the moving pictures of the defendant was not calculated to belittle the act. of the plaintiff, but to glorif him and his heroic deed in somewhat the same manner as the newspapers and magazines did in publishing accounts of the thrilling scenes connected with the heroism of the plaintiff, I cannot find, that the plaintifif was seriously hurt in mind by the acts of the defendant. It did not appear that any one had indicated, that the moving pictures in question had lowered him in the estimation of others." The reasoning of Justice Greenbaum is as sound as it is plain and simple and must, it would seem to us, appeal to every person, gifted with average intelligence and an ordinary sense of fairness and justice. Upon grounds, mainly, of a technical nature, the Appellate Division has reversed the order of Justice Greenbaum and restored the verdict of the jury in its original form. On these grounds and on the necessity of legislative relief for the film makers, irrespective of the final decision in the Court of Appeals, we propose to speak at some length in our second article on this extremely important subject. DALLAS UNIONS ASK FOR SUNDAY SHOWS. The labor men of Dalls, Tex., are coming out strong in favor of the theaters and motion picture shows being allowed to run on Sundays. At their meetings they are passing resolutions that attack the attempt to enforce the Sunday law in that respect. Two unions^ passed such resolutions recently at their meetings condemning the action of the county officials in discriminating against the theaters and moving picture shows in enforcing the antiquated Sunday closing law, and setting forth the injustice of depriving the workingman of his constitutional rights by closing harmless and inexpensive amusements to him on his only day of leisure. LEON ARDOUIN SAILS TO EUROPE. Leon Ardouin, manager of the Lux, Los Angeles, studio, came to the New York office of the Moving Picture World on Saturday, December 2.3, with the news that he was just about to sail for France, where he will spend a few weeks in the interest of the Lux Company. Mr. Heinould is filling the vacancy left by Mr. Ardouin. Mail addressed to Mr. Ardouin care of the Moving Picture World will be promptly forwarded to him. The Outlook in Indianapolis. Interesting Review of the Motion Picture Situation in the Hoosier Capital. By Jas. S. McQuade. WITH a population of 233,000, Indianapolis has 53 moving picture theaters. The theaters are small, the great majority having accommodations for only 200 or 300 people. In a beautiful up-to-date city like Indianpoalis, I expected to find a much better type of p"icture theater, and far better projection than can be claimed at present. There is one gratifying fact, however, to record and that is, an almost complete absence of cheap vaudeville in picture theaters. Indeed, there are only four theaters in the city, one Licensed and three Independent, using cheap vaudeville and pictures. The cheering news was also learned that Dickson & Talbot — formerly owners of the Park Theater, and at present running the Orpheum, which gives the only lo-cent picture show in the city — will shortly begin work on a magnificent new picture theater in the business section. The site of the new house is valued at $350,000, and it is proposed to spend $75,000 on the building. Messrs. Dickson & Talbot are two of the most substantial citizens in Indianapolis, and own extensive real estate and business interests. It would be ungracious to omit mention of the Vesta Theater, owned by J. H. Harrell, and located in the residence district. This house, which is conceded to be the most attractive in the city at present, will seat 500 people. Manager Harrell prides himself on the quality of his service and books every feature and special subject released by the Licensed manufacturers. Only 5 cents admission is charged. The Idle Hour, another theater in the residence section, has also a seating capacity of 500. It was running Independent service until a short time ago, when it was purchased by H. M. Dickson, who was arranging for Licensed service during my stay in the city. There is no doubt that the small capacity of the picture houses in Indianapolis has worked to the disadvantage of exhibitors, as many people who favor pictures are disinclined to subject themselves to the discomforts of a store theater, poorly ventilated. Besides, as already referred to. there are many of them in close competition, which means careful figuring to make ends meet and show a small profit. I would most respectfully, and in the most friendly spirit, remind the exhibitors of Indianapolis that the present standard of projected pictures is low. The chief fault lies in the screens used. I viewed pictures on glass screens and aluminum screens, where the finer photographic effects were wholly lost. Perspective, half tones, sky eflfects and definition were ruined by the fierce brilliancy. I even heard some exhibitors talk with pride of "a nice bright picture," and some of them did not drdw the distinction between a "mirror" screen and a "glass" screen. In the latter the rays of light enter the ground surface of a glass plate, and pass through it to the eyes of the spectator, the operator's booth being placed behind the screen, in the rear of the house. Such a screen is even worse than the aluminum smear, and both rob the pictures of high technical merit and artistic worth. The best pictures seen by me while in the city were at the Orpheum, owned by Dickson & Talbot. Here there was a large mirror screen, 20 feet by 18. Pathe's great feature, "Cain and Abel," was being run and a stead}', soft, well defined picture was shown. Indianapolis Exchanges. Robert Lieber, manager of the Indianapolis brancli of the General Film Co., with his proverbial courtesy, aided me every way in his power to cover the city. Mr. Lieber assured me that the general business of the Licensed product was satisfactory and that he is taking on new Inisiness steadily. "Never in my experience have I found the .general class of subjects of such high standard and quality as at present," said Mr. Lieber. The office force of this branch is highly efficient, H. Brient, Floyd Brown and Louis Baum being in charge of the principal departments. Thirty-three Indianapolis houses are furnished service by Mr. Lieber. The offices are at 24 W. Washington Street. The Central Film Service Co., at no N. Illinois Street, attends to the wants of Independent exhibitors. The stockholders and officers of the company are J. H. Spellmire, president; B. V. Barton, treasurer, and Chas. Olson, secretary. A. F. Beck is the energetic manager of the exchange. Mr. Beck informed me that business was big, but that theaters were suffering somewhat from the approaclnng holiday season. The prospects, however, looked very good for Christmas and New Year's Day, in his opinion. The Central Film Service Co. has branches in Cincinnati,