Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1913)

342 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD "The High Curse" By Louis Reeves Harrison IT does not require a vast amount of ingenuity to discover the merits of a production that has met with success. The difficuUy is to delve into scenarios and ideas submitted by all classes of writers for potential genius that is constantly lost. The experience of those who have succeeded in stirring the universal audience reached by moving pictures is one worth notice. Nearly every play that was far above the ordinary met with rejection over and over again before it was materialized, while stories that were mediocre or worse were promptly accepted. Once thrown upon the screen, masterly prodfictions met with widespread popularity and unanimous approval from the critics, yet only pluck, pertinacity or pull enabled them to survive the selective ordeal and finally reach presentation. Meanwhile thousands of weaklings were born on the screen, gasped a little and then died out to be forever forgotten. Among those who suffer from the "High Curse" put upon dramatic productions of all kinds the photoplaywright has been hardest hit. His occasional success brings no compensating reward for what he has lost in expenditure of time, efTort and money. Those who sit through the Punch and Judy show entitled moving pictures are moved to laughter by melodramatic banalities and almost to tears by those selfexecutive comedies where everybody laughs but the audience. It is said that the basis of all humor is pain, and that may account for what they are giving us. I confess that I have laughed at some heart-sobs that were intended to be painful, but I have yet to rupture a blood vessel over the abysmal horrors of any written-while-you-wait farce ever slammed on the sheet. There is comedy in the way censorship is avoided. It is in the action for Bill to murder Ned. We see Bill shoot from behind a rock in one scene and the next one depicts Ned falling to the ground mortally wounded. The burglar jams his jimmy under the window, then our heads are turned the other way by a lapse, and he is next seen entering the house. The despairing suicide goes behind a tree to do the awful deed, and all that we discern is the splash in the stream. All this is so purifying! In view of the fact that ninety per cent of the pictures are designed and executed to please ten per cent, of the people and the other ten per cent, of production aims at the ninety per cent, of intelligence, the mere question of proportion is worthy of consideration. The publicity manager of a large house called his employer's attention to the fact — this was only a few weeks ago — that 47 out of 50 of the last photoplays released by them were founded on crime. Investigation would probably reveal that directorial idea of the drama was morally degenerate. Why are these things thusly? Is not the dwarfing and stunting influence of moving pictures very largely the result of dwarfs and stunts in the business rather than from any economic question of supply and demand? Does not achievement in this branch of art as in all others imply potential ability on the part of individuals especially qualified for it? Producers whohave shown courage and application in developing the commercial side may be satisfied with the rich harvest they have reaped, but does this prove that they have clear conceptions of the end and purpose in this or any correlated art? From no source of creative genius may suitable plays be expected unless it be that of ownership. No man of great talent will work out a drama of sweeping power and intensity unless he is given an interest in its produc tion and presentation. Publishers divide with authors ; owners of stage productions share with the dramatists ; ability to originate what is new and of high value is recognized in all fields of endeavor but that which has been most profitable to the investor. Whether or not the HigU Curse on motion-picture production is inability to understand what people of intelligence want, or lack of power to respond to the common demand, or failure to grasp the necessity of stimulating effort with just reward, the daily output is far below what it should be at this stage of the game. It seems a pity that there should be any blight on what promises to be a marvelous method of expression and of culture and of giving happiness to people of limited means. The New Art could be made a blessing to millions instead of a source of doubtful good in a few cases and of evil in many. Without lessening the dividends of a single concern now engaged in production and with a decided augmentation of profit to those leading in quality, the whole business could be lifted to a higher plane and become a tremendous political and social force with due recognition to that form of genius which must create its opportunities. Those who are turning out releases are not looking very far into the future in developing the art in a lopsided way, directing effort and expenditure to the modification and exploitation of old and erroneous ideas. Civilized people, those who are patronizing the little theaters and big theaters, represent every conceivable combination of intelligence and taste with a progressive tendency not to be disregarded. What has actually taken place in the world, a gradual upward movement, is going on now, and the hope of the world is to gradually replace old errors in the human mind with the expanding influence of truth. We look back upon the beliefs and traditions of a generation ago with condescending pity, but we are only on our way to enlightenment, and any contribution to a clearing of our moral and mental atmosphere finds in moving pictures a powerful medium of expression. The highest and brightest minds of the past have had comparatively little influence upon the people of darkened lives because of an inability to reach them. Splendid ideas were recorded for the benefit of a privileged few. There is an appreciable social effort being made today, one designed to equalize education and opportunity. Broadened men and women are trying to help their fellows of inferior starting point. Only a few are so completely degenerated by egotism, ignorance and greed as to live like apes for the mere gratification of animal desire. There is tremendous opportunity in the New Art that is occasionally discussed, but it remains for men of genius to seize this opportunity and turn it to account. The High Curse on the New Art may be the lack of a Man of the Hour, one familiar with moving picture methods and mechanism, big enough to stand for a principle and strong enough to be a leader in a new and mag"nificent field of human achievement. THEATER TO BE ENLARGED. Louis Klene, proprietor of tlie Arc theater on North Fifth Street, La Fayette. Ind., announces that he will improve and enlarge his theater in the near future. The improvements will consist of a number of new exits, a new pipe-organ, the indirect lighting system, an up-to-date ventilating apparatus.two new Power's 6-A projection machines, increased seating capacity, etc., all of which is estimated to cost about $10,000. When improvements have been cotnpleted the admission price will be ten cents instead of five cents, as heretofore.