Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1917)

May 5, 1917 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 821 Variety in Art Dramas Survey of Past and Coming Releases Shows Remarkable Difference in Theme of Various Subjects. A SURVEY o£ the releases of the Art Dramas program for the past two months discloses the interesting fact that the eight pictures included are totally different in theme and treatment, giving an amount of variety to the exhibitor that it would be hard to equal. It is the policy of Art Dramas to keep its features as different as possible in theme, story and treatment. Starting with "The Law That Failed" and coming down to "The Mystic Hour." there are no two pictures of the same type. "The Law That Failed," which was released on March 29, was a story not only unique in the Art Dramas program, but also unique in film history, in that it was based on a little known technicality in law, which renders justice, in certain murder cases, impossible. The picture was an Apollo, starring Alma Hanlon. Ail the reviewers commeneted on its unusualness of theme and treatment. This was followed by "The Inevitable," released on April 12, which was an Erbograph production. This was a modern drama of vengeance and love, with some new ideas and some strong situations. "The Great Bradley Mystery," which followed on April 19. was a story of crime and detection, adapted from the stage play by Edward Ellis, which was entitled "Suicide." In this picture a man was found dead in a room which had both doors and windows locked. The keys were on the table, and there was no way for a man to enter. It was presumed that he had killed himself. Tet there had been another person in the room, and his story solved the mystery. It was a detective story of a new kind, with mystery predominating to the end. A melodrama, strong in human interest and filled with intense situations, comes next, on April 26. This is "A Mother's Ordeal," produced by Van Dyke, under the direction of Will S. Davis. The story of this is entirely different in idea from the previous releases. Jean Sothern plays two roles in this, a mother and a daughter. Then comes "The Auction of Virtue," the first modern problem play on the program. This treats of a young girl's struggle between love and luxury. The heroine of this, played by Naomi Childers, is confronted with two alternatives: to escape from poverty and have a life of ease and pleasure, or to spend her life with the man she loves. U. S. Amusement Corporation produced this picture. Marian Swayne in 'Little Miss Fortune," a delightful comedy-drama, follows on May 10. This is the appealing story of a little orphan girl in an institution, who dreams of going on the stage, and who in the end realizes her ambitions. There are both laughs and human interest in this production, which has the well-known heartstrings pull. It was written by the Rev. Clarence J. Harris and directed by Joseph Levering. The Apollo picture for release on May 17, following "Little Miss Fortune," is described as "a strange story of a morbid mind." The plot of this is unusual in that it deals with the little known region between consciousness and unconsciousness, and has as its central idea a weird dream which is prophetic, of reality. The story of this, as has been announced, is based on the studies of dreams and their causes which have been made by Dr. Sigmund Freud. "Psychoanalysis" is just now a popular fad among laymen, and a recognized science among doctors. That dreams are the result of suppressed desires, and that morbidity is caused by this suppression, is the theme. Tn "fh« Mvstip TTour." nnido. tho artist, wakes ud with a belief that he has killed Clavering. He rushes to the man's room and finds him dead. The thought that he is a murderer nearly maddens him, until relief and a natural explanation of the crime brings sanity to him again. The next Apollo production, the working title of which is "When Tou and I Were Young," was suggested by the famous song of the same name, and was written by Frederick Rath. The struggles and pains of youth, and its triumphs and joys, as seen through the eyes of the peaceful aged, are treated in this production. This picture, by reason of its unusual subject matter, will have an appeal to both old and young alike, for It is the story of every man and every woman. These eight releases, representing eight distinct types of story, prove that Art Dramas intends to enable the exhibitor to give variety to his patrons. The company does not wish to fall into the rut of similarity in releases, which has lessened the merit of so many programs. It is promised by the producers that coming Art Dramas will continue to be different from each other, as well as different from all other feature films. FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY GETS IMPORTANT MATERIAL. Acquisition has been made by the Famous Plavers-Lasky Corporation of exceptionally important and interesting photoplay material written by such well-known playwrights and authors as George Eroadhurst, George Middleton and Pearlv Poor Sheehan. From George Broadhurst there was purchased the photoplay rights to "The Law of the Land," one of the most celebrated stage successes which this distinguished playwright has written. Two photoplays have been purchased from George Middleton, namely "At First Sight" and "The Love That Lives." "The Whispering Chorus," by Pearly Poor Sheehan, is a novel soon to be published serially by one of the Munsey publications, the idea being that it is to appear simultaneously in print and upon the screen. "WOMAN AND BEAST" A THRILLER. While a fight between a lion and a man is announced as one of the spectacular events in the Graphic Feature, "The Woman and the Beast," it is not the only one, according to the producers. Emmet Mixx wrote the scenario, and it called for an exciting __ . Italian fete in the first reel, in which the serv ._/■■•*/ *2 Hfe^t. ices of over a thousand ,ij#" Ijjii supers were required, not to mention an en *tt »Stt tire Italian settlement close to New York. ;*§ For the second reel, ^^H Mr. Warde had the sim jfl ^P Pie job of getting a ^& circus, and in the third ^ _S reel he had to allow a lion to escape from the ■^ circus, and to send a pursuing mob after him. ^^ * In the fourth reel he v j» ha<J to let little Tula Belle, Graphic Features' eight-year-old star, drop 45 feet from a cliff, and in the fifth stage an actual fight between a lion and a man, thrust a massive rock from the mountain-top to the powder house below and blow up the powder house. From the director's description there is no doubt that ■whoever enjoys a "thriller" will enjoy "The Woman and the Beast." The children will be especially interested in little Tula Belle's work and the circus section of the story. In fact, it appears to be a picture that holds appeal for every class of film fan. Heading the cast is Marie Shotwell, whose work in "The Witching Hour," "Enlighten Thy Daughter," and "Warfare of the Flesh" "won her this role. The cast is an all star one, with such Broadway favorites as Alphonse Ethier, Fred Eric, Kathryn Adams, J. H. Gilmour and Tula Belle. Marie Shotwell. LOCKWOOD BEGINS WORK ON "THE HAUNTED PAJAMAS." Harold Lockwood has begun work on his eighth picturization of a popular novel at the Metro-Yorke studios, Hollywood, Cal. This is "The Haunted Pajamas," from the novel of the same name by Francis Perry Elliott. Preceding screen versions of widely known novels with Mr. Lockwood as star have been "The Hidden Children," by Robert W. Chambers; "The Promise," by James B. Hendryx; "Big Tremaine," by Marie Van Vorst; "Pidgin Island," by Harold MacGrath; "The River of Romance," from the novel, "OneCylinder Sam," by E. J. Rath; "Mister 44," by the same author, and the star's latest vehicle, "The Secret Spring." an adaptation of Clarence B. Kelland's book, "The Hidden Spring." "The Haunted Pajamas" provides Mr. Lockwood with an unusually interesting role and a story of swift moving incident and compelling power. It has the further appeal to mysticism. The haunted pajamas, which have been sent to Dick Hudson, the hero, were made in the Far East. There they were inscribed with Chinese characters by a sorcerer, and thus they became a curse to any one wearing them. After the pajamas became the property of Dick (Harold Lockwood), they effect remarkable changes in the personalities of his guests, who don the bewitched garments. A splendid east for the production has been chosen by Fred J. Balshofer, president and general manager of the Yorke Film Corporation. W. H. BROOKS WITH PARALTA PLAYS. W. H. Brooks, a certified public accountant lately associated with the Westinghouse Company, will be the head of the accounting department of Paralta Plays, Inc. Mr. Brooks has been studying the accounting features of moving picture production and distribution during the past two years. Mr. Brooks has worked out a system of computing costs in connection with production, which, with due allowances for contingencies, will give the producer a practical, progressive working cost sheet, showing almost to the dollar what a picture will cost if the original script is adhered to by the director. Mr. Brooks has also worked out distribution systems on lines that he believes will eliminate waste and unnecessary expense.