The Moving picture world (February 1920-March 1920)

March 27, 1920 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 2165 nmiuiHiiiiHiMiiiiiiiimHitiiimiiiiHriimtiiinHmiiiiHrwiiiwiiHiiiHmuiuuHumriwiiiiHuiiiHiiuimiiiriiiMi^ iiiiniMiiMritiiiiiiMiiitMiMiMiiiiiuiniiiiMiMtMiiiMiiiiMniniiiniiMnitMMiniMiiiuiiiiMininiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiirininitiiMTinriiniiiiii^ Educational and Nontheatrical News Conducted by Margaret I. MacDonald flimiHliilliiiiiiuinnniimiHiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiniKtiiiiitiiiiiiiiDritiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiti iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiriiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiui tiiiiiiniiiirii niiMiiniiitriiMiiiniriiiiiMJtiiininiiiiiiiiiniiHWiniiiimHiiHiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiitiiiininimiiiiininmininiiin Mrs, J, R. Bray Back from Europe with Vivid Impression of Film Conditions MRS. J. R. BRAY, wife of John R. Bray, inventor of the Bray Pictograph, who recently returned to this country after an extended tour of England, France and Germany on an investigation of educational film conditions abroad, reports that American feature photoplays and educational films are in greater demand now than at any former period in the history of the motion picture. 'We have shown the world what America can do with the photoplay," said Mrs. Bray, "and Europe realizes the technical proficiency we have attained." Mrs. Bray was the first woman to leave occupied German territory for the interior unaccompanied. She traveled to Berlin alone, and from there to Vienna; but the sight of the stricken, starving people there caused her to return at once to Berlin. Women Starve in Vienna. "In Vienna I walked two blocks from my hotel and picked up three fainting women who could not stand because they were half starved. I could not think of talking pictures to the Viennese, so I came back. But the train service is so inadequate that the next train to Germany left four days after my arrival in Vienna." The impressions Mrs. Bray received in each of the countries visited may best be told in chronological order. Her first visit abroad was to London, where she met A. George Smith, Goldwyn's European representative, who is in charge of the distribution of Goldwyn feature pictures and the Goldwyn-Bray pictograph in England and on the Continent. While in London Mrs. Bray made her headquarters at the Goldwyn offices and renewed her old acquaintance with Charles Lapworth and Ralph Block, who are at present organizing the advertising and publicity departments of Goldwyn's European distributing organization. Many Film Fans in England. "The English people are wildly enthusiastic about photoplays these days," said Mrs. Bray. "They have been starved for entertainment, and now you will find crowds a block long in front of almost every motion picture theatre every evening. There are not nearly enough theatres in England to supply the demand for motion picture entertainment. There are perhaps 4,000 theatres in England; and builders are trying their best to obtain materials to erect more. In the meantime shows are being held in converted stores, in halls and in any place available. The movement there resembles New York's experience some years ago when grocery and other stores were converted overnight into motion picture theatres. But as soon as they can obtain the necessary material new photoplay theatres will spring up in England by the hundreds." Artistic Presentation in England. "On the whole English theatre managers devote more care to the artistic appearance of their theatres than do the small theatre managers in America. Of course, England has nothing to compare with our Strand, Capitol, Rivoli, or Rialto; but all the smaller theatres show care in the appearance of the lobbies, interiors and in the method of showing the pictures. For example, the English know how to decorate a theatre with plants and so lend an artistic and intimate atmosphere to the interior of the house. More care seems to be taken with such important details as ventilation; and there is a general desire to see their audiences comfortably entertained. This is, of course, a fine trait of the English. The courtesy of the house attendants is unfailing; and a theatre patron is a guest rather than a customer." Our Projection Machines Best. In the matter of showing the films, Mrs. Mrs. J. R. Bray Who has just returned from an investigation of film conditions in Europe. Bray thinks that England has not quite solved the projection question. "America seems to be ahead of England on the mechanical side of the industry. I believe the projection machines are not quite as good as we use over here. But this will soon be remedied as the manufacturers are experimenting with various new types of machines. "You have no idea how cntliusiastic they are in England over the Bray pictures. I gave a private showing to the London local board of education and the members wanted to use our pictures in their schools immediately. The animated technical drawings fascinated them. They had never seen entire courses of instruction so clearly and entertainingly presented, they told me. The schools in England are anxiously waiting for us to complete our library before they use our entire output. "Of course, there has been a great improvement in the English motion picture since the war. They are using American feature pictures as models, and the development is going on at a tremendous rate. "Another development of the English film is the propaganda subject in the interests of reconstruction. Various facts concerning the national life are pictorialized and flashed on the screen." A little personal investigation among the smaller theatres convinced Mrs. Bray of the popularity of the educational film. "I stood outside a motion picture theatre in London and observed the people coming in. And would you believe it several patrons asked to know what educational picture was being shown. They came, it seems, for the educational film and accepted the feature picture as a side issue." French Film Conditions Disorganized. From England Mrs. Bray went to France; and after visiting some of the smaller cities made her headquarters in Paris. There she found that only the larger distributors had a keen sense of fair dealing with their exhibitors. "It seems that the rights of distributors are not sufficiently protected, and the authorities make few and futile attempts to guard stolen pictures from being sold to irresponsible if not dishonest exhibitors. During my stay in Paris I traced a stolen Mary Pickford picture, but the authorities did nothing to establish the rights of the real owners of the picture. "The larger distributors are now organizing closely for their own protection. Paris Lacks Theatres. "The motion picture theatres in Paris are not nearly so well kept as those in England or in America," she said. "And as for presentation Paris is far behind us. France needs more motion picture theatres than any country in Europe, with the possible exception of Russia. The lack of them is seen in the social life of the people. For in every country where a large proportion of the people attend the picture shows I have found a public more enlightened on general matters than in territories where few people have the opportunity to attend them. "And in France the propaganda value of the motion picture has scarcely been appreciated. Where in England and in America we get news events colorfully told in pictures and use the screen as a pictorial magazine besides a mode of entertainment, in France it is still an entertainment medium only and not a particularly good one. Excerpts from film magazines are shown occasionally; but a screen magazine as a form of photoplay is practically non-existent. Even in England the propaganda value of the screen magazine has not been appreciated as fully as it is in America. Germans Want Our Features. "Everywhere in Germany educational films — American educational films — are in great demand. I gave a private showing of some of the Bray educationals to several professors of the University of Berlin and they immediately wanted to take our entire product for the local schools and for the university. They offered to co-operate with the Goldwyn-Bray production