The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

726 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 23, 192 Prison Wardens Praise Effect of Motion Pictures on Convicts Following the release of "Skin Deep," a crook play, First National made a survey by questionnaires to learn the effect of motion pictures on persons whose moral fibre is not of conventional strength. These questionnaires were sent to wardens and chaplains of penitentiaries throughout the United States, and the opinions, without an exception, were to the eflfect that motion pictures tend to make convicted men more patient in their surroundings; more eager to work, more amenable to discipline, happier and more ambitious to do right. Convicts are prone to hiss the villain and applaud the righteous hero. Most of them dislike crook plays and are always eager to see right triumph over wrong. That, to use the words of Warden Lewis E. Lawes, of Sing Sing Prison, who delighted his charges with "Oliver Twist" as a Thanksgiving film treat, "The cinema undoubtedly is the greatest blessing mankind has been given since Magna Charta. The power of the film is enormous. Constant picture-going creates a brain activity which leads to a knowledge of things along other lines; it creates a demand for books, a wish for thorough scientific knowledge." Warden Robert J. McKenty, of the Eastern State Penitentiary, writes : "We regard motion pictures The wardens and chaplains of penitentiaries where films are shown are warm in their praise of the motion picture industry for what one offical terms "Liberality in helping bring the outside world to men in despair." An official of one of the biggest government penitentiaries wrote First National, in behalf of the prisoners, asking for a program of pictures that will successfully entertain this institution as the highest during the winter months, adding : type of entertainment. The benefit derived for the men therefrom cannot be measured. The motion picture has brought the outer world, society, into their midst. Hence, 'Stone walls do not a prison make'." There is a note of pathos in some of the replies. Warden W. H. Martin, of the Arkansas State Penitentiary, states: "We have no amusements or school facilities in this institution." Warden Sanders, of the State Penitentiary at Columbia, S. C, declares : "I am sorry, but we are not fortunate enough to have motion pictures in our institution." "The moving picture seems to be the only satisfactory answer to our problems." J. C. Harrison, chaplain of the State Penitentiary at Montgomery, Ala., says of motion pictures that "their effect on convicts is better than that of music. Many instances in which convicts have been influenced to do good." Thomas H. Rynning, warden of the State Prison at Florence, Arizona, says the inmates "like dramas above other plays, comedies next and melodramas third," and adds that he finds "motion pictures very effective as helpful factor in administration." "Trifling Women" Making Hit Anything but trifling has bee the box-office performance c Metro's Rex Ingram productiot "Trifling Women," Metro says. Metro's evidence of this ha come in the form of exhibitOR reports, made either to the com pany's several exchanges or com municated directly to the hom offices in New York. The following telegram fron Morris Fitzer, manager of thi Empire Theatre, Syracuse, N. Y. is said to be representative o such testimonials from the field "'Trifling Women,'" Mr. Fitzei wired, "surpassed all expectations The biggest Sunday's business we ever had." R. W. Tully to Film "Trilby" for First National Release To Show Picture iir Christmas Week What is said to be another recort for quick playing dates in Englanc is the showing of Jackie Coogan ir "Oliver Twist" during Pantomime Week (Christmas Week). This First National attractior was released in the States this fall but owing to the policy of quick play dates adopted by Ralph J, Pugh, British managing director of Associated First National Pictures, Ltd.. the British public will not have to wait a year or eighteen months before seeing the clever Jackie in Dickens' famous character. Richard Walton Tully is to produce "Trilby" for First National release. Plans for the production of this famous book and stage play were announced this week when it became known that Mr. Tully, who want abroad to attend the opening of "The Masquerader" in London, was in Paris photographing atmosphere scenes of the Latin Quarter for what is claimed will be his most pretentious work. Out nn the coast the Tully organization is actively preparing the ground work for "Trilby" so that as soon as Mr. Tully returns to the cnast he will be ready to start filming this big production. "Trilby" as a stage play w^as one of the great successes of its day and it has had successful revivals. Mr. Tully plans to put on the screen a lavi.sh, powerfully dramatic picture of the story. He has already chosen some of Iiis cast, but will not announce naiTies until his return to this country. It is hinted on the coast that he may bring a star from Europe to portray the title role, but it was known before he departed that he had several American women of fame under consideration. .'\nothcr big choice still to be made, or perhaps it is better to state, still to be announced, is that of the man to enact the difficult but greatly desired role of Svengali. First National is counting on this Opens Headquarters in Toronto William Cranston has opened headquarters in Toronto, Canada, for the Ernest Shipman Film Service which will distribute Canadian made pictures through Tully production as one of its most out the Dominion important next year releases. It is The inaugural booking in Tocxpccted to be one of the outstand ronto is "The Man from Glening 1923 attractions. The story is garry" which will be shown at known internationally. It will have the Regent Theatre, beginning a big cast and Mr. Tully is known Christmas Week, to be followed to be ready to put all of his re by other Canadian made producsources behind it. tions. Preacher Praises First National Film When She Asks You Again That flanner who always picks an a!<=''» seat at the rear of the house is goine to ask vou "Wh=»t is Owen Moore goinsr to be in next?" and "Is Mary Carr going to be in another picture soon?" Her mother and her brother want to know things and the theatre manager who can answer them is going to make boosters for his house. Moving Picture World caters to this need for information in "News from the Producers." One man has an "Answer Box" where questions dropped in bv natrons are out with renlies in an envelope addressed to the querist. That brings back the want-to-know crowd — and they talk for you. Whenever H. E. Browne, manager of the T. and D. Theatre at San Jose, Cal., gets a picture he likes himself he invites Dr. Charles Pease, minister of the gospel in San Jose, who in addition to his pastoral work writes for the San Jose Evening News. He asked Dr. Pease to see "Kindred of the Dust." a First National release. Dr. Pease liked "Kindred of the Dust" so much that, as he told Mr. Browne, he "just had to write about it." In sending the article to First Xational, Mr. Browne wrote: "Read this and weep, for one can't buy this kind of publicity." Dr. Pease began his article with : "You will want to see 'Kindred of the Dust' at the T. and D. because it is a remarkably good story, admirably done for the screen. There is much about the picture to gratify the critic and plenty of human interest to please everybody — and his wife. Excellent judgment has been shown in the screen version. Such departures as have been taken from the story as written (by Peter B Kyne) have in no way detracted from the force of it. . . . For one departure from the original I was thankful. The written story recovers the 'lost documents' to clean Nan's name from its fancied shame. The screen version is stronger. "Tai-c it all in all. 'Kindred of the Dust' is one of the finest pictures that has ever been shown here." Browne adds, in his note, "Business was great all week because of this unsolicited story."