The Moving picture world (January 1924-February 1924)

644 MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 23, 1924 Responsibility for Bad Film Rests with Exhibitors — Kent New York City, Feb. 4. Editor, Moving Picture World: THE letter of P. E. Thomas, manager of the Willard Theatre in Creston, Iowa, as reprinted in February 9 issue of your publication, appealed to my interest exceedingly, and if you will be so kind as to permit me to express some of my views on the subject I will begin by saying that I quite agree with Mr. Thomas. During my many years' experience as manager of different exchanges throughout the country I had almost constant trouble with films being returned in damaged and almost useless condition by country exhibitors and, occasionally, by the smaller theatres in cities. Of course, responsibility for the spoiling of films was disavowed by the theatre owners, who always tried to "pass the buck," claiming that they received the film in faulty condition. This excuse, however, would not hold water since the films were always thoroughly inspected before shipments. The trouble was with the same old offenders, while the same prints were used by others without complaints or damages resulting. On more than one occasion I made personal investigations and found conditions exactly as described by Mr. Thomas, namely careless projecting and faulty projectors. Since I have been in the laboratory end of the industry I have had complaints that some films are not wearing satisfactorily. However, invariably, when the film is returned— at my request — for examination, it is found that the damages have been caused by negligence in projecting and are not due to actual flaws in the stock, which was the claim of the distributors. Of course, distributors not being competent judges of raw stock are prone to attribute all exigencies to the stock per se. May I suggest that exchangemen keep tabs on complaining exhibitors before condemning the raw stock. If the latter were better understood by distributors and the above suggestion followed, I believe a lot of prejudice could be cleared away and a better all around understanding established. Very truly yours, JOHN A. KENT, Vice-president, Reelab Corp. Stars' Magnetic Qualities at Carnival Benefit Charities By TOM WALLER NEW YORK'S elite commingled with a good representation of stardom and representative people of the industry at the motion picture carnival, one of society's annual functions for charity. The affair was held at the Plaza February 13. That it was distinctly a financial and formal success was indicated by the many sources by which revenue was obtained from over the thousand who attended. It was no place for the possessor of a thin lined wallet. Indeed, a red-blooded roll could succumb to nothing but anemia with so many charming debutantes and hostesses who possessed everything conceivable in the way of "chance taking" tickets et cetera. The writer started off the evening by having a row with the taxi driver directly in front of New York's ultra fashionable hostelry. That over, the evening's pleasure commenced. Surrendering tickets, the value of which totaled a ten spot to the average patron, a carnation was proffered by a beautiful creature in blue, in lieu of one dollar. A half of another note was required for parking space for the coat. Then the female partner emerged from the ladies' room and two other bills were drawn for a bouquet of a few violets. Another half a bill for a "chance" on a dog and the clear space of the ballroom was reached. The music started and stopped. It was announced that Albert Parker of Distinctive Pictures Corporation was in an adjoining room and would make film tests of those who desired to see their true selves; give them the films of themselves so that they could reel them off as often as desired on their own projection machines at home — all for another ten spot. The music started again and stopped as soon. The dancers were informed that trailers from feature pictures submitted by six leading producing companies could be seen in a series of projection rooms arranged around the ballroom. The charge was fifty cents for each view — but then, many of the stars in the pictures shown were there in the flesh and would personally shake the hand of such a patron. The younger male element especially took advantage of these showings. Through these many received a beam from the lurid orbs of Gloria Swanson, or a nod of the fluffy golden locks of Marion Davies, or a beautiful smile from Bebe Daniels and May MacAvoy, besides the nearness of such magnetic personalities as Betty Compson, Lois Wilson, Betty Blythe and a host of others. But the most thrilling event of the evening to the younger male set was when one of their more confident members breasted the tide of conventionality and asked Miss Swanson for a dance 1 He got it. After that these social "stags" monopolized most of the time of the film idols, much to all appearances to the latters' amusement. Plenty of thrills, quite less apparent, were enjoyed by many of the delightful and demure debutantes since such film heroes as Tom Meighan, Richard Barthelmess, Glenn Hunter and Lewis Stone were sparsed among the crowd. Scenes from the two-reel Mack Sennett comedy "The Halfback of Notre Dame." Pathe i* releasing the production. Utilizing Five Studios Cosmopolitan's "Janice Mere<Hth" Has Many Spacious Sets Five large New York studios are being used in the filming of "Janice Meredith," the Cosmopolitan picturization of Paul Leicester Ford's novel in which Marion Davies will star after her appearance in "Yolanda." Because of its elaborateness and the immensity of such scenes as the gorgeous court of Versailles, the spacious set depicting the Boston Coffee House and the ball room with its thousands of extra men and women, as well many other interior scenes, it is necessary to utilize all studio space available. Famous Players-Lasky had a cameraman and studio force who utilized an adjoining room as locale for "What's Wrong with the Movies?" The cast comprised debutantes and matrons. The picture was made early in the evening, developed, edited and shown early in the morning to all those who met the initiation fee of one dollar. Girls attired in Cosmopolitan's "Yolanda" costumes added much color to the atmosphere as they distributed programs for which they were careful to add: "No charge." This was followed up by a two and a half dollar supper cover-charge and a tip with the coat check for the safe return of the coat. The evening over, many of the participants went home "broke," but decapitalized for a noble cause, as the money will be turned over by the Film Mutual Benefit Bureau for the maintenance fund of five well known and much needed charities.