The Moving picture world (January 1926-February 1926)

February 13, 1926 Moving Picture World 639 Suggests Public School Courses In Motion Picture Appreciation Jesse L. Lasky at Board of Review Luncheon Declares Producers Have Gone Far Ahead of Public's Ability to Appreciate Their Work DECLARING that the artistic progress of the motion picture had outstripped public appreciation, Jesse L. Lasky, vice-president of Paramount, in an address before the eleventh annual luncheon of the National Board of Review at the Waldorf-Astoria, New York, suggested that the people's money which was now spent by censor boards be diverted to raising the taste of theatregoers for the highest type of pictures. "If possible throw your mind back to the pictures you saw in 1912 and 1913. You probably will not be able to recall having seen any pictures at that time, because I dare say that most of you would not be seen attending a motion picture theatre in those days. Now think of the pictures that we see today. 'A Kiss for Cinderella,' 'The Big Parade,' 'Ben Hur,' 'The Covered Wagon,' 'The Ten Commandments,' 'The Vanishing American,' 'Peter Pan.' ''I mention some of these pictures of today because the picture business is facing a distinct problem. I sincerely believe that, despite the astonishing popularity of the motion picture, its artistic progress has outstripped public appreciation. That is in some respects. It is true, of course, that most good pictures are well supported by the public. "It is true that a simple story of epic qualities like 'The Covered Wagon' evokes an enormous public response. However, there are other types of pictures that we can do very well but which we are afraid to do because experience has shown us that there is very little material profit in doing them. "It seems to me that if some of the money and energy now devoted to criticism and censorship were plowed into the field of public appreciation for pictures the results would be better all around. In other words, we have censorship boards which spend a great deal of the people's money in telling us what we must not do and in telling the public what they must not see. Suppose that some of this money were devoted toward raising the taste of some of the public for the highest type of pictures. "In our schools today our children study classics which are as dead as the men who wrote them. The purpose of this study is to increase the children's appreciation of our language and the best thought that that language has expressed in years gone by. "Has it improved their langue? Has it improved their appreciation of good literature? How many of the children who have been forced to read these books have retained the thought that was in them? Would it not be just as profitable to the community if he public school money were devoted to the appreciation of the living art that is so close to the daily lives of all of us." The producer concluded his talk with the assurance that public taste for pictures is becoming beter each year. Whatever progress there has been, however, he said, had been brought about almost entirely through the eflforts of the producers and not through the eflforts of the public's critics and censors. Directing Fourth Tuxedo Norman Taurog is directing Johnny Arthur in his fourth Tuxedo Comedy at Educational Studios. Virginia Vance, Glen Cavender and George Davis are in supporting roles. The story was written by Johnny himself. Bernstein on Trip General sales manager Harry Bernstein of Red Seal Pictures left last Monday on a trip to Chicago to see a number of important exhibitors who are interested in Red Seal's featurettes. Balaban & Katz,, and other big houses have been using this product quite regularly during this season. ELEVENTH ANNUAL LUNCHEON, NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW OF MOTION PICTURES, AT THE HOTEL WALDORF-ASTORIA, JANUARY 30, 1926. At the speakers' table, from left to right: Pearl Keating {Producers Distributing Corporation), Inez Macleary, Johnny Hines, Sada Coivan, Horace D. Ashton, Eileen Pringle, Dr. A. A. Brill, Dorothy Gish, Jesse L. Lasky, Mac Murray, Dr. William B. Tozver (Chairman, National Board of Review), Wilton A. Barrett (Executive Secretary, National Board of Review), Norma Shearer, Dr. George W. Kirchwey, Dorothy Mackaill, John C. Flinn (Vice-President, Producers Distributing Corporation), John M. Casey (Chief License Clerk, Mayor's Office, Boston, Mass.), Frances C. Barrett, Robert Flaherty, Helen Klimph, Monte Blue, Lois Wilson.