Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1919)

o f the M o V 1 e s doj;"in the Connecticut Man. film doji town is Pomona, Anjicles — witli Ri\ crsidc and canine \ ariants. In one pan of 'True Heart Susie" — if you've seen it. you will remember where Minister Bobbie Harron comes unexpectedly upon his fluffy little bride "Culie" receiving adulation from another man — the Griftith staff got a shock. Just as the minister was al)out to catch her in the act of trifling, .some of the people in the house began clapping. like they do when the hero is about to get the villain, or the police leave in chase of the crooks. The director and his "watchers"" were forced to the conclusion that the town, being rich in religious environment, wanted the preacher to "ditch" his pretty shimmie-walking bride and lake up his plainer but prior love. Several scenes were changed as a result of this showing of "Susie" and one comerly scene went over so well that another >imilar one was interpolated. Prior to the beginnine of the more somber production there was an announcement concerning the nature of the production and a him that children of tender age might be piloted bedwards. .\s hown that night "Broken Blos.«oms" was practically complete and as later released in New York. Prior to this nighi it had been shown three successive nights in another town in the orange belt. Those whose busi A C o H V "*^*'^ '' ^^^ '" ^^^^ ^^^ signs obser\ed that a numln-r of the townsfolk came ,' F L-^ri ^^ '■'^^^ performance. Ba>ed upon this ol).ser\aiion the coniiu>ion was correctly reached that the put lire woulil be lin.UKially .successful, iluui>;li ordinarily the irayic nature ol ihe work would preclude such a deterniinaiion. .\> a matter of fad nearly (everyone conversinl with the exhibition >ide of the lilm indu>try who saw the picture before its premiere predicted that it would not be a monetary hit. I'reirdeiit is a stout feli.sh. It had never been done before. No "bij; stuff; " only iluie peiiple in the ca.st and "every onet'l em killeil off;' no happy entling, why, il ju>t can't be done." But D. \V. CirilVith saw >ixteen people come back to see it over a^'ain twice in a town of a few thou>and and was williii;; lo gamble the family jewels on its Jiances lo be a ■knoikout." It will probably make more money for him than anytliing he ha.s done since "The Birth "1 a Nation." (.ril'lith started "trying it on the dog ' way back in 1914 with "The Escape, " as noted before. Pa.-adena was the "dogtown " in this in^Iance. He also went there with "Home, Sweet Home " and ■ Ihe .ANcnging t'on^cience. " but about that lime un>crupulous rivals learned about his pre-relea.>>e showings and it became neces^>ary to ob^ervc more caution. I'asadena was too close — only eleven miles from Los .Angeles. Then came the master picture, "The Birth of a Nation. " This under its early name of "The Clansman"' was taken for a iryout to Riversiile, sixty miles away. That thriving little city has since been rcg.;rded as his be>t Iryout city By Mr. Ciritrith becau.se with its rural population and iis tourist hotels, it provides an exceptionally well balanced audience. "The Clansman"' was also shown at Pomcma, which he regards as ecjuivalcnt to a middle western agricultural and college town. If a play "gets over " in Pomona, it will "clean up"' in the mid-west. Two years were consuined in making "Intolerance"' and once assembled in something like showable form, the producer was puzzled as lo where he would try it out. The entire cinema world was agog over his .>etret activities and he did not want to show it unfmished in any nearby community. So a theater was rented in San Luis Obi.spo, 220 miles north of Los Angeles, and "Intolerance"' taken there for a tr\out. .\nd the night of the performance two Los .Angeles directors who had once been in CritViths employ were in the audience. They had .-peeded that distance by auto after someone had "leaked ' to >ee what "D. W. " had up his sleeve. Gritfiih is usually accompanied on his tryout tours by a party comprising his stenographer. Miss Wiener, his cutters, .Mr. and Mrs. jimmie Smith, his cameraman. Billy Bitzer, members of the cast and several of his e.xploitation staff. There is usually a conference on the way home after the showing and every one has his or her say. That's one thing about Griftith that is not so characteristic of other prominent directors; he asks the opinion of even the most humble of his employees and every opinion is adequately weighed. They say around the studio that "D. \V." has a higher regard for the critici>m of Mrs. Jimmie Smith, who by the way looks a: though she ought to be an ingenue rather than a cutter, than for any other of his v.orkers. He believes that her judirmeni reflects the viewpoint of the average American woman withtjut whose support ro photoplay can hope to succeed. .And they say, too, that Mrs. Jimmie doesn't hesitate to "pan'" even a pet scene of the great director if she thinks it won't "get by.' .And now lei us consider the case of that master of lauKh cxolvers. Mr. Mack Sennett. Comedy is even more difl'icult to gauge than drama. Of course there are the u'-ual "sure-fire" gags that always Ret a laugh, but it's a frail comedy (Continued on pme 127)