Pictures and the Picturegoer (October 1915 - March 1916)

P1CTURFS AND THE PICTUREGOER 130 :-: ENDING Nov. 13, 1915. " YOU WEEE BEUTES IN 1870, AND TOU ABE BRUTES TODAT.'' breast transfixed, the General dropped like a log. " Man Dicu ! " muttered the officer, ashen white, with beads of perspiration upon his brow and lip, " but the world is the better for the exit of that German ftOg" He took his wife in his arms, and while they clung to one another, the aged nurse stooped down and peered into the dead man's face lest her failing sight had deceived her. Yet no, there could not be any mistake; the Prussian General of to-day was the Prussian officer of forty years ago. But only the old woman knew the terrible truth — that the father had been killed by the son ! # # * . The film is a Hepworth Quality Exclusive, which means that photography, acting, and everything connected with the production spells perfection. Albert Chevalier wrote the play, and Cecil Hep-" worth produced it. Alma Taylor is the girl of 1870 and Lionel Howard the Lieutenant, Arlstein. In 1911 the Lieutenant, now General, is played by John MacAndrew, the Son by Henry Ainley, and the Son"s "Wife by Yiolet Hopson. «Ss PBRSOlVAIvITY SOMEONE writing to the Press the other day about the taxation of cinematograph films, remarked that British manufacturers will never make a success of their productions, because they do not build them round the personality of the actors. He cited, amongst others, Maurice Costello as having made the Vitagraph Company, Ford Sterling the Keystone enterprise, " Broncho Billy " (G. M. Anderson) the Essanay, and Asta Neilson the Nordisk concern. The British firms, he added, try to produce all-round excellence, and jp\ in his opinion, bound to fail. Being addicted to visiting pictureshows occasionally. I cannot profess "judicial ignorance" regarding all these famous personages: On the contrary, I' could reel off a dozen or two more names of those who are " featured " very frequently in our local cinema. But I totally disagree with the statement that these people have " made " the companies with which they have been conted. I am inclined to credit all this popularity to the assiduous advertising of the various " personalities "■ a method of advertising which is common to all American enterprise, and which lias heen largely emulated on this side of the Atlantic. The highly-coloured poster, or the carefully-worded " personal par" in the newspapers, accompanied by photographs of the artistes, and an occasional reference to the fabulous sums they are paid, can all be calculated W'draw," but there is evidence that this game is nearly played out. The fact is. the British film is coming to the fore, and looks like supplanting the American film, chiefly because it does aim at all-round excellence and manages to hit the mark. With us. " the play's the thing." although it is true that we have a well-worn tag about " the play of Hamlet without the moody Dane," but on the other hand the " moody Dane" would be intolerable as a modern " star performer." The whole success of Shakespeare's play lies in the tact that Hamlet is all the time up against characters which are strong nigh to throw him into violent contrast: they are far from being mere puppets or supers. I have seen a number of excellent films which were well received although the names of the actors were either not announced or were at least unfamiliar to me. and I have noticed that the film versions of famous have broi . G money to their prodn do 1 claim that British films are alone superior in this respect. 1 would point to one make of films which bears the name of the pi " living were at :. called— the Edison Company. Alth< this is an Ameri an concern, I haw to see anything taw.'. ring this label. The name " | on the t. ; -rally makes the audience settle <i ibly into their seats in anticipation plot, cai -aged and well acted, but apparently n direct attention specially to the sonality'of any particular actor. The only exceptions i call to mind i or two films in which the principal racier was taken by a gentleman who had found fame in another walk of life. It is a matter of common knoin this country that the English cai be held for any length of time by mere "personality" booming. They will insist on quality, and the most attractive personality will never compensate for a poor plot or careless production. Callthe British people fickle if yon like, but it does not alter the fact tint any public man or woman who fails to continue to please is soon forgotten, and no amount of booming can be successful for long in this country u; the show is good value for the admission money. 1 feel sure that the writer of the paragraph I referred to is an American, or at least interested in the production of American picture-plays. If so. he may be regarded as just one amongst a large crowd of people who have crossed the Atlantic to get British custom without troubling to take into consideration that the British temperament is '' p apart " from that of the Americans. although we speak the same language— the one nation through the month and the other through the nose— and cousins though we be. J. Macready, in The Prctsma .1. DO YOU LOVE CHILDREN? 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