Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1927)

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Name ' (Mr. Mrs. Miss) Address City ,„ ..Sfate Advertising Section What the Continued and ability, and will bring more dollars into the box office. What American actor can compare with the great Emil Jannings? Greta Garbo is a wonderful actress,, and a beautiful one, though her beauty is not of the obvious sort, and she will probably not appeal to the mob. Greta Nissen is luscious looking. If we barred out the foreigners, we would not have Ernst Lubitsch, the greatest director of all time; we would not have Pola Negri, Ronald Colman, nor Charles Chaplin, to mention only a few. And, last but not least, we would never' have had Rudolph Valentino ! Think it over, Mr. Buss ! Lynn A. Denis. New Orleans, La. What the Foreigners Have Done for Us. I cannot understand the attitude taken by several readers of Picture-Play who have used this department to protest against the so-called invasion of our studios by foreign actors and actresses. The ancient, moss-eaten phrase that "motion pictures are in their infancy" is passe. They have gone beyond the nickelodeon stage and are rapidly approaching the I artistic. It is competition that has brought | about this change — competition in the form ; of photoplays from Germany, which have been received with open arms by our dramatic critics and have opened the eyes of our producers to what could be done with a motion-picture camera. It is true that the word "art" has already been used in connection with some of our own photoplays, but "art," as applied to the American cinema, has been a misused, badly chosen word. Art came to the American screen only with the advent of foreign productions. Murnau showed us in "The Last Laugh" to what advantage a camera might be used. "Variety" made its bow on Broadj way, and, though the critics considered it j a masterpiece, they did not believe that it would have a prolonged stay — the motionj picture public, the}' said, did not care for | artistic productions. Contrary to this opin, ion, "Variety" broke box-office records. William Wellman, in his production "You Never Know Women," was one of the first directors on this side of the water to use his camera for cinema effects that | were out of the ordinary. True, these j camera angles were copied from "Variety," but more power to Mr. Wellman for acknowledging "V ariety's" greatness and having the courage to follow in its footsteps. D. W. Griffith, perhaps America's forej most director, set out to go the Germans one better. "The Sorrows of Satan" is a masterpiece in camera technique and a j study in lights and shadows, but it fails ! to be a really great picture because of its weak, silly story. Nevertheless, this picI ture should be seen by all who enjoy the ; artistic, for Mr. Griffith has succeeded in | achieving an artistic triumph, though fail| ing in dramatic structure. So much for the directors. What about j the players? Emil Jannings is surely the screen's greatest character actor. He has more artistic achievements to his credit than any of our own actors. Conrad Veidt and. Werner Kraus have also given performances such as leave a lasting impression upon one's memory. Lya de Putti in "Variety" gave proof of her ability; and Greta Garbo, the gifted Swedish actress, has scored triumphs in her two American productions, despite the Fans Think from page 10 fact that the material provided for her was not far above mediocrity. Instead of condemning these foreign artists we American fans should raise our voices in praise of them. They have raised the standard of our movies, and our producers are now endeavoring to maintain this artistic standard. Sarah Bernhardt was loved by this country. Duse was another idol. Why, then, this sudden condemnation of foreign picture players? It stands to reason that a country only one hundred and fifty years old is not so well advanced in the drama as the countries of the older continent. Fans, be fair ! Don't let your misguided sense of patriotism run away with you. With these foreign stars and directors American films are far richer than without them. Richard Roland. 18 Oakland Avenue, Bloomfield, N. J. An Answer to the English Critics. Why ever did Miss Morris, in a recent Picture-Play, take the trouble to quote an English critic on "The Big Parade?" That English critics know absolutely nothing about pictures is common knowledge. They all missed the point in "The Big Parade." It was not meant to be an educational film showing how the war was conducted. Who but they would worry about a few little mistakes in one of the greatest of film masterpieces, a miracle of acting and directorial ability ? As to the behavior of the hero, what proof have they that a person of his nature and characteristics would not behave in such a manner under such circumstances? Regarding America's refusal to admit "Ypres" and "Zeebrugge" — well, considering that some of the more advanced of the British dominions refused admittance to those films, surely one should not expect America, who wants only the best, to have them. To America they would not have been worth the expense of importation ; they were of interest only to a small portion of the British public; to foreigners they would be intolerably boring. Trie attack of the English critics on "The Big Parade" was an organized attack, inspired by mean, cheap jealousy of American films. I challenge any one to dispute that. For months these same critics have been doing all in their power to discredit American films, whether bv fair means or foul. I am indeed sorry that Miss Morris let the silly rantings of a few people who are quite incapable of distinguishing a good film from a bad one spoil "The Big Parade" for her. Let us hope that England, for her own sake, will soon get hold of a few picture critics with at least a little intelligence. Eileen Ryax. 126 Valley Road, Auckland City, Auckland, New Zealand. Why Not Joseph Schildkraut? The company that intended starring the late Rudolph V alentino in a picture to be based on the life of Benvenuto Cellini seems to be having some difficulty in deciding who should take his place in the title role. Barrymore, among others, has been considered. Perhaps by this time they have smoothed out their difficulties and made their choice. Nevertheless, I would like to put in my two cents' worth of opinion. Why any one should hesitate for a moment and wonder who is the suitable play r for the role is quite beyond me, since very actor who created the part of Cc ^