Screenland (Sept 1922–Feb 1923)

iH "^br™* SCREENLAND Caiifi AMOUR fait beaucoup, mais argent * *■ fait tout; or, to be plainly outspoken, love ,s mighty, but money is almighty, in.s French idiom is more or less relevant to Your Own Page letters. Why do you write Your Own Page letters—to win the $25 prize? Many admit it. Here are extracts from three which came this month: The $25 PRIZE LETTER A star of our own in foreign s^ttine X f °"'d Mr. Pennsylvania as much as the Idaho young lady who sends us tins: I idly wondered what trite comments Charlie Chaplin would make on a threadbare subject. But behold! I found no commonplace travelogue, no jumble of meaningless phrases, but a revealing glimpse into the soul of an artist." Are you reading this remarkable diary' The reason I write this letter," says fu Oklahoma reader, "is because I need that $25, as the soldiers' bonus hasn t been passed yet." A really helpful Texas critic writesl do not expect the prize because availing myself of your invitation to be frank may prove distasteful. I notice all the winning letters throw bouquets " I am trying for the prize," a New Jersey writer declares, "but nevertheless, thisis a true expression of my thoughts!" So Your Own Page now begins an Anti-Bouquet Contest. There will be no prize offers. Write and tell us exactly what you think of Screenland. Don t trouble to mention the things that you like about the magazine. State the things you co not like. Be just as severe as you Improvement follows criticism Scrsen land will constantly improve; but it needs your help, on your page? Will the love of the task bring a letter from you just the same as it did when there was -a money offer for the best ones? Afte almighty?116 Frenchraan * money One of the mottoes of Screenland policy has been a surprise in every issue." there will be many surprises on this page next month, don't you think? A. large headline does not always mean a long story. Last month Your Own Page began on one column of the contents page. But there was just as many comments from readers quoted as in any other issue. Im glad you don't bother with an Answer Man," is the encouraging comment of F. C. of New York City. "They all write alike." F. C. will find Patrick rarsney a wonderful answer man, but he doesn't meet the description of "writing alike. See if some of your questions ^not-answered this month in Secrets ot the Stars — on Page 17. "I do not care for your cover designs " frankly remarks F. D. of Vinita, Oklahoma But this letter was written before Mr. Ruttan s remarkable oil portrait of Wm. S. Hart was finished. Perhaps, after seeing Screenland for October, our Vinita friend will cancel this complaint Editor Your Own Page: Over four months ago I bought a copy of SCREENLAND at the newsstand bscause I saw a large picture of my favorite movie actor in it. When I get home I started in slowly to go through the magazine. It was the first time I had ever seen a SCREENLAND, but the minute I started 1 had a feeling that something was wrong— it wasn't like ether movie magazines! The pictures, articles, departments, even photos (the coloring of them) was different. |n two minutes I was so absorbed that I couldn't have been pulled away from it. I immediately e'ecided: "This is the movie magazine for me." So I sent in my subscription at once. And the very first issue I received was worth the price of a year's subscription. I like YOUR OWN PAGE very much, and wish there could be more than ONE page of it— even if it would be necessary to call it YOUR OWN PAGES! I think it is about the best thing in the magazine. I always turn eagerly to the Portrait Gallery. It seems that the pictures are so much clearer and prettier colored than those in other magazines. 1 wish the gallery contained twice as many pictures every month. I like LITTLE HINTS FOR PLAYGOERS and LITTLE HINTS FOR BOOKLOVERS very much, for I am both — a book lover and a playgoer. Everybody in the family can find inspiration in their particular field of work, study or play, in SCREENLAND. Since I subscribed I have become a confirmed movie fan. I had always taken other movie magazines and reading THEM did not make me a fan so that in itself proves SCREENLAND'S merit, does it not? I await each copy eagerly! I'm afraid I've written an awfully long letter, but I just had to tell you how much I like the magazine. All my friends like it, too. Yours sincerely, (MISS) ENID CORPE, Colfax, III. So many readers are expressing their interest in Louis Weadock's "M Bloom" stones of the studios that we can't help mentioning "Punish the Villain," to appear m Screenland for October. The editors think this latest "Mr. Bloom" story is the best one of them all. Don't miss it. They are devoid of that exaggeration and vagueness found in most movie fiction," writes H. M. of St. Joseph, Mo., in commenting on the Bloom stories. It is because they are real stories! C. K. of Minnesota will be disappointed perhaps in the Anti-Bouquet Contest beginning now on this page because he suggests: "Why not offtr'two prizes lor Your Own Page letters?" We are compromising by offering none, C. K. Censorship and ridicule of the movie industry is built upon prejudice and ignorance says W. E. of Kent, Texas, in an entertaining letter. One way to remove prejudice, he adds, is to read Screenland. "I got wise to the fact that the screen Is the greatest power in hit:mS the buirs-eye of human appreciation, m the May Screenland," he tells us. And of course, we agree. "I admire you for being what I call a fc^uGrl Say* Mrs C A °f Danville, Kentucky (where they ought to know Pioneers when they see one). "No othe • magazine has yet the courage to eliminate taffy interviews which anyone with a gram of intelligence must know are frequently the result of a sorely-tried writers imagination. Instead, you fill your pages with excellent articles " Just what is to be gained by them" writes A. F. of Kirkland, Washington, in a rather indignant protest against Confessions of a Star .Interviewer. "They are unsportsmanlike. They remind me of the rocking chair brigade at a summer notel. I read and enjoy Screenland immensely and every department is good, but I feel that I must voice this, my onlv fhlt\an,Ce "^rT\ese are the sort of Otters that help. We hope A. F. will let us hear from him in the Anti-Bouquet Contest. We ought to have Christopher Columbus on the cover to please a Pennsylvania reader, who wants an "all-American issue." "We want to see more of our own authors and other celebrities, less of foreign stars," the letter states. Chiyo Yoshn of Tokyo (Japan) writes to tell us how he darted into a bookseller s one day to avoid being run down by an unruly horse. "In an excess of joy to be safe, I bought your magazine," he writes "So it happened that I first read Screenland by accident."