Screenland (Sept 1922–Feb 1923)

Boudoir Politics in the Movies Second article in the series "Spy System in the Movies"-an exposj of the intrigue and petty deceptions that are eating at the vitals of the great film mdustry F B W. R . BENSON ICKING out what is wrong with the studios is the favorite indoor sport of Hollywood. Every extra, every property man, every star, every director, every producer, waxes eloquent on the subject at the slightest provocation. The director is sure that of all pernicious nuisances, the star system is the worst. The wardrobe mistress believes that stinginess is the curse that is blighting fair Hollywood. Every wardrobe mistress believes she could beat Cecil deMille at his own game if she were allowed to spend the money on costumes that Cecil's designer spends. The star believes that lack of footage is one vital error in all her pictures, and that among other things stories which call for character make-up and hence temporary mussiness of the star's beauty are the reason why motion picture fans stay at home and read fan magazines rather than go to the pictures. But all— extra, star, director,— agree that nepotism is one of the great crying evils that are cramping the style of motion pictures to a really lamentable extent. F, Nepotism in the Movies DOES PULL HELP IN THE STUDIOS? One of the most frequently employed character actresses at a big studio is the wife of the general manager. She happens to be a good actress . . . but her day has lasted considerably longer than it could have done if she were only the wife of the chief electrician. A director in a studio noted for its rapid manufacture of cheap pictures is brother to the producer. He has never turned out a good picture. Why should he? He can't possibly lose his job? A famous star, who has recently lapsed in public favor, is said to have exacted love tribute from every actress who played opposite from him. He came a cropper in the person of an irreproachable ex-school teacher star. He liked the novelty so well that he kept her for his leading woman longer than any of the more easily-conquered beauties. . OR the information of those who may think nepotism is some hideous crime like prevarication and procrastination, we quote the dictionary: "Favoritism shown to nephews and other relatives ; patronage bestowed in consideration of family relationship and not of merit." Being a relative of a producer, or a scenario chief, or a star, is the best thing two-thirds of the studio personnel do, according to those in the studios who are not relatives or who have no relatives for whom they want to find jobs. The first thing a new scenario chief does is to take his pen in hand and drop his little college sister a telegram telling her to hasten out to Hollywood as a reader in his department. A star signs her contract with one hand and reaches for a contract for her mother or her father in character parts with the other. Or she manufactures a nice little job like business manager or supervising director or something else for Friend Husband, who is thus able to leave his clerkship at the delicatessen. Advantages of Being a Relative o ne studio in Hollywood has a particularly poor writer, who is able to get his stories into celluloid, no matter how utterly asinine they may happen to be. He works two or three hours a week on a story, draws down several thousand dollars for each story which his secretary more than half writes, and gets screen credit in letters larger than those accorded the director. Why? We pause breathlessly and are besieged by clamorous replies. Yes, Constance. This writer is a brother-in-law of the big boss. One of the most frequently employed character actresses at a big studio is the wife of the general manager. She happens to be a good actress, but her day has continued longer in the land of Heart's Desire than it could possibly have done if she had been related only to the chief electrician. One of the producers in a big studio, noted for its rapid making of very cheap pictures, has his brother in as a director, and said director has never turned out a big picture. Why should he? He can't possibly lose his job. Nepotism is an all-pervasive evil. It spreads from department to department, from producer down to the seven-dollar-a-day crowd. But it is such a natural condition that even those who suffer most acutely cannot complain very bitterly. A They All Do It _ splendid director, who has a record of many successes without a single real flivver, was passed up when the plum of the year was being handed out. A relative of the producer's wife was handed the job, because the producer's wife wears the trousers within the sanctity— if there is such a commodity left— of the producer's home. He spoke philosopically of it, however. "I can't blame the bossmuch. I had planned to bring my kid brother on from the East as my assistant director. But it is a blow not to be able to do this picture. I've dreamed and prayed for it— and now lost out to a brother-inlaw." "Pull" is the magic word that admits one to the studios out here. No matter what a writer's qualifications, if he is friendless in the studios, if 35