The Washington times., 1914-07-07
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
? lin Conditions in
England Reflect
the Situation
in America

Ommendation-seeIhs to be as unpop-
uIar in England as ii is in the
United States. These remarks are
prompted by a most interesting let
ter published IN the latest number
OF "keel Life" from its LONDON cor
respondent. AMI tire letter is of In
usual interest to American eNhlbi-
tors for two reasons. First, because
the conditions complained OF are
practically duplicated in this coun-
try. And second, because the pub
lication which rrints the letter and
thus gives it. wide publicity is the
official organ OF the Mutual Film
Corporation, ana what the writer
states, therefore, has the authority
of this big manufacturer Of 1Imeri-
can films behind II. 1t is not only
the long films to which the English
writer objects. He has several other
complaints-compla that are
equally as pertinent TO the sitIetion
in the United States.
Criticism of present conditions,
so lar as relates to films. nISy be
ConI enientIy summarized IN the fol-
lowing asscrtlons." he states. There
are too many long films, and 4 ma
tority of long IilnIs are not worthy
of their length. There is less va
riety in film productions al the
present day than there was. say,
four years ago. There is an incrcas-
ing tendency &c deal with srhjects
which would be better left al'ne by
film producers There are too many
films of a childIshly meloGramatic
character.
''On the point of the long film: 1
am assured that American exhibitors
will have five reelers, six reelers.
and longer stuff. 1t may be true
America: / do not think it was ever
true, in the broad sense. in Eng
land, and ] am convinced IL Is be-
coming even less true avery day.
We have been flooded out with long
fllms. The success of Quo Fadis
which was a success not gained by
length, but rather in spite of it-set
ti-reels. Now the public accepted
the length of Quo Vadis'' because
they were kept interested the whole
time. Many of the subsequent multi
reels have failed to interest even
for a third of their length, and
when we had features of from four
to six reels dealing with such sub
.
too involved and boresome detective
stories, this big stuff began to cloy.
Talk with cinema patrons now and
you will find general dislike Of
most of the present long stuff The
reason is, Of course. that most Of
il has been made to order The
length of Quo Vadis' and Judith
Of Bethulia' was inevitable. but
there is q world or difference be-
tween putting so much in a film
that II has to grow to abnormal
length and deliberately to manufac-
ture incident and padding TO make
leI.eth. II you want TO please the
English public, American msnufac-
turcr. cut out the long stuff unless
ybu car give US films like those mem
Toned and like Home, Sweet Home
We have got all the mediocre stuff
r walt already.
On the question Of variety: II is
asserted that there is less originality
m the English program today than
years ago. A bold assertion, but be-
fore you laugh 1t to scorn, remember
posed. Think Of the Continental
nulti-reels, think Of the unlimited
quantity of poor and cheap stuff
available to renters; realize that not
all the latter put quality before
price and you will begin to see that
there may be very bad programs
even with an output. as a whole. on
programs in English theaters-hun-
dreds of them. One Of the standing
Inconsistencies IN the trade is the
TACT one may see good stuff m the
manufacturers show rooms and bad
stun in the public theaters. The one
Is not true reflection of the other
a fact which is being ever more
turers and which may quite posi-
bly,, IN the course of the next few
years. lead TO the English system Of
distribution being more closely ap-
proximated TO the American Apart
from that, is there not something in
the assertion that films. as a whole.
are not so 'meaty as they We're?
Do We not frequently find plots
which have once been compressed
into a really gripping one-reeler, ex-
panded into a three or four-part
subject? Do we not find much slower
acting in many films. and is IL not
true that, in many cases. with a
great increase in the speed and guam
tity of production there has been a
tendency to repeat the same story
and stereotyped situations? Really,
: think those who advance this criti
riEm have some reason behind them.
ION the class of subjects handled
'Odsy; Despite much 'uplift talk,
there is still a great deal of doubtful
sturf about. and the tendency of the
Continental manufacturers seems.
unfortunately. to be increasingly to-
ward the production or subjects
dealing WITH suggestive themes. The
white slave traffic, the two women
and a man plot (Which seems to
form the basis OF 15 Der cent of Con-
tinental flnsD and the purely sensa
tionsl films bulk more largely than
ever in tn, output of the present
day. OF the latter one may say that
they are both undesirable and un-
convincing. The plot is that OF
penny draadful.' the incident Is
frequently unintentionally humorous
and the sensation is commonly of a
tvpe which II is undesirable a child
Should see. The detective films and
those others dealing with mysterious
criminsls. whose penchant is for
mask and murder. are films OF
class which are mostly an insult to
the intelligence of the adult cinema
patron. Tho directive. N particular,
as conceived by the French or ItaI-
tan poducer would be a figure of fun
were he not also a weapon rerady to
the hand of those who attack the
fare Of the cinema theater. Surely
We have got beyond the stage when
Il IL necessary TO show a number OF
characters acting in a way in which
real people never acted since the
world began in the belief that
grown people will enjoy in fatuous
form the fare which the healthy boy
puts aside. in printed form. when he
reaches his sixteenth year"