The Washington times., 1914-04-10
THE BEST
Photopldy Department in
WASHINGTON
Lack Of Attention to
Details Hurts the
Film With the
Public

~ LElNG discussion o. LAe
films recently tie !ach Of
attention 10 detail on the
part OF the manufacturers Of
-ono of the best photoplays vas Sc
"Tciy criticised. 1t developed dur-
lns the course Of the discussion thar
pfacrcally every manufacturing
company in the Country las offended
III this particular. In Washinstoy tho
poor Judgment shown in this Girec-
non comes il for a G:cat deal OF
'nfaNorabIe commeni-cs pe,.alIv in
military plays and dramas that deal
with Governmental affairs. And.
perhaps. in this lack OF attention 10
detail might be found some of the
reason for the failure OF . great
many of our people 10 realize the
Importance OF the film as a factor
m the social life of the community.
Ice fact that the story OF the p!ay
Is cheapened by the poor judgment
IN selecting accessories does not
help matters.
IN most military plays there seems
to he such an utter disregard of
the commonest regulations regarding
uniforms, equipment. and insignia,
that TO see play properly staged in
m this particular causes a shock
Of surprise Generals wearing cap
laIns' uniforms are the usual thing
IN civil war dramas it seems TO be
absolutely essential to group the
buttons on the uniform O. the hero
after the fashion prescribed for A
general officer in the army regula-
tons we;hheT the hero is CAD
ain or colonel. The regulations
are rather positive in this part;cu-
lar. but no: the slightest attention
Is paid to them.
The insignia of rank in the shouI-
DER straps is usually wrong, also.
Very few photoplay producers seem
TO understand that captain does
not wear eagles or stars on his
shoulders. even if he is the hero O.
III" piece. And very few of them
ever tax" the trouble to look the
matter up. In a recent photoplay by
"nc OF the biggest companies in the
business. q warShiD is sent TO
search for A man who has ben lost
~ sea The search party boards the
0s:"l and is received by the officer
Of tho deck VINO wears a Yachting
= I
and n" has no insignia of rank on
his collar at all. Further than this
~" man in the search party pre-
scuts tho officer with an order from
The Secretary Of tho Navy. opening
the envelope and taking OFT the pa
Hcr AS soon as he reaches the deck.
This would not be done on a war
ship Officers OF both army and navy
m the film carry arms and pieces OF
equipment for civil war pictures that
1"rc not invented until long after
the war.
These might seem like csptious
criticisms. but they represent
Frrevanc" that A lot of people hold
against tho films. It would be just
Is easy for the manufacturer to get
'no thing right as il is for him to
show them wrong. And il there is
'his lack Of attention detail in mat
'ers relating I" the army aud navy,
'%r't il reasonable to suppose that
'ho producers err just as much In
firo presentation. of other kinds Of
rr1,,. ioo1ls At it. A, icast. and it
h"r,, the standing Of the filrn.
WIno this subject is being dis
,t..-ed u 'uGht not bc out Of Tia"e
8" call attention to another thl0E
fnzt Eln'S tho public 4 wrong i'm
r.-c or. This - N" :HauW"T in
~.ri'h unotuUlsr '-@Iicc'neu "md do
'-.firsz -ar fhoiT H."tIulS TOuE'i'T
'-rru their noD'.- ".ii"u II, &rr~st 'e
.Gdo. Il dn "A""rien"" c%t"ndtrc
",cr -lruo-t tn"rt- oei@. = I'lrt q
I".ir We "cl"t",l 80 tF.' duties of
-,i'~-. reporter. tho editor "t The
= NO. rn"toristv drDa~tuc-t d"'s
'''' r"rr.jnt"r orcr - eiu- " f"Ii""-
'mau "r = detective deal roughly H:1u
> prr@'.r"" unless the T'-!-oHer STAT
81 tls r"'IEIl d'dijug Grs:. IA r.'k-
'"- =. =,>raG" arrest 'n~ GRIM" ITO
ofC~~r show 'Hc rri'niual 'hc -ro't-
IONS s'j'r%ri"'. in k"c'"uC ."
r"tc's. - arru"d "'lnu,'4i hfrI'-
{" -. olsa-r0".i ratncr thr6Dti.. hu'
2Ft~- =" i- d'&:ru"a 20" {, -fmu.-
zfrh,,1 Tn.e tfur~ ~ tearing o
'~u from IL" aTrn- rr rs a-ife n.
> otter i-f.t ,l"rc - -. our hest
U"''"- rt-'I", And H.. f.rt th:.t #
- .l'- a'~ d0n" OF. ~" FIN mi'Crr
..~"C :"rlethiuE T. dc with the tlw
-"ttl--, IN worst rF j Nhcu 2 T"-
lr~"ma1 is detailed for iIt,. a. r-'.-
=or. rs haDpeus in ? E-eat many
cities
II tho manufacturers world ~
trEd the aDPeal Of their Dr0dUct md
''la"o Il on the hi"h rlan" they must
d0 - SUcCrcj in he future. 4 would
DC vel for them 20 Law IN 2 stock Of
0f0rTation reEardiH@ these little
'hiHCs-thev re extremely vaIua bIa.
Ana IL $ lust as Ch@aD 10 DO Il right
- II IS 10 make il wroDG.