South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-09-17
MOVIE INDUSTRY
SUFFERS IN WAR
STRICKEN NATIONS
Operators Flee for Lives and
Theater Owners Take up
Arms Against the Invading
Forces.

PARIS Sept 1.-THE war I'm Eu-
rope is playing havoc with the NOV
ing picture business In all parts Of
the continent movie operators were
forced 10 flee for their lives and IN
most instances they left their ma
chimes and many valuable reels be-
hind them.
Then. too, the moving picture con-
Germs of Paris and other French cities
have been paralyzed by the war.
Their actors have been called 10 the
colors and have gone TO the front.
There are left behind only the wO-
men employees of the companies
These are good actresses and expert
operators OF the camera but they
cannot impersonate men and so the
great French movie industry is at
standstin
With only women left the firms
cannot make the military. historic,
serious and comic reels that have for
years delighted audiences all over the
world and particularly in America.
Will Aid This Country.
The war. therefore. will give a ire
mendous impetus TO the movie bust
ness in America The picture houses
there will have 20 depend wholly on
the local product TO amuse their pub
JIG. and the American producer Will.
therefore. reap a harvest by finding
n field for their entire output and not
having TO compete with the foreign
reels that heretofore have held a
favoTite place on the American
screens.
As for war pictures. that is dead
easy matter Though announced by
the war offices of Germany. England.
France. Russia Austria and Belgium
.ffg 10 a1T 10 L
With any of the armies In the field.
reels OF the fighting will be turned out
IN America by the mile.
10 is a well known fact that moving
pictures Of the Boer war were not
seen for seven years after that con
hict and then they were turned out
bv American movie concerns with
such accuracy and semblcnce to the
real thing, that the films were sent 10
England and viewed there by enthu-
siastic thousands. many OF whom
were veterans Of the BOer war The
l8tter said that the pictures were
Wonderful in their counterfeit pre-
sentiment Of the actual fighting.
VIII Film Present War.
The moving picture company in
question has in its possession thou
sands Of military uniforms of every
great power weapons OF all kinds.
battle flags. etc In making the BOeT
war pictures. il employed 1900 men.
II is 20 he expected that a dozen or
more moving picture makers in the
Emitted States have similar resources.
and il is certainly that as soon as
anything like detailed descriptions OF
the lighting in Europe are available
for the newspapers. films OF the bat
ties will begin 10 be seen in all the
moving picture theaters
So far there have appeared no
movies Of reported lighting All over
Paris. for many days there have ap-
peared hundreds Of moving pictures
of the mobilization of troops of their
review in London by King George. i'm
France 10y Pres. Poincare and in
Berlin by the kaiser. But these were
All preliminary pictures. taken just
before the stern regulations Of mar
tial law were put into effect.
One of the most famous moving
picture men, who was in Europe
when the war broke out but has since
returned safely 10 America. was Bur
ton Holmes. the travel lecturer lie
had been on the continent all sum-
mer. obtaining material for mis- next
winters lectures. In escaping from
the war zone, Holmes lost almost all
Of his best reels. he said here.
The great war therefore viii prove
great boon TO the moving picture
Industry OF the United States The
benefit Will come about i'm two ways