The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-07

TINE criticism OF the present state
OF the moving picture art which
= appeared here last Sunday has
seemed unjust to some OF the
important workers in that interesting
field. One OF these is Jesse Lasky. who
has the following to say In reference to
the writer's views on the accomplish
ment of the film impresarios UP to the
day:
Mr.. Lasky writes:
find myself vitality interested in the
article OF Lawrence Reamer in a recent
issue of THE sun.
The writer in his article may think he
Is speaking of conditions as they are at
present, but as a matter OF fact in a gen.
erh way the article would have been
more pertinent year ago. IL Mr..
Reamer had kept pace with the recent tre-
mendously rapid growth OF the motion
picture In the development of the
dramatic feature films he could not have
made such assertions as Yet the men re-
sponsible for the productions of these
plays do not In the least trouble them
selves to construct the plays with the skill
OF the professional playwright"
Let me answer Mr.. Reamer's assertion
by telling him that We have as our col
iocoi dNoI ouT picture
plays no less eminent playwrights and
stage directors than David Belasco. who
10 TO supervise the scenarios prepared
from his own plays; Cecil Il. De Mile.
who personally writes or adapts every
scenario made from each OF our famous
plays. and Richard Walton Tully. who 10
now engaged In putting In scenario form
The Rose OF the Rancho" OF which he
was coauthor with David Belasco. Our
treatment of '"rhe Rose OF the Rancho
10 the best answer to Mr.. Reamer's rather
negligent statement that the men respon-
sible for the productions OF these plays
do not trouble themselves TO construct the
plays with the skill of professional play
wrights.
Richard Walton Tuily read the play
version of THE Rose OF the Rancho" to US
We then called in Wilfred auckland, one
OF our associate directors, and we three
at great length worked out a rough sy-
nopsis OF what the scenario was to con-
tain. The next step Is the actual writing
OF the first scenario by Mr. Tully. who as
original coauthor must know something
about the dramatic value of his play, but
We are not satisfied oven now. Mr.. Tuily
will take his play to Cecil 3. De Mile,
who will review It, make suggestions and
generally aid In the working up OF the
ANAL scenario II is then given to Oscar
APPEL, our chief director In the field Mr.
APPEL suggests or adds what he can in the
way OF spectacular and artistic technical
effects OF the kind that can be obtained
only In motion pitures and might have
been overlooked by the authors. The
scenario Is now finished and ready for
Mr. Belasco. The scenario will then be
read by Mr.. Belasco and he will carefully
study and revise and bring out the more
important dramatic points that we may
nave missed or overlooked, finally COM
pleting himself the final version. which
h. A.. -
IL In the history OF the dramatic stage any
play has been prepared with more care or
by more competent directors and drama
lists with higher Ideal or more serious
purposes than the above mentioned?
Mr.. Reamer further states that pic
lures are still. as far as the artistic
side Is concerend, altogether In the anna
lutely untrue. For instance, we are a,
present producing THE Call OF the North
with Robert Edeson as the star. The see
mario was first prepared from Mr.. Broad
bursts play and Stewart Edward Whites
novel by Cecil B. DE Mile. It was next
read TO Stewart Edward White and Il Is
now actually being staged In the country
around Moose Factory Canada, where the
story takes place. To preserve the ar,
tISuc SIDE and the accuracy to detail,
Stewart Edward White has accompanying
Mr.. De Mile and the stage director
MIR. Apiei, ana their purpose is 10 pro
duce this picture without one interior
scene, an accomplishment In itself.
Artistically THE Can OF the North
will be a poem OF the north woods with
backgrounds painted by the Creator I.,in
s>s, whose artistic ability cannot b,
questioned
agree with Mr.. Reamers assertion
mat II is the drama behind the various
scenes or pictures of a photoplay which
makes the perfect motion picture. with
out real drama that Is a story with
vital human interest, well told, well con
nected, authentic as to details, no mo
ton picture Is worth tn. name OF photo
play.
What he states Is true In many In
stances. The enduring dram tic Thrill
IS often missing but | again say missing
IN the productions of the past, but no
IN the productions Of the present.
Mr. Reamer apparently does not know
chat Daniel Frohman is giving all hi
years of experience to the perfection o
the productions OF our esteemed competI
tors, the Famous Players, as has An
gustus Thomas to another firm. Thes
two gentlemen. At the heads Of the drs