The Washington herald., 1914-07-17
Fleeing Views.

Reading the protests of some very we'll
meaning opponents Of liquor drinking
against the depicting in the movies OF
scenes Of drunkenness and dissipation in
any form, arouses some amusing thoughts.
II Is well known and has been proved
that the moving picture industry r one
of the greatest enemies to the saloon that
exists Not only the saloon-but drinking
by both men and women, all forms Of
drinking-have suffered a set back by the
institution OF this amusement which has
no connection with any kind Of liquid
refreshments.
The people who are virtuously trying to
eliminate the real life scenes from moving
pictures-aII OF the viriIity and strength
are going TO succeed in driving just the
people they want to purify away from
the moving picture houses. and into the
dance halls, the saloons, the restaurants
they 50 heartily condemn
The men and women who are now
spending their evenings at the moving
pictures instead OF eating and drinking or
dissipating their time some other way are
just the people who will cease to attend
the film plays as soon as all of the reality
Of life Is removed from the pictures.
BY reforming the movies far enough
they will be successfully purified for the
eyes Of babes-and none but babes will
watch them.
The editor Of the Query Column is going
to have a greatly simplihed task after
nsEt Monday. On Monday morning Gram
dalrs Theater is going 10 make an an
nouncement on this page which is of i'm
portance to every lover Of the photoplays.
Watch for it-you'n be interested.
Here are words Of wisdom from the
Moving Picture World:
Ambitious directors sometimes create
an effective play out Of poor raw ma
terial. but they occasionally give so
mueh attention TO this or that delight
Of treatment. valuable as a means TO
an end. that they lose sight of the end
and are really responsible for destroying
what they sincerely desire to improve
The audience enjoys skillful interpTeta-
ton and beauty OF structure-people Of
ten applaud the treatment-but the after
effect in a successful play is too subtle
for immediate analysis. and II is that
which brings men and women back again
to the picture show. The punch counts
in the long run.
sees In advance all that may be made
Of his product-the director and actors
may greatly improve it-but that author
must have a quality above mere crafts
manship. the ability to think out clearly
outlined conclusions Of value. such as
have a bearing on modern existence. He
must use incident and characterization
to entertain, to enlist both emotional and
intellectual interest, but his finest
achievement is to use his art and that
Of all participating in the composite
work Of production as a delightful means
to some well-defned end. Without that
end in view. II is difficult for him to
construct with sincerity. and without
initial sincerity OF tone there may easily
be false notes from the best of starts
to the inevitable conclusion
I'VE will eventually come to our own
In photodrama, whether or not it is SEN
sationaI or deliberately ornamented with
beauty. and the plays will be quite as
easily understood by those Of small pre-
tense as they are delightful to people of
critical tastes Their simplicity will be
an art to conceal, or their vigor an art
to enforce. a meaning. When these plays
come, eminently human, with signih-
canoe in their humanity. they will sweep
like a refreshing breeze through poster
pretense stale intrigues. costume insan-
tiles and threadbare themes, with vigor
and freshness that will make them well