The Washington times., 1914-04-16
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
Why Do Posters Tell
"A Different Story
From That of
The Screen

" plays in Washington why
it is that the producers OF
pictures regard it as essential TO
their success to make the posters
and the printed stories and the film
plays themselves such different and
distinct productions. We have been
asked TO ascertain why a poster
should show one thing and the film
show another. Why the story should
terminate one way and the screen
show il done in an entirely different
way. We have been waiting for an
opportunity to express our views on
the subject, as our views are what
our correspondent wanted.
You know. every time We criticise
q feature of the film business we
hear from the exhibitor. The aver
age exhibitor in Washington appears
to think that the statements We
make are directed personally at him.
We have resisted the temptation to
ask him why he felt personally
abused when no names were men,
toned. We could suggest a reason.
one can suggest only one reason
Nhy statement directed at a GER
tain abuse should be resented by a
person who has not been specifically
mentioned or connected with the
abuse al all.
But that isn't what We started out
TO say at all. We were referring TO
the differences that exist in the
stories and the posters and the plays.
And the reason we have waited to
print something about 1t was because
We wanted all the exhibitors who
were producing Hearts Adrift'' to
get through with the release 50 that
they could by no possible excuse say
they were being specifically dealt
with. Hearts Adrift'' is one of the
most beautiful films that has been
staged up TO the present time. IT
features Mary Pickford. and was the
product OF the Famous Players Com
pany, which We have several times
taken occasion to praise in this col
uml. And at the same time Hearts
Arfift" is one of the most glarfng
examples of the lack OF team work
between the publicity department
and the producer that ii has been
our fortune to see.
Ever since we first saw Hearts
Adrift'' we've been wondering whose
idea ii was 10 have the little heroine
end her life by hurting herself into
the yavnine mouth of volcano in
stead OF jumping of cliff. as the
story of the play told us she was TO
do and the posters showed her doing.
A number of people whom We nave
tried to convert TO the pnotoplay and
have persuaded to see this particular
play as a specimen of the kind We
mean when we speak OF good ones.
have come back at Us with tnat
volcano scene. And there wasn't a
single word that we could say 10 de-
fend IL. because there isn't any de-
tense that can be made OF it. OF
course. it might be argued. that is
the way the author wrote the thing.
II that is the case, why did the rub
hcity department of the Famous
Players send OUT story telling
about the girl jumping off a cliff.
And why did they have posters made
showing her poised ready TO jump off
q cliff?
thing. BUT it is the little things that
hurt. And that volcano has spilled
Hearts Adrift" for n number Of
yeOple who were almost persuaded
hv the other remarkable scenes IN
the piece TO become pho-Opla= IN
'husiasts. II CheGpened the whole
production. And. We take il, va; ore
OF the things that our correspondent
meant when he addressed - tre
questions We have repeated. We
have stated in this column that this
1.e'e was well worth going to SEE.
And We believe that il g. We think
: has some OF the most Jerfect mo
an pictures that have ever been
made. and that il is wonderfIlly well
svted. But il has that one little
'ault that is likely TO spoil it.
" good film like this can be
spoiled bv such a little thing. how
how much worse is IL for a poor
flT 10 suffer under the same sort Of
handicap. And the poor films sIf-
Ter more than the good Ones--sl-
though the latter ruffer enough.
ius' what the idea of The producing
'or7panT is in permitting s1ch things
- "cCu' rs more than we have been
eUl" 10 faIhom. The whole poster
"lsiness is mystery-as a matter
81 fact. II forms one OF the Gu
r'orh phases OF the game. In the
hole history OF the business, SO
- as We have been able to learn.
there has only been one company
nat makes an pretense of getting
GOOD posters as regular thing.
aud there has only been one piece
=" appear in Washington where a
SJronG effort has ben made to pur
"It really first class advertising Of
'his sort. And this effort was not
rade by the compsny 10 which we
hs'" referred, either. The post~rs
,"r \ R"many Spy are artistic i'll
ne highest sense. The producers
p" =" b" Congratulated on such high
ASS work. 1t is seldom that the
'u"st type OF theatrical productions
hes such good posters.
Eu' the majority Of posters used
f"r pho'"plsys arc rot only eyesorcs
hu' ought 10 be prohibited as un-
f'Ehtly ny the authorities None of
This is the exhibitors fault. let US
hasten to say. But II is the cN-
hibi'ors fault when he gives them
siCh prominent position across the
'foH' "f his theater. They don't
nod 10 The sttractivcness OF his cs-
fahilshmcm and We don't believe
hey draw peop'e inside to see the
Eho" A. least they don't draw the
nd Of people whose going in VIII
do the exhibitor or the future of the
business any good. G. NJ.