The Washington times., 1914-09-05
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
'hotopldy Theate RS
In England Hold
Patronage With
War News

The motion picture theaters OF
England have not suffered as great
" as the legitimate theaters as
result OF the war, according TO the
reports that are received in picture
headquarters here. And the reason
for this might be found in new
phase of the exhibitors business. In
England not only are motion picture
plays flashed on the screen but in
almost every theater bulletins from
the front are being shown. Special
arrangements have ben made with
the newspapers in the various cities
throughout the British Isles and be-
tween the pictures the news from
the front in bulletin form is shown.
The result is that the people have
been flocking to the theater for they
are not only provided with news but
sre able to see a good show
The arrangement between the thea
tiers and the newspapers is an ad-
vantage to both. The patron Of the
playhouse will naturally want to
learn more about the matter which
Is but lightly touched in the thea
ter bulletin. and he buys a news
1aper. The newspaper in turn
prints the names and locations Of
the theaters that are showing the
bulletins it supplies. The situation
n England is considerably better
han il is in France. bv the way,
18th regard to the pictures There
little or no producing going or.
rut the market is open.
II seems as though there ought TO
Ne chance for the American pro-
.!VCers to get some of the business
hat has heretofore been going 10
the continental producers. To that
extent. AT least the American pro-
duCer will be greatly helped abroad.
: we'll as in this country. by the
utting off of the European film
supply. Great Britain uses an i'm
mense amount of filnI-Ibout as
much as the United States. And the
English producers cannot begin 10
supply the home market The cor
~cspondent of the Moving Picture
World in London is rather enthusi-
sstic over this phase of the situa-
tion and in his latest letter tells
some very interesting facts regard
'nS the situation in England. He
states, among other things:
obviously. in the commercial
sense. the suspension of transport
~ goods between England and the
chief ports of Germe ny. Italy,
france. etc. is bound to he TO the
distinct advantage of the United
States in more respects than in mov-
ing pictures. For this is one of the
few branches of industry in which
Great Britain cannot keep herself
supplied. and under present circum-
stances the only way of maintain
ing the film market is through
American importations. There is
probability that such firms as Gau
mont and Pathe may be able to re-
tain their usual control over certain
continental productions. but of the
numerous other European brands it
r. useless TO prophesy
"A bolt fell among exhibitors last
weekend in the form of A notice in
'he press from the war office pro-
hibitins the exhibition of any mov-
ing pictures depicting incidents Of
the present war. The order is so
drastic as to ban even local topical
films of the British troops mobilizing
Or in camp, but no restriction j.
placed upon staged films such as
dramatic pictures with naval or mill
tary settings or upon real military
films showing British soldiers praC-
uclnS army HaneuNerS- One 1lrn ~
particular has seized hold of the
opportunity to make the best Of this
unusual piece of officialism and day
by day as the real war progresses
they enact the principal incidents
and movements with a large COM
pany Of players in the south of Eng
land. The sections of the great
drama are finished with astonishing
rapidity SO as to be ready for eX-
hibition a dav or two after the actU-
al events. The opening scenes Of the
war are already being screened here
in serial FORM