Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-17
PHOTOPLAY PLEADS
FOR PREPAREDNESS
Remarkable Film Prepared
With Assistance of Hudson
Maxim and Government
officials
BY the PhotopIay Editor

The Battle Cry OF Peace" a motion
picture propaganda in the interests OF
national preparedness. dealing with the
question Of this country's defenses and
showing the result OF an invasion OF
America by an alien army, has had n
private showing In various cities.
II was written and arranged by J.
Stuart Blackton from Hudson Maxim 8
hook 'Defenseless America" Noted pub
lie men throughout the country, including
the Secretary OF State Lansing, Secre-
tary Of War Garrison. Assistant Secre-
tory of the Navy Franklin ID. Roosevelt,
General Leonard Wood, General Mont
gomery NJ. Macomb, president OF the
War College, and Admirals Slgsbee and
Mark and other authorities lent their
cooperation and suggestions In perfect
ing the film.
One Of the most remarkable features OF
the film, aside from the prominent men
who have collaborated In It's production,
is the excellent way in which the pro-
ducers have kept to a neutral course
throughout. There are no names In tho
leaders" which suggest any particular
country and the soldiers wear n uniform
that Is not In the least like that OF any
other country.
Exterior views of our coast and other
Notifications with n thrilling picture OF
the siege of New York and It's final
capitulation. followed by scenes of vio-
lence, are among the features OF this
eight-part film. Some remarkable Views
of the lower part of New York city and
the harbor taken from an aeroplane were
also ehown.
New buildings are constantly being
erected Mt the ID. w. Griffith coast head
quarters, the Reliance-M Majestic studios
Workmen are now engaged upon n large
structure to add to the department In
which films are dried. Positive prints of
all Griffith features are to be prepared
in the new building.
A large carpenter shop, In which frames
for Grinth features are to be prepared
is another building under construction
The new quarters for the carpenters de-
partment will employ twice the force OF
the old carpenter shop.
Ten new dressing rooms have also been
added to tho large number existing
These are made necessary by the con-
stant additions to the Reliance-Majestic
stock companies
IT II were only possible to Aim the
scenes of photoplay consecutively," says
Lewis ]. Cody, IT believe there would be
a marked improvement in screen actins.
Pictures are truly wonderful as made to-
day; but believe the future holds an im-
portant advance in store"
Mr.. Cody Is one of the prominent players
now working at the Balboa studios. in
Long Beach. He is keen student OF his
own work and never comes Off location
or out of n scene but what he wishes he
could do It over again, because he rea-
Lies that he might improve II.
II know that under present conditions
1t Is impossible to act the scenes in the
order of their appearance on the screen.
But some one is going to devise a system
whereby 1t can be done Screen art Is
too big in its possibilities to stand still
where 1t now is. Consider the first mo-
tion pictures. In the light of them. who
would have dared predict the sort of pro-
ductions now being made?"