The Washington times., 1915-11-13
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
Ru GARnNER MACK
Writer Asserts Film
Will Bring Public
Closer To Their
- Story Writers.
BY GARDNER MACK.

Friends Of the motion picture
viii receive much announcement
aud relief from the constant criti-
cisni that Ia being written regard
ing the. zeal aim of the Dhotopiay
by people who dub themselves
cultured, in the sentiments that
have been expressed by Frederic
Arnold Hummer. the short-story
writer and novelist. whom most
magazine readers know. Mr. Kum-
mer has become q most enthusias-
tic advocate of the pEotoplay. lie
declares that its future Is barely
suggested by what has been done.
Coupled with his enthusiasm for
the picture itself Is a VcCy keen
understanding of the value Of pic
lures as an adjunct to literature.
particularly as a means of iStro-
ducing better books and better
There have been suggestions In
this column in the past OF the ex-
tent OF this influence. Meredith
Nicholson was much surprised to
receive word from his publishers
that Il special edition OF "A House
of a ThoLsand Candles" had been
mand stimulated by the picture
made from the story.
Ben -Hur" The East Days OF
Pompeil." Quo Vadis1" "Tho
Clansman." on which The Birth
OF q Nation" was based and sew
eral other books \of wide cirsuia-
tion in the past. have peen re-
issued In special editions because
Of the interest aroused in them
from the motion picture.
The future of the motion pic
ture has barely been suggested BY
what has been done 80 far" Mr..
Hummer declares.
1T Is useless to deny that we live
In an age of mental and material
activity. more Intense than the world
has ever known before. And 1t IL
idle to assert that the big thoughts
Of life cannot be transmitted directly
to the brain through the medium OF
the eye. instead of by the more
ture, which requires a mental effort
on the part of the reader to
visualize. to make real.
II have seen motion pictures that
have stirred me as deeply-perhaps
more decply-than any play or book
depending on the spoken or written
word.
at is true that this putting of big
thoughts IT. the form Of action is
not an easy task. The public. to
large extent, Is forcing the author.
to do for 1t what imagination has
done In the past. And here we have
the authors problem. 1t is not an
easy one. He must grasp, under
stand. the effect on the mind of the
public of action. movement. and he
must produce this effect in q fe"
seconds OF time. 49,.
"Ue can no longer take his time,
turning out page after page OF mere
the primal emotions. and get his
response from the movement OF
hand. TIE glance Of an eye. the mo,
ton Of a crowd. He cannot depend
upon the Imagination OF MS aud,'
ences. He must appeal TO them a.-
That is his problem. II fssr,. ASH.
mating one. and its solution calls
into play a more dccp hnd NiVio
understanding OF human emotion
than was ever required In any writ
ing in the past. ,.,, v,,,
II think the motion p'c,"Lu r,uo ~" IN
tend to unite author ana pup'ic w
closer and more vital boncs than
could ever have been possiple 50
long az between them stood the DIT
rier Of words
Exhibitors IN neiehborhood theate,s
throughout the Iv~ti'' VIZ '-r
upon the regular program nlms M aIe
beginning to establish a speciaI nIih
feature day each week. ana are se.-
ting excellent results therefrom: Inc
idea is TO give the patrons OF tne
house opportunity to see AT !east one
of the big features shown at feature
houses each week.
One OF the theaters where this mas
been done with unusual success is
the Revere on Georgia avenue ana
park road The management OF the
Revere started their special service
last week with Francis x. Bushman
ami Marguerite Snow In "The sec
ond in Command" both OF these
artists being popular in Washington.
Next week another Metro feature.
ALWAYS In the Way" based on
Charles X. Harris song, VIII De
shown. o.
BY adding an occasional feature 10
the one and iwo-reel programs. ac-
cording to g. l.. Rothapfel, the ex-
hihitor shows a desire on his part
to please his patrons and VIII even
tually reap a big harvest, even II the
feature sometimes costs more thai'
the capacity Of the house would ordl-
narily justify, which Is frequently
the case. W. W.