New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-05
EXHIBIT A FOR
FILM FANATICS
Reason Cited Why Some
Persons Do Not Like
Moving Pictures.
NORTH OF ENGLAND
SWEEPS THE DRAMA
Reporters In Plays and Out u
Them, and Observations Of
Theatrical Journalism.
By HAYWOOD BROUN.

BY HAYWOOD BROUN.
After seeing a film such as The
Lamb" or Carmen" we are moved TO
wonder that there should exist group
Of rreconclables who do not IKE
motion pictures. Now we understand.
A batch Of plot outlines came here
yesterday afternoon from the press de-
partment of one of the leading picture
companies. The first one was called
"Twice Into the Light We read IT
and would like to share it. Here is the
story: ~
"Waldo Perry is born blind. He
learns TO play the violin and becomes
an ACCOMPLISHED musician. At the age
Of twenty-five his sight is restored
after delicate operation. He falls IN
love with Laura and marie. her. lie
then is sent 10 Idaho As foreman OF
construction gang, replacing Semple,
who swears revenge. Waldo is unable
TO handle the men, and in order TO win
them over resorts TO playing the violin
for them. The chief arrives, and, find
waldo rushes out, accidentally fall
ing over a cliff He loses his memory,
and for year wanders about the
country. BY chance he wanders back
TO camp. Here he encounters Semple
with his wife. A fight ensues, in which
Waldo receives blow which restores
his memory. In later years Waldo
achieves fame and fortune as violin
ist."
The picture is released on Novem-
Der 8.
Isaac Newton. by the way, need not
have gone to the trouble of smoking
out gravity with an apple. Had ne
taken his stand at the foot OF the
nearest cliff he might have discovered
that motion picture actors also fail
sixteen feet the first second.
For some reason or other dramatists
seem to find life most approachable IN
northern England. "Quinneys is laid
in York and "Hobson's Choice" next
door, in Lancashire. These districts
have been used for number Of other
successful character studies when
have been seen on the New York stage
The reason for the stage supremacy
of York and Lancashire is not clear TO
us. The author Of "Hobson's Choice
explains, in a footnote to the pro-
gramme. that the people with whom nc
deals are distinguished by their blunt
self -assertlon, rough colloqulal speech
and pride in the deliberate exercise OF
worldly wisdom" But we know folk IN
Harlem just like that, and one man IN
the Bronx, who is not so different. fol
all of that Harlem and the Bronx still
languish for Interpretation in drama.
Journalism is looking up in the
drama. In three plays of the season
the reporter carries no notebook. Inc
newspaperman of Forrest Winnant, IN
Mrs. Boltay's Daughters is the best
of the lot He is in the play for an
act or so before it is announced that
he is a reporter. Nobody guessed his
secret As far as his department went
he might have been a clerk or a
bookkeeper.
Marion Fairfax. however, is guilty OF
one libel on the newspaper business. In
cautioning her daughter against the
stage a mother says: 81 know of moth
ing more uncertain than an actress
salary unless it be that Of reporter
The ladys fears are groundless. News
paper salaries are prompt 10 fault
So punctual. in fact, that they are
usually drawn anywhere from two
weeks to a month ahead of time.
The plays which We would commend
for more or less fidelity to the. news
paper business are "Under Fire" The
Eternal Magdalene" and "Mrs. Boltay's
Daughters"
In one respect, however, the drama
still is miles away from the city room
George Cohan brings out New YORK
Tribune in the second act of "Hit-The
Trail Holiday" with an eight column
head Booze Expert Turns Temperance
Preacher" Really it could not be done
on our desk even if the concession is
made that the story is worth more than
a couple Of sticks. But the worst
heads of all are written for the moving
picture newspapers. IL Is our sugges-
ton that a copyreader be appointed to
the National Board Of Censors.
Melodrama may be dead, but its lines
live. 81 believe" says the hero OF "The
Eternal Magdalene," that woman
who has made one mistake is good
enough for any man. And il she hasn't
she's too good"
George Cohan's chief character in
"Hit the Trail Holiday" Is undoubtedly
drawn from Billy Sunday, but there is
also little of Samuel Hopkins Adams
about him. advertising is a great
thing" says Holiday, "but you've got
to tell the truth"