The Washington times., 1915-01-13
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
Picture Plays Made
From Famous Books
Should Tell the
Books Story.
By GARDNER MACK.

Some days ago attention was
called to the manner in which the
story of Mrs. Wisgs Of the Cab
bage Patch" had been made into a
photoplay with q rather severe con-
domination Of the method. One or
two OF our readers who saw the
play but were not familiar with the
book or the stage production took
us to task for our comment. From
their point OF view. they were alb
solutely right to do SO. our COM
ment was based upon a reading OF
the book and view OF the origi-
nal stage production. And the name
OF the production was given 1t for
the purpose OF attracting attention
OF Just such people as we are-that
is the only excuse for il. The COM
Deat-of our friends regarding the
SEVERITY OF our comment raises
new point in the consideration OF
motion picture plays. We have
noticed it several times, but have
tororc..
There. have been several big plays
or books utilized for motion picture
exploitation, the photoplay being
nothing at all like either the book
". the stage production. The only
thing II had that was anything like
was the title. and the names Of the
characters. Now. the title had
meaning only for people who had
read the book or seen the staE&
play. such persons could not fail
to associate the title and the
names Of the characters with: tho
book or the .Ilay they had read or
seen. and when the photoplay, had
nothing in common with either
they would naturally be dis.
appointed and condemn IT. just as
we did Mrs. Wiggs Of the Cab
base Patch. Our friends tell us
,ins those friends who know not the
the photoplay was a very. pleas
ing melodrama. We believe it
or 1t. But it was Nor mrs.
Wigs" as we know her by any
process Of reasoning. and. there
name was bad business on. the;
part OF the producer. Any other
name would have attracted rco-
pie who did not know her Just as
well. 1t seems to us that photo
playwrights and producers should
take them irto consideration when
they make their plays and produce
them. They would help their own
business more b. sticking closely
to the text they pretend TO stick
to by their titles---or leave them
alone altogether.
Tho whole business OF photoplay-
. wrishtink Is undergoing very big
change. Louis Reeves Harrison de-
votes considerable space to the. sub
1ect in the latest edition OF the Nov
ing Picture World. Among other
things he says:
Moving pictures seem to be in q
state OF transition from the murder
which express some resultant OF
human experience worthy Of atten-
tton; Every author who has made
they respond quickly to a presen-
tation which h makes a clear and d.
rect appeal to intelligence. That
intelligence may vary among indi-
vidual units. but the concentration
enforced b. screen presentation
puts the aggregate mind in a re
ceptive condition. 4 state In which
there is very little to distract atten-
nonsense about pictures ia as uni
versal as love OF musict-only those
who lack 1t can tolerate discords.
Comedy, even OF the farcical
kind. is in large demand because of
wearisome repetition in serious
originality can deliver us and OF
discordance in others from which
only authors capable OF solving deep
and overwhelming problems can
give uI freedom. Writers who have
studied our social impotence. our
political corruption. the 1desprsad
distrust of laws and conventional
morality. and kindred problems can
IND themes enough. And when the
soundest Of such writer's give these
subjects of universal interest ade-
quate treatment We may all enjoy
really hish-class screen productions
especially with full-blooded charac-
ters and not wooden marionettes IN
the cast