The Washington times., 1916-04-05
eaetcplay Patron Finds Three
Directors Haven't Produced
Picture Of This Kind.
AL MUST HAVE A CHANCE
Motion Picture Student Gives
Times Interesting Comment
on PubIic's View Of Films.

There are three directors who have
not yet produced a "Theda 3. Nance
O'Vampire" type OF photoplay. Until
thehe directors work out their des-
tiny the vampire will continue to do
plain and fancy vampiring in film
At 10 cents pei vamp!
This. ia written in response to q
ouerry from patron Of pictures as
70 how much longer the so-called
vampire II to be a star idea OF mo-
ton pictures in which actresses, who
are otherwise very much liked, are
being shown.
Ideas appear to be the most val
sable things In motion picture stu
dos. And the directors Of film plays
appear to be the most generous sort
Of men. Let one director produce
q picture-the criticism comes from
3 patron of the pictures-and anoth-
or will shortly take up the same
idea Whether II is slavish imitation
to show up the frst as cheap ANA
teur 10 not apparent. Tho fact re-
malns, however that motion picture
ideas go though all the studios. Ev-
eys company must produce one or
more pictures OF the same type.
me patron who put this query
had b most intelligent lot OF COM
ment TO make on pictures In general.
IN. the way-givinE what might be q
Ayfiboshim Of the ideas of his friends.
Pictures No Longer Novelties.
rPictures." he told the Photoplay
Editor OF The Times" are not now
cities. They are staple forms Of
amusement The public recognizes
them as such but the men who make
films don't seem to have realized
II yet We don't want to be awed.
We want to be entertained. I'm get
ting rather sick Of all this eternal
triangle stuff in imitation of the
stage and the cheap novels. Likewise
I'm getting very tired OF the imita-
ton.
There seems to be feeling among
the photoplay companies that II one
produces a play with AN idea in 1t
that makes good all the other COM
Ranies must Immediately do the same
thing. Very often the idea that
made good. made good just once be-
cause OF its novelty. Or more often
yet because of the personality OF the
person playing II.
There doesn't seem to be much
deep emotion possible for a film
actress nowadays unless somebody
steals her husba nd or she attempts
70 steal somebody's husband. That
10 because one. of the companies pro-
dueed a picture of that sort, Now
all OF them must.
Actresses Who Are Miscast.
Nance o'Neil, a capable actress,
who has a lot of warm admirers.
has been shown in the most awful
line OF work recently one could wish
10 see. II we want to see the good
acting OF Miss ONeil we have got to
take 1t done up In very messy plot.
S"Dorothy Bernard. whom we all
Hike. and who l think is one of the
most capable young women in mo
ton pictures, Is being given a lot Of
these heaven save-me -while-I-roll-
my-eyes roles. instead of the human,
real American young woman things
she can play better than anyone I
know.
thing like Peggy In which Billie
called emotional stuff well-of course.
because she's an artist. But she can
emote as a young girl with equal
effectiveness and quite lot more
spontaneously and joyously.
'These are Just samples Of the way
the things are being done. l know
that the rapid way in which pic
, lures are being turned out accounts
for certain amount of carelessness.
The producers don't have time-or
don't take tIme-to find out just how
the people like to- see their stars. II
they do find way they give you
that star In that kind of a part only.
Marguerite Clark has suffered much
from this sort of handling. She Is q.
thorough artist. but she was destined
for one line OF parts only-that Is, one
type of a line Of parts with many
types.
E"There are very few people nova
days who are loyal to any one COM
pany of producers. We know we'll
Ret>a fair run for our money with
lot OF them, and we patronize them
all. We are likely to be badly stung
by them all, too-just on the basis
that have stated. Can't they give
us a little cleaner stufr-not so much
OF the vampire and a little more OF
our favorites in different charac-
ters?"