The Washington times., 1916-02-04
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
By GARDNER MACK.
Pollock GrillS til e
CensorS of Carmen
In a Humorous
Criticism
By GARDNER MACK.

Charming Pollock. who once made
take notice through the columns OF
The Times as real honest-to-
= goodness critic of the drama. has
blossomed forth as humorist!
Pollock was a real dramatic critic
when he was in Washington and to
this is probably due his overdevclop-
ment Of the sense of humor which
most Washingtonians have. When
he left here he began to write plays
and what might be termed the
higher criticism OF the drama
meaning that it was published in
ma gaines instead Of newspapers.
Dramatic criticism was to him a
very vital thing, and mis- ideas OF
what was and what was not honest
and four-square of dramatic value
in a play were expressed in q style
that made them worth while. both
because of their literacy and their
critical value.
A few months ago Pollock was in
ture business. And Immediately
thereafter he was announced by the
editor of the Photoplay Magazine
as humorist! Just what connec-
ton there is between the two the
editor of the Photoplay Magazine
doesn't cxplain-and the editor OF
the Photoplay Magazine also has a
hington-nurtured sense of hu-
NOR, 1t might be mentioned in pass
inE.
However, Pollock's sslutatory in
the realm OF humor creates a brand
new prereGcnt. His work Is really
humorous AT least the first that
has come into prf&t in the magazine
referred to is really humorous. II is
Of motion pictures He finds that
tho young girls definition of CEN
Sors as things that are empty and
make a great deal Of smoke and
smell from almost nothing; and that
they should swing" is a real defini-
lie states further that & censor Is
a politicians way Of correcting ma
ture, which gave us five senses and
only one conscience"
Still further along in his essay, he
states that Discretion Is the better
part of virtue. To the poor all things
are pure" And so, episramatically.
on. But he reached climax in the
literary tears he sheds over the fig
uIe of q censor-reformed Carmen"
Thus:
considering that it is forty years
to the music Of Bizet, Carmen might
have expected the Difference due old
age Beautifully filmed. and beauti-
fully acted by Geraldine Farrar. sho
came as a bolt from the blue to
shocked and surprised boards in
Ohio, Pennsylvania and California.
Her ancient kiss, that inspired the
Ara -
ordered cut to five feet.
Just a little love. little kiss,
wsrbled the Buckeyes. and nothing
more than a yard and two-thirds
Of affection came within that allow
ance. All love scenes showing en-
braces between males and females
were ordered measured and trimmed.
leaving the cigarette maker to give
her life for a purely paternal neck
from the bashful bull fighter. Esca-
milo.
Come to think Of It. however,
Carmen wasn't permitted to give her
life, either in Ohio or in California. 4
local board In the latter State OBJ
tected to the killing OF woman by
z man. though there IL no opposition
30 the killing OF men bv women.
After all. girls will be girls! 1t Is
only the male who must not be en-
couraEed, Pennsylvania banned the
uttle Set-lO DelWefH '~ai Ilth anu
Frasouita. and the duel between
Morales and Don Jose.
"All this had taken place dozens
OF times in the opera in Phila delphia.
without apprcciable effect upon the
police records. but. apparently. the
censors were comforted by the re-
lection that no one knows what an
opera is about. anyway. Camille Is
forbidden in England. but there has
been no ruling against 'Traviata.
ohio prevented Door Carmen's 8
smoking ono Of her own cigarettes.
and. in one State or another. the
mai iesty Of the law raised the level
ot her d-colletase. restrained her
fIom barring the shoulder of her
rival. and interfered generally with
the artless DISPLAYS OF temper and
temperament. Carmen as amended
srd expurgated. must have borne a
striking family resemblance to Elsie
Dinsmore.'
IF have failed to keep my prom
ise. and be 'eXcrucia tinglv funny.
YOU will admit that the censors are
making II up to You.' q. NJ.