The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-03-16
Censorship Of Names Suggest
ed as One Means Of Improv-
ing Picture Production.
ARE SELDOM APPROPRIATE
Name Of Piece Sometimes a
Big Factor in Keeping Peo-
pie Away From II.

why was the name OF Mrs.
Frances Hodgson Burnetts story,
That Lass o. Lowries," changed to
Secret Lover an overwrought mo-
ton picture patron asks The Times.
That brings UP the general question
OF where the motion picture title
mohEers get the names they give to
picture plays. Nobody except the
gentlemen most concerned seem to
know anything about II. and they
are not always able to give a very
clear explanation.
There IL every reason to believe
that one Of the first reforms that
will be demanded in the photoplay
when the patrons of the institution
get 70 the point where they feel
their demands are given any con-
sideration, will be the matter Of
dtles for the film dramas.
At one OF the local theaters show
ing the Triangle program here this
week a piece was advertised as
''Honor's Altar" The title would
suggest an innocent haxen-haired
angel OF q girl falling against the
door her father had closed upon her.
and fainting midst the rigors OF
property blizzard. her diamond rings
and satin dancing pumps giinting in
the fitful light of the windblown
Easlight on the corner!
Play Was Different.
The play Of "Honor's Altar" was
q magnificently acted drama based
upon the loyalty OF a wife to her
husband. II might have been called
~ Woman's Love-" or just 10y
atty" II the author was really
searching for a descriptive title that
would still carry the idea Of swful
melodrama that seems to be neces-
sary.
II is for this reason-so far as
anyone has been able to gather-that
THAT Lass o. Lowries' became
Secret Love-" and that Sardou's
''The Sorceress" became THE
Witch" and that "Tosca'' became
Tho Kiss OF Hate" But that
doesn't explain some OF the other
titles one sees.
Looking over the CURRENT releases
on one page of motion picture pub
hcation-listing all the releasing
9ompanies-one finds Hop, the
D TSng,. Brew" The Green swamp"
Tho DEVILS Prayer Book" For
hidden Fruit. Tier Debt Of Honor"
The Soul Market" "tieirs Hinges"
In the Web of the Grafters," "Tbe
spider, Sons OF satan" Unto
Those Who SIM" "vultures OF So
clety, The Pawn of Fate" Souls
IN bondage" Her God" Tier
bleeding Heart" THE Unpardonable
SIN. etc, etc.
The trouble with many of these
Titles IL, In the first place, that thew
appear over photoplays that are
otherwise perfectly satisfactory 10
tho motion picture patrons. In the
second place, they keep people away
from the motion picture theaters II
would be to the interest OF the proS
drcers and the theater Manager 70
nave attend film shows.
Ihere are many very valuable
patrons lost to a motion picture
mousse because OF the habit neonle
nave formed of censoring the names
OF SHOWS advertised to appear nj Tho
theater. The average patron has mot
yet learned that the title is hut ~
icing to the cake. That the show a.
ser may be so much better than the
titIe that the two do not compare.
Sensoring the titles would seem IN
DC an excellent task for the nro1
= oucers TO take up with the idea or
producing a few that were not quite