The sun., 1916-08-27

ere infinite possibilities there which
have" not az yet been developed. I
think there Is a great future for Ii,
c.n"mas. The industry has Just bare
~ begun In the nation. Putting n"
movies N China. I must confess, 10 a
fascinating experiment.
before the China Cinema Company
put In .ts appearance in the cast
cities. American Aims were IN some
vogue. The advent of the first Charlie
Chaplin MIN in China really was anus
Ing. Tho natives didn't think he was
funny at first. Later they began 20
initiate him and soon Charlie Chaplin
Inustaches were as popular as they
were In New York not so long ago.
And let me say that there are un.c
Cinnamon who are Just as funny as
CNaiHe chaplin ever was and can I've
quite as ludicrous in their actions be-
iord tho camera or elsewhere ~ he
con ever hope To be-"
But Chaplin Is about the only man
that ever attained even "a small de-
gree of popularity in China. The
Chinese do not seem to display inter
est In any one else. hut the foreign
population In the embassies and con-
sulates can always be depended upon
70 %patronize the American variety.
Tha, is why Mr.. Brodsky has not a
complete monopoly Of 'he field. al
though his hold On the interior cities.
50 far az h employment of native
talent and the taking OF native mad.
and native written scenarios are CON
cerned, is practically mistaken.
The scenic beauties Of China lend
themselves admirably to the screen.
incidentally, while carrying out the
motion picture project. Mr.. Brodsky
has been able to get many interesting
and intimate views of the forbidden
city Of Pekin. There are 10000 feet
Of film in this collection. and it is
SAID that the series will soon he shown
in the United States.
About a year ago, at the time " the
big Canton flood, the company opened
their picture houses for u week and
gave the proceeds to the Hood suffer
crs. IL Was stipulated that the heads
nf the various States in which the
theatres were located should sell the
tickets for the benefit. Instead Of do
ing this. the Governors sent word To
their Chambers Of Commerce to dis
pose of the tickets even IL the had
10 buy them themselves. TIL demand
was backed by threats Of dire penal
ties. but II accomplished the result.
More than $40, 600 in tickets were sold.
Under the terms OF the charter
granted the China Cinema Company.
Ltd. Mr., Brodskv receives n salary OF
mot less thal $500 a month"; in return
for which he has complete charge OF
tho administration OF its affairs. as
sisted by the before mentioned "con-
sul,ing committee OF Cinnamon who
are, in effect, what would correspond
TO n board of directors.
Tho growth Of the motion picture
industry in Japan contrasts strangely
with that Of Oh Ma, TfNOs was Il solid
foundation Of education amotN the
masses TO receive them. But in China
just tho opposite is the case. Com
rarativeiy rapid, though, as the growth
~ the industry has been, II will he n
long long time before the movies in
China will reach anywhere near the
size which the business has grown to
in the United States and other coun-
tries. But it will come In the end.
Mr., Brodsky fully believes.
Despite h fact that the potion p!c-
lures taken In China are essentially
Chinese. there IL n certain interest in
them from tho American standpoint,
for here, as perhaps in no other Coun-
try, ~ the viewpoint 80 cosmopolitan.
h Chinese can and do appreciate
them and undoubtedly IL the same pic
lures were shown In tho United States
they might receive "A hearty reception
from the American movie fans.
Rut Mr.. Brodsky says h" has no
immediate intention Of bringing pic
lures OF his Chinese actors over hero.
He is content 10 go On charging a
God where he knows his ground il
firm, and he has Just begun putting
the movies in China" pnlv ~ vers
snail percentage Of the population Of
that great nation has been educated
I, The pictures, Hundreds OF millions
ave yet to know what n moving pic
turc really IL.
III In five or six years leo motion
picture theatres have R.v~n up IN
ChiH5A says Mr.. Brodsky, viii the
rate NJ increase he greater In propor-
ton during the next half decade? II
Is hard To figure that u on a math-
cmltical basis and much OF course will
depend on the proportionate increase
Of education among the natives.
There are large areas that We arc
simply unable 10 reach and We have to
content ourselves with merely touch-
ing the high spots OF the largest cities
Of the interior"