davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
Answer of the Producers

Inc above correspondence was
lrouert 70 the attention Of the Associ
stca First National Pictures, Inc, pro
d4ce1s &C "p ssion." This is the Pro
t.ucers' answer:
10 the T. itor Of The Tribune: This
f2o'4 ~ 20 tHc orssin snd production Of
''psszion.' the super Aim playing this
ss..l NJ the Capitol Theatsr. have been
irhNshed IN ali or the motion picture
f~adc ra1ers.
tir- in atvrrtising motion pictures 60 lay
were produced. thfs company did not see
III. -rasslon- had been produced IN
northern ~. sn.au.- Tno story Is basec
0r Incidents IN thc life ~ Nine. du
barry; ard as critics tate that the
French atmcsphere IL faithfully repro
cuced. & seerned 70 us entirely unneces-
aa~y 20 arorse any lingering prejudice
eTa.rst thags of German origin In what
Ernst Iubitsch. the director of Pas
t.Gn' 10 genius whose accoYnphsh
in~nts. az demonstratsd in Passion"
are far greater than those of sny Con-
tlrer'a ~ motion picture director Of any
1FNoa~lty To gre cred.i 20 Germany
20 the accom- oiishrnent % tfis brilliant
aftizt would be unfair. ana ~ould avg
Tlr "Hrcl of sH-roUrfing mediocre Eu-
tyr~Hn Hifrs Of possible German origin
with a r 0rfafiou ~ h!oh they you'd
nrt be enriIief. lnS srhtires So the
PRINT Of Yasslon'' in use At tho Capstol
~ re very h1r-leAiY made Nr Lub'tsrf
VIE Be glTro credit on ali subaequsnt
Iflnts ~ the FIN issued 0y us
re src informed thsf ono Of your cor.
'ranrrcfnts claims We state that "Pas-
son var Fpeae In RUSSIA. W. have not
fca0e any auch statement 'rro oresa
ffsfteT cent oyt b. the CAPITOL Thcater
ID STATE that Poia %rgri Tho paf
- 'f'essi"n.r - 'tAs OF peilsh oirth atd
fn*t eiis 10 ~ ons time heen nesa-
SER ~ ne froY@c.al Ep~ssan ballot d.s--
.flx taf 7si<n u tho lass czsr. We are
iIfcrra%d t~n7 .he lsN R1as'a prior 10
the eeSth 81 ,ae Gar % appear IN no
.s aiso said n be . talented vio'iniI. we
lnose notrfnx ~ her we ~ 40, know
The Nationality cg The aetDYs IN the cast
4s thy nre al urknot~n Ia ihiz country
svs oid rot fssi ~, ,hefs narsn would
ke ~ inherent 70 the public
IN tn> op'r'en ~ sfpnT p~%s~rf pas-
- ~@w fcrE. ,he n1ara2auient - the
o. pif0i Thestcr srd oUTSslTeB preferred
zna, the pr1fsetien reat IN - roerf,s
"a serssr entertainment The manager
II tire fari'oi h~s l~ttsr tram our
esp~>jalIy for the oereHs ot inauirinx
gsrrrser4xtiVea of ihe pra2s
The National board or Review of
}etioo F5.t1r~s sgfes1 .Fiih ~ mat the
inter Into tf eif consih @ratlon ef -. The
H.s~r1f cos1fntst ~ the bosrf ia.
n 'h4 oDipfon ~ tnnss present. "T,as-
s;pn = NJ ~ tae fnes' porrsysi IT
SarFZ ri riscNd uoon ne reresp. Ar
. pftt0fe NJ tne fin.As fn }ta feeI5,y to
sh% sDsTt Of h,ssory IN - ifoex xins.iou
so1 'fs dramatic yikor and sn no quality
III ~ sotlng Il mus, be rsxsrnes 's as
Ssssts rp1scr !, Is q screen spectselc or
" nfsi magnitude aad wofk ~ true
ri, 1879, 'ns't ~ u shenid infersst
~. "+ shn.s,.s ., me mn" and unique In me-
AgsccrATxp FIRST rArromAx.
PICTURES. Iac.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19

Lee, begins its third week here. "If,"
Prizma study, and "Morsels Pictur-
esque" are among other features on
the program.
FORTY FOURTH STREET --- "'Way
Down East" D. W. Griftith's presen-
tat on in screen form Of the stage
success, is establishing itself as one
OF the most popular amusement at
fractions Of the season.
LYRIC-"Ovcr the Hill," Will Garlic
TOMS poem, made into picture by
the William Fox organization, still
attracts large audiences to this
Forty-second Street theatcr.
RIALTO-Bebe Daniels in screen
version of ooh, Lady, Lady" the
mus cal comedy by Guy Bolton and
P. e. Wodehouse, will head the pro-
gram. The orchestral accompani-
ment makes as much use of the orig
inal score as possible. "A Fireside
Brewer" Mack Sennett comedy;
"The Royal Family of Swaziland" a
Prizma scenic, End the Rialto Maga-
zine complete the tilm program
Maurice Baron will condrSt the or
chestra, which will play his own
composition, "Overturc Triumphale," ="
which won the second prize in the
barytone, will sing an English ballad
and Gladys Rice, soprano, will sing
ooh, Dry Those Tears"
RIVOLI--"To Please One Woman,
written, directed, produced and titled
by Lois Weber, with Cla re Windsor
the stor. is the feature picture
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19

CoLoNIAI-Lco Garlic will head the
no lday bin. The Eyes of Bu dha,"
Summertime," Mayo and Alln. an.
the Russian Cathedral Sinners.
L0Wrv, and Prince, The Nippon Quo
and Alice De Garmo are others who
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
un.s for the popularity Of meJo-

counts for the popularity of meIo-
drama
"The reason we call it melodrap,.
and to some extent look down upor =
is that the average writer Of melo.
drama gets his characters into an aent..
situation by forced and unnatursl
means. But the audience would ra+hs.
see an acute situation, even if brouons
about somewhat unnaturally, than scs
perfectly natural situation that ;s
not acute. -
THE situations in the higher tyne or
drama are really as acute as ;. -.
drama and are more dramatic necsn4s
they hare oeen worked cat More na,,,.
rally and therefore are more conyinc;rc
with q more powerful dramatic efec.
"Me!odramatic dramatists ere ex
pcnents of the drama who. havSne
mastered the fundamental part ~
the art, have not perfected their e>
preston to the point of making thoir
work entirely convincing
The last act of Macbeth is ius- 80
nelodramatic as anything one can
think Of. Nothing could be more neln.
dramatic than the last act of HamIa,
Yet we DO not call this melodrama he.
cause Of the perfection with which
it is worked out. Melodrama is rea;iy
| good drama Observation-Disclosures
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
Audiences Prefer the
''Acute Situations in
Drama, SAYS De Mile

Not melodrapa itself, nor it's acute
dramatic situations, is responsible for the
disrepute into which it has fallen, de-
clares William De Mile. playwright and
motion picture director, but the arti-
fetal methods employed to bring about
the acute situation. And an audience.
he adds, would rather see an acute
situation, even if brought about some-
what unnaturally, than see a perfectly
natural situation that is not acute. Mr..
De Mile has just completed "Midsum-
mer Badness" from the latest novel
Of Cosmo Hamilton, entitled "His
Friend and His Wife," which will have
its New York premiere at the Criterion
! Theater for an extended engagement
beginning Sunday, December S.
IN Melodrama has as its basis hu-
man character in an acute situation. >
explained Mr.. De Mile. "a human
character in such a situstion is al.
ways interesting. This, in brief, &C.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
Ervine Portrays
Ancient Religious
Struggle in Play
Continued from preceding pase>

and that he has found them good. But
he thinks that there are good many
fine people who do not go to prize
fights and yet do not attend the the
ater as often as they might. Make the
theater more thrilling, more vivid,
more alluring, and they will come, he
contends. And what, he would like to
know, is more thrilling than a vivid
presentation Of life as it actually is ?
That is where the great virtue Of st.
John Ervine as playwright comes in.
II should like to present plays like
prizetights," said Mr.. Duncan. There
is no denying the intense enthusiasm
for the latter. If they could. the
American people would make fighting
as much an American institution as
bull-ighting is a Spanish institution.
There is no need for change IN the
type of plays presented in the theater
to accomplish what | have in mind
Vivid presentation is what is needed
author and upon the actors. No au-
thor writes more vividly than does St.
John Ervine, and it rests with the
producer and the actors to mako the
presentation Of his writings vivid.
Ervine is an author who believes in no
puppets. no conventional stage figures
for the presentation Of his ideas. He
draws real characters, who live and
breathe. and, although each one repre-
sents some very definite thing, they
are nevertheless distinct individuals.
Take such plays, present them vividly.
and those who come to see them will
be amused, thrilled and Interested"
The ending Of the play in which
Nora Murray, the Catholic girl who is
engaged to marry Hugh Rainey, son Of
the bigoted Protestant, is shot by a
bullet in the struggle between the
Orangemen and the Catholics. is pro-
phetic according to Mr.. Duncan. The
author wishes to show, he maintains,
that the union Of the active progres.
sive Protestant elements of the north
with the rich, fertile, poetic elements
of the south will never be possible
until both factions set aside their
differences and come to an understand
lnr.
The presentation Of "Mixed Mar
riage" at the BramhaIl Playhouse is
not q venture of one or two men, but
a cooperative undertaking in which
all the members of the cast have
Joined hands. 1t is scheduled to rc-
main for four weeks at the miniature
theater in East Twenty-seventh Street
and then it will probably seek a
larger house nearer the theatrical
i center.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
A Defense of Passion"

When we praised the picture "Pas-
SION" we did speak frankly. All have
agreed that it is an extraordinarily
we'll done film and extremely enter
tanning 1t does not seem to US, how
ever, that it purports to be h storical
IN any way. II is an interest ng story
woven around the mances o. Du
Barry and put into suitable form to re-
ceive celluloid finish. I he fact that
the anachronisms and errors did not
spoil the picture for most people
proves only that most people are not
sufficiently informed on French history
to make these things apparent. Ii it $
true that the picture was made n
Germany the fact was not known to
any one at the time it was shown 1t
was advertised as First National
production with the famous Continen-
tai star, Pola Negri." The director S
name and the names Of the entire cast
we're omitted from the program.
Neither is it strange that no one rec
orn zed the settings as being done in
the original German. In this day Of
wonderful sets. such close copies are
made ard put up in an acre lot that
even were one familiar with Berlin
ard potsdam he would not suspect that
the scenes we're actually laid there un-
less he ad known Of this from some
other quarter.
HARRIETTE UNDERHILL.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
Vaudeville

PALACE-The Mortons and tn
Dooleys will be rivals this week. Sam
and Kitty Morton, with Martha and
Joe, viii present second edition Of
the Four Mortons. Paul Morton and
Naomi Glass Will offer a satire in
two scenes enti led "Thc Spirit Of
Seventy Street" lara Nor
ton VIII appear as single in
solo songaloguc." As fourth
feature, all the Mortons will ioin in
melange Of Morton comedy, family
Jokes and patter. The DooIeys, Cor
DIN and William, omain for sec
ond week in their clowning, done
INTO farce called 1.-TWO Vagrants'
A feature of the program will be
Nine. Bcsson's appearance in "Half
An Hour" playlet by Sir James
N. Barrie, staged by Clifford Brooke.
Bert and Betty Wheeler will do
comedy, song and dance "Those
French Girls,' the Amoras Sisters
and several other acts will complete
the bill
RlY ERslDE--This theater viii cele-
brate It's fifth anniversary with
holiday bill featuring Marie Nord-
strom, Miss juliet, Gilmore and VII.
liams, Paul Decker and company and
Davis and Darneil. "Puritana." Carr
Emmy and His Pets, Norton and
Melnotte and The Rose Revue" will
be seen.
CoLoNIAl~-lco Garlic will head the
no iday bill The Eyes of Bu ana"
Summertlmc,' Mayo and Alln. an,
the Russian Cathedral Sinners.
Lowrv and Prince, the Nippon Quo
ana Alice De Garmo are others who
Will appear.
E'GHTY-rIRsr sTREET-Jane and
hatherlne Lee, The Baby Grands,"
VIII mold headline honors The
screen feature will be King Vidor's
The Jack Knife Man" Others viii
include Nat Nazzaro and conn.,
pany, George e. Moore Revue.
Charles Madeline Dunbar. Yule
and Richards and the Jordan Girls.
HAMiLTON-Eddio Foy and his Fam
lly of Younger Foys viii head the
holiday bill. Clark and Bergman.
tlayton and Edwards, Innis Brothers
Nlta Gould, Camilla's Birds and Aiaz
and Emily will round out the bin.
JEti iERSON Charles Withers. in
'For PHYS Sake" will be the head
!lne attraction. Clark and Arcaro
Mary Haynes, De Haven and Nice,
bradley and -Atdine, Robert Mcrviu
the Leightons, the Rcynoldses and
Bonn and Bohn are others who viii
be seen.
MoSS's BROADWAY Sylvester schaf.
fer, the man who does everything"
heads the cight~act vaudeville bill
Among others ale Harry Cooper and
irawiey and Louise. Billie Burke in
The Frlsky Mrs. johnson" is the
film.
LOEW'S AMERICAN "six Musi-
cal Noses" and Al Friend and sam
downing head the bill thc FIRST half
"i the week "The Tatnl hour" is
The picture. Happy Moments"
minstrel comedy, heads the bin the
last half of the week. "Idols of
Clny'' Is the film.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
In Picture Theaters

CAPITOL-"Passion," the film story Of
the life of Nine. du Barry, which in
tr duced Pola Negri, the Continental
notion picture star to American
u-lence. W nt.nue ut this
theater for another week. This is
the first time in the history Of the
Capitol Thcater that a feature pro-
oCcAcn has been carried over for an
additional week, but this has been
made necessary because of the thou
sands of theatergoers who were un-
b to ~ain a1r,ission to the theatcr.
CRlTER1ON-W liam De Miles mid
SIMMER Macncss," with Jack Holt,
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
Brooklyn Theaters

s'oNTAUk~" The Storm" now In .ss
thSrd engagement here, will bcein
the sixth week Of It's run here TO-
morrow night
MAJESTIC Earl Carroll's romantic
comedy drama, "fhe Lady Of tae
Lamp with the original cast. viii
play here for NECK.
OkPHEnM Harry Carroll will brinc
hia 'Varieties Of I920V to head the
OIL Beth Ecri and company, Em~
met Devoy an company, pafricoln.
Burns and Brabito.
BUsHWICK There viii be II Chr,s,.
mas festival bill, with Eduardo and
Elsa Cars'no, Sarao paooon, MIR
xn!st Young and Tim and Kitty
O'Aesra as the Stellar seatures. jim
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19

and Betty Morgan, Claude Golden,
Charles f. Semon.
STRAND-"The Truth About Hus-
b~nds,' First National production,
viii beg the feature. Christmas
fantasy by the Strand orchestra,
yuetide' anthems by the Strand
choristers, and Buster keaton COM
edy Will also be. included Oh the pro-
gram.
LCEW's METROPOLITAN - "Tinc-a-
Ling a musical sketch, viii head
the vaudeville bill the first half Of
the week. "ldols of Clay is the pic
ture
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
Critics of assion''
' dice Protest Over
Film at Capitol

\ number OF letters have come to
The Tribune in regard to Passion"
the feature picture which opened 1t
the Capitol last Sunday. Two Of them
sre printed below.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
Sees Some Anachronisms .

To- the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir; was amazed TO read In your
issue OF yesterdays date the laudable
r.port you published in your theatrical
his week at the Capitol Theater.
saw the play my self, ana had
h0ped to see some critic-especially
yours-speah frankly about 1T. On tho
producers. ] had hoped somebody would
prolest IN the name OF the truth, but
nothing has comel
Passion Is. from beginning to end. full
~ errors and tremendous anachronisms,
ne biggest of all consis Ing in having
after the death of Louis Xr' when, in
reality. the trouble began II years later.
ana Cho,seul. the Minister stays until
the end OF the reign. when he had since
song been replaced Besides. one can
sse the Jricolor IN the hands OF the popu-
.al- ~4vn every body knows, except tbs
.H- Nors md the critics. that II NOT
adopted until lT9o the scene OF the
ueheading is also wrong The capital
de la Revolution. today Place de la Con
,or4e, ".-4on, then, had about the Same
Ieci at ta, present time. Go, MI.
''f,ic and compare And TO crown all
tnis du Barry dies. as young looking as
sne was when she first knew Louis Ky.
about IS years befors (She vas then 90
years old. Born 1885 died 1889
naively believed that the first quality
OF an historic drama should be the his
toric truth ] see. according to the
standards of the present authors. pro
mistaken.
But this might be explained,-if not
by ignorance-4y the fact that TINS sup
rosed French drama was made In Ger
in1ny.' and probably intended Tor anti
french propaganda Your truly,
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19

Shuttle the Queens" Christie
comedy, and the Rivoli Pictorial will
also be seen. The orchestra will
play Verdi's LA Forza del Destino"
as an overture, and Willy Stahl and
josef Waldman, yiolinists, will play
Sarasate's Spanish Dances" a = vio-
lin duet Edoardo Aibano, barytone.
will sing the prologue to 81 Pagli-
acci."
- James Oliver curwood's
"lsobel; or, The Trails End an epic
OF the Northlands, with Jane Novak
and House Peters heading the cast,
is the principal screen attraction. A
Prlzma prologue in natural colors
has been prepared for the presenta-
ton OF the film. High and Dry" q
mermaid comedy, and the Strand
Topical Review are also included on
the OrOQram.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
At Outlying Houses

SHUBERT- T-RlvIERA-Lee Shubert will
present Leo Ditrichstein in the ro-
mantle melodrama, The Purple
Mask" for weeks run. This will
be MIR. Ditrichstein's last appearance
in New York in "The Purple Mask"
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
A German Production
December IS. 1890.
z ftvh~ srr{A.x

sre printed below
A German Production
10 the Editor OF E'he Tribune
Sir: last nisht ventured TO see a
new play ST the Capitol" sheater called
eAssion snd wss greatly startled 10
earn taat this picture was made IN Rus
80 and that the star "pola Negri." was
sn.Eoduced as being star dancer or bet
e1Ars court al Pe,rosrad.
The truth about this show is. that it
!es,,,o,'N nes oesn S[ea5ed .s and brought out in
IL famous German stars. Ths entire
Play is German. by skilled German
actors, All we'll known in their country,
1nost OF them actors OF high class Berlin
stages.
he very show I have myself sesn.in
Ner.in either In April or in May dtSfhis
sion has been staged. and anybody Who
knows bit OF Germany. Berlin and
fotsdan will certainly recognize the
Regal Castles and the park OF Sanssouci
show OF sucn refinement and ilnesss
~ every respect rarely has been shown
a. ;his country. al least not for the last
cannot see any, reason for iieing and
zone ealing the truth Of the origin, CIV
ing the American public false impress
,ions, a thing that should have passed.
4 ~on-p pany mat makes Thousands and
thousands OF SIS out OF the New Workers
pockets ought not 10 lie to its patrons
but tell the truth as TO where their
money goes.
II Americans. and believe the COM
lany behind the Capitol Theater 10 be
1909 American. feel like prohteerins
-ro-u so-caiied enemy products the pub
JIG should know az well tho company
does
take It that cowardiy trick is
played on the public, and & company of
Ills ..lII should be nailed down. AS 1t
looks mo the 1905 Americans dc not
"4ra where the SIS they make come from
he public may care where II goes to.
SlN at the same time there is much
sneer.ng at everything German. The
HUN" has shown a perfect perform
4uce. and once 1t will be known that
Passion was Made in Germany" as
.ihs truth Will out in this case, we'll
il many others to come.
wish you would kindly make my
statement public and give the company a
chance 10 answer my challenge.
W
New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
RIyERslDE-This theater will colt

brate is fifth anniversary with
holiday bill featuring Mario Nord
atrom, Miss juliet, Gilmore and vii
liams, Paul Decker and company an,
Davis and Darnen "Purtana," Car
Emmy and His Pets, Norton ane
Melnotte and The Rose Revue" will
be ''
Evening journal., 1920-01-09
NEW TREND OF THOUGHT
in RAH RAH SPORT
RY IORRY JACOBS.

NEW YORK, Jan. 9-At least three
things indicating a new trend Of thought
in regard to physical education grew
out Of the meeting Of coaches and ath-
letio instructors OF American colleges
di the meetings Of the y. C. A. A. a.
the Hotel Astor here.
First was the development OF the fact
that football. according 20 The concen-
sus Of opinion OF coaches, has reached
its final stage and the public will no
longer be bothered trying to assimflate
new rules every year. In other words,
IN the bslief Of coaches for that sport
The game is now standardized and rules
rrom 8olv on will undergo few changes.
The report by the football rules COM
nittoe here was TO he effeOt that the
ipen game now made possible by rules
l3de In other years almost entirely elm
bates undesirable features such as
mass play, gives the greatest possible
play TO skill and mental ability and the
smallest 90 Drawn and weight, and is
most pleasing from the spectators point
n view
The second development was that In
'egard 90 boxing The recommendation
= Secretary Of War Baker and others
that boxing be made a regular part OF
college curriculum Of physical train
ing was accepted generally and It is
likely that this year viii see a great
development along that line.
The third development was the adop-'
ion OF the suggestion OF Or. J. 2. Ray
'roft OF Princeton, that physical tests
IN colleges be standardized as follows
I'm order 10 successfully pass a physi-
eel training examination an applicant
must be able to run 100 yards in IA
seconds or less, throw hand grenade
30 yards into a target 10 feet square,
made a running broad jump Of - feet.
climb an5#ight-foot smooth fence un-
assisted and compete successfully in an
Ibs,acle,race which is TO be standard
zed
That America is going seriously into
Evening journal., 1920-01-09
HoIdouts Hare the Stage They're
Got q Knockout Act This Year
BY FRED TURBYvILLE.

With the price Of ham and eggs
where it is, we have a hunch the late
winter pastime OF holding out on the
baseball magnates will be more pOpu-
lar than before. 10 is now only a mat
Ter Of weeks when the baseball stars
and the bushers Will trek southwark
for the land Of sunshine and hoe cakes
As usual 90 per cent. Of the baseball
ers Will be under contract by that
time, but in the meantime 10 IS probable
that The wires and the mails will be
unusually charged with cOmmunlca-
tlons for Snd against the advance-in-
wages thing.
The most famous holdOut OF the win
ter is Babe Ruth As long as Babe was
holding out on the Red Sox he looked
like a regular holdOut, but when the
New York Yankees bought him for
si2j.00O. the case didn't look so inter
estlng for the fans who had an idea
that the Yanks, after paying such a fab
UlOus sum for his release, wouldn't
"holdout" against Babe long, and at
least would meet him half way.
The baseballers this winter are more
insisien. than ever in their demands.
They are no different from the rest
Of the wage-earning population Of the
good old L. S. A. in this respect. The
economists tell us that the dollar is
worth only 30 cents or so, and that be-
ing the case, a baseball player figures
he is worth more than he was a year
ago
The most famous gang OF holdouts
is the aggregation Of Cincinnati Reds,
worlds champs. The Reds weren't
heavily laden with salary during the
season Of 1919 or course. they got a
big siloe Of worlds series Jack but
there is no guarantee that they will
repeat
al Of the 10 Reds were unsigned at
ihc start OF the year 10 is said that
H0d Eller. one Of the best pitchers in
the big leagues last year, and the
bright star Of the worlds series, drew
only about S2iOO for his seasons work.
That isn't very high pay for a major
Lacquer these days. 40 wonder Hod
s thinking seriously about the offer
made him 20 become assistant manager
rf a mining company at Danville, I'll.
And there is BIN Rariden, catcher de
lake. the wealthy farmer and fruit rails
er Of Bedford, Ind Wa'al Bill likes the
rural life so we'll he doesn't care
whoop whether he plays any more or
not. He has ammassed $4,000 from
baseball and has a wonderful little farm