The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-02-06

entrance into the movie field of money
folk at first hailed the advent OF album
dant Wall Street money into the indus
try as meaning its transformation into
a Midaslike Paradise. Every one, they
fondly expected, would soon be rolling In
wealth.
They soon learned to their astonish-
ment that Wall Street would not toll
crate the loose business methods, the
wastefulness and the favoritism which
had crept into the movie industry and
eaten up much of its profits. Expert
accountants and efficiency engineers
were set at work investigating movie
companies by the bankers. and the re-
suit has been pairing down of the I'M
essential and the eXtravagant. leading
to a reduction in eXorbitant salaries.
Another vital element in the situation
Is the renewed competition of foreign
films. Passion has already shown
what Europe has been able to develop
On the films since the war, and al least
a score of films that are reported TO be
just as fine are expected soon on the
domestic market from Norway. Ger
many. Italy and England. Foreseeing
this. movie producers feel that now is
the time to clean house at home and
brace the native industry for this RI
valry.
What is said to be a predominant
reason for the caution exercised by pro-
ducers in turning out more pictures Is
the fact that many are overstocked with
sex films. The public Is looked upon as
being satiated by films which emphasized
the note of sex continually, at the ex-
pense of a story that should move and
maintain the interest with a variety OF
incident.
The artificial sex play. with its hectic
impossible vampires--none OF whom ever
existed in real life--is regarded as a
thing of the past by John Emerson, who
with Anita Loos. forms one of the lead
ing independent producers OF to-day
While the present crisis may work in
jury on some actors. he regards this
shaking down on the whole as a good
thing for the industry, since 1t will put
it on more efficient basis.
Author Moves Ahead In Films.
The most hopeful sign in this whole
period Of evolution to Emerson is the
emerging predomnance of the author.
He views with qualification the engage
tne.:. by Famous Players-Lasky. Gold.
wyn and other important firms Of such
eminent authors as Edward Knoblock.
Rupert Hughes. Arnold Bennett. Sir
Gilbert Parker. Mary Roberts Rinehart
Booth Harrington Somerset Vaughan
and Avery Hopwood to write scenarios
direct for the screen, supervising the
production himself and insuring that
some continuity writer does not change
his whole idea and convert II into con-
ventional movie intrigue. Besides CIV
ing each production a distinctive note
under the authors direction. Emerson
believes that the entrance into films OF
men of such matured and we'll poised
powers OF observation will bring the
movies closer TO life. assuring them
thereby Of geater public appeal.
One solution OF the present difficult
ties which Is being recognized by mo-
ton picture promoters as having great
weight lis that OF w. W. Hodl>inson. for
mer head of Paramount, and now a
large distributor on his own account.
Briefly his principle is TO have a num-
Der of producers. working Independently,
who distribute through a common
agency. taking counsel with the head OF
the agency as to the kind of pictures he
thinks the public likes. This. Hodkinson
contends, would lnaugurate a system OF
selective exhibiting by the small ex-
hibitor. who could take his choice in
stead of taking the blanket product of a
company which distributes It's own
wares. as often happens now. and COM
pels the good pictures to carry the bur
den of its failures. resulting in loss OF
public confidence.