The Washington herald., 1922-05-08
The Motion Picture World.

Nv States are in Washington for their annual
A'A convention at a vital period in the devel-
opment of the industry they represent
The screen drama is long past its experiment
tai stage. Within comparatively few years it has
become a fixed element in American life. 1t has
exerted. the whole, influence for good. The
theaters have broadcasted opportunities for cul-
ture. Great masterpieces of world literature have
been brought within reach and understanding of
all people at all times. cleaner atmosphere for
neghborhood gatherings has been provided to
place the nauseatng influence of the barroom
the tobacco-clouded stuffiness of the village lodge
Most. films have promoted and encouraged
the moral and heroic in the lives of and
women. The plots discourage evil and reward
virtue. The theaters at their best form trinity
with church and school for the education of the
race.
Many criticisms, it is true, have been hurled
against moving pictures. Most of these come from
bigoted moralists to whom everything that adds
to the pleasure of living is devl-born, for whom
Heaven lies at the top of a ladder of swords and
hell at the foot of rose-arbored country lane. A
few, however, from liberal and intelligent
thinkers with no other motive than to encourage
further promotion of joyful living. 1t is these
criticisms that the theater owners must answer.
The moving picture world has responded too
readily to the suggestions of the people. Some
times, believe, its leaders have taken steps in
the wrong direction against their better judg-
ment. They have, in the first place, encouraged
worship of false heroes. They have permitted
condition to obtain where such gentleman
Mr.. Douglas Fairbanks, fairly good-looking and
skillfu acrobat, stirs the imaginations of and
women than such as Senator Lodge,
Baron Kato, Rudyard Kipling, Jack Dempsey, John
J. Pershing Walter Johnson Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg. They have encouraged unhealthy
trend in public thought to point where a
Der of pretty but ignorant girls
thusiasm than Jane Adams, Mary Roberts Rine-
hart Carrie Chapman Gait or Madame Schumann-
Heink.
The pendulum of public opinion swung so far
in this direction that just it has started the
opposite way with considerable momentum This
was, to be expected. 1t will cause real injury to
the moving picture business few unfortunate
scandals among film actors to light, lurid
with saacous details. The result has been that
the whole profession is in danger of being branded
as composed of drunkards, dope iends" adulter-
ers, bigamists and murderers.
When false heroes fall they are like Humpty-
Dumpty in the nursery rhyme. Not all the kings
horses all the kings put them back
in public respect once Such a condition is
unfortunate for the many upright and women
who act before the The Kaiser, for ex-
ample, false hero. If the old gentleman
tomorrow should plunge into the river at Doom
and rescue a child from death but die himself in
the attempt the world would be apt sneer rathe.
than to admire his heroism. In his fall from grace
he pulled all Germany with him and the decent
elements among his former subjects are engaged
in almost impossible struggle to regain respect OF
the world public. The same will hold true in the
film industry. Woe to false heroes when their
falsity is discovered
1t should make comparatively little difference
to the public who acts in a drama. Only
an unfortunate habit makes them applaud indi-
viduals. True, they might resent the loss of their
STARS" There might be slight decrease in pat
ronase for few months. But it would be worth
the price for those financially interested in mov-
ing pictures to end the whole lamentable system
now-to make it as difficult for, film actor to
emerge from mediocrity as for an interior decora-
tor, newspaper reporter, family physician or
school teacher. Certainly in all four of these
lines must possess more genius, more originality
and more intelligence.
Imagine public attracted to a dramatzation
of Vanity Fair, probably the greatest work of fic-
ton written, not because of Thackeray's mas
terpiece itself but because Drainless woman
with corps of press agents is to play the part
of Becky Sharp. 1t is an indictment of American
culture.
If there bad plays the screen they are
not displayed in Washington. District theater
owners maintain a high general average for all
their theaters We never have seen a picture here
which fell far below the high standard of excel
lence established. Neither have we seen many
that rose far above it. We never have seen a
single one where the acting of any individual made
great deal of difference in the general effect
Perhaps in the United States today there are two,
or three men and two three women whose names
deserve to be known to the public because of their
artistry before the There certainly are not
100 more,
1t is lanientable that the healthy effect of the
moving picture on American morals and american
education should be lessened by this unfortunate