The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-10-29

AS usual. each bout ends with .rt
p!s3.ed firmly on the mat and ,he
supporters of commercialism prepar-
ing a victorious snake dance through
the streets. In all their various COM
bats, which have been going on ever
since coin was first introduced into
an otherwise perfect world, art has
invariably come out second best. It
may have scored a few moral victories,
to be sure, but that is small satisfac-
ton, as any Yale man will be glad to
tell you.
: Commerciallsm is not only a for
midable adversary in itself. but 1t has
all the publics support. Its cheering
section occupies the entire grandstand,
While the adherents of art can be COM
fortably accommodated In the press
box.
For instance. there has been pic
ture at the Rivol during the last week
entitled The Impossible Mrs. Bellew."
Gloria Swanson is its star and Sam
Wood its director.
The critics on the New York news
papers were almost unanimous in hail
ing THE Impossible Mrs. Bellew" as
peculiarly pretentious bit OF bunk.
None of them could think up a good
word to say for 1t. And yet the public
vent right ahead as though nothing
had happened and favored this film
with it's patronage to such an extent
that It has been moved to the Rialto
for second week on Broadway. What
is more, 1t Is sure to carve out highly
profitable career for itself all over the
country. II one may believe those
oinens sent down by the gods OF the
box Office.
In fact the criticisms Of THE I'm
possible Mrs. Bellew' have apparently
carried as much weight with the film
fans as the Don't Get Hurt!'' signs
with the taxi drivers.
There Is another case at hand which
demonstrates the same facts in a diff
ferent manner.
Last winter VIII Rogers appeared
in picture called "One Glorious Day"
IL was strange, eerie affair. which
bore absolutely no resemblance to any
movie that had ever been seen before.
The New York critics praised 1t en-
Enthusiastically, saying that it was anus
ing. sympathetic, and, above all, orig
inal. 1t was a distinct credit to the
screen.
But the public at large either failed
70 read these criticisms or paid no
Intention to them, for"One Glorious
Day. turned out to be one glorious
flop The box office reports were as
chilly as the reviews were warm.
The proprietor of the Fairyland The
alter in White Castle. Ind. had this to
say about it: "As punk as ever seen
on my screen. Patrons left before they
saw 1t all. Crazy and nothing to it,
The same sentiments were expressed
by an exhibitor who showed IL at the
he: Punk. Lay off. Too much i'm
possible stuff and altogether too silly
10 offer Intelligent people
The italics are ours, but the words
themselves are direct quotations from
the Box Office Record of the EG-
hi6ttor's Hcruld---a thoroughly reliable
source, be 1t said.
These two instances that have
mentioned-"The Impossible Mrs. Bel
lew" and "One Glorious Day"--are ex-
IRENE cases, to be sure. There have
been great many photoplays upon
which the critics and the fans have
agreed. including "Torable David"
The Three Musketeers" and THE
Kid"
AS a general rule. however, the
opinion OF the New York critics--and
of the New York audiences, for that
rnatter--is of small value outside the
moist boundaries of Manhattan. Pic
lures which fill the Capitol or the
Strand are frequently rejected by the
inhabitants of White Salmon, Wash.
The reason for this is fairly OBJ
vfous.
New Workers. look at pictures
through the eyes of practiced theater-
goers. They we're paying money in at
the box Office long before the first
Gaumont and Pathe comedies were
ever shown at the Eden Musee on
Twenty-third street. They under
stand the conventions of the theater--
they have followed its progress care
fully--and they have attained a de-
gree of sophistication which IS bound
10 influence their attitude toward mo-
ton pictures.
In the small towns the great major
lily of movie fans have never pro-
crossed beyond the East Lynne"
stage. Their knowledge OF the drama
goes no further than the days when
Owen Davis and Lincoln J. Carter
We're in their prime. They have never
been fed upon the works of Eugene
O'Neill. or Shaw. or Galsworthy, or
even Clare Hummer, and their point
OF view Is limited.
Consequently such pictures as
where Is My Wandering Boy To-
night?" Rags to Rk5hes" and More
% Be Pftie5 Than Scorncd" hit them
directly between the eyes. These con-
form to their idea of sterling drama.
while "Onc Glorious Day" The Cab
met OF Or. Csligari" and Broken
Blossoms" are too modern for them
TO understand.
The movie producers, therefore, are
confronted with large problem.
They must make pictures which viii
he sophisticated enough TO please the
audiences in the big cities and unso-
phlsticated enough to get over In tho
outlying districts. The,- mist appeal