New Britain herald., 1925-03-09
MOVING PICTURES
 AND PUBLIC TASTE

artistic screen portrayal has failed it is logical to assume that the pub lies taste was not met. Artistic films also succeed, however, so that the difference between a films suc- cess or failure cannot be measured by the yardstick of art.
 Variety is an essential in tho film industry as elsewhere. The urge to want "something different" in films is strorS and is not always met. For one reason, 1t is very difficult to include new ideas in every new film: there are not a suniciency of new ideas in the world to meet the | requirements of an industry Of such i quantity production. The old ideas must be revamped time and again, and the producer who finds a new idea that really gives the lie to the saw that there is nothing new un-
 der the sun can consider himself
 fortunate. But he will he unfortun-
 ate if the new idea fails to meet
 with popular approval. Sad to re-
 late. this occurs occasionally,
 Why do some films, which pro-
 ducers planned 10 be "big hits
 turn out to be ordinary box office
 attractions. while other films which
 were not planned to be hits, meet
 with unexampled success? The man
 or woman who can find the reason
 has the key 10 fame and fortune Ill
 the film industry.
 There may be difference be-
 tween the old-timc western film ana
 inc more cffcte present type; but
 in the estimation of many crltlcs'
 hotb types have been greatly ovcr-
 done The "blood and thunder
 variety of drama also is not re-
 pardpd desirable for its effect upon the rising generation. Yet some of the biggest recent success have peer western pictures done on a big Sca'e'
 Critics have been levcling the ,-;s,s of their wrath upon the so> courd "bokum" pIays-tales based r unon elemental emotions ana pro- 5 ioc+ed in an elemental manner. hu' . +no nublic is not made up of critics I a,a # ts commentary of it's taste e that no pabulum seems to De s' { certain of success as "hoku'''' | .or,o film dramas which were glNef K +he Journalistic verdict or penn II ,otninp hut hokum have turned ou c to ho enormous attractions Fron n vnich one can judge that hoku' a will remain whore it is -- the sure \ fire result-g'ttor
 Il ,fbc ''boilel shirt" drama a'S q has attained considera oIo des'e ri os criticism Drawing room scenes e with men and women in eVenm IS u.oo- ot first were not regarded q y, oood screen business. and the com 9r ,,onv which was the first to specla' lc i7a in such productions has nc ar hcen heard of in recent years bl lc ,ne taste of the pubic changed
 desire to gct a closeup Of "N's III ,..n ond We have had pi"n' S. of boiled shirts in the f'mS e'' ' since. noo fly There came time when "eo t. ,u,po drama" became anathema ay aroduccrs. There have been D
 costume plays which were sp''no
 successes. but host of imi'auo'
 onickly ruined the type ol '''
 ,,ora has been a tendency to reN' ny 18th century costumins in r0'''"' i'' that demand 1t. on- Of plays in which there a cIe scenes depicting artists s'na' 'od there has been entirely too 'n'' ery whenever a scenario writer mas his of aav he provides a brain s'' ci- ,osod around an artists ateIier' the ;ou an opporunity to tell the SIC the ae q heantiful model whose folks per The country didn't know she V
 making her living in that mann ght in inc big city; or some such ''" na- The ,ogu2 of palette pictures 10 made fl possible for all ol "3 cut ,..ono acquainted with the any naararce Of an artists s'"o'0' urc l,,.,,ca few of us have ever 0
 to t, lae. Thv chief advantage Of s' .ont ,,;o.,,rcs is that pretty models e' the val tri,nglcs, problems of d'T0' and "GroenNieh N'''as9 .,,..,,,,. I om- be built around them in i'llm,,. ish- ,.ofnsioo, Dr the only disadyan' will being that the public is, ,..'..,, or Q" ping ID he, tired of the proiuSio''. ,cct- ,t has been noticeable that must tub amendment does no' OU' uni ,n directors who stage many ..
 dinner and dancing rarnes ''"' ena- ,,,n currency upon the scre9"'
 of- iryoIving riotous living - "''V con- rackneved theme - are l'eH t to no,rtu, to contemplate; pul IL 10 in a servable that this motif IS Ho " " alted 2 leit-motif in current i''muon "r
 One style of film will he'e