Evening star., 1926-10-24
THE other Saturday afternoon,


time hanging heavy, we
- stopped off at one of the
neighboring movie houses
and for an afternoon, single after
noon. we were boys again.
The theater was packed to the
gun'ales, simply packed with pre-
cious load of humanity-boys and
girls-and we discovered who consti-
tuted real movie audience, who en-
Joyed the movies most and who the
movie fan really is.
We had wondered, time and again,
about the why and wherefore Of
movie serials; why they were writ
ten, why they were produced and
who enjoyed them. Now we know.
They are written and produced for
the greatest movie audience in the
world, the boys and girls who have
not yet reached their teens. The
serials are the thril.ers that answer
a special purpose; they are put to-
gether with one idea in view, and
they are the "Ben-Hurs" and "The
Four Horsemen" of the Kingdom of
Childhood. "Hoot" Gibson, Harry
Carey and Tom Mix are really
heroes; sharpshooting, hard-riding,
strong men, who make special ap
peal to young imagination.
And the Saturday afternoon per-
torrance is a worthwhile release.
For an hour or two those boys and
girls who sat around US were in a
land of dreams-camp fires, noun
tains, cowboys, swift vengeance.
They rode over vast plains, their
ponies keeping stride with that of
the movie hero; they shot down buff
faloes In swarms; they rescued
blonde maidens from almost inde-
scribable perils. and when dusk came
they seated themselves about blow
ing camp fires or watched the out
posts for skulking Redmen 1t is
the blowing off of steam" such as
every normal American schoolboy
gathers after week of school books.
He is allowed by the theater manage
nent to hiss the villain to his little
hearts content. He can applaud and
stamp his feet when the hero jumps
from nine story precipice. He can
even shoot his popgun when the bull
lets are flying thick and fast i'll the
screen action.
serials are produced for. They are
good movies for the purpose. They
are superb movies. And for single
afternoon we were boys again.
X X X
What Price Glory?" which had
late revival at the President Thea
ter, is having trouble in the movies.
Cuss' words are holding it up. The
printing of subtitles presents a prob
lem On the stage the words came
out, they shocked for an instant, and
is considered somewhat differently.
When expletives appear in type they
appear just about twice as bold as
the spoken or pantomimic word.
That is the trouble. Those who
have lived with the production since
work started on the film last Febru-
ary find themselves too Injured to be
able to give unbiased opinion. AS
consequence the print is being ex-
hibited to others, who are to act as
impartial censors of the explosive
language. The use Of the cuss word
was large part of the stage produc-
ton, and it is hardly to be expected
that the Stallings gs-Anderson script
as photoplay will be robbed of the
picturesque language.
From the Fox studio comes word
that all reports now circulating re-
garding the opening of the picture
in New York are premature. No
opening date has been decided upon,
as the production requires much
final polishing" before it is ready
for the photoplay audiences.
The American farmer is not
"hick,'" never was a "hick," and he
>trenuously objects to being termed
"hick." Therefore, the New Hamp-
shire Farmers Association has pre-
pared protest which is to be mailed
to Will H. Hays. "czar" of the photo
play. The "hick farmer" depicted in
the movies, with hayseed in his hair
and his trousers stuffed into cowhide
boots. must be succeeded by the
modern type of farmer-a real coun-
try business man.