Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-18
FLASHES
FROM THE
HHE KING OF KINGS"
which opens i'll Washing
BY c. e. NELSON.

ton today. comes in for &
broadside from the indie
pendent Order B'nai Birth, and the
producers have something more &c
worry about. 1t would almost seem
thas the production of new pic
ture, ii it takes up any big or timely
subject, is the object of very close
examination, and that it is liable tc
be condemned by some organization
IN any case. When The King OF
Kings" was first produced and eX-
hibited there was little complaint
but its progress from now on may
not be so smooth. unless certain
changes are made in the tlnl. ne
following comes 10 the writer desk
from the B'nai Birth headquarters,
in Cincinnati:
Likelihood that changes in the
film known as The King of Kings
will be made. and OF obtaining an
agreement with the producers that
il will not be presented IN those
European countries where It might
be source of danger to the Jews,
is held out in a statement which has
Just been issued by the Anti-Defa-
nation League of the Independent
Order B'nai Birth. The picture has
been publicly denounced in many
Jewish pulpits.
THE picture, founded upon the
story of the New Testament. has re-
ceived from its first inception the
most earnest attention OF those III
charge of the nti-Defamation
League. If it had been within the
power of the league TO have pre-
vented the making of the picture,
that power would have been eXer-
cised. Not having that power, the
league has directed its efforts to-
ward a intimidation of the i'll et-
fects that the picture from its very
nature would produce. Modihca-
tons of the original designs were
effected before the picture was eN-
hibited. Other requests then made
were denied. The refusal has not
deferred the league from pressing
its demands. and these have lately
been recognized by Will H. Hays,
president of the Motion Picture Pro
ducers and Distributors of America.
He will hold a conference with the
president of B'nai Birth for the
purpose of taking steps to remove
a. far as possible the leagues OBJ
jections to the picture"
DAMON RUNYON, the sports
- writer, has written an original
story entitled The Geezer' for Uni
versal pictures. For the benefit OF
those not familiar with prize fight
terms it is stated that "geezer
is set-up fighter. And if one does
not know what a "Set-up" is he is
out of luck with the Runyon picture.
THE first official notice of change
l. of policy among the local Stan
ley-Crandall theaters was given out
this week. and it has to do with the
Earle and Metropolitan. By the
change the Earle becomes the prin-
Cipal theater of the organization, as
was predicted in these columns some
time ago. The playhouse will be
closed for six days. throwing open
the doors again on Christmas day.
De luxe presentations will be fea
tured, and Edward l.. Hyman, man
aging director of the Brooklyn Mark
Strand theater, also under the Stan
ley direction. will recruit the stage
presentations on Broadway. The
theater holds the First National Pic
lures franchise and will present such
film stars as Colleen Moore. Richard
Norma Talmadge, Billie
Dove and others. Daniel Breeskin,
who once conducted the orchestra
OF the Metropolitan, will handle the
baton at the Earle.
Many changes will be made in the
theater during the next few days,
carpenters rebuilding the stage,
electricians installing new lighting
appliances and decorators putting IN
new draperies and fixtures.
TT is reported that "Sorrell and
i Son" has bettered the box Office
record of "Underworld" in New
York. The picture will continue in
definitely on Broadway, and it has
resulted in Joseph N. Schenck,
president of the United Artists Cor
poration writing very nice letter
to Director Herbert Brenon. A part
of the letter is as follows:
Movies spawned and grew great
on universal patronage OF the
masses, and the salvation and func-
ton of motion pictures lie in pro-
duction of them for these same peo-
nle. who made films the mass art
and Americas fourth largest indus
try. Pictures are not made for the
few, but TO entertain and amuse as
MANY people as possible. They are
successful, therefore, in proportion
TO the amount of entertainment they
give majorities of people, who blunt
" elect to go of their own free will
or elect to stay away. Your SCR
rell and Son has been a splendid
tesla definite test OF entertainment
value"
Then Mr.. Schenck goes on to say
NAT individual opinions, whether of
ktar, director or writer, have little
Tor no weight in ultimate measure
ment of films worth as entertain
ment; that the choice OF the entire
movie-going public is of a higher
average of intelligence than picture
producers recognize. The people
are picture wise" says Mr.. Schenck,
land the public makes its own deci-
sions upon the merits OF films. The
majority rules in films, as in cleo
tons. The force AND the influence
of the motion picture will remain
only as pictures continue to be the
one great art for the masses"
y
TWO years ago Mia Naldi, then
J. quite prominent in the motion