Evening star., 1927-10-16
FLASHES
@HE Autumn days seem to be
filled with trouble for the
photoplay producers and ex-

n hibitors, but 1t is a safe bet
that all difficulties will be ironed
out within a short time and that the
great industry will go on it's way
It is a known fact that where big
leaps and bounds have been made by
a particular industry gigantic prob
lens have confronted the leaders
The troubles are often akin to grow
ing pains, which pass away with
time. Will Hays has taken a de-
termined stand on cleanliness" III
the films. He has passed the word
to the producers-especially to two
or three-and he says that the screen
will lead the stage in vast cleanup
Effort has been made in New York
City for local censorship. which is
just the thing that Hays is working
against. The exhibition of several
pictures during the past few weeks
has resulted in Joseph V. Mckee,
president of New York's board of
aldermen, introducing an amendment
TO the code OF ordinances which, it
adopted, will empower the license
commissioner of the city TO cancel
the license of any motion picture
theater exhibiting pictures that are
immoral. indecent or tend to ridicule,
disparage or hold up to obloquy or
contempt any race, creed or nation
atty, or are calculated to arouse
racial, national or religious preju-
dice" Mention was made, when the
amendment was introduced, of cer-
tain pictures lately exhibited which
were found to be offensive to the
Irish. Four pictures were complained
of, their titles being, The Galatians
and the Murphys, Irish Hearts,"
The Shamrock and the Rose" and
"The Garden of Allah" The first pic
ture, it was claimed, ridiculed the
Irish race, the second and third ridi-
culed race and religion, and the
fourth ridiculed religion. The move
ment for New York censorship is
sponsored by the American
Vigilance Committee.
And the photoplay exhibitors are
loudly protesting the chain theater
deal" by which mass contracts give
the hrst-run films to the chain
theaters, to the exclusion of the inde-
pendent exhibitors. The question of
block booking has been taken up by
the Federal Trade Commission. and
the independent exhibitors allege
unfair trade practice"
The move of Mr.. Hays to force
the producers to manufacture only
clean pictures will probably do away
with the idea of censorship, if he can
get the Hlagnates TO agree. If the
leaders of the industry show good
judgment. they will agree without a
word. The very foundation of the
business is built upon the ''clean
entertainment" idea, and no producer
can afford to ignore it. .
1t is unfortunate that such pic
tures as THE Galatians and the
Murphys" and "The Garden of Allah"
should have appeared at the present
time, when there is special feeling
against films of that sort. The
producer of The Garden of Allah"
can be excused for this particular
picture when one considers the great
popularity of the Robert HiChens
novel few years ago. At that time.
and since. no word has been issued
against the book--so why were the
producers and directors in danger
when they took it up for screen.
story. -
Vigilance committees. purity So
cieties, race advancement organiza-
eions and better-morals parties are
playing big part in the life of today,
not only where the motion pictures
are concerned, but in nearly all
phases OF everyday living. Criticism
is principal factor in the scheme of
things, and it is natural that pot
shots should be taken at the movies.
The fact that a motion picture has
high entertainment value is lost sight
of in the wild scramble to criticize !;
the motion picture is a public institu-
tion, and it is therefore open to the
critics, professional and otherwise.
Censorship will play havoc with the
industry, and the plan of Will Hays
may hold it off.
THE mems Bible class of the Wal
lace Memorial Presbyterian
Church of this city has sent to Will
Hays, commander-in-chief of the
motion picture industry, protest
against all pictures which show
preachers as "pious frauds" The
protest also goes on record against
pictures which show deacons as
"pecksniffs" and congregations made
up of "alabaster-faced spinsters.
widows and grouches"-and so the
troubles of the movie director are
TO be many when he gets ready for
his next picture. Lawyers are, per-
haps, preparing protest against pic
lures showing members of their pro-
fession in bad light, the educators
are to protest against the old
fashioned schoolmarms, the bankers
do not want themselves caricatured
as hard-hearted money lenders. and
the police officials point out that the
movie coppers are terrible things to
behold.
In the days to come it NAV be that
the dramatists shall be forced to dis
continue their exaggeration for pur-
poses of amusement, but what are
the movies to do? No longer shall
they deal with human frailities. in
Guiding hypocrisy, trickery, POM
posity, intolerance, bigotry and fool
ishness. When infamy bobs up in
the process of making a picture. it
must be obliterated and the dra-
matte situations expurgated.
However, all this is problem for
the motion picture director. He
should install modern, thoroughly
equipped sterilizing plant in Holly
wood, and then go to work.
HSYL" STOKES, well known to
Washingtonians, has appeared
in 10 pictures since he went to the
West Coast. He is now being
groomed for a light heavy" suave