Evening star., 1928-04-22

rs TT really true or only a let-us-sup-
pose for the sake OF the picture9
The fact is that the research OF
u some producers of movie history
has been confined TO Hollywood and
not extended to points where the facts
might be obtained, That is what
+, F. Salmon Of the Hellenic nforma-
ton Bureau thinks With reference to
the ROD La Rocoue picture Stand and
Denver, which was part OF the movie
entertainment during the week Just
closed, Mr., Salmon calls attention to
the fact that preliminary advertising
stated that the picture gives truthful
reproduction Of life in some portions Of
Greece since the war. All the BAN
otis IN Greece since the war" adds Mr.
Salmon, ARE not equal in number to
those TO DC found in any American city
OF the first class today, The writer
tMr, Sslmonl has recently returned
from 3 year in Greece, where he visited
the section where the scene of this pic
turc is laid. and feels competent To eN-
press an opinion on the subject. Dur
iug tho entire trip, which took HIM
through all sections of the country. not
bandit was seem nor was there any
evidence tnat any existed On the
other hand. late a0vices state that
Metro Goldwy9l- Mayer officials have
received numerous letters from old sour
6ouchS' praiSinc the authenticity OF the
KlonoiNe gold rush scenes in The Trail
Of '9S'" " l"s~ny who trudged ChilSoot
Pass in 1898 are said to have lived over
again their experiences when this spec
tacuiar picture vas presented on the
screen. And there you srel II would
seem to s man up a tree that the re-
search preparations for the latter pic
ture we're conducted at sources of au-
thenticitv and that the research in post
war handitry in Greece may have been
conducted in the realms Of the imagina-
ton. In any event, the Grecian miSfit
would seem TO Justify the suggestion Of
last week that the research departments
Of producers should be equipped With
researchers of education and informa-
tion who know how 70 conduct re-
searches. II is q bad practice TO pic /
ture history from the imagination. Be- !
sides. one failure, as in the case of !
stand and Deliver" is likely to cast /
doubt upon all historical pictures. and /
that would be a pity. for some fine his /
torical pictures already stand high in 4
public estimation.
IT is fact that imagination has done
much against. as we'll as for, the
movies. A great many bitter protests /
leveled in high places against the movies /
are based more upon tricks Of the I'M !
aginstion Of those who make them than /
Upon any real facts. For long while /
much has been said and published 1
about the demoralizing influences OF |
the movies upon children. The truth /
OF this accusation depends largely, in |
these days of higher sophistication, |
upon what the term children" COM /
prehends. There is an organization of /
deeply interested and cultured women /
In Indiana. known as the National \
1noorSers OF Photoplays." Their method ,
Is to advertise among their friends the /
worthwhile pictures. and 10 bring to 1
the attention OF the producers and ON !
GERS high in the industry serious de- 4
fectS, that they may be corrected be- 4
fore the picture is launched for eXhi- /
bition 70 the general public. This very 4
question about children has been taken /
up for thorough investigation by this 4
organization. with results that in some 1
instances are amusing and in others 4
most interesting teacher of one of /
the New York schools in one Of the /
poorer sections was asked how fire.
quently the children attended the /
movies. Her reply vas they all 20 every |
the question. lT50 OF them. and their
answers indicated an average attend
anCe Of a little more than once week.
Carefully kept statistics showed that
in the following districts the attend
arace of children under IL. in total
Of 10000 patrons Of the movie houses,
in the Manhattan district WIS "a per
cent; in the local tneater districts, "a
per cent. in residential urban districts
per cent and in suburban villages
81 8 per cent Close inquiry developed
that pictures with sex situations that
might impress an adult, would pass
over the child's head" II was found
that children under II certainly fail /
70 get a large share OF the events Of 1
q pictllrs which appear essential 70 the /
story from the adult point Of view.
Often the absorbing part Of the story l
is missed altogether. Another point /
developed vas that in the Horace Mann /
High School, II per cent Of the boys /
and Is per cent Of the girls did not go |
to the movies at all during the Christ |
mas holidays, q period OF unusual
tteateT going. and that the other chill /
6ren vent on an average OF three times |
during the period. II would thus ap- /
pear that there iS not the wholesale /
attendance of young children which Is |
generally alleged by stern critics OF the /
movies and their influences on children. ]