Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-12-02
FLASHES

Wv picture, he is inclined tt
the decision that the
producers and exhibitors are
slowly but surely solving many Of
the problems that confronted
them few years ago. There may
have been a time when censor
ship was vital matter, but it nc
longer can be considered as such
Recent activities of a group here
in Washington to bring from the
grave the ghost of censorship will
probably fall quite fiat. In fact
at a meeting during the past
week, a large number of the
group walked out on the proceed
ingS, being outSpoken in their
feelings considering Federal CEN
Sorship.
Since the early days of the
movie, this same ghost of censor
ship has been jumping up now
and then. 1t goes into retire
ment, seemingly, and then, with
the aid of So-called reformerS
jumps back into the publics lime
light. Long ago, the producers
were given scare. Their efforts
in combined way, were turned to-
ward the making of pictures which
would do away with the necessity
for such censorship, and they
have succeeded in most instances
In isolated cases pictures have
been made that would have been
better if censored, but such in
stances have been few. The
photoplayS of today are not in
need of censorship, whatever else
they do need.
In making pictures safe for the
fans, the producers and exhibit
tors made an intelligent move.
They eliminated the need of such
cenSorShip-and there the matter
stands. In a search for some
thing to reform, certain groups
leap, naturally, to the photoplay
industry; other groups go after
the stage productions, and still
others are attempting to make life
miserable for book publishers
Being the large and powerful in
duStry that it is, the producing
end of the photoplay draws i'm
mediate fire; it is a fine target.
But an investigation and a review
of the pictures of the past year
will clearly show that it does
not require Federal censorship.
One may go into the defects of
the movies at great length, for
they are not perfect by any
means. They are at a turning
point at the present time, but, the
writer repeats, they certainly are
not in need Ct censorship.
CARL LAEMMLE'S Nationwide
quest for a reply to the prob
lem of sound films has brought an
answer. The head of Universal
was not settled in his mind as to
whether the public desired sound
pictures, and so he sent out re-
quests for letters from the fans
themselves. Now Mr.. Laemmle
says: "The public has not ac-
cepted sound pictures" Although
going in droveS to see the newest
developments of motion picture
production, uniting sound and
screen, ''it must be admitted that
Synchronized pictures and talk
ing pictures have by no means re-
placed the SILENT" Laemmle'S in
veStigationS show that while
there is a tremendous interest
In the new pictures, to say
nothing Of box Office value, and
many see almost lin1itless posi-
bilitieS for them, it is nevertheless
true that the new has not yet re-
placed the Old" A survey of 1000
letters received by Laemmle are
said to show the trend. In the
Exhibitors Herald and Moving
Picture World, Laemmle and the
Universal Co.. have a few words
regarding the letters:
Tt must be borne in mind
while studying these documents
(the letters in the case of Sound
VS.. Silent, that they are not yet
conclusive. In considering the in
tereSting fact that the present
trend of picture patrons is still in
favor of silent pictures, it might
be remembered that innovations
are not always accepted with
alacrity. Will Irwin, in his biog-
raphy of Adolph luxor, makes
it all too plain that even the mo-
ton picture itself had to win its
public.
ION the other hand, the testi-
mony offered by the thousands OF
letters sent to Laemmle and Uni
verSal from all parts of the
country has enormous value
When patron of the film writes
that silent pictures are a GodSeno
to the deafened, then he is max
ing point that is indisputable
When another writes that SOUND
and dialogue open brand-nev
possibilities, that is matter fol
the future to decide. When still
another makes the point that the
eye abSorbs more readily than the
ear, that may be a psychological
fact worthy of deep conSidera-
ton.
Hardly a group of motion pic.
ture executives anywhere in thu
world has met without Seriou.
discussion of the future of mo.
ton pictures now that sound i!
available. Probably every shade
of opinion has been expressed, Al
one time or another, and still
these letters written voluntaril,
to the Universal Office in re.
Spouse to the Laemmle appea
will be found fresh and bright anC
exceedingly keen in their view.
points. The obvious intelligence
of these correspondents need no
be pointed out"
X X X
THE critics who have seen anC
heard the new picture, Inter
ference" report that the dialogu,
with the film story comes nearer
being what it should be than il
anV of the previOuS attemDtS n