Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-12

OOkING back over the pic
lures exhibited in the Ma
tional Capital during TIT
- past week, there was on,
screen story which, with thi'
writer, made lingering impress.
sion. Several of the weeks show!
we're to be clasSed as especial,
good entertainment. For instance
"Het For Paris" THE Show o.
Shows" Condemned" and Love
Comes Along; but "Hell's Heroes
is the picture which has resulted
in more or less mental occupation
on our part. The picture is stark
tragedy, yet it is not maudlin; il
is not a tear-wringer, and yet il
has been woven into a solid ano
substantial piece of photoplay
work. 1t will not become a best
seller of the box Office variety, but
it will give greater satisfaction tc
an, intelligent audience than the
average Clara Bow opus or Will
liam HaineS comedy. (These two
players, by the way, are the lead
erss among the years box Office
attractions.)
There is one important feature
which makes toward successful
venture with "Hells Heroes" The
story, written by Peter B. Kyne. is
constructed upon a solid founda-
ton. It was worthwhile bit of
fiction; it was turned into a splen-
did movie vehicle. This impor-
tatlce of the story material can
not be overlooked. The story is
at;leaSt rs per cent of the photo
play. A thin and streaky story
will turn itself into a thin and
Streaky picture, even though eff
forts may be made to dose the
product with music and gags. One
of the big difficulties of the pro-
ducers and directors at the pres
ent time is the scarcity of good
stories. Never has this difficulty
been more pronounced than to-
day-never has 1t been more
noticeable to the photoplay au-
dienceS. tgs
A few months ago it was con-
sidered by the producers that all
the stage plays of the past and
present would be available for
screen production. This was a
mistake, and it did not take long
to realize the fact. Plays that
were tried out on Broadway, that
Topped and were sent to the store
houses, were bought by movie
producers. The manuscripts were
carried to Hollywood, mulled over
by the experts" and prepared for
the screen. In nine cases out of
ten these have failed to hit the
bull's-eye of public favor. Bigger
success has been found with un-
usual fiction than with the stage
plays. It is often quite difficult
to recognize a story after 1t has
been switched around for the
camera, but this is not worth con-
sidering.
It is safe to predict that. in the
years to come, writing for the
screen will become an important
factor of the industry, or art. Why,
one may ask. should this great
and important entertainment me-
dunn, with millions behind it..
stoop to cabbage" the material Of
the past; seek to revive the sue
ceSses of another day and exploit
stage failures of the present?
In the days to come the writing
art of the photoplay will become
outstanding in its Importance, a
real element in the production end
of the industry. The crying need
Is for original material: the cast
Is of less importance. While the
story of "Hell's Heroes" was not
written especially for the screen,
this particular picture demon
strates how little one is impressed
by the cast. The players them
selves are lost in the maze of the
Story-and this is as it should be.
\
AND now one may look at the
list Of productions scheduled
for showing on the Capitals White
Way this week. From advance
publicity, one is inclined toward
General Crack" as heading the
list, and yet, Richard Dix in
Seven Keys to Baldpate" has
been given considerable pre-exhi-
bition attention. Then we have
the return of Norma Talmadge in
New York Nights" and it Is i'm
possible, at this time, to give out
much information concerning this
picture, except that the photoplay
Is said to be very unusual to be-
hold. The Janet Gaynor feature
Christina" will. form long lines
of anxious ticket purchasers, a!
should Pointed Heels" "Dyna-
mite" and This Thing Called
Love-"
Armida, Jacqueline Logan anc
Marian Nixon play the leading
feminine roles with John Barry
more in General Crack" anc
among the stronger sex in the cas-
are Lowell Sherman, Philippe d.
Lacy, Hobart Bosworth and Ottt
Matieson. And. if you should care
to know, the name Crack" comeI
from the first letters of the hero
name, Christian Rudolph Angus
tus Ketlar.