Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-20
@HE way of a movie is a Won
derful thing to behold. For

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derful thing to behold. For
instances mentioned in
these columns week or
more ago-"CZar" Hays was the
target of reformers and producers.
One faction declared him too
liberal in his views; another group
placed him at the head of a move
ment to hold back the free-and-
easy scheme for filming high
class plays. Many of the pro-
ducers claimed they were held in
with a tight rein; the reformed
shouted that they could not I'M
derStand why certain pictures
were allowed to leave the manu-
featuring studios. Then, on top
of this, comes a letter from the
Committee on Use of Motion Pic
lures for Religious Education, of
which DR.. Howard M. LIE Sourd of
Boston is chairman, and we are
told how the movie is playing an
important role in church affairs.
quote only bit of the extremely
long letter:
with the coming of the motion
picture, few church leaders saw
is possibilities for serving re-
ligious purposes. For more than
10 years there has been steady
growth in use of the pictures.
Through them congregations have
been rebuilt and churches that
seemed about to pass out OF ex-
iStence have taken on new life.
Difficulties have been in the way,
but comparatively few who adopt
ed motion pictures have aban-
doned their use. Instead, the de-
mand for pictures has steadily in
creased Every day new projectors
are going into churches, and some
are already installing the eXpen-
sive sound equipment. One of the
present tests of a thoroughly
modern church plant is the pres
ence of adequate motion picture
equipment"
The committee estimates that
more than 1000 Protestant
churches in the United States are
now using motion pictures with
some degree of regularity. There
are some religious leaders who
quite frankly, according to the
committees report, say they would
rather close their churches than
utilize such a device as the mo-
ton picture.
But, so it is with the movie.
A ND the Department of Agri-
culture, in a pamphlet titled
Lantern Slides and Film Strips"
informs me that the skilled pho
tographers of this great Govern
ment institution are making
movies of everything from THE
Home Life of a Mosquito" to
Raising Nuts in Your Own Back
Yard" The lantern slides and the
film strips are issued for use all
over the United States, and they
are in great demand.
WASHINGTONIANs probably
w will be especially interested
in the film version of the Sheriff
play, Journeys End" on account
of the recent two-week stand OF
the stage production in this city.
The premier of the picture at the
Gaiety Theater in New York was
successful, and, in some quarters,
declared a sensation" I here
with quote a few of the blurbS of
metropolitan critics:
lone of the most impressive
film dramas of this or any other
year"
ut is artistically staged and
splendidly produced"
will undoubtedly be voted the
hest DictlIre of the wear"
"A tremendous picture and un-
forgettable.
"a picture which will tear the
heart out and leave you emotion
ally limp"
at will we a great success not
only in this country but through
out the world"
From all this one is to gather,
away down here in Washington,
that Journeys End" may be
something out of the ordinary
run of motion pictures. But we
shall see.
THE Universal organization is
making step in the right di-
rection. 1t has decided to make
just half the number of pictures
this year that it made last, and
pay more attention to each par
ticular film. This may not follow
out the old idea of bigger and
better" but it certainly will give
us fewer and better" A similar
announcement has been made by
Pathe, and officials of this organ
ization state that the time has
arrived to pass up the Ordinary
films, for the reason that the
public is demanding something
better.
1t is obvious that the day of the
second-rate production is past. In
the future the producer will waste
his time and money upon such
productions. The cash paying
public demands something better
and will not be satisfied with the
Ordinary"
Also, it is noted that the "spec-
an WARNER BROS. n