Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-11

Million dollar pictures art
10 be made during the year 1881
There was a day when a photo
play costing a million was con-
sidered a gambling chance. That
is If it went over big with the
cash-paying public, the gamble
was marked down in the right
side of the ledger. If it did not go
over. another million dollar pic
ture would come along within a
short time to make up for the big
loss. But 1880 was a bad year in
this respect. A million dollar pic
ture failed; another failed, and
then another. It was entirely too
much for the producers. So, this
year, they have decided to hold
down expenses-not gamble quite
so much.
One of the biggest "fops" of the
past IL months was the Raoul
Walsh "epic," 1.-THE Big Trail"
This picture made some money
no doubt of that fact-but it did
not make enough. The public de-
cided that it was too much like
1.-THE Covered Wagon" and other
films gone before. The big money
maker Of the year, "All Quiet on
the Western Front" did not cost
one-tenth the amount of 'The Big
Trail" Another expensive picture,
"Hell'S Angels" will never bring
In the amount of money it cost to
manufacture.
It is predicted around Holly
wood that "Cimarron" will be the
last of the big productions for the
coming year. There will be no
more of the large revues, which
cost millions. Nearly all of the
musical affairs were disappointing
to the box offices, but they requlr-
ed a lot of money to manufacture.
Nearly all of the music writer's, or
rhythm boys" as they are known
around the studios, have been re-
leased from studio work. George
Gershwin is writing the music for
one production, but he is about
the only composer remaining on
the West Coast.
One outstanding feature OF
movie affairs is the boom in col
Iege men. These are being select
ed in large numbers, and several
of them will be trained for leading
roles. Warner Brothers have dis
patched Rufus LIE Marie, their
casting director, on still hunt
over the country for a college
talent. LIE Marie will visit various
colleges, attend college theatricals
and keep his eyes open for good
looking chaps who may pass the
screen tests. The scramble for
college talent may come about,
partly, through the success Of
Young Phillips Holmes, playing In
1.-THE Criminal Code" This player
was once member Of Princeton's
Triangle Club, and his first real
movie success came with Her
Man" when he played opposite
Helen TWelvetreeS. Johnny Mack
Brown, q featured player, once at
tended the University of Alabama
and was q member OF the Crimson
Tide foot ball team. Other college
uaen are being given special train
hg IN the studios.
#&&
There eertutsaIy t0Gs no de-
preston IN the pI0topLGy
fhedteYs of the Capital during
the past sOeek. But the man
ayers did their share By en-
h3bitis0 some of the best pic
lures of the year. For instance,
S'The Criminal C0de"-7tO mat
ter hog tired you may be of
c0aUicts, gGngSterS and 1Gn
hOuSes-fG1Ics merit to "The Big
House" IN the matter OF enter
tGtnment UdLue. "Th0Se Three
French Girls" mere all that
nptght be expected of them, and
"M0rocc0' brought to US that
aesD star of the screen, M0Tlene
Dietrich, sDlto steals the shozO
from Carr Cooper. A Richard
BnYtheImesS photopLGy GItOGyS
dFdaDS cTolDds, but "The Lash"
n1tqht hare been better. "Tom
SGiDyer" dTe10 almost eUeTy boy
and girl In Washington, and
MANI of these boys and girls
mere GboUe the Uottng age.
@HelPS Angels" as q spectacle,
Is big picture.
hEILM DAILY" sent repre-
sentative to visit the heads
Of the various production units,
and the movie men predict big
things for the coming year. Cut
20 a few words, we have this:
Jesse L. Lasky: with the ad-
vance of sound production tech
niQue during the past year, there
Is every reason to believe that
1881 will bring out the finest pic
lures ever made. Producers have
re-diScovered the value of pan
tomime, and plans for 1881 pic
lures call for dialogue only when
1t is essential to clarity and to
m~I=r1vn vnlnE nnffnn pHff fhiG
trend certainly does not mean a
return to the silent pictures. Ac-
ton must be stressed instead OF
dialogue"
Carl Laemmle: THE motion
picture business has it's problems,
but this is nothing new. It has
always had them. The chief thing
the principal needs the good
picture"
Maj. Albert Warner: 1.-The trend
Of 1881 will be upward. There Is
only one thing that need give con-
Germ to the industry as whole.
and that is the quality Of the pic
ton is keen, and this is good
thing. The public will benefit
during 1881"
Win Fl. Hays: "The motion pic
eaire industry is entering a new
phase of progress. We have raised
me standard of public apprecia-
don, which, in turn, challenges
the best efforts Of the screen. We
are forced to raise the standards
Of the art, for the industry is
built upon a foundation of public
service. We can only march
forward "