Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05
David Graham Phillips
Novel to Serve as Story
For Greta Carlo Picture
New Stars Are Real Acrobats-Warm Weather
and Warm Words-Proposed' Revival
of the Screen Musicals
b. G.. E. Nelson.


operation of social, religious, edu-
cational and other organizations
in the constructive movement for
better pictures, it Is because Amer
lean motion picture producers
have held the door wide open to
every agency able and willing to
promote the objective. It is
through such counsel and CO.
operation, invited and developed
by the motion picture industry,
that higher production standards
have been attained. It Is by
focusing attention on the better
pictures, through the cooperation
OF the public-Spirited groups, that
year by year an increasing num-
Der of such pictures are produced
with less chance of financial fail
ure. 1t is through the advice and
opinion of religious and other
leaders in the treatment of Ger
tain themes that offenSe to reli-
gious. racial and national suscep-
Utilities has been largely avoided.
This has encouraged the produc-
ton of such pictures as Tom
Sawyer 'Skippy,' 'Donovan's Kid
Fathers Son. Daddy Long Legs
and similar features. It is through
the previewing facilities now
widely established that lists are
published which grade pictures in
accordance with audience suit
ability.
There Is, and always will be,
honest differences Of opinion with
regard to motion pictures. This
Is inevitable from the very fact
that the screen is a popular me-
dunn of entertainment, not q me-
dunn of class appeal. There never
will be time when it will not be
subject to the full impact of con-
Structive criticism, for it is only
by such criticism that the screen
can advance. There will never be
time when thousand hands
thousand honest handS-will not
be raised in criticism of this or
that theme, Of this or that adver-
tiSement Of q picture. And as
long as there are irresponsible
critics there will never be n time
wheE the screen will be free fronl
purely irresponsible and self
seeking criticism"
There Is no getting away from
the fact that Mr.. Hays has his
work cut out for him. He bears
the brunt Of the criticism-from
general public, from religious
groups, from professional critics,
from amateur critics. He cannot
vision period of peace and quiet
ahead; he must fight the battles
Of the producers. But, looking ut
the matter from q point many
hundreds Of miles from Hollywood,
I would mention the lack of uni
formity in the output of the stu
dos. Mr.. Hays mentions several
pictures which really are worth
while-clean, wholesome enter
tainment. But he does not men
ton the fact that for every Tom
Sawyer" and for every "Skippy"
we must have a women of All
Nations" or similar picture.
IN order to promote responsible
citizenship and all-around bet
terment," the department of re-
search and education of the Fed
eral Council OF Churches Of Christ
in America announces that mo
ton pictures cannot be improved
by cuts and Examinations. Censor
ship of Objectionable scenes and
lines is only the negative aspect
OF the problem, and community
agencies should make their influ-
ence more broadly social, so that
the industry would be made to feel
a demand for more socially useful
pictures"
This is only one of the phrases
OF the report, which led to the
resignation of Carl Milliken, Hays
associate, from the council.
SHORT FLAS HE'S: Richard
BarthelmeSs Is having the time
Of his young life in selecting a new
story. In New York for a week,
he has spent the greater part of
his time in visiting literary agents,
looking for something really suit
able for star. His newest pic
ture, written by John Monk Saun-
ders, is THE Last Flight.
Marilyn Miller has returned to
studio work, although her new
picture, The Social Whirl," will
not be started until August. -.
THE Upper Underworld" starring
Walter Huston, has been changed
to THE Ruling Voice.. ;. Young
Doug Fairbanks, like Dick Bar
thickness, seems to run to avia-
ton pictures. His next will be
Flying Eagles. The Booth
Harrington picture, "Penrod and
SAM" starring Leon Janney and
Junior Coghlan, has been COM
pleted and is on its way to New
York. The return of Pola Negri
to the screen will be through the
medium of "a Woman Com
mandS" .Madge Evans. Dorothy
Jordan and Anita Page have been
assigned the leading parts of
Boarding School,. John Gil
bert has finally attached himself
to a picture, which will be known
as West of Broadway. Holly
wood has cut out the high-priced
premiere performances. James
Whale, who directed Journeys
End" and Waterloo Bridge" for
Universal, will have charge of
"FrankenStein," starring Bella
Lugosi. :. 4. And Tala Biren, re-
Gently arrived German star, is
claimed to be "a combination Of
Marlepe Dietrich and Greta Gar
bo." She has just completed
German version of "Boudoir
Diplomat" BY the way, Mar
lene'S name is pronounced MAR
lay-na". ;. Leon Enrol has become
permanent master of ceremonies
Of the Los Angeles Theater, where
revue Is holding the boards. :.
William HaineS Is an interior