The Washington times., 1934-03-16


ish when the aspiring thespians
got a splendid hand and some
body back stage let down the pic
ture screen before they could &C
knowledge the applause with the
usual bows. For less an error
than this Richard Bennett has
been known to declaim for an
hour without a pause, using all
known profanity.
1t was a big event for Play
wright Tiller, who has high hopes
of seeing his playlet in regular
vaudeville soon since it was
Caught" last night by Gene Ford,
Loew production executive and
other scouts of the variety stage.
The stage hands and musi-
clans are threatened a road call'
on the Belasco Theater unless
union difficulties Of the past,
which have been hanging fire, are
Immediately adjusted.
Gene Hoover's Work
That picture Of Sophie Tucker
which adorns these pages today
was made by Gene Hoover, the
high school graduate who won
so many movie contests con-
Quoted by local newspapers.
Young Gene was commissioned
by Frank La Falce to use his
talented pen in behalf Of tn e
Earle Theater's headliner, who
opens her first Washington en-
gagement since 1928 today.
About Screen Hokum
Warner Bros. claim their new
picture, GAS the Earth Turns" "
is a genuine attempt to make
Hollywood feature without ho-
KUN. This happens to be the
screen story in which Donald
Woods makes his debut as a Gel
luloid actor.
Now that this picture has been
completed and is ready for exhib-
itors there seems to be a doubt
as to how it will be accepted by
the movie masses. Will they like
a bunkless film?
Preview audiences agree that
Donald Woods (former National
leading mani and Jean Muir give
astonishingly real performances
in interpreting this family tale Of
rural Maine. So a campaign OF
education and cooperation is un-
der way with the subject thus ex-
planned in an official communicate {:
'Ts it possible to make enter
tainment in which genuine peO-
pie move and act in a realistic
story? Why must good books be
slashed and changed so that they
look like a fOur.alarm fire? Why
must a good play be altered into
something else when it reaches
the screen?
"The answer is that our pro-
ducers are afraid to take a
chance and can't afford to take
a chance. 1t costs from 100000
to $5OO,OOO to make decent pic
ture. That is too much money
to gamble on different type Of
picture. The safest way has been
to invest that money in the kind
of pictures that past experience
has proved as salabIe. Meanwhile
the critics rant. Meanwhile intel
ligent women's organizations and
school authorities try to lift HOl-
lywood out of the rut of sensa-
tiOnaIism into which the public
has put it. For years these peO-
pie have asked: why don't you
make real pictures? Why don't
you at least try our suggestion
with one or two pictures and
make a test?' Organizations all
over the country would support
you in your efforts. Some pro.
ducer some time has got to be
the first to do this, Why don't
you be the one to 3 the ball
rOlling?"
Warner Brothers said: We
will produce a picture without
hokum. We will advertise this
picture in the same spirit Oi
honesty and straightfOrwardneSs
that is to be found in the picture
ITSELF
with this decision in mind, 8
search was made for a book. "A
the Earth Turns by Glady.
Hasty Carroll, was purchased. II
is, in our belief, one Of the mOst
human stories of an American
family ever written, and it is ont
of the best sellers of the year.
"Warner Brothers have moi
changed it. We have not put any
hokum into it. Thus we come tt
the test that people have beer
asking for since the inception Ol
motion picture business. The ques
ton is whether or not the public
will spend their money to see ;
good book without hOke. The in
vestment and experiment will cos
$500, 900.
eve are frank in asking CO
operation from many sources il
order to arrive at q true opinion
concerning the value of thi
honest picture we have mad
without hOkum."
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