Evening star., 1937-07-19


Is the result of an invitation voiced
here last week At that time M-G-M
thought it would be an excellent idea
10 sound out its patrons on shorts
After a week Of sounding with un-
til Thursday midnight still to go) 1t
thinks even more of the idea for a
bit of consumer research. And judg-
ing by the avidity with which they
leaped to their typewriters or foun-
tain pens, the consumers felt the
same, thank you.
(The best Is letters sent to Carter
Barron at the Capitol Theater will
win pair of passes to the Capitol
Theater, and the best one Of the en-
tire lot will put its owner on the
theater pass list for two week
Tor three months.)
Answers to the five questions
through which M-G-M sought en-
llghtenment have disclosed that
Washington is fairly overrun with dis
cerning non-p professional critics. Pat
emily, they know what they like. what
they don't like and how to express
themselves on both sides of the sub
ject.
r FAD, for instance, R. c. Cham
berlain's answer to the question:
What is the best short subject you
ever saw? He says:
L cannot choose one, but the fol-
lowing stand out in my memory: An
exciting movie short subject recently
regarding the milk racket, the one
about the dog who had to find mas
ter before o'clock or be exter-
minated Ghis last was prepared from
an original idea by some one not con-
nected with the movie industry, I be-
lieve); the history Of the felt hat,
Walt Disneys Three Little Pigs"
Mr.. Chamberlain has more to say,
and says it we'll but We shall have to
leave him for the moment to grab a
couple OF ideas out of Mrs. Anne
MalcomSon'S letter. In common with
quite a number Of other contributors
TO the symposium, Mrs. Malcolmson is
pleased with March Of Times"
technique. Pointedly she observes that
this short feature gives clearly and
graphically the background of much
OF our table talk" AS to new ideas
for short subjects, she offers a sug-
gestlon which many will applaud when
she proposes Historical episodes and
personality skits, like the New York
er'S 'PrOflles'"
r. l.. Doty also speaking on the
Item of new material, is regretful that
Il nave never seen in my many years
as movlegoer, good short drama
such as Noel Coward one-act plav."
He thinks one made with taste" would
be handsome program ornament to
compensate for many a dull feature
picture. There is a famine of first
class slapStlck, not cheap Ben Blue
stuff, but w. c. Fields, Marx brothers
callber," he adds, proffering another
suggestion for the future.
lone Jordan admits that a dramati-
sat1on of an O. Henry short story
would lure her into any theater re-
gardleSs OF the dismalness OF TO-
seeler with which it might be running.
+ X 4
ROUNCING back to Mr.. Chamber
lain for a minute, however, we
md another answer to the question
OF dramatizing such short stories.
Il hesitate to say yes" he writes,
because so many short stories re-
volVe around single idea which is
easily explained in few written para
graphs, but hard to portray in con-
versation and scenes"
B. J. Wrightsman, however, agrees
with Mrs. Jordan on the o. Henry (or
any slmilaD dramatizations. and
Vanders back in memory all the way
to 1915 to recall some pleasing educa-
tlonal shorts on carving and such
subjects. He is in favor of more
travel shorts when they are properly
dramati2ed instead of merely photo
eraphed.
Miss Mona Nelson who confesses to
having seen "The Three Little Pigs"
30 many times she felt piggish about
It, ADDS that her pet fury is the trave-
logue. In her own words, she is "com-
pietely fed up on seeing narrow streets
N some unheard of place, people going
IN and out OF bare-looking doorways.
equatty women carrying things on
their heads and unkempt men fishing"
with respect to new ideas, she would
Ike to see the film makers get busy
With human interest stories (Which the
newspapers and magazines are doing
80 we'll with these days.. Mrs. Helen
3. Halllhan thinks substantially the
same about it.
II he were film short maker Don
Bennett (Who sounds as if he could