Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-12-11
Long Shorts
May Solve
A Film Evil
Features i'm Five
Reels Are Now
Planned
By Douglas ". Churchill.
HOLLYWOOD.

Two years ago press agent, who
was experiencing difficulty in getting
his producers name in the papers
for the very sufficient reason that
the genius did or said nothing
worthy of printing, was struck by
a brilliant idea. The publicity man
caused to be printed an interview in
which the producer offered as So
luton for the double bill evil new
policy. He advocated making four
and five reel films with good casts
and compact stories to go with the
A product on the Nations screens
and thus kill off the bad B pictures,
which were plaguing the country.
When the producer saw it in print
he fired the press agent. II make
epics and you call me a short pro-
ducer," he screamed.
This week Warrers and Metro
justified the press agents dream.
Both studios have been giving seri-
GUS attention to their short subjects
and each had yarns that they felt
were better than two-reel topics,
and yet did not merit seven or eight
reel treatment. M-G-M disclosed
that they will film They All Come
Out" story of the Federal prison
system and it's rehabilitation of GRIM
inals. 1t will be made in four reels
and will be shown by theaters in
conjunction with their feature films,
thus obviating the Use of an inferior
second picture. Warmers will use
the same technique In making Sons
Of Liberty which was designed
originally as the feature length The
Story of Haym Solomon" with two
Of their ranking stars, Claude Rains
and John Garfield
This new treatment may solve the
ills of which both the customers and
the industry have complained The
double bill has become a national
institution. and it is doubtful that
the theaters could cut their pro-
grams in half without serious box
Office discomfort. The patrons like
to get a lot for their money and it
Is improbable that they would be
content If the second feature was
removed altogether. On the other
hand, most people agree that two
full-length subjects in addition to
the regular shorts and newsreels is
too much for a single evening.
On the studios side is the fact
that the four-reelers can be made
for but portion of the cost of
feature. 1t will be possible to make
the films in from week to 10 days,
which will lower salaries one-fourth
OF their present sum. Short stories
that can be purchased from $500 to
$1,000 will be used. and the pictures
can bessold the theaters for a frac.
ton of the rental now charged for
full-length films.
Douglas Corrigan
Goes the Right Way.
R-K-O has been pleasantly sur
prised by the ease with which Doug
las Corrigan has adapted himself to
screen career. Advance stories
about the wrong-way flyer indicated
that he might be problem. These
fears not only concerned him, but
the regard with which he is held
by the press, for some pretty vicious
yarns have been circulated about
the youths relationship with re-
porters. However, he has proven
amiable and has done everything
that this strange business has de-
manded; compromising for this,
the studio has been considerate in
its demand on him.
EJic ypojy, rar,,jrop,apt If 9Th q
Flying Irishman" was that the CEN
trail character adhere with rea-
sonable degree of fidelity to his
personality. He refused to be pre-
sented as glamour boy or permit
7 himself to become involved in highly
theatrical incidents. Dalton Trum.
DO, who wrote the script, humorec
him in this and followed the theme
of Corrigan's career with under.
standing.
There is an element of ivory il
! the making of the picture beyond
q that contained in the story. Thu
!, plot parallels Corrigan's career
6 telling of a transforming youth
. whose great ambition is to be al
: airline pilot Each time his goa
), seems within his grasp something
happens and he misses. Deciding
, that he will never be able to catci
;. up unless he does something spec
y tacular to be recognized. he flies II
:, Ireland. When he returns he /
7 offered all kinds of jobs. including
: the vice presidencies OF airlines
o. /1YYY1nOrYTY pono Ecl