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THE EVENING LEDGER PHOTOPLAY SECTION, SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1915.
THE PHOTOPLAY WORLD
AS SEEN BY AN OUTSIDER
An Industry of No Past, a Prosperous Present and
an Apparently Bright Future Shortcomings
Criticised Censorship in the Making
By EDGAB MELS
Photoplay Editor oj Evening Zxiger.
CENSORSHIP: ITS REASON
AND WHAT IT IS DOING
Protecting the Public; Cleaning Films; Preventing the
Showing of Unfit Pictures The Ban Placed
on Twenty-five Big Productions
By J. LOUIS BREITINGER
Chief of the Pennsylvania State Board 0 Censors
MOTION pictures have no tangible
past. They are too new to be classed
with, the hoary drama. They are of to
day, ultra modern and, as a direct conse
quence, as -yet unformed and intangible
Insofar as their artistic status is con
cerned. But this does not alter the self
evident fact that the photoplay is here;
that it will stay and that it has estab
lished itself firmly in the hearts of mil
lions.
But-and this "but" is all Important the
photoplay, to keep the enviable position
It has -won for Itself in halt a decade,
1SXJBT not stand still; must not retro
grade. The photoplay must advance in
scope, in its mummery: in its artistry; its
photography and, above all, its cleanli-
"When the motion picture was born a
dozen or more years ago, there was 'no
standard by which It could be measured
or guided. It was then merely a pleasant
diversion, with no financial or commer
cial standing . babe in arms, with no
past and a very problematical future,
den, with amazing rapidity, it grew into
a youthful giant, larger than its mother,
the drama. Soon It became a thing, long
in legs and arms, sinuous of body, but
with little brain to direct Its erratic move
ments. The result was that flv-b-p-nlrtit film
companies sprang up la all directions.
Many corporations were mere stock-jobbing
schemes to mulct the gullible public
But worse than this, Clms of dubious
value, inartistic vulgar, and even border
ing on the obscene, were produced. As a
matter of natural sequence, there came
censorship, and with censorship an abuse
of restrictive powers on the part of the
censors.
Now the photoplay world is on the
threshhold of big things Its future is ab
solutely In JU own hands. If it so wills
It will Uve and prosper. If it choses it
will commit unjustifiable suicide. No one
tnan can stay the verdict. The entire
film world manufacturer, exchange man
aad exhibitor wfU be responsible for the
final Judgment of the great amusement
loving public
Some "Weak Spots
Nothing is perfect; neither is the film.
Few films pass the muster of critical scru
tiny Bianiey suastnaum, who controls the
bookings of theatres In Philadelphia,
demands Just criticisms of films produced
In nia houses. He is one of the few man
agers wise enough to realize that the
photoplay must be treated as is the
spoken play. Honest criticism cannot
hurt any film, but tinctured praise Is more
than apt to cause the producer to con
tinue along the wrong pathway.
Following Mr. Mastbaum's suggestion,
let us pass Into the beautiful Arcadia
Thcatxtf. The Famous Players' "The
Moth and the Flame" is on the screen.
Why does the audience laugh at the most
patheUc scenesT Because of bad stage
management. Every time the villain Is
failed, the hapless heroine drops into the
leady arms of the omnipresent hero ever
In the right spot to receive her fairylike
Jorm.
Iet us pass Into the Chestnut Street
Opera House (closed through mlsjudg
ment of what the public wanted). There
we see TSie Heart of Mar land." Mrs.
Islle Carter, cid. fleshy and amateurish,
enacts Cie Tole of a BJ-year-old girt. More
na casung oaa type bad Judgment
And so we might visit every theatre in
the city and find that the photoplay is
Uncouth as yet unformed, with rough
edges.
But it Is not always bad stage manage
ment. Often it Is bad taste. Scenes of
horror are too long drawn out. Take
Griffith's "The Avenging Conscience."
There is cne succession of horrors, with
no relief. Take the Chaplin comedies.
Kany of them are vulgar in the extreme
hut "the public wants It," says some one.
The public does NOT want vulgarity
Many an auditor has laughed at Chap
tin's antics, alapsticky though they may
be only to end up with a deserved crit
icism of "unniee" moments.
The Question of Censorship
This brings us to the censorship ques
tion. Every manufacturer with whom 1
have spoken agrees that some sort of
sane censorship is useful in curbing the
average director. But such censorship
must be sane and fair and free from
the personal animosity which has actu
ated many boards of censors in the past.
81egmund Lubin, in discussing this mat
ter at Beading on Tuesday last, declared
that he for one favored fair, honest cen
sorship, provided the censors were broad
minded. "Where though, is the censor who Is
broad-minded? Is a censor who sees
wickedness In everything the right man
In the right place? Tolstoy's "The
Ereutzcr Sonata" has been shown In this
city on the speaking stage half a dozen
times and no one raised a word of pro
test Tct the Pennsylvania Board of Cen
sors refuses a lifvrtRfk fn ti film fikm
WHY?
That more or less epic of other days,
"The Clemenceau Case" has been played
many hundreds of times en the speaking
Arthur D. Hotaline, director; Hay
ft Lubm
stage and has been shown in film version
in this city for more than a month It is
recalled by our censors for reviewing
"WHY?
That sloppy love story, sickening In Its
mushincss, "Three "Weeks," received per
mission to be shown only on condition
that Elinor Glyn's name be not attached
to the photoplay version. WHY?
The list could be extended to columns.
It is an unjust arraignment of censor
ship, however It is an arraignment of in
dividuals. Still., as there is no human
perfection, the photoplay world wOl suf-
.., .u( ticu (.-ensors may do classed as
humans.
What the Future Has in Store
Predictions are dangerous things, for
they usually come home to roost-desplte
the mixtiin, nf mut.niwiH t... .
-.wi-iuwa uui it ocems
tolerably certain that the future of the
t...v,ivijijr n ungni. Better things are
coming-better themes-better actors
better photography better marketing
better houses-perhaps even better au
diences SSme day we will be surprised with the
perfect photoplay, minus throw-backs and
titlefi Th.flrtlnt. tilf W- ..... ..
- nu. i wiu ana me
theme unhackneyed. And the stage man-
ou.ui. ,ui i-Aiouu ana anve to ab
surdities. Then we wfll not have to criti
cise honestly the other kind does not
pay.
Viewed Impartially and by an innocent
bystander, who is apt to got hurt in con
sequence It may be said that today the
future .of the photoplay looks bright in
? .uprovled that competition does not
loll the golden-egged goose and that the
industry does not get a setback through
financial crookedness.
EMILY STEVENS A STAR
Emily Stevens, niece of Mrs. Flske this
week became affiliated with the Rolfe
concern for a period of two years, during
which time she will make her appearance
In eight other screen productions.
Miss Stevens, last seen In "The Garden
of Paradise" and before that In "Today,"
proved herself so admirably fitted for
screen work that Mr. Bolfe Immediately
signed her for a long term of years.
SE " 9r J:3of5 iy"3tjpiaj flEa lwasQvKLaiBLHrlMm'3K"3&i'
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lliisSt!SSSffiSSS--
THREE OF A
rrVHE State of Pennsylvania has taken a
JL leading place in protecting the inter
ests of the people on the subject of motion
pictures. The Irst law was passed at
the legislative session of 1911, but it re
mained inoperative until at the next ses-
KIND
Hotely and Billy Reeves discussing
comedy.
sion money was appropriated for giving
it effect The work of censorship was
actual! begun about one year ago. An
"" 01 recoru was opened in Harrisburg,
projection rooms for the examination of
turns were ntted up for use In Philadel
phia and the work was full organized
On May 17 last a new act was signed b
the Governor and Is now in force It
called for the nnnnlntmptit nf ttt.An n.nn.
bers, and Governor Brumbaugh named J.
j-uuis sreiunger, 01 rnilaaelphla, who
was the chief censor under the law of
1J11 and who organized the system of
censorship. Mrs. E. C. NIver, of Charlerol,
Pa., and Ir Ellis P. ntwrhnitpp nt
Philadelphia.
Weak places in the armorwere strength
ened in tho new law and an increased ap
propriation will make It possible to open
offices In Pittsburgh and to appoint trav
eling inspectors. Thus the possibility of
violations of the law, L e.. the exnibition
of pictures which have not been pre
sented to the board for its approval, pic
tures which have been condemned and
pictures containing objectionable parts,
which have been ordered out, but which
have not been eliminated, has been
diminished.
In the performance of its duties the
board needs and asks for the co-operation
of the public Assistance which they can
give us In seeing that films do not offend
against public policy can be of the great
est value "While many and. It is to be
hoped, most of the manufacturers, dis
tributors and exhibitors wish to further
the interests of the State the business
is so widely diffused and so many per
sons of so many point of view are en
gaged in It, that in the nature of the case
constant care and oversight are nec
essary. The word censorship implies a super
intendency .which those who fall under
Its ban sometimes will not like The facts
are that the motion nlcturo ormnin nn
unusual position. It exerts the widest in
Ouence It affords amusement at a very
low price to all classes of all ages Chil
dren crowd the film theatres. A story Is
told in a few minutes vividly and im
pressively. The ideas are gained in an
Instant through the eye character is al
tered, habits are formed. Children may
be taught how to steal. Crime is rostered
by suggestion. Tho work of the home,
tho school and the church would con
ceivably be undone in a little while by this
insidious means.
So many subjects may be pictured, vice,
seduction, vulgarity of a thousand kinds
find their way into films, and without
some oversight it Is difficult to say to
what lengths the makers of the photo
play might go. The manufacturers who
are most careful of their output should,
and do, welcome the establishment of
suitable standards. Already some effect
has been produced upon public sentiment,
and with the passage of laws similar lo
that of Pennsylvania In other States and
the arrival at some uniformity of view
the production of corrupting and degrad
ing films will cease
No one who has not viewed film as It
comes to a censor's screen day by day
can quite understand what Is the volume
of the pictures which. If they do not con
travene the principle of good morals, bor
der dangerously upon the impermissible.
Indeed, this Is In very many cases the
ostensible aim of tho manufacturer. TIip
exhibitor seeks such a film so that he
can plaster the front of his house with
a lurid poster and attract the public by
appeal to some prurient taste.
When the methods or the Pennsylvania
Board of Censors are understood and the
purposes which they have in view are
considered public co-operation will be ac
corded them on all sides. They welcome
suggestions in regard to their standards
and from any part of the city and State,
If men and women will address the office
on tho subject of pictures running in
their neighborhoods, their letters will be
gladly received. In this way the board
can attune Its work to public opinion and
Inform itself as to the course of exhibitors
In remote places, which may not bo easily
reached through Its regular agencies.
The process Is very simple. The films
when they are brought in prior to their
exhibition in tho State are sent to the
projection rooms. Here they are thrown
in turn upon the screens. If they are
duplicates or travel pictures which are
certain to contain little to fall under the
ban they are run through rapidly Photo
plays particularly of the vulgar, slap
stick comedy type and those dealing with
sex problems and the like are subjected
to careful examination. The board alms
to arrive at its Judgments in all fairness
and proceeds along the lines laid down
for it by the law without fear or favor.
Rather than condemn a. film In its en
tirety it will, If possible, recommend elim
inations of scenes or Incidents In order to
save to the manufacturers and distribu
tors property which has cost them in
many cases very large sums of money
In this way It has recently proceeded
with reference to "The Clemenceau Case"
and "Ghosts." These were perilous sub
jects to Introduce into film, and from
some points of view many who have
seen them may have supposed that they
might better be condemned In toto But
both these works by Dumas and Ibsen,
respectively, are nearly classics, and fhe
opportunity for tho public to become ac
quainted with them, through appeal to
the eye for the small price which is
charged for an admission inVf , -
motion-picture house is unusuaL The
films represent the picture-taking art at
its best, and, with objectionable scenes
eliminated, the board believes that it has
made no mistake in lending t'nem the seal
of its approval
For the week ending May 15 the board
ordered eliminations to be made In 40
different films During the next week ob
jectionable legends or scenes were cut
out of 37 separate films. For the week
ending May 23 excisions were found to be
necessary in 45,
From the organization of the board on
Juno 1, 1914, up to this date therefore dur
ing a jear, 15 films have been condemned
absolutely and may not be shown legally
In the State They may be named for the
Information of those who are interested
In the administration and enforcement of
tho law They are as follows:
Exposure of the White The Flrebur
mJrSri ,j S. .. xainiea mood
Vje? '.u.b o, nelurn of Maurice Don-lion-ora
of White Slav- nelly
Victim of Sin. or. Dam- Slid. No 1 ""
t t0, (i?od,s , iRack ,0 he Firm
JdLe-,FeIJin h?.w (Wlllanl-Johnnm Fight
Great Materlcsof New Slldea No 2
Ouuwe tnepaTe, ttlZZSFSJSS,
siniEEies or the Eu- Prince
ropean War spirit of the Poppy
V.ooed by a Wild Man IJirhta and Shadow of
Tl Mebct Chinatown
fcjut,ff v SM, The Hour e or Bondage
The UUhop'a silence Twilight Sleep
The censors feel that they have the
support of public opinion; that the need
of their Interposition is great. They will
go forward during the coming year in the
spirit which has actuated them in that
one just past.
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