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Show T . or-didacti- . 1 -- GREATER MOVIE SEASON WRITTEN FOR CJiTIZEN BY MEREDITH NICHOLSON g Out of a period of and uninformed criticism the motion picture industry has entered upon a new era in which it is evident that the art of the screen is to reach even 'higher achievements than have ever been promised for it. I have been fault-findin- listening for several years to the criticisms passed from day to day by acquaintances and overheard in elevators and on street cars as to the current offerings of the motion ture theatres. Eliminating those that are purely frivolous and worthless, I am disposed to rate pretty high the judgment of the . average man and ' woman. Most people who lay down money for a ticket into a movie theatre want to be entertained. There is nothing censurable in this. Most people who buy a novel or a ticket to the c . over-shadow- ter --tirea- CITIZEN spoken drama expect entertainment. Those of us who write fiction know perfectly well' that no matter how high our ideals of the story-tellin- g art or how noble some lesson we may honestly desire to convey, we must have a care to avoid boring the reader. We Americans are keen for entertainment, but exceedingly captious as to what really constitutes entertainment. .We are .suspicious of. anything that even remotely looks like instruction. The great body of our people are not at all keen for the at the end of informative a busy day, when they have a few hours for recreation. This fact, inevitably by the enormous army of patrons, ranging from the great cities to .the c smallest town, adds vastly to the problem of those picture producers who really have ideals and are happiest when they offer some splendid thing that kindles presented under circumordinary stances. But that fact alone stimulates regular picture patrons as much as an advance showing of dress styles would quicken the interest of ninety-- , nine women out of every hundred. But the nature of these performances will make a strong appeal to less frequent attendants, who unfairly judge pictures today by what they were ten years ago or even last year. In preparation for the August season increased activity has prevailed at the studios for months past. As a result every ' important producing company has, ready for the big event, outstanding features indicative of the new trend of screen entertainment, Movie Season will be brought before social, literary and business clubs by well known speakers familiar with motion pictures, who have volunteered to aid the movement. Official endorsement has already been given by organizations with memberships of millions. In arranging the entertainment the local theatre, including ' Pantages, Paramount-Empres- s, Victory and Kinema, have aligned themselves with the principal New York, Chicago and San Francisco houses in order that not . only the national spirit of the celebra-tion but its national program may be enjoyed locally. Recalling the difference between the industrys past and present and recognizing it as the one real medium of universal amusement, the season deserves unqualified support, stated .Mr. Carl A. Porter of the Victory theatre, who is in charge of the local campaign. It should bring out unusual pictures and unusual patrons: those who rarely go. The Californian Feleration of Womens Clubs has adopted a slogan, 'Make the Best Pictures Pay Best. The film industry is taking them up and hoping their slogan succeeds. Previews have denoted a vast improvement in these new productions, but, more than that, Greater Movie Season applies also to what surrounds the screen in the way of music and atmosphere. HE ed the imagination of the multitude. must constantly be The high-broreminded that the question of what to present on the screen is far more perplexing than the problem before a publisher or a producer of spoken drama. The two plays I have enjoyed most in several years are Galsand Ibsens Loyalties worthys Wild Duck. Loyalties remains in my memory as one of the best acted plays I have ever seen. And yet, the original company appeared in Inw, . dianapolis, my home city, to poor business. The Wild Duck splendidly given as it was this spring in New York would hardly have survived on the road. The point is that for plays as well as for novels, there are two or three different kinds of audience. There are plays and novels that can not possibly interest the great public; the producers and publisher must be satisfied with comparatively small returns. With pictures we face an entirely different situation. The cost of production is so great that a picture cannot be made for exhibition at special matinees or for limited runs in the large cities. A novel of the finest sort that appeals only to the sophisticated and critical reader may not sell more than five thousand copies. Hence it is perfectly natural that the producer of pictures should visualize, as he considers a scenario, the multitude and not the few. My chief interest in the novel and in the drama, both silent and spoken, is in developing these kindred arts as a means of bringing, to the greatest possible number the best aims and aspirations of all who call themselves Americans. We have repeated evidence of what can be done on the screen with historical subjects. I hope to see less obvious and more difficult subjects treated in the same great way. There is general complaint of indifference in our politics; here, certainly, is a legitimate opening for sincere work of the finest sort. And there is no more appealing or important business the more challenging because of the difficulty of getting just the right story for the millions than to awaken interest in spirituality which, it is complained, the .American people are that old losing. As yet there has been no picture calculated to quicken the patriotism of the great body of the people in time of peace. I have seen no picture that touched upon religion in the light of the modern need. Diffi- cult, yes; but these things are wholly possible. There is a lot of thinking to be done by. the American people in the immediate future if they are to meet squarely their problems political, social and spiritual. And here' which pictures can is a great work-ihelp and lead. Ev$q as I write these words I am ' aware of contemptuous sniffs at my. sugegstions,- from those who hold low views of the possibili- - . ties of the screen drama. But the hour is at hand for a lifting of the whole producing industry to a new plane; marked by a thoroughgoing, honest, inspiring picturization of stories that wfiirtxeich the mind and heart of all America. Whitney had weak hearts. The m and a party of fishermen met oik those police parties in Tincup and the officers asked whether had heard or seen Whitney. not. The officers then went on hillside and practiced target sin ing. We next encountered Wfajj in St. Johns canyon, a branch of Snake river, where Whitney hH and took his a sheep-herdThe herder came to our camp told us. about., it. The women - got nervous and we packed I crossed the Snake river at BoJ , er ferry and traveled thirty - - COLUMBIA Trust Compan It sure is amusing to stand on the side lines and hear how some daring officer captured a daring bandit. Hugh Whitney, who was driven into banditry in Idaho because he was refused a drink in a saloon which resulted in killing and shooting several people, was forced to leave his ranch and became an outcast and fugitive of the law. Joseph Jones, according to a statement in the Salt Lake Tribune, has been a persistent pureuer of Whitney for more than fourteen years. The people of Jackson Hole knew the whereabouts of Whitney at all times, and there was never a day Mr. Jones could not have selves. The reported posse Specializes in corpon tion trust work, in add tion to which it is authoby statute to perforc the usual duties of a c- rized orporate ecu that followed trustee, t o r, such as a administrate guardian, etc. lo- cated the bandit, if he really wanted him. The trouble was that Whitney was a dead shot, and no officer wanted to get within gunshot. Whitney and his brother for a time after his trouble run a herd of sheep just over the line of the Jackson Hole in Wyoming and he frequently visited throughout the Jackson Hole. Two years latter, or about that time he came to this city and was seen on the streets here, but If any officers recognized hif they kept it to them- miles, team, before stopping to finish supper. Later our party again Whitney on the road above Jad but. none of our crowd was lod for Whitney or any of his friend FRANK E. SCHEFSI HUGH WHITNEY. that i - COLUMBIA Trust Compan 125 South Main 8alt Lake It City. First prize is $2,000. Open ti J body, Anywhere, for Aniweri tional Contest. Prizes duplfc tied. Send Stamp fer Circular, and Questions. 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