Judge — June 18, 1921 — page 25: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

What’sin a ECEPTION” is the title of a putting just such titles on such photoplays. And “Passion en results from the contemplation of such titles, But neither * Deception” nor * cre so named by the esteemed e+ emies who put them forth. One was called Anne Boleyn” and the other “Du Barry.” Those were the German names for ‘em. We improved on them. Here comes, we'll say, a photoplay based on a book called “Freedom.” Shall we call the film “Freedom”? Not on your life! We'll improve on it. What does “dom” mean? Notadarn thing. It would never get a single soul past the gate, or box- office. But “Love” is a fine word—an enticing word—a money-making word. So we'll substitute it for the silly “dom,” and get a good title for the photoplay: “Free Love.” Great! Does the new title fit the photoplay? Oscar, please do not ask foolish ques- tion: Our time is valuable, ‘Free Love” is an excellent box-office title. long comes a picture called “The June .”’ The studio, right here in Amer- ica, gave it that name. But just now the vogue is for names that have only one word, so we will improve the film by renaming it “Penance.” Then, a little later, the studio sends us a film named, quite suit- ably, “Penance.” Simple enough! We'll call the new picture: “The June Bride.” Easy as damp mud! Suppose now, we have a film of scenic beautyjthat ends ip marriage or a New York slum or a rich man’s parlor or wherever else pictures usually end. It’s called “In the Garden of the Gods.” Now I you: What does that mean? Nothin Less than nothing! Anything might have happened “In the Garden of the Gods.” Probably did. But we can improve the title, “Passion’s Playground.” Ah, that will get ‘em in! assion"” By Myron M. Stearns Incidentally, “The Pirate’s Child” is a good title. So is “Must Women Sin?” So is “Love's Folly.” So is “The Great Deceiver.” From the same standpoint, that is. Any of them would do just as well! Why worry about whether or not the name has anything to do with the picture? Why should it have? Mr. C, de Mille, in his understanding of the science of naming films, consults with other Famous Players and renames “The Admirable Crichton” “Male and Fe- male.” Fine! Mr. and Mrs. Metro produce a very good film from a rattling good story entitled “ Head and Shoulders. Sounds like a fairly good box-office title at that—and incidentally fits the yarn per- fectly. But no. A Chorus Girl’s Ro- Pictures Worth Watching: THROUGH THE BACK DOOR Mary Pickford plays a little Belgian refu- gee with more pleasing comedy than convincingness. WAY DOWN EAST A fine Griffith melodrama that holds its own in spite of a vein of cheap comedy. DECEPTION ‘A vivid portrayal of the times and character of Henry VIII. SENTIMENTAL TOMMY A film romance that has preserved quite 9 little of Barrie's wonderful flavor. PASSION Madame Du Barry and the French Revolution, historically erratic but artistically’ fine. OVER THE HILL ‘A homely melodrama founded on the King Lear theme of filial ingratitude. DREAM STREET ‘A mized and slightly allegorical story of London slums, with many defects but much feeling. A YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT ‘A humorous satire of the times of chivalry that contains much of the value of the Mark Twain original. THE FOUR HORSEMEN ‘An episodic but on the whole very effec- tive picturization of Ibanez" book. THE KID ‘Charlie Chaplin humor developed through six reels by means of a skillfully inter- woven story interest BOB HAMPTON OF PLACER The story of Custer’s last fight woven into a Western comedy-romance of the vaudeville type. GYPSY BLOOD ‘An artistically fine version of the tragedy “Carmen,” with Pola Negri. MOVES IN THE MOVIES Fillum Name?P mance” is the proud result. Mr. Griffith allows a rather repellent melodrama to run away with a story that had originally a touch of spiritualism, and calls it “The Greatest Question.” It seems fair to as- sume that before long we will hav screen rendition of ‘Vanity ir”? under the name “Hell’s Bells’? or ‘* Dombey and Son” renamed “The Man Who Could Forgive” or maybe “The Idylls of the King” called “Passion’s Fruit.” The reason for all this is, of course, the prevalence in the Kingdom of Film of the act dd ambitious little rodent called The Shortsighted Dollar. Its dictionary name is Greed. And let it be remembered that Greed never was a very clever fellow, being, as he is, Stupid- : some ity’s twin. In the long run, according to that posedly impartial lady, Dame History, Greed is very likely to get all that’s coming to him, right in the neck. Suppose, for example, a film company of A.D. 3003, or even 1922, that would be willing to name its pictures for the benefit of its patrons instead of merely for its own benefit, should adopt the working “The best value we can give our audic and still show a reasonable profit,” instead of merely “All we can get.” The result would be a series of well-named pictures— films labeled by the names that fit them best—instead of the continuation of the present series of “‘box-offi titles. And the patrons of those pictures would be bet- ter pleased than would the audiences watching pictures that did not live up to the lurid catchlines that had jingled the dollars into the cash-drawer. The patrons of the new concern would “stay put.” Those of the old would gradually allow their pcevishness to become plain. Other things being equal, the con- cern naming its pictures in the real inter- ests of its audiences would drive the “get- ’em-in-any-way - you-can -but-get-em- in” crowd out of business. Next week: “Through the Back Door?—with Mary Pickford. ACES vs comicbooks.com