UPSET IN MOVIELAND.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17707, 8 March 1923, Page 12

UPSET IN MOVIELAND.

PRODUCERS DEFIANT. (moil oua own cobbbsfohmht.) SAN FiiANUiacu, dsuiumy. 29. Like the proverbial bolt Irom tie biue, lias come tile declaration by. .LHmgiaa i ttirbanks," the motion picture star of Hollywood, that Will H. Hays, the titular he*d' of the him industry of America, is not the "uplitter of the movies." He draws • his salary of 160,000 dollars a year fox being the official "fixer" of the films, he chaigcU. Fairbanks dispelled the popular illusion about the former member of Harding's Cabinet in commenting upon his own hopes of banding together the film stars under a "gentlemen's agreement" which will give the photoplay patrons art instead of what Fairbanks terms the "parasites of the industry think is art." Dispatches ffoni New York stated that Fairbanks was organising the recognised leading stars of filmdom into a combination designed to assure these stars a free hand in the making and distributing of their product. . The group includes Harold Lloyd, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Pola Negri, Fairbanks, and others. Thh combination will deal with no cinema corporation in the production or distribution of its films, 'but will transact its affairs directly with the exhibitors throughout the country. Less than a month ago Douglas Fairbanks outlined his plans to bring about a combination of this kind".' Now he has reaffirmed his previous statement, but stated that the big battle with the matter-of-fact magnates; of the films is not to begin openly at once.

A direct and flat-footed defiance of Will H. Hays and the motion picture producers and distributors of the notion, of which Hay's has been the asserted bsneflcial genius, is said to be the Fairbanks' plan. ' 'JM.I, Hays has nothing whatever to do with the art or morals of the motion picture industry. He is simply the hired intermediary |or fixer. He has done wonderful work in etraigjitening! out the censorship tangie, but that, and only that, is his function, Fairbanks said in an interview in Los Angeles.

"When Mr Hays was here last month I told him the public ought to be informed that moral uplift was not. his ; true role. I admire'his ability and admire Mr Hays as a man, but I believe his true status should be made known," he continued. •

Fairbanks was voluble and convincing in his arraignment of the faction in the motionpicture industry which he termed "parasites." He condemned them as big men without vision, men thoughtful not of the future, but only of money to be made in the motion pictures.

The publication of Fairbanks strictures has oaused- a sensation throughout the country, but Hays himself has declined to enter the controversy, and, in fact, the only news coming from the Mogul of the Movies was a statement that Will"Hays had reconsidered his recent Roscoo ("Patty") Artmckle pronunciam»nio whereby Arbuckle was granted the opportunity to make another start in the moving-picture wor'd. Hays now banish"? Arbuckle from all work in connexion with moving pictures in America. Thio is quoted neain°t _ the former Postm&'ter-Oeneral of the United States as showing his vacillating policy.