MANUFACTURED STARS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16987, 10 March 1923, Page 7 (Supplement)

MANUFACTURED STARS.

PRODUCT OF COMMERCIALISM. It -was a sorry day for the art of tht motion picture when the star system came into being (says 44 Motion. Picture Magazine.”) This system, which might have been commendable enough, has been abused time and time again. The result is that everything which comprises motion pictures has been sacrificed to it. The estate of stardom should be en joyed only by those who, through one means or another, have earned the admiration of the public. However, this has not always been the case. There have been, and there are still, what we shall call manufactured stars. These stars axe, of course, born of commercialism. For example, several pro ducers, for financial reasons, desirea to create another Mary Pickford. A number of girls with the build and golden curls of Mary were placed under contracts and starred in productions similar to those in which Miss Piekford has appeared. But the public here disproved the lack of discrimination with vdiich it has been branded. Not one of these synthetic Mary PiekiUrcls ever achieved anv particular degree of popularity and they also- failed to maintain the stellar estate through their own efforts. Not jong ago w© came to the happy conclusion that producers had at last given up the costly practice of manufacturing stars. We thought it had been proven a commercial failure. Wo erred. They are still endeavouring to flit si nrs from the ugly fabric of commercialism and -delude the public by a gilding of publicity and advertising.