Helene Rosson, Designer (1916) 🇺🇸

Miss Helene Rosson, the charming little lady who plays an important role in The Craving, a five-reel Mutual Masterpicture de luxe, which is to be released February 26, has applied herself diligently to the study of causes and effects in relation to the film business.

Miss Rosson is an authority on styles and fashions of women’s dress through all the periods from ancient to modern. For any role in which she is cast, she knows the appropriate in raiment, and appears faultlessly attired always.

Several of the gowns, hats and lingerie designed for herself by herself are worn by Miss Rosson in scenes in The Craving, and it is easily understood from her appearance how any well-balanced college man might easily fall in love with her and strive endlessly for attainment.

In the story Miss Rosson breaks her engagement with Russell because in a moment of weakness he succumbs to the overpowering inherent craving for strong drink; then later, after he has been expelled from college and comes into his own in the west, she is prompted by her love to give him a year in which to conquer the craving and prove his manhood.

He succeeds in the battle and returns to his sweetheart, where, in the final scene, he disproves false statements made by an underhanded rival, and proves that he is worthy of the deep love his sweetheart holds for him.

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Cleveland Clubwomen Stir Censors

Maude Murray Miller much exercised over move for better pictures in Ohio.

Conferences between Cleveland clubwomen and members of the Northeastern Ohio Motion Picture Exhibitors’ League started several weeks ago in the interest of the “better films” campaign of the club women, have commenced to bring results.

One of the results not contemplated in the program of either the club women or the exhibitors, is an impassioned plea from Maude Murray Miller, member of the State Board of Censors, denouncing the motion picture business in general and the Cleveland exhibitors in particular and imploring the club women to do nothing antagonistic to the censor board.

This letter, sent to Mrs. Elmer G. Derr, secretary of the civics and legislation committee of the Federation of Women’s Clubs, was read before a meeting of that body at the Cleveland public library, February 15.

The letter is prefaced with the statement from Mrs. Miller that she has read in The Moving Picture World an article referring to the fact that Cleveland club women have accepted invitations of the exhibitors to view films approved and rejected by the censors. She then draws a touching picture of the stern hardships which beset the path of a censor, all of which she attributes “to certain motion picture men,” and warns the club women against leading a movement to destroy state censorship which she predicts will result in municipal censorship and ultimate ruin in the film business.

Mrs. Miller also tells the club women that if she is permitted to make a speaking tour of the state all opposition to censorship will fade into the dim background.

Mrs. Miller writes the Ohio censor board has “succeeded admirably” and in the same paragraph characterizes the situation as “hopeless.”

The club committee, which represents half a hundred women’s organizations with a membership of many thousands, received the letter without comment and took no action on it.

They are, however, going ahead with their original idea of securing co-operation from the exhibitors to try model programs in selected theaters as an experiment and have been instrumental in arousing the interest of film manufacturers all over the country. At the same time the exhibitors, under the leadership of B. J. Sawyer, president of the local league, and C. E. Megowan, special representative, are conducting an educational campaign for the especial benefit of the club women. This has resulted in converting some of the more radical among the club women to the point of view of the exhibitors with regard to the merits of special programs.

The club women who have been studying the censorship problem, in minutes read at the Feb. 15 meeting of the civics committee characterized it as “a matter that seems peculiarly vital in Ohio because Ohio seems to be the only state with an official censor law.

“Club women are seriously disappointed in the effect of the censorship,” the minutes said, “because the present type of programs, perhaps due to the ‘lock’ system-present much that is inartistic, rough, harmful to young people, in the midst of much that is beautiful and helpful. However, they recognize that censorship cannot accomplish everything.”

“A canvass by members of our committee,” the minutes said, “of many picture men, resulted in the impression that some kind of censorship is really approved; the troubles seem to be in too many local censorships and in the method of work.”

Describing a joint meeting with the exhibitors held at the office of the General Film Company, Feb. 9, the civics committee of the Federation reported:

“Mr. B. J. Sawyer made it plain that any censor observing a reel in nine minutes instead of fifteen, making cuts as he looks, sometimes viewing two pictures at once, does not judge a picture as a whole and is scarcely able to give a very careful consideration to any of the artistic, dramatic or moral qualities of the production.”

“The fees required seem to be irritating,” the committee adds.

Here is how the plan of the club women is explained by Miss Bertelle Lyttle, chairman of the civic committee:

“As constructing work, our committee is trying to secure some programs in accordance with the ‘better films’ idea and the exhibitors express themselves as heartily in accord with the plan and have promised to arrange for at least a few programs approved by our program committee, scattered about the residence section of the city on Fridays and Saturdays. The requirements we have endorsed are:

• “The programs must be entertaining. Worth remembering and talking about. Lively enough to be interesting. Comic enough to be amusing. Designed to include something educational, and something amusing.
• “They must contain nothing horrible or gruesome. No over-emphasis of wrong modes of life. Nothing interesting solely for its artistic, scenic or literary value.”

The program committee consists of Mrs. R. S. Thomas of the Sorosis; Mrs. Curtis Hofste, of the East Congregational Reading Club; Mrs. Joseph Janowitz, of the Council of Jewish Women; Mrs. Frank Stimson, Miss Bertelle Lyttle and Mrs. Elmer G. Derr of the civics committee, and Mrs. E. A. Pfalzgraf, Mrs. W. G. Warner and Mrs. Austin Esterbrook, of the Congress of Mothers, and Mrs. D. E. Morgan and Mrs. Alton Smith of the W. C. T. U.

“We decided to have a committee large enough to be really representative of the mothers’ interest in moving pictures,” Miss Lyttle said. “The greatest difficulty now confronting us seems to be concerned with practical details for the desired kind of publicity. The exhibitors have already taken many steps toward securing special films for Fridays and Saturdays.”

This referred to letters recently sent out by Special Representative Megown to every film manufacturer in the country inquiring about the practicability of securing films of particular interest to children, even though such pictures are old in a trade sense. Practically every manufacturer receiving one of these letters has since sent a favorable response.

The club women presented these ideas to the executive committee of the Exhibitors’ League in more tangible form than they have expressed themselves before, at a joint meeting of the women’s program committee and the exhibitors at the latter’s headquarters, Feb. 17. Work was at that time commenced on the drafting of definite sets for programs for the experimental work the club women propose. The films will shortly be ordered from the manufacturers.

The club women have also announced their intention of advertising their model programs by elaborate and artistic posters and newspaper displays.

This progress in the negotiations between the club women and the Cleveland exhibitors is what has aroused the spirit of Maude Murray Miller.

Collection: Moving Picture World, March 1916