There are several developments proceeding in screendom which are worthy of notice. One is the in¬ creasing use of non-Jewish authors to produce Jewish propaganda. Without using names, it will be easy for each reader to recall for himself the more popular non-Jewish authors whose books have been screened by the Jewish producers, and who are soon after an¬ nounced to have a new photoplay in preparation. In several cases these new photoplays have been sheer Jewish propaganda. They are the more effective be¬ cause they are backed by non-Jewish names famous in the literary world. Just how this state of affairs comes about it is not possible now to say. How much of it is due to the authors’ desire to enter the field of pro-Semitic propaganda, and how much of it is due to their reluctance to refuse amiable suggestions from movie magnates who have already paid them liberal sums and are likely to pay them more is a question.
It is not difficult to bring oneself to believe that “antiSemitism” is wrong. Everybody knows it is. It is not difficult to bring oneself to an admiration of Israel. Every writer is happy in idealizing an individ¬ ual or a nation; it is a pleasure to write about an alto¬ gether admirable Jewish hero or heroine. And so the non-Jews are writing Jewish propaganda ere they are aware.
The flaw, of course, is here: in avoiding anti- Semitism, they fall into the snare of pro-Semitism. And one is as inconclusive as the other.
Another development is one which movie fans have doubtless noticed: it is the abolition of the “star” system. Readers of this series will recall that it was this same sort of thing which marked Jewish as¬ cendancy in the control of the legitimate stage. Not long ago the full glare of movie publicity was thrown upon names and personalities—the Marys and Charlies and Lulus and Fatties of screen fame. The name was headlined; the star was featured; it did not matter what the theme of the play was—suffice it that it was “a Chaplin film.” or a “Pickford film,” or whatever it might be.