BEHIND THE SCREEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 282, 26 November 1921, Page 18

BEHIND THE SCREEN.

"Buddies' , is the temporary title of a new picture started by Bdua Murphy and Johnnie Walker at th« William Fox Western studio. George SlarshaU, who is directing, also wrote tile storjv and. Albert Frisco, a newcomer, 13 the hea^y.

A series of motion pictures consisting of fifty-two one-reel episodes from the J?iblo is now in course of production. The scenarios were prepared by John Uubbard and are designed for release in Suiidny schools, churches and church societies. They will be distributed by National Non-Theatrical Motion Pictures Inc. Three groups of Biblical photoplays, each of which contains from five to twelve separate subjects, will be ■built into one reel photoplays. Each reel will be treated from a strictly historical standpoint, with due care given dramatic incidents, atmosphere and characterisation. A group of episodes from both the Old and Hew Testaments will be filmed and treated in such a way as to be of equal value before Protestant, Catholic and Jewish congregations. Among the reels planned Tor the first year's programme are two two-reel pictures interpreting the life and mission of Christ as a symbol of redemption.

\ JOtor MoLajflen. the famous boxer, who made his first appearance on the successful film, "The Call or the Koad," is now playing one of the most important parts in the Stuart Blackton film, '"The Olorious Adventure," in which Lady Diana Manners plays the star part. As Bullfinch, the ruthless bravado. I McLaglen goes through all sorts of thrilling oxperienocp. Xot tile least thrilling of these is whore Bullfinch breaks out of prison at the time of the Grrat Fire and rescues Lady Beatrice from tlio flames. I Great excitement prevnileu when there scenes were filmed at Kdjpvare last week, and McLaglen declares he has never run faster than lie did when with Lady Diana, in his arms, he frit the flame's creeping much nearer than he antici- . patcd.

'Ihere is only one story in the world —a yrc;it big love story."' Ruby M. Ayres ivrotc those words into her etorv, "Castles in Spa-in," which has now been produced as a tilra story. For those who have not read the story, it runs as follows:—After the deeiru'ttkm of two of his csistles, his hopes love and ambition, the builder of castles comes to build again a castle of fancy in which a dream princess shall reiyn. * The builder meets people whose castles have all been destroyed by the villainy of one man. One by oik;, these people pass to the great beyond, and the builder almost forgets theJr sorrows in the joy of finding the realisation of his dream princess. But this girl is -the innocent cause of many of the lost castles, anid it is long before the builder can lay the foundations of a perfect castle of happiness. Then, when it seems that his castle must come at last he finds that his princess belongs to youth, his own nephew in fact, So the builder turns to lonely old age. "Mγ castle and the eun, they "both sank down together." It is a beautiful ending to a ■beautiful picture, a British production, released by Gaumont, in which the spirit of old England has been most effectively revived.

The film camera is certainly sho".ving one half the world how the other half lives. Recently the Pathe Pictorial unearthed in Farnhain, Surrey, a quaint Uimily that ka carried on a private pottery business ever eince 1873. They are workers of an artistic nature, wsho do not seek publicity, and they will not cater for customers who do not altogether appeal to tliera. Pa-the's persuaded the family to be filmed for the firtt t;nie in their lengthy history, for never before have they faced the camera for purposes of publicity. At present four generations arc at w'OTk in this quaint pottery, consisting of a great-grandfather, a grandfather, a father and son. 'Die oldest member of the firm is nearly <>0, but he '•chH.tks in" legularly every morning by climbing to tlic roof of the pottery and -winding an ancient timepiece, the 'beautifully decorated face of -which 'he made out* of clny in his early youth. The artistic eiutheuware produced by this interesting family finds a ready sale in West End shops. Yet its production is simplicity itseit, and oven the clay used is dug upTjy hand in the back garden.

The Ranee of Sarawak won a competition by submitting the best 250-word critique of "The Bigamist. -, He t essay was as follow*:—"I wish that you who take these perfectly beautiful pictures would first of all jump into the skins of us who sit in the stalls and look at them. Why do we go to the pictures? Not to sec life as it really is, but as it ought to be. We want laughter and tears, so interwined that by the time you are blowing your nose, your sob has turned into a guffaw. What I liked about 'The Bigamist' was ita strength and the firm, clean moral of it. I liked Miss Ivy Duke's controlled emotion and the simple heroism of Mr. Guy Newall. There is nothing forced cither in action or in deed. What I did not like was that it seemed to mc lacking in light and shade. It hung a litt'.e lieavily at times, like a grey day without any hope of sunshine, or a melody in a minor key. T spend a great many of my afternoons at these picture palaces, anil I feel that I know what the public like. They like to step out of the streets of reality into castles in the air. Give them their strong, clean moral, give them their heroes of romance. Juggle your tragedies and comedies so that we come out saying iust as Pamela Arnott said, 'Isn't life jolly?'"

People who are spending their lives in judging the public taste in the cinema world, and also incidentally in amassing fortunes —or losing them according to their abilities in this direction, arc gradually coming to the conclusion that the patrons of picture theatres are quite as keen as other folk in their appreciation of variety in the programmes. A feature in the recent experience of local theatre managers ie the way in which the public appreciates fehe "short story" as applied to the film. The day eeenis to have gone when people would crowd in, week after -week, and month "by month, to sit out a six or seven reel feature. "It's too long for a regular thing," people are beginning to say. A movement is accordingly in the air to supply short and snappy two or three reel films, wHh occasional long photoPiays when some story of exceptional n ow ree t H P roduee <l- It fa a question ■ " tbe PK»e«Mnmo. generally SOm ° of Auck 'and's leading rat ■ Zr*™ ? Ot to ° '°"S- At any wWch o" V ? nty of ««»pe for variety, turn oPSL ffl",',"™ » "» »»»■