BEHIND THE SCREEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 309, 30 December 1922, Page 16

BEHIND THE SCREEN.

■ "The Shriek of Araby" is about to , be released. It is a travesty on Rodolph Valentino's picture, and Ben Turpin will be "The fchriek." George Barr McCutelieou',- "Truxton King" will be the first picture which John Gilbert will make under his new contract with "William Fox. Jerome Storm will direct. William lie Mille is in New York . with the negative of "Tlie World's Applause," by Clara Berapger. In the ; cast are Re'be DanieUs, Lewis Stone. Kalhlvn Williams and Harrison Ford. ! An American author, in a letter, ; writes that there is unlimited opportui nity for the making of pictures in : Spain, with native atmosphere, and it lis possible that one of the Leah Baird i productions will be made there. FYankie Lee, the clever boy actor, is ] goin<» to be starred in a scries of two- ! reel "comedies. The first of these I comedies will be "Robin Hood Junior." 'an adaptation of the story ''Last Night ! )fh'gn You Kissed Blanche Thompson." pliarles phaplin has obtained an injunction resigning "Western Produ.tf«Pi ffOffl » T *TfW Pbar]??. Am»dor linger ih mm fl r% M %H 4"»: hi 8 !■»» k TO' ft WBIFB-HR *» at L|ej \)W bear fi §rWfl§ »#».«««»<* lp 'fmr Cftarlif George Arliss, pf Eftglifrl stage fame, who wfll be remeniberea for MS master offers "• as l,i ß n C |t U\m P'asgipri." P'eparf-ipg frOff? h|s e?»ar«f lerigaMona wblrfl sipisfer motive*, and a impersonation comes first, he is seen aa a MfeMfft> retired, philanthropic, and kindly disposed towards his fellow men. He is Under the doctor's orders to rest —but the business fever of his young days gets hold of him, and be seeks to fight his battles over again. After hiving manufactured educational films for use in lis own plants since 1917, tbe Krupp Company of Essen has extended its motion films for a number of other German industrial enterprises. At present it is reported to be preparing a film to be shown to the workers of the Ixverkusen Dye Works in which every scientific detail of the work of manufacturing chemicals is brought out. One of the most effective of the Krupp films shows the dangers of mine work anil is said to have won praise both from the companies and the rriipers -because* of its influence in preventing accidents- ->» In an interview with Will Hays, after his return from tho motion picture colcnv in America, the "New World"' said that the one hundred and sixty directors addressed by Mr. Hays were very much impressed and enthu siastie at the. ideas be expressed, and promised to give llim their heartiest cooperation in raising the standard of the films made in California. Mr. Hays said of Aclolplt Zukor. "There is a man who is greatly misunderstood in this country. From way down deep in his heart be has the conviction tbnt tins thine—this big thing—which we arc Urine* to do is a matter of personal and patriotic duty. Mr. Zukor has long since mado money secondary in his viewpoint of the screen. He is now heart and soul in favour of doing everything in bis power to make motion pictures not only a medium of education in \merica, but an ambassador and foreign representative throughout the world, which will reflect true American taste and character.'' Under the title "While New York Sleeps" the producers have made a screen melodrama, which, according to roport, is not oulv intensely interesting from its wealth of New York atmosphere, but tells a thrilling, though W". lurid etorv of New York life as lived by the upper, middle and lowerclasses. T) c things ."'or wbicV New York is famous or notorious, according to the point of view, have been brought in incidentally lo the plot. In this picture one see* the Xer.v York skyline. silhouetted against the blackness of night, with the millions of lights in the skyscrapers twinkling like stars. Marvellous views of the Gay Wttiite Way, from a, photographic standpoint, are interspersed through the film, showiug the dazzling electric signs from which Broadway in part gets its name. The throngs of people on tJie streets and the p'sasure-seeking-crowds in the fashionable cafes and cabarets have been woven into the picture. There are some society people in San Francisco who know just what it is like to be a motion picture 'Vxtra." Gone are their cherished illusions of the ease and abundant leisure supposed to be enjoyed by the players. Hearing that director Sam Wood was about to film scenes in the Gloria Swnnson picture, " Tlie Impossible Mrs. Bellew,"' at a fashionable San Francisco country club, 30 of the members volunteered to act as "extras." "It will be hard work—l have several big scenes," warned Director Wood. "That's all right with us," was the airy answer of the group, visioning not more than 45 minutes of an unusual experience. The next morning fog came in, and it was nearly noon before Wood bad finished bis sea scenes and found it possible to use the society players. From then until five o'clock the "society 30 moved hither and thither at the" director's demands. They waited while lights were being fi,xed, they got up and sat down, they danced, they strolled on the porch, they did all the other things he asked them to do. The 43 minutes they bad anticipated developed into five hours. "'Never again." was the chorus of some of them. |

Rodolf Valentino, through his attorney, recounted his troubles with the Famous Players-Lasky organieation before the New York Supreme Court. Among the charges lodged by the star, in the hope of severing his connections with the producing company was one that the latter had mentioned the names of two women as co-stars in the advertising of the picture, ''Blood and Sand," which ho claimed was against the conditions of the contract. Valentino also claimed ho had been put to considerable physical disadvantage, and that the salary" of 1200 dollars a week was inadequate. He said the company had given him a dressing room smaller than a cell in a building reserved for "extras"' though several dressing rooms were available in the building reserved for stars. His attorney also contended that a request for a couch in the star's dressing room Tesulted only in the placing there of a table, a stool and two small chairs. Because of this alleged treatment Valentino quit work. Famous Playere-Lasky, through its attorneys, a eked the Supreme Court for an injunction restraining Valentino from acting for anyone else until his contract expired February, 1924. Decision was reserved. j