Screen Stars and Films

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 116, 17 May 1924, Page 23

Screen Stars and Films

"The Hunchback of Notre Dame," j jcr»«n version of Hugo's great work, with 1.-on Chuney in the title role, is breaking all screen records in America. Adolphe Menjou'g wardrobe is at last ( thin;, known and measurable The director of ''Broadway After Dark," gsked him to use his own clothes to fill a cahinet in the scene to be filmed. JHenjou agreed The suits numbered eisty, ihc shoe- eighteen, and the walking stick* ei^ht . Pustin Fa mum was forced to take a racatiori after completing nork on "The Jlan Who Won," Ins new William Fox production. In this picture there is so jliuch shooting that the noise tern porarily affected h's ears, which, in addition, were ucbillf* already from too many water exercises In the latter production he out-dares Custer's last Itand in holding six men at bay singly. "A Man's Mate" is the new title which has been selected for the John Gilbert starring vehicle, which William Fox tins already announced under "The Apache." It is a story of Parisian life, and tunny of the sets erected at the West Coast studios of Fox Film Cor poration arc copies of famous French dance halls and resorts The story was written by Charles Kenyon and Renee Adore will be seen as the leading lady for Gilbert. .Of all the foreign directors now working on American productions, Ernst Lubitscb is the best known. "He directed the famous "Passion" and "flipsy Blood" which made Pola Negri so popular It is significant that he began work as a character actor in burlesque Jewish roles, which gave him a practical knowledge of comedy in addition to his natural genius • for spectacular mob scenes Hib art in handling masses is unsurpassed . After a brief halt in its experimental undertakings. Sweden has once more resumed its predilection for weird subjects, and in " Black Magic " offers a film of a.unique character. The film deals with witchcraft and persecution, and the treatment of the subject in some respects" resembles the manner employed fai the German film "Shndows." Though the historical background of the story is Swedish, the subject is reminiscent of the practice of witchcraft in our own colonial days, with similar persecution of-innocent persons suspected of intercourse with Satan. The ..■•nie effects, notably in the secret nip-ht are superb and are calculated to send B thrill up and down the most phlegmatic spine The morbid atmosphere of thisfilm find's romantic relief in another SveOska production. "The Lake Pir_.es/* a story of youth and illusiq-n and adventure prettily conceived , and charmingly executed.—"Swedish Film.";

An escape tnat was nothing abort of miraculous recently saved Ella Hall from permanent disfigurement. She was thrown through the wiudsereen of her car, after the big limousine had jumped a ditch and hit a telegraph pole in avoiding a collision with another car. Miss Hall was on her way to the studio. Where she waa working on "In the Name of the Law." A spitfire who defies a big and brutal sea captain is Priscilla Dean, in ber latest picture, "The Storm Daughter." a vigorous picture of the sea, directed by George ArehainUaud. Miss Dean plays the part of a usherwoman who | sails her own boat. Tom Santaehi, who | has the male lead, is captain of the big sailing vessel which runs down her boat. Clara Bow, the little Brooklyn highschool girl, who got into picture*) by winning one of tbe Brewster "Fame and Fortune" contests, is one of the few girls in pictures who works absolutely without make-up. After totting every known variety of grea_ue.-i-.aint. the cameramen found that she wis a rare type- the perfect screen natural colouring. The death toll of New York streets, as published in an annual report, madi such a deep impression on William Brandt, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of New York State, that he . .i£-sre_ted to Barron Collier, Special Deputy Police Commie sioner. and to E. B. Hatrick, general manager of International Newsreel Corporation, that they collaborate in a series of accident pictures which would serve as a warning to thousands and thousands of people whose carelessness can be remedied by no other means than by an actual instance. The "accidents" in the wonderful series of pictures, which resulted were, of course, tricked and faked, but they look as real as any accidents could possibly be, and as moving picture spectacles are as • thrilling as any serial. The pictures serve. 6rst, as an impressive warning against what the police of New York have termed "jay-walking"; that is. crossing the street at any place except the oornera; second, as a warning against reckless driving by motorists; third, as a warning to parents against allowing children to play in busy streets, and fourth, as a warning to both men and women who alight from street cars and crose behind the car without waiting for the car to draw away and give a clear view of the street. Several Instances of this are shown in the films. A woman athlete was used- in these scenes, and in spite of the fact that she was protected as far as possible, received several very severe bumps from automobiles is the course 01 the "accidents."

Herbert Rawlinson has started work in his newest starring production, "High j Speed," an original story by Fred Jackson. Herbert Blache ia directing the filming of the story. "Trailing Trouble," which originally bore the title of "The Jazz Kid," has been completed by Director Al. Herman. Buddy Messinger is the star of this most recent Century comedy for Universal distribution. As tbe dandy par excellence, the dandy who dominated the brilliant court of the Prince Regent, the exquisite dresser and superb wit, John Barry-more will assuredly carry off honours in "Beau Brummel," a forth coming Master Picture. He m made for the role. Highly indignant because the Los Angeles city council wouldn't let them dance after midnight, the picture stars all wmt up to San Francisco to the Wampas hall, travelling in a flock of special trains and steamers. San Francisco wns so eager to have a look at them that the ballroom was as crowded as Forty-Second and Fifth Avenue. In "Tbe Racing Kid," a new Century comedy now in tbe course of production with Buddy Messinger as the star, a new lending lady will make her appenranr* She is twelve year-old Martha Sleeper, who played an important juvenile role In Kmorv Johnson's "The Mail Man." Little Miss Sleeper ha* had a gTeat deal of stage experience, although ber appearance in "Tbe Mail Man" was her debut in fllmdom. She is tbe niece of a memher of the executive staff that controls the Keith vaudeville circuit, and conceded to be a most versatile pantomimist nnd impersonator. Sbe is well known throughout New York ns imp of tbe moot promising former pupils of Chalif, the famous Russian dancing master. "The Rtsjmil Tower" !•» bprnlded as a new sty-ie in trig productions. It was adapted from a stirring railroad romance by Wndsworth Ca-mp and is remarkable for Its lack of lavish sets and great mob scenes. Tts setting Is the Sierra Mountain*, and most of lt§ action takes place between Aye or bit characters played by screen favourites of sterling worth. Opposite Virginia Valli ia Rnckliffe Fellowes in the role of a railroad signal tower operator perched high In a mountain pass. Miss Valll plays the role of hia wife. It ie in tbe msrnal tower and in their little mountain dwelling that most of the action takes place. Walla*" Beery ia tbe villain in tbe role of an assistant signalman, and the following. competent players are the small east: Frankie Durrow, James O. Barrows, J. Farrell Mac Donald and Dot Farley.

"Dark Stairways" ia the title which Universal haa given to Herbert Rawlinson'a next starring vehicle, an original story by Marion Orth. Ruth Dwyer , playa the lead opposite Rawlinson. Noted stage stars, vaudeville celebrities, veteran character artists of the screen and notable player* before the camera are assembled in a remarkable cast to surround one wee girl, in "The haw Forbids," Baby Peggy's new , Universal Jewel attraction. Sir Oswald Stoll, in the interests of the British-made movies, is taking Bruce Johnnon of the First Natonal to task for underselling American movies in England. Sir Oswald declares that Johnson, "on the eve of the British Film Weeks.'* is offering British exhibitors blocks of films, sufficient for a year's programmes, at bedrock prices j Sophie Kerr's Saturday Evening Post story, "Relative Value," has been changed by Universal for picture purposes to "Young Ideas." Laura La Plante is the featured player in this production, which was directed by Robert Hill, who produced "Excitement" and "The Dangerous Blonde." Bryon Morgan, famous for hia automobile stories, many of which were picturised for the late Wallace Reid. has sent anothpr one to the screen under the banner of Paramount. It is entitled "Flaming Barriera." It is said to be one of the livest and fastest screen stories that have been produced for a long time. The all star cast includes Jacqueline Logan, Antonio Moreno, Walter Hiera, Charles Ogle, and Robert McKirn. A atory of the follies of to-day and yesterday, of the shortcomings of the youth of three generations, is told in "Hia Children's Children." It ia presented as a startling revelation from one of the raoat daring novels of the day. It reveala a cross section of the lives of three generations, the atory of a family from the first generation to the third. The idea of the story is to illustrate that sometimes "th*- follies of the forefathers shall be visited on the children." The cast includes' Bebe Daniels, George Fawcott, and Mahlon Hamilton. Tt is rumoured that Universal will make a new version of "We Are French/" Those who were picture fans during the war time will doubtless remember this atory by Robert H. Davis and Perley Poore Sheehan- As a piece of literature it was used as a text-book of patriotism by all of the allied armies. Aa a film, it waa produced before America went into the war and because of Wilson's neutrality proclamation Universal changed its name to "The Bugler of Algiers." As soon as America went into the war, however, the title was changed back to "We are French," and the picture embarked on anotheT phase of its life, when prints were ordered by all of the allied nations for use at the front. In fact, it is asserted that its vogue abroad wae aa great as, if not greater than, any other picture ever made in America.

"The Ten Commandments," Paramount'a big special, to be released •in New Zealand late in 1924, ia said to be the most costly picture ever presented. Girls who are anxioua to "get into the movies" often have an idea that most girls take up photoplay acting "for the fun of it." Marguerite de la Motte knocked at the studio gates severa. years ago when her parents were killed in a motor accident, and abe was left with a younger brother to support. A tragedy in mid-air is one of the outstanding thrills in "The Broken Wing," featuring Kenneth Harlan, Mirian Cooper, and Walter Long. Besides this, there is an aeroplane smash through a Mexican house, an aviator who forgets his past, and marries a fascinating Mexican girl, and then an astounding surprise. One of the greatest .names' in modern American fiction is that of Zane Gray. Hiß Western novels, have been„ greatly in demand. Several of them have been brought to the screen recently, and one of the most successful was "To the Last Man," which was shown her some time ago. The next Zane Grey story will be "The Call of the Canyon." This picture was produced under the supervision of the author. The cast of thiß story is all star, including Richard Dix, Lois Wilson, and Marjorie Daw "The Call of the Canyon" will be one of the most important offerings for the coming season. All production activities were suspended on Hoot Gibson's set at Universal City during the filming of the hotel lobby scenes of "Forty Horse Hawkins" for a full hour—all because of one small brown puppy, named "Mickey." Mickey had to have inspirational music before he'd act. The temperamental pup got the attention of everyone in the cast, the electricians, the cameramen, and even the visitors on the set. The scene called for Mickey to sit on the counter and bark, as Hoot Gibson, iv the role of the versatile bellboy, was to attempt to talk against the canine voice to Helen Holmes, playing a newly-arrived guest with a homesick purp But Mickey wouldn't bark He wag well satisfied to ait on the counter and wag his tail. Hoot imitated a cat Johnny Judd, the cowboy, barked like a dog Henry Cohen, the chief musican on the set, played doleful strains on his portable organ—whereat Mickey, bowled; but nary a bark. Edward Sedgwick, the director, got on his hands and knees and roared like a lion; William McCulley and Charlie Dorian, his assistants, rattled tin cans. Finally the pandemonium represented the combined and deversified efforts of the whole cast. Then Mickey decided it was time to do something. He barked furiously —and they took the scene. But the excited dog was in an acting mood then; —so he whirled and tried to bite off Gibson's ear. Hoot dodged him by a scant inch—and they proceeded rapidly to another scene. -

"Two Wagons, Both Covered." a Will Rogers satire on "The Covered Wagon," ia described by an American magazine aa "the best laugh of the month." Dick Turpin, the King of Highwaymen, had but one love—his mare, "Bonnie Black Bess" —who cared not for distance and knew not distress This old favourite's story is told again in the Master Picture—"Dick Turpin'a Bide to York." Picking up several men bodily and then burling them over his head and with one hand snatching a man clear over the top of a bar are no mean feats of strength performed by Anders Randolph in the role of Big McDonald in "The Man from Glengarry." The Moulin Rouge, the moat brill'ant and most notorious of Montmatre cafea, js no more, except in the memory of t ur- ' isls and pleaeure-seekers who visited it years ago. . Those who have never seen "this cafe of the "Red Mill" will be able to view it in replica in "Queen of the Moulin Rogue," a Master Picture atarring the late Martha Mansfield. Camera work ia completed on "Poisoned Paradise." It ia said that this film represents a distinct departure from the usual Him plot. The story is taken from Robert W. Servi<*e'B novel of Monte Carlo, in which a- new kind of romance is interwoven with the exposure of the gambling methods at the famous casino. The caste includes Kenneth Harlan, Clara Bow, Raymond Griffith, Carmel Myers, Josef Swickard, and Frankie Lee. A bunch of very capable people are to be seen in "Tbe Hero " They include Barbara La Marr, Gaston Glass, John -.ainpolis, and Frankie Lee. Glass, according to the author is a real hero, but as there are no less than three individuals entitled to that honour there will be some difference of opinion. Another child actor, Mickey Bennett, has become a star of the screen, and, as both his parents are Australians, interest in this seven-year-old boy's career will be of more than ordinary interest (says a Melbourne paper). His father is Mr. Charles Bennett, formerly a wellknown elocutionist of Melbourne who has won competitions at South Street on several occasions, and Mb mother is Miss Dot Browne, who was a member of the theatrical profession here. The father's parents live at Northcote. Mickey Bennet began to act at four, and has appeared with Thomas Meighan, but only lately has he become famous in America. Practically what Churlie Chaplin did for Jackie Coogan in "The Kid" Allan Dwan has done for this boy in "Big Brother." He has taken a comparatively unknown child performer and directed him right into t h e Btar cla s. The producer says that Mickey Bennett is the.quickest and most responsive child actor he has worked with, and confidently predicts a great future for him. Some American critics declare that the boy's performance as a tough, freckled face youngster from the East Side of New York is the best that has been given on the screen for years, and in its particular sphere ranks with Jackie Coogan'a work in "The Kid."