THE MOTION PICTURE

Evening Star, Issue 17928, 25 March 1922, Page 10

THE MOTION PICTURE

AN INTERESTiHS ROMANCE.

Celebration during March of tho first decade of feature films by tho motion picture industry reveals something of the real romance of tho motion picture—tho story of what has transpired since Adolph Zukor won Sarah Bernhardt to tho films and cre-

ated a new epoch in motion pictures bv tho presentation of her greatest stage success, ’Queen Elizabeth.' It is tho story of Paramount Pictures, which combine the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, and of Adolph Zukor, Josso L. Lasky, Cecil B. Do Milk,

and their associates. It deals with tho organisation not only of tho world’s greatest screen enterprise, but tho organisation of tho entire motion picture industry, for ono parallels tho other. Under Adolph Zukor’s guidance tho Famous Players Film Company set about securing great stars of tho speaking stage. Mr Zukor resolved that none less than tho incomparable Sarah Bernhardt should be the first to prove tho artistic possibilities of screen productions. Sarah Bernhardt, convinced that hero, at last, was a way to make Imperishable her genius, yielded, and appeared in 1 Queen Elizabeth,’ tho first big five-reel feature ever made. Audiences, men and women who had considered a screen presentation beneath their notice, thronged to sen “Tho Divino Sarah,” enthralling though voiceless, and wore swopt with emotion. Here, for tho first time in history, tho spontaneous applause of an intelligent audience came as a mighty tribute to an absent star. And with the success of ‘ Queen Elizabeth ’ as a corner stono Adolph Zukor continued to mako pictures as he had dreamed of making them until the productions of the Famous Players Film Company became a recognised standard. Then camo Josso Lasky with his amazing conception of tho artistic powers of tho silent drama. In tho formation of his Feature Play Company Cecil B. Do Millo (a young stago producer of tho David Belasco school) and Arthur S. Friend (of wide legal and financial experience) played prominent parts. Neither Mr Lasky nor Mr De Millo had given the subject of motion pictures any groat amount of serious thought, nor had cither over seen a motion picture made, and they knew nothing at all about the technical side of tho work. But they had faith in tho future of tho motion picture, and know that success awaited them if they gave tho screen true drama. So it was decided that Mr Do Millo was to take charge

of tho production and of Liio work, while Mr Lasky and another friend had tho job of organising tho company and getting the financial backing thilt'they _ needed. Their first venture was the decision to purchase the film rights to ‘The Squaw Man.’ As far 'as is known, that was the first time in tho history of tho screen that lilin rights wore bought and sold. With tho acquisition of 1 The Squaw Man,’ they selected California ae tho most suitable place to establish a working plant, as it offered tho maximum of natural sunlight and variety of scenery. So, after a day spent in a studio in Teniers, whore Mr Do Mille was introduced to ft motion picture camera for the first time, they started for Los Angeles with tho script of ’The Squaw Man’ and what was left of their capital in their pockets. At that time Hollywood was an isolated suburb, consisting- mostly of orange groves; but they managed to find a building and a few feet of land thta -would answer their purpose. Incidentally, the building was a largo carriagehouso and stable, and the land was part of an orange grove near by. It was the best that could bo done on thoir small capital, so they secured the property, erected a small stage, built makeshift scenery, laboratories, ancf a business office. And thcro they made their first picture. To-day, tho Lasky studio, which began its career in such a humble fashion, covers two full city blocks. Twelve hundred acres of land in San Fernando Valley form the Lanky ranch, and tho stage !W# apace alone is twenty times' as great as tho entire area covered by the primitive studio which marked thoir first start. To-day. almost 20,000 men and women, expert in their Individual capacity, executives and their staff, authors and thefr scenario writers, stage and screen stars and supporting casts, directors and their armies of assistants, are a part of tho Famous Players Lasky activities. _ . The absorption by Famous Players-Lasky Corporation of Paramount Pictures Corporation, Artoraft Pictures Corporation, and more recently Kealarl Pictures Corporation, has welded into ono organisation the titanic force# of the motion picture industry. About 130 Paramount pictures aro being released to the public this calendar year. These pictures are produced in throe groat studios—ono at Hollywood, California; ono at Long Island City; and ono at London, England. pictures acquired a special

meaning with motion picture patrons throughout tho world. A Paramount star in a Paramount picture is tho combination of tho utmost in screen personality, and a production made by an organisation backed by ten years of consistent picture-making. Paramount pictures are distributed in every civilised country in tho world. Famous Players-Lasky have nine exchanges for tho distribution of their pictures in England, two in Prance, ono in Denmark, two in South America, ono in Mexico, five in Australia, ono in Now Zealand, and one in Belgium. In every other country in the world whoro motion pictures are shown Famous Players-Lasky is represented by independent distributors.