THE CHANGES CHINA

Evening Star, Issue 19025, 21 August 1925, Page 9

THE CHANGES CHINA

PRINCESS AS FILM DIRECTOR The following; article gives a notable indication of the change in outlook of modern China —tho country where only lately a largo proportion of"girl babies were drowned at birth and those allowed to grow up counted rather less than domesticated animals. Taken from the Shanghai ‘ Sunday Times,’ it tells of tho entry of a Chinese princess into moving picture directorate. A photograph of the princess, which appears on page 5. shows that in appearance and dress she is scarcely distinguishable from a Luropoau. The article says: “ Following the course of Lady Diana Manners and others of high estate who recently have embarked upon stage and screen careers, Princes der Ling, of Peking, formerly first lady at the court of the Empress Dowager, announces that she will ouler tho movies in China. The Princess has just closed a contract with Oriental Films, j.td,, to act loading roles in their productions, and to servo the concern as art director and adviser on Oriental manners and customs. She is now in the city preparing for the first of the company’s pictures soon to bo produced. “This is really an old dream come true, said tho Princess, interviewed at her hotel here by our representative. “For several years 1 have been planning to go into motion pictures, particularly with the hope of giving tho world a true picture of life in China and a clearer understanding of the Chinese people. Oriental Films, Ltd., is committed to producing these very pictures of Chinese life for world distribution, and they oiler precisely the opportunity 1 have been waiting for. “ I know that this is also the dream of many persons in China —many who want the nation to bo understood abroad and many others who see in pictures a wonderful new artistic opportunity in which China, should bo participating and to which she can bring a wealth of beauty. “ Brave attempts at Chinese art have been made in several American films, but ihe trouble with these production? has been that they are not authentic and that they convey the most distorted notions of Chinese art and the Chinese people. The ‘ WildWest ’ pictures by which Americans are hinged abroad have as nearly represented American life as films of China have represented tho life of tho Chinese. The thief of Bagdad ’ is tho nearest approach to authenticity thus far, but even that lias serious defects and is very irritating, or amusing, to Chinese audiences. “ Technically, foreign-made pictures of China have, of course, been very superior and have made up for many of their other offences. There is no hope of conveying to the screen any of the beauty of Chinese traditions, customs, and manners without employing tho best equipment available and without making use of the most approved and finished screen technique. It is because Oriental films, J.td., proposes to employ the best direction talent, the best Hollywood production methods, _ and tho best materials, Unit the project is so noteworthy and promising. “ China deserves the best in her pictures —deserves pictures which will rank with tho very finest now produced abroad. burely there are all the materials hero, in themes, in scenic beauty, in actors, in splendid traditions for pictures of the most striking and appealing character. We need only to apply tho best facilities availed of_ elsewhere to bring China, into first rank in the motion picture world —an ambition which Oriental Films, Ltd., hopes iu the next few mouths fully to realise. _ . fi “ Interest in tho kincma in China is growing with amazing rapidity. I have always been certain that China would take the kincma close to her heart, tor it supplies all the qualities the love m dramatic entertainment, and it is, after all, not a long stop from the native theatre. Mow that kincma theatres are springing up everywhere and that thousands are going to the movies daily, pictures have won their final conquest here, and are destined shortly to -become one of the outstanding institutions of China.” The princess is singularly well qualified to interpret tho life and art of China to the Western World, particularly through the medium of the movies. Daughter of one of China’s famous diplomats, she travelled throughout the world as a. more girl and studied not only in China, but in Paris and other capitals under renowned teachers, including Sarah Bernhardt. She was summoned to court by the Empress Dowager, and became the Empress’s favorite and first lady-in-waiting. She is well known in artistic circles here and abroad, commands six languages, and is a keen student of the Chinese classics.

Motion picture producers in America have for several years been trying to prevail upon her to bring her information and her abilities into pictures.