“THE TEN COMMANDMENTS”

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 22 August 1925, Page 14

“THE TEN COMMANDMENTS”

Mr. George A. Highland, J. C. Wi Ramson producer, has left on a trip to America, where he will pick up mam new ideas to be used in forthcoming productions for the firm.

“Her Husband’s Secret,” is the tilth, of Frank Lloyd’s latest First National picture. Adapted to the screen from May Fldginiton's story, “Judgment,” this picture deals with romance and sacrifice of two generations, and introduces some unusually dramatic ami highly original bits of adventure. Antonio Moreno, Pabsy Ruth Miller, Ruth Clifford and David Torrence head the big cast.

During the overland tour of the “Mother Maohree” Company (“overwater tour” would have been more correct), the Hooded condition of some ol the towns played en route would have almost justified the inclusion ol “canoes and motor launches at 10.4; p.m.” in the advertisement,. Several dates, including the Bay of Plenty towns, had to be abandoned for thh reason. The advance agent, who travelled per car, has some valuable data concerning the rise and fall of rivers.

Mr. Seymour Hicks lias in rehearsal a play by himself, at present called “The Past,” in which he and Miss Madge Titheradge are to open in Dublin about the middle of August, before London production. “The Prist” is a Strong drama dealing with a woman's life, and Mr. Hicks's part is without any attempt at comedy. It is being produced in alssociaitiion with Daly s Theatre (Ltd.).

Mr. Jack Humbert, who is producing the “By the Way” levue at the Apollo Theatre, London, has received several offers to take the entire show and company to the United States in tire autumn, and he intends to accept'one of these offers. The Americans ■seem to be almost trying to make a “corner” in young English actors; in addition to Mr. Hul.bert, Mr. Jack Buchanan and Mr. Herbert Marshal, are going to. New York shortly.

Richard Barthelmess and his wife Mary Hay, are .singularly fitted to play the young married couple of “New Toys,” the young star’s latest First National picture. That is they are suited in the fact that they are really and truly a young married couple. The young husband and wife of “New Toys” go through a. lot of comic domestic tribulations over the fact that the wile longs for a, stage career and chafes a bit at the restrictions of matrimony. Here, of courw, the Bar.thel messes had to use ia. bit of imagination, for they are exceedingly happy in their own marriage, with a charming home and a. lovely baby to hold their ■interest.

What is believed to be the first .map ever made of “'Hie Mysterious Island, bho locale of Jules Verne’s famous story of that name, has just been brought to light, according to Mr. J. K. Williamson. It was drawn in 1891. Mr. Williamson is going to .produce the Verne story for the Metro GoldwynMayer corporation, and is now gathering all available data in ki>s search. The sketch was discovered recently by John M. Ball, of New York City, among the papers of W. A. Lorenz, hi« uncle. Mr, Lorenz, a mechanical engineer of Hartford, Conn., was reading the story alioud to his children, and drew for them a freehand map, which i.s .said to he an exact delineation of “Mysterious Island” as Verne desciiibed it. Mr. Williamson is very anxious' to obtain possession of the map, to seej if it conforms with his idea, of the “mysterious island.” A great deal of the picture will be filmed under water by the imperial Williamson Undersea Process of photography, an.d will be taken in tbe Bahamas. j

The .staff of First National are busy arranging suitable publicity for “Quo UadLsf” a gigantic attraction which will be released in New Zealand shortly.

“The Ten Commandments,” Paramount’s great .picture long •heralded in Hawera, will commence screening hero on Monday at the Opera House. Jt is probably the greatest screen achievement of modern times. ‘The Ten Ciomunandiincnts” is in fourteen parts, the first six being a Biblical prologue, and the remainder constituting a> modern drama. Among the higli-lights o.f the picture is depicted the parting of the Bed Sea, the receiving of the Command meats on Mount Sinai by Moses, and the destruction of the Israelites for the renunciation, of God. The modern story is a powerful document, showing the application of the Mosaic laws to modern life.

Production has now been completed on “The Wanderer,” Paramount’s big picture for the year of 1926. In. a recent cablegram, from, New York, Jesse L. Liasky, first vice-president of •Famous Lasky Players, stated that th production was easily comparable with “The Ten Commandments." “The Wanderer'” is a modern -story, being a parallel to the allegory of the prodigal son. In so far that Famous Players claim that it is of the same calibre as “The Ten Commandments,'’ something very big is to be anticipated in thb production.

Every one of the eight capital '.ships comprising the division of the American fleet has been equipped with a motion picture set, whereby entertainment is given throughout the cruise. The lighter type of picture predominates. A number of members of the fleet had been interviewed upon the subject matter of these programmes, and there is unanimity on one point—that “Charley's Aunt," with Syd Chaptin, is the greatest piece of film farce that the navy has been supplied with. “Charley’s Aunt'’ will be released in New Zealand by Paramount at an early date.

.Fred Thomson lias been singed up by Major Thomson, managing director of E.13.0.,-to star in E.1i.0. productions at the princely salary of five thousand dollars per week. Fred Thomson has romped through his latest Western vehicle for F. 8.0., “V*

Bandit’s Baby,” and is now preparing to film “Sir Peigan Passes,” an original story by William CL Tuttle. It is a Western story with much comedy, in which Fred and his famous white horse, “Silver King.” take a leading pant. Marion Jackson, who liais written the continuities for all of the successful Fred Thomson productions, wrote the script for his new vehicle. The cast has not yet been completed.

One of the sensations of the London theatrical season is the success of f ‘Boise Marie,” which has been breaking financial records at Drury Lane Theatre. According to the Daiily Mirror, for eight perron-mances in the precious week the box office receipts were £5958, which is a “record figure for a theatre in this country.” The Australian lights for 1 ‘Bose Marie” were secured recently by Sir George Tallis bn behalf of J. O. Williamson, Ltd.

Joseph Do Grasse, who is directing “The Hidden Way,” a. .story written, by Mrs. De Grasse, has an excellent aill-Cta-r oast appealing in the production, headed by Gloria Grey, with the following artists : —Mary Carr, Torn Sant-n-chi. Arthur Rankin, Ned Sparks, Wilbur Mack, Jane Thomas, William Iky no, Billie Jean Phelps and l others. Wilbur McG-augh. is assisting. Director De Grasse.