STAGE AND SCREEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17883, 31 August 1918, Page 4

STAGE AND SCREEN.

(By CPJTIOUS.) On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, at the Theatre Royal, Cappelli, the tenor who mad© such an impression with the Gonsalez Opera Company, will appear. He is supported by an excellent company, consisting of John Amadio, the autist, Natalina M’Callum, soprano, Lucien Cesaroni, bass, and Harold Whittle, accompanist. “ Business Before Pleasure,” Ayith Messrs Adams and Waters, the original Potash and Perlmutter, in the leading role, is packing tho Criterion Theatre, Sydney. It is the biggest comedy Sydney has had in years. New Zealand playgoers will be glad t'o learn that after tho present Mel-, bourne season, Margaret Wycherley and “The 13th Chair” will bo played in Brisbane and throughout tho Dominion on a special starring tour. The popular comedienne,_ Mabelle Morgan, who was detainer! in Sydney by illness, when the A 1 Bruce Revue Company left for Dunedin a fortnight' ago, rejoined hor company _ in the southern ciiy on Monday evening. Her lively, captivating manner gained her instant popularity, and she was accorded a great reception. Miss Morgan was last seen in Christchurch as tho principal boy in the J. C. Williamson pantomime, “ Jack and the Beanstalk,” some six or seven years ago. MOTION PICTURE WORLD. Constance Talmadge, who will be seen here shortly, is shortly to marry Norman Kerry, her leading man in the picture “Up the Road ith Sallie. Their engagement has been the subject of many whispers for some time, but it was not until a few weeks ago that the pair admitted it. In “Up tho Rond With Sallie” Miss Talmadge win 3 now comedy honours by kidnapping an aunt, and weaving a romance that provides excitement for all concerned, and a husband for herself. Charlie Chaplin’s second Million Dollar picture is to be entitled “Shoulder Arms.” It is a military subject, but it will be as different from other military pictures as Charlie is from Hindenburg. Corporal 0. W. de Vania, who fired tho first shot for the United States in the war, is giving points to Charlie, and might even appear in the Him. It will be a First National release, and will he controlled by the N Z. Picture Supplies, Ltd., in the Dominion. Mabel Normand is soon to he soon in another Goldwvn film. The title is “Back to tho''Woods,” and the plot fairly bristles with excitement and wholesome fun. Says the “New York Sun”:—June Caprice has left the Fox Film Corporation, according to authentic reports. This is the star svho was to make Mary Pickford and the rest take second place. Her last picture has a significant title, “Miss Innocence.” Tom Moore has at last become a kinema star. After a period of quite a few years supporting feminine stars, the genial member of the Moore family is at last to be tho lead in his oivn pictures. In response to demand from movie patrons and exhibitors, Goldwyn has decided to star him. This action is somewhat curious, not because Moore is not worthy to he headlined, hut simply because it was not done some time ago. Moore is at least genuine on the screen and he is human in his realisation and interpretation of humour. His first picture will be “ Just for To-night,” a production that is ready for distribution, and which will soon be released. When the great Nazimova stepped from the speaking stage to the realm of the motion picture, she brought with, her more than her own lA'onderful personality and genius. She also brought a number of the supporting cast which had assisted her in her reproductions on the speaking stage- In “Toys of Fate,” her second production for Metro, Charles Bryant, avlio played opposite her in “ Revelation,” seen at the Grand this week, and ivho supported tier in the Ibsen revivals, essayed the role of Henry Livingston, a young American lawyer, Dodsen Mitchell, who supported Nazimova in her Ibsen plays on the stage, has been entrusted with the important part of Bruce Griswold, the villain. Mitchell Avas Julia Arthur’s leading player in “The Eternal Magdalene.” lie also supported Joliu Emerson in “ Conspiracy ” and John Barrymoro in “ Are You a MasonP” EJ. Connelly, another distinguished actor of stage and screen, is cast as HoAvard Belmont. Stago. successes in which Connelly has been prominent are George Ade’s “The Colonel” and Arnold Bennett’s “ The Great Adventure,” Irving Cummings, one of America’s favourite screen players, is cast as the gipsy lover. He appeared in “An American’Widow ” with Ethel Barrymore. Although it has been frequently explained that the demand in Australia for picture plots is extremely limited, information is still constantly being sought by budding authors as to the best means of disposing of such work (writes “ Kinema,” in the Melbourne ‘ Argus.”) Few pictures, Avith the exception of those representing current events, are produced here, mainly for tho reason that “it does not pay.” Cost of production is, in the first place, excessive, there is a* Avant of capable directorship, and even if a good play were produced so few prints can he disposed of that the usual exchange rates for hiring Avould not suffice to meet, their prime cost. At the most, four copies of a film can be sold. This number satisfies the whole Australian requirements, and it stands to reason that if in the United 1 States producers consider one hundred copies only a payable proposition the relative cost of only four copies being printed from the negative must* he out of proportion to what it would he under more favourable conditions. Why, it may he asked, are not copies exported to other markets? This has been attempted, but there is scarcely an Instance on record of success having been experienced. Wo have to rely solely upon our local market. Some day a change may perhaps occur, but the present* has to ho dealt witli, and l future possibilities cannot be counted upon. Australian authors have at various times submitted plots to American producers, hut this aa’us, until lately, a very unsatisfactory proceeding. Some authors, after having done so, hare subsequently claimed to have recognised their own Avork in plays exhibited in Australia, for Avhieh they had obtained no recognition. Of course, it is possible that similarity in plot was simply a. matter of chance, as it is barely conceivable that a respectable firm would resort* to piracy. From March last, hoAvever, full protection has been conceded. A convention was signed on March 15 between the Governments of tho United States and Australia granting reciprocal protection for unpublished works. Whilst in the consideration of copyright generally, th 0 term “unpublished” is capable of much argument, in respect of the kinematograph plot itself its meaning is perfectly clear. To obtain protection in America registration is necessary in that country, and for this_ purpose a representative in the United States would apparently be necessary. The simplest plan for an author who Avishes to obtain protection in America for a kinematograph plot, would he to place the matter in the hands of some patent attorney represented in that* country. One copy of the story would be_ sufficient-. Australian registration is a very simple matter, and can he effected personally at the Conimomverdth offico for copyright. It has been held that exhibition tof a fiilm does not signify publication, tho film not having been disposed of to the public. Whether, hoAvever, a court would hold that the purchase from an American producer of a number of films by an Australian importer should not he construed into disposal to the public is a very doubtful matter. However, as far as film stories are concerned, this doubt does not apply.