IN FILMLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18553, 10 November 1923, Page 8 (Supplement)

IN FILMLAND.

KIPLING'S "KIM" FOR SCREEN.

Miss Maude Adams, the only actress in America who consistently has shrunk from publicity, is quietly perfecting her plans to sail for the Orient in the early winter and direct the production of "Kim" in terms of the screen *« y Wfiemshe slipped out of New York not so ' long ago sue went to Mr. Kipling with her ambitious project. Scores of America's motion picture spokesmen had gone to Mr. Kipling for the rights and failed to get them. After he released the rights to "Kim" to Miss Adams she returned, announcing merely she naa been abroad on business. The part of Kim will bo played by a boy, and the picture will be made in India to- the end that its reproduction of the Grand Tnaik of Hind should not be disturbed by little glimpses of Southern California. Among others who have considered its possibilities might he mentioned the backers of Jackie Coogan, who. however, were dissuaded from approaching Mr. Kipling on the subject when it was pointed out that after all Kim did not, remain a child throughout the story, but grew up and was much admired by the ladies. Another motion picture king who actually got as far as Mr. Kipling's library was ushered out of that sanctuary when he unfolded his plan to introduce a love interest into the story and wind it up with Kim's wedding. Notes and Comments. Mary Pickford's new film " Rosita " is meeting with phenomenal success in New York. " Potash .and Pcrhmittcr" has been filmed, with Alexander Carr and Barney Barnard, who portrayed Abe and Mawruss during the play's long run in America, in the lead. They are assisted by Vera Gordon, who won i(ame in ' Hamoresque " and " Your Best Friend." A fcinematogvaph entertainment was given by Royal command in the ballroom of Balmoral Castle recently. The first part of the programme consisted of a film telling the story of H.M.S. Victory, and it was appropriate among the 200 guests, including tenantry on the Royal estates of Balmoral, Abergeldie, and Birkhall, there should be present Admiral of the Fleet Sir Doveton Sturdee, who was touring Scotland to raise £150,000 on behalf of the save the Victory fund. Accompanying the King and Queen were Prince George and Prince Henry and members of the Royal household. Few people realise how difficult it is and how much time it takes to secure accuracy of detail for tho films. Mr. Cecil Hepworth approached many stamp authorities in vain recently to find out how much it cost to send a letter from London to Rome in 1862. After further inquiry, he found it was sixpence in red Victorian stamps, which took ssome time to obtain. This was for a few feet of film in a scene from " Comin' Thro' the Rye." Another difficulty which beset the producer was to find hairpins used in that period, and some days elapsed before a complete set of the . massive iron hairpins fashionable 60 years ago "could be obtained. A field of rye was especially sown early in the year in the studio grounds to insure absolute accuracy. /■;. 'i As careers are. reckoned, Betty Compson's has been meteoric. Not many years ago Miss Compson was playing the violin in an act on the vaudeville stage. Her success was the result of an unusual natural talent for music combined with a personality that reached beyond the footlights. 'It was during this period of her artistic career that Al. Christie saw her. He immediately offered her what seemed a tremendous sum to become the leading lady in his famous screen comedies. To make this part of her story short, she made good immediately. Then, when the late George Loane Tucker engaged Miss Compson for " The Miracle Men," she made such a_ profound impression on critics and public alike that she decided to form her own' producing organisation.

Every star of stage or screen must at some time Or other, prior to their being a star, be "discovered." And no it was in the case of Jackie Coogan. Jackie was "discovered" by Charlie Chaplin— The little bov was cuddled up in a big leather arm chair which graced the lobby of a Los Angeles hotel. Chaplin was walking through the corridor. He saw the boy fast asleep. He walked nearer him. ' He expressed a desire to meet him. Someone shook the youngster. Jackie rose, rubbing his eyes, shook hands with Mr. Chaplin, and promptly went back to sleep, dismissing all thoughts of the introduction from his mind. That was the fir.it meeting of Chaplin and "the kid," as he is so well known:' Prior to his work in "The Kid," Jackie had never seen a motion picture camera. Chaplin taught him all he knows.

Probably most readers arc sufficiently sophisticated to realise that, when the movie man needs a flash of lightning in his action, he does not have to wait for a thunderstorm to get it. Probably few of them, however, realise how simple and cheap the production of film lightning is. The wooden stand used for the purpose, is wired just like an arc lamp. The two contact points are on the two aright arms — single, large carbon constituting the electrical member in the one case, and several smaller ones in the other. By pulling a cord the two contacts are brought together and the circuit established; and when they are released and the circuit broken, -, there i» . a momentary flashing arc. The spreading'; out of the arc effect over the several small carbons of the one contact is responsible for much of the realism of this brand of lightning.

Mr. Will H. Hays, head of the moving picture industry in America, who arrived in England on the Leviathan recently, has a salary of £40,000 a year voted him by his colleagues. Mr. Hay'* career has "been meteoric. Originally connected with law, he became interested in politics, and in 1920 was chairman of the Republican Party National Committee, and in that rapacity was largely concerned in the effort which made Sir. Harding President. ■\. In return Afr. Hays was made Post-master-Gen with a salary of £3000 a year, and was given a seat in the Cabinet. After a year in office and, as an American colleague phrased it, -'just as he was beginning to know his job, and become useful," ne resigned his political work, and accepted 100,000 dollars a year to be"come president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. Tint organisation includes every corporation of importance in the United States. Mr. Hays is only 44 years old.

Maurice Tourneur (who produced "Lorna Doone ") is a Frenchman, and one of the best producers in America— some say he is racing Griffith for the first position. He declares that in a hundred years' time the difference between the films of then and now will be as marked as that between our aeroplanes and oxcarts of the ancient Briton. He speaks with full knowledge and experience, throwing the blame for the present stagnation on the policy of the big producing concerns. He has also pointed out how progress is being hindered by the absurd system that made too many productions entirely subservient to the whims of some overpaid and pampered i star. One instance he gives in which a well-known screen actress insisted on a clause in her contract that gave her We privilege to have only the right side of her profile, photographed, the left side, in her opinion, being less lovely: so every S. ha to be staged and lit accord cuTtln* ™? ! t dy h , ad tho furtl >« right of fUm'alv^ ltogCther ivom the completed ,Sapp^ y t r^ 0 ° r f SCenes that she. did not .PJ«S|@'& "respective of the gsg& might haVe ° n