THE ALL-SEEING EYE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20538, 12 April 1930, Page 11 (Supplement)

THE ALL-SEEING EYE.

THE DEMANDS OF THE CAMERA

The all-seeing eye of (ho camera i.> •veiy motion picture player's " severest critic." The actor might fool even his friend, but he cannot mislead the camera. T.nto hours, worry, and lack of phy condition are recorded ruthlessly on the screen. Unreal settings are magnified in reproduction until they b'nre forth their unreality. The demands of t.lio screen upon tho ingenuity of players and technicians are far more exacting than those of the stage. Paul Muni, youthful master of makeup, declares' make-up for tho screen a hundred times more difficult than for the jstneo. He spent three months preparing his various make-ups for " Seven Faces," in which ho portrays seven characters. Ono of the most aniibying habits of Hie camera is its making a person appear larger on the screen than in real life. A girl who actually is only pleasingly plump often appears to be actually fat. Miss Lois Moran, Miss Sue Carol, Miss Marguerite Churchill, and all the other of the screen's younger favourites watch the scales with discerning eyes to note t.li?i first warning. When the danger signal shows, tho work begins—diet, exercise, massages.

Charles Farrell put on eight pounds during the filming of " Lucky Star," due largely to the fact that most of his acting was done while seated in a wheel chair. The hawk-eyed camera showed the difierence immediately and Farrell entered upon a course of irwing and steam-baths that, took the poundage off in a hurry. George O'Biien keeps himself in perfect condition for two reasons, first, because he always has been an athleto and second, because he wants to be in shape for the athletic roles lie plays. " A pound of fat looks like a ton to the cameia," lie- declares, "especially if it's at the waistline or in tho form of a second chin." Victor McLaglen is another he-man film player whose natural liking for keeping fit is spurred by the noticing ways of the camera. ' One of the few actors in Hollyv/o!' 1 who have practically no interest in how they appear on the screen is Will lingers. Tfe uses no make up. The grey in bis hair is permitted to remain grcv. ffe chews gum and usually wears only the one suit throughout tho production—"to savo confusion " —and, all in all, manages to enjoy himself thoroughly.