THE SHADOW WORLD.

Southland Times, Issue 19258, 23 June 1921, Page 7

THE SHADOW WORLD.

Latest Rea! News of Reel Folk,

(BY

THE RECORDER).

John M. Stahl is going to film Shakespeare’s immortal creation, “King Lear,” for release through Associated First National.

Thomas Meighan is going to star in the picturised version of Peter B. Kyne’s popular novel, “Cappy Ricks.” Agnes Ayres will play the leading feminine role.

Metro is planning to send a company to the Orient to make a play with native players, excepting a few that will go with the director, Daniel Frawley.

Vera Gordon, who gave such a wonderful portrayal of the mother role in “Humoresque,” was to have appeared at the Grand Opera House at Philadelphia (U.S.A.) recently. When in Philadelphia some months ago Mrs Gordon aided the local newspaper men’s club, ‘The Cubs,” in its charitable campaign for the Jewish Foster Home.

An American paper states that “nearly everybody in the film capkal believes that Charlie Chaplin and May Collins, a 17-year-old beauty from the New York State are engaged.” We hope Charlie has better luck this time.

Mme. Nazimova, known to movie fans the world over, will sever connections with Metro, according to latest reports, to return to the stage. Her version of “Camille” is her last picture.

William S. Hart, who is at present showing locally, appears in a forthcoming Paramount picture, “Three Word Brand,” in a triple role. He takes the part of a father and his twin sons, one of whom becomes the Governor of Utah Territory (U.S.A.) The popular Bill can be depended upon to give a good characterisation of the role and the picture will be awaited witfc a great deal of interest by New Zealand picture fans.

Movie fans may find it more difficult in the near future to obtain autographed photographs of their favourite stars. New Zealand fans have got the habit as bad as those of any other country; so, the action of Miss Bessie Love in this connection will not be welcomed. Miss Love is sponsoring a movement to curtail the sending broadcast of autographed photos of stars to whomsoever requests them. I saw in an American exchange that Charles Ray sends out nearly 30,000 pictures a month. Cost—upwards of six cents —and then the ink for his signature ! Some task!

Art Bates, long associated with the old Essanay comedies, in which he appeared with Charlie Chaplin, Max Linder and others, has signed a contract with the Mount Olympus Distributing Corporation to appear in their series of “Dizzy Dumbbell” comedies, soon to be released for the states rights field. Lou Tops also has signed for the “Dizzy Dumbbell” series, and will work with Bates.

.. Lionel Barrymore and the “Boomerang Bill” company, which has been taking that picture for Cosmopolitan Production? under the direction of Tom Terries, were mobbed in Chinatown last week, -when they attempted to take some scenes. Lionel Barrymore and Marguerite Marsh, who is playing opposite Mr Barrymore in the picture, were not seriously injured, but other members of the company were stoned by Chinese, who stood on neighbouring roofs and hurled bricks and bottles at the automobile in which the camera was concealed. Chinese believe that when their pictures are taken their souls are taken away.

Pauline Frederick appears in “Roads of Destiny,” a Goldwyn picture made from the Channing Pollock play which was made from the O. Henry story. In the stage play Florence Reed played the leading part. In its screen form the Story is made to appear as a dream, which, of course, makes it plausible and not disjointed. “Roads of Destiny” was not really anything but four one-act plays and making it into a photoplay could not have been the easiest thing in motion picture production. A fairly good picture has been made from it, but, it follows the stage version closely. The usual happy ending for all concerned takes place. H. B. Warner is a plumber—a good plumber, and a romantic one at that, but only during the life of his latest picture “Uncharted Channels,’’ and the overalls reveal him as no less appealing and interesting than in perfectly tailored dress clothes. Despite its humour, of which there is a-plenty, “Uncharted Channels” has for basis theme a decidedly serious subject—economic unrest and the work of professional agitators and their hidden movies It is a snappy satire and is sure to please. “Uncharted Channels” will be shown locally, commencing on Friday. The disminutive coon who assists Snub Pollard in his comedies is about the largest amount of comedy tied up in the smallest parcel that there is extant. People get nearly as much pleasure from this coloured insect as they do from the star. Kathryn Adams, 'who plays opposite H. B. Warner in “Uncharted Channels,” to be shown locally to-morrow, played with John Barrymore in “Raffles.” Executive rights to the only motion picture that will be made of Jack Dempsey in actual training for his coming fight in defence of his heavyweight crown against Georges Garpentier have just been obtained by the Paihe Exchange. Gloria Swanson has finished her first starring picture of Paramount, Elinor Glyn’s , “The Great Moment.” Exteriors for the picture were made in a suburb of San Francisco and in the California mountains. Scenes in the story are laid in Russia, England, Washington and the Rocky Mountains. Richard Barthelmess is to become an independent star. Mr Barthelmess’s company will be called the Inspiration Picture Corportion, which sounds rather foolish, though they do say that it is all right. Charles Duell jr. is the producer. He is the son of the late Charles Duell, judge in the U.S. Court of Anpeah. Mr Barthelmess’s contract is for two years, and it is probable that some of the pictures will be made abroad. The ship explosion in the big Vitagraph production of E. W. Hornung’s “Dead Men Tell No Tales” is one of the biggest and most realistic scenes of this nature ever screened. It cost several thousand dollars and hundreds of extra players were used The flames leaped high in the air, consuming masts and sails while the men fought valiantly with hose, buckets, and blankets, as though life depended on it, while cameras clicked until the order came to take to the boats. The ship blew up very shortly after the last player had left. This picture will be seen locally shortly.

Cecil B. De Mille, director of special feature production for Paramount, demands realism in his pictures regardless of the cost. One scene in “The Affairs of Anatol,” the last picture he has completed, was designed by Paul Iribe, the French ’artist, and into it went about £6,000 worth of furnishings, among them the reproduction of a rare set of Louis XVI chairs. Yet, at the end of the scene, Wallace Reid, the leading man, is required to smash everything in the place. Not a stick of furniture remained in its original shape when the filming of the scene was complete. Realism costs something now-a-days!

I have received a letter from a correspondent signing himself “Safety.” He states that last Saturday night at the Civic Pictures people were seated on the steps of the aisle ways to three and four deep. The writer goes on, “It was utterly impossible for anyone but a first-class footballer to get out, and it was obvious that -if any alarm was raised, and the aisles being blocked, the consequences would be serious.”

In reply to my correspondent I may say that the picture managers are more concerned than anybody, for naturally they do not like to see any of their prospective patrons turned away disappointed. While the demand is so keen the theatres will of necessity be filled to the utmost capacity. Fortunately all of the local houses are thoroughly well provided with fire escapes, the Municipal Theatre especially so. Patrons at the picture bouses would be certain of greater comfort and the interests of the proprietors of the picture theatres would be better served if a portion of those who now clamour for admission on Saturday nights distributed their patronage over the adjoining nights—Friday or Monday.

Roscoe Arbuckle has done “Brewster’s Millions,” a screen adaptation of the farcical comedy which was seen in New Zealand a few years ago.

The New Zealand-made picture, “The Betrayer,” will be seen in Invercargill, commencing next Tuesday.

“The Betrayer” is six reels of splendid acting, wonderful photography, magnificent scenery, and altogether a production that is right up to the highest standard. The work of the Maoris in the film is a revelation.

Mabel Normand is to be seen here again in several new picture?. The first “Pinto,” which will be screened locally, whizzes along at a speed only possible in a Nprmand picture. As a cow-girl, who goes to live with a wealthy New York family, 'she scores a real triumph.

In Screenland Jottings, the scribe of the Publicity Department of New Zealand Picture Supplies Ltd., has the following:— “We’ve had Connie Talmadge Tn .Search of a Sinner’ for ‘Two Weeks’ carrying on ‘Dangerous Business’ for a ‘Love Expert/ and it’s a coincidence that just as she enters on married bliss we see her as ‘A Temperamental Wife,’ only the husband in the case is Wyndham Standing, not Mr Pialoglou, who is the real Mr Constance Talmadge.”

One of the most daring of Anierican airmen made a remarkable picture for Fox — “The Skywayman,” which is coming to Invercargill. Before this picture was completed Lieut. Locklear, the airman in question, and his companion Lieut. Milton Elliott, were killed through an aeroplane accident. A proportion of the profits on this picture goes to the. families of the two daring airmen.

Elinor Glyn has gone right over to the movies—not as a star, though. She has been spending some time studying the technique of screen production and will devote her time to writing scenarios for Paramount.

Picture lovers would consider themselves lucky to see a picture like “Heliotrope” every week. This magnificent Paramount offering, which is to commence its local season on Wednesday next, is in every way a tribute to the cinema of to-day. The story is an elevating one, the acting thorough, rnd the photography strikingly efficient. Fred Burton, Julia S. Gordon, Wm. D. Mack, Diana Allen, and Wilfred Lytell, are members of a fine cast. “Heliotrope” tells the story of a father’s sacrifice in a way words could not express. It should prove a big draw wherever 1 presented.

Enid Bennett will be showing here on the “Heliotrope” programme in “Silk Hosiery,” in which Miss Bennett stars as a remarkable little modiste’s model. Her husband, Fred Niblo, who will be well remembered on the speaking stage, directed the picture.

“The Whispering Chorus” stands to many people as a landmark in their Recollections of moving pictures. It was a picture with a wonderful grip right through that held audiences absolutely spellbound. For gripping power “Heliotrope” has been likened to “The Whispering Chorus.” The later picture (“Heliotrope”), which is the first of Paramount super-productions, combines with this sensational grip a wealth of hearttouching sentiment that brings it into the same category as “Humoresque.”

A popular favourite of the old Biograph days is welcomed back in “The Deadlier Sex,” by Bayard Veiller, author of the “Thirteenth Chair” and “Within the Law/’ This is Blanche Sweet, whose deft comedy talent and powers of emotion have not diminished since the days when she was Daphne Wayne and played with Mary Pickford under Griffith. The story has drama, but also much comedy of the bubbling, effervescent variety, and depicts a clever battle of wits between a man and a woman —head-strong man and heart-strong woman.

Wyndham Standing is becoming increasingly popular with local audiences. He has been seen several limes recently in Metro productions with Viola Dana and others. His last appearance was as William Ashe in “The Marriage of William Ashe.” His next appearance will be with Hope Hampton in “A Modern Salome,” a picture suggested by Oscar Wilde’s poem “Salome.” His brother Percy is also in the same picture.

“Kathleen Mavourneen” has Theda Bara for its Irish lassie of the title. The old rollicking song is followed closely in text and introduces some pretty scenes of Irish country and fair-time life that are delightful. Miss Bara is happily assisted by a lengthy cast that includes Marc McDermott and Raymond McKee. This gem will be shown locally next week-end.

Frank Borzage who directed “Humoresque” is to direct a “Get-Rich-Quick-Wal-lingford” story for Cosmopolitan. Doris Kenyon is to be featured in this picture.

On practically every picture programme shown locally and in other towns of the Dominion, there appear Gazettes, Reviews, etc., which show pictures of current events in England, the United States and elsewhere; but how rarely do we see pictures of events in our own little land. The Gazettes and Reviews that we do see are certainly interesting and of educational value; they show us, say, the opening of ’•'ut in Great Britain, a University

capping carnival at some English ’Varsity, an International rugby football match, league soccer, Mr Lloyd George making a speech advising how to bring about a settlement in Ireland, and such like events. Nevertheless, we in New Zealand would perefer to see the capping carnivals of our own colleges while it. would be most interesting to see the opening of Parliament in New Zealand on the screen.

There are dozens, perhaps it is no exaggeration to say hundreds/ of other events in New Zealand worthy of filming for exhibition on the screen in this and other countries. The screen is a great advertising medium and it would perhaps pay the Government to employ an official film camera man for such purposes. In any case, the matter is deserving of cosideration both from' the movie powers that be locally and in other New Zealand towns. Soon we are to have a Jubilee Week in Invercargill and there is a chance there for an enterprising camera man to advertise Southland and to do well out of the transaction. I have also heard that there is a possibility of all the South African rugby football matches in New Zealand being filmed. The annual show of the Actors’ Equity Association was to have been given in the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, last month. Hundreds of stars of the stage and the screen were to take part and, although the. stars of all the current attractions were to participate, not a single adt or number from any current performance was to be used, since all acts were specially written and the music specially arranged for the occasion.