SCREEN JOTTINGS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 14 June 1926, Page 6

SCREEN JOTTINGS

•In “Helen's Babies,” she doesn’t ! have to '“Step out of )ier Character.” “Stepping out of your character” is a popular bit of witticism in the flapper language to-day. Flapper phrases llap and liko., the forty-inch width for the cuffs"of,men's- pants, they are the rage of tovday and .ancient history for the “jnorrmv.! l But “stepping out of their character” has and always will be a; vital part of the mental equipment of every actor ami actress who aspires to success. They have got to “get into” the part,-they play. For instance, if an actor; fond of snappy attire in real life; wns to .appear, in that outfit in a part in a picture which necessitated his resorting to the mannerisms of a stevedore there wonkl he no such 1 things as serious pictures—everything j would bo burlesque comedies. In i “Helen’s Babies,” appearing at the Royal Theatre on Saturday, Baby P e ggy> who is starred in this _Master Picture, just reverses studio ethics. She is just her own self since tho part .she plays is that of “Toddic” and, . : fas Toddic is a. genuine funloving and affectionate youngster, tho reason is quite obvious. • i * . j “Those "Who Judge,” starring Patsy . Ruth ' Miller and Lou Tcllegen, ; is produced from the pojmlar novel by i Marge O’ Land May, “Those Who Judge” presents a highly entertaining j story. It concerns a fascinating young | widow, played by Patsy Ruth Miller, ; who epmes to a fashionables watering place to escape the consequences of ;n. mock marriage in which she has become innocently involved, and who speedily becomes the center of a scries of rpmantic and embarrassing situations, that form a most intriguing plot. Tl)o cast in its entirety i 9 of the best. Headed by Patsy Ruth Miller and Loti ; Tellegen 'it includes Mary Thursman, : Flora Le Breton, Edmund Brcosc, Ooit • Albertson, Walter -Miller and Connie Keefe. * * * 1

Sot in. a place whore evoryman was law unto himself, and at a timo when, neighbour was only another name for cnfcmiy. “The Splendid Hoad,” is said to have acquired thrills without conscious effort. The lilm deaK with, the "old boom period of California in the days of ’49. -Anna. Q. Nilsson, LioncL Barrymore and Hebert Frazer, arc featured. Frank Lloyd directed tUo picture which is based-on Vinge ,E. Roc’s successful novel of the same name. Edward Earle, Edwards Davis, Paulino Garon, Gladys Brockwell, Marcclino Day,' George Bancroft, Do Witt Jennings, Snitz Edwards, and Russel Simpson cast. In some of the scenes several hundred people are ■ active. The scenes aboard the “G’olonial Dame,’’ a Batimore clipper ship of the period, and in Sacramento are said to bo accurate historic duplications. “The Splendid Road” is listed for release at the Theatre Royal on Tuesday. * * - *• Girls may come and women may go—but tho flapper goes on serenely. In the' city streets, in the country lanes, in schools, in business offices, and in home she flaps with a carefree disregard for comment and custom. She is expressing herself. Sometimes she is sixteen, and wo smilo indulgently because she is just a child after all. Sometimes she is in her early twenties, and we sympathise with her lighthearted outlook oil life. And sometimes she is thirty, and wo sigh for the lost girlishness which she is trying so hard to hold on to. But sho is a flapper just tho same. "Whether sho is sister, mother, cousin, aunt or wifo it makes no difference. Youth is the greatest thing in life. AVlmb matters how we keep it—if we do! Eleanor Boardman in ‘‘So This.is Marriage,” Hobart Henley’s picture at the Grand on Tuesday, plays the part of a flapper-wife, and' just how she flaps her way through married life, forms tho basis of a matrimonial drama of supreme entertainment. ' no* Tho phanton ship, used in the production of Coleridge'S - “The Ancient Mariner,” which opens Thursday at tho .Grand Theatre, is so unique in design and weird in appearance, that it awed hundreds of pedestrians in Hollywood, California, when it made its appearance. Henry Otto, director of tho fantasy sequence, was having the ghostlike'shell removed from one side of the largo “lot” to tho other and this necessitated crossing tho boulevard. Tho huge ship, with its charred beany? and flimsy sails, attracted a large crowd, and blocked traffic until the gates of the studio closed and obscured the view. Clara Bow, Earle -Williams, Leslie Fenton and Nigel Do Brilllier aro cast in tho, feature roles in the modern episode which was made ' Under the direction, of Chester, .Bennett. Raul Panzer appears as the Ancient Mariner in the allegorical narrative. * * Baldpate Inn, perhaps the best known hostelry anywhere, . was reconstructed by Douglas Mac Loan for his current picture, “Seven Keys to Baldpate,” opening on Saturday at' the Grand. Because of the'"tremendous popularity of the original fared played hero by Fred Niblo, it is estimated that more people have seen the interior of Baldpate Inn than have ever inspected tho interior of any real hotel in the country. In planning the motion picture construction of this mythical Inn, MaoLeaii decided to follow,' the general floor plan and style of architecture which was used for tho original •stage settings. Because of the greater possibilities of the camera, however, it was possible to enlarge the main lobby Considerably and add' bed rooms, dining room, corridors and furnace room, all tif which serve as background for the augmented action of the picture, version of tho Cohan comedy. ■ ■ -»* “ » Lincoln Steelman. vlio appears in Mrs Wallace Reid's Master picture, “Broken Laws,” provides further evid-

ence that talent for noling runs in the R ted man fnmilv. i'Vi- i.ineoln is I lie son I of. Myrtle, St-’dman. for many years a I favourite of tho films, . 1

NOTES FROM THE STUDIOS

! Against a picturesque background of cattle ranges, riverbeds and luountains has been filmed a dramatic story of red-blooded action. Ruth Hark ness inherits a. ranch in New Mexico. With her uncle, aunt, and fiancee she takes possession. Rex Anderson is the ranch boss. Mastcn hires a mrau to kill Rex, who boats him to tho draw. Mastcn becomes involved with Hagai", tho daughter of a squatter. Rex thrashes Mastcn, who intimates to Ruth that the ranch boss is responsible for Hagar’s ruin. Tho squatter learns the truth and pursues Mastcn. Ruth makes her peace ■with Rex, and they are engaged. “The Leader of the Wilderness” is a 'Master- Picture featuring John Bowers - and Alice Calhoun. ;■ * * : Rin-Tin-Tin, tho Warner dog star, stands in grave danger of contracting permanent stiffness of his front right paw, if ho continues to shake tlie hands of his numerous children and grown-up ndmirors on • his ; , personal appearance tour throughout..'tho .country. The unusual dog and , his' piaster, Lieut. Lee Duncan, are touring America, in con- | nection with Unity's latest Maxtor picture, “Tho Night Cry.’’ >•• * * * ! ■ Incurably flirtatious, Ireno Rich lias 1 quito a string of romances in her-latest i Master picture “Silken Shackles.” |.* * * ' Screen work is an all-round cdtica--1 tion. It teaches an amazing number of different things, some nico and some not so nice. Dolbres Costello, the loverly Warner star, for instance, learned tho art of being light-fingered so that she could realistically pick tho pockets of her different victims in “Tho Little Irish Girl,” her latest Master picture. In this “crook” play, Miss Costello is supported by John Harron, Dot Farley, Mathew Betz;, and Gertrude Clair. * * * Several members of tho all-star cast of “Under Western Skies,” a Universal Jewel attraction, travelled almost 10,000 miles to act out their roles before the camera. The pict-uro was made at Universal City, California, tlinii at Pendleton, Oregon, and finally in New York city, all of which necessitated a tremendous amount of travelling. -* * * In'.“Triple Action,”, a, thrilling Western attraction, produced by Universal, tho star, Pete Morrison, works with his famous horso “Lightiiin’,” said to bo ' one of tho most intelligent animals in pictures. The story deals with rangers and outlaws. It contains an appealing romance and much good comedy.

» * . In “What Happened to. Jones,” the latest Universal Jewel to .be released in •New■■■ Zealand shortly, Reginald Denny, impersonates a woman for. several important sequences. Being a' master of all the manly sports, an athlete, yachtsman and expert racing driver, the star ' had an awful timo in trying to perfect his characterisation. But Marian Nixon, his leading .lady, came to tho rescue, and,gave him several hours’ instruction in the manly art of being, a woman.- That she is a'good teacher, or .Denny.a good pupil, is evident on viewing the scenes on the screen. * * » Colleen Moore has completed “Irene.” “Irene” is everything the star and her associates expected.' The James Montgomery musical comedy in screen form, will offer bliss Moore’s fans one of the finest productions of the year, and by far the best picture' slid has so far given them. The colour episode which covers the entire fashion

show depicting the seasons, is considered one of tlio most elaborate effects shown upon the screen. Tho many gowns worn by the star, and sixty' beautiful -Hollywood'girls, aro shown in { their natural colours, and tile settings !, designed by John D. Schulze, are sel- | dom seen in any form of screen entertainment. • “Irene” is being .released by First National pictures. * * * Master Pictures announce that tho most important'picture of their 1926 season;’’“The 'Sea Beast,” scored a tremendous success ’at the world premiere, Warner Thontrc, New York City, on January 9, last. This picture of Herman Melville's “Moby Dick,” was selected by John Barrymore for liis return to .tho screen after his stage triumpllh as tlie greatest “Hani'et” of ■ liis generation. “Moby Dick,” the name of a white whale of demonic . power—has, as a novel, been accepted as the . most authentic and stirring of all stories of sea adventure. As a screen play, it lias boon greeted as tho mightiest of all in a season of remarkable pictures. It is a, story of the whaling days of 1840, and tho scenes shift from New England. U.S.A., across the sens to Java. “The Sea Beast” was adapted to tho screen by Bess Meredyth and directed, by Millard Webb. Titles were written b.y no loss a celebrity than Rupert Hughes. Tho cast includes Do’ores Costello and Geo. O’Hara. * * ■ * Warner Brothers outbid all other picture producers for the services of Syd. Chaplin, because they be’ieved j they had tho very' story he needed to duplicate his phenomena] success in | “Charley’s Aunt.” “The Mail on the Box,” a Master picture from the celebrated novel and play' by Harold MaoGratli, was the vehicle se’ected for Chaplin, and with Chaplin heading a j cast that includes David Butler, Alice | and Kathleen Calhoun, Theodore Loreh ! and Hclcno Costello. !