News of the Movies

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19985, 26 June 1920, Page 3

News of the Movies

□ The Movie Man □ I

NOTICE '2O CORRESPONDENTS. Correrpont.- P ‘ desirous of having questions anstvcrcd in Che current rVsuc nro reqvcstecl to sos that thoir communications are delivered at tlia office not later than Tuesday evening. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. E.D.. Wellington.—June Elvidgo wr.s in the cast of " The "Whip.’’ If American publications can lid re-lied on Anita Stewart is Sirs Rudolph Cameron. Admirer.—You certainly v/cro lucky to get such a prompt voply. Emmy" Wshleu. Metro Studios, Hollywood, California; John Dowers, G-oldwyn Studios, Culver City, California. Inquisitive.—Marguerite Clarke has not left tho screen, mid so far ?.? I know has no present intentions of doing so. Lila Leo, Lar-ky Studios, Hollywood, California; Kathleen Clifford. Willis and Tnglis, Wright and Callender Building, Lea Angolos. California. Mona-.—Some correspondents have written me that they have reed red photoj? v.dliiout forwarding money with their app’ioalious. They were luckier than yon. American writers strongly addse anpUcants to forward sufficient to cover costs, and that is what 1 advise local applicants to do. Send 1# fid in I nlernaticnal Coupons, which are procurable at the Post Office. Jane Novak, fiCvlSt, Hollywood Boulevard, I.os Angeles, California. Do not know her birthplace. Marjory Wilson-, • Willis and Tuglis, Wright ami Callender Building, Las Angeles, California. viola.—G cor go Wal-h, Fox Film Corporation, 13P, WeM Forty-sixth Street. New York City; Richard BartlieimESs, Tho Griffith _ Studios, ManiarcPeck, Long Island, New hork; Za.su Pit-..,, Brentwood T ilm Corporation, -It-li. F..-.nniain Avenue, Lo-. Angeles. California ; Margarita Fisher, American Film Company, Santa, Barbara! California; Kenneth ’Harlan. Bnint-oa Studies, Mbirosn Avenue, Los Amrclr-s, California; Bryant Washburn, LH;sStudios, Vino Street. Los Augojcs, Caiiiorniii; Chrissio Whito and Houvv Edwards, Hopworth Picture Plays, Limited,!, Den man Street, Piccadilly Circus, West, London. Olf-mi.—Warner Gland is slid working. By the lart American files to hand I Vdico that Paths auuounced the earlv production oi ft serial entitled - The Third F.yc," in which the leads are taken hv Ola ml and Eileen Pcrcv. Address 257, WeM Eighty-sixth Street, No- y or ; ; ciw. .Too Ryan appeared m “ The Fighting Trail," whleji war. produced at Liberty, William Duncan’s latest serial is "Thy Silent TVituf hut when ji, or Tom Moore’:- ncxi piec: will be produced here, is not known

fell issi

locally. “ Under Suspicion," I understand, was u reproduction. Ben Alexander v,-a.3 “The Lit tlest Brother" in Hearts of the. ‘World,’’ in which Lillian fnah and Robert Herron had the lends. The only address I can sug-rost is AVillb a,ml Inchs, Wrig-ht ant! Callender Buildings, Ln; Angeles, California. The first episode of “The Grey Seal" bore the same title as (hat of the serial. ANSWER REQUIRED. Admirer writes; ’ Would you ?,ah if any correspondent has received n photograph from Pearl While, and if so - how was the letter containing tho request addressed? I wrote a long time ago and did not receive a reply. I want her photograph very much." The. manager of Qystal Palace infortns mo that the first shipment, of tho latest Gaumont dramas is to hand, also an instalment of the new Metro productions. Early production can be looked for. A deal has been written lately about the extensive use. in the Dominion of American films, and tho question has been asked, ” "Why not nso English films?” As a matter of fact the supply of English -films has been practically ■non-existent during the war, but now that the producers are again at work, the best of the English output is coming to hand, and though,in small matters of technique it inay°coinparo rather unfavourably with the Yankee article yet there is no doubt that in regard to acting and direction as well as photography, a wonderful imnror'oment is being' made. No effort is being spared to get the. pick of the English market. “A Fortune at Stake is a fair example of British work, and coming releases are “ Nature's Gentleman,” with James Knight, A Gentleman Rider.” featuring Stewart Rome and Violet ‘Hopson. and the Sam nelson film, “ Qninnoy's.” starring Henry Ainlcy and Isabel Elsom. Others are- on the wav. Garwood's “ Back to God’s Country” and Charlie Chaplin’s “Sunnyside” commenced their New Zealand tour this week. Hedda, Nova and her director husland, Paul Hurst, will give the name of “ Hurst-Nova Pictures” to the series of photoplays on winch they soon begin the work of production. A series of films are now being shown which were taken in Russia during tho early part of tho Bolshevist readme. A great, many foot have had to bo cut out, as many of the scenes are said to be too horrible for exhibition. A resident of Los Angeles says that Mr Douglas Fairbanks is younger and smaller in real life than ho appears, on the screen. He is a man of agreeable disposition, and the folk around about Los Angeles arc satisfied that Alary Bickford, America’s sweetheart, ba's made a good choiceAccording to an English producer, 500 applications for work are received at his film studio every week, but he declares that 09 per cent of the applicants will nerjir make good screen , actors. Tho profession is tremendously overcrowded at present and it is possible to give only the most promising a chance. If money and effort and talent can supply the requisites, Bill Hart is in for another rival with horse and " shooting irons” on tho screen. The new AVcsterner is Ruck Jones, and AVilliam Fox, who already stars Tom Alix in prairie, romances, is going to “ present.” Mr Jones with plenty of fame “ The Last Straw ” is his first vehicle.

Owing to tho .high prices that stage producers arc asking for the screen rights to plays, it is possible that some ol the big picture companies will take to producing stage plays in order to nvokl the heavy screen rights now being asked. A short time ago stag© producers were content with £IOOO to •£'2ooo. Now they are asking five Limes that amount and in some cases ten and fifteen. A Russo-German combination is to produce _ films of entirely Russian setting.*' with no letterpress whatsoever. Those are intended for the i 1-1 iterate peasant. The experiment is an exceedingly interesting one, and the producer who succeeds in making ids story intelligible in pictures only will have accomplished no mean undertaking. This recalls that Charlie Chaplin’s productions are minus reference matter. Tho Passion Play ” has now a screen rival in “The Life of Jesus,’’ a kfiicma scenario which is drawing great crowds in Amsterdam. Tho films infdudo the Egyptian pyramids, temples and sphinxes, caravans passing through the desert, and' the threefold crucifixion on Golgotha. It- sounds somewhat- incongruous, but during ihc display of the scone depicting ihe Last. Supper a soprano who is not. seen .sings the famous contralto solo, “ Mon cum p’ouvre a ta voix ” from '• Sam.-'ou and Delilah." The value ol California for taking widely-different environments without going beyond the State borders is wo!! illustrated in a picture, “Koad» of Destiny.' An Alaskan dance hall, a. baaulitiul home on Long Island, and a Mexican ranch arc ail shewn in the picture, and all wore filmed in California. Ihe < snowy mountains round Truckee furnished_ the setting for the -•vlaskan rcene. the desert near Victorville was the background for the ranch scene, and a palatial homo in I.os Angeles was rented for the Lung i’saad episode. I ranee is to have a national confer vatory of •• movies." This means that the movie or the kincnia, as it is known in Europe, will have at last attained the highest official recognition as an art. Jhe French Nutiuna.l Conserve-

lory of “ Alovies ” will place it on the some basis that is enjoyed in France by the Fine Arts in Ecole National Des Beaux Arts, toy the drama, in tho French National School of .Dramatic Arts with its state theatres of the Comedio Francois and the Odeon, ns well as the opera, music and other arts that are directly supported by the state. An American film producer considers that London and its environs can bo developed as n film-producing centre just as easily as was Los Angeles. VVhon he first went to California about seven years ago to produce a picture portraying Alary Pickl'ord, he had no little difficulty in filling a. cast, of not mono than ten or twelve people. Now Los Angeles, which is given over entirely to moving pictures, Beasts a population of 50.000 people. Light and climate do not play such an important part in picture production now as they did then. Studio lighting arrangements have been so vastly improved that it docs not matter whether*a picture is taken in London or California. Picture producers are divided as to which ending-is the more popular—the happy or the unhappy. One company has made a novel attempt to solve tho problem. Two endings have boon produced in their screen version of Sir Gilbert Parker's novel, "The Right of One follows the originarstory, which is tragic, and the other shows the regeneration of Edward Steele, the principal character, who marries a Canadian school-mistress and livos thereafter in an (dour of sanctitv. The exhibitor is given the choice of om.iings, or, if ho so desires, may show both at different times dnrin" tiro week. N.i Jess than SOOOffc of film, part of the War Office serial depicting a complete history of tho Great War, has already boon produced. The film showed the arrival of troops in France, infantry and .artillery going into action, tanks brushing their way through barbed wire entanglements' and more formidable obstacles the manitestation* of joy ns the Allies entered Lille. ami the march over the great bridge, spanning the Rhine into Cologne. The' sea pictures included a vivid representation ol the destruction of the mole and the blocking of the entry to the Bruges at. Zecbniggc. and there were also interesting views of the Cn.mol Corps in Egypt, the entry into Palestine, and of what “Tommy” went tlirough in Italy and Mesopotamia. The?© pictures, together with portraits of all the lending personalities in the groat, war, make up a film ox rive interest. Charlie Chaplin's matrimonial troubles continue to give him much anxiety. Airs Chaplin has filed her petition for a divorce, alleging desertion and nonsupport. Following on a consultation with his lawyer, Chaplin handed to the Press the following statement regarding the breach between the pair, and in answer to his wife’s declarations as to his earnings:—“ On account, of my reputation, which 1 have spent eighteen years in building up. I am compelled to rofuto Airs Chaplin’s statements as to non-support, lor I have over 50,000 dollars in cancelled cinques, which have been paid out during our brief married life in her behalf. And this lias been .spent, in addition to her own salary. which is 1000 dollars a week, turd vliis outbreak of hers .1 have not refused the payment of one solitary request or bill which she has presented to me. I wish to ieinaiu absolutely silent. 1 have tried to lie gentlemanly, and to act with dignity under the circumstances, and have nothing further to say,"