Star of the Screen

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16574, 5 November 1921, Page 18

Star of the Screen

in different ages. The Stoll Company has made fifteen two-reel Sherlock Holmes dramas, and the first will he released this month. Constance Taluiadge will make her next appearance hero in “ Wedding Bells,” while (’harles Ray will be seen in “ The Old Swimmin’ Hole,” a picture without .sub-titles. Wesley Barry, tfre freckled ftreed boy, recently celebrated his fourteenth birthday. *'•' Motion Picture,*- in stating that Mabel Normand’s salary is the highest, in the film world, forgets to mention its height. American papers report that Peggy Hyland was married to Fred Granville in July. The bridegroom is r director at Universal. Juanita Hansen was married to Harrison Post on August *22. 'Ha© ceremony was performed by Judge Cos. who recently sent Bebo Daniels to gaol ;or speeding. The Affairs of Anatol ” was produced simultaneously at two theatres in New York, and broke all attendance ■*nd receipts records for an opening performance at the two plaices. % Irene Oastle had to go to hospital recently suffering from injuries received when an actor with whom she was pluynig before the camera gave a too realistic performance and choked her so 1-adly that her neck was discoloured. Harry Car ey, the Universal star, and l us wife had an experience in July last which they have no desire to be repeated. While out fishing in a & milll boat the rudder carried away, and for about three days they were drifting on the Pacific before being picked up. We had word by cable of Pearl White’s divorce. Here is what “ Photoplay ” has to say on the subject-: Pearl White has always been persistent ii her refusal to permit the public io peek into her affairb. Until she got a divorce from her husband, Wallace M’Outcheou. You can keep :s marriage out of the papers, but you can’t always soft-pedal a divorce. So when Pearl appealed to the courts to let her be Miss White again, the greatest part of her public was a bit surprised. M’Cutoheon was a major during the war, when Miss White met him. He played in many of her serials and later in her Fox feature dramas. Her first husband was Victor Sutherland, an actor of some prominence. The workings of a demented man’s mind were wonderfully portrayed by D. W- Griffith in “ The Avenging Conscience/’ wherein Henry B. Walthall was seen as a man who believed himself a murderer. Somewhat similar episodes are presented in the Selznick attraction “ Conceit.” William BDavidson appears in this production as a man who is so flooded with conceit in himself that he imagines him- ► -.elf the superior of all his friends. He finds how despicable a coward ho really is when he is lost in the fastnesses of the Canadian Rockies. All sorts of terrors, real and imaginary, confront him, and each ono of these are wonderfully reproduced by the camera’s art. Clammy hands prevent him from seeking one exit, dancing fireflies haunt him during his sleep, while grotesque objects finally send the man scampering for life—crazy with fear. On June 35 (states an American kuagazine) Agnes Ayres, who has just been raised to the dizzy heights of starfefotet by Famotia-Players-Laaky Com-

way some of the C ouncillors talked one might have thought that assaults on children were of frequent occurrence. As a matter oi fact, only one case has been proved, while two others had been reported. The managers estimate that twelve million people have visited the pictures in Christchurch, and they have some reason to protest against the reflections which were made. The fact is that there is a disposition in some quarters to blame the pictures for any and every crime that needs explaining. If a youngster is neglected at home and goes wrong, the pictures, these people contend, must have caused his undoing. And so it goes on, the impression being created that there ia an unhealthy moral atmosphere al>out the film shows. The fact that every week thousands of peoph including children, find healthy and rational enjoyment at these shows, is ignored, and all sorts of devices are proposed to combat an imaginary evil. The City Fathers would bo wise to leave well alone, and take no notice of the “Gimlet Brigade/’ which would impugn the morality of St Anthony himself. A series of motion pictures consisting ( >i fifty-two one-reel episodes from tho Bible is now in course of production in America, and are designed for release in Sunday schools, churches and church Usocieties. Three groups of Biblical photoplays, each of which contains from live to twelve separate subjects, will bo built into one-reel photoplays. Each reel will be treated from a strictly historical standpoint, with due care given dramatic incidents, atmosphere and characterisation. A group of episodes from both tho Old and New Testaments will ho filmed and treated in such a way as to be of equal value before Protestant, Catholic and Jewish congregations. Among tho reels planned for the first year’s programme are two two-reel pictures interpreting the life and mission of, Christ as a symbol of redemption. These pictures are designed for advanced Sunday school use, church lecture bureaus, and for lay use where special religious education is required, as in theological seminaries, schools and colleges. No serial plan is followed other than the chronology of events. Although it is in tho natural order of things that kinema bouse audiences should dislike the screen villain (says an English paper), ho deserves some amount of pity at times, despite tho fact that he wrecks happy homes, and lures young and innocent maidens from the straight and narrow way. However, Cameron Carr gained no sympathy from tho audience who watched him making scones for “ The Imperfect Lover.” Stewart Rome plays the hero, and bo has two fights with Carr—tho final fight Concludes with Carr in a pond, whither he han been thrown by tho hero. Although Carr appreciated tho cool water of tho pond he did not appreciate the numerous punches he received from Rom . -nor did be feel inclined to dodge them by staying under water, for the bottom of the pond was littered with broken bottles and tin cans. After Rome had played his part very thoroughly, Carr appeared above the surface of the. pond—he was cut and bruised, and had swallowed dirty water. Almost exhausted by the heat, the punches, and the muddy water, he made his way as quickly as possible to the hotel. Then one of the many interested urchins who had followed him shouted. ft * Why didn’t yon it ’im hack? Yenl ain't ? arf a sport ! 5 '’