News of the Movies

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16780, 8 July 1922, Page 20

News of the Movies

BY □ The Movie Man □

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. Correspondents desirous of having: auestions answered in the current issue are requested to see that their communications are delivered at this office not later than Tuesday afternoon. Avis.—Borry to say I have not yet deceived a reply from Wellington. G.D.—Frank Mayo was born in IS6G. He is an American, stands sft lljin; brown hair, gay eyes. Picture Fan. —“ The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ” will be here shortly. More than that I am unable to say. as place and date are not fixed. No doubt what you eay is correct from one point of view, but there is another, and that is held by the man who has the goods to dispose of. ‘ The Sheik ” will be shown at Greater Crystal Palace on July 17. Mabel.—The principal characters in “ The Orphans of the Storm ’’ are:—Henriette Girard, Lillian Gish; Louise, Dorothy Gish; Chevalier de Vandrey. Joseph Shildkraut ; Count de Linieres, Frank Losee; Countess de Linieres, Catherine Emmett; Marcjuis de Preste, Morgan Wal lace; Jacques Frochurd, Sheldon Lewis; Pioard. Creighton Hale; Danton, Monte Blue; Robespierre, Sidney Herbert; King Louis, ~ co Kolmeri. Greedy. — Priscilla Dean, Universal Studios, Universal City, California; May M’Avory. Wanda Hawley. Wallace Reid, Elliot Dexter. Mabel Normand and Bebe Daniels, Lasky Studios, Hollywood. California. Enid Bennett, Pickford-Fairbanks Studio, Hollywood. California. Irene Castle, N. W. Hodkiuson Corporation, 327, Fifth Avenue, New York City. Elaine Hammerstein. Selznick Pictures Corporation, 729. Seventh Avenue, New York City. Colleen Moore. Goldwyn Studios, Culver City, California. Blanche Sweet, J. D. Hampton Studios, Hollywood. California. Studio addresses of the others not available. Three pictures to he released this month by Picture Supplies, Ltd., are Norma Talmadge’s “ Wonderful Tiling, “ Kazan.” the wolf-dog, another fine James Oliver Curwood picture, and

Booth Tarkington’s gem of humour. K- —with Freckles Barry in role, assisted by Sunshine td his little sister, ivthings of Destiny,” shortly . here, Anita Stewart has the bigamist. Described as a >n of a woman who married 3ve, and once again to forget love,” it is a splendid drama with backgrounds of the frozen north, an arctic blizzard and a Jamaican tornado. Herbert Rawlinson has the male lead. The Wellington manager of the BuHHPsh and Continental Film company announoes that his company has secured the New Zealand rights of “ The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” one of the most successful screen productions turned out in America. The story is from the book of the same name, the author of which is Blasco lvanez. The picture took eighteen months to make, and 12,000 persons assisted in the making. Next week’s big attraction at the Queen’s Theatre will he “ Bucking the Tiger ” with Comvav Tearlo in the stellar role. Through the plot of this picture, which is one of stirring adveniu the uncivilise camps of the frozAen North, runs a love story which is aught with tragedy, crossed by hatred and revenge, and yet never loses in aympathetic interest and the confidence that the two great souls will finally the happiness they deserve. “ The Sheik ” will be screened at Greater Crystal Palace on Monday, July 17. This picture has proved one of the best productions, from a financial point of view, turned out by Paramount, having had extensive runs wherever .produced. In Sydney, for instance. it is now in its twentieth week. Under the circumstances, I’m thinking that the Crystal Palace will not accommodate all those who will desire to see the picture. So much has been written about Rodolph Valentino, since he made liis first hit in “ The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” that picture patrons are naturally curious to see one who from obscurity leaped with one bound into stardom and who has gone on from success to success. * 1 I admit that 1 Way Down East * was a great draw ” said a local manager to me the other evening, “ but 4 Over the Hill ’ will do for me. I consider it to he a better picture than the other.” “ Over the Hill ” is a Fox production and has drawn immense crowds wherever it has been shown It is founded on Will Carle ton’s poem. Over the Hill to the Poorhouse.” written about fifty years ago, when the poorhouse. or workhouse, was the only refuge of the indigent pood. The pathos attached to the breaking-np of the poor little home, the separation from the aged husband if living), th;* relegation to the barrack-like official house, has formed the setting for many stories, but probably was never better interpreted than by Carleton. “Over the Hill ” is naturally a “ mother ** pioture, Ma Benton, in this instance, being Mary Carr, who has a B remarkable facility in making-up ais an woman. Among other principal sonages in the film are T A illiam | Welsh, Vivienne Osborne, Dorothy A 1 leu, and Edna Murphy, the children ' wh • grow up in the course of the being represented by doubles. ** Broken Blossoms,” about which ■Titten me from screened at the will bo followed to which referc. The formei uch publicity ii that it is of in Jealand opinion •pod run in Wei ! it th© “Do as follows ;—A e» breathless at- i

tention of the audience for over an hour must bo a good one, and there is no imagination in the statement that the first showing of this great film picture proved that in every respect. I lie opening scena is delightful, depicting scenes in China. The drama is then transferred to the well-known Limehouse quarters of London —the slums of slums—where poverty. wretchedness, Chinese shops, tragedies, and horrors live cheek by jowl in their uncanny surroundings. Lilian Gish (the Broken Blossom) ,although pretty as a picture, gives a wonderful representation of the waif battered about by her grandfather, and for two days only of her life (when a Chinaman succours her), knowing what loving care, prett.i things, and man’s worship truest sense means. Her alternate Terror and charming delight were wonderfully touching. As the Chinaman, Richard Barth! cm ess is a study, and it would be difficult to improve on his perfect characterisation of a difficult part. Altogether. the production is worthy of the great name D. W. Griffith lias well earned in screen plays, and to those familiar with the Limehouse quarter the scenes are startling in their reality. “ The Devil.” a screen \'ersion of the plav of the same name which was one of the big stage productions of 1921 in America, was recently privately shown in Sydney, and. says a critic, “ going to make a sensation.” The principal^ role is taken by George Arliss, the well-known actor. M. P. Adams, the slim impressario who (says the Sydeny “ Bulletin ”) went to England with a 11 ild Australia show in pictures, used to run a flicker entertainment in the wilds of 1 ictoria going where the pics, were hitherto unknown, and displaying his films wher-

ever he found room tor a screen, an : operator and fifty' people- One night he was showing a sentimental American melodrama, the villain of which harried the beautiful heroine unmercifully, and presently *n, stalls patron, disgusted with the .bad man’s brutality and lijs callousness towards the female in distress, rose up with a horrid word, and hurled a large, over-rip© pear, smiting, th© villain fair across the mazzard, and leaving a nasty big splodge right iu the fairway. Adams, a good athlete, collared the offender, breathing vengeance, but the fellow’s indignation against the bold bad man was so ine that no harm was done him. “ By cripes,’’ he said, “ I wasn’t gom* to let a sanguinary toff like that think ho could do as he" dam’ -weil pleased here in Berrybong.” Tlie marriage of John Gilbert, the Fox star, to Leatrice J-oy, is announced. A picture version of the current popular novel, ‘‘lf Winter Conies, is promised by William I ox. Lawson Butt, who appears in “ Earthbound ” and “ The Miracle Man,” is the brother of Madam Clara Bu tt. American papers report that Constance Talmadge, on Mav 9. filed suit for divorce in the New York Courts Constance was married on December 2G, 1920, to John Pialoglou. a. wealthy Greek tobacco importer. Harry Knoles, producer c.f that very successful picture “Carnival,” says that his latest production, “ The Bohemian Girl,” will challenge comparison with the best kinema plays turned out in America. If it equals “ Carnival ” it will do.

Lupino Lane, the English comedian and pantomimist, who recently joined William Fox, lias completed his first two-reel special comedy. The title of the picture is “ The Reporter,” and the story is said to provide many extremely humorous situations suitable for the art of the mirthmaking player. The American film “ The Branding Iron,” has been banned by tlie Bromley (Kent) Town Council film censors. Objection was made to the scene showing a woman tied to a bedpost and the branding of her shoulder. The film had been passed by the British censor, and had been exhibited at a large number of places without objection being raised. William Fox’s new version of “ A Fool there Was’ has the following in the cast: —Estello Taylor, in the role or “the Woman;” Lewis Stone is “the Fool;” Iren© Rich, “the fool’s wife;” Majorie Daw, “the wife’s sister;” Maliion Hamilton, “ the fool’s friend Wallace McDonald, one of the vampire’s victims; William V.'Mong, “ the fool’s butler;” and Muriel Frances Dana, aged four, the Fool’s little daughter. It is said that the real reason why Theda Bara has not re-entered pictures, producing with her own company, is because several of her pictures made under the Fox banner are still awaiting release, and she fears that if she turns out a picture on her own account she may be competing against herself. It is said that while with the Fox corporation her salary was 4000 dollars ‘i week, arid that recently she paid something like 100.000 dollars as income tax. The negative of Nuzimova’s picture “ Salome,” when sent from Hollywood to New York was under the protection ){ a 300,000d0i policy insuring its safe lelivery. In connection with this pic.ur© it is announced that the original antasy and beauty of Oscar Wildo’s poetic drama., its exotic charm and authentic poetry have been preserved with remarkable fidelity to the original, but

without the features that might cause offence to the sensibilities of the most captious of critics. Now that musical programmes by radio are th© craze iu America, the question is being asked whether it would not be possible for an orchestra at a movie picture theatre to have its programme transmitted to radiophones in other similar theatres. It is stated that the introduction of the radiophone in the home is one of the reasons why attendances have fallen off at picture theatre?. Many who used to get their amusement at th© theatres now get it at home by means of the radio. An unusual comedian type is appearing at present in Vita graph productions. He .is called “ the man with a wooden face.” He never winks an eyelash nor moves a facial muscle. This man has a peculiar make-up of Ids own, and when bo appears in a scene resembles an automaton. On© look at him will cause the most sober-mind-ed person to laugh heartily. He moves mechanically throughout the entire action in which be appears. But his face and bis movements are so funny that he shines out in the scenes in

which he works. His humour is of a subtle kind, and one that will keep the average spectator chuckling for some time. Jack Holt was born in Winchester, Va.. and educated at the Virginia 1 Military Institute. After spending four years with dramatic stock companies, in which he played juvenile leads in ail of the best known plays of the American stage, he began his screen career with Universal. Later he went to Select and then appeared in a number of Paramount pictures. Subsequently he was engaged by Thomas H. luce, and played leads opposite Enid Bennett in a number of productions produced by luco and distributed by Paramount. He returned to Paramount and played a prominent part in “ The Woman Thou G a vest Me,” n screen version of Hall Caine’s famous novel, and was seen in other Paramount pictures mnoiig which were “The Life Line.” “Held by the Enemy.” “Crooked Streets,” “The Sins of Rozaime.” He also played leading ; man in some of William de Mille’s productions. “ The Lost Romance,” and j “ After the Show.” He later became i a star in Paramount pictures and his i first picture was “ The Call of the. North,” and later did “ While Satan ; Sleeps.” When the mail left be was | working in William dc Mille’s “ Bought 1 and Paid For.” in which he co-stars with Agnes Ayres.

There u a certain foreign film exhibited hi America which did not seem to <.wv apeotailors to run smoothly (says Bn American contemporary). Now, this is what bad happened to that picture: It was made with a certain woman featured, and another one had a secondary part. After it was made, the second woman played in some other pictures, and was very successful. So. when this picture was bought and brought over to Ameica., the picture was edited—that is, cut and put together differently—so that the woman who had played the second part was really featured, and the featured one’s part was much cut down By manipulating the scenes carefully, and adding a good deal in the sub-titles, this was possible. Many such tilings happen in the studios. For instance, a story was written for a certain star, who left the company before he began on the. picture. So another young man, who had never been starred, was given the part. Tt did not exactly suit him. and some of the best business had to be cut gut so that it would. Then, ’t was assigned to a director who did not want to make it. and who rushed it through so fast that he left out most, of the plot. And so what was left out • had to be sunn lied in the sub-titles. D. W. Griffith expects to start mak- : ing a series of motion pictures which would be a dramatic pictorial history of the world, designed to convinoe all j spectators that war is foolish- The | first picture, he estimates, will take i mere than two years to complete, and j it will require from seven to ten years to complete the series. The film history of the world would he compiled, he said, from the best romantic novels to be found, and each episode would be romantic, as nearly perfect in historical background as experts could make ir. *• We are going to present the history of the world in the one language which the people of all nations can understand, oven the illiterate,” lie said- “ That language is the motion picture. We are going to bring lipme to these people that the farmer or labourer of one country has no fundamental reason for hating the farmer or labourer of any other country. “ The great enemy of all peoples is intolerance, the breeder of hate and wars, and intoler- . ante is based upon misunderstanding. We hope in some measure to clear up the mistaken notions which people have regarding their neighbours by showing them that in all periods of history nations have had just as much ir not more in common than they have today, when the spirit of co-operation is stronger than ever before.”

“THE SILENT CALL.” RECORD RUN FOR A PICTURE. <* The Silent Call” (says a San Francisco paper) has broken every record known to the exhibiting end of the motion picture industry. Now completing its eleventh week at Miller’s Theatre, Los Angeles, it has shown to more than 175,000 paid admissions. It has already run one day longer than its nearest rival’s longest run in Los Angeles, It has played to more performances than any other mo tion picture in a continuous run, and it has been shown more times daily than any other .great feature picture. The picture was put on eleven weeks ao-o, and was originally booked for a tlTree weeks’ run. At the end of eleven weeks' it is held over for another week on account of the popular demand, and it is possible it will run even longer.

“ The Silent Call ” has no human stars, and the run has not been a forced one. The picture has been kept on Miller’s screen because it has played eight times daily to capacity audiences. Hundreds of picture-goers have returned for a second look, and dozens have returned five or six times. “ The Silent Call ” has Strongheart, the dog. for a. star, and in the making of this film, which was produced and directed by Jane Murfin and Larry Trimble, a popular chord in the human heart was struck, mankind’s love for its best friend—the dog. While it is true thot “The Birth of a Nation” ran thirty-four consecutive weeks in Chicago, it afforded but two performances daily—a total of 4/6 t>erformances- ‘ “ The Silent Call.” in eleven weeks and one day, was shown 616 times. It will yet play to capacity audiences at least fifty-six times and probably 112 times before the conclusion of this record run. Producers of “ The Silent Call ” ha ve already begun the production of a second film featuring Strongheart. The picture will be called “ Brawn of the North.” WKAT CENSORS WANT. AN AMERICAN CENSOR EXPLAINS. In an article in the “ New York Herald ” on “ What the Censors want in Motion Pictures,” Mr Joseph Levenson, Secretary of the Motion Picture Commission of the State of \’©vt York, says:— The conditions wo want to correct appear even in the foundation of film production. The authors who give birth to the photo drama, plots shout aloud that we are “ throttling genius ** This cry alarmed us at first. Now wo ask, “Where is the genius among the photoplay authors to throttle? ” I see none of it—know of none. Tt is genius we want to encourcg? We would like the situation so ad justed that the writing of a photoplay would require genius. We are per tuaded that genius would discover great themes, that it would not be con Lent with the easy task of pandering in only the basest of human emotions. that it would seek thrills and suspense* that are not so obvious and calAn author complains that we throttle his genius. He is capable of dealing only with such emotions as are easily aroused and understood in the four teen-year-old. If lie essays to deal with more mature themes in Ins photo drama he has not enough genius to traslate them into situations in any convincing way. So we of the regulatory commission are persuaded the “ movies” need genius. When we object to an offensive rep resentation of some sordid episode the authors complain: “ But it is our function to portray life as it is. We must not be hinder ed. Wo must point our morals by showing what life is made up of or the audiences won’t understand ns.” Now that is just what we of the

I mission want—we want life portrayed But- the photoplay authors—those whose works we most, often meet with —seem to think life is made up of the morbid, the vicious, the malicious One of the most beautiful things r. the world is a rose. But th© average writer of photoplays thinks only of the poison ivy. Are we members wrong in urging that the film, world needs the genius who can understand that the rose is symbolical of real life—life as it is - and that poison ivy represents only the minorities of the underworld ? True, the mind that can deal only ir. the emotions of a fourteen-year-old audience will turn quickest to the poison ivy. But. isn’t there more of drama hidden in the rose? It hangs modcstl on a 6tem, but hasn’t it in its beauty and potency more great dramatic climaxes than the evil poison vine? And would not the genius extract more genuine “pep ” and “thrill ’ from the beautiful rose—the beautiful side of life which is the more real-—than from the ugly poison plant that is repellent ? We of the commission want more of the rose and less of the poison ivy. In this connection, however, wc may speak only of what we would like to do to improve the “movies.” It must be remembered, though, that we are censors, not teachers. We have authority only to “ cut out ” —wc cannot, unfortunately, “ add on.” We are obliged to deal in details, not in fundamentals. If J could enlarge my authority arbl trarily I would examine very closely into the next factor after the author, the producer—the money providing maker of the films. None of these will admit they purposely make photo plays to appeal to the low tastes or the morbid minded. 1 declare, flatly, that many of them do With very few exceptions producers refuse to consider their photoplay making as anything else than a scheme to get quick and “ large ” money. They are incapable of realising that they hold in their hands a great medium for the betterment of the world; a dangerous medium, which if improperly handled may bring down society with just that sort of tremendous climax they like to picture—like the burning of Rome, for example. That they have in their hands all the power i of church, school and State combined they do not realise.