Star of the Screen

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16846, 23 September 1922, Page 16

Star of the Screen

Just across the aisle, were another two airing their troubles, it semed to me at the top of their voices. Ido not complain of the men so much, although they do talk sometimes. Tt seems usually to be women who commit this offence, for it is an offence, spoiling tl\e pleasure of dozens who really enjoy good music. Cannot something be done to prevent this nuisance? Evidently the women concerned care not a jot for anyone else. They are the most selfish of women. 1 suppose their whole lives are lived for self alone.”

Portions of the Annette KeUerman film now being completed in Nelson were screened privately at Everybody’s Theatre yesterday. The scenes were all of a remarkably high standard both in regard to photography and acting, a . particularly impressive feature being the clearness of those taken under water. Tn the opinion of experts this clearness places the new film far above all other films of the same class ever submitted. The explanation is that an ingenious contrivance lias overcome one-of the great difficulties encountered in the photography of under-water scenes. As a result the graceful form of Annette Kellernian is seen without blur or blemish as she— Put the plot is a secret Why Annette dives must not he divulged yet awhile. On Thursday Mr J. R. Sullivan, who is in charge of the operations at Nelson, wired the directors of the New Zealand Productions (iompanv that he was sending a further selection of film showing the progress that was being made with the picture, and he predicted that high grade as was the first sample forwarded, it would be quite eclipsed h.y the second batch, which contained some of the finest moving picture photography he had ever seen. Everybody's announces a novelty in the shape of everyday life in the streets of Christchurch, taken specially screening at this Theatre. Tlie Fox Studio, which has produced on the screen with singular success several of Zaire -Grey’s stirring stories of western life and adventure, has filmed another of this famous author’s stories Tho Last Trail." The story is built npon the operations of n lone bandit known ns tho “ Night Hawk,” and contains intensely dramatic situations. threaded by a love romance unusual in its development. The great climax at the close of the story involves the breaking of a big dam on the mountain and the consequent flooding and destruction of a village far below. The picture is booked for screenfing at the Queen’s Theatre. Charles Ray has finished “ Tho Tailor Made Man,’/ the rights for which he purchased from Jack Pickford. Dorothy Dalton, whose natural hair i.-, dark, says she is tired of being filmed an a brunette, so she donned a blonde wig for her part in “ The Woman Who Walked Alone.” which followed “ Moran of the Lady Letty.” Charlie Chaplin, having finished his contract with the Associated First National, ia now engaged on a six-reeler on his own account. An American writer expresses the opinion that Charlie will eolipae all his previous efforts in this proauctlon. A new film company established at Lm Angeles ie called the Mission Film Company, and its slogan is “ Films with a Mission.” The company wall give attention to pictures for children —in addition to others—and the first for the youngsters will be based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story, “The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep.” Winter Hall is a member of the company. A sarcastic critic writeth as follows 28 boats were shipwrecked this month in studio tubs; 74 shirte were torn off 1 '

is guaranteed by Babson’s experts, whose accuracy in forecasting trade conditions has won them a world-wide reputation. The Yanks have good reason to fear 'German competition in the moving picture line (writes a Sydney “ Bulletin ” correspondent). Tn a Whitechapel theatre I viewed “ The Broken Heart,' an amazingly vivid eight reel film pro duced in Berlin by a Swede and acted mainly by Swedes, Russians and Poles. The story deals with the hatred of Christian for Jew and the liberation of the serfs in Russia. Tt wouldn’t appeal to Aussie audiences, but the picture is the forerunner of productions which will jjrove serious rivals to anything the U.S.A. can turn out. All the A ids in the East End have been flocking to “ The Jewish Heart.” Douglas Fairbanks’ new production.

“ Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood.' in every way comes up to, and in many instances exceeds, expectations (says an American paper). Among tho recent guests, of Fairbanks at the BickfordFnirbanks studios, was Opie Read, the novelist, who spent the greater part of a day watching the popular star and his supporting company making scenes for “ Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood.” Later. Read declared his journey through the acres of huge sets to be “ a journey of awe inspired gasps.” as he had no idea of the magnitude of this .largest motion picture in the making. “ This visit was an eye-opener to me,” said Read. “ I knew the film industry had grown to be mighty big, but it had never occurred to me that it could encompass such tremendously big details. Air Fairbanks’ picture castle is tho biggest I ever saw, either actually or in illustration.”

American papers devoted a fair amount of space to what was termed the Miller-Ziegfeld Pickford controversy. From one published report it would appear that Mr Ziegfeld. who is at the head of what i 6 known a? the Ziegfeld Follies, was opposed to Miss Miller marrying -Jack Pickford. “ 1 took Miss Miller in hand when she was a young girl,” he i* reported as having said. “ She was just an ordinary dancer. The only real a set she had was her blonde beauty, for she possessed i voice that even now is not up to the average and as to acting she was impossible. T spent a lot of money staging ‘ Rally ’ after two other American producers had turned it down. The

American public ha* paid nearly 3.000,000 dollars + o see it and Miss Miller and T have each profited about 2o0,000 ; Marriage of any star cuts her drawing capacity.” Miss Miller retaliated bv giving her version of what she regarded as the real reason for Mr Ziegfcld’s objection to her marriage, and then Mrs Ziegfeld (Billie Burke) had something to say. and she said it pretty bluntly too, evidently being very wrathful at the allegation that her husband’s real objection to the marriage was because he was in love with Miss Miller. She made reference to champagne suppers, and she had some references to Jack Pickford which certainly were not complimentary. But Jack Pickford and Marilynn according to San Francisco papers, in “nite of opposition, were married on July 30.

How Mabel Normand refused to become a princess is told in a Paris message published in the “ San Francisco Chronicle ” : —Another Oriental royal romance in which the royal wooer has been turned, down by an Amerioan woman with whom he offered to share his princely honours has come to light here through the rejection of Prince Ibrahim, nephew of the Khedive of Egypt. Mabel Normand, the popular motion picture actress, is the woman in the case. It was to Mabel that Prince Ibrahim offered his heart and hand. Mabel turned the prince down, gently but firmly. She told him she Had sat