MOVI WORLD

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16928, 30 December 1922, Page 16

MOVI WORLD

STUDIO & SREEN

(BY THE “ MOVIE MAN. *)

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. orrr.>pondents desirous of having quesions answered in tlie current issue are equested .0 see that their comnuioications are delivered at this ofhce net later than t uesday afternoon. The features of next week's pro--15 am me at Crystal Pa Ia re will he “ The Broken Cate.’* based on one of Emersori Hough s stories, with Bessie Bar risen le heading a strong cast, and a typical Western story. “The Galloping kid. in which the popular Hoot Gibson st the central figure. “ Beyond the Ro»ks/’ a screen story specially written bv Elinor Glvn for gloria wan son and Rodolph Valentino, will hv shown at. Evrr\ hoJy's nt an earlv date. The story is described ns a classic of erotic fiction, with 1. moral quality, and a true picture of certain phases among the social sets of England find in the Old World. ’ One of the new Fox productions that will he screened at the Queen’s Theatre shortly is “ Oathbound ” This picture fairly bristle's with action and thriling stunts, and deals with the* capture of a gang of smugglers. Dustin Farnum is featured, and is supported bv Maurice Flynn and Ethel Grey Terry. A picture version of Ouida’s story ‘ Under Two Flags.’’ will be screened at Crystal Palace on January lb. with Priscella Dean as the star. When Uni

versa! were making this picture the studio caught fire, and Miss Dean was so seriously' injured that work was delayed for several weeks. Some years ago the Fox Company produced “Under Two Flags/’ with Theda Bara in tho lead.

One of the most remarkable plays or the year is the Goldwyn super-film “ Earthbound,” from the famous spirit play by Basil King. The picture, which .s on the current programme at the Grand Theatre, offers several viewpoints oil the various problems that have been discussed by spiritists pf to-day. The cast includes a number of the bestknown players in filmdom—Mahlon Hamilton, Naomi Childers, Wyndham Standing and many others of equal note.

“ A woman's unhappiness, her loneliness, should he respected, not violated/’- Honor? da Balzac. The story ol* a faithful woman left to the advances of the nobility- of one pf the gayest courts of Old France forms the allf esses sing theme of '' The Eternal Flame.’’ Norma Talmadge’s next picture, which is adapted from “La Duchesse de Leangais ” by the famous French writer. Never before, consider the critics, has Norma Talmadge carried her dramatic powers to such heights as in this picturesque romance of the French courts of Louis XYTTT. “ The hi tern a I Flame ” s to l»e screened at the Liberty next Saturday week. Some glowing reports have been received regarding the great Persian photoplay “ Omar Khayyam,” which cr mmences its Christchurch season at 1 lie Liberty Theatre to-day A North *rn rontemprorary says: “In the thirty years’ old history of the screen nothing so remarkable has been attempted than the making of this picture. Its story is intensely human an I full of heart interest In the background of the poignant, romance is Omar Khayyam with his vinous philosophy. and the gorgeousness of Persian settings, costumes and landscapes Nothing more beautiful in pictures has ever been accomplished The -gouty, stern, temper-ridden old Earl of Dorincourt with his shaggy eyebrows has haunted the young thoughts cf many a child since “ Little Lord Fauntlerov ” was first written. Many un elder too has seen in him the result of evil temper and selfishness. This is a marvellous piece of character work in Mary Pickford’s great play, and in some respects is comparable with the finest art of the great star herself. All the types in the play were selected with a fidelity to the book that amounts to genius The story it, simply and beautifully told, and the scenes where the adventuress Minna is routed are dramatic in the extreme. This is much Liu* finest achievement of the “ Morld’s Sweetheart,” and is a credit to the screen entertainment. “ I *ttle Lord 1 aunileroy ” will be screened at tho 1 iberty Theatre next Saturday.

Two of the screen’s favourites, in Ethel Clayton and Alice Brady, will be seen at Everybody’s next week, in *• For the Defence,” and *‘ The Land of Hop©” respectively- In “ For the Defence,” the story tells of the mysterious killing of Dr Kasimir, a Hindu psysician who employs hypnotism as a means of healing. He becomes infatuated with one of his female patients, and on learning that she is to be married he hypnotises her. Soon after Kasimir is found murdered and the solution of the mystery is filled with surprises and romance. “ The Land of Hope ” is a stirring story of two Polish immigrants, a boy and a girl, who <eek their fortune in America, which thev regard as a land of hbpe and promise. In the prooess of being converted into American citizens they have many experiences of a big city cruel moods. “ Th e Sheik ” writes: —I have often wondered, whilst watching a good picture, and at the same time listening attentively to good music, if the players of the music have ever given a thought a-» to their responsibilities. Tliia query is the outcome of having witnessed first--1 ate pictures that were partially spoiled by being accompanied by unsuitable uiusic. This error has been committed by on >l ' i us as well as by solo pianists.

Appropriate music is tlitf right class ol music at the right time to sun a drama, a < tunedy or whatever type oi picture is ciepi cted on the screen. Most oi us appreciate good music, but what ,s tht' good of it n it not uniform with the picture y What would any of the big-gun pictures, such as \Vay hown Fast." " Hearts <t the World. “ Broken Blossoms," “ Tlie Sheik, and a number of others hare been without tlie beautiful music, which touched our finer and inmost feelings, and helped to convey more touchingl> that which was portrayed on the screen:' Nowadays mything will not do the mot ion-picture people in the way of music. The aim should be to give the masses music that v ill appeal to them, and at the same time coincide with the themes of the picture. We know that the musicians endeavour to give us of their best, but the;. lo«o their sphere of usefulness, v. it.ii tlie motion-picture, if tlmy do not come.in at tlie right place. nt the right lime, and with the right class of music. (roldwy n is making a picture of • Vanity Fiiir." with Mabel Ballin as Becky Sharp. Charlie Chaplin’s latent picture ha* been tentatively \tiled The Pilgrim.” It is in four reels, and critics who have seen the picture declare it to bo one of the funniest that the great screen comedian has or done.

An American paper, in announcing that Nazimova had accepted an engagement to appear oil the stage, Kays: “ This step hv the actress doesn’t mean she is leaving the films. She will continue to make pictues when that work i;«.es not interfere with her spoken act-

Mary Carr’s new picture, “Silver V mgs, ’ is founded upon the principle that mother love, too freely indulged, may spoil the child and handicap the development of its character. The story ■ concerns a typical American family, piogressing from the struggling poverty stage of the prologue to the affluent ease of the main story through which the mother guides the family destinies aione because the father had not survived the strain of attaining his business success. I honestly believe that Bebe Daniels is the most popular girl in Hollywood (says a writer in an American magiztne). Generally, with all classes, with both sexes, in business and professional and social relations, I don’t belie ro there’s a doubt about it. Mary Pickford is undoubtedly the most loved woman ip Hollywood. Betty Compson has perhaps more close personal' friends and admirers than anyone else. But the most popular girl in Hollywood is Bebe Daniels. “The Plaything of an Emperor” which is being made in America is based on the celebrated love romance of Napoleon Bonaparte and Countess Marie Walewska. which has been made the theme of numerous novels and plays in many languages, and is extensively treated in all biographies of Napoleon. The production will include elaborate settings and scenes, such as a court hall in the Emperor’s honor, a banquet and reception in his headquarters and an encampment of the Grand Army. A number of German pictures which were imported into America were found unsuitable for production there foi various reasons, but principally because it was considered that they contained scenes which would not be acceptable to the censors. Th* owners thereupon set to work and removed all the parts which might be regarded as objectionable, and then offered the remains to American producers with the suggestion- that they should build a story mound, the scenes. Up to tlie present n<- producer has accepted the proposition. When at work on the production of “Tlie Man AVo Saw To-mor -owßeatrice Joy had a narrow escape from drowning. Accompanied by Thomas Meighan, leading man, she was taking a run in a. fast motor boat when she was swept overboard by a big wave. Only the prompt action of Meighau saved her. When she disapjieared over hoard Meighan went after her, and reached her in time to keep her afloat until help arrived. Aside from getting wet they were none the Worse of their experience and both were at work the

following morning. Despite the recrudescence of tho movies, the spread of the star system seems to have been pretty definitely checked (says tlie “ New Yors Herald ”). A couple ot years ago one big company had thirty-five stars. Now it has only a dozen. The star system broke up largely when salaries had to be curtailed during the slump, and no matter how prosperous tho firms become once more, film fans seen* likely to be saved the pain o* having their eyes focused on some one they don’t care about particularly. As Shakespeare and Mary Pickford have said, the play is now the thing. If the claims of a German scientist inventor are substantiated, the kine--1 matograph industry will very soon see j the advent of an aluminium film, j This new 'introduction in kinematography is brought about by a process j which enables the production of long strips of aluminium with the required flexibility for “reeling.” Both sides ot the “film’* are coated with ernul--1 sion, upon which positive pictures are i printed and the projection on to the , screen is effected bv means of reflected light. Whether this method of e>v liibiting pictures}? compares favourably with the present system remains to be proved.

How did William Farnum, the Fox star, fret into motion pictures? When C'oionel Selig read Rex Beach’s story. ■ Tho Spoilers.” lie said to Bea-eli : “ I’d iikn to make a picture of ‘ The Spoiler.. ' " All right.” answered Beach, • if you can get William Farnum to piav the leading role.’ ‘ iou ask hini.” cajoled Se'ig. Beach did. and Farnum. just hack from a triumphant theatrical tour, said “ No!” He wouldn’t, he bothered with pictures. Beach told Selig. Selig said: “ I’ll give him fourteen thousand dollars to do it. Tell him that.” Beach did. Farnum laughed- 14,000 dollars for a few weeks’ work ! Somebody was spoof - mg! Beach insisted that Selig made tb* offer It was unheard of in those days ’ Weil,” said Farnum. “if Selig means that I’ll do it.” He did it. He got the money. And the picture made 0 fortune tor its hackers. It had in il tlie greatest fight, in screen history. Judging from the following New York telegram, which appeared in San Francisco papers received by < lie la--; mail, the Famous Players •La sky (V----noration has made its arrangements fulfilling Rodolph Valentino’s place in its productions: Charles de Roche, lliirfv voar, old. a Frenchman, is to lake the leading part in the Famous PlayersLaskv motion picture. “ A Span Do a part which origmallv was given to Rodolph Valentino. While dm Famous PI a vers Bask v Corporation ha-, kept its venture n secret, it will to transfer the popularity a! ready attained by Valentino to le Ror-he. It hopes ami expects lliat de Roche red! h 0 a* successful in the exotic nlnv.s and characterisation-? which will he allotted to him as Valentino has been. D> r?-«»<dv» first came 10 tlm attention of the Famous Players Companv several months ago. when a motion pietnro called “Spanish Jade” was shown here. All admirable film, illustrating sonic ol tho most important aspects of Fin nish national life, has lately been com rioted and will, according to present intentions, be shown in London at the beginning oi next year (says an English paper). A portion of it was dis played with great success to the clipio matists, experts, and journalists as sembled at Genoa for the conference last spring, and since then many now pictures have been added. A.series of excellent photographs illustrate the principal industries of Finland : that ov paper-making, for example, is traced from the felling oi the pine in tho for est to the production of the finished article, ready for export, while other pictures deal with Finnish dairy farming and agriculture. The pictures ol the streets, public buildings, and har l our of Helsingfors, and those showing the lmatra torrent and other examples ol Finland’s austere but beautiful scenery, should be an encouragement to tourists, to visit the country. The film would not be complete if it failed to record the notable successes of Fin nish athletes in the great international competitions of recent years. The shadows of St Paul’s Cathedral were driven away for a few hours recently by a dazzling glare that made the nave brighter than the street (says an London paper). Unsuspected beauties discovered themselves in corner-'; that had been dark for- ages; paint ed ceilings blazed with colour. All tTns was done for a film. Pathe Freres took the first moving pictures of the interior ot St Paul’s. The organ notes of the afternoon service had scarcely died away, when the Cathedral was invaded by a strange army—camera men hearing tripods and cameras, ©lectriei ans busy with groat lamps and coils of wire, and directors giving swift orders ir. unaccustomed whispers. Suddenly with a hiss and a splutter, the Klieglights. the Cooper Hewitts, and the 000.000 candle-power “sun arcs” shone out. flooding the cathedral with the t-oiii, clear light of the studio. Manv thousand feet of film were used in the

cathedral to make a perfect 1000 ft reel showing every beautiful feature, including the old “ Tijon” iron gates in the chancel, the memorial to the choir boys who fell in the war. and many of the tombs and architectural beauties, llie work was clone between services and at night. The film will he shown in theatres throughout England for the benefit of the St Paul’s rest ora tksn fund. The announcement that Arbuckle was to he reinstated and permitted to reappear in pictures, and that pictures of his which were ready for release when ho was arrested would be placed on tlie market has, according to cable messages, brought a storm of protest in America. The Mayors of several cities, including New York Chicago. Boston and Detroit, arc amongst those who have protested, and have declared that they will prevent the showing of pictures in which he acted. Women’s organisations and religious bodies all over tho United States have issued a protest against his reinstatement. The National Catholic Women's Society severely condemned Air Will Hays. They «ay that the reinstatement was a movement aimed exclusively to protect th * millions which the producers had invested in pictures already made. Various ' religious societies have expressed their intention of securing the co-opera twin of similar bodies in foreign countries, especially in English-speaking lands, to join the movement.. With the Arbuckle trial so fresh in the public mind the protest is not surprising, hut possibly the announcement of the possibility of Arbuckle’s reinstatement was only sent out to test the public feeling. If so the answer appears to be unmistakable.

Marion Davies is a New York city girl, and w'as horn on January 3, 1900. Her first appearance on the stage was as a dancer in “Chin Chin,” a big spectacular production staged in New' York. She appeared in several musical comedies and was chosen a 6 a Ziegfold Folly girl. The girls of this revue are acknowledged to be the pick of the beautiful girls appearing on the American stage, and several of them have accepted positions as movie actresses. Marion Davies was one of these. Manv attractive offers were made to her and she finally madether debut in “Runaway Romany.” a Gipsy story written by herself. It was a success and other productions soon followed. It was not loro; before she was recognised as one of tho most popular stars on the screen. She signed a contract with the Cosmopolitan production, and as a Paramount star she appeared with success in “ The Bark Star,” “ The Kinema Murder,” Ci April Folly/* “ Tlie Restless Sex/’ “Buried Treasure/’ “Enchantment,” “The Bride’s Play,” “Tlie Young “Beauty’s Worth” and “ When Knighthood was in Flower.” Her next scheduled production is “Little Old New York.” Miss Davie' a pronounced blonde with violet eves She is five feet five inches tall and is an all-round athlete, excelling in dancing and skating.

\ WHAT’S IN A NAME? . AS.in.MKI> X AMES OF MOV IK STARS. » Some fijn; stilus are born; as it were, to the purple. . i neir ow n names are so completely satisfactory in themselves that oven their respective press departments arc iorcea to the reluctant acknowledgment. chat they couldn’t have thoagiiL 01 any Tiling uetter had they, christened the promising infants themsants themselves. The majority of screen twinklers, however, ao put things bluntly, have made their names “ under false pretences. ’ Mary Piekford was horn plain G 1 a-dy s and Alma Rubens was originally another member of the same great universal family of the .Smiths. Smith is a goodold-fashioned name, but it lacks th© subtl* distinction which wiil catch" the ’ elusive eye of the man in the street. It is-rather more difficult to explain why other .stars have changed their name’s. Juliet. Shelby, you must own, is every bit as nice as Mary Miles Minter, which, however, lias the advantage again,of the : era tivo ’* punch/’ And you can’t hoi;* thiuUing that Betty Lav..son won’- 1 have had just as mam admirers as the rather fanciful June shire reason, prefers to style herself Bessie Love, and Helen Garrett twice availed Ini -' l !'of the feminine privilege of changing her mind, following up onedebut ms Dans Lev with another as Doris May. Mabel Normand suffered exquisitely in tho en:!\ da vs 01. her film career un lor th- name of Muriel Fnrtesque Those were tho tones im id-ntally. when' Bln noli* Sworn O.eo A I*, under) was kn-v.n to .1 mu aII hut >e!oct circle of picture, g-jc .- as Faj-hre W . vno. As name' pur - ..nd simple, Beatrice Libbev, GUd-x Hutchinson. Augusta An pel- Mnrgerrt Hou.se anti -Mabel Crofts ronvc-. little 01 nothing f - your imagination. You'd r< * ignise the owners at. onve however, if thev were i.i----trocliK-d to you as Pauline Frederick, Peggv H\ land. Lila • . Margery Daw and Mabel Ballin. v Perhaps the soundest reason for changing your name is when you realise that your public would never be Guglielrni might have languished long

in comparative obscurity bad he not become the dol of all flapperdom as Rodolph Valentino. Isidore Von Dammeder ou the same sound, logical principle became -of course, figuratively speaking -plain Lou Tellegoii. Margaret Loomis was known to the home folks in her native Hawaii as Lelma. AVaipahua. and Silvio Des Jardiens prefers to be recognised as Bobby Vernon, of Ohrstie Comedy 'fame. Sessue Hayakawa and his wife, Tsuni Aoki, have managed somehow to got along with very unmanageable names, being the only Japanese artists who have risen to stardom. But then most of their admirers fight shy of the “ Hayakawa ” and restrict themselves to “Mr and Airs Sessue” -which, by the way. should he- pronounced “ Sesshoe,” but never is. Charlie Chaplin advised Edna Pur nance to adopt a screen name when she signed on as his leading Indy, ns. he assured her nobody would ever be able to pronounce her own. His prophecy has proved fairly correct, and for the benefit of the uninitiated I might explain that'the accent

i comes on the ‘ i,” which is an honest • 1.” like the one in the alphabet. Not that it matters. All the world knows her as “Edna.” so why worry about the Purviance? Ola Cron!< may sound a beautiful name to S-andmavian ears, but the : ; ■ oi p/. inn--goers will prefer' C'lfiirc Winds,,.-. Viola Dana nod Shirley Mason are entered ... the official records of the -Li home town as Yio'a aml Lonnie Flugr.;th A third sister, or. i till 1 ■ m to the Brit i- h public- as Fdoa Flng.-.u!,. J.-atnce Jo; -s <*vc of the Trelforcls, an old So:;i her;, i'a-ciiv haihng from L ui siann 1 L t ( u whi •' i'"- fivqmmll- o ordered as a- |H inter's error hv newspaper -.'Con'le is her ow 1. Her inot.lwr liked tlm meaning of Urn FAKING THE FILMS. . TRICKS OF THE CAMERAMEN. j IVlieu vou watch the pictures on th | silver screen, you seldom realise the

number of little, tricks and dodges to which the producers resort to obtain their effects. Roughly, there are two main reasons why the art of faking is used on the screen- to save money, and to obtain effects that would he impossible in straight forward photography. First, take tho question of moneyA certain scene, say. is wanted that contains a castle, a gorge, and a river flowing through it, spanned by a tna • sive steel bridge. It may be an easv matter for the film producer to find the. gorge with .1 castle, or something that will pass as such — hut, spanned by a massive steel bridge ! That might take a lifetime of searching, and then not bj found. To build a bridge to span tho gorge is all very well, but even if the bridge he a dummy, it would be a tremendous expense. But up to recently tha: lias been the only course to adopt. Now', however, another method has been invented The camera v trained on the gorge.

and though no bridge spans it—yet you will see one there in the finished picture ! If you could see the camera you would understand limv the bridge go: there. There is a sheet of plate glass » few inches in trout of the lens, quite clear, except in the midfile, where has been painted with exquisite care the picture of n bridge. Pile whole picture is not more than | two inches across, but. being so clo- 3 e to the lens, the picture of the bridge ! will appear on the film as if actually ' spanning the gorge nt a point some i distance away. ! So. with careful' placing of rh> camera, and the cost of Id or so. a i sol end id h ridge is introduced in the . film, with an accuracy that duties ; detection. ; Models of trains are frenucntlv us* 1 1 j for 'representing railway smashes. * ! distinct economy over the older, metho 1 I of wrecking a couple of- full-size trains, j This particular method of harmlers j deception is not confined to cheap j films, the train disaster in one of tit * biggest films of the last year being supplied by that means, and without

one of its numberless spectators guessing the sec ret. A real lire volcano is an unruly monster for the camera man to grapple with, and also very dangerous, hut it is sometimes necessary to depict on 1 or. the films, so again deception is resorted to. A model mountain, about four »*r five feet high, is built out of sand, and its interior filled with material tin* will give -off smoke and flame wi.h realistic effect. By bringing the camera close up a perfectly lifelike volcano in full blast is the . result