THE MOVIE WORLD

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16939, 13 January 1923, Page 6

THE MOVIE WORLD

(3Y THE " MOVIE

NOTICE TO COItnESPOSTIENTB. OorrcapandeiMs doulrcu? of al» Cions ;'ti ths <-tarcDf ie»je nr*; r©qoeste3 ;o see tt’ot their oomuioaicatiouii •**o delivered u.t this ofiicc uoi inter tliaii * oesday afternoon. MOVIE ANSWERS. " Th© Sheik. I think the picture to which you refer is “ Manslaughter." Tf so, it. will be screened at Everybody's, iferi.— Owen Moore and Elaine ItammerPtein. United Studios. Hollywood. California. Douglas Fairbanks, PickiorrlFairbanlsa Studios. Hollywood. California. Have no recent studio address cf Marjorie Daw. Geta.—Agnes Ayres anil Mary Miles Winter. Lasky Studios. Hollywood. California. Mary Pickford, Piekferd-Fairbanks. Studios. Hollywood. Califoniiia. The manager otf Crystal Palace informs me that he has no information with reepect to the ne?:t. Owen Moore picture. Coming attractions to Liberty are “ The Perfect Woman ” (Constance r i nlmadge), ‘‘High anti Dizzy” (Harold Lloyd), “The Fair Lady.’’ from Rex Beach’s romance, “ The Net,” with Betty Blythe in the leading part, and a Thomas luce specinJ. “ Skin Deep.” Though intended more as n straightfoward drama of love, the UniversalJervell version of that much-rend story ‘ Under Two Flogs ” assumes the character of a spectacle through it’s great settings an l impressive ntmes-

phene scenes hi winch ibous;nitis take j pert. tt Under Two Flags’’ will be seen all nexu week at Greater Crystal Palace. Priscilla Dean is the star and Tod Brcimiog directed her with the , itaxne 'ability with which he guided her * starring sensation “Outside the Law.” j “The Queou or Sheba” the twelve, part supor-attraction made by tfco Fox Corporatism will be presented at the , Queen’s Theatre commencing next Saturday. This w ill be tho initial presentation of the picture in Australasia. The exclusive screening rights for this city have been secured by the Queen’s Picture Ltd., and the picture will not he shown at any other theatre. It is claimed that tho film hire paid for this masterpiece is the highest ever paid for a aiDglc feature in New Zealand. Very few women can drive horses at all far loss drive four abreast at a maddening pace. Betty Blythe and Nell T’raig are both however expert drivers, but even then when, (.-ailed upon x to drive four thoroughbreds aoreast at a reckless speed, it required all their nerve to manage their teams This is one of the exciting scenes of “ The Queen of Sheba,” when the Queen Accepts the Princess Yashtis’ challenge to race three times round pecpie swarming on the course and lauding victory of the Queen. “ The .Eternal Flame,” which heads the ourrent programme at Liberty, is declared by American critics to be the crowning achievement of Norma Talmadge’s career. Never before has she carried her dramatic ability to suep great heights as in her impersonation of La Duchesso De Leaugeais. the leading character of the work by the famous French author, Honor© Do Balzac. The settings of the picture are lavish to the last degree. The glory of old Versailles is here with ail the immaculate manners, customs, and dressings of the French Courts when Louis XVIII. reigned supremo.

Coming to Liberty next Saturday is the Douglas Fairbanks comedy, ■* When tho Clouds Itoll By.” In ibis picture Fairbanks carries out “ stunts ” that are more wonderful than ever. Re lias leapt, jumped and vaulted ! with amazing agility, but in this pie- j ture ho performs the impossible foa- i of walking on the coiling. The stoy'j has many unusual twists, the big | feature being tho flood which carries j everything ill its wake, even to the girl whom the hero has vainlv pursued. and the parson come® floating j of his house just m time po marry the couple * Tho big attraction in the new programme commencing to-dav at the Queen’s Theatre will be “Youth Mm-. 1 Have Love” which is the latest. Fox special with (he charming young notv:--; Sldrlev Mason as the star. This picture ins a nios** mr-sual story the action being equally divided between the great outdoors and thdrawing room- in fashionable .Y©v York. Miss Mason does some realh good work i n this picture. She is soon in thrilling swimming and diving stunts, hors- riding and urn-forme. Tn eluded on the programme is a special feature comedy “The Sailor” featuring the prince of comedians Clyde Cook. It in claimed to lie one of tV most laughable pictures ever presented.

Thomas Jefferson who sprears in the '..'a.siiiugton :rvrng/s fame us story “ Hip Van TF Inkle-” is the ili-.h generation ct" bis line to follow the stage, and the fourth of his family io play '* llip Van Winkle ” His great grandfather, the first Joseph Jefferson appeared in the premier presentation of tho plav in Philadelphia in 1829. The second Jefferson followed with r,. different version and the third of the name appeared in a version .produced by his half brother, Charle® Burlte in 1849. Ho played “Rip” in London in 1835 and returning to America lie continued to play the part, with very few internptions, until his death in 1905. “ Rip Van Winkle ” with Thomas Jefferson in tho title role will be screened at Greater Crystal Palace commencing on Monday. “The Sheik” writes:—Would our Divine Master Jesus Christ give His approval to the .motion picture as a means of enlightening us. and at the same time aiding to bring happiness to those who are weary and downhearted *■' Looking at the question from all its angles, personally, 1 say “ yea,” and L am firmly convinced there are thou- j sands of others -who share this view We must bear in mind that Christ taught his followers by parables, ‘in plain words, pictures. In our churches. Sunday schools, and why not our day schools, what would be a better method of illustrating the Word of God than hv mean® of motion pictures? To the light thinking and to those who are out to uplift the less fortunate of our kind the motion picture must em phaticaily stand nut on its own as the prime educator of the people of today. Progressive schools now show educational films periodically, and in other directions tho educational value of the screen is recognised, with the result that at certain periods both tend to educate and give enjoyment tb our little folks, who will be the future

citizens of the Empire. What a God send the motion picture must be to the poorer classes, who at a email cost can view in comfort and ease the finest pictures of the day. Then take the latest reform movement of the New j Zealand Government Department in 1 hxing selected pictures screened to T audiences consisting of men and women I serving sentences- These pictures must j touch the finer feelings of even the most hardened offender. !t is. 3 think, only a matter of time when the clergy jol al! denominations will select the screen as an aid to the teaching of their respective flocks. Already the movement lias been started. So that, all things considered, 1 have no hesitation in saving that were Christ on earth today motion pictures would meet with M Frank V Blandford, for several year head of the publicity department ■i Picture Supplies. Wellington, ha? '•ren ao]>.-.;n_; ? d ?nr>ivtuer of the New Princess "Theatre, Melbourne. into a Pitt Street picture theatre the other night there came a young gent.. ‘::s “lady iY>-nd.” and half a pound of -caramel (writes a Sydney “Bu hour later the lady interrupted tho speomno - bv slipping sudden!v to the /‘oor and fumbling about or. all fouro • What's the matter?” asked Rome:

I “what have you lost?” “I’ve lost a caramel,” replied Juliet, on her knees. ‘ Never mind, I’ll buy you some more ! “ But I must find this one!” she whispered urgently. “Why that one?” i demanded Romeo. “ Because my false > teeth are stuck to it!” moaned Juliet. Moving pictures in the church are not altogether novel in England and America, but in Australia the idea has just been introduced. St Mark’s, in b itzroy, a suburb of Melbourne, having the credit of the innovation. The film which was thrown on to a screen in front of the sanctuary depicted the life of Christ. The vicar of the church re-pliecl to critics of tho innovation by asserting that prejudice was duo to ‘ unctuous sanctimoniousness.” As lan tern slides had been tolerated there cc-uld be no valid objection to the moving picture. It was tho intention of the authorities to use tho moving picture to serve as a most valuable adjunct in the inculcation of religious ! truths. The departure attracted many j people to tho church, and although Ufchere were some critics the majority of j the congregation expressed their pleasj ure and appreciation. j Lord knows I yearn to see a good i Australian photo-play, and time was when I wondere 1 why locally produced successes were so few. One of the reasons, I am now satisfied, is the castiron convention that no good picture can be made without a starred and striped producer. Slick gent®, with a.i accent that sounds like the Monro© doctrine, arrive here utterly ignorant of Australia, her history or traditions and conditions, and set out to make a dinkum Australian picture with all the assurance of their kind. A cocksure person was directing a stunt required for an all-Australian film, when one ; of the mummers pointed out that, as he j was impersonating a returned soldier, J he would have to wear his badge. ■ ’ “You take it pff right now,” com-

Handed Salem I\ Doughnut. “ J can’t stand a bar of them blamed Diggers I” The mummer took himself off instead. Charles do Roche, the French count brought over by Laskv’s to take tb' part;: that Valentino was to have filled will have his try-out in “The Law the Lawless.” His leading lady will hi Dorothy Dalton. Warren Kerrigan has been selectc. for the leading part in the picturis: tion of Emerson Hough’s fine story <■ *N American pioneer days, “The Covert* Waggon.” If you haven’t read th story, buy or borrow it. Burlesque© of big feature films ar« becoming increasingly popular among tho two reel comedians. The Cur wood Northwest dramas gave rise to Christie’s “Cold Fleet,” Buster Keaton’s “The Frozen North,” and Mack Sen- j r.ett’s “Home Made Movies.” “Tho ; Three Musketeers” was followed by i “The Three Must-Get-Theres,” and “A j Barnyard Cavalier.” “The Sheik” in- • spired “That Son of a Sheik” and “Th? ; Shriek of Araby.” And now. in the wake j >f “Robin Hood” comes “Robbed ’Em j Good” and “Robin Hood. Junior.” j Charlie Chaplin’s latest production, t which is entitled “The Pilgrim,” is j ready for release. and when fairh launched Chaplin, it is said, will com inenoe work on a comedy which will b at least eight reels long. Erich von Stroheim, 'one of the outstanding and most picturesque figure 4 of tho screen, has signed a long-tern contract with the Goldvryn PictureCorporation to direct productions cf great magnitude. Von Stroheim wi!‘ also act in some of his pictures. Cecil B. de Mill© recently called upon tho public to supply a name for his new picture, offering the sum of 3000 dollars to whoever sent in the name selected. From the replies received Do Mil!© chose “ The Ten Commandments.” and as eight persons sent-in that title he paid over SOOO dollars. Realism is all very well, but it can be carried to great lengths. Dick Barthelmess’fi biggest- scenes in “The Bond Boy ” called for a gallows. Did Dick, have on© mad©,at th© studio? He did not. He prevailed upon the southern sheriff to let him use his. It is a charming little thing, mad© for a hanging in 1905, and since used on several occasions. No self-respecting movie star is complete without,:! double who can impersonate him. during the more exacting episodes. Even Strongheart, the police dog, who appeared in “ The Silent Call,” has been awarded an understudy to take his place when occasion demands. The double in question is Flash, who is Strongheart’s rrss famous brother. J. Gordon Edwards, the Fox director, has returned to New York from Palestine, where he supervised the pro duction of the William Fox special feature, “ The Shepherd King.” This famous biblical drama, which had a long and successful career on the stage, offers many opportunities for beautiful exteriors and neither time nor expense have been spared in getting the correct local colour. Is 118,500 dollars too much for a film beauty to ask when an unexpected blast of dynamite has burned her face and her from carrying on her work? Harriet Hammond, former Mack Sennett girl who forsook comedy to in drama, does not think so. She is suing the Fox Film Corporation for that amount, alleging that in the taking of a scene the dynamite was exploded close to her without warning, injuring her and making it impossible for her to earn the thousand dollars weekly which her contract calls for. Dorothy Gish and Richard Barthelmess are now under engagement | to the Inspiration Company. Lillian’s first picture wr(l be “ The White Sister.” and for the correct “ atmos nhero ” she will go to Italy. “At last,” says an American movie maga zino. “ the fragile blonde is to have a hand in the selection of stories, cast and so forth. She will be able to go anywhere in th© world to film hor scenes. And at last the question, ‘ Will Lillian Gish be a great actress without Griffith’s direction?’ is to be answered.” Lady Diana Manners is to play the part of Queen Elizabeth in the new film, “The Virgin Queen.” which is to be directed in England by Mr J. Stuart Blackton. Parts of it will be in natural colour photography. “ The story." says Mr Blackton, “ deals with Elizabeth as a princess during the latter part of Queen Mary’s reign and with the early years of 3'llizabeth’s sovereignty. After seeing a score if leading men. I have selected Mr Carlyle Blackwell as being the most like Lord Dudley. The historical research work has been going on for over months, and in this we have been guided by Mr Harry Pirie Gordon, the eminent historian. The story has been written by myself in collaboration with Mr Gordon. Some two months ago (says “ Everyone’s,” Sydnejj Australian and overseas papers referred to th© marriage of Clyde Cook, the Australian comedian. now so successful with the Fox films in the United States. Now comes an emphatic denial from Cook, in a letter to Mr James M’Mahon (of Sussex Street, Sydney), an old friend of th© movie actor’s family. Clyde says: “You might tell mv wellwishers in Australia, per * Everyone’s,’ that there is no truth in tn© rumour of my marriage, so that congratulations are out of order. J am still living in my own little villa with my folks, and so far have not met the lady whom I could decide to settle down with. As to th© lady whose name has been coupled with mine, I do not even know her!” Francis X, Bushman and Beverly Bayne are preparing a new turn, that ‘9 a combination of picture and spoken drama. It is “ Romeo and Juliet,” •for which the film is already made. The picture is to be cut about midway, the act then going into full stage, with the players enacting the balcony scene and tho picture then resuming. The act has already been offered bookings in the big picture houses (says New York “Variety ”), but is also designed for vaudeville. The footage on the film is about 1000 ft and the speaking portion about fifteen minutes, giving a total running time about thirty minutes. Bushman and Bayne starred for Metro in “Romeo and Juliet” about «ix year 3 ago, and it is likely that j)ieture will be used for the special act. America boasts of the money it pours into a big picture, but actually America often squanders a fortune on huge spec. tacular effects which arc not essential to the story, but which, in the Amen can view, are sure to appeal to tho crowd (writes a London critic). The Stoll Film Company, on tho other I hand, take th© British and sounder view that “the play’s th© thing,” and (hat money should be spent on tho play itself and not- on mere ornamental frilling*. “ The Prodigal Son,” their new picture, based on Sir Hall Caine’a novel, is a story, and a very fine story Indeed, full of dramatic situations, fmi of human pathos that tears at the heart strings, full of impulses and em iliiswvs wikiiciitt Cfca' peOTgak* and 'fcje&siuDso Uheey aJhEaaaaadhves ex pear-Buesa vsary -flihmiflair waes. J-fc ha* us • cnwutfe., :u. Unas its; ifc laara its : , tns;sßiSSßiis. oi gracKfifewt-, • Ij-sit aflmMst: it is titprageroueall with i i tit© *1.097' of t-sr.® btrsytSfoers, these* jeal© i- j jd©s uVais* jUn-rlrj' laiHiiiga '

and their unsuspected qualities, and to graft on to .the tremendous story of their lives all sorts of pictorial ex crescences would be to ruin the who. 3 thing. Yet some iciea of the sea*© upon which this film-play is being pro duced may be gathered from the fa_*: that over £20.000 has already been spent on it, and it is no more than ihree-parts finished.