THE PROPER MOOD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17182, 27 October 1923, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE PROPER MOOD.

J AY OR KING UP FOR A BIG SCENE. 1 Harriett© Underhill. the movie 1 writer in the “ New York Tribune,” ' tells how it i.s done: — 5 People complain that the actors and r actresses who play with only the eye - of the camera to approve cannot feel r the emotions which they portray bet cause of the lack of continuity in the filming of a story. It is the popular idea that the star sits chatting casually with acquaintances until the mo* * mom when her big scene is to be S shot and then leaps in. cries real | tears all over the place and leaps out 1 again to continue her interrupted banter. Now, this is often the case, iij A\‘e have seen it happen like that, ;! but if you think all stars do it that way you should sec Gloria Swanson j playing Zaza. x Glendon Allvine, who gave up his desk next to ours in the “ Tribune ” | office and went over to direct pubt lieity for Paramount, drove us uui to the Long Island studio, i’ Music was being played outside Aliss * Swanson’s dressing-room. The dre^s-ing-room is in the centre of the floor j and looks like an aristocratic bath i hou.so. ail made out of shutters like 5 a French blind. “Hush!” said every | one. ami “ Shush !” whispered bac k s every one else, and then we learned that Aliss Swanson was getting worked up for a big scene in the picture. At the other end of the stage the scene was being rehearsed. Alan Dwan was taking Aliss Swanson's place and was putting the extras through their paces so that when Miss Swanson appeared with the heart properly torn out of her it would be possible to take the S' en© without rehearsing. It was the banquet scene, where Zaza attempts to drink a toast with her i ; friends, but flings the wine from her j and falls fainting as she rushes away. Air Dwan was very much in earnest, j While Airis Swanson was getting ready . with tears and fasting the indefatigable director had not been idle. Supported by Ferdinand Gottschalk, who is playing the Count, he cam© gaily ’ down the banquet hall, as Zaza would “ have come, sprang lightly—in a man- _ nor ol speaking onto the table and j offered a toast. At the proper moment he flung the glass away, leaped from the table and staggered back 1 toward the door. Every one - was , deadly serious, but we were just wondering how many onslaughts of this 1,7 sort the table would stand when Aliss 5 Swanson appeared. She looked beautiful but terrible. Her face was agonised. She walked falteriugly. s Her eyes were cast down and she shielded them from the light. Then 3 Air Dwan cried “Camera!” y Air Gottschalk put his arm around s the star and they started down the , banquet hall. Aliss Swanson smiled, v but her face was tragic. She wasn't v acting. She was feeling. Every atom s of her being suggested despair cloaked n with gaiety. You wondered how long :1 she could bear it, and then she flung o the glass from her, sraggered up stage o and fell in a swoon. it seemed to e ns that she hacl really fainted, for s some of the men went to her. Jilted a her up and got- her a glass of water in. place of the near-champagne. “By e j*ove!” exclaimed a man who was, like ,! vs. mere.lv an innocent bystander, t “ she’s as great as Negri!” Which o to us was the highest praise one could . offer.