8 “THE STAR” New Zealand’s Official Film Newspaper f

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17575, 27 June 1925, Page 20 (Supplement)

8 “THE STAR” New Zealand’s Official Film Newspaper f

Jeffrey Farnol, David Belasco annd Ratael Sabatini, who will personally supervise their respective stories in their production for the screen. PARAMOUNT WEEK. The fifth annual Paramount week will be celebrated this year from August 31 to September 5. It will be the biggest move in the history of moving pictures in New Zealand. Paramount week has been instituted.by the Famous Laskv Film Service, and opportuties will be_ given to showmen throughout New Zealand to stimulate their individual interest and the general interest in the moving picture.

FILM PERSONALS.

Mr D. Leys, well-known to New Zealand exhibitors as a, Universal representative, has joined up with Seizniek as office manager. recently, has made such a wonderful impression in her current picture, Rex Beach s “ The Goose Woman,” that she has been added to the Universal stock company on a long time contract. Twelve years ago. Bill Hart was acting Shakespeare in the speaking stage, Monte Blue was a cow-puncher in Texas, Dick Barthelmess was a schoolboy, Jack Holt was driving a dog team up in Alaska, Jackie Coogan wasn’t born, Charlie Chaplin was cutting capers in a London music-hall, and Gloria .Swanson was studying art in a Chicago school. Adolphe Menjou has shaken the dust of Holly-wood from his feet lor New York and Europe for an indefinite stay-, dissatisfied with the interpretation of his contract by Famous PlayersLasky officials in recent conferences (says an American movie writer). He denies that he is planning any break in his contract, but he also vows that he will not be overworked and forced to play roles unsuited to him. He f claims that his standing as an artist is threatened, if not impaired, by the work he has been obliged to do during the past year.

Shirley- Mason (writes the flollywood correspondent of the “ San Francisco Chronicle ”) has caused a furore in Hollywood by- suddenly- tossing her star crown into the ash heap. Here is Shirley Mason, who has been a William Fox star for the last five y-ears, who has been starred in more than forty pictures for that company, giving up of her own accord her starring position to follow in the footsteps of her sister, Viola Dana. Meaning that Shirley is determined to free-lance in the future, to select her own roles in big productions, even if it does mean sharing the elec-tric lights, bill-boards and publicity with other stars who may be in the allstar cast of the same picture. Already the big producers are bidding for her services, and well they may-, for ShirleyMason is on the high road. ■* sfc Hi If Jane Novak’s experience in Germany- may- be accepted as an example, commuting to Berlin for at least one picture will become the rage among our American film stars (says a Hollywood writer). According to Miss Novak, the Germans overwhelmed her with hospitality- and unaccustomed luxuries. Her first picture in Germany was made at the U.F.A. studio, which once sheltered Pola Negri and Ernest Lubitsch. Opposite Miss Novak was Walther Rilia, a Max Reinhardt player and one of the best young actors in Germany. The director was an Englishman. Graham Cutts. This was due to the fact that English capital was producing the picture. From the first day- Miss Novak arrived at the studio, she was overwhelmed with attentions. For example, each studio executive punctiliously presented himself everymorning at her dressing-room door, and, with the well-known German click of heels and bow, solicitously inquired as to her health and desires. The studio manager placed one hour of his time a day at her disposal. Except for the risk of being spoiled by- service, according to Miss Novak, an American screen star has nothing to fear in making a picture in Germany from the artistic viewpoint. Direction, acting, photography, lighting and sets compare favourably- with ours.

By u The Movie Man”

of 4 Name the Man!’ a combination of the European sense of drama and technique and the modern American facilities for. picture making. The result is bound to prove one of the greatest pictures of tho year, it not in the | hitory of tho industry-. It is human ! naturalness. Ylimugh the drama aval the relentless reaping of what tlm characters have sown is seen a symj pathy and understanding of the human ! heart which is seldom found on the I screen. This is clue in part to the | skilful adaptation of Sir Hall Caine’s 1 novel made by Paul Bern, formerly i Ooldwyn editor, but is due mainly to 1 the character and ability of the great director—-his simplicity. * sincerity and intelligence. Victor Seastrom has i been called the greatest of Fnronenn directors, and this picture will prove

the truth of that contention and Z far toward putting him at the top o’ I the world’s best directors. The film ! was enthusiastically acclaimed by ' critics and the public at its first big showing in this country and has been called as near perfect, both technically and humanly, rfs it is possible to. get.” Included in the cast arc Conrad Nagel, Mae Burch. Patsv Ruth Miller, Hoban, Boswortli. Creighton Hale, and De Wirt C. Jennings. A Universal production, “ Tho .Sign of the Cactus.” with Jack Hoxie in the leading iole. will be the second feature bn the new programme at Greater C rvstal Palace, commencing on Monday. It is a vivid story of a situation that has been duplicated settlement of the West, that of the dispute between the settlers and the promoters of irrigation schemes. Hoxie has the part of a man who has devoted himself to saving from ruin the irrigation company. When a °mcre lad, his father was killed as the result of the dispute. This conflict continued through tho years that have intervened until he reached manhood Leading a sort of Robin Hood existence, he preys on the irrigation company, using tho proceeds of his lawlessness to help those who are being ruined. The picture lias several sensational scenes, including a dynamite explosion and the rescue of a girl from the rapids of a river. Helen Holmes, Francis Ford and Josef Swickard are the principal supports. N ioln Dana and Glenn Hunter have the leading roles in tho Paramount production, “Merton of the Movies” which will be screened at the Grand Theatre to-day. The story is full of whimsical touches, broad humour and real notes of tragedy. “ Merton of the Movies” is a satire on the motion picture world, and while showing the exploits of a movie-struck boy in Hollywood. it gives some very intimate glimpses of films in the making. The story of “Merton ” is tho story of what happens to thousands cf young men and women who have go no to Hollywood without knowing what is ahead of them. Merton is a movie, struck youth in a tiny village ot Illinois. .Eventually he goes to Hollywood to seek fame am}'fortune'as an emotional actor. The sights he sees, ihe rude awakening to realities, and his myriad of strange- experiences, con- | stitute a story replete with comedy situations, built'upon a thin layer of j tragedy —the tragedy of a boyish amj bit ion that seems doomed to disappointment. \ iola Dana has the role of “blips,” a comedy actress who befriends Merton. Pola Negri’s screen portrayal of a woman whose beauty hires men, is not only different but also infinitely more

roal than the interpretation of any J other actress, according to the famous director Ernst Lubitsch, who directed " Forbidden Paradise” for Paramount, Miss Negri’s newest starring picture. “ When Pola plays the role c? a woman whose wiles ensnare, she dees not give one of those stock-in-trade seductions, crude and stereotyped,” says Lubitsch. “ One feels the real passion burn in her, and the whole scene ablaze with the fire of her emotion.” In ” Forbidden Paradise, ' which comes to the Liberty Theatre today, Miss Negri plays the part of a gorgeous queen of a European kingdom, a woman of many conquests. Rod La Rocque, Adolphe Menjou and Pauline Starke are the featured payers appearing opposite the star. t: Between Friends,” a Vitagrapli production based on the novel by Robert W. Chambers, the second at- , traction on the new’ programme at i the Liberty Theatre, finds its charac- • ters among the Bohemian set of New York, and tells of their loves and . hates aud intrigues. The plot centres 1 round two men. David Diene and Jack j Greylock, who have been friends since boyhood. Drene becomes a prominent sculptor and lives with his wife in his studio apartment. She sees much

| of Greylock, an J eventually the two elope and go to Bermuda. Overcome mits suicide there. Drene and Greylock in later years fall in hive 'with the same woman, and Drene plans a terrible revenge. Intensely dramatic situations, as well as a number of rather daring ones, arise before the picture ends. Anna Q. Nilsson, Lou Tcllegen. Norman Kerry. Alice Calhoun and Stuart Holmes form a strong cast cf principals. ”Ok Doctor.” a Universal-Jewel production, heads the new programme commencing at the- Strand Theatre today. Reginald Denny is the star, and he is introduced as a hypochondriac, who imagines that he suffers from all kinds of ailments, while really he is a vigorous and lusty young man. The ! character enables him to demonstrate j his capabilities as an interpreter of : humour of the subtle type, and also affords him ample opportunity to engage in many of the reckless activities in the way of automobile driving and other hazards.

Replete with the drama of the old mining era, -when nien thought considerably Jess of human life than of a poke full of “dust.' 5 the story of Roy Norton called ‘‘The Plunderer'’ has been adapted for the screen by "William .1" ox, and will be screened at the Strand Theatre to-day. The romance of the Croix IVOr mine and of two men who made it produce over almost insurmountable difficulties, includes the thrills of elemental battles between savage miners, the predicament of two men caught in a shaft when the supports are cut away and the dynamiting of a dam which lots loose a flood of raging water on the terrified people of the valley. A novelty in the way of motion picture fights is presented in “The Red Warning,” a Universal Western play starring Jack Hoxie, commencing tonight. at the King's Theatre. Hoxie and Fred Kohler, the “heavy” in the play, stage a fistic combat in an icy lvtountain stream at the foot of a hundred foot water fall. Deadly darts of Dan Cupid ! Maidens who dip their pens too hastily in the lovers’ inkwell may have time to regret their letter writing propensities when thev are later engaged to someone else. For the words that seem innocent enough can cause a world of trouble when read by jealous eyes. Such, is the theme of the Shirley Mason picture, “Love Letters.’’ produced by Fox. which shows for the first time at the King’s Theatre tonight. Robert Hill is responsible for the direction of “The Social Buccaneer,” the big Universal chapter play now in its fifth episode at the King’s Theatre. Hill is considered the peer of serial directors, his past successes including “Robinson Crusoe” and “The Radio King.” . t “The Lost World,” the picture based on Conan Doyle’s story, in which is introduced pre-historic animals, will be screened in August at Everybody s Theatre and Greater Crystal Palace. A new picture theatre was opened at Newmarket, Auckland, on luesday. It is known as the Rialto, and lias seating accommodation for 14.00 people. In “A Boy of Flanders,” Jackie Coogam's newest Metro starring picture. which comes to the Liberty Theatre shortly, the* fields of Flanderh are visited—not the shell-torn fields of the present, hut the peaceful, level, poplar-rimmed and canal-cut fieldwhere Rubens once found inspiration and where Ouida placed the scenes o£ her finest contribution to literature. “ A Dog of Flanders,” of which Jackie Coogan’s picture is said to be a faithful. thrilling and comedy adaptation. Tn response to many requests re reived from various parts of the Dominion it has been decided by the Hon G. J. Anderson, Minister-in-Charge of Publicity, to have a special programme of cinema pictures prepared from films secured by the Government photographers, made up. for display throughout New Zealand. The film, which will comprise the onl\ official pictures to be shown in the Dominion, will be in charge of M> Tano Fam'a, the well-known theatrical entrepreneur, and will serve io illustrate something of what is being done by the Government in the way of advertising this country overseas by this popular means. Arrangement* with regard to the preparation of thy film are now well advanced and it* advent in each centre will be duly heralded by a. local display’ of an at tractive nature. It is boned to arrange with local authorities to carrv out a special campaign for dispatching tourists literature overseas in conjunction with the display.

Universal have purchased Edwin Locke’s famous novel, “ Stella Maris,” j as a vehicle for Mary Philbin. Following in the footsteps of the befreclded Y esley Barry. Buddy Messin- j ffor, the fat boy of the movies, will ! he seen as the “printer's devil” in the forthcoming Master Picture, “ A Front Page Story.” Edith Roberts and Edward Horton arc also featured. Horton is an original comedian. “ The Top of the World ” has been j set down for release by Paramount j at an early date. This is one of | Ethel M. Dell’s most popular novels, j told as only this authoress can toll a I romance of the African veldt. The j cast includes Anna Q. Nilsson, James j Kirkwood and Raymond Hatton. j At a recent pre-release of “ The Gold I Rush,” Charlie Chaplin’s latest comedy, | in Los Angeles a crowded and critical I

audience of film folks gave the famous comedian what is considered to be the most flattering ovation ever known in the film colony. In a happy little speech after the initial screening Chaplin said: 4 4 4 The Gold Rush ’ is the picture that I would like to be remembered by.” Behe Daniels, who lias recently achieved stellar honours, proves herself a capable, comedienne in her latest Paramount picture, “ Miss Bluebeard.” Bebo has the role of Colette, idol of the French stage, who walks right into an accidental marriage to a man she has never seen before in her life—-and then discovers later that he is not her husband at all. Raymond Griffith plays opposite Miss Daniels. Paramount have recently commenced the filming of 44 Wild Hor.se Mesa,” Zane ! Grey's latest novel. It is the story of j ; the wild horses—the 44 brumbies ” of the West—and one of the amazing inci- j dents* is the stampede of five thousand ; fear-maddened horses. But woven around this is a human interest story j of an exceptional nature, with a cast j

cf favourites enacting the colourful j roles the author has painted lor his | The great Ufa production, “The i Xibelungs,” has met with phenomenal I success all over the Continent, even in Soviet Russia’s capital, Moscow, where it had entered on its fourth week when latest news was to hand. Another Ufa special, 44 Strength and Beauty,” has j been packing the Ufa Palastam Zoo, Berlin, a house that has a seating ! capacity of 2000. On April 28 the hunj dredth screening of this film at the I theatre mentioned was celebrated by a special festive performance. The biological film expedition of the Ufa which left for the Amazon River district, Brazil, almost a year ago, under the leadership of Baron Adolf von Dungern. recently returned to Berlin. Apart from the extraordinary re-

sults in regard to valuable scientific documents of nature, which consist of thousands of metres of film, to be released shortly, the expedition brought home a big collection of Jive animals, a number of which were retained by the company and the remainder presented to the Berlin Zoo. Universal's programme for the year will be the greatest in the history of the company, fully 30 per cent greater than any other schedule ever previously undertaken. With thirty Jewels, twenty-six Blue Streak Westerns, six Adventure stories in fifteen to eighteen episodes each, twelve two-reel Gump comedies, fifty-two Century comedies, fifty-two Bulls Eye comedies, fifty-two Mustang Westerns, two International News releases a week. Universal will have a total releasing power of between seven and eight hundred reels of pictures. The stars in Universal’s production of Dorothy Canfield's “ The Home Maker” are Alice Joyce and C'live Brook, the noted English actor. This

will be Miss Joyce’s first appearance in a. Universal picture. “The Home Maker ” is the story of a- wife and mother who is obliged to get out and support the family. Her struggles as a home maker and the extent to which she takes her sick husband’s place in the world, so much so that she does not relinquish it even after ho lias recovered, makes a gripping story of human drama and homely interest. The modern motion picture version of Sienkiewicz's classic novel, “ Quo Yadis?” which is to be released in New Zealand by First National Pictures, is repeating the great success which it achieved when the former version—the first big spectacular picture ever made —was shown more than a, dozen years ago. “ Quo Yadis?” is now running in New York, where it is in its fifth big week at the Apollo Theatre: in Chicago, where it is parking the Roosevelt Theatre for its third week: and at the Adams Theatre in Detroit, and the Stillman Theatre in Cleveland. Charles Chaplin, whose latest comedy “ The Gold Rush ” will be shortly released in New Zealand, recentlv obtained from the Supreme Court an injunction against all imitators, whereby the famous baggy pants, big shoes, cane, etc., become the exclusive right of Chaplin. The legal battle was with an imitator who copied Chaplin’s make-up to the last detail, and was known on the screen as Charles Aplin. Apropos of imitators', it is said that Chaplin was once persuaded into a movie theatre to witness a film made by one of his “ sincerest flatterers.” When asked his opinion of it after the final fade-out Charles’s only comment was: 44 Well, one of us is rotten.” Iwo of the big motion pictures in New York are the Rialto and the Rivoli. Both are under the management of one man—Hugo Riesenfeld, and it takes over two hundred people to attend to the work attached to them. Of this number at least onefourth are highly trained specialists. There are, for instance, six conductors, who are assisted by three librarians whose duties are connected with the theatres’ musical libraries. Then there is an art director, a ballet master, eleven operators, and their assistants, porters, ushers, stage hands, doormen, page boys, musicians, clerical workers, poster artists, and physicians "’ho look after casualties that occur among the audience. Ernest Pascal, the clever novelist of “ I lie Dark Swan,” certainly got a dramatic situation when he ~ conceived the idea of having two sisters rivals for the love of the same man. One of these girls, Eve, is lovely outside, but inside a corruption of egotism and selfishness. The Cornelia, is very unattractive to the eye. but has a fine soul. They both fight for the love of Lewis Dike, who begins by courting Cornelia, then is captivated by the beauty of Eve, and Infer rues his decision in marrying her. Y artier Bros, have made, this into a Master Picture, with a east headed by Marie Prevost, Helene. Chadwick, Monte Blue, and including Arthur Rankin. Lilyan Tashman, Mary MVLaren, Car)ton Miller, Yera Lewis and John Patrick. Of the “ Last Laugh," the Germanmade picture which has been such a huge success in America, a critic writes as follows:—This picture tells a simple tale, and tells it simply and so clearly there are no sub-titles in all its length. The matter is the disintegration of character when authority and his uniform are taken away from an old door- , man at a fashionable hotel. lie is pompous, respected, beloved, as long as he wears the livery with its gold braid and its brass buttons, but deprived of these, his humble neighbours revile and laugh at him, particularly when they know he has been given the position of attendant in the lavatory of the hotel. And under the lash of their scorn the man seems to shrink and shrivel until he is but a shadow of the magnificent ornament he once was. Another great achevement, this, for Emil Jannings. Production of “The Wanderer,” a big Paramount picture, is now well under way. “The Wanderer” is the film spectacle, of the great Biblical story of the Prodigal Bon. It is described as one of the most gigantic undertakings in the history of picture-making. The materials, consisting of silks and draperies, are exceptionally rare, and were purchased by a Paramount representative, who made a trip to the Far East for special weaves of cloth and lor Oriental tapestries. As parts of the p.cture will be made in colour, the film will reveal these glorious hues in their natural lustre. The featured cast of The \Y and ere r ” includes Ernest Torrence, William Collier, jun., Wallace Beery, Greta Nissen, Tyrone Power, Kathryn Hill and Kathlyn Williams. It is anticipated that 44 The Wanderer " will be a worthy successor to 44 The Ten Commandmen ts.” What is said to be the largest amount of cJeetrigity ever used for the illumination of a motion picture set was consumed recently in Hollywood during the making of a spectacular “candy ball” in Cecil B. l>s Millc's last Paramount picture, “ The Golden Bed.” Over one hundred ancl ten electricians were needed to operate two hundred flood lights. sunlight areas, spotlights, and huge navy search irights. Because the candy decorations of real sugar must glitter and sparkle in a lifelike manner, each twenty feet candy cane and enormous chocolates of three feet diameter had to be “ back-lighted” separately, calling for illumination far beyond the usual needs. This “ candy ball ” is said to be one of the outstanding “spectacles” of the screen year. It is the first time, that candy has been utilised in such a lavish manner. The Hal Roach ranch runs to domestic nn iui a 1 stars, educated cats and dogs,, histrionic geese, goats and Shetland ponies. But it also boasts Rex, the splendid wild horse, captured on a Colorado ranch and chained in liis stall and fed with the longest-handled pitchfork in the State until Chick Morrison, the Roach horse trainer, discovered the outlaw and began to teach him camera manners. It took a. month and considerable carpenter repair work to get horse-shoes on Rex, and several months more to civilise him. and even then lie suffered several relapses from civilisation and thundered away from the location where they were trying to make the Master Picture, “ King of the Wild Horses.” to ream the hills for days until he chose to allow himself to be captured. An insatiable tooth for carrots was responsible for Rex’s submission to man, A troupe of monkeys are also residents of the Roach ranch. Behind their bars they sit, with their wise, wizened faces peering out upon the comedy tramps and slap-stick cops who pass them bv, reflecting apparently upon the evil results of evolution. They are born mimics and make fine movie actors, save fox- n propensity to get upstage, so far up that it a ladder and a bag of peanuts to epau llwm down MgaijL