Evening Star Newspaper, March 8, 1925, Page 55

Rislto OLMSTEAD - Pilace News andComment By W.H. Landuofgt. HAT a wonder is this thing we flippantly call The Movie! Not vet arrived at what for the human is called man's estate, it is, nevertheless, a veritable giant in the land. And what, even with the memory of its faults clearly in mind, has it yet not accomplished to entitle it to the respectful consideration of mankind. With it a new art has sprung into life, a new and formidable industry into the commercial world. Best, perhaps, of all, it has provided the children of men with a new lightener of the load of life, a new care disperser and a new ingredient with which to compound human happiness. It boasts of a guiding hand whose compensation matches that of the Presi- dent. Its realm is farther stretched than his, and throughout the length and breadth of the land it has erected wonderful palaces that set a new standard of beauty in the playhouse. Its stage covers the earth, the waters and the s and there is nothing under the sun from which it shrinks in matching the glories of nature and the wonders of man. The obstacles which it has encountered and overcome would make the stoutest of hearts quail, from the innumerable puzzles in the science of optics to the development and improvement of the camera with which it has pro- duced the almost impossible. It has wrestled with and won the battle with color photography; it has caugnt and screened the very soul of man, and where the natural elements refused its control, it has made elements of its own, counterparts that do its bidding better than the best trained human player. It has matched the ancient splendors of the world in its settings and set the pace to even greater things in modern life. * K ¥ X HEN the movie discovered that the trained dramatic puppets of the stage did not best produce the effects it sought, it reached out, and by rule of thumb draited unskilled puppets, some in whom even brains might be thought to be missing, and made them appear in its dramas and its idealistic reflections of common life as though they were lighted with the divine afflatus. It has blended music, blest daughter of the arts, into its entertainment as the theater never did before, and symphonic accom- paniment combines with the tricks of dramatic art to play upon the emotions and sway the multitude as nothing else, perhaps, may do. It has fairly combed the earth for interesting stories and it has injected into authors who sat in the complacency of conquerors of the highest goal a bit of its own inherent energy in the search for better things. Iransportation, the bugaboo of commerce, is hampering it a bit under the name of distribution; cost, the terror of the doer of things, has sorely stricken it at times, and tempting novelties in realism have laid pitfalls for its onrushing steps, sometimes apparently in vain. * Kk Kk ¥ OME of the setbacks that have to be reckoned with in the photoplay industry include what are known in the industry as “Blue Sunday” laws, unnecessary Government taxation, State taxation born of a greed to raise funds fpr favorite projects of legislators and unstandardized cen- sorship regulations made by individuals or small local boards which have utterly destroyed the beauty and effectiveness of very costly screen dra- matic productions, after they were completed, which restrictions could not have been conjectured during the making of the productions—mere passing whims of the censor. A STATEMENT was recently made before the committee on patents of the United States House of Representatives that photoplay pro- ducers, in the past five years, have spent for stories for screen produc- tion, exclusive of those furnished by their own writers, the enormous sum of $11,112921. e X ¥ Kk % HE gross business of First National Productions for 1924 is said to have amounted to $23,500,000, and the net earnings for the past two vears totaled $1,500,390. First National is but one of several great pro- ducing units in the photoplay world. * ok w K VE day’s reports, states Film Daily, which is called the Bradstreet of Filmdom, indicate 27 new theater projects, involving millions of dol- New theater projects are reported for California_amounting to 3.315,000, Colorado, $1.000,000; Florida, $2,100,000; Illinois, $2,500,000; Mis- souri, $2,575,000; New York, $4,810,000; Pennsylvania, $3,150,000, and—think of it—Texas, $4,000,000. * * * UTHER B. ANTHONY of the Dramatist, in a recent article, declares: “The standards of life and of living have strained old boundaries of the proprieties. Is it wiser to shut our eyes to this fact, or to admit that these conditions actually exist, and meet them face to face? Can the col- ors of everyday lifc corrupt us, or is it the lack of their acquaintance that corrupts?” Those of the movies, as of the stage, who have been charged with presenting corrupting entertainment have shielded themselves with the excuse that it is in response to public demand manifested at the box office. It is good, indeed, imperative, to insist upon clean entertainment, but is “the public” to escape the charge of being its sympathizer? * k ok % ICHARD BARTHELMESS is to follow up “Soul-Fire” with “Shore Leave,” to be directed by John S. Robertson. * ok ok z LORIA SWANSON, whose present contract is said to call for re- muneration at the rate of $7,000 a week, is reported to have signed a new contract calling for $17,500 a week, nearly a million per. Another evil with which the movie must contend. * k k% DUCATIONAL is to release a series of novelties to be known as “Fables in Color.” including “The Voice of the Nightingale,” “Only a Country Lass” and “In the Spider's Web. * %k % . W. GRIFFITH'S production of “The Sorrows of Satan” for Para- + mount, Adolph Zukor stated abroad, will be made on a scale sur- passing any previous Paramount picture. Xk ) o AROLD LLOYD having passed to Paramount interests, Pathe is con- sidering Harry Langdon as his possible successor for screen comedy. ok R0 HE movies have a new chest protector, to reinforce the general public, in the investment and banking houses of Wall street, which are said to be manifesting strong interest in them lately Comedy in Disaster VERY laugh is a little drama in it- self. That may sound paradoxi- cal. but it is Raymond Griffith’s com- edy technique, according to Frank Tuttle, who recently directed Griffith in “Miss Bluebeard.” Griffith, by his work in “Changing Husbands,” “Miss Bluebeard” and “Forty Winks,” has created @ sensa- tion in motion-picture circles with his flair for comedy. “Grifith has a marvelous sense of disaster,” explains Tuttle. “He al- waye has the sword of Damocles hanging over his head. He bullds up a situation to get happiness for hi self or some one else, and then dig- aster overtakes him, which makes the laugh. He is never satisfled with just & fall or a smash in the jaw to et a laugh, but he takes time to put something in front of the gag. He makes a little drama out of every situatfon, which always turns into a howling laugh on him. “Griffith’'s method of getting a laugh,” adds Tuttle, “differs radically from that of Chaplin or Lloyd. Chap- lin depends upon the satire and the ridiculous figure of the man who thinks he's dressed up when he isn’t. Lloyd goes in for weakness of character—the man who is afraid of women, the coward, for his chief laugh-getting _antics. Grifith, how- ever, is the happy person who al- ways has a lot of bright ideas and is always fixing things for other people. He is the dapper young man, with silk hat and striped trousers, who sets out to make the world better for democracy or something like that, and then disaster overtakes him. “Of course, the comedy technique of Chaplin, Lloyd or Criffith cannot be dismissed in a sentence, but I believe that these are the high points in thelr widely divergent methods. THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MARCH 8§ FLORENCE VIDOR. and LEWCODY- Getttral New Schulberg Productions B P. SCHULBERG Productions will G 18 features next s according announcement just made. This new program will be the largest ever contributed by Mr. picture release son, to an Schulberg to a single year's output. The pictures for which already definite are: ‘Shenandoah,” the immortal Amer- ican stage classic of Civil War day; by Bronson Howard; “Parisian Love, by F. Oakley Crawford, a colorful, fast-action melodrama; “Horses and Women,” a society drama written di- rectly for the screen; “Exclusive Rights,” a story of marriage, by Eve- lyn Campbell; “Lew Tyler's Wives, the most important novel of Wallac Irwin, author of “The Golden Bed “The Aristocrat,” by Larry Evans,” published in Hearst's International Magazine; “The Worst Woman,” a screen original by Larry Evans; “Open That Door,” by Ewart Adam- son. a drama of the type of “Bought and Paid For”; “The Romance of a Million Dollars,” a current fiction hi by Elizabeth Dejeans; “Shopworn, by Patricia Wetherill, a tale of ta nish and moral cleansing; “Eden’s Fruit,” an original screen story of modern soclety; “The Girl Who Wouldn't Work,” by Marle B. Went- worth James, a best seller in Eng- land, soon to be published her. “Dancing Days,” from the story by J. J. Bell; “The Other Wothan's Story,” by Peggy Gaddis, the co-re- spondent’s side of a sensational di- vorce case. These stories will be filmed under the direction of Gasnier, James P. Hogan and Frank O'Connor. A fourth director will soon be engaged. A stock company is being organ- ized to play featured roles. Clara Bow, Donald Keith and Alyce Mills are already under contract. Mr. Schulberg has returned to the coast, where he will begin work In “Faint Perfume,” “My Lady's Lips" and “When a Woman Reaches Forty, the three releases which will com vlete his present season’s schedule. plans are Reversal of Personality. HY are screen comedians gener- ally serious-looking, modest and retiring, while tragedians are invari- ably light-hearted and humorous? Lou Tellegen, known as the perfect lover of the screen, whose marriage to a Philadelphia heiress recently startled fllmdom, says this question has agitated students of the drama and comedy for years. “There are a few exceptions to this rule, but comparatively few,” say Tellegen. “A study of the most cel brated of the comedians and trage- dians will prove this. In 80 per cent of the cases, at least, comedians will be found to be serious-minded, retir- ing chaps, while dramatic actors and tragedians will be found light-hearted and happy. “Keaton, Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Larry Semon are almost like pall- bearers off the screen. In everyday life they are very different from the personalities they display on the screen. “Exactly the opposite is true of the other line of acting. Iam a dramatic actor. I am always happy and care- free. One of my best friends and one of the finest dramatic actors I know is Tom Moore." . “Daring Youth.” FANNIE HURST'S startling matri- monial ideas have reached the screen in “Daring Youth. The well known authoress con- tended at the time of her marriage that too much familiarity caused mar- riage to lose its romance. As a result she and her husband keep separate establishments and mmke appoint- ments with each other over the tele- phone. This scheme is-worked out in the picture, but probably with far different results than Miss Hurst had ever anticipated. In the screen version romance, in- stead of remaining fresh with ab- sence, ripens into jealousy. The vari- ous incidents leading up to the final tlimax and denouements are sald to furnish one of the most interesting sequences ever offered screen patrons. | mances | brought to the screen at Loew's Co- photoplays This Wesk At the photoplay Houses This Week COLUMBIA—“The Thundering Herd.” evening. METROPOLITAN evening. PALACE—“The Monster.” RIALTO—"“The Mad Whirl.” TIVOLI— AMB DOR—*“Enticement.” evening. LINCOLN (colored)—“The Thief of Bagdad. and evening. Columbia—"The Thuntlering Herd." of the spectacular action-ro- of the Old West will be One lumbia Theater this week, beginning this afternoon, when present the picturization of Zane ey's novel, “The Thundering Herd ' with a cast headed by Jack Holt, Lois Wilson, Noah Beery and Ray- mond Hatton. Lucien Hubbard adapted the novel to the screen and Willlam K. Howard, who directed “The Border Legion” for Paramount, also directed this story of the West in the early 70s, when buffalo by the millions black- ened the face of the plains and when the Indian tribes, awakened at last to the menace of the white man's com- ing, fought the advance of civilization with fire and scalping knife. Such is the panoramic background for a tender romance of the: plains between a young buffalo hunter and a beautiful girl, who meets the young man face to face as her caravan wends its way Westward. The cli- macteric episode of the picture re- veals the girl, left alone on the plains after her escape from a brutal fight among the men of the caravan, but detected and pursued by the Indians, when a great herd of buffalo, stam- peded by hunters to the north, sweeps down and cuts off the Indians, but bears down on the girl directly in their path. A later juvenile, “Wild Cat Wil- lie the International News reel Topics of the Day and the Co- lumbia Orchestra will provide other entertaining features. Metropolitan—"Enticement" “Enticement,” the late Thomas H. Ince’s film version of the novel by Clive Arden, and Waring's Pennsyl- vanians will be featured at Crandail's Metropoiitan Theater this week, be- ginning this afternoon. There will also be a new issue of the Metropoli- tan World Survey, added short reels and music by the Metropolitan Or- chestra under Daniel Breeskin. “Enticement” treats of the difficul- ties of maintaining a platonic friend- ship that grows up between a young Amerlcan girl and an American opera star, who meet while both are doing war service in France. The action moves from the French army lines at armistice time to Amerlca, Switzer- land, Paris and London, with many outdoor scenes depicting a variety ol sports. ‘The leading roles are played by Mary Astor, Clive Brook, lan Keith, Louise Dresser, Edgar Norton, Vera Lewis and Roland Bottomley. The photography Is said to be espe- cially fine and the direction of George Archainbaud skillful. Waring's Pennsylvanians, who re- turn for a one-week engagement, will be heard in a new program of popu- lar and standard hits. The Metro- politan Orchestra will round out the bill with several selected numbers under Daniel Breeskin. Doors will open at, 2 o'clock. Rialto—"The Mad Whirl" “The Mad Whirl,” the Universal- Jewel photo play to be shown at the Rialto this week, is sald to vividly portray the soclal set who are dis- ciples of jazz-mania. 3 May McAvoy has the feature role in" a cast which s notable for the prominence of those who play the Enticement.” Paramount will | Shown this afternoon and Shown this afternoon and Shown this afternoon and evening. Shown this afternoon and evening. ‘The Thief of Bagdad.” Shown this afternoon and evening. Shown this afternoon and evening. CENTRAL-—“The Dangerous Flirt.” Shown this afternoon and Shown this afternoon various characterizations — Jack Mul- hull, as the juvenile lead; Myrtle Steadman, Barbara Bedfor, Alec Francis, Ward Crane and George | Fawcett An added attraction will be “The California Ramblers,” an orchestra composed of 11 men, under the direc- tion of Arthur Hand. When this or- ganization appeared here last season | it scored great success. ischa Guterson, conducting the 1to Orchestra, will offer Rossini's “Willlam Tell” as an overture. A soprano solo, “By the Waters of Minnetonka,” will be sung by Miss Esther L. Shipley. A Crazy Kat Comedy and the International News of Current Events will complete the program. Palace—"The Monster." Loew’s Palace this week, beginring this afternoon, will offer Metro- Goldwyn's picture of the Crane Wil- bur Broadway play, “The Monster, with Lon Chaney in the title role, supported by Gertrude Olmstead, Hal- lam Cooley, Johnny Arthur, Charles A. Sellon, Walter James, Knute Erickson, George Austin, Edward Mc- Wade and Ethel Wales. ‘Willard Mack, playwright and au- thor of “Kick In” “Tiger Rose" and “Blind Youth,” collaborated with Al- bert C. Kenyon In adapting the Crane Wilbur play for screen use, and it is said Roland West has preserved all the suspense, mystery and humor of the original play. s Mr. Chaney as “The Monster” por- trays a surgical manjac with a pen- chant for vivisection within the mys- terious walls of his sanitarium, where he 1s served by a ghostly crew of as- sistants. Into the mystery surround- ing the disappearance of the driver of a wrecked motor car walks a young and ambitious amateur detective, only to find himself trapped, apparently with no escape possible. The solv- ing of the mystery and his eventual escape lend the picture its gripping fascination A late Ralph Graves comedy. “The Plumber”; the Pathe News reel, of Lyman Howe's delightful “Hcdge Podge” novelties and an orchestral overture and score by the Palace Orchestra, under Thomas J. Gannon, will be added attractions. Tivoli—"The Thief of Bagdad." Douglas Fairbanks will bs the star at Crandall's Tivoli Theater the first three days of this week in “The f of Bagdad.” Spectacular and re spirit of _the “The Thief of Bag- dad” stands as as epochal achleve- ment in screen history. The cast in- cludes Snitz Edwards, Charies Bel- cher, Julanne Johnston, Anna_May Wong, Brandon Hurst and Noble Johnson. Wednesday and Thursday, Eric Von Stroheim’s “Greed,” adapted by June Mathis from “McTeague,” by Frank Norris, the cast including Gib- #on Gowland, Za Su Pitts, Jean Her- sholt, Chester Conklin, Dale Fuller and Hughie Mack; also a new Aesop Fable, “Cleanup Week”; Friday, Mary Pickford, in “Dorothy Vernon of Had- don Hall,” also Earl Hurd's “Broad- casting”; Saturday, First National's production of “Inez From. Holly- wood,” starring Mary Astor, Lewis Stone and Anna Q. Nilsson; Charlie Chase, in “Plain and Fancy Girls”* and the tenth installment of “Gallop- ing Hoofs." 1925—PART 3. To Be Shown in State Prison T the request of the warden of the New Jersey State prison, in Tren- ton, it is announced, B. P. Schulberg's production, “Capital Punishment will be screened before the 1,500 in mates of that institution. This show- ing, the first of its kind ever given in the New Jersey prison, is arousing interest in Trenton. The plcture has been shown re- cently at Sing Sing prison and in the Assembly of the New York State Legislature, where a capital punish- ment abolition bill is up for consid- eration. George Hackathorne, star of “Capl- tal Punishment,” will address the audience at the New Jersey prison. as he did at Sing Sing. Ambassador—"Enticement Mary Astor, Clive Brook, Tan Keith and Louise Dresser are the principals ate Thomas H. Ince's production of “Enticement,” to be shown at Crandall's Ambassador Theater the first two days of this week: also Cliff Bowes, in “Welcome, Danger.” and a Grantland Rice Sport- light, “Neptune's Nieces" Tuesda; Wednesday and Thursday, Jack Holt, Lois Wilson, Ernest Torrence Noah Beer: in Emerson Hough's orth of 36,” and anew Aesop Fable, “Cleanup Week”; Friday, Johnny Hines, in his latest comedy-drama, “The Early Bird,” supported by Sig- rid “ Holmquist, Wyndham Standing, Edmund Breese, Maud Turner Gor- don and Flora Finch, and “Our Gang, in “Buccaneers”; Saturday, Baby Peggy, Irene Rich and Hobart Bo: worth, in “Captain January,” Al St John, in “Lovemania,” and the first installment of “Idaho,” a new chap- ter play. Central—"The Dangerous Flirt. “The Dangerous FIirt”" to be seen at Crandall's Central Theater the first two days of this week, has as its star Evelyn Brent, supported by a cast in- cluding Sheldon Lewis, Edvard Earle, Plerre Gendron and Clarissa Sel- wynne. The story was written by Julie Herne and adapted to the screen by E. Richard Schayer, former Wash- isgton _dramatlc edifor and critic. Harry Langdon will also be seen in “Feet of Mud." Tuesday and Wednes- day, Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer and John Gllbert, in Victor Seastrom's screen version of Leonid Andrevev's “He Who Gets Slapped,” also Walter Hiers, in “GoodySpirits”; Thursday and Friday, Firs$ National's produc- tion, “Husbands and Lovers,” featur- ing Lewis. S. Stone, Florence Vidor and Lew Cody, and Cliff Bowes, in “The Mad Rush”; Saturday, Richard Dix, supported by Jacqueline Logan, George Nash, Edna Murphy and Ar- thur Housman, in Paramount's * Man Must Live,” based on the novel, “Jungle Law,” by L A. R Wylle; also a new Lyman H. Howe “Hodge- Podge.” Lincoln—"The Thief of + Bagdad."” “The Thiet of Bagdad,” one of the greatest cinema attractions Douglas Falrbanks has ever brought to the screen, will be shown throughout this weel at the Lincoln Theater. In this subject the star has achieved a work that will linger long In_the memory of those who see it. Pure fantasy, it still possesses that quality of artistry that makes it one of the finest of America’s contributions to silent drama. In the supporting cast are’ Snits Edwards, Julanne Johnston and others who contribute to this marvel- ous film play. Many of the photo- graphic effects are deeply mysteriou and almost seem to border on the miraculous. A new issue of the Kinograms and added short reels will complete the bill. American. ‘Today and tomorrow, Harold Lloyd, in “Hot Water"”; Tuesday, Rich- T (Coatinued on Fourth Page.) and | JACR: Horr Colurbia / Filmograms NUSUAL activity is reported in the photoplay world in the erection and acquisition of new theaters. Out in Oshkosh, Wis., the exhibitors | are protesting against the free show- ing of photoplays at the city's re- creational centers in competition with the theaters, which pay large taxes to the city. Five theater managers were in- dicted last week in Elizabeth, N. J., for violations of the vice and im- morality law. Will H. Hays, in an interview with a representative of the Chicago Trib- une, is quoted as saying, “More than 100 questionable books and plays have been kept from the screen voluntarily | by our members. No censorship could bring these results. Universal City (Calif.) will hold its tenth anniversary this month, it hav ing been first opened March 15, 1915. Metro-Goldwyn has purchased the | screen rights to “Brown of Harvard” | and “Lovey Mary” and has also signed a new Danish, director, Benjamin Christianson, who has made many pictures abroad. Again i{s Will H. Hays quoted as| saying, “The outlook for 1 is the best that the motion picture indus- try ever had as to quality of product | and extent of business.” Famous Players, it is announced, will issue between 70 and 80 pictures | during 1925-6. | Owing to the presence on of Waring's the bill Pennsylvanians, the doors at Crandall's Metropolitan Theater will be opened to the public at 2 o’'clock this afternoon, instead of | 2:30. This concession is made for the benefit of those who wish to insure satisfactory seat locations by early attendance. Construction work is nearing com- pletion-on the new lobby of Loew's Columbia Theater, which, when ready, | will be one of the most beautiful and ornate theater entrances in America. The work has gone steadily forward despite capacity crowds at the Co- lumbia this month and last, all-night crews of workmen being utilized to avold the daytime lobby congestion. Dr. Anson Phelphs Stokes of the Yale Club of Washington, will intro- duce the inaugural bill of the series of Yale chronicles of American his- tory, to be presented Tuesday after- noon at 4 o'clock in Crandail's Am- | bassador Theater, with successive programs on Tuesday afternoons dur. ing March and April. This series of pictures, visualizing the pivotal events In the history of the Nation, marks an epoch in photoplay making in this country. The chronicles have aroused widespread comment. Wash- ington residents are responding en- thusiastically to this opportunity of- fered by the Public Service and Edu- cational Department of the Crandall Theater, Mrs. Harriet Hawley Locher, director. Course tickets for the en- tire series are being sold. June Mathis, adapter of “The Four Horsemen” and “Blood and Sand,” says all she needs to devise a story is an alarm clock, some paper and a pencil. The alarm clock is to waken her at 5 o'clock in the morning, when she declares her thoughts flow freest and with the most originality. Eugene Walter's play “Just a Wom- an” in which Charlotte Walker star- red successfully about a decade ago, will be brought to the screen under the direction of Irving Cummings. It will feature Conway Tearle, with Claire Windsor, Percy Marmot and Lioyd Hughes. Plans for Norma and Constance Tal- madge’s next productions are under way, Norma's will be a modernized version of George Barr McCutcheon's “Graustark,” while Conny will star in “East of the Setting Sun,” by the same author. “The White Monkey,” by John Gals- worthy, has been chosen for Barbara La Marr's next picture. It ranks with the “best sellers. It too the casting director for Doug. Fairbanks’ new picture, “Don Q,” ten days to unearth and bring to light 50 unbobbed, black-haired, beautiful women to take part in this romance | sued for divorce in New York. of old Spain. It was said that it couldn’t be done, that “there weren't any more.” However, after they had been found, three of the girls bobbed their tresses, not knowing that it was because of them they had been hired, and by so doing bobbed themselves out of a job. They were immediately replaced by three others. Leon Errol, recently seen here in “Louie the 14th,” and who at one time aspired to be a great surgeon, will be able to cut up differently on the screen in support of Colleen Moore, in ally.” William Beaudine, who was a prop- erty boy at the old Biograph studio in the days when Mary Pickford worked there, realized a long standing am- bition when he was chosen by the star to direct her next picture, tie Annie Rooney.” Richard Cortez, at the Lasky Holl wood studio, is perturbed by reports that he is the Cortez who is being To all inquiries on the subject he has re- plied that not only is he not being sued for divorce, but that he is not even married. Another newcomer to the screen is being groomed for important roles by Paramount, not a girl but a young Englishman named Anthony Jowitt, who is considered by the company’'s officials as a promising find. He has never been seen before on the screen, but before coming to this country three months ago, he played on the stage in London with Gladys Cooper, in “Diplomacy,” and in another Eng- lish play, in Our Stars.” Glen Hunter will next star in “Once a Peddler,” by Hugh McNair Kehlar, under the direction of Wil- liam Nigh. ot Universal duction “The Home Maker, othy Canfield, one of the “best sell- ers” The author is well known in this country, more especially as the translator of Papini's “Life of Christ.” has purchased for pro- by Dor- Allan Dwan's next picture for Par- amount will be “Night Life of New York.” Dorothy Gish has the leading feminine role opposite Rod La Racque. George Hackathorne and Ernest Tor- rence also are in the cast. It 1s an original story by Edgar Selwyn, and deals with the lives of New Yorkers, which begins at 6 p.m. and continue until sunrise. “Some Pumpkins,” a typical Charles Ray rural comedy, is the first produc- tion this star will make under his new contract with Chadwick Pictures Corporation. Jerome Storm will direct. Because of an Injury sustained while on location, recently, Colleen Moore was compelled to leave the cast of “The Desert Flower” and place her neck and shoulders in a plaster ‘cast in the Hollywood Hos- pital. Her misfortune has been mate- rially lightened by the receipt of the Arthur J. Kline gold trophy presented by the Wampas to the “baby star” of the past three years who has made the greatest advancement in artistry and popularity. There were 39 other “baby stars” competing. Helen Lee Worthing, who play the role of Wanda The Swa and who has a role in Bebe Daniels’ recent Paramount Picture, “The Crowded Hour,” has been signed by Jesse L. Lasky for an important part in Allan Dwan's production of “Night Life of New York.” Bebe Danlels has started work on “The Manicure Girl” at the Para- mount Long Island studio. It was adapted from the screen by Townsend Martin from the original story by Frederic and Fanny Hatton, and is being directed by Frank Tuttle. The story concerns the experiences of a manicure girl in New York City. The work of editing and titling “Madame _Sans-Gen the plcture made by Famous Players-Lasky Cor- poration in France with Gloria Swanson in the title role, is now being done in the company's Long Island studio by Leonce Perret, tho director, assisted by William Le Barron, editor-in-chie{ of productions; Julian Johnson, chlef title writer, and Forrest Halsey, who wrote the scenario. Good English in Movies moton picture is the preserver of good form in English, in the opinion of B. P. Schulberg, one of the most prolific producers of the inde- pendents_in Hollywood. Proceeding on the theory that films are educational as well as entertain- ing, Mr. Schulberg thinks that pro- ducers, through judicious titling of motion pictures, help preserve the English language and save it from sloppy and slangy tendencies. “We have reached,” says Mr. Schul- berg, “what seems to be an age of staccatlc expression, or, more direct- 1y, a ‘wise-cracking age’ Ten years ago a person would have said, ‘I can hardly believe that’ But today that same person is more likely to simply say, ‘apple sauce.’ “Instead of a neatly turned affirma- tive like ‘That is correct and every one knows it,’ the expression today is ‘Tl tell the world." And, so more and more ‘the language of yesterday is thrown to the discard for staccatic expression. “We seldom hear the word luncheon any more. We have pushed it aside for the shorter and more laconic ‘lunch.’ “All this doesn’t help the English language. The result is a steady drifting toward staccatic expression. which will be very hard to correct later. “The motion picture In its role as educator has the power to help some- what in correcting this tendency. Title writers, at the instigation of producers, should use proper phrase- ology. They should keep clear of slang or shortened words. “I have instructed all title writers working on Preferred Pictures to write no titles that employ slangy words. This order fs, of course, elas- tic. It has to be. Even good form in English has to be sacrificed some times for a screen lsugh.”