Evening Star Newspaper, February 19, 1928, Page 57

FLASHES BY C. E. HE more one sees of the work of this fellow Emil Jannings the more one is inclined to place him at the top of the screen performers of today. When his work was first recognized in this country and when he was still connected with the Ufa production unit of Berlin, little thought was given to the idea that Jannings might some day come to America and turn out pictures under the Holly- wood directors. But this came to pass. The quality of picture turned out by the German has been up to the very highest standard: he has not slumped. and his early work seems to have been a splendid schooling for the nhotoplavs which will be made in_the future. Emil Jannings is thoroughly equipped as a motion picture actor. He shows an uncanny knowledge of screen technique. and one is given the impression, upon viewing his pictures, that he is really the power behind the production. and not the director or the producer. Who is the American director, who shall tell Jannings how to conduct him- self in a difficult, emotional scene? And where is that direc- tor who shall give Jannings points in working out the fine bits of a story? It would be a pleasure in- deed to meet this individual and chat with him regarding the fu- ture of the motion picture “The Last Command” is a pic- ture which will rank with the best ever made in this country. And. like “The Way of All Flesh.” it is dominated by Emil Jannings himself. He is the story, the director, the picture. And, to show that American audiences appreciate the efforts of such actors as Jannings, these same audiences have made him the greatest drawing card in the photoplay deck. As a box-office attraction. he holds an especially favored spot with the exhibitor. = oxox x MUCH is being written regard- = ing a new work. “The God- less Girl.” which is the first pic- ture directed by Cecil De Mille gince “The King of Kings." The director declares that the photo- pla)’ will be the most startling he 1as yet produced. Two vital points are said to contribute to the dramatic strength of the new picture, which was put into scenario by the exvert herson. The first is rageous treatment of the problem of atheism and its propa- fanda among the youth of Amer- the second a frank dis re of deplorable conditions in some of the modern De Mille has been assisted by the governors of many States in obtaining infor- mation. Another feature of the picture is said to be the work of ‘Lina Basquette. “a star i endancy.” “The Godless G her third picture, a a5 once dancer. W ss Basquette Marie Pre . who has been sta ring for Pathe-De M ganization comedy for Others in the Beery. Robert Quillan. Edson JLUPE VELEZ is to have the principal role in “La Paiva.” under the direction of Fred Nibio. It was first anncunced that David Wark Griffith would direct. but he will take up another work, “The Battle of the Sexes.” When lans were first made for “La aiva,” it was stated that Gloria Swanson would have the leading role, but this idea has also been dropped. Production starts at the United Artists Studio, Hollywood, this week. Senorita Velez, like Dolores Del Rio, comes from Mexico. and she is a Wampas star of 1923. Her rise in the screen world hes hi pened in a single vear. the leading female role Douglas Fairbanks picture, Gaucho,” and or to this had sppeared in one Hal Roach ecomedy. She also played opposite Rod La Rocgue in “Stand and st revolution- a rence, most flm-cutte: story and dis He s ond’s fore- is emphasizing arding the face T the cutting rs of the film plants are covered 1 th dis- of stars and featured the story, from of the at- 55 of movis TOW on tention the quoting e public to- polished bad news for other performer. Lawrence. demands a €z more than when the picLure w were sage e Aol the wore izin of language of the heavy” means ) a real Faoul Paoli 2 ciseus thrower part and he TROHEIM stormy aenies sent l.K!' H VO ‘ petrel atement exorbitant amour of nis pture, “The Wedding Marer During the pi yent hie ga3vE 1here Lave heen 1wo ex rmpies of Cxpensive pro GuCLione, 64 Lib picture vnly Copt an produs the s 1ior more FROM THE SCREEN 181.125.000, instecad of a reportcd: 1 $1.800,000. | The director, when he com-| pleted “shooting™ the picture and started editing, had 50 reels of | film on hand. But there were /two negatives, making 100 reels, 'or 200.000 feet of film. Von Stro- heim says there were 300 reels | of “wings” when the cutting| started. and that “Uncle Tom's| NELSON. the | Cabin” had 200 recls. He denies | that he spent too much time in| editing and says that if he had| been allowed to go on with his, work the picture would have been | concluded in a highly satisfactory | manner. The photoplay will be | ready for distribution one of these | days. and it will be interesting to sce what Von Stroheim was try- ing to do. | * % % % JFROM Jesse L. Lasky of Paramount Famous La Corporation comes the- following note of appreciation regarding the voting of motion picture | writers on the best pictures of the past year: | “Two hundred motion picture | crities. choosing for the Film Year ' Book the 10 best films shown dur- i 1627, hsve almost unani-| y a ied the majority to| amount. Nearly all of these cal observers have chosen ‘Chang ‘The Way of| E esh.’ ‘Underworld,’ ‘Service | for Ladies’ and ‘Stark Love' as! the outstanding pictures of last year. =1 am writing you this note to tell you how deeply grateful I and | my associates in Paramount ar?| for the appreciation, which you! have accorded our efforts. For 16 vears this organization has been producing pictures of the highest possible quality commen- | surate with economic cenditions in the country. We take a na- tural and pardonable pride in the fact that during that time our policy of quality production has| not only maintained our leader- | ship of the entire film industry. has also won recognition | from public and critics alike. “This leadership brings with it great responsibilities. We owe to the public and to vou guides of public taste even greater efforts; than we have made in the past. With ‘The Last Command, | ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,' ‘The | Legion of the Condemned’ and ‘The Wedding March,” we already have started the year 1928 in a| most auspicious manner. But these are merely an earnest of | what we intend to do. I cannot his time divulge to you all of | our plans for the coming year, but I promise vou that the appre- ciation you have shown for our work in the past will be rewarded during the next 12 months with finer pictures than we have ever made 1n our history. So, we shall look for some really big things from the Para- mount studios during the year ahead. Screen and Studio Notes. OUIS WOLHEIM has signed a contract as star in “Ocean Grafters.” which is to be made by | Caddo Productions. 5 Ruth | Chatterton, well known to the speaking stage, will play opposite | Adolphe Menjou in the Famous| Players-Lasky picture, “Super of | the Gaiety.” . . . Lois Wilson is to| have a part in the Vitaphone pic- | ture, “Found,” and May McAvoy is doing a Vitaphone sketch called “Sunny California.” . Joan Crawford plays the female lead in “Tide of Empire,” and Gilbert Roland is to play opposite Norma | Talmadge in “The Woman Dis- puted.” . .. It is rumored that the General Electric Co. has perfected | 2 new talking picture and that| Gloria Swanson will be given the first chance to show her ability in drama which is no longer silent . win Carewe has signed a contract with United Artists to direct Dolores Del Rio in a series of pictures. . . . The Swanson picture, “Sadie Thomp- son,” which opened in Washing- | ton, is drawing big crowds on y . Douglas Fairbanks, the male lead in “Power," Sisters are start- “The Heavenly . . . Eugene O'Brien re- ¢ tried out a stage sketch, “The Urge,” which did not turn out t He has turned his t o another vehicle, ution,” which 1s scheduled | for an early trial. George ! w screen 'star, is making appearances in the . Harold Lloyd, the screen the talking movies er in comedy. Bu am frank to admit iramatic field I, who made Janet G has with rner Brothe program fo Jolores Costelln, Rich, Loulse Nagel, Myrna s, Audrey Ferris yde Cook and Paul Lukas heen signed and his first as ith Pola Negri in Al Jolsen n St Fazenda Loy, Leila b Helene Costelln Rin-Tin-Tin appearanee hiis contrac ghest salary ever r i a motion pie Vocafilm is Lo Gilbert & Sullivan il Mikado Mae and # big company of nd dancers are draving < in one of the photo ol Chicago 5 Mann, Francis X. Bush and Jtuth Miz, daughter Yo Mix, are featured in the Fox spec Four Bons OverOcean Flying. AVIATION and trsnsucesnic tiavel A7y sir, two widely discussed sub cete of \he duy. are 1he bssls of Monte B ext pleture for Warner Bros Acroes the Atlantic Because of the 1de fiterest i s theme, War it one of \he most im their present 1 4 perforn theater the e der portant productions on Aciose the Atlantic lewse on Februsry | written by John Fan thy Howard Bretnerion i Monte Blue's lesding lad P Mcluoeh o Lhe cest, is wet for re Its story was ime end directed Fana Murph and Bun THE SUNDAY STAR. WASHINGTON, D. e [PHOTOPLAY:- CHARLIE CHAPLIN- Columbia WiLLIAM HAINES and JoaN CRAVFORD - Palace Moving Picture Album BY ROBERT E. SHEERWOOD. CONSISTENCY. HE true tast of a star’s greatness is not to be found in any one picture, but in a series of pic- tures over a lenzthy period of time Consistency, durability. reliability are the most important vir- tues in the equipment of any popular hero or heroine. The greatest stars. are, and alwavs have been, those who couid last the longest—Charlie Chaplin. Douglas Fair- banks, Mary Pickford, Harold Lloyd— rather than th® meteors who flashed brilliantly and then were snuffed out in some distant limbo It is the same with that other great source of entertainment. In base ball. a spectacular young genjus might step in and burn up the league with his dazzling e season, but it is the old working steadily and ef- e year after r. who capture and hold the public’s fancy. The mob in any theater or grandstand, in the gallery or the bleachers, is quick 1o ac- claim, but quicker still o forget. The ing multitudes aren’t particuls they cheer for. it may be for you 7, but tomorrow it may. and prob- 1y will, be somebody eise. If you want to hold their attention and their 'applause,, you'll have to work for jt— and, furthermore, you'll have t, be ex- ! glamorous Greta tremely careful never, never to slip up on your act « 0w In view of all this, it 1s Interesting to udy the careers of the various stars of Holiywood 1o see Just how consistently they've managed to please the public Charlie Chaplin has had more ups d downs than most, due Lo the fact that he makes fewer pictures than any one, but only twice has his recorda been marred by really inferior plctures. The first occasion was eight years ago. Hav- g scored a success with “Shoulder Arms.” he stumped badly with “Sunny- ades” and A Day's Pleasu Then he came back gloriously with “The Kid” and then slumped again with “The ldle C and “Pay Day" Since then ete huve heen no duds Harold Lloyd hus been s close to 100 per cent consistent as 1t is possible for any one to ¢ but Buster Keaton Kan been woefully uneven. Ind the nent Keston 18 almost entirely @ popu.. 1 sUraction, but the 1e- are that he 15 due for a grand revival when his next comedy, “Steam- hoat BIL” 15 3 ed Ihice other an, t been neon- stars who have vening pereeptibly because of Istency are ‘Thomas Meighan, Pola Fegri anad Richard Barthelmess The les! named would have become a well nigh forgotten tssue had 1t not been for “The Patent Leather Kid" L Douglas Falrbanks may well be call- ea “The Movies * Consider his record Mark of Zorro,” ""The ‘Three Mus- keteers ” “Fabin Hood,” Bagdad * “Don Q, A “The Gaucho Although the lat- esl. “The Gaucho” 15 far below the standard of the others, 1t I8 also far fiom a fallure Mary Pickford, on the other hand hes thieslened 1o extinguish herself on several occasions, particularly when hey ambition impelled her 1o such & costly mistake a8 ' Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall " 1" Horma Talmadge has been fairly con- sistent throughout her long career. Bhe {emy” and “La Boheme Christy Mathewson of the | ing at its theme and tel “The | cast The Black Pirate” [the sequence In which Napoleon an | has known few high spots, but she has managed to avoid the low ones. Her sister Constance has been flashier and infinitely more uncven Colleen Moore st a fast pace for her- self in “Flaming Youth” and has man- aged 1o €7 it successfully since. Adolphe Menjou has been extraordi- narily proficient in keeping up to his| own standard. Looking back over the list of frail comedies he has made since his ascent to stardom. one finds amaz- ingly few flops, “The Ace of Cad:" is one of them; I can't remember an; others. Richard Dix. too, keep going strong. So have Reginald Denny, Laura La DPlante, Willlam Haines and, above all, Tom Mix The records of Lon Chaney. Clara Bow, Marion Davies, Norma Shearer, has managed to Ramon Novarro and Leatrice Joy have been decidedly spotty - . ’ John Gilbert has had a great deal of luck, atded, as must be admitted, by a great deal of genuine ability. He leaped ahead with a fine performance of & fine role in “The Merry Widow,” then followed that with rade” and then teamed up with the jarbo in two tremen- dous popular hits, “Flesh and the Devil™ and “Love ™ In addition to these, Mr. Gilbert has done gond work in two program pic- tures—"Twelve Miles Out” and “Man, Woman and Sin " In contrast to Mr. Gilbert s poor Lilllan Gish, who has been through a series of disasters in recent vears ‘Romola.” “Annie Laurie,” “The En- * with only one real triumph, “The Scarlet Letter.” ‘The most consistent of them all, how- ever, is the German, Emil Jannings, whose second American-made picture, “The Liast Command,” 1s another suc- cess Since Jannings first appeared in America_in “Passion” he has had one round of cheers after another, culmi- nating in “The Last Laugh' “Varlety” and “The Way of All Flesh” ‘That 15 why Emil Jannings, with none of the obvious qualities of sex appeal that are upposed Lo make stars popular, now ranks as one of the foremost of them all i point of box-office drawing power “The public knows that he can be trusted o make good pletures " TGO ST Something Different. \VAHNl-:u BROS. have completed a tratler for “Glorious Hetsy ring Dolores Costello, in which phone lines are spoken “This_trailer runs approximately 600 feet Instead of titles, Conrad Nagel, sanding against a black b speaks at length about the Fl('mrf. hint- ling about. ita Beveral high lighta of the dra- matie mction are then shown, including “The 'Thief of [the duel scene, a love scene and part i d his brother, Jerome Honaparte, ' Whenever shots from the actual are shown, the tegular orcheatral ac companiment can be heard on the Vitaphone. “Glorious Betsy” 18 concerned with the love atary of Jerome Bonaparte and Betsy Patterson, an American girl whom he married when sent to this country as a good-will_envoy. ‘The plelure was directed by Alan Crosland from (he play by Rida Johnson Young. 'he Big Pa- | tar- | Vita- | ck drop, | C. FEBRUARY 1 9. 1928—PART | cus. SILENT DRAMA COLUMBIA—"“The Circus.” Thi EARLE—“Wife Savers.” FOX—"Sharp Shooters.” RIALTO—"“The Secret, Hour.” Photoplays This Week ATTRACTIONS s afternoon and evening. This afternoon and evening. This afternoon and evening. This afternoon and evening. PALACE—“West Point.” This afternoon and evening. METROPOLITAN — “The Missing Link.” evening. LITTLE THEATER—"Blind Passion.” ning. COLUMBIA—"The Circus. Charlie Chaplin's latest picture, "Thk‘ | Circus,” is the attraction at Loew's Co- | lumbia, his first picture since “The Gold Bud and Buddle and Rush, made about two years ago. In “The Circus” Charlie appears out |of work at the opening of the story. He happens into the vicinity of a cir- His frecdom is menaced when he unknowingly becomes the accomplice of a pickpocket, but his fleetness and in- genuity carry him to safety. He runs into a job in the circus. but his awk- wardness causes him to be fired. When the workmen call a strike, however, Charlie is again hired. He falls in love with the circus own- er's daughter. but when a handsome voung man joins the company the girl falls in love with him. not knowing of Charlie’s affection. harlie’s ability under the big top results in his being pressed Into service when the w walker fails to appear. He proves to be {the hit of the show. and his demand Lois MORANand GEORGE o Scere from BLinpine PASSION- Little Jheater - BRIEN - = ‘ WALLACE BEERY- Earle (CHARLIE CHAPLIN'S press agent 4 for “The Circus,” the new Chaplin comedy, went to the famous comedian with & problem d haphin,” he said, “I'm afraid g loo many superlatives into | The Cireus. 1 d\\nl‘ old-time publicity lof writin my stories on want to employ | phrases * Chaplin looked up from the book he was reading. laughed as he pointed to the page before his eyes, and handed | the book to his publicity man {1t was a volume of the late Joyce Kilmer's prose. The particular essay aplin was reading was entitled, *“The | Gircus,” and the publicity man read the | | words written by the young American | poet who went to France in 1917 with | - famous 69th Regiment of New | | York -and never returned | | " “Restraint is perhaps the most con- | spicuous literary virtue of the st in words who have the pleasant task of | describing programs, tn’ newspaper ad | vertisement, and on posters the excel- lences of circuses” ‘Thus had Kilmer | written, ‘The press agent gasped as he read on “The ltterateur who, possessed of ate knowledge the circus s It ‘% new stupendous, dar- magnificent, spectacular, educ ttonal awe-Inspiring conglomeration of | | marvels, mystertes, mirth and magic,” | | deserves pradse for verbal economy al- | mast Gireek. For he 1s not verbose and | xtravagunt, he fs taciturn and thrifty | e deliberately uses the mildest instead | [of the strongest of adjectives at his| disposal “Shyly, It seems, but in fact artfully he uses modest terms ‘new. for ex | ample, and spectacular' and ‘educa- tional” ‘These are not necessary words | of praise. An epidemie may be new an enrthquake may be spectacular, and even a session of school may be educa tional. YeL the adlectives proper (o there catastrophes ure actually .xlmlled in letters of gold and silver and pur- ple- to the cireus. “The laureate of the clrcus. with an esthetic shrewdness which places him at once on a level with Walter Pater (whose description of the "Mona Lisa, by the way, is an admirable example of clreus press agent writing), considers and rejects as too bewllderlngly true the mightiest of the adjectives that At his theme. Discreetly he ealls it ‘now’ inatead of ‘immemorial’; ‘educa- tional' instead of ‘religious’ He does not. as he might. eall tha cirous poetic he does not cail it aristocratie, he does 2ling Way of the Press Agent. 11 it democratic. Yet all th R0 words are, as he well knows, to use. The consciousness of his power makes him gentle The press agent looked at Chaplin and nodded blithely passed out Biiedliny ihes Mbvicet OSFPH CAWTHORN musical com- edy star is also Joseph Cawthorn composer, and-—would vou believe it? also in the movies. ' During more than half a century on the stage, playing with many footlight celebrities and under prominent pro- ducers, Cawthorn contributed liberally to the songs and musical scores in the productions. While with Julla Sanderson in “The Sunshine Girl” he wrote the words and | music of "I Can Dance With Everybody | But My Wife.” acclaimed the hit of (l\r‘ show Leaving the stage, Joseph Cawthorn cast his lot with the flms a year and a half ago, and since then he has ape peared in leading characterisations in | “The Secret Studio.” “Two Guls Want. ed Sk legs” and “Very Confiden- tal ™ His latest screen role is in Rod la Rocque's De Mille studio special, “Hold ‘Em. Yale" the screen version of Owen Davis” play, “At Yale” . A New Slang Feature. At least Charlie as he ll" you must be be up-to-date 80 advises Richard Walling, fuventle leading man in “Walking Back." who | offers a brand-new Mst of expresstons. | It the girl & chap has taken out for | the first time proves to be a poor dancer, | unable to CATTY ON & SNAPPY conversa- | tional line and altogether the sort who makes & fellow wish he were at home | with mother, she's a “dim blub™ The | corresponding masculine type is & “wet | smack,” while the youth who s a good | fellow but doesn’t show much sense s an empty tube " | The girl friend is the “him ™ 1f she ever gels tearful and temperamental. | she Is Py." & word combined from sloppy | These are & few. Richard says that | he learned them and many others from | " l;lull‘l .nl ul;‘ruml\\;:'dmm school bavs | and glrls who pla; extra roles in "Wlll‘nl l“l.“l L} slangy. las & huge cast for big wages is gratified. He protects the girl from the abuse of her father and on being discharged goes away to start life over again. but when the girl runs away to escape her father she meets Charlie again. Charlie appeals to the young performer to marry the girl and after the wedding the three return to the circus, the father forgives the newlyweds refoin the circus. Charlie is ewise hired again at the demand of the daughter. but as the circ caravan moves on Charlie remains behind in recollection of what might have been Short subjects complete the program EARLE—"Wife Savers.” Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton | yodelers in feature at the Earle Th Whitey Kaufman and his Victor re- cording orchestra will be seen on the stage for the third week. assisted by a cast of 20 in a gay revue. called “Earle Gaieties,” produced by Edward L. Hyman. In the Beery Hatton are first 3 Brooklyn restaurant waiter and Hatton as War reverse: a buck p: “Wife and Savers” | police duty and Hatton is a second tenant. The war sequence opens the armistice, with the ing for home. but Beery by the lie future Mrs. Hatton |15 given a job as ar is sup] sentence, and whi | the lives of 13 other vives the perils of the Alps after raising adventure: n the end run into a du , who has come to reclaim Short reels an the play Sharp Shooters, this week Produced by W the “gobs™ . and particularly th saflorman named Geor: proper and right to has been sat med elsewhere and i s reception here cordial. Miss Moran has a role u —that of a cabaret. who satlor, George tollows his s follows ove factorily a rom: ports, and 8Cts, Leon Brusiloff n eight orchestra a mediey of a tory of the t crchestral feature vocal ensemble and balle o RIALTO—"The Secret Hour." “The Secret Hour.,” a scree: set in the orange groves of C: ishes Pols Negr arring role at the the story e nd the romance which comes when an afffuen of his handsome young f that his own features will Taking a long chance of love the girl somes to compromised the yo whom she believes to be marries him while the r fined to Mis bed w the result of Later J. Frank Periolat The stage foa the 1r Revue. a melangs of synoo and dances Rox Romm Orchestra, ofters Southern Rhapsody International Newsreel & films are added a PALAC Cheeting great Army-N Pamade. With the cadets b maneuvers. and the ro ments of the great school m's offcers form the dac West Foint” Metro-Goldwy new picture, now showing Palace It 18 & story of v hs, with Wit Wise-cracking young ¢ comes to West Pomnt (o e Ditter experienc tradition of the The bulk of ¢ PIONre Was fraphed at West Point and love the and_other man thrilling and wmspir and Neil Neely are cast a soctates On the stage i Jack Pa Next Week's Photoplavs METROPOLITAN “Old Tronsides,” with Esther Ralston, Wallace Reery and Qeorge Bancroft RIALTO - Lan Chaney in The Hunchback of Notre Dame ™ COLUMBIA - Douglas ¥ banks in “The Gaucho EARLE Adolphe Menjou in “Serenade.” PALACE -Qreta Garbo “The Divine Woman ™ n This afternoon and This afternoon and e show, entitled featuring We: Syncopators. { Jenkins, Ilomay “Steps and Eddy and The c: Ba hattan Steppers. jects and the Palac cert. Orchestra, Harry Borjes, METROPOLITAN—"The Missing Lin i With Vitaphon Syd Chapiin is the feature at Crandal Missing Link.” A phone accompaniment. In it Syd is sald t5 offel brand of mirth, or ratr new individual ne tirely He is London a2 out of a j " African baggage on board s! is no sooner on de em and ograms . Though Star, Suppore EAN HERSHOLT teps of ith 000 gold Mona Usa Paris and the pro. haged search A some trace of tha | MAsierpiace 4 fOW vears ago altaciad Widespread attentxon., fram the Lauy