The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-04-29
Novels Transmitted
Into Photod dramas
Famous Authors Commend|
Presentation Of Their Masters
pieces BY Famous PlayerA

Thomas Hardy and Louis Jossph vaass
4 a. Critics Of Their Own Works II
Film Form--"Ths Silver KinS'', ~
Sir Arthur Jonss, h Cousse q Pro.
duction
1t Is an obvious and natural fact that
the sternest critic Of motion picture
production based upon a popular novel
is the author himself. 1t has not 20 long
been customary for authors to zee repro
duced upon the screen the characters and
events that have before lived only In
their minds or between the covers Of
book.
! When Thomas Hardy, the celebrated
novelist, saw the Famous Players pro-
duction Of his masterpiece, Tess Of the
lD'Urberyilles," he said, according to the
London Post" that it was very fine
production and showed the high perfec-
ton to which the cinematograph had
come. In some ways" he declared, lit
was superior to the stage play which be
saw in America" The "Daily Sketch"
another London paper, relates: ''Mr.
Hardy himself was even more pleased
than the Daily Sketch He was pres
ent yesterday at the production, and in |
| conversation with Mr.. Sidney M. Baber, (,
general manager of the Famous Players
Film Co., of England, said he was de- .
lighted with the pictures"
On January 21st, Louis Joseph Vance, !
author Of .The Day Of Days." which has
just been released by the Famous Play /
ers, wrote that concern us follows:
"This afternoon, for the first time, +
witnessed run of your film version of
my story The Day Of Days. and hope
you may care to learn how thoroughly
pleased was. My delight, indeed, was
only equaled by my astonishment at the
sympathetic imagination with which your
scenario department arranged my story I
in order to make an inteiligible picture
the admirable acting not only Of Mr.. i
Scott, but Of every member Of the cast,
| the deftness of the stage direction, the Il
careful attention which has been given
ito each and every detail, down to the
very props.
/ Such endorsement of film productiopsl
by the authors of the originals Is quite
significant.
Hugh Ford, the famous theatrical
producer, who, together with Frederick
Stanhope and Edward A. Morange, REL
Gently became allied with the Famous
Players Film Company to collaborate on
the production of massive, spectacular
film subjects, Is now at the Los Angeles
studio of the Famous Players, making
preparations for the first Of these pro
ductons, The Silver King" the cele-
brated play by Sir Arthur Jones.
| Hugh Ford and Edwin 3. Porter,
i technical director, will organize q, COM
lpany to enact this famous play, which
lin the course Of the production will 90
ito Europe for the exact atmosphere In
which the action occurs.
When the alliance between Messrs.
Ford, Stanhope and Morange and the
Famous Players Film Company was an
InOunced, recently, 1T created sensation
in the industry due to the international
REPUTATION Of these men and the impor-
lance of their productions, among which
are numbered The Garden Of Allah
numerous other plays of equal promi-
tucnce.
4 Mr.. Ford has had as extensive an ex-
perience in the producing Of plays and
large spectacles as any producer Of our
time. Outside Of his wide knowledge of
the drama in all lis phases, he has the
ability 70 strip a play Of all non-essentals
its central interest. His keen sense of
1.-THE pictorial and his belief In the neces-
ity of its employment to heighten drnm-
attic situations have resulted in the won
derfully beautiful productions that bear
4 his name, and, coupled with his quick
/ intelligence and artistic receptiveness,
nugur much for the work in tile field of
motion pictures to which he has chosen
to bend his energies.
|
/ Lois Weber, of the Rex brand, Unver,
sal films, has written one scenario week
for the last three years. More than this
\ her works are never mediocre and ths
1vaSt majority OF them are masterpieces II
the art of action antkcontinuity as well
as in the originality of the theme. OnJ
1 n scenario writer knows how difficult il
must be TO sustain such a record.
4 However, Miss Weber says that she i
/ never at loss for original IDEAS Sht
Is of an intensely emotional charactel
and all the little incidents of her life ane
those she reads about in the newspapers
she views with an eye to their heart IN
tcrest. When she is lining scenaris
/ UP, she says she keeps In mind the in
diyidual actors in her company, and u
i she thinks the prospective story over. sns
/ thinks of the characters in It us her owl
people. In her most recent story, whiei
Is now in course of production, entitled
Once Upon Time There Was Fairl
| l'rinccss,' she built the story aronnc
| the character and appearance OF MIS-
Ella Hall, member of her company. y
| is laid in old England in the olden TING
and is beautiful, romantic, heart-throe
story. Miss Weber never thinks OF char
acters as mere names in the scenario o.
story She always conceives them ~
ilesh-and- blood people with their friends
interests, affections and sorrows.
In this production Phillips Smaliey
plays the part Of q good prince, and hu'
pert Julian the role of an ogre.
The third great mystery story Of my
Lady RafIles" series which is being pro
duced by Francis Ford and the scenarios
Of which are being written by Grace
Cunard, Mr.. Ford's leading woman, u
now in course Of production at the unr
vcrsal Pucific Coast studies Ii is IN two
reels and is entitled, "Thc Mysterious
Leopard Lady"
Francis Ford plays the part Of me
professional detective and Miss Cunan
that of MY Lady Rallies" In tns
wreckagc Of two automobiles two deao
bodies are found and the police presums
that the two men were killed as resuI1
of the accident. The detective discover
that one of the dead men had been deaa
for two hours when the accident oecurreu.
In the dead mans hand he finds piecs
of leopard's skin This clue he follow
TO theatrr where "My Lady Rallies,
now reform is exhibiting some trniDtg