Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1916-07-28

Nv vi cab of an onrushing locomotive, and
in a hundred ways rsking life and
~ limb This is what of motion
picture actresses and actors do every
day with hardly the wink of eyelash in the per-
Torrance of the stunts.
1t is all in answer to the cry for realism in the
movies which has recently been raised by directors.
Realism is now watchword Above all, the pro-
duction must be realistic. The directors argue
that the public has become tired of faxed dangers
and mechanical feats that make ordinary scenes
appear hazardous. The desire for realism may be
all right for the public and the director. but ii ia
hard on the performers.
Patrons of the pictures familiar with
scenes depicting rough riding, descents of mountain
sides on horseback and leaps from cliffs in which
the rider falls clear of the mount and in other ways
fiirts with death that they stop to think OF
the real danger incurred by those actors who dare
much for the silent drama OF course there arr
certain pictures in which the danger is faxed. But
those pictures are almost equally balanced by the
kind which depicts real danger encountered to
accomplish the desired result.
Jumps From Moving Trains.
"When / first began to jump off moving trains"
said Helen Holmes, when asked for her impressions
of daredeviling in the films, 81 must confess was
somewhat tmid but now / take 1t something
which must be done to complete the picture.
"In picture in which 1 worked about six
months ago l went through the action with my
like quitting. 1t was railroad picture in which
was TO drive big engine bridge which
was to be blown up as the engine reached the mid
die.
"a torpedo the track about twenty feet from
the spot where the dynamite charge was placed to
wreck the bridge to give my signal to dive
from the cab to the river thirty feet below From
the moment that the engine reached the wooden
trestle kept thinking what would happen if the
torpedo did not go off and should be carried down
into the wreckage.
"The run of about thirty yards seemed intermin-
able but everything worked according to plans and
/ made the dive safely, but was shaking like
leaf when fshed from the river. l was so fright
ened could hardly keep myself afoat.
but now have become so used to risking my
neck that l accept it a matter of course 1t Is
much IKE the of aviator when he starts fly
ing. At first he is cautious and only makes slight
ascents and safe descents, but soon the spirit of
daring enters his soul and he is looping the loop
and doing sprals 1000 feet in the air. and other
dangerous stunts"
Danger in the oucksand.
There Marion Swayne who thought it pretty
hard when she called upon recently to allow
herself to be rescued from quicksands on a treach-
erous bit of picturesque Florida beach 1t would
not suffice to have her buried in a sand hole on a
solid portion of the beach where she could easily
be extrcated without danger to herself George
Foster Plat, who directing the fve-ree fea-
suits could only be obtained by having the star
caught in the real quicksand.
Outside the range of the camera a group of men
were ready with planks and rope to rescue the
actress in case the planned miscarried and
she should need other help than that offered by
Bert Delaney, the leading and hero Miss
Swayne reluctant at first to try the scene but
finally consented and timidly went out to the
treacherous sandbar. The feeling of helplessness
that came over her when her feet sank slowly from
under her without means of staying them alarmed
the star. AS she sank to the waist her fea-
lures registered a genuine fear, and at this point
the camera man began shooting" the scene while
the gallant hero with stout rope lassoed her 1t
required all his strength to drag her from the sands
which were engulfing her, When on solid ground
again Miss Swayne with tremulous voice .said
Il suppose the screen that will look easy but
don't care to try it again."
Leap From High Cliff.
Wide publicity was once given to q stunt picture
in which trained acrobat jumped horse from a
hilltop into a chasm, infcting injuries upon him
self and the animal and getting into trouble with
the humane society officials. This man was not a
regular member of the picture company, but was
engaged at big price to perform the daring act
Anna Little had somewhat similar experience,
although part of 1t was not done Intentionally. I'm,
der the direction of Frank Borzage, glutton for
realism Miss Little was to slide down the side of
cliff some seventy feet high on horseback to
ESCAPE uduu VI III pursuit. Inc rlQe
called for skilled equestrenne. unfinching cour-
age and sure-footed horse 1t impossible to
rehearse the scene because the director knew that
after having gone through 1t once neither Miss
Little the horse could be persuaded to repeat
the action
This scene was to be the big thrill In the picture.
Much care was taken in preparing 1t. Three
era men stationed to catch the slide from
three different angles, thus insufing a good pic
ture from ut least one of the machines.
Barely Escaped DEATH
Careful instructions had been given the actress
and she started the slide. At first the horse