Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-27
COMPANY
What the Star of His Ma
jesty's Theatre Thinks
of Mysterious Movie
land of California
Bv SIR HERBERT TREE

The fotlorin1 account Of dtstin-
oHtShod British players experience IN
the movies Is taken from the london
Times. IT refers to his engagement 10TH
Triangle.
r AN tempted to give a description of the
life of the studios OF Los Angeles, In
which many thousands are employed. The
community of the studio is the most demo-
cratic I have ever faced but from first to
last during my stay never met with any
dsCourtesy from the many hundreds among
whom my life was spent The work of the
pictures Is done In an atmosphere Of hap
piness and high spirits, which makes its
frequent monotony bearable
In the productions there is systematic
absence Of system Sometimes an artist
will have to wait one, two or three weeks
before he is called UP TO take up his share
Of the work then he will often work fifteen
or sixtecn hours a Gay. This latter was
my experience in the preparations Of Mac
beth" The process of photography takes
place partly IN the studio by artificial light
tthe rays OF which ere somewhat trying
10 the eyesD. partly in the open air of the
studio and partly in "loCations'-that Ia
TO say, In country scenes
When going on location" (there obtains
In California curious love of Latin words)
tho entire party are driven to their destina-
tlon in motorcars. We would sometimes
start for the mountains at midnight and
proceed 10 a country inn. be dressed by
Z O'Clock to catch the early sun and ride
forth on horscbaCE all caparisoned and be-
wgEed toward the location" of the
BLASTED Heath'-there to meet the witches.
The inhabitants of California are so ac-
customed TO fancy dress that the approach
OF Macbeth Of Banquo. Of Macduff and
their retnues caused no surprise for of
Los Angeles It may be said that all the
worlds stage and all the men and women
merely movies"
Tho mimic coronation of Macbeth at
Scone took place about forty miles from
Los Angeles at place called Chatsworth.
ThIther tho actors and hundreds of super
numcraries together with the properties
of the occasion, were conveyed In motor
cars and mOtor-omnibuscs. This scene was
taken in brilliant sunlight while the arrival
at the Kings camp Of Macbeth and Banduo
after the victorious Battle was photographed
at . in the morning the scene being
| lighted by huge electric lights. Through
| tho ranks of the cheering soldiers surround
| ing their campires and through the fiaring
| lights projected on their faces, Macbeth and
| Ranquo gRllOped with the news of victory,
| This nocturnal scene was deeply impressive.
| The interior of the Witches Cavern was
| enacted in n scene built in the studio. one
| scene was photographed no less than a
| dozen times; this ordeal was a somewhat
/
! Acting to the lens requires peculiar
| Commandment and demands much mora
| natural method than that of the stage
the great requisite In the actor Is the rower
Of momentary sef-eXcltation. A mere re-
sort to the technique Of the theatre would
not "recister" satisfactorily on the film-a
relentless detective, To the newcomer II
Is somewhat disconcerting to act scene OF
carousal Immediately after your death
scene In the great studios one will otter
see as many as ten different plays proceed
ing on adjacent stages, n farce being acte'
in close proximity to scene OF tragedy
A ouIcl and versatile temperament In IN
actor is required for the work Of the screen
and. although I had little difficulty In &C
cIimatizing myself to the new conditions
confess | have not outlved my preference
for the spoken drama 1t is only by this
| exercise os ones imagination in visualizinI
the perspective Of vast crowds of spectators
that one can maintain the pitch of excite
ment necessary for the fine frenzy of th'
scene The sets for Macbeth" were al
built the scene of the Kings Castle in this
last act solidly constructed in location
outside Hollywood, was fully equipped witt
a moat filled with water, a drawbridge anc
battlements, over which the attacking army
clambered, stones being hurled and boiling
pitch being poured on them.