The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-08
Charlotte
Corday
dow an Attempted Picture
Play Was Spoiled
n, r A MvTFHH
By F. A. Mitchell

where else In America and where the
surrounding scenery Is more varied
and beautiful. This city, devoted 10
the work of producing picture plays.
looks out upon mountains on the one
hand and undulating tracts on the 9th
er. The latter Is partly wooded, part
ly cultivated. and river runs through
IL, connecting several lakes.
Moyieville itself is very singular
city, containing singular popufatlon
There is every variety OF dwelling III
it from al Indian tepee to a Chinese
palace. every variety OF fortification
from Roman cppidum twalled inclo-
sure) 10 a modern bastion. lf there Is
anything required that Movieville does
net contain 1t is improvised. scenario,
one scene of which was laid In the
United States senate chamber, having
been chosen for production the senate
chamber was constructed not of stone,
but of stucco. canvas and other such
like materials.
One of the famous speaking plays Of
its day was charlotte Corday." The
scene was laid In Paris at the time of
the French revolution and involved the
assassination of the leader of the
reign of terror, Marat The woman
who played the part of Charlotte was
considered a wonder. During her per
formances she seemed to be the person
/ whose part she was enacting. The
play had very long run, and every
month during the time it was on the
boards the leading lady, whose stage
name was Marguerite Stanley. put
more intensity into her part until her
audiences were often thrown into a
cold shiver.
Charlotte Corday" was especially
, adapted for picture play, and Movie
, vile was considered as the best, real
ly the only. place to make the photo
graphs.
John Esterbrooke, who took the part
OF Marat, though finished actor, did
not produce the impression effected by
Miss Stanley. While she became more
and more tragic. he seemed to lose
force The real reason OF his apparent
deterioration was that so real was her
impersonation Of her character that he
became afraid OF her.
There was another matter that influ-
enced Mr. Esterbrooke He thought
he saw signs that the girl was In love
with him. While on the stage she play
ed Charlotte to his Marat. At other
times she purred to him like kitten.
He was fearful OF this emotional com
bination. lie was not In love with her
, and could not divest himself of the
feeling that II he did not respond to
her preference time might come
when. while she was under the power
ful emotion induced by her part. sh,
would make OF It real tragedy.
Such were the conditions when Il was
decided to produce moving picture
play of Charlotte Corday." Miss
Stanley was on the same train with
Esterbrooke. Another member OF tn,
company, Estelle Springer. who wa.
|. supposed to be I'm love with him, was
also Of the party. Esterbrooke took {
seat beside Miss Springer and remain
ed there all the way to Movieville
y During the ride Miss Stanley remain
ed In her seat reading a novel, a trav
cling cap pulled down over her eyes
I When the journey was completed sh,
left the car with the others smilingly
i and II jealousy had been excited In he
none OF the party noticed It.
Il Charlotte Corday" was to be a fiv
I reel play. Often many pictures wer
4 taken Of n single scene before the de
Z sired effect was produced on the films
! This was wearing on the performers
! especially on Miss Stanley. whose emo
tional part required 50 much intensity
and every time a picture was mad
] that intensity must be excited Thi
4 naturally called for periods of rest
/ They were usually passed in automc
bile rides over the beautiful country
ny this time rivalry appeared I
\ have sprung up between the two as
] pirants for Mr. Esterbrooke's favol
q II was observed in Miss Springer. bu
:. not in Miss Stanley-that is, the lai
ter's feeling for him was only suppos
Z ed to exist by him. and he spoke of |
to no one On one or two occasion
she asked him TO ride with her. tha
she might talk over such changes 1
their behavior before the camera fror
s. what they had been used to on th
stage as might be advisable. On thei
return from these rides Esterbrook
q looked serious. but kept his own cour
q sci as TO the cause. Actors are ant
q have hearts thrown at them promi,
q cuously from young women In the
q audiences. and Esterbrooke was no e,
q ception. He had found 1t advisable I
81 pay no attention to such advances an
never mentioned them to others.
7 Historical plays do not adhere yer
closely TO history. II they did II woul
81 be impossible to treat the them
dramatically. In the dramatixation {
the story of Charlotte Corday, Mars
- meets Charlotte at a cafe on Ii
Champs Elysees and admires her. a
has no speech with her. she sitting Z
another table alone. while he is diniu
with a party which includes Mis-