The Washington herald., 1919-03-27
DWAN'S SAVING GRACE
A SENSE OF HUMOR

! Even before we met Allan Dwan we
were sure we should like him. first
because he had a sense of humor and
second because he wrote to us from
the Coslst more than a year ago. when
we were fresh from the kennels. IN
manner of speaking. and asked our
advice on two separate occasions, says
Harriette Underhill In the New York
Tribune
When we frat began TO see pictures
we were not greatly concerned with
who made them. II the story was
good and we liked the star that was
as far as our interest went. and then
one day we talked to Maurice Tour
neur and he said. when anything
goes wrong cherchez lie directeur."
Therefore we know that Allan Dwan
had a sense OF honor and we never
ceased to remember Bound in Mo-
rocco" In which the heroine. rescued
from the harem. wore a liberty loan
button and with tears in her eyes
gasped out 'Ts the subway finished
yeti" OF course to bring that up to
date the title should be changed to
''Is the escalator at Park Place fin-
Ished yet?'
But to return to Mr.. Dwan. as who
would not. when we heard that he had
come East and that we were going to
meet him at a luncheon we were quite
sure that we could pick him out with
out any guide. We expected him to
be tall and blond. something like
Henry Warner. only with curly hair,
/ for well leave It to any one II Allan
Dwan doesn't sound like that.
And there he was dark and looking
almost like Douglas Fairbanks! But
he had a sense of humor.
Mr.. Dwan is peculiar person. and
we can't think of any adjective TO de7
scribe him. AS soon as he appears he
takes the reins and nobody has to
bother about anything at all after
that He sweeps everything before
him like a simeon, only his forces are
not so scattered and neither are they
| intermittent.
Always on the lookout for easy copy.
we said: I'VE want TO do a story
about directors, Mr.. Dwan. and we
want you to write II for us. Some
thing about Home Lives Of Great
Directors or perhaps, Love Letters
of Dead Directors'-no, that wouldn't
do. for you would never come under
that classification-perhap Memories
VI LiItSNoT WOulO OttttI.
"All right" agreed Mr.. Dwan. "rn
dictate II just as though you had writ
ten it. Here. take this down: One
day last week, when / was walking
down Fifth avenue, met Allan Dwan.
Hello, kid said ]. Come in and
have a drink So. while we stood
with our feet on the rail. thinking
sadly OF a date not so far distant -
But" we interrupted, ''you forget
you are supposed to be talking to a
lady! However erroneous the SUPPOSE
tom
well then. write It yourself-say
anything you like--use your own dis
cretion!r
You are an optimistic soul. aren't
your" we began and just then Nor
man Kerry and Matt Moore Joined us
and Mr.. Dwan had an idea
60 over to the Rialto with me to-
morrow morning and see my picture.
Forbidden Fires which is to be shown
there, and I'll give you a story about
supervision" Putting on a picture at
10 o'clock in the morning is cruel and
inhuman. but when we got to the the
ater we found that Mr.. Dwan and
Hugo Riesenfeld and the whole or
ehestra had been there all night work
ing on the orchestration.
1t was a marvellous picture and a
thrilling orehestration even at 1890.
But not word did we learn OF super
vision. for you can't talk when you
are watching picture like For
oidden Fires" Louise Glaum and
Matt Moore played In It, but Mr..
Dwan supervised Il.
Never have we seen such desert
scenes. such lighting and such photog-
raphyi Some of the scenes were taken
from the back of the tent with the
figures in the play silhouetted against
the sky and the desert stretching for
miles behind them.
Who are all these people In front
OF us?' we whispered once during the
picture.
Prospective purchasers" Mr.. Dwan
whispered back. representing. /
should say. at least 1900 600. 900"
1t seems lot Of money. but. then,
no doubt the picture is worth It.
But we never did get our story on
supervision.