New-York tribune., 1920-04-18
Harold MacCrath's Wife
Brought Woman's Sense
To Filmatize His Book

Putting the mind OF the author IN
the screen adaptation Of novel" is
the succinct way that Allan Dwan, pro-
ducer, sums up the assistance rendered
10 him by Mrs. Harold MacGrath in
ne filming of her husbands novel IA
Splendid Hazard" soon to be present.
i by Mayflower.
Mr.. Dwan's remark was called forth
By the assistance he obtained from
.irs. MacGrath in the preparation for
the screen reproduction of what is gen.
orally accepted as her husbands liter
FRY masterpiece. So much was Mrs.
MacGrath impressed with the necessity
for insuring accuracy of location and
proper atmospheric color in the produc-
ton that she gave to Mr.. Dwan much
valuable descriptive material. This was
augmented with photographs taken
with her own camera at the birthplace
OF the great Napoleon on the pictur-
esque island Of Corsica, where the man
who shook up world was born, and at
the famous Invalides, in Paris, where
lis remains lie in impressive state.
The possibilities Of the picturesque
in "a Splendid Hazard" made strong
appeal to Mr.. Dwan. He realized that
the force of the story was largely in
spired by the quaint landscapes and
the indescribable skies and atmosphere
of the scene of Napoleon's childhood.
He asked Mrs. MacGrath, who had trav-
cled over most of the locations in the
novel, to assist him in the settings.
Details which necessarily could not
be expected in novel particularly ap-
pealed to the woman sense of Mrs
MacGrath. She took infinite care to
"snap" mary pictures that give an idea
Of the babyhood days of the great
leader of armies. In a note to Mr.
Dwan partly describing this collection
valides which Ia devoted to relics that
In their way, help to give one living
presentation Of the Emperor, as fol
lows:
about the museum Of the Invalides
There Is one long corridor from which
several rooms branch at left and right
. all containing souvenirs Of the grea,
military genius while King Of Rome
One of these is Napoleon's camp uni.
form, with its black peaked chapeau
There is coat with military cape
hanging on clothes tree, surmounted
by curious hat resting on the top. In
the half gloom of the room they seem
TO take form, and one can imagine the
brooding eyes peering from under the
hat.
'The toys Of tho Emperor's CHILDHOOD
are In one Of the side rooms. They
seem pitifully few-lcad soldiers, etc
when one considers that they were tn,
playthings Of boy whose birth mean,
50 much to the world. The room i,
not large and it is oppressive, as som.
places are, from the presence Of mani
mate things that seem to retain theil
pert onality and in their mute way tr,
TO tell one something"
And those are. shown In the Aim.
Equally observant and graphic wa.
Mrs. MacGrath's description of Singa-
pore, wherein part Of the plot Of "A
Splendid Hazard" is unfolded. Her de-
scription of o night scene In that sin.
g1Iar city follows:
Might In Singapore is wonderful
Ike black velvet. Tho streets are lined
With Cinnamon, squa.sinz In little
patches, selling fantastic foodstufYs---
antique black eggs, pieces Of ash, water
cbestnnts aod 10 on. Each merchant
has some variety Of light naring from
can or little oil Hont. Tn: light
tuss shows their wares and the lower
psrt of their bodiesS Their neads and
ezrresstonisss faces arc liks those az
- aha6ewy gods In the tsmplss,r