The New York herald., 1921-09-25
High Lights and
Sh1dOWS on Mems
of the Screen
Douglas Fairbanks Considers
Spain Ideal Country for
Film Production.
ny FRANK vREELArD.

Douglas Fairbanks Is going to rpain,
not primarily to see II ne can beat
King Alfonso at polo, though he may
take a shot at that. No. Doug is going
to let bygones be bygonss. forget all
about the Spanish American war and
produce movies In the Castilian land,
possibly salvaging his new mustache
out Of the wreck Of 1.-THE Three Nus
keteers" for that purpose.
Fairbanks is as close to being en-
thusiastic as ne can come-which is
about $50 per cent-over Spain as a
locale for motion pictures. considering
It ideal with its lace mantillas, fans,
castles, beggars, onions. titled grafters
ana the general readiness even at this
date to convince man In an argu-
nent with q sword--and Doug knows
how to WELD one expertly now. SO he
should become famous orator there
Contracts already have been signed
looking toward his Transformation on
the screen into hidalgo. though he
win worry along as plain American
citizen and king OF the movies for
some time. But eventually. It Is
known, he viii strut before the camera
In Spain. playing don with Q good
Yankee accent, and no doubt In that
CLINE his love making will be much
more tremendous than 1t has been
even In the atmosphere OF Los An
gelea.
Ths only Hispanic role that Fairbanks
has played hitherto waB that Of the
bandit in '"rhe Mark Of Zorro" ana he
wore sideboards no we'll In that film that
It fired his ambition to adopt these short
whiskers more permanently into his
family. It 10 expected that he will play
tho role Of . toreador AZ the bull IL one
Of the few objects that hasn't yct sue
ctimbed to his rampant smile. It 10 In
tere6tinE In this connection to note that
Charlie Chaplin said before his departure
that he would filter into Spain. and II
he remains there long enough he may
show Doug how to ride the bull, a. he
did In ono Of his pictures.
Miss Mary Piclxford IL said for her
part to havc decided definitely that she
viii install her sweetness and light on
the films In France, unless she is enthu-
lynched by worshippins mobs.
The Fairbanks royalty have taken q
house In Paris, as predicted some time
ngo IN this column. ana will sally out
to mako pictures and to moot the other
royalty from that headquarters.
The popular ovation recently accorded
to Mary and Doug-King Constantine
got less on hts return to Grcece-must
have come as q dreadful shock to the
managing director Of a Broadway GIN
ema palace who had decided offhand
not 80 long before that Mary and Doug
weren't good drawing attractions and
shouldn't have their pictures booked, es-
peoially since tho rentals had Increased.
II must be quite disheartening for an
infallible exhibitor. after he has ruled q
couple OF stars off the boards. to have
the public mutton-headedly refuse 60 &C.
cept his Judgment.
It Is likely by the middle Of next
month that Mary will have given ground
on Broadway in Little Lord Fauntle-
roy" and shifted from the Apollo Thea
tire to the Times Square, 80 that she
could snugg1e UP to Douglas next door
at tho Lyric. After 'TIonors Are
Even" (not picture) has been pain
lessly extracted from the Times Square
and sent elsewhere TO make room for
this change, Theodore" the snrdou AIM
spectacle win be cast into the Apollo
by Goldwyn. Miss Rita Jolivet, the ac-
tress once prominent on the stage here,
who was welded to tho leading role In
this photoplay In italy. IL said to be
still shaking her locks before the camera
In that country, where nobody uses
rough language at delays In picture
making. despite the native fuency In
objurgation.
Will Rogers. noted cowboy comedian,
whose contract with Goldwyn has Just
expired without gasp, Is reported to be
negotiating with Famous Players-Lasky
to come on over to their lot and try
out some new jokes. The matter hasn't
been settled yet. but II appears to be
pretty certain that before long the
Famous Players-Lasky press agent WIN
be racking his brain for gags 70 at
tribute to Rogers.
In connection with the new method of
Stimulating Backgrounds for 1.-THE Three
this observation post II comes to light
that Mack Sennett couple Of years
ago also tried out method Of grating
q background upon scene by double
exposure that might, II II had succeeded,
have made him the Luther Burbank OF
the movies. The comedy producer
wanted to get authentic settings for cer-
tain situations instead OF those built IN
the studio. which SO often appear as X
they had been put together by mistake.
He desired. for instance. to shoot actual
scenes In a church. but couldn't very
well do II, since cameramen win not
rush In where bathing beauties fear to
tread.
So Sennett took tho action Of his
scenes. with all his actors, brightly IL
Illuminated. working at their usual fever
heat. before huge black velvet curtains
which wiped the background off tho
map. Then the saruc reel was run
through the camera again as the
took another exposure OF
the locality that world have been for
hidden ground to a horde of wildly cory
bantfc comedians A close study was
made OF perspective and proportions In
order to fill In fairly accurately the
gaping wounds left In the background
by the black curtains. and In this way
Sennett obtained actual pictures OF
rooms In tho White House at Washing
ton, where custerd pi,s had never been
known to stray before. Bat unfortu-
nateiy when the films were developed II
was found that while the results were
sometimes satisfactory. a door knob. for
insta nee would appear sticking through