The Washington herald., 1921-05-29
Wallace Reid, Under Orders,
Smashes Set Worth $4,000
Star Obeys Instructions to Deliberately Wreck
Expensive Outfit Of Furniture

SECURING $4,000 worth OF furni-
ture for a single interior setting
and then smashing that furniture
before the camera Is realistic but
expensive.
Yet that is what Cecil B. DeMille
did in his Paramount production
The Affairs of Anatol," which VIII
soon be shown on the screen.
The setting in question serves as
a background for a part OF the story
portrayed by Wallace Reid, WANDA
Hawley and Theodore Roberts II
is an ultra-luxurious apartment and
Howard Higgin, production man
ager for Cecil B. DeMille produc-
tions, was instructed to spare no
expense.
The result was an attractive suite
designed by Paul Iribe-furnisnea
with approximately 100000 worth
of furniture. This included val
liable set OF Louis XVI chairs
magnificent carved photograph case
of unique design, grand piano
lamps, mirrors. tables, a desk ana
a lounge.
At the climax of this episode,
Wallace Reid was instructed to run
amuck. smashing everything break
able in the set. The orders were
comprehensive and Reid obeyed
them to the letter. No one stick OF
furniture remained in it's original
shape and position when the van
dalism was complete, Using the
smaller ~pieces of furniture as
bludgeons, Reid shattered every
thing in sight while the cameras
clicked just out of range of his
blows Mirrors, lamps, chairs, pho
nograph and piano were demolished
one by one. as conclusion to the
scene, the husky star seized the
huge overstuffed divan and hurled
it bodily through the French doors
at one end of the set.
Friends are great to have-but
difficult to play"
So says Elliott Dexter. who re-
Gently completed the role of Max.
the bosom friend of Anatol. in Cecil
B. DeMille's production. The Af-
fairs of Anatol."
we all love our friends when We
are lucky enough to have them
points out the popular actor. But
we seldom accept their advice. And
when a friend. actuated by the best
of motives, attempts to adjust our
affairs for US, We usually resent 1t
and distrust the motives behind
such an attempt
That is what happened between
Max and AnatoL. AS Jeanie Mac
pherson. author of the scenario, de-
veloped the two characters Max.
presuming on his long-standing
friendship with both Anatol and
Vivian, makes sundry attempts to
straighten out their tangled affairs.
"On the one hand he has Anatol.
who seems to be gifted with an
ability to get into more or less in
nocent mischief: on the other is
Vivian. all too prone to misunder-
stand Max is kept exceedingly
busy in his efforts to straighten out
these Observation-Disclosures
ITO a certain extent he succeeds.
But he nearly loses the friendship
of Anatol in the process. just as it
so often happens in real life.
Playing such a character as Max
is one of the most difficult things l
have ever done on the screen" con-
tinued Mr.. Dexter. Unless Max's
motives are made very clear, he be-
comes a despicable cad. using
friendship to further his selfish in
terests.
"On the other hand. his efforts to
straiEhten out the domestic tangle
must be clearly shown. He must be
unselfish and vet forcefuI. He must
retain AnatoTs friendship at any
cost, and yet he must do things that
strain the bond of friendship to the
breaking point.
All Of these things require care
full handling in the acting if they
are to get over satisfactorily The
task was simplified considerably by
the mastery direction of Mr.. De-
Mile and by the logical sequence Of
action planned by Miss Macpherson.
But the role still remains one of the
most difficult I ever played"
Elliott Dexter is one of the prin-
cipals Of the twelve-star cast as
sembled by Cecil b DeMille for the
depletion of Jeanie Macpherson's
story. suggested by Arthur Schnitz-
ler's famous play of the same name.
The cast includes. in addition to
Mr.. Dexter, Wallace Reid, Gloria
Swanson, Wanda Hawley, Bebe
Daniels. Monte Blue. Theodore Rob
erts, Agnes Ayres, Theodore Koes-
Ion. Raymond Hatton. Julia Faye.
Polly Moran and others
In her latest picture. "FootIights,"
which is now in production at Para
mounts Eastern studio under the
direction Of John S. Robertson, Miss
Elsie Ferguson has a splendid op-
portunity to show her versatility
She plays the part of a vaudeville
actress who climbs the ladder to
success and becomes a famous Rus
sian artist under the direction Of a
NJ n.