Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-08-09

movie studio and more particular
IL SINCE the entrance into the bust
ness here of Names favorite and
own author, Holman Day. The
studio and the company ION loca-
ton have each had hundreds of Wis
itors and the interest has shown a
decided increase as the people be-
came more familiar with the intense
~ human and enthusiastically life
like action the actors and actresses
put into their work. The story that
is here to be told, therefore, being
absolutely true, although unusual
even for a movie" story, should in
terest many including yourself
Gibson Willets, production manager
of the Pathe Moving Picture Elk
change, the largest in the world, in
tact the executive head of that ex-
Changes production work, was re-
Gently IN Augusta, coming to ac-
quaint himself with the doing of the
Holman Day Productions, which is
under contract to Pathe. He wished,
having become most favorably i'm
films sent to his company by the
local company, to meet the people
face to face, learn more of the con-
ditions under which they are work
ing and to see for himself the back
grounds and surroundings that were
largely responsible for so fine films.
He came, he saw and he surrendered
to the charms of Maine scenery and
the ability of the Holman Day com
pany. He passed four DAYS with the
company and said he wished it might
have been four weeks or months.
Mr. Day had written and was film
ing ''Wings of the Border" the story
of which has already been given in
the Journal, but which deals with
the alleged wrongs of the common
people and the righting of those
wrongs, through the Governor of the
State, who becomes interested in the
matter and takes a personal hand in
the case, to the discontinue Of the
wrongdoers and the delight Of the
suffering and wrongcd people.
One of the situations is 4 visit to
the State Capitol to secure the in
PREVENTION by the Governor ard his
assistance in righting the wrong.
The consent of Governor Baxter TO
pose at this visit of the peoples mes
sengrr to the State House was Sc
cured and when the Governor learned
that the story was woven around the
water power question in Maine, he
readily consented to give his time
without stint.
The Executive chambers at the
State House were wired especially
for the purpose and Governor BaN-
ter and his private secretary, Gilbert
r. Chadbourne, worked with the
company until midnight. Mr.. Willets
WAS an interested spectator, in fact
unusually interested He kept quiet
as long as he could and then he broke
cut
Governor Baxter" he exclaimed.
the possibilities Of this situation are
simply immense, it is one of the fin
est | have ever seen. | would like
immensely we'll to change the seen
ario, to bring out what appears to me
to be situation running over with
dramatic effect
GO ahead" said the Governor. IF
can be of any assistance, here
am and willing to stay"
And stay they did, while Mr.. viii
let's sketched out the revised story
and it was acted before the camera.
much to his delight as well as of ev-
cry one present The Governor him
| self approved of the changes and his
interest was intense as the situation
developed.
There" said Mr.. WiIlcts. I'VE
! have you, Governor where YOU Will
appear to 1000, 900 people week on
the screen where YOU Will talk di-
reCtly to the peoples ] predict that
this Will he one of the finest, most
realistic and dramatic two-reel pic
lures ever shown in any country. l
have myself seen nothing better
Such praise of State of Maine
picture and an Augusta Maine pic
ture at that. means a great deal for
the quality Of the work being done
10y our local artists. as well as a
tremendously fine advertisement for
the Capital of our State--it being
fact that successful Pathe pictures
are shown during the films lifetime
TO over 100000 people.
1t may be added that on the fol-
lowing day. so interested was Gov
CTnor Baxter, that he and Secretary
Chadbouvne gave practically all day
to being filmed in situations leading
up to and connected with the visit of
the messenger to the State House, in
fact the Governor admitted that it
self away and return to the dry rou-
tine duties of the office.
1t is of course we'll known that
the Holman Day Productions has
been and is working on pictures for
Pathe. but it is not well known the
unusually and very close connections
it has with the distributors. It is a
situation almost II not quite without
parallel in the history Of the Nov
les
Pathe is in the closest of cooper !
alton with the Day people. The head
office receives and OK's the stories, 1
assists in selecting the cast and, as
in Mr.. NVillets case, visits the scene
of production, something rarely done !
most of the other producing compa- ,
MES making their pictures and sub !
uniting them for acceptance or re-
lection.
MIR WilletS told Mr. DaV that the I;