The New York herald., 1921-12-04
High Lights and
ShadopS on News
of Picture Making
u. w. Griffith Adopts Fashion
of Trying His New Films
on the Dog.
ny FRANK vREELAND.

among film producers of trying a new
picture on the dog, after the fashion
OF spoken play, except that weak
spots in the production are fixed up
afterward with a pair of sharp scissors
instead Of a few sharp words. Norma
Talmadge. for one. has had such a
trial spin out Of town, and now Griffith
has just sprung his latest creation.
THE Two Orphans" on Norwalk,
Conn. virtually without warning.
This newly completed picture, which
had ALREADY passed through It's hour of
suffering before the censors, was shot at
the Connecticut town in manner char
acteristic of Griffith, who can be dra-
matte even in the way he presents a pro-
ductIon. For a week beforehand a mo-
mentous cinema event was advertised in
the local papers without a mention of
the name OF either the picture OF the
producer to relieve the natural public
tension.
The producer insisted on this, though
1t must have seemed to the exploitation
force that they were simply advertising
thin air. Griffiths idea was to prevent
the New York reviewers, those omnipo-
tent beings, from getting wind of the
presentation and riding forth in full
panoply Of war. including foolscap and
portable typewriter to review 1t before
its Broadway showing. In fact some of
them might very well have been drawn
all the way to Norfolk by Griffith pic
ture. Several OF them would run miles
from some current Broadway photo
plays.
The local correspondents OF Manhat-
tan papers were sworn to secrecy up to
the very night of the exhibition. Then
The Two Orphans" was turned loose on
the unsuspeeting town, with the pro-
ducer and most of the cast on hand to
see II the French Revolution melted the
audience to riot. Lillian and Dorothy
Gish, who play the title roles, made
speeches and Griffith also made an ad-
dress, which Is not recorded by history
but which is presumed to have given
censorship all it could stand.
This version of the old French melo-
drama will be shown here in January, at
the Apollo Theatre, which Griffith has
just leased for two years from the Sell
wyns This is the longest lease ever
taken on a legitimate house by a film
promoter. but The Two Orphans" on
the basis of Way Down East" may fill
1t for that period--and if it does not
Griffith seems to have yards and yards
of ideas still to be spooled.
Comedies are now coming over here In
large numbers to represent the Swedish
motion picture Industry, which has
hitherto been exeinplified in this coun-
try by photoplays that were just a bit
less serious than the Morgue. Th Ise who
have seen them have generally considered
ham f1n tn "A,
of any pictures ever done-even when
not using his plays-and they have gen
orally had a powerful appeal to the be-
holder in spite of the fact that all that
each character can see to life is to hate
every other character during a twelve
hour hating day. The subjects have
sometimes been such as. to make the
most hardened censor turn pink and
think of the children.
The draffrati pieces are no more
striking than the newly arrived come
dies, especially when the latter have
had the subtitle painlessly removed
from them, perhaps to make It easier
FOR the American spectator to laugh.
n one such picture recently shown
to the trade there appeared a comedian
Who was referred to as the Charlie
Chaplin of Sweden. and who wore q
which would be good for hardly one
ouoh in this country. where Bo'shevlst
boards have ceased to infame hilarity
The remarkable character of the
comic scenes may be gathered from the
fact that this man and several others
rowed right up to the base of a church
in siSiff. went inside and began eat
ing soup. Presently one OF them went
outside 10 n man who was chained up
N n DOG collar and brourht him lns'de
the church where he promptly mounted
ne ,.siplt and began delivering a SER
mon. AZ this point quick fadeouf
was In order-by the American spec
tator.
Another comedy dealt with house
Noid in which a husband tolerated a
, recognized lover OF his wife. but when
| We wife began toying with third men
o.h the husband and the lover became
highly Indignant They went off arm In
arm to fight duel with the interloper
', defence of the honor Of their hove.
while the American spectator humbly
ook off his hat. his eyeglasses and his
"alse teeth TO Europe.
A stereoscopic process Is said 10 have
Neen devised at last that gives the i'm
| nression Of strong relief to objects on
he screen. so that the head NJ some
movie stars can at last be given the
sembiance OF a thickness. instead or
being merely fiat. However. the chief
feature Of the new invention Is that the
oectator must take to the movie house
= pair OF srec'al eyeglasses, with one
'ens differing in color from the other.
through which different color reactions
on the screen are emnhasized varyinEly.
-iving the innrress'on OF derth or dis
tance-or something equally clear.
" is said that when the screen is
viewed through these and an automobile
Ia seen approaching. so vivid and solid
does II appear that one unconsciously
| tries TO side step. But II is n ques-
zion whether audiences can be induced
TO carry red md Green eyeglasses TO the
nicture theatre simply for the thrill OF
sensing that Douglas Fairbanks Is ehout
10 do life like leap right into their
laps.
| An unusual travelogue made IN Ger
many Is being offered in the American
market, unusual not onlv because 1t
Ia In five reels--an exceptional length
FOR a scenic--but because the prodncers
ore willing to be satisfied with 100000
FOR It, In American currency. More
over It has exceptionally fine photog-
raphy--but with true dramatic instinct,
The real punch of the picture has been
kent by us TIL the very last
When the picture was being shot IN
| the Alps five men In the party slid
| down great abyss to their death, add