The Washington herald., 1922-01-29
Griffith Held an
Acting Tournament
In Casting Picture

Before D. w. Griffith began to
Aim his latest and greatest picture
orphans of The Storm" he held
what he calls a tournament Of act
ing.
Each actor or actress who was
considered for a part was measured
against the other aspirants. This
applied even to the Gish sisters,
and it was not until after the trial
that Lillian was chosen as Henri
cite and Dorothy as Louise. the
blind girl. Those now in the cast
are the flttest who nrvive-the
survivors representing more than
300 actors who were weighed in the
balance and found wanting. In the
list of those who tried for a place
in the scene are the names of many
famous actors and actresses.
The wonder OF 1t is that in con-
I.templsting the work Of making THIS
stupendous motion picture Mr..
Grifith did not. falter and then de-
eide to make a six-reel picture in
stead. The fact that he has made
enormous spectacle pictures in the
past only makes 1t more appalling,
for ignorance often makes one rush
III where Angels lear 10 IredO.
Orphans of the Storm" is one of
the most pretentious works ever
undertaken by an American. For
one set Mr.. Grifith constructed a
reproduction Of Paris $50 years ago,
he built city with twelve streets
and several blocks OF buildings. In
plain figures it took 1000 tons of
paving blocks to prepare the streets
and $4,000 panes of glass for the
windows of the buildings. A car
load Of paint was used for the tint
ing.
The fountain in the gorgeous and
scandalous Bel-Air scene was of
pure marble and the bowl of the
fountain was filled with cider, be-
cause water would noth photograph
with the sparkle which was needed
10 suggest wine. The picture has
more costly sets than any ever
filmed. and this includes even In
tolerance"
Mr.. Griffith had a stan at research
work abroad for months before he
selected even one hat for a costume
ana the costumes are as gorgeous
as the sets. For all this elaborate
uetall' however. the story itself has
not been neglected, and there is no
one who can approach Mr.. Griffin
when 1t comes to dressing up sim
plifed melodrama for present-dav
consumption. 1t is expected that
orphans Of the Storm" will make
screen history, just as the old Kate
IiaN'oh play from which It was
taken has lived for nearly half a
century.
sheik, Rudolph Valentines Bel
san ponce dog, is receiving new
a distinction along with his
master, who recently signed a three
year contract to star In Paramount
pictures The big dog is now work.
ing side by side with Valentino in
the picture version of EIinor Glyn's
story. Beyond the Rocks" in which
Gloria Swanson is starred "Sheik"
doing so well that Director Sam
WOOD thinks the company ought to
sign him to a star contract also.
Thomas Meighan. who has won
the sobriquet of "transcontinental
commuter" OF the movies because OF
his many trips from New York to
California and back. feels right at
home In his latest picture, The
Proxy Daddy" Many Of the scenes
in the picture take place on a Pull
man and dining car Of transcontl-
mental train.
wallace Reds latest picture,
Across the Continent" is a sticker
for the cameraman. Charles Schoen-
baum. veteran cameraman. who has
shot more than thirty-five pictures,
declares 1t is the hardest picture he
has ever photographed. The hard
ships and difficulties in photograph
ing the transcontinental auto race.
which Is the big feature in the pic
ture. make the work Of the camera
man most strenuous