New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-09
ng Chat About the Screen and Stage
.Is the Author
AT Last Coming
Into His Own?
I'm the Hunt for Something
Z New i'm the Movies This
Seems To BE the Case


Edward Sheldon has written an
original story for the screen. It is en-
titled ION the High Seas" and is now
in process Of production in Hollywood,
where Dorothy Dalton, Jack Holt, irwin
Willat, the director, ana little black
kitten are working night and day on
the Lasky lot rhe story concerns
itself with the struggle Of two ship
wrecked stokexs and . society girl who
seek refuge on q dersiict vessel. In its
| theme IL suggests anna Christie" and
little "Ths Hairy Ape" though it is
dominated even more by human pas
sion than by "cid devil Sea-" Edward
Shelden's first original screen story is
going 70 be q thriller--a msIodramatie
movie thrilier---but it's not new.
The really new thing in pictures, 1t
seems, is not in plots or in settings
but in the Importance Of the author,
and "Chuek Bender, official story tast-
or for Universal City, is letting cut
wild, weird, and woeful wall for stories
He says that Universal wants at once,
or theresbouts, several all-star cast
stories Of seven reels in length"
"Also. Fred Niblo at the Mayer Studio
says ne Is interested in any stories
that are human but two Of his produc-
tions will probably be costume pictures
and swo modern. He will not begin
shooting on his new program of four
big pictures until the middle of July
and is now busy selecting his stories,
planning his all-star casts and finish
ing the cutting on Blood and Sand,
which he directed for Paramount"
| Over the hill, trailing her $4,000
gown, goes the star. Down from his
high perch comes the director. And
| into his own-shabby, myopic. a bit
worn from his long association with
| Grub Street-comes the author Frank
e. Woods, the author-directo., put the
matter graphically, when he said:
"The suthor is the most recent per-
| son to come into motion pictures
Heretofore his place was usurped, in
large measure, by the director. Not
that the director is going, or that he is
really less important. But the d.
rectors real function is interpretive,
the authors creative. One Of our
greatest screen stars once remarked
that the best director is the one who
does the least harm to your story.
"In order to take his place in pic
lures, Of course, the screen writer of
to-day must be acquainted with screen
technique. Take George AIDE, for in
stance, who recently wrote an original
screen story for US entitled Our Lead
ing Citizen Mr.. AIDE worked at the
studio all the time the script was
being prepared and was in close touch
with US during the production. Of
course he wrote the titles, and after
he had gone East the first rough print
of the picture was sent for his fra!
C0asAu&y cO Shotp IA very LIuIDt Our
Leading Citizen is a George AIDE pic
tare.
VERY much the same thing, am
told, is true Of 'Tolable David, in
whick Richard Berthelmess played.
Joseph Hersesheimer, its author,
worked with the director ali through
the production. In so doing he joined
the ranks Of such others as Peter 3.
Kyns, Edward Knoblock, Elinor Glyn
and Rupert Hughes. II other dissin-
suished authors have not been SO Sue
eesssul in pictures it is largely be-
cause they have let themselves become
crystallized in ono form Of writ
ing, would not master tho technique
Of new medium or have taken the
screen too lightly.
"How about tbs pictures Of the
futuref Will they be different from
those Of the past?3 In detail, yes. In
fundamental dramatic situations. no.
And their writer's? Where shall we
And them7 Who knowsi wherever
creative sbility exists. Perhaps in
your atenoUranhayo