Evening star., 1925-11-01
VIRGINIA
LI~CentraI
The Moving Picture
By Robert E. Sher1uood.

THERE are a vast number of pic
lures looming on the Hollywood
horizon. Production in all the stu
dios is abnormally heavy this year,
which means that the poor, starving
film stars are finding plenty of en-
ployment and are eating regular
meals.
This doesn't necessarily signify a
plentiful supply Of good screen en-
tertainment, but there are few pic
lures that appear from the advance
notices to be promising.
Among these prospective releases,
THE Big Parade" looms large. This
is a war story. written directly for
the screen by Laurence Stallings, CO.
author of What Price Glory" and
directed by King Vidor. John Gilbert
and Renee Adoree have the principal
roles.
Mr.. Stallings went out to Hollywood
last Winter to write this story. Dur
ing his stay in the cinema citadel he
wore a chip on his shoulder which
did not endear him to the local citi-
zenry. He berated the stupidity of
the movies, calling particularly un-
favorable attention to those suffering
scribes who are known as con
tinuity writer's" Naturally enough
anxiety to witness a failure by Mr..
Stalling in its own invasion of their
domain; but their hopes, apparently,
are not to be gratified.
When Metro Goldwyn started to
produce THE Big Parade" it was
destined TO be just another six-reel
picture Of no particular pretensions
But the production. grew in size and
in importance, just as THE Covered
Wagon" had grown, until now it is
represented as a colossal picture,
which will be shown at regular thea
ters before it is released through the
usual film channels.
THE Big Parade" has been praised
lavishly by all those who have seen
1t at previews in and about Holly
wood. 1t will be submitted to the
public before long.
At the Pickford- Fairbanks studio
work is proceeding merrily on The
Black Pirate" a picture that Doug
Fairbanks has been threatening to
produce for some years. and on
Scraps" in which Mary Pickford
impersonates the guardian of a baby
farm.
Famous Players has in preparation
"Mannequin." the $4,000 prize story
by Fannie Hurst. which is being d.
rected by James Cruze; "Alora of
the South Seas" with Gilda Gray.
Percy Marmont and SeSsue Haya-
kawa; The American Venus in
which the celebrated beauty, Fay
Lanphier. is to make her official de
but; Betty Bronson in another Barrie
play, "A Kiss for Cinderella" and the
screen version Of Conrad's Lord
jim"
Norma Talmadge is about OF start
work in "Kiki," and Constance in
East Of the Setting Sum-" which is
to be directed and played in by Erich
Van Stroheim. Rudolph Valentino is
soon to emerge in 1.-The Lone Eagle"
At the Warner Brothers studio
work has been completed on The
Sea Beast" with John Barrymore,
and the Ernst Lubitsch production
of Lady Windermere's Fan" The
second Barrymore picture, THE Tav-
ern Knight" is now in preparation.
First National has in work Men
of Steel" with Milton Sills; The New
Commandment" with Blanche Sweet,
Ben Lyon and Holbrook Blinn, and
Harry Langdone feature comedy (as
yet unnamed).
Dimitri Buchowetzki has finished
"The Midnight Sun" at Universal
City, and wives for Rent" with Vir-
ginia Valli. directed by Svend Gade,
will be ready soon.
Aside from THE Big Parade" the
most important production at the
Metro Goldwyn studio is La Bo-
heme," with the incompatible Lillian
Gish as Mimi ben Hur' is still in
preparation and will probably con-
tinue SO for some time, the original
players having grown gray in the
service.
Cecil B. De Mile. who has lately
started in business on his own hook,
has two big pictures on the cards,
1.-THE Road to Yesterday" directed
directed by Rupert Julian.
rocket" Marshall Neilan's new pic
lied Peggy Hopkins Joyce appears as
star.
The Fox Company has on schedule
1.-The First Year" with Matt Moore,
and "The Silver Treasure" from Con-
RAIDS "Nostromo."
1t is impossible to estimate how
many of these prospective pictures
will turn out well. or how many will
die in infancy. There is a strong
basis for optimism, however. The
movies actually seem to be getting
better; there are more good stories
available and more competent actors
and directors to convert them into
celluloid.
(copyright. 1881.