Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-20
The Moving Picture
Bv Robert E. Sherwood.

ERNST LUBITSCH has made an
other notable contribution to the
screen. 1t Is film version Of Lady
Windermeres Fan" adapted, Of
course, from the Oscar Wilde play
and performed by cast that includes
Irene Rich, Mae McAvoy. Ronald Col
man and Bert Lytell.
LubitSch has done something here
that has never been accomplished be-
fore. He has proved that a delicate
and subtle play may be transplanted
directly to the screen without loss of
its flavor. its strength or its point.
Lady Windermeres Fan" as movie
is just exactly as good as Lady Win
dermere'S Fan as play-the one is
not a cheap counterfeit of the other.
Moreover. Lubitsch has done this in
a thoroughly legitimate manner. He
has not attempted to retain the origi-
nal dialogue of the play. expressed in
long-winded subtitles. He has told
/ the story in terms of moving pictures.
relying on the composition of his
scenes. the expert manipulation of his
camera effects and. the pantomime of
| his characters to convey the thoughts
! that Oscar Wilde set down on paper.
In this he is aided materially by the
brilliant performances of Irene Rich
rs Mrs. Erlynne and of Ronald Colman
as Lord Darlington. Here are two
real, credible people, whose emotions
and reactions are instantly recogniZ-
able to those who bear with them the
common bond Of humanity.
1t is pleasant 70 see Irene Rich
achieve this positive triumph in an
Ernst Lubitsch production, for it is
she who is primarily responsible for
his present happy situation in Holly
wood
After Lubitsch had gained for HIM
self a substantial reputation in this
country as 4 result of Passion DE
ception" and other pictures. he was
imported from Germany by Mary Pick
ford to direct her in Dorothy Vernon
Of Haddon Hall" On arriving at Hol-
lywood and examining the manuscript
of Dorothy Vernon Lubitsch an
nounced emphatically that it was not
for him. and Miss Pickford's plans
were changed accordingly. She
brought out "Rosita" as a possibility,
Lubitsch fancied that and production
was started. AS Clare Eames had
come to Hollywood to play Queen
t,liZabeth in Dorothy Vernon" she
was held over to impersonate the
queen in ''Rosita.' But the part did
not suit her and she went home to
New York.
Miss Picllford then sent to the War
who accepted the role. and played it
satisfactorily. After the completion
of "Rosita," Miss Rich returned to
Warner Brothers with the information
that Ernst Lubitsch was the finest d.
rector she had ever known. She so
impressed the Warner boys with the
importance of this German invader
that negotiations were opened at once.
Lubitsch was given a contract, by
which he had full power to select and
adapt his own stories, choose the cast,
spend as much time and money on
each picture as he might need, and
present his completed production to
the public without cutting, editing or
alteration by other hands.
1t was a marvellous contract-prob-
ably the best that a director has ever
made-and Lubitsch has more than
justified the confidence thus placed in
him. He has made for Warner
Brothers the following pictures: THE
Marriage Circle Three Women"
kiss Me Again and Lady Winder-
meres Fan" all Of which have earned
eXtravagant praise from those who
take the silent drama seriously.
r X x
Returning, for an instant. to Mary
Pickford, it is announced just at pres
ent that she and Douglas Fairbanks
will start on their long-deferred tour
around the world in January. On
their return to Hollywood, q year
later, they will make one tremendous
picture in which both will appear, and
they will then retire gracefully from
active service on the screen. and de-
vote their considerable energies to the
management Of their joint business.
This sounds all very fine, but I for
% x-tn
nouncements with skepticism. If L
may be permitted to offer a prophecy,
it is this:
That Mary and Doug will not travel
around the world, but will return to
tho United States after a few months
in Europe:
That they will not appear together
in a motion picture:
That they will not retire from the
screen for at least five years from this
date.
Copyright. 1921