Evening star., 1927-11-13
FLASHES

~ 0a0ln al last reaches the
movies, The old thriller, al
WAYS a favorite with the ten-twent-
thirt rowing bands, came into its own
when production started, for no cX-
pcnse was spared III the effort to
turn ii into a real box office attrac-
ton. However, the critics who have
viewed the screen version are some
what puzzled over the entertainment.
An old ghost stalks about, and one
can almost hear the discussions OF
pre-Civil War days. Naturally, the
producing company is not interested
in the problems of the original story
and all OF the problems have never
been satisfactorily settled. 1t was
only looking at the novel and the
picture from the box Office stand
point, and so has been manufactured
a thrilling picture, although it seems
TO have little to commend 1t as a
high grade production.
The tom show Of the photoplay
follows as closely as possible the
original story-prohably much closer
than the stage plays. There are
shots of Southern plantations, river
DOdIS Oh lItt NllSSlNSlppl. tllN paw
life and troubles, and all that sort
of thing. together with the blood
hounds, Elias perilous crossing OF
the ice, ct cetcra. and the last halt
of the film is devoted almost entire
ly to Simon Legrec, who, according
to the title. came from the North
and established a plantation in Geor-
gia." His crueltics are detailed.
The part of Mona Ray as Topsy is
said to be overdone, and Virginia
Grey as Little Eva is mass of
movie ringlets."
AS propaganda, Uncle Toms
Cabin" was a rather good show.
Then. after it had served its first
purpose, it was worked as boob
catcher" by factors" who Travelled
around the country with a bunch OF
mastiffs, the latter masquerading as
bloodhounds. Special stage talent
was not required for an actress or
actor TO join up with a Tom show
the dogs were the best trained prin
cipals in the cast. Then. to show
that education is a real benefit to
country or community, as more
schoolhouses were established and
youth was trained in a more fitting
fashion, tastes in theatrica1s changed
and Uncle Toms Cabin passed
into the discard. In the most lone
some hick town in Brown County,
Indiana, it would not, tonight, draw
six spectators, even if the blood
hounds" were paraded down Market
street behind the Silver Cornet
Band.
The question uppermost in the
mind of the writer. and one which
may perplex many film fans, is Why
in the world the producers ever de-
cided to make a big, expensive
photoplay of story which has been
a dead one for at least two score
years?"
TEANIE MACPHERSON has writ
y ten an original story which is to
have the personal attention of Cecil
De Mile, but not word has been
issued regarding the nature Of the
picture. De Mile has not explained
the subject, and the screen writers
have been trying to find out what
it is all about But it is generally |
believed that the story will deal with |
American youth, presenting melo-
dramatic romance and pointing out |
in detail the difficult conditions fac
ing the sheik and the happcr. 1t is |
also possible that there will be a |
religious angle TO the picture. Jeanie
Macpherson made the adaptations
for THE King of Kings" and THE
Ten Commandments"
DHOTOPLAYS run in vogues, like
L the length of the skirt or the
tilt of a bonnet. At present the
underworld" seems to have the call,
and Warner Brothers announce that
they are producing "Tenderloin."
Dolores Costello will be the star.
Other pictures in process Of max
ing are "The Girl Down Stairs"
with George O'Brien and Lois
Moran; Under the Tonto Rim,"
with Billy Franey, veteran screen
comedian; Sailors Wives" with
Mary Astor and Lloyd Hughes;
"The Wagon Show" with Ken May
nard, and "Three's a Crowd" with
Harry Langdon.
=
HOLLYWOOD workers who re-
l. 1 Gently suffered reductions in
salaries are somewhat ri1ed over the
news that Carl Laemmle paid $225,000
for the screen rights to broadway"
a successful Broadway production.
It is argued that if the producer can
spend money so lavishly upon plays
why are players and directors placed
under the economy pressure.
broadway" as a picture. will cost
in the neighborhood of $500,000. it is
estimated, and the actors are asking:
"Why the extravagant outlay for a
mere melodrama when times are so
hard?" And the studio story writers
are having a word to say. They
question the value of Broadway"
and are of the opinion that they are
turning out better material as each
dayepasses. But that is just another
angle of the movie situation.
A YEAR ago there was only one
IA library supplying pictures for
home movie shows; today there are
"a such organizations. This shows