Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-02
FLASHES
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FROM THE
BY c. 4. NELSON.

IDNTGHT premieres are
IN getting to be quite the rage
VI in Washington, and the
a u latest one took place at the
FOX Theater last Tuesday night,
when the, management, with the
genial Hardie Meakin rs host, pre-
scented Street Angel for a group
OF newspaper men ana llen
friends. The idea back OF the
whole thing-and back Of all Such
.prenniereS. Tor that natter-WaS 10
have the movie writer's write
their heads Of concerning the
new picture. There was no secret
about this point, for the Invisible
master of ceremonies made Sucn
pn announcement before the first
scene Of Street tngel' was
flashed upon the screen.
And Street Angel with the
lovely Janet Gaynor ana CharIeS
Farrell in the leading ro4eS. IS
worth writing about. II mas al
ready drawn much attention from
the Scribbling fraternity, and II
will draw considerable more be--
fore it passes into the land OF
forgotten pictures. Janet GaSnof
is at her best and she fultillS the
promise given in sunrise ana
other early work. Charles Farrell
is really one of the top-notcherS
OF the Hollywood group. He will
Go even bigger things III the
screen world, The vehicle, which
is a story of italian love. is ideal
for the co-StarS, and the direction
hv Frank BorZage compares with
TIE very best. IN fact, the dl-
rector finds a place with such di-
rectorS as Ernst LubitSch, David
Wark Griffith and the German,
Nurnau. The photography, eSpe-
cially the Naples street and water
front scenes, show some OF the
forward steps of the past few
months. The picture. at the Tues
cay night premiere, was accom-
panied BIZ an appropriate Vita
phone score-but It is not
"talkie"
MERRIAM COOPER and Ernest
Ava Schoedsack. producers of
Grass" and Chang" have ar
rived in Hollywood after a year IN
the British Sudan, and Jesse L.
Iaskv announces that they pos
snsS two score reels Of exposed
negative. the result OF a years adj
venture and hardship. Their new
picture will be known as -Four
Feathers" and ii is described as
zone Of the most important and
unusual pictures yet attempted
Il will have complete synchroniza-
ton. which means that the thrills
and sounds of the African wastes
will be presented to the cash Gus
toners. The scenes form back
ground for the telling Of a story
by A. w Mason. whose novels OF
adventure are popular with the
American reading public.
A MONG the complications
brought about by the sound
movies is the Language problem. "
How are the American pictures TO
be exhibited in Europe? And how
are the European pictures TO be
placed before the American audi
ences?
An anti American picture COM
bine is forming in Germany, and
the producers are planning their
defense in this country. They are
signing European players for the
'talkies" designed for distribution
In the particular countries repre-
scented by these players. Paul
Wegener. one of the best known
OF the German cinema stars, has
signed a contract 10 come to
America to make a picture which
will be distributed in central
Europe. Also, plans are under
way to sign French and Italian
stars for speaking parts. The Ger
man producing companies, how
ever. have not been asleep. They
are forming a combination to eff
feet q unified sound projection
equipment TO head of the threat
ened American sound film in
vasion.
The European countries have
been up against the language
problem" in a smaller way since
they first started producing pic
lures. For instance. all titles were
arranged in two or more lam
guages, all being thrown upon the
screen. In Antwerp, where the
writer visited during the past
Spring, the movie titles were in
French and Dutch. The movie
going population was about $3.50,
which necessitated the two sets Of
titles with all pictures. In certain
sections Of France, English and
French titles go together, and in
other sections Of the same
country. Italian and French go to-
gether.
NOT knowing just where they
stand, the producers are
certainly planning a big expense
account with SOUND pictures in
this country for the coming year.
Il is estimated that $40 900 900
viii be spent on the '.noiSies but
only $50 900 900 actually going
into the production The other
10 millions is expected TO back
campaign Of the musicians against
SOUND pictures, or what they are
HUE lflbEE EekEH AL LallklC0
music" in the theaters.
4
IT is predicted that the the2ters
equipped with sound devices
will do the big business during the
coming Winter. Every important
studio in Hollywood is preparing
for the sound pictures, and ex-
penses are running into the mil
lions of dollars, and yet there are
several persons interested IN the
photoplay who DO not speak well
Of the sound pictures
King Vidor and Herbert Brenon
are among the leading directors