Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01
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FROM THE
BY c. e. NELSON.

TIME leading directors Of thu
year have been selected by
the ballots of 221 news
- paper men and magazine
and trade critics of the United
States. This is a yearly event
conducted under the auspices Of
Film Daily for its annual Direc-
tors Annual. In looking back
over the pictures of the past year
it seems fitting that Herbert
Brenon should be awarded first
place. and he topped the list OF
directors with 1872 votes. King
Vidor was second with lSl votes
and the others received votes as
follows:
Frank Borzage, l59; Raoul
Walsh, 1872: josef Won Sternberg,
l40, Victor Fleming, 100; Fred
rablo. 95; Ernst Lubitsch, "a,
Charles Chaplin, IA, and James
Cruze. 70.
The balloting was limited to di-
rectorS of pictures released gen.
orally between May, 1927, and
May, 1928. This made ineligible
directors Of road-Show produc-
tens. which have played only the
I larger cities. The voting repre-
Sants 100 cities in 10 States. with
an estimated circulation OF TO-
4 600 COO.
The result is generally consid-
cred The Honor Role of Directors
of 1927-2S"-a sort of blue book
of the men who have distinguish
ed themselves in their particular
field of endeavor.
X ~
NEWSPAPER men were guests
of Manager StehbinS OF the
Fox Theater Wednesday night,
when they we're given the oppor-
tunity to view two unusual pic
lures, The Four Sons" and Sun
rise" The special show started at
1880, after the regular Fox audi
ences had been dismissed for the
night. and continued until well
after 5 o'clock in the morning.
Then there was a real luncheon
for the guests, with Manager
StebbinS and Hardie Meakin,
press representative, acting as
hosts.
Sunrise" which will not be
screened in Washington until the
Autumn, is one of those really
great pictures. It stars George
O'Brien and Janet Gaynor, two of
the younger players who have
climbed to picture heights during
the past year or so. The camera
work and the acting are far above
ghe average of the Hollywood
product; the photoplay is present
ed in such a manner that 1t can
be numbered among the big pic
lures of all time. This is not the
time and place to tell the plot OF
the picture, for that might spoil
the prospect of those who are
looking forward to its showing in
washington. But the lover Of the
best in photoplays cannot afford
to miss Sunrise.
''The Four Sons" is an Ameri-
can picture, but the scenes are
laid in Germany just before and
during the World War, with the
exception of shots" toward the
last fade-out. The story is a big
one. The scenes are great flashes
Of realism, and the picture can
not fell to impress audiences. It
may have its faults: the tech
niuue may not be quite UP to the
standard of Sunrise" but it is a
picture you will never forget.
4, viewing these two American
made pictures the writer is struck
with the foreign influence which
is creeping into the fllm-manu-
featuring industry, or art. In
ssThe Four Sons" the director has
been Influenced by such photo
PLAYS as THE Last Laugh" and
variety" He has closely watched
the work Of the German star,
Emil Jannings; the trick camera
str1dies-with scenes taken from
all sorts of angles-hrst came 70
Us from the foreign studios.
IN Sunrise" Murnau. the d.
rector. came 10 the Hollywood
studios from Germany He Is a
product of the Ufa group. He
has trained Janet Gaynor, who
was also his star in Seventh
Heaven" until she is the ideal
tvpe for a director to work with.
And her screen career Is just
Etartingl
Il x
Jesse L. LAsKY, vice president
= Paramount, now takes the
stand and declares that no pic
lures will be without dialogue IN
five years time. He also states
that within two or three years
there viii be 20 900 screen theaterS
in the United States playing
synchronized pictures.
Also. every Paramount picture
will have a synchronized score IN
six months, and Lasky explains
that this will mean the employ
Ynent of a studio orchestra OF 81
pieces. He goes on 70 say:
THE silent screen viii be silent
l.