Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-22
Flashes From the Screen
News and Comment Of the Picture World
BY c. E. NELSONs

talking pictures is the scrapping
of old-Style continuity. This con-
tinuity explained the various
camera shots or angles, and now
these are all, taken in the master
scene, with four or more cameras,
so the writer does not write con-
tinuity any more"
Baker holds out hope that In
the months to come che producers
will drop the plots which have
been in vogue since the advent
of the talkieS. He says: pic
lures go in cycles. We have had
war stories, underworld stories
and back-stage stories, but these
are about ended. From now on
the production organizations will
attempt to have well balanced
programs, with all sorts of pic
lures, just as each company at
tempts to have among it's contract
players all types of stars"
This latter plan is a good one.
The theatergoing public is get
ting pretty tired of back-stage
plots and the rattle Of machine
guns.
This department has been
queried a number of times as tc
why the picture makers were
sending out so many stories of the
same character. The answer Is
rather easy to one who has fol-
lowed the ideas Of the magnateS.
For instance, along comes a pro-
Queer with a story of the char
acter of broadway Melody"
which turns out to be a big box
office attraction. Other produc-
ers, following closely the profit
and-losS columns, see what
Broadway Melody" has accom-
plished. They call their directors,
rush through a few back-stage
stories and every producer in the
game is advertising just such a
sound film. Then, too, the back
stage story lent itself well to the
sound pictures; there was a
chance to string together a snappy
plot, a chance to produce conSld-
cradle music and a chance to
show the girls. Ricture production
may travel along in cycles. but
the cycles are usually occasioned
by one producer making a hit
with a certain type OF picture.
The successful producer is the
bellweather, or the leader OF the
flock.
FOLLOWING the stars Of the
stage, the opera and concert
singers are entering picture work.
John Mccormack was the first OF
the high-priced singers to lend
his voice to the recording micro
phone, and he is now working IN
a picture in Ireland. Bernice
Claire, a protege Of Nine. Jeritza,
has signed a contract with First
National, and she will sing in mo,
No. Nanette." Miss Claire was a
member of the San Carlos Opera
Co., and at 20 years OF age she
became the prima donna OF the
New York production OF THE
Desert Song"
CONSIDERABLE interest is man
~ ifested in the new picture
which AL Jolson will start within
a few days. The story, "Mr.
Bones" was written by Irving
Berlin, and Michael Curtiz will
direct. Lois Moran has been
selected for the feminine lead. and
a few of the other members of the
cast are Louise Dresser. Lowell
Sherman. Tully Marshall and
Mitchell Lewis. OF course, the Vita
phone will be used, and AL will
sing any number of new songs
It may be that the story gets away
from "The Jazz Singer" theme.
which has just about run its
course, according to any number
of movie patrons. We are eX.
pecting much of this "Mr. Bones"
SHORT FLASHES.
ON the callboard of the First
National studio, in Holly
wood, last week was listed a re-
quest for the following movie
players: A suffering man. a
stammering woman, a hair-lipped
man, a handsome young man with
a cold in his head and a lisping
Negro girl, IL years old. The di-
rectors say that realism demands
allie sorts of voices for the new
sound pictures"
Alice Whites real name Is Alva
White. She was born in Pater-
son, N. j., if you should care to
know, and she attended a board
ing school down in Virginia.
Douglas Fairbanks, jr., Is play
ing foot ball with high school
team. But only for scenes OF
1.-THE Forward Pass"
The German producing COM
panies are going in for sound pic
lures and the first pictures, adj
vertised as 100 per cent German
talkies. will be exhibited this Fall
in Berlin.
Louise Fazenda has the femi-
nine lead in the Christie picture
Faro Nell"
Margaret Mann has been added
to the cast of "Disraeli," starring
George Arliss. Warner Brothers
are producing and Alfred e. Green
is directing.
Gary Cooper has started work
on Medals" a film adaptation Of
a Barrie play. can Old Lady
Shows Her Medals"
1.-The Man" is the working title
given the next John Barrymore
production. It will be started in
September