The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-14

her, and at the same time picked
out another girl student, Mona Mar
tenson.
The two girls travelled together on
the same tram car to keep their ap-
pointment on the fateful morning
when Stiller had arranged to dis
tribute the parts. Greta found that
she had been chosen for the i'm
portant role of Countess Donna,
while Mons was to play the part of
girl friend.
Work started on the film about
the time of Gretas birthday, in Sep
TENDER, 1923. and the optimistic
estimate of two months which Still
Ter had laid before Carl Brisson,
proved very far short of the actual
time needed.
The film did not proceed at all
smoothly. There were almost in
superable obstacles to be over
come Nothing short of perfection
would satisfy Stiller, and the scien-
tific precision he demanded from
his mechanical equipment was the
standard he applied to his artists,
| too.
Greta seems to have worked in
q kind of dream. "She was eX-
tremely shy and seldom spoke" said
one of her players.
For once, however, there was
something more than the old, ha-
bitual shyness behind Greta's 81
lence. A strange, new influence
had entered her life. She had
found man who was in every sense
master She had no desire other
than to express the conceptions
which Stiller outlined day by day.
THE year wore on Winter came
4 and with it the taking of the
marvellous outdoor scenes in Costa
Berling," where Lars Hanson, &C
companied by Greta, races madly
in a sledge across vast snow-felds
in a thrilling escape from pack
of wolves.
When at last the film was fin
ished, Greta returned to the dram
attic school. She stepped from the
heights of stardom back into the
blissful irresponsibility of a student,
and never dreamed of putting on
airs because of the big part she had
been privileged to play.
She was not, however, destined to
remain nonentity for long. Her
premiere eleve" contract followed
almost Immediately, and this had
only been in existence for about
week when Stiller started making
plans for a new film in which Greta
should star, and the advisability of
throwing up the contract, together
with the scholarship at the dra-
matte school, was warmly debated.
At the fiat of Alma Soderhjelm,
Finnish writer who was a friend
OF both Stiller and Greta, Greta's
fate was eventually sealed. Stiller
came in one night looking extreme
ly worried, and asked if he might
use the telephone. A heated con-
versation then proceeded over the
wires. When it was over, Stiller
threw himself into an armchair ex-
hauSted and started to mop his
brow.
''The die is cast" he said. 81
have broken Greta's contract with
the dramatic theater. Now 1 must
take the consequences. 1t can not
be helped. I want her for a film"
Il VENTS began to move quickly.
II The carefully re-edited COM
pletion Of Costa Berling" was
rushed by air to Berlin. 1t arrived
at the offices of leading film COM
pany late at night and was thrown
upon the screen in the private the
alter. -Four directors sat far into the
night celebrating on it's fate.
AT last they arrived at an agree
ment. A telegram was sent accept
ing Stiller's terms, hard though they
were. He had demanded the almost
unheard of sum of $4,000 for the
German rights.
The film would be launched with
flourish of trumpets. The direc-
tors turned over in their minds
which of the Swedish principals
should be invited to the opening.
Finally, after a good deal of discus
sion, they decided to include the
strangely fascinating, unknown
blond girl who portrayed the Coun-
tess Donna.
The journey to Berlin was Greta's
first trip abroad, and she made
preparations for it with the greatest
excitement. Geography, the hated
subject at school, began to take on
new meaning!
On Aug. 10 the little party ar
rived in Berlin. They were met by
the companys representatives, who
gave them spectacular welcome
top hats. black coats, bouquets and
many other polite attentions mark
ing the Importance of the occasion.
"COSTA BERLING" was received
" with undisguised enthusiasm.
Even at the interval, halfway
through, the applause was such as