Movie Makers (Jan-May 1928)

PHOTOPLAYFARE Reviews for the Cintelligenzia Photographs by First J^ationa] Helen of Troy IT is a theory of Pat Sullivan, the cartoonist, that humans can be satirized more scathingly if the characters be represented as animals, and this theory can be extended to include, with four-footed characters, the men and women to whom mythology has lent a certain glamour of unreality. For this picturization of John Erskine's famous novel, directed by Alexander Korda for First National Pictures, is a most scathing satire on the recent World War and many of its chief idols. America's martial gymnastics of recent date are transferred back to the days of Ilium, and everyone seems to have an uproarious time laughing at the gyrations in which they undoubtedly took part in 1917-18. Which is all to the good, although we rather imagine that Helen of Troy in modern dress, or rather World War dress, would cause a riot of outraged patriots. The chief distinction between the novel and the photoplay in this instance might be said to be the fact that Erskine in the novel brought Troy up to date, whereas the photoplay has made the World War dateless. Then there is the small matter of the plot, which one reviewer noted the producers had supplied in view of the fact that Mr. Erskine had overlooked that detail. But since the scenarist seems to have had easy access to the Iliad, the only damage done is possibly in the billings which might read — Helen of Troy, ErskineHomer. The great photoplay discovery of the past year, registered so that every exhibitor could read, was fhe fact that the public is not antipathetic to the truth, even though unpleasant, a "THE ARMY, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS" In Helen of Troy. revelation sealed by the success of such pictures as The Way of All Flesh and Underworld. And, this" early in 1928, we are able to note that Satire, hitherto shunned, has proven good box office. Helen of Troy will probably be able to add to her ship launching reputation, inspiration for the production during the coming year of a flotilla of satiric motion picture comedies. Nor would we be surprised to see a Trojan War, a la Hollywood, over the future services of Maria Corda, the Helen in the case. She is quite an authentic reason for any old kind of war. In short Helen of Troy is our immediate enthusiasm for the routing of the most ingrowing grouch. Sunrise "OUNRISE" is well worth the at^ tention of the intelligent photoplayer. The story motif, based on one of the oldest and most abused themes, the involutions of man, wife and another woman, is treated in an unusual manner in this Fox production. The reconciliation and aftermath provide the emphasis and the greatest dramatic interest. From the crisis, when the man, at the instigation of the other woman, tries to drown his wife, the real story begins. Although of cinematic interest throughout, it is from the drowning episode, forward, that the story is markedly designed for the cinema. The interplay of emotions of peasant man and peasant wife, before the background of their harrowing experience, carries them to the city and, through a half-bewildering and adventurous day and evening, they find happiness. Here the cinema comes into its own; feeling and emotion are translated into movement that tells more of the story than the pantomime. Of course there is a happy ending which is not an integral part of the theme and which can be ignored. "Sunrise" is not a typical "star play." The directorial excellence of E. W. Murnau has submerged the leads. Both Janet Gaynor and George O'Brien are a bit wooden and unreal as the peasant man and wife and something intangible seems to escape in their attempt to play characters unsuited to them and they are too obviously puppets. F. W. Murnau has translated the feeling of a novel of Suderman into terms of the existent cinema in a fine manner, avoiding the pitfalls of melodramatic hokum. There is a sound anticipation of what can be done with this medium. The technical excellence of "Sunrise" is more than laboratory craftsmanship. The camera has been used in a new way that tells the story with an imminence that differs from all other previous photoplay technique. One has no feeling of the limitation of a set in a studio or on the lot. One feels that the camera has been used as the focal point of an artist's imagination, nor is the effect impaired by conscious camera angles or stilted effects. THE ELOPEMENT One of the Many Lovely Scenes in Helen of Troy. Eighty-nine