Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1927 - Feb 1928)

10 What the Fans Think Continued from page 8 Stars are human like the rest of us and suffer at times from headaches, fatigue, ill health, and so forth, so remember this the next time you enjoy a star's work on the screen. And don't hesitate to write them nice letters, and when you want to offer them suggestions to improve their work, do so. They are glad to hear from their public. Only do not be too harsh or too critical, for, despite whatever may be said to the contrary, the stars are hard-working people ! The Extra Boy. Culver City, California Is That Nice? In the June issue of Picture Play there was an interview with William Boyd in which it was suggested that he is a "breezy, one-hundred-per-cent American hero." Horrors ! Does a "one-hundredper-cent American hero" say to his hostess, as Mr. Boyd is quoted to have said to Pola Negri, "I don't think you're beautiful. And I don't think you're the greatest actress, by a long run. And, what's more, Fm going home." . Is that nice, Mr. Boyd? Perhaps such speeches are -not out of place around oil derricks, but in a drawing-room, heavens ! The only excuse that could be offered would be that Mr. Boyd was trying to be witty. If so, it was a mighty poor attempt. An etiquette book would do him good. If he is a typical "American youth," I salute the foreigner ! I wish, now, to hand a bouquet to Mr. Conrad Veidt. His portrayal of Louis XI. in "The Beloved Rogue" was superb. Mr. John Barrymore has my sincerest thanks for suggesting that Mr Veidt should come to America for that part. A Fan. San Antonio, Texas. Did Pola Love Rudy? Nonsense! I want to throw the biggest brickbat I can find at one of screendom's greatest stars — Pola Negri ! When the world was plunged into grief by the death of our idol, Rudy Valentino, Miss Negri announced that she had been engaged to him. And we were grieved. We could imagine her sorrow. I had always liked Pola. She is a lovely woman and a fine actress. But ask me if I like Pola now, and my answer will be a big "No!" And why? Because, only nine months after the death of Rudy, she announced her engagement and approaching marriage to Prince Serge Mdivani ! Of course. Miss Negri deserves her happiness, but my goodness, why did she say to the newspapers that this was the first time she had ever really loved ! Could she truly have loved our Rudy if that's what she says now? Applesauce! Marie O'Hara. 2406 Eighteenth Street, Tampa, Florida. Sympathy for Pola. I'd like to know why every one is handing brickbats by the dozen to Pola Negri? Whose business is it, anyway, why she went to New York after Rudy died? I don't think it's going to cause the downfall of a kingdom even if she was pretending. Anyway, how could a person make herself faint? Pola's wonderful, but I don't believe it's in her power to do anything like that. At any rate, I'd have some amount of respect for another person's grief Edith M. Perrin. (').318 City Line, Overbrook, Pennsylvania. Novarro Not in Gilbert's Class. I have been reading with interest the letters written about Ramon Novarro, and it seems that the fans are just bent on comparing him with such artists as John Gilbert and John Barrymore. In a letter about Novarro written by Marion Young, she stated that Jack Gilbert, without his mustache, would suffer a tremendous loss in popularity. She seems to have forgotten that he wore no mustache in "The Big Parade," and in that he gave his most powerful characterization. He has gained thousands of new fans by his realistic portrayal of his role in that film. When Ramon Novarro can come into John Gilbert's class and portray roles as difficult as those that Gilbert has done, then, and not before, will he get the tremendous popularity that Gilbert has today. Richard Maurice. Richmond, Indiana. Hard Words for Corinne Griffith. Recently, my husband and I saw Corinne Griffith in "The Lady in Ermine," but she is certainly no lady or she would have refused to play in such a picture. We found it decidedly unpleasant, and idiotic besides. Corinne Griffith, while usually easy to look upon, was not even that in this picture, and will she ever, ever stop using her annoying expression of open mouth and raised brows? The whole movie industry, in our opinion, needs a good housecleaning — pictures, actors, directors, and producers. We're sick and tired of their eternal marriages, divorces, scandals, and so forth. Mrs. G. H. B. Webster City, Iowa. Another Good Actress Gone Wrong. Much has been written regarding Madge Bellamy's improvement as an actress since she sacrificed her beautiful long tresses in favor of bobbed hair. So many seem to think that when she sheared her locks and started to jazz things up a bit on the William Fox lot, she at last climbed out of a rut and up the ladder to glory. But to my way of thinking, Madge Bellamy has fallen into a rut instead of out of one! She has lost that beautiful spiritual quality that used always to radiate from her, no matter in what sort of production she appeared. The characters she portrayed in such unforgetable films as "Havoc" and "Lazybones" were of an inspiring, uplifting nature ; while the blah-blah flappers she interpreted in "Summer Bachelors" and "Ankles Preferred" were far removed from the heights of idealism on which I had placed her. Indeed, she finished herself, in my estimation, when she went in bathing without anything on, in one of her pictures. The sheer silliness of it — ruining a thoroughly capable actress of the Lillian Gish quality by putting her into the sort of characterizations that any of our large army of flapper actresses could undertake. The instigator of the plot should be shot at sunrise. Dear Madge Bellamy, if you see this, don't feel too badly. You're not the first actress who has passed through the back door of a studio with a lily in her hand. Martin Boi'er. 80 Hemlock Street, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. She's Seething with Indignation. A letter from Miss Viola Davies in a recent issue made me positively seethe with righteous indignation. It teemed with catty criticism of Ronald Colman. Who is this Viola Davies that she should criticize one of the screen's most-soughtafter leading men? Did M\ss Davies see that most wonderful picture, "Beau Geste," or "The Dark Angel?" If so, then her criticism is not worth the paper it is printed on. Regarding his love scenes, she says she is dis gusted with him because he does not, literally speaking, sweep his leading lady ofi her feet with his ardent wooing. She evidently forgets that Ronald comes from a country where men hold themselves aloof in their love affairs and try as much as possible to hide their true feelings from the loved one. Being a countrywoman of his, I speak from experience. To me, Mr. Colman is everything that a gentleman should be, and if he were given the role of a passionate gallant, I am certain he could put the necessary fervor into his part. Sadie Hillhynes. 63 Victoria Street, Larkhall, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Beware, Ye Barrymore Knockers! I always get a lot of enjoyment out of reading "What the Fans Think," and never before has my anger been aroused as it was when I read the comment of Jamie F. Hess in a recent issue. This fan said, "I always repair to the basement and devour a large keg of tenpenny nails whenever I hear any of the following overworked phrases," one of which was, "Greatest actor on the screen, applied to that Lon Chaney imitator, John Barrymore." Any one who calls John Barrymore a Lon Chaney imitator is either blind or else just plain feeble-minded ! I'd like to ask Jamie Hess just what role Barrymore has played in that branded him an imitator of any one ! Why, he and Chaney can't be compared I Chaney makes a business of distorting himself, a thing which Barrymore never does. If Jamie Hess was referring to the sequence in "Don Juan" in which Mr. Barrymore imperr sonated Ncri, let me say this : Lon Chaney would have required make-up to disfigure his face like that — Mr Barrymore didn't use any. He changed his whole countenance simply by manipulating the muscles of his face and "dropping" his jaw. I have all the respect in the world for Lon Chaney — I think him an artist — but he could never have produced that effect without artificial aid, nor could he have portrayed so well as Barrymore the agony of the disabled hero in "The Sea Beast." I never saw such a marvelous piece of acting in my life ! And the love scenes in "Don Juan" were positively wonderful ! I am a most ardent admirer of John Barrymore, and any one who dares knock him or say a word against him, in my presence, is going to wake up six weeks later and spend the rest of his life wondering what hit him. A Barrymore Fan. 5033 Brooklyn Avenue, Seattle, Washington. Three Conrad Nagel Fans Speak Up. Talk about frothing at the mouth I A certain epistle written by one Lillian Partes in a recent Picture Play placed me in a mood where I could very easily have placed a white cap on every wave in the Atlantic. "Anemic, pallid, colorless Conrad Nagel better than the vivid, sparkling genius, John Gilbert! Ye gods!" Those were her words. I agree with everything Miss Partos says about Mr. Gilbert. To deny any of her descriptive adjectives or to say that John Gilbert isn't the possessor of a striking personality, would be folly. He has portrayed too many delightful characters and given me too many hours of entertainment for me ever to donate anything but praise to him. But — Conrad Nagel appeals to me in every sense in a wider and more superior way than John Gilbert. Versatile, cultured, chivalrous Conrad Nagel! Did some one say anemic? If Aliss Partos was referring to Mr. Nagel's appear \