Canadian Moving Picture Digest (May 1924-Apr 1925)

By HECTOR CHARLESWORTH (Exclusive to THE DicEst.) Page Nine Pictures in Toronto | ; “Singer Jim McKee” ~ FPRUMOR has it that “Singer Jam M mS McKee” is W. S. (“Bill”) Hart’s last picture and perhaps for that reason the picture has been filled to the brim and overflowing with the kind of sensations for which Bill and_ his Ne famous Pinto pony are famous. Jim McKee ought to go to jail several ‘times over for the deeds of violence __ which figure in this story, but in the de more sensational movies people are ; age not sent to jail unless they are inhip nocent. Jim’s crimes and misdemean _ purpose of providing his old chum’s afi" F. daughter with a dowry and a position in good society; also to save her from ee machinations of ruthless pursuing ie villains. Needless to say Jim rides Bye through a plate glass window with fine bravado and when he faces death has a noble quality of nonchalance Needless to say he comes out unscathed. In discussing this matter of Bill Hart's possible retirement from the stage West to enter more peaceful walks of existence, it may be said that only oldtime theatregoers like the writer have an inkling of how old ss is. Long before he had achieved _ fame as a cow-boy dare-devil on the screen he had served as an actor with a the “legitimate.” I once astonished a Boston professor by telling him that in the early nineties ] saw ‘Hart enact the role of William Shakespeare in an Elizabethan romantic play of which the poet was the hero. ‘This was when he was supporting the Belgian star Madame Rhea and playing roles like Benedick in “Much-Ado About Nothing” and Napoleon in “Josephine.” | have also seen him play a Bassanio in “The Merchant of Venice” to the Shylock of R. D. Maclean. _ His assumption of Western types when he made a tremendous hit as ~ a bad man in support of William Faversham in the original presentation of “The Squaw Man.” From that day he became a Western type on stage and later on the screen; and few people realize that he was ever anyaed Ann else. WANTED A live Shownian as partner in Road _ Show proposition. Have new auto truck, machines and equipment in _ A-1 shape. Experienced road-man } with a little capital preferred. Have Wg rator. Act Quick. Apply JOHN YMN, CHESLEY, ONT. gars are committed for the altruistic News Service The excellence of the news services in the better order of film theatres is now an order of notoriety and they bring home to the public large events in a way quite inimitable. Who of us would have realized from cable despatches alone the pathos of the sinking of the famous warship H. M. 5. “Australia,” officially scuttled in compliance with the terms of the Wash ington disarmament treaty? ‘This was Australia’s own ship and during the war she rendered a great service that is almost forgotten, for it was she that chased into shallow water and destroyed the German commerce raider “Emden.” The ‘“Emden’s” own achievements were heroic, but so long as she was afloat she was a menace to all allied trade on the Pacific. Consequently though I favor universal peace, I could not help a catch in my throat and a moistening of the eye when, on the screen I saw the “Australia” yielding up her last breath, as it were. The camera work and the reeling of these pictures was admirable; just the correct speed to emphasize the dignity of the situation. I find a great variation in the handling of news films in this matter of presenting incidents at the proper speed. Many pictures of great functions of universal interest are reeled off in a way that deprives them of the greater part of their significance. On the other hand some really superb work is being done by reeling pictures in a way that suggests absolute reality. For instance I have seen nothing better than the pictures of the trooping of the colors at Buckingham Palace on the King’s birthday. Here the splendidly picturesque Guards regiments of the British army were seen marching, just as they march in actual performance; a shade faster or a shade slower would have destroyed half the impressivenes of the spectacle. It seems to me that tempo of pictures, and especially news pictures, of the impressive order, is important as the tempo of music. Everyone knows that you can kill all the dignity of a fine composition by jazzing it; and too many fine pictures are jazzed in the desire of managers to rush a programme through on schedule time. picture theatres must have been irrit ated at times by “jazz” on the screen;.. in ou Go gle Every patron of the motion and it is a pity to spoil news films obtained in many instances under great difficulty by slip-shod reeling. MARITIME REVIEWS By ALICE FAIRWEATHER “The Dawn of a Tomorrow” “The Dawn of a Tomorrow” at the Capitol recently, is the adaptation of the Frances Hodgson Burnett play and story and is a most refreshing ex cursion into the realm of Realism. — There is no mawkish sentiment in this — Paramount production and the director has stayed with the theme that happiness can be enjoyed by wishing itis © Aer story is unpretentious. Its screen version is colorful, has plenty of incident and atmosphere without unwarranted hocum. ‘The melodramatic threads serve the theme, the desire of the heroine to find happiness and her faith in her hero, a product of the London slums. George Melford, the director, is always reliable. He has not erred i this one. His London backgrounds— the slums, the ever present slums, the sordid rooms of the wastrels, the beggars and the bobbies—these are in rich focus here. And the story goes bounding along telling a familiar tale with emphasis on the heart appeal. It certainly sends out a note of optimism without any sticky sentiment. Jacqueline Logan and Raymond Griffith do splendid work as the leads. This is a fine audience picture, for the entire family, finely acted and staged. It should appeal everywhere. Ann Cornwall To Appear With Vernon Bobby Vernon has engaged Ann Cornwall, well known player in feature pictures, as his leading lady, and she will make her appearance in the first of the series of six Bobby Vernon Comedies which he is producing for release through Educational beginning in September. ‘The picture has been started at the Christie Studios, where all the Vernon Comedies will be made. Miss Cornwall's name has been associated with leading dramatic companies and some of her recent portrayals will be remembered in the George Fitzmaurice production, “To Have and To Hold,” with Betty Compson, and with Richard Barthelmess in “The Seventh Day,” and also “The Gold Diggers” and “Dulcy.” eS oe Eile eel ab BS ieee iat a oi es nln det be ak a baseb QaTi as ha > alt