The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

From Hollywood 235 Bit is only very recently that it has be- ftme the rule rather than the exception H>r companies to fare farther than Cali- Irnia and neighboring states for "atmos- Hiere." But the passion for realism per- sists, and now pictures which involve well liown events and places are filmed almost litirely on the actual scenes. In most Ises it is cheaper than to "fake" the jjenes. Iff he Monte Carlo sets for the famous Foolish Wives" were built on the Califor- la coast near Monterey, at enormous cost lid with infinite pains and attention to de- ils. The result on the film is a well-nigh fcrfect reproduction. But were the pic- Ire to be done over, it would probably l)st less to take a company abroad and lake the scenes on the real location. A story now in production centering round the Kentucky Derby, was partly Imed in Louisville during the racing sea- |>n last spring. Stories located in Cuba, [anada, or Alaska are much more likely j> be filmed in those places than at home, hough California can show replicas of ■iem all. It is a curious fact that the real loca- jon in some instances has proved disap- pinting to audiences, upsetting their pre- pnceived notions of certain places, and as result failing to convince. And it often jappens for that reason if for no other, be producer prefers to make his picture jt home. There is a story circulating about he studios just now, concerning a well jnown director who took his company to Virginia on location, and finding that that itate failed to live up to his expectations, jvrired to the studio: "No Virginia scenery liere. Will shoot picture at Big Bear." Whereupon the company journeyed back, nd Big Bear, California, added another to :s long list of professional appearances on he screen. Within the last season or two, England nd several of the European countries iave actually appeared occasionally as back- rounds for stories, and no doubt would do so more frequently were it not for the comparatively meager facilities for mak- ing pictures abroad. Climatic conditions too, are to be considered, especially in Lon- don, where fog often puts a stop to produc- tion. In spite of the drawbacks, however, American companies are making more pic- tures abroad. For example, a new version of "The Christian" has been filmed in Eng- land and on the Isle of Man; "Ben Hur" which is to reach the screen at last, will be made in Italy and Palestine. "Three Live Ghosts" was made in London, and "The Man From Home" in Italy. Interior settings are nearly always con- structed on the studio stages—because in the studio, lighting facilities are complete, and because the set can be constructed with due regard to the exact needs of the ac- tion. Economy plays its always-important part in the building of sets, and construction is always limited to just what will actually be caught by the camera. But within these limits, the sets are solid, and remarkably well made. Material is in many cases much finer than would be used in ordinary homes or buildings. Steel and concrete play an important part, and details are carefully planned and executed. Among the sets for Harold Lloyd's cur- rent picture, called at the present writing, "Doctor's Orders," is one representing a hall and stairway in a rich man's home. Dull, dark wood work, tall, fluted columns, polished floor and stairs, stained glass win- dow and carved stone fireplace gave the place a medieval air, lightened by panels on the walls, done by hand in the Maxfield Parrish manner. And with all its beauty, it was built for wear, for the wooden panels responded to sundry inquisitive rappings with good, solid, thumping echoes, and the stone fireplace was to all feeling and ap- pearance, stone. Yet in all likelihood the set will not appear in the picture, for at the time I saw it, I was told that a change had been made in the story which would eliminate all the scenes in the hall.