The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

494 The Theatrical Field The Educational Screen JESSE L. LASKY, first vice-president in charge of the production of Paramount ir'ictures, has been in New York on his annual trip to eastern headquarters of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, conferring with Adolph Zukor, president of the organization, on the next group of productions which will reopen the organization following the shutdown period recently announced. FIVE PARAMOUNT PICTURES are now in production at the Hollywood studio, ihey are Shadows of Paris, starring Pola Negri; The Next Corner, a Sam Wood production; The Heritage of the Desert, a Zane Grey story; The Stranger, adapted from John Galsworthy's The First and the Last, and Singer Jim McKee, a William S. Hart production. Two pictures are in the making at the Long Island studio, The Humming Bird, starring Gloria Swanson, and Pied Piper Malone, with Thomas Meighan. A new contract has been entered into by Famous Players-Lasky and Cecil B. DeMille, which provides that all future productions by Mr. DeMille will go to this organization, and that Mr. DeMille will resume the executive duties of director-general. LILLIAN GISH, who is engaged on the production of George Eliot's Romola, has announced her intention of making Jeanne d'Arc. PRISCILLA DEAN, having left Universal, is to make her own pictures. No subjects have been announced as yet. MAUDE ADAMS, who has for several years been experimenting with various technical processes in the manufacture of motion pictures, is to produce Kipling's "Kim." MAURICE TOURNEUR will make Torment, a story by William Dudley Pelley, for First National release. VITAGRAPH is producing Let No Man Put Asunder, with a distinguished cast, including Pauline Frederick and Lou Tellegen. UNIVERSAL may film Ivanhoe abroad, although it would seem that the Ivanhoe material has been pretty well used up in such productions as Robin Hood and Richard the Lion Hearted. THE PHOTOPLAY MEDAL, by the way, has been awarded to Robin Hood as the finest production of 1922. Theatrical Film Reviews for December IF WINTER COMES (Fox) Ordinarily it isn't wise to read a book and then go to see the film version of it, but in this case, I say, by all means read the book first. If you don't like it, stay away from the picture, because you won't appreciate it; but if you do — then there's something fine in store for you. The film version of this popular novel, under the direction of Harry Millarde, follows the story faithfully, so faithfully as to quote verbatim whole paragraphs — ^almost pages — of conversation or explanation. This slows up the action, necessarily, but taken in conjunction with the fine performance of its principal actor, it produces the effect that its author produced in his novel. Certain episodes at the beginning are slightly disconnected and ambiguous, notably that of the Perch family, and the death of the mother, but as the story progresses it becomes more firmly knit. Mark Sabre, as played by Percy Marmont, is one of the finest performances of this or any other year. There is no really poor work by any member of the cast, but Mr. Marmont's steps so far ahead of all the rest that the picture is really his. Added to its other points of excellence are the settings. The picture was made in England, in locations selected under the direction of the author, and their authenticity is reflected in the unmistakable English atmosphere which pervades the picture. THE SPANISH DANCER (Paramount) A very beautiful and brilliant version of "Don Cesar de Bazan," the story of a penniless young noble, and a beautiful gypsy, a pleasuremad king, and a designing councillor. Pola Negri as the passionate gypsy, Maritana, returns in some measure to her own. Antonio Moreno plays the irrepressible Don Cesar with charm and spirit. Wallace Beery as the king gives a far cleverer impersonation than he will generally be credited with, and Kathlyn Williams, Adolphe Menjou, and Gareth Hughes add splendid performances. To the director, Herbert Brennon, and his technical staflF should go much credit for a