The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Jul-Aug 1922)

_-July_1, 1922. ._THE FILM RENTER &*‘MOVING PICTURE NEWS. 22 25 SHAKESPEARE ON THE SCREEN. Miss Sybil Thorndike in exclusive interview discusses the suitability of the screen for presenting Shakespeare. MONGST the A ‘latest recruits to the film world can be numbered Sybil Thorndike, one of the most prominent of our stage artistes. Up to a ‘few months ago Miss Thorndike had made one screen appearance only, but since then she has become one of the sereen’s ~ most ‘ardent supporters, on ame TE TES | ‘TENSE MOMENTS WITH GREAT AUTHORS.’ Whilst the series | of Guignol plays at. the Little Theatre, Miss . Thorndike was engaged by Mr. H. B. Parkinson, . of Masters Films, to feature in one of the : ‘ ‘“ Tense Moments With Great Authors.’’ Accordingly she appeared as Nancy in the one-reel film version of ‘* Oliver Twist.’? Later Mr. Parkinson again engaged Miss Thorndike to star in the lead ing part in a series of six films to be adapted from famous plays, Grand Miss SyBin THORNDIKE. which included ‘t The Lady of the Camelias,’’ ‘*‘ The Merchant . of Venice,’’. ‘‘ Jane Shore,’’ ‘‘ Bleak House,’ ‘‘ The Scarlet Letter,” and ‘‘ The Hunchback of Notre Dame.’’ ’ These will be released through British Exhibitors’ Films from September 4 onwards. So engrossed in the work has Miss Thorndike now become that, . having finished her season at the Little Theatre, she is now devoting her whole attention to film work before she commences her new stage contract at the Coliseum in July. Several of the items in the new Masters’ serics are completed, and take the form of one-reel adaptations of twelve of the best known of George R. Sims’s works. : THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF FILM ACTING. Asked if she liked film work, Miss Thorndike said : ‘‘ I find it _ most engrossing. There is so much variety to be found in the _ film studio, especially when one is engaged on such work as these short productions. In the theatrical world I am strongly opposed to long runs of any play—that is why I liked Grand Guignol. There was variety. It stands to reason if an artiste plays the same part night after night for months and months work must become mechanical."’ Contrary to her expectations, Miss Thorndike finds that screen work does not call for exaggeration of gesture. ‘* Most people,’”’ she says, ‘* seem to think that acting for the film is merely an exaggerated form of stage work, and that stage work can help. I have not found this so. On the stage one has far more licence Digitized by Gor gle appearing in than before the camera. In the film studio every movement, every gesture, every expression must have a definite: object, a particular reason. Nothing, even the flinching of an eye-lid, is 1ost by the camera’s single but all-seeing eye. Expression, not gesture, is what the stage artiste who steps before the camera must remember."’ t ’ INTERPRETING SHAKESPEARE. Of all the parts which Miss Thorndike has ‘played for the screen up-to-date, that of Jane Shore has proved her favourite, with Portia in “* The Merchant of Venice ’’ a close second, ‘‘ I am sure,’’ she says, ‘* that Shakespeare on the screen is one of the finest methods of conveying the works of the famous bard to the people. Somchow I feel that Shakespeare, when interpreted on the stage, is somewhat difficult to understand by those who have not made a study of his plays. . Again, so much depends on the action that in a theatre one has to watch as well as listen, whilst in the kinema theatre one has only to watch, and, the artistes’ very thoughts are made obvious by their expressions.”’ In reply to a question as to whether she would like to play in Grand Guignol episodes for the film, Miss Thorndike stated that no plans had yet been made to film them. . She thinks, however, that they should make interesting films, because their success depends so much on atmosphere, and it is far more simple to obtain this atmosphere on the screen than on the stage. Again, incidents which have to be conveyed to the theatre audience by means of a descriptive conversation could be actually shown on the film. : There is no doubt that Miss Thorndike is now one of filmland’s ardent enthusiasts, and it is certain that she will follow up the work she has already done by further appearances before the camera in the near future. SIR HENRY WILSON’S FUNERAL. A SceNE From Thr Topica Bupeet. Original from NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY