The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

6 THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. and in a brief. chat-I-had with her, expressed her delight. at being engaged to feature in such a production. Miss Blythe left for Berlin on Monday night and by the time these lines are in print will have been hard at work. Exhibitors with memories of the phenomenal business that ‘‘ Flames of Passion ’’ and ‘‘ Paddy-the-Next-Best Thing ’’ have done at every theatre where they have been shown are eagerly looking forward to yet another winner from this young producing company. ‘‘La Garconne’”’ Filmed. UNDERSTAND that a film version of the notorious French novel, ‘‘ La Garconne,’’ has been prepared for the world’s markets under the title of ‘‘ The Bachelor Girl,’”’ and that we may shortly see the picture over here. Without desiring to say anything to prejudice the commercial chances of this production, I do very scriously question the wisdom of putting a story like ““ La Garconne ”’ on the screen. I have nothing to say in condemnation of a novel which has been praised by so great a critic as Anatole France, but the privacy of the study and the publicity of the picture theatre are two vastly different things. There are certainly a large number of incidents in the book which could not be publicly filmed, and yet if these are omitted what becomes of ‘‘ La Garconne?’’ A Dangerous Game. F, as the adaptors of the story claim, every offensive scene and suggestion has been expurgated I am at a loss to see why the film should be ascribed to the novel at all—the latter being full of the most extreme elements of sexuality from start to finish. True, ‘‘ La Garconne”’ has a. certain ‘‘message’’ for modern woman, but as most of this is conveyed by means of psychological disquisitions it is difficult to understand how it can be “got over’’ on the screen. If ‘‘ The Bachelor Girl ’’ turns out, as it may, to be a quite innocuous version of the tamer portion of the book, with the heroine’s perversities blacked out, then again I suggest that the promoters of the film will do immense harm to the kinema in this country if they go out of their way to associate it with a worl of fiction which, even in France, was considered by many authoritics to be unfit for public consumption. The Royal Bride. S the French King declared, ‘‘ L’etat, c’est moi,” so every bride might declare, ‘‘ The wedding, it is I.’’ Gaumont’s photographers seem to have realised that when taking the film of the Royal Wedding, for the pictures of the Duchess of York were numerous and effective, the fine quality of the photography being remarkable. Considering the obstacles presented to the film man by the crowds and the horsemen escorting the procession, congratulation is deserving for the achicvement. Peter’s Personalities. HEN we appear at Heaven’s gate, And for our quick admission Hand up our passport quarter-plate For instant recognition. Will the stern porter dash our hopes? It greatly would-displease us To find we're tested by a ‘‘ scope’”* That sees as Peter sees us. Mion May 5, 1923. A Stylish Publication. ~~ © = =~ il aa film industry in Germany is nothing if not enterprising in advertising its productions, and in ““Das Grosse Bilderbuch des Films,’’ published by the daily film journal, ‘ Film Kurier,” are full descriptions of new productions and photogravure illustrations of real artistic merit. The whole volume is beautifully printed, and runs to 232 pages in addition to a welldesigned and printed cover of stiff board. Lengthy articles on various aspects of the film industry, full-page portraits of stars, directors, and technical heads of the industry, are features of the publication, in which the leading German producing houses have taken large space —in some cases as much as forty pages. Goldwyn Joins with First National. FTER months of rumour, definite news is to hand that Samuel Goldwyn has signed a contract with Associated First National, America, for a series of George Fitzmaurice productions and a picture version of ‘‘ Potash and Perlmutter.’’ The production of “* Potash and Perlmutter ’’ will be the first release under the new agreement. The negotiations, which terminated on the signing of the contract, have been under way for many weeks and, I understand, the deal was not closed until Mr. Goldwyn had been thoroughly convinced of the facilities offered for the marketing of his pictures through the First National distribution system. George Fitzmaurice, the well-known producer, who is associated with Mr. Goldwyn in this deal, will make one of Hall Caine’s stories his first picture, exteriors for which will be made in the vicinity of Rome. Barbara La Marr, Montague Love and other prominent actors will be sent overseas to make exteriors for this picture, which is to be in the nature of a super. New Censorship Offensive? CONFERENCE of representatives of the larger A local authorities met at the Home Office on Wednesday and considered a proposal of the London County Council to strengthen the present arrangement in regard to the censorship of films. The proposal also aimed at ensuring greater uniformity of action by licensing authorities and, I understand, general agreement is expressed with the main principles of the scheme. It is up to the trade to watch this very carefully, as I think this meeting foreshadows a definite offensive by tho L.C.C. on the liberty of the film industry. Entertainment v. Education. WRITER in the ‘‘ Glasgow News ”’ has been telling readers that it has often occurred to him that it would be an asset to Glasgow if someone were to open a kinema and devote it exclusively to the showing of the best of the travel and instructive films. It would be an interesting experiment, but would it be profitable? There’s the rub. I should hesitate to advise this writer in the ‘‘ News” to invest any of his surplus capital in any such enterprise. Our good friend admits himself that ‘‘ the public want to he entertained and_ not cducated,’? so we should just let it go at that.