Film News (October 15, 1923)

Production Reports “America” Filmed on Gigantic Scale The big outdoor scenes of D. W. Griffith’s Revolutionary War picture, “America”, have been staged on an immense scale. A thousand horsemen take part in some of the scenes, and several thousand players and soldiers. An encampment a mile long has been established at the little town of Somers, in Putnam County, New York, which lies on a hillside overlooking a valley beaded with lakes. The War Department and Secretary Weeks are evidencing much interest in the manoeuvres, as they afford an unprecedented opportunity to study from a military viewpoint the struggles of the American colonists. The cavalry have been assembled from reserve units, and a considerable force of U. S. infantry is participating in the picture. “Three Weeks” Started Production started last week on Goldwyn’s screen version of Elinor Glyn’s novel, “Three Weeks,” under the direction of Alan Crosland. The leading parts in this film will be played by Aileen Pringle and Conrad Nagel. Stuart Holmes will act the part of Petrovitch, Nigel de Brulier that of Dmitry and H. Reeves Smith the role of Paul’s father. King Vidor and his company making “Wild Oranges” from Joseph Hergeshiemer’s novel returned to the studio last week from San Francisco where some excellent open sea scenes were photographed. “On Banks of Wabash” at Washington Exchange Prints of “On the Banks of the Wabash,” the J. Stuart Blackton production for Vitagraph, have been shipped to the Washington office of Vitagraph. This picture portrays life in a little Indiana town, and was written by Elaine Sterne after many conferences with Mr. Blackton, who procured the rights for the picturization of the song from Edgar Seldon. After the picture was finished Mr. Blackton personally cut the film and George Randolph Chester was engaged to title it. The cast is headed by Mary Carr, Burr McIntosh, James Morrison, Mary MacLaren, Madge Evans, and Lumsden Hare. Harry Myers Replaces Monte Blue in “Daddies” Word has been received from the West Coast that important changes have been made in the cast of the Warner Classic, “Daddies,” starring Mae Marsh in a filmization of the David Belasco stage hit. Harry Myers has replaced Monte Blue in the leading masculine role, while Louis will appear in the part that was originally assigned to Myers. This change came about suddenly when Monte Blue was given the leading masculine role in the Ernst Lubitsch production, “The Marriage Circle,” replacing Warner Baxter. The story tells of a group of young bachelors who forswear marriage, and vow to do their share toward humanity by adopting war orphans and taking care of them. The orphans arrive from abroad, and include a girl of seventeen, a set of triplets and a number of other infant terribles. The pretty seventeen year old girl falls to the handsomest of the bachelors, and a surprising love affair is the result, breaking up the vows that each of the bachelors committed in the beginning. “TwentyOne” Completed Production on “Twenty-One,” the Inspiration Picture starring Richard Barthelmess, and to be distributed by First National Pictures, ends this week at Fort Lee, N. J. “Twenty-One” reveals Mr. Barthelmess as a very modern young man. It is a story of a rich man’s son, a poor man’s daughter, petting parties, joy rides and other typical incidents in the lives of 1923 boys and girls. The picture is full of human qualities and good wholesome modern fun, mixed with its melodramatic moments. Dorothy Mackaill plays opposite Dick, and in the cast are Elsie Lawson, Joe King, Ivan Simpson, Dorothy Cummings, Bradley Barker Nellie Parker Spaulding and Helen Tracy. , with, _ , ' 'POODLES* A HANNAFORD (~(&<£ux&ZLcriat Educational to Distribute “Yes, We Have No Bananas” “Yes ,We Have No Bananas,” the million dollar title, is at last attached to a motion picture. Announcement was made this week from the offices of Educational Film Exchanges, Inc., that they had obtained for distribution the two-reel comedy with the catchy title, which was produced by Zits Comedies. Don Barclay, star of “Go-Go.” who plays the part of the fruit stand proprietor temporarily suffering from an acute shortage of bananas, is supported by Gilda Gray, Francine Larrimore, Belle Baker. Mabel Withee, Lillian Shaw, Anna Chandler and Edna Aug. Two New Shipman Films to be Produced on Long Island “The River Road,” adapted to the screen from Hamilton Thompson’s novel, and “Home Sweet Home,” from John Howard Payne’s universally beloved song, are to be the two first of Ernest Shipman’s productions at Long Island this coming Spring. Hodkinson will distribute these pictures probably, just as they are now releasing the three latest Shipmans — “The Man from Glengarry,” “The Critical Age”, and “The Rapids.” “White Man” Forman’s Next Following the completion of “The Virginian” and “The Broken Wing,” Tom Forman is hard at work on preparations for his next Preferred Production which is to be “White Man.” This is adapted from the George Agnew Chamberlain novel of the same name. A thrilling elephant hunt is holding the director’s primary attention, and providing him with numerous problems as regards locale and participants. “Lullaby” to Be Released early in November “The Lullaby,” Chester Bennett’s most recent production for F. B. 0., is to be released the early part of November. Jane Novak is the star. An outstanding situation in the story deals with the birth of a child in a penitentiary and the keeping of the child by the mother. Film Booking Offices’ exploitation campaign will be directed to start widespread discussion of this situation throughout the country. Endorsements of the film from many prominent social workers, educators and statesmen also will form an important feature of the campaign.