International photographer (Jan-Dec 1935)

Six The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER August, 1935 IN REVIEW With Little Bits from FAR Lands and NEAR. B\< Paul Gene Bowles JR^>yfl SCAPE ME NEVER— In the history of excellent continental productions, Paul Czinner and Elizabeth Bergner are personalities of great significance. Producing jointly for "The Eliza beth Bergner Poetic Film Company, "these two startled the cinematic world in 1924 with their first picture — the now famous "Nju." Famous now, too, are the co-stars of this and other pictures of the group, Emil Jannings and Conrad Veidt. Carl Freund later came into their ranks to make a thing of lyrical beauty in photographing "Donna Juanna," a gem in Spanish setting. I wonder if Freund, now in Hollywood, doesn't get a kick out of it when his memory and his rotound self join the audience at The Four Star to see Bergner, once again under the direction of Czinner, play "ESCAPE ME NEVER." There is evidence of the same old ambition to create the finest him artistry, the same poetry mixed with realism markedly present in this picture. Their artistry is not an attempt to be obviously different, but rather the artistry that comes through mastery, finish, undersanding. Bergner is eleven years greater than her "Nju," which was raved about. She is a superb actress who loves the screen and knows how to externalize her thoughts for the camera ; while Czinner, drawing a fine bead on his intentions, strikes at the heart of each directorial problem. He has preserved the airiness of two Bohemian lives, yet intershot it with strife and tragedy so human that it has made one of the most convincing stories I've ever seen. At the same time he has kept his characters well motivated and utterly natural. While realism is the keynote of this picture it is pervaded with a poetic air that fascinates. The charming opening scenes in Florence, the hike across the Alps, Gemat's tragic discovery of Sebastine's infidelity, the death of the bambino — all are imbued with an inspired touch that absorbs you, but is indescribable. Bergner is a wonder and Czinner cleverly suordinates cutting and purely directorial technic to the acting of the star. In the close ups of Bergner you come face to face with her mind. She makes magic use of her emotions and takes you beyond yourself, 1935, America; beyond life and into a new sphere. You have a treat in store in watching her play the street gamin, an impish child with a profound womanly feeling from whom life has taken much, yet given the key to beauty of life and the joy of living. Of special importance to those really interested in film technique is the announcement of midnight matinees each Saturday at the Grand International Theatre. Exhibited at this time will be films, many of which Time has acclaimed the "Classics" of foreign production. "Poil de Carrottee," "The Constant Nymph" — sister picture to the fine "Escape Me Never" — "Le Million," "China Express," "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," the great psychological masterpiece played by Conrad Veidt and directed by Robert Wiene, are to be shown. Forecast for the future are the famed "Potemkin" and "Mother," along with other Soviet productions. July the twenty-seventh brings THE MURDERS KARAMAZOV, a German adaptation of Dostoievsky's "The Brothers Karamazov." I saw this film three or four years ago, but nothing can dim the memory of its powerful scenes and well thought out montages. This is, I think, one of the three outstanding films of the past decade. Fedor Ozep, a product of the Russian school (Soviet), went to Germany to do this story with Anna Sten and Fritz Kortner in the lead roles. Montage and the theory of thematic development, i.e. insistence on a psycological idea as the structural foundation of a whole picture or its various sequences — have never been so successfully incorporated into a commercial film. Ozep is a genius with a solid background in the "New Cinema"; he knows his A B C's of film structure and feels keenly the power of his medium. In KARAMAZOV one is conscious that cinematic technic plays a great part in telling the tale. Contrasting this work with the Bergner picture one realizes that the actor is somewhat subordinated to the camera, which seeks out a story in the setting and life around them. Thus, a steaming locomotive — so skillfully portrayed in a study in semi close-ups by Ozep — becomes a symbol of power to, in contrast, show the meekness of Katherina, so inert in the presence of the throbbing giant. And it is Katherina who must vie with worldly Gruschenka for the love of Dimitri (who is so much like the locomotive, waiting for some force to release its potent power) ! Cognac swallowed at a draught, a fastidious bureau shot from above ; a silk covered bed turned down suggest, almost aside from the character, the licentious old libertine, father of Dimitri, as he anxiously awaits Gruschenka. The massive, bolted door to his house is pointed up to intimate the avarice of the father, spending for lust the legacy of his sons. A direct cut to a cat during the time Dimitri is arguing with Gruschenka about her inciting the father to spend the money he (Dimitri) should have to marry Katherina, deftly conveys the idea the director would have you feel about Gruschenka. Following the argument Gruschenka seduces Dimitri — and in a way that will show you that Anna Sten is a greater actress than many of her American pictures would have led you to believe. Hours later he is let out into the morning air. Puzzled — shocked, he sees the dawn break on dew covered buds, sees the country side awake. He lets the water from the wet roof douse his face and cleans and scrubs as thouhg to wash away the memory of the night. Yet the birds sing a new song, the trees bear a new foliage — the whole world is new. He is in love! The cinematic unfoldment of the "Dawning Day" is done with rare taste. You will never forget its slow rhythm and photographic beauty. CINEX TESTINC MACHINES CINEX POLISHING MACHINES BARSAM-TOLLAR MECHANICAL WKS. 7239 Santa Monica Blvd. Phone GRanite 9707 Hollywood, California Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.