The Motion Picture Director (1927)

50 THE MOTION PICTURE DIRECTOR OF HOLLYWOOD February Impressions of Blanche and Micky By Margaret Ettinger IT HAS been my good fortune for the past year and a half to be in constant contact with two extremely interesting and charming screen per¬ sonages. Two geniuses of the cinema whose unusual fabric has stamped some indelible impressions upon my mind. I am referring to Blanche Sweet and Marshall Neilan. I think one of the greatest charms of Blanche Sweet is her originality. There would never be the slightest reason to say, “Be yourself,” to her. She is. Nor could you visualize her as one of a mass, following a single leader. In fashion, in her mode of living, in all things, she guides herself. There are two predominating factors about her. One is her untiring energy to perfectly complete anything she may go after and the other her flair of in¬ dividuality which is sponsored by a great thinking brain. Blanche Sweet will always be an influence in pictures as long as she cares to stay in them. Where other stars run the gauntlet and fade out with scarcely an audible flicker, Blanche, like the magician with a bag of tricks, will always have something of interest up her sleeve. If she should leave the screen tomorrow, I should look for her to strike forth with a successful plunge into something else. Her versa¬ tility would savour success with any¬ thing she might choose to specialize in. There is a great spirit of bravery about her. Though slight and ex¬ tremely feminine, she e.xhales a power that could combat tbe world. Perhaps it is because sbe has been on the de¬ fensive since early childhood when side by side with her grandmother she car¬ ried on the battle of earning a living. She is not the impulsive type, but in¬ stead weighs well any decision before making it. I could never think of Blanche Sweet being unfair in any of her dealings. Fair play goes hand in hand with her ability to read character. Though she determines slowly upon friendships, those she makes are lasting and she now numbers among her friends the ones she acquired years ago when she first entered pictures. She has an amazing memory. She regards detail as tremendously impor¬ tant and concentrates upon it in han¬ dling business and in her manner of living. She forces herself to do the things that she knows are good for her even though they may be distasteful. Exer¬ cising twice daily, in the morning and at night, she finds beneficial to her. Therefore, nothing interferes with the routine of it, though she gets no amount of pleasure out of it, other than know¬ ing it is good for her. One of her predominating thoughts is, “Do the things that you do not want to do.” Following this thought closely she has achieved much that might other¬ wise have been impossible. Being human, she has influences. Two of them in fact. Her grandmother, Mrs. Alexander, who reared her and guided her through childhood, and her husband, Marshall Neilan. Her affec¬ tion for them is tremendous. No one else can change her mind, once it is made up, for after determining upon which side of the fence she is sitting she is there like the rock of Gibraltar — not to be budged. Before she has made a de¬ cision, however, she listens to and ac¬ cepts counsel from those she depends upon and trusts. She takes a keen interest in her sur¬ roundings. She could never be happy in the ready-made type of home. The place her husband has bought for her in Beverly Hills is uniquely done. There is nothing about it that suggests any other home in California, the United States or the world, for that matter. Each article was purchased carefully by her. Completed, it represents Blanche Sweet’s ideas and moods, coupled with her exquisite taste. She is well poised, well read and fortified to stand inde¬ pendently on her own two feet as an in¬ dividual. As for Marshall Neilan, he is the genius type. Therefore he is a whimsi¬ cal man of moods who is guided entirely by his emotions. He is called the Mark Twain of the movies, for his wit has brought him laurels from some of the great brains of the world. He has made a business of making other people happy and in the mad rush of things has found time to pause be¬ side the roadside to offer a helping hand to many a faltering traveller. All of the down-and-out stars, actors, direc¬ tors and producers come to him for aid, whether they know him or not, and they are never refused help by him. H e is the most misunderstood man in Hollywood. Only those who know him well recognize him for what he is. He coats his greatness with an exterior that makes him appear happy-go-lucky. With¬ in there is an active and ingenuous brain that never stops working, and a soul that only comes to light when one is fortunate enough to glimpse him in one of his rare moods. (Continued on Page 64) cci TWO INTERESTING HOLLYWOOD PERSONALITIES Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Neilan. Informal poses of this charming Hollywood couple. "Micky” directs and of course, you know Blanche Sweet —