Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

744 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XIX, No. 16. Plans to Produce Opera in Pictures Maurice Tourneur Contemplates Rapid Progress as He Severs Connection with Artcraft to Make Own Pictures m AURICE TOURNEUR. who by a steady progression in the art of screen drama has won millions of admirers, will hereafter produce his own pictures. Having finished Ibsen's "A Doll's House," with Elsie Ferguson, for Artcraft, Mr. Tourneur from now on will be artistically independent, working in his own studio, choosing his own scenarios and making .his own casts, knowing that great work is always greatly in demand and that perfection has its sure and appreciative public. Mr. Tourneur has worked right through the gamut of film stories from such pieces as "The Whip." ''Trilby." which established Clara Kimball Young as a screen star, and a score of smashing pictures of incident and excitement, to the delicate visions* and idealism of "The Poor Little Rich Girl," with Mary Pickford; Maeterlinck's "The Blue Bird," "Prunella," with Marguerite Clark; "Barbary Sheep," with Elsie Ferguson, and lastly, "A Doll's House." Mr. Tourneur was a brilliant painter, a celebrated French actor, an associate of the famous Antoine, and a musician of repute before he finally took up the art of making motion pictures as his life's work. He studied the principles of light and optics; he mastered the history of costume and decoration; he learned all about fabrics; in a word he studied everything that bears upon the making of pictures that he might qualify as expert at every angle. The advantage this gave him was enormous. The everyday work of the studio he handled without conscious effort, but all the time he. aimed to widen the frontiers of the screen, to make the camera record ideas and ideals, to portray soul states, to convey to the spectator the sense of interior drama, of true personality. Before his time such a scenario as that of "A Doll's House" or "The Blue Bird" would have been laughed at as hopelessly impossible of adequate production. Mr. Tourneur takes them and they are as entertaining as a thriller and at the same time beautiful with the imagination and the intellect of the great minds who conceived the originals. Star Christens Plane During her two years' sojourn in Santa Barbara making pictures for the American Film Company, Mary Miles Mintcr has been identified with every civic event of public importance; but the recent dedication of a hydroplane built by Alan and Malcolm Loughead for government service has impressed her more strongly than anything. Mayor Neilscn made a brief address before William Dawson introduced Miss Minter. The charming little star then broke a bottle of water on the prow of the graceful plane and said: "I name thee F-l, and I dedicate thee to the service of thy country, to the cause of human liberty and to the winning of a permanent world peace." From a basket concealed in the pilot's seat, Miss Minter released six white doves, suggestive of peace. Following the services a trial flight was made, with Miss Minter as a passenger. Work on "Young America" To Begin Soon Juvenile Court Scene in New Essanay Feature Will Be Replica of That of Judge Ben Lindsay of Denver Director Arthur Berthelet is a warm THE juvenile court scenes which form such an important part in the forthcoming George K. Spoor feature, "Young America," have been prepared under the direct instructions of Judge Ben Lindsay of Denver, the father of the juvenile court svstcm. personal friend of the judge and has made a careful study of the proceedings in the Denver court. He is now in communication with Judge Lindsay, getting every detail accurate for the production. The court itself is being constructed in the Essanay studios and will be a replica of Judge Lindsay's court. Outside locations have practically all been selected, and many of the interibr settings finished. The leading players have been selected tentatively and will be announced shortly. It is expected that actual work will begin within a few days. One of the hardest "characters" to find is the dog, which takes such an important role. The dog which played the part on the stage is dead and another animal is being trained for the part. The greatest care is being taken to make the play accurate and every effort is being made to produce one of the greatest features of the year. The play was written by Fred Ballard. A beautiful scene in ''Her Helping Hand," a nczv Strand-Mutual comedy featuring Billie Rhodes. Broncho Billies Book Fast Demands have been so strong for the ten Broncho Billy dramas that Essanay has revivified that the company now is planning to issue other prints. These will be issued in blocks, one picture coming out each week. They will be released through the George Kleine system.