Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1916)

February 12, 1916 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 937 German Trade Notes THE Nordische Films Company has taken one more step toward monopolizing the German film market in the purchase of Bavaria's largest film institution, Carl Gabriel, Munich, which includes approximately 500,000 meters of film and all the Gabriel theaters. Inasmuch as Carl Gabriel was the Nordische's largest competitor in Bavaria, this deal puts the Danish concern in practical control of the South German market. 4> * * A number of comic one-act films are being produced by Director Danuki. The pictures which have been completed are called: "A Ticklish Matter," "Soon Here, Soon There," "A Healthy Youngster," and "A Splitting Success." For the production of this series a number of well-known Berlin actors have been engaged, including Siegfried Berisch (Possen theater), Julius Falkenstein (Trianon theater), Viktor Janson (Residenz theater), Paul Westermeyer (Thalia theater) and Hanns Kraehly; also the following actresses. Misses Thiele, Jonde, Koehler and Berger. * * « Wanda Treumann and Viggo Larsen, of the Treumann & Larsen Film Company, return this week from Copenhagen, after a very successful engagement with their sketch, "The Extremes Meet," in the Zirkus-Variete, and open this new year in the Berlin Cines Palast with an honorarium of 8,0(10 marks per month. An artistic three-act film, "Geschwister Lorris," is the latest film which has been produced by this popular pair. * • * One of the season's most successful films in Hanewacker & Scheler's Christmas production was "The Conductress of Line 6." This film, which had its premiere in the Admiral's theater, deals with the story of one of the many women who have taken the places of men as conductors on the Berlin street cars. In addition to a very interesting tale, one is shown through every detail of that enormous organization, the Berlin street car system. The Greater Berlin Street Railways Company afforded Messrs. Hanewacker & Scheler every opportunity for producing a realistic picture, and the result is a film which has been playing to crowded houses and should prove of great universal interest as a true portrayal of one of the most interesting incidents of this epoch. * * * "The Dancing Heart" is the name of a new film which Max Mack has produced for the Greenbaum Film Company. The author of this piece is Hans Brennert, and the leading roles lie in the hands of Maria Orska and Rudolf Schildkraut. This film is especially strong in inner decorations which were made under the direction of the well-known artist, von Osen. * • ♦ Notwithstanding the fact that Munich at present has fiftyfour picture houses, Messrs. Heilmann and Litman are erecting a large moving picture theater upon their Wein street property. The Bavarian Kinematographic Association has now directed a petition to the Munich policepresidency, requesting that no more moving picture concessions be granted. * * * A local film firm took pictures last week of the Berlin Christmas shopping. These films are for the purpose of showing to neutral countries the favorable condition of economic afifairs in Germany. Owing to the great crowds in the shopping districts these pictures should make a very favorable impression. * • * The Tauentzien Palast Lichtspiele, Berlin's most beautiful picture theater, which has been closed for some months, reopens New Year's Day under the management of Mr. Ludwig Klopfer, with the Imperator Film, "Satan Opium." Taking part in this film are Lupu Pick, Hermann Hellweger, Curt BrenkendorfT, Lotte Erol and Claire Dessau. "Satan Opium" was produced under the direction of Mr. S. Dessau, and, as the title signifies, is mostly enacted in an opium den. * * * The Board of Film Censorship in Duesseldorf (Rheinprovince) has prohibited the exhibiting of large film posters in the district over which this board exercises power of censorship. * * ♦ Georg Kaiser, the popular humorist, has written a film drama for Maria Carmi-Vollmoeller. The film will soon be produced by the Deutsche Bioskop Company. For the Luna Film Company, Mr. Kaiser is preparing one of his sketches in which the humorous film favorite, Anna Mueller-Lincke will appear. "From the Diary of a Mastermindreader" is the title of a new film series which the Union Company is preparing and in which the Mindreader Labero, who is at present performing in Circus Busch, Berlin, will enact the principal part. The text of the first film, "The Man with the Green Eyes," was written by Hugo Renard. The Union will also soon film Hermann Sudermann's first novel, "The President's Favorite," which was published in 1886. * ♦ * The trade in Austria is at present very active. The Oesterreichische Filmindustrie Company is preparing Austria's first great detective film, "The Moore House Mystery.' In addition to this feature, the same firm is bringing out an Alfred Deutsch-German comedy in which the three Guttmann brothers will appear. Fritz Gruenbaum, the popular X'ienna libretto composer, is also working on a film for this concern. * * * A new film factory is to be built in Vienna. The building is to be one of the largest and most complete in Europe. The Messter Film Company, the Sascha Film and Philipp & Pressburger are back of this undertaking. * * ♦ C. Miinstedt, proprietor of the Kino-Palace in the Prater, one of Vienna's large amusement parks, has to date sent 50,000 Kronen to soldiers in the field. This amount was accumulated through benefit exhibitions in the Kmo-Palace. » * * The first Anzengruber film, "The Perjurer-Farmer," was recently presented with great success by the Vienna Kunstfilm Company, who are now working upon the remaining works of Anzengruber. The leading part in the first film was taken by Hermann Benke, formerly of the Kaiserjubilaeums-Stadt-Theater, Vienna. Mr. Benke has been engaged to also play the leads in the other films of the Anzengruber series. J A. FLEITZER. Berlin, December 27, 1915. Elsie MacLeod with Vim ELSIE MacLEOD, the pretty little blonde who has been sought by many film companies, is now "putting over" comedies with vim, for it remained for the Vim Company to secure her. Miss MacLeod has done much dramatic as well as comedy work, having begun her moving picture career with the Edison Company playing child parts and shortly afterward becoming the youngest leading lady with that concern. The opinions of her admirers are varied, for while all agree on her aptitude for the humorous, her recent portrayal of Michaela in Carmen while she was with the Fox Feature Film Corporation will long be remembered. When Tweedledum, whose name is on the lips of every European picture fan and who now with the Vim (Company is known as Bungles, came to this country a few months . , . ^ . ao-o Miss MacLeod played with him in his first American fiTm'. His vast experience has taught him to recognize intrinsic value in an artist immediately; thus it happened that they have played together since then, and at present, with the banner of the Vim Company flying over them, it is only reasonable to expect startling results from them in the not far distant future. BUSHMAN AND BAYNE IN NEW METRO SUBJECT, Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne, the Metro stars who recently completed the stellar roles in "Man and His Soul," will begin work on two new Metro features.^ The first will be a picturization of the widely read novel. The Wall Between." written by Ralph D. Paine. Their second vehicle will be "Boots and Saddles," adapted for the screen from the successful play of the same name by Eugene Walters author of "The Easiest Way," "Paid in Full" and other notable stage plays. Elsie MacLeod.