Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1918)

March 2, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1223 g? g> ^ g* g° €• <£• €:■ g-» §5 ^^g-K'g'g • j -s> <s -5 g °s o o »-» -a -s? -s »3 «s °s -is^g 6 SI fi. State Rights Department Conducted by C. S. SEWELL .%r» | . g; &. <'. e<". ^. qc. *?■ g> s^g^r. ?• j^-g^j; 'S'3'3 g °s> gsjs g -s .s> g g g^jjgZ!* C. C. ffife GWs /nta State /tttf/if Business Younger Brother of Late C. J. Hite Bee CC. HITE, of Cincinnati, a well-known buyer and distributor of motion pictures in that section of the country, has bought the Ohio rights of Edward Warren's production, "Souls Redeemed," and several other features, contracts for which have just been signed by Hite and W. E. Shallenberger, president of the Arrow Film Corporation. During his recent trip to New York Hite announced that he had become an independent state rights operator and had taken Into partnership with him R. K. Shallenberger, brother of the head of the Arrow Film Corporation. Thereby hangs an interesting coincidence. W. E. Shallenberger and the late Charles J. Hite were schoolmates in Lancaster, Ohio, and, following their college days, became business partners in many big ventures. Shallenberger and Hite were instrumental in bringing the Thanhouser Film Company into being, as well as several other producing organizations, and both played an influential part in the growth of the industry. C. C. Hite is the youngest brother of the late Charles J. Hite, and R. K. Shallenberger is the youngest brother of W. E. Shallenberger of the Arrow Corporation. Both are following, so to speak, in the footsteps of their older brothers. For several years Hite has represented various organizations in Ohio, including Mutual, Triangle, Goldwyn and Jewel. His decision to become an independent operator followed a study of picture conditions not only in Ohio, but throughout the country. He states he discovered a decided trend throughout the industry towards independence and, realizing he could broaden the scope of his own activities, he entered the independent field in Ohio with his own organization. The new firm will be conducted in Mr. Hite's name. Offices have already been opened in Cincinnati and other cities in Ohio. omes Associated with R. K. Shallenberger. defined in natural pose. The idea is registered without subtitles. Another unusual piece of camera work is a scene depicting a death chamber. The camera has been masked top and bottom, photographing just enough of the picture to convey the impression of death without showing the body. "The Life Mask" was directed by Frank Crane, producer of Goldwyn's recent production, "Thais," and photographed by Messrs. Lane and Harris. The story has been scenariorized by Mrs. L. Case Russell. It is scheduled for release through the exchanges of the First National Exhibitors' Circuit during the month of March. Novel Photography in "The Life Mask." "The Life Mask," the third special production listed for release on Madame Olga Petrova's starring calendar for a premiere in March, is -marked by the introduction of what is claimed to be a new photographic effect. In several of the scenes in which the famous Polish artiste appears she is called upon to go through the realities of a terrible nightmare, during which period her mental condition becomes hazy and unbalanced. During this time of mental stress her husband is murdered. She is shown seated well in the background of the set. As sleep begins to overpower her every object on the set is thrown out of focus with the exception of the central figure of the star herself. She is then brought slowly toward the lens with staring eyes and terror-stricken mien. Gradually the scene is thrown out of focus again and the mental aberration which takes place is conveyed by the befogged and murky atmosphere of the picture. As the leading character slowly lapses into normal once more the same trick is again resorted to, this time first throwing the background in and out of proper focus and then cutting sharply to a close-up of Madame Petrova clearly Whartons Return to Ithaca Studio. After a three weeks' stay in New York filming scenes in "The Eagle's Eye," Leopold D. and Theodore W. Wharton. Inc., ■who are producing the picture, have returned to the home studios in Ithaca, N. Y. With two exceptions they were accompanied by the entire company, including King Baggot and Marguerite Snow, and a score of additional people engaged in New York, who will be used in later episodes. George A. Lessey. director, and K. M. Turner, an assistant director in charge of locations, will remain in New York for a few days to make final plans for more outdoor scenes when the company returns to film later episodes. The locations taken in New York include scenes on the wharves of New York Harbor, sections of the stockyards in Jersey City, and other points in the harbor which were the object of German plotting. "The Eagle's Eye" company will have to return to New York after the weather becomes milder, for only the occurrences which actually took place in the winter were photographed on the trip just ended. "Carmen of the Klondike" (S. R. D.) C. Mell Simmons, general manager of State Right Distributors, Inc., advises that printing work is being rushed on their first release, "Carmen of the Klondike," and that the first shipment will be forwarded within a few days so that prints will be in the hands of ail exchanges by March 1. He further states that particular attention is being given to the advertising aids, and while the artistic end is not being neglected, it is being subordinated to the idea of furnishing such heralds, displays, posters, etc., as will forcefully present actual scenes from the picture that will stimulate interest and produce box-office results. In this connection he mentions a fight which takes place in the latter part of the picture, where Ed Coxen and Hershall Mayall commence a struggle inside a building, the furniture is overturned, a fire starts by the explosion . of a lighted lamp, the combatants stagger into the street and continue the struggle in the street in the mud amid the downpour of rain in the teeth of an arctic gale, ■watched by dancehall girls in flimsy costumes and miners who ignore the wrath of the elements, until at last an unexpected climax occurs. John Barrymore in "Raffles." VERSATILITY has always been considered the most characteristic mark of greatness in gauging the rank of dramatic stars. From comedy to tragedy, John Barrymore shifts with as much ease as an artist does his colors on a palette. There is no phase of the player's art that seems to be a bar to his wonderful genius. Whether he appears as a helpless piece of human driftwood in Galsworthy's "Justice," or a depraved denizen of the underworld, as he did in Willard Mack's "Kick In," he always is able to create the illusion of the character he is enacting at the time. In Mr. Barrymore's being chosen by the L. Lawrence Weber Photo Dramas, Inc., to play the title role of "Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman," he was given an opportunity to follow the footsteps of one of the stage's most polished heroes, the late Kyrle Bellew, but Mr. Barrymore preferred to work out his own ideas as to the manner in which he was to portray this famous character of fiction, and in many respects those "who know Mr. Hornung's stories intimately prefer Mr. Barrymore's idea of the character to that of the late Mr. Bellew. Mr. Barrymore's prior appearances on the screen were confined to comedy, and few of the motion picture lovers knew him as an artist of major standing as the result of his playing in comedies. The super-critical are seeing in Barrymore a screen star whose work is full of intelligence, intensity and charm. Hiller & Wilk, Inc., are the selling agents for the D. Lawrence Weber Photo Dramas, Inc., in the sales of "Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman." Film Showing Nets $2,000 for Charity. Entertainment held at the St Francis Hotel, San Francisco, on Friday, February 5. at which Sidney Alcott's production, "The Belgian," handled by U. S. Exhibitors' Booking Corporation, was shown for benefit of war-stricken Belgium, resulted in upward of $2,000 being collected in adm/ssions. The event was held under the joint auspices of Mrs. Harriet Fay Richards, a prominent California society leader; Mr. Sidney Olcott and Mr. Frank G. Hall, president and general manager of the U. S. Exhibitors' Booking Corporation. A number of prominent film folk now engaged on the Coast also were present, as were the Rev. Edward Hanna, Archbishop of San Francisco, the Rev. Nichols, and other prominent clergymen. Arrangements for the entertainment, which, besides "The Belgian," included a long musical program, were made by the California Commission for relief in Belgium and France. Howard Sheehan, manager and director of the Rialto theater, San Francisco, who has booked "The Belgian," furnished two machines, by which the Olcott production was projected on the screen, set up in the Colonial ballroom of the hotel. John Bowles and Joe Jacoby donated their services as operators, and William Unmach, a prominent San Francisco newspaper man, handled the publicity end.