Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1924)

December 13, 1924 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 649 Ford Directing a Special For Fox Film Corporation Anna Q. Nilsson in Paramount’s “Top of the World.” Miller With Nazimova Sculptor-Actor Cast for Role in Vitagraph’s “The Redeeming Sin” To impersonate Paul Dubois, a young sculptor, in “The Redeeming Sin,” in which Mme. Alla Nazimova makes her debut as a Vitagraph star, J. Stuart Blackton, the director, has engaged a sculptor in real life. He is a sculptor, that is, when he is not acting, for Carl Miller divides his time between the two arts, that of the screen and that of the chisel. The turning point in Mr. Miller’s career came when he was signed to play the part of a struggling young artist in Charles Chaplin’s “A Woman of Paris.” Starting in pictures as an “extra,” he was soon given more important roles in a series of Universal Westerns. Then he played with Lois Weber in “The Doctor And The Woman,” and after the war, in which he saw service, he appeared with Miss Weber again in “Mary Regan.” This was followed by a five weeks’ engagement as juvenile lead with Marion Davies in Cosmopolitan’s “The Bride’s Play.” After “A Woman of Paris,” he impersonated Jackie Coogan’s father in “The Kid,” and he has worked also in several Fox productions, in support of Barbara Bedford, among others. Three Warner Stars Loaned Louise Fazenda recently made the remark that she would rather work than idle her time between pictures, and Warner Bros, have taken her at her word. Miss Fazenda is under contract to Warner Bros, but J. L. Warner has loaned her to Metro-GoldwynMayer for “Cheaper to Marry,” directed by Robert Leonard, and also to Waldorf productions to play one of the leads. In this picture Dorothy Devore and Beverly Bayne, both Warner Bros, stars, will also play important roles. Work Started on “Riding Grit” According to a dispatch received from the Coast, work has already been begun on “Riding Grit,” the sixth of the series of eight Bill Cody’s which this stunt performer is making for Independent Pictures. The story concerns a young man who has been left a great cattle ranch by his father. JOHN FORD, youthful' Fox Film Corporation megaphone wielder, who rose to directorial pre-eminence overnight as the result of his splendid picturization of “The Iron Horse,” now in the fifth month of a successful Broadway run at the Lyric Theatre, has started work on another giant special for William Fox. This production, as yet unnamed, deals with the sport of kings — horse racing. The theme of the story is built around the breeding and racing of the thoroughbreds with a love plot full of heart interest interwoven. It will combine the romance of Arabia, the land of turf kings, and the Blue Grass country of Kentucky, which today is to the world what the land of sand and tents was to an older civilization. For several years Mr. Fox has been interested in making a picture which would present, on motion picture screens throughout the world, a true picture and a better understanding of the American thoroughbred. Miss Elizabeth Daingerfeld, one of America’s leading horsewomen, and other Kentucky horse lovers, consented to help him, and shortly thereafter a company headed by Mr. Ford was despatched to the Blue Grass region. With the reputation of being the maker of “The Iron Horse” to live up to Mr. Ford took no chances of producing a “dud.” Immediately upon his arrival in “Ky.” he began a thorough study of horse breeding, training and racing. For months, in season and out, the insistent director haunted the racetracks and breeding farms surrounding Lexington. All the lore of the “bangtails” that it was possible for him to gather was picked up from negro stable boys, jockeys, trainers, breeders and owners. It is with this foundation that Mr. Ford has started work on his first production since “The Iron Horse,” and now the sounds of the word “camera” are as familiar in the Blue Grass country as “They’re off!” Many effective combinations that resulted in the perfection attained by “The Iron Horse” are at work with John Ford on his new production. For instance, George Schneiderman, who was responsible for the beautiful photography of the epic photoplay, is Mr. Ford’s cameraman on his latest effort. J. Farrell MacDonald, whose interpretation of Corporal Casey in “The Iron Horse,” will be remembered as one of the screen’s humor classics, is playing a typical character role in the new Ford photoplay. Others in the cast who have vital roles are Gertrude Astor, Malcolm Waite and Belle Stoddard. Miss Astor is cast as a Mrs. Beaumont, a heavy role. With her, stirring up deviltry, is Mr. Waite in the role of Greve Carter, unscrupulous horse owner. Bell Stoddard is cast as Mrs. Dunnivan, wife of Dunnivan, horse trainer, the role essayed by Mr. McDonald. Henry Walthall has the leading male part, that of Mr. Beaumont, gentleman of Kentucky, who through the scheming and machinations of his wife and her lover, Greve Carter, is forced to dramatic acts that produce thrills and tears. Several important juvenile roles which will give the heart interest to the picture have not been filled as yet. A careful survey of the ingenues and young actors is being made to find the most fitting types for these parts. Europe Praises “Romola” “Such a work of art merits every success,” was the statement by Georges Clemenceau, former premier of France, after witnessing Lillian Gish in Henry King’s Inspiration production of “Romola,” a Metro-Goldwyn picture, with Dorothy Gish in a featured role. Numerous other European celebrities have expressed their enthusiasm over “Romola,” including Giavonni Poggi, resident director of the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, and curator of all the royal galleries of Tuscany; P. Bonnard, one of the greatest living French painters; Leonce Benedite, director of the Luxembourg Museum and the Rodin Museum in Paris; Santiago Alba, former Minister of Fine Arts in Spain; Dr. Guido Biagi; and Firmin Gemier, director of the Odeon National Theatre, Paris.