The Moving picture world (April 1921)

April 2, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 501 Director Young Begins Production of Kipling Masterpiece for Pathe With sets all built from designs furnished by Rudyard Kipling in advance of his arrival, Director James Young last week started shooting the first scenes of "Without Benefit of Clergy" at the Brunton Studios, Los Angeles. Rudolph Lewis, the Pathe technical expert who worked with Kipling in England on the continunity, has so informed Paul Brunet of Pathe, who is personally deeply concerned with the filming of the initial Kipling attraction. Director Young's enthusiasm will have much to do with the early completion of the picture. Every detail will receive the most minute consideration. Every principal engaged has submitted to tests in competition with many contestants. For the leading female role of Ameera fifteen of the most capable young picture actresses who had won favor with American audiences were in rivalry with Virginia Faire, the "Fame and Fortune" prize winner of three years ago, whose engagement has been announced. The part of John Holden, the young British engineer hero of the famous Kipling story, has not yet been filled ,a*though twenty competent leading men have been tried out. But this does not delay production, as many important scenes do not require the hero's presence. Evelyn Selbie Engaged For the laconic, mercenary Hindu old woman type, Ameera's mother, Evelyn Selbie has been engaged. For quite a number of years Miss Selbie has enjoyed an assured position on the screen. She figured prominently in the cast supporting William Desmond in "A Broadway Cowboy." In the Los Angeles film colony she is considered an authority on all matters equine and one of its most daring riders. To fill the role of the hero's native servant was not difficult. The choice fell upon Otto Lederer, a reliable and versatile character actor. He plays the part of Don Jose Delgado, the heroine's much victimized father, in Ruth Roland's latest serial, "The Avenging Arrow." Lederer, early in his career, was a public favorite in Selig and Vitagraph productions. IT'S JUST—SEW, SEW Scene from the new Elaine Hammerstein picture, "Pleasure Seekers" Purchase Two New Stories in duction manager of Selznick Picture Corporation, for Conway TTri . T y-v -m r TIt.j, 0 Tearle to begin production on Which Owen Moore Will Star Xi^:tl*TL£i»\&r the direction of Henry Kolker. Martha Mansfield will play the lead for Mr. Tearle. The story is by John Lynch and Edmund Goulding. Myron Selznick, production manager of Selznick Pictures Corporation, announces purchase of two new stories for Owen Moore productions. One of the stories purchased is "The Forgetters," by Will H. Hough. Mr. Hough has given considerable study to Mr. Moore's style of acting and "The Forgetters" was written especially for him. It is a typical Owen Moore style of comedy it is said. The other story is "Rest for the Weary," by Garrett Elsdon Fort. These two stories, and two others which have been held in reserve, "Should A Man Marry?" and "O ! Professor," provide the Selznick organization with an abundance of suitable material for future Moore productions. starring picture to follow the ccmpletion of "The Man Who," a Maxwell Karger production. This play is being written for the screen by June Mathis. Kolker to Direct Arrangements have been completed by Myron Selznick, pro New Lytell Vehicle "A Trip to Paradise," from the international stage success "Lillian," by the noted Hungarian playwright, Franz Molnar, has been acquired by Metro Pictures Corporation for Bert Lytell's next Miss Hammerstein Recovers Health Elaine Hammerstein, star in Selznick Pictures, has recovered from a recent slight illness and is said to be ready to start production next week on "Handcuffs or Kisses," at the Selznick Fort Lee studios. George Archainbaud will direct this picture. From the review on "Black Beauty" in March 12th issue of Exhibitors Herald. Vitagraph has one of the prize pictures of the year in "Black Beauty." The picture, both for the familiarity of its story and for its intrinsic artistic value, should sweep the exhibiting world not only in near months but for years to come. "Black Beauty" is a novelty in manner of presentation. Its titles tell the story in first person by the horse, Black Beauty, and they faithfully follow the books wording. Mr. and Mrs. George Randolph Chester have gracefully and effectively added enough to the story to make stronger its slight thread of romance, and have transformed it into charming screen entertainment by adding to rather than subtracting from its charm. The film has all the required elements of screen appeal: comedy, suspense, drama and pictorial beauty. There is naturalness about the characters as the cast portrays them that makes them live as really to the beholder as one's intimate friends and associates. It is vividly human and in its manner of presentation is stripped to the absolute artistic essentials. Every scene and every movement are made to count. From the exhibitor's standpoint "Black Beauty" should be one of the greatest money-makers of the year. It should go over big in both the first-run and the neighborhood house.