Paramount Press Books (1918)

EXHIBITOR'S PRESS PRESS STORIES Charles Kenmore Ulrich, Editor BOOK AD CUTS and MATS Prime Maurice Tourneur9 s 6 6 Sporting Life 99 MAURICE TOURNEUR, PRODUCER ''Jp HERE are few more talented or better known motion picture directors than Maurice Tourneur, who is famous as “the man who put ‘Sporting' Life’ on the screen.” Mr. Tourneur is a Frenchman of rare attainments and an artist of reputation. An actor and stage director in Paris for years, he was among the first men identified with the stage to employ his. talents in the field of the silent drama. As a director associated with the Famous PlayersLasky Corporation, Mr. Tourneur made numerous cinema productions all of which were as artistic as they were successful. Chief among his pictures was his remarkable screen interpretation of Maurice Maeterlinck’s “The Blue Bird,” one of the finest creations ever issued under the Artcraft trademark. He directed Elsie Ferguson in “Barbary Sheep,” “The Rise of Jennie Cushing,” “Rose of the World” and “A Dolls House,” Mary Pickford in “The Poor Little Rich Girl,” and Marguerite Clark in “Prunella.”. Mr. Tourneur has mastered the history of costumes and decorations, studied the principles of light and optics and he is an undisputed authority in his field. Some months ago Mr. Tourneur decided to produce motion pictures of the highest class on his own account and “Sporting Life” is his first offering. That it is a splendid artistic creation is admitted by press and public alike and that it is a precursor of more brilliant productions to come, cannot be disputed THE AUTHORS HP HE authors of “Sporting Life,” the famous Drury Lane melodrama, which scored so notable a success in London and in this country some twenty years ago, were Cecil Raleigh and Seymour Hicks, two celebrate'd English playwrights who wrote numerous stage successes. “Sporting Life” was produced in London, October 18, 1897. While their melodrama left little to be desired, it is admitted that the screen version is even more satisfying. THE SCENARIST ' I ' HE screen version of “Sporting Life” was made by Winthrop Kelley, a well known and talented scenarist who has many excellent picture successes to his credit. His facile hand has visualized for the public scenes and characters which will be long remembered by all who see this sterling production. A POWERFUL STORY LJ ARASSED by debt, John, Earl of Woodstock, conceives two plans by which he may make his fortune and regain his financial standing. A thorough sportsman, he is interested in boxing and he wagers huge sums on Joe gypsy boxer, and upon his Lady Love, to win the His sworn enemy, De Carteret, determines to ruin the Earl by frustrating both chances open to him to become wealthy. He forces his wife Olive to attempt to make Joe Lee cease training for his ring fight. Kitty Cavanagh, daughter of the Earl’s head trainer, loves Lee not wisely but too well, and when Olive begins to draw Lee into her toils, she runs away to London where she attempts suicide by jumping into the Thames. Olive arranges to have Lee drugged by Kitty’s father' just as he steps into the ring and this plan might have succeeded in ruining the Earl had he not entered the ring himself and fought a winning battle to a victorious finish. De Carteret then decides to steal Lady Love and thereby disqualify the Earl at the Derby and to render this doubly sure, he causes the Earl to be kidnapped and held a prisoner aboard an old ferry boat. Norah Cavanagh, the fiancee of the Earl, learns of the kidnapping of the Earl and his horse and she sets the machinery in operation by which both are rescued in time for the great race which Lady Love wins despite the fact that the mare is nearly left at the post. De Carteret is ruined while the Earl’s fortune is restored. All ends happily for the Earl and Norah, and while Lee makes amends to Kitty, the former celebrate their nuptials. TABLE OF CONTENTS Front Cover — Billing Inside Front Cover — Production Cuts and Mats Page Editorial and Contents. 1 Special Feature Article. 3 Cast and Story 5 Press Review 7 Advertising Cuts and Mats 9-10-11 Advance Press Stories. . . .13-15 Accessories 17 Mail Campaign Inside Back Cover — Paper and Slides Back Cover — Latest Releases . ..18-19 Lee, a horse, Derby.