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APRIL 1924
Picture s and P/chjreQoer
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him it is hard to leave off, but he is an extremely busy man. He has been pre paring bis Napoleon scenario for the last six years, and yet nothing is com plcted. The end of March, however, will see a definite start being made on the picture.
Abel Gance is an exceptionally brilliant musician and plays the 'cello, piano and violin with a master touch. Among his numerous remarkable possessions Abel Gance prices most what is known as a viole d'amour, which is really a violin of the middle age, but is much more difficult to play because it has double the number of strings of an ordinary violin.
Of the films this celebrated metteur
Right : The late Scverin Mars.^ and Romauld Joube in " J' 'Accuse"
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most cases rightly, to bad direction,
results in the downfall of many a good
pictun , Inn sometimes for quit I ii goes impi rceived till wm( on< finally discovers it, and then the pro duction inst< ad of b< ing an artistic success is an artistic failure, Such is the case with some of the big American pictures. Fanny Ward 1 like, also Betty ( ompson.
•' Tell me, have yon ever nut B< ( ompson," he asked. " Hardly any of her pictures are seen here and generally they are good, and amongst prodn. I). W. < ".ninth is the greatest."
Abel Gance who is now only 34, pro duced his first film at the age of 26, and from 1(M6 onwards, when lie made his first photoplay, this comparatively young producer scored an uninterrupted series of brilliant successes. But as I said, he is a patient man and thinks nothing of working for years on the slightest details in a scenario. He is a hard taskmaster when it comes to detail and realism must be realism.
Six years ago he made Mater Dolorosa which was inspired by the famous painting in the Louvre. It was while visiting this famous art museum that Abel Gance was struck with the idea, and the completed photoplay created a sensation. After six years, The Call of Motherhood, as it will hecalled in London, has been purchased by Stoll and will be seen at about the same time as this article appears. Below : Filming a nigh! scene in " La Roue " {The Wheel).
Gabriel de
Gravone and Ivy Close in an early Gance production.
en scene has given us, Gance places La Roue at the top of his list as his best. This is followed by J' Accuse, Mater Dolorosa, The Tenth Symphony, and lastly The Death Zone. Another production, The Right to Live, he considers one of his best.
His knowledge of the American side of the industry is as extensive as his knowledge of film matters on this side of the Atlantic. He is one of the few French producers who take a great deal of interest in American stars and productions.
" I think I must confess that I have profound admiration for Mae Murray," he told me with that smile which everyone finds particularly captivating and so dangerously infectious. "I think she is altogether delightful and all her films give me great enjoyment."
M. Abel Gance then gave me his opinions of other American stars. " I think that taken all round, my favourite is Lillian Gish. It is difficult to resist her charms. Nazimova I think would be good given suitable direction, but I feel that behind each of her productions there is something lacking. That indefinable something, which is often attributed, in
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