Pictures and the Picturegoer (Jan-Dec 1924)

14 Picture s and Picture puer The Perfect Peter P&k\ Whilst making no pretence of solving a problem that would have baffled Solomon our contributor puts forward a few interesting suggestions. "Peter" is just a boy, with a wistful, elfish charm that is all his own. It will be difficult to find a perfect Peter Pan. Above ractically every film star in Hollywood has confessed to one allconsuming desire. That is, to play Barrie's famous " boy who never grew up " on the screen. There is a list of them as long as your arm — these would-be " Peter Pans." Shirley Mason, Viola Dana, Flora le Breton, Betty Balfour, Jackie Coogan, Gloria Swanson, Mae Murray, Betty Compson, May McAvoy, and" of course Mary Pickford, are amongst them. It only remains now for someone to suggest Charlie Chaplin and John Barrymore, and the list will be complete. r\i all these Flora le Breton has ^^ worked hardest for the part, for she has made, directed and arranged a short test film showing her own interpretation of " Peter." Betty Balfour, as Sir James himself says, would make an excellent " Wendy "; Gloria Swanson and Mae Murray have both played boy roles in films, if this is any qualification. And Jackie Coogan is — well, he's Jackie Coogan but he isn't " Peter," although in a year or two he might prove better suited to the part. Some people consider Nazimova amongst the " possibles"; it would certainly be interesting to see what she would make of the role. She would be certain to bring intelligent understanding to the portrayal, at any rate. "Then there is a little.known French star Top: Nazimova's "Peter Pan" would be interesting at any rate. Centre oval: Viola Dana as " Ruth " in a Charity Performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Left: Mae Murray. AUGUST 1924 Josyanne by name. She is twenty-two, and those who have seen her say the has a rare, spirituelle type of beauty. Rumour hath it that Famous Lasky are seriously considering her as a possible " Peter." Wesley Barry would have been a good choice save for the fact that he is decidedly not a boy who wouldn't grow up. For Wes. has grown surprisingly these past twelvemonths and is now hopelessly out of the running — for Peter. But he is the ideal " slightly." The choice, in my opinion, will eventually fall upon Gladys Cooper's son " John." He is a real boy, has a decided gift for acting, inherited from his beautiful mother, no doubt, and screens delightfully, besides being a thoroughly British type. None of the others have any outstanding claim to consideration. Most of them are too girlish and too pretty, for Peter, who is just a boy with an elfin charm that is all his own — a charm that it will be difficult to transfer to the screen. I7or, after all, the question is not so much who can play Peter but who can be Peter. Whoever is eventually chosen must be able to grasp the spirit of the thing and to weave it into the portrayal. To submerge her own personality absolutely, to forget every little mannerism and action that is peculiarly hers, and to become for the time " Peter Pan." If she can do this — and it will be harder in the screen version than on the stage where the words of the play help so much " Peter " may yet survive the perils that beset him on his advent into celluloid. The question is, where is this Perfect Peter to be found? Personally I should prefer to see a boy chosen, if the right kind of boy were forthcoming. There are so few boy stars, who are at'all likely. Jackie Coogan could tell the world, pathetically, that he had " never had a mother," but there would probably be too much Peter and not enough Pan about his portrayal. And the same thing applies to other boys who have been suggested. /^andidly, I do not think a celluloid ^ "Peter" will be found in realms so far removed from the Never-Never-Land as Hollywood. I am inclined to thinkthat he doein't exist, or, if he does, he is tucked away in some obscure corner where even Sir James Barrie cannot find him. But there is one hopeful feature in this search for the ideal screen Peter. The actual choice of the star lies with Sir James himself, and surely he has too great a regard for the child of his own imaginings than to leave his portrayal in incompetent hands. For he knows better than anyone what the screen can do for Peter." The saddest thing it can, and surely will do, should the wrong star be chosen to play him, is to take away his wings and make him grow up at last. E. E. Barrett.