Picture-Play Magazine (Sep 1925 - Feb 1926)

10 What the Fans Think Continued from pa^e 8 If thai first film that ended in distress Turned but in sooth, to be a sorry mess, Are we not surer now Novarro's there 'Twill be with certainly a great success? His raven hair is willy-nilly flowing, His legs and his now perfect arms are ' 1 1 « >\\ in.n (Motauri's arms left something to desire.) We shout with glee, "Rex Ingram's baby's growing !" I sometimes think that never was a face Filled with such manliness yet with such grace. I sometimes think that ne'er will be a thrill To equal quite the Roman chariot race ! Outside the cinema within a queue Cheerfully many weary hours I'll stew Waiting lo see my idol's outsize eyes And thousand charms, ct cetera. Wouldn't you? Then come with me to meet erstwhile Motauri Some little space to revel in his glory! But don't forget Fred Niblo, and the cast The scenic effects and the mighty story ! Come! Fill the cup with brightly bubbling wine To toast their enterprise and efforts fine, And if the wine should bring forgetful ness Oh, pray, forget this awful verse of mine. Mary Lytton. Wyndham's Theater, Leicester Square, London, England. Concerning our Attitude Toward the Stars Unfortunately for me, I neglected to read Picture-Play's What the Fans Think column in the May issue, but judging by some of the letters in the June number it has caused quite a furore in fandom, particularly Miss Delahey's letter. By these answers I can pretty well tell what the letter was about, and I don't think Miss Delahey has the right viewpoint. In the first place, I don't believe fans worship the players. They may have a very great admiration for a certain one, but it seldom goes farther than that. What they do, I believe, is to look to them as ideals, and that is one of the great blessings of the screen, especially to youngsters. What on earth could be wrong in any one looking up to some one who, in the person's imagination, 3s endowed with greater assets than any of their acquaintances? We are zvhat zve will ourselves to be, and if one has a guiding influence, it is an added incentive to become what one wants. Mind, I say "in the person's imagination." The ideal in the eyes of some one else may not be so perfect, but if the creator of the ideal believes in it, there is no evil to come, but instead it is an advantage. Every one should have an ideal. In years past, before the films, these ideals were figures in the public eye who had made a name for themselves. When a person, presumably young, sees a player surmount all difficulties on the screen, there is no earthly harm in his trying to do the same thing. For instance: Douglas Fairbanks, in "The Thief of Bagdad," clearly illustrated the fact that everything worth while must be earned, and why should not the fan look up to him as one who had earned it? The private lives of the stars are interesting because most of them had to overcome great adversities to be where they are ; that is, worthy ones. And the players who are really famous have had a hard light to get where they are. Almost all except a few come from obscurity. I suppose Miss Dclahey would call the idealization of Abraham Lincoln foolish, when there is no greater story in the world's history than his fight uphill from that littlebackwoods clearing to the highest honor his nation could pay him. Again, I suppose she would have nothing but his achievements in office to stand for him. In the July issue Miss Kinkead says that she knows lots of people who could take, the place of Mary Pick ford and Gloria Swanson. All I can say is : let them try to do it. Both have attained their place by dint of their own persistence and hard work, Gloria especially. For years she was called a clothes horse, but she showed that she could act, loo, in "The Humming Bird." Again Miss Kinkead says that she thought that the magazine writers "overdo the boosting business," and adds that she had been reading Picture-Play for three years. I have been reading it much longer than that, and I have yet to read an interview where the star is overestimated. Indeed the tendency, especially of Don Ryan, seems to be to underestimate them. John J. Allen. 230 Pine Avenue, McKeesport, Pa. A Word About Doug. There was one fan's letter in your last issue that I couldn't let pass without comment. She asked why Douglas Fairbanks wasn't mentioned oftener in What the Fans Think. I also wanted to know this, so I asked my friend, who writes letter after letter to the magazines in praise of this or that favorite of the moment. Douglas Fairbanks happens to be her favorite and idol, and she sees each of his pictures at least three times. She saw "Robin Hood" five times. I know, because I accompanied her each time, and if we see it advertised at any of the other smaller theaters, we'll see it again. However, when she writes her opinions, and they are usually blatantly admiring ones, they are of Ronald, Ricardo, Ben, or other heroes of the moment, with never a word about her supreme favorite. When I asked her about this, here is the answer she gave me. "Whenever I see an actor that I like trying to gain a foothold in the public's esteem, I like to help him in the only way a fan can, by writing my appreciation of his efforts to the magazines. I think all the rising young actors need encouragement and praise. As for Doug — why, he's established ! He is at the very pinnacle of success. He occupies the top rung of the fame ladder, that the rest are only trying to climb. Doug isn't merely an actor, he's an American institution, Doug is!" I guess this is the way most far..; regard Doug, don't you think so? He is without the shadow of a doubt the most popular actor and engaging personality on the screen. You don't have to take my word for it, fans. Just try to get a pair of seats for the premiere of Doug's latest picture. Sounds easy, doesn't it, but — try and do it! Miss B. Clements. 1134 Geneva Avenue. San Francisco, Calif. Sherman Should Play Mephistopheles. What is the casting director of the future production of "Faust" thinking of? I have just read that the part of Mephistopheles has been allotted to Emil Jennings ! ! ! — when in the city of New York lives, breathes, exists Lowell Sherman! Of course. Mr. Sherman may not be free at the moment to accept such a part, but if that is the case the producers absolutely should wait for him. Emil Jannings is excellent in certain types — Henry VIII. — a fat commissionaire — a leering A!ero — but oh ! who has ever imagined his Satanic Majesty as anything but imposingly tall, dark, flashing-eyed — and of course fascinating — or who on earth would "go to the devil ?" My apologies to Mr. Sherman, whom I admire enormously, but he is the finest type of Mephistopheles imaginable. One can so easily imagine him whispering into the ear of the lovely Marguerite — persuasive, magnetic, attractive — also the delight he would have in enticing Faust into wrong. We all know how wicked Lowell Sherman can be, on the screen of course, but we also know how fascinating and attractive he is ; so with wickedness and fascination allied to dark, flashing eyes, tall stature, sarcastic and sometimes cruel smile — well, there you have your man. Marguerite Sands. Suggestions for Pola. I daresay that Pola Negri has no fan more devoted than I. And I have been so for the l'ast seven years. She is the greatest actress on the screen. Gloria Swanson, as beautiful as she is, is a washout compared to Negri. If Pola were on the stage I daresay she would easily surpass the late Elenora Duse and Bernhardt. If Famous Players-Lasky insist upon giving Pola tame pictures why do they not purchase "The Miracle" for her? I believe she would be supreme as the wandering nun. Even in that she would have a chance to show her fiery acting. Pola would also be great in "Madame X," the picture which Pauline Frederick made several years ago. She would make a gorgeous Camille and Manon Leseaut. And if she desires to follow the type of her success "East of Suez," she should revive "The Red Lantern" and "Madame Butterfly." Alex. R. Thorn. 5259 Sherbrooke Street, Montreal, Canada. "There's Now't so Queer as Folk." Said an old Lockshire man once: "There's now't so queer as folk," and I think I agree with him. What a tremendous stir poor Rudy has made by showing his beautiful shoulders and magnificent arms in the dre:sing-room scene in "Monsieur Beaucaire!" It may be my memory is short, but I don't seem to remember any such stir over the bathroom scene in "Merry-Go-Round." What of Ramon Novarro in "Where the Pavement Ends," Paul Richter in "The Nibelungs," Douglas Fairbanks in "The Thief of Bagdad," Milton Sills in "The Sea Hawk," and again, Novarro in "BenHur," and a host of others too numerous to mention? To all those who find the human form disgusting, I would like to quote a few words : And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God Created He him ; male and female created He them. And God Saw everything He had made, and behold it was very good. Honi soit qui mal y pease. C. M. Jenkins. 5 St. Chads Terrace, S. S., Blackpool, England. A Fan to be Envied. Within two blocks of my home is a "preview theater." Many fans will not