Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1926)

22 The Spirit That Counts This is the story they tell about the making of "The Big Parade." When the story was bought and plans were made to make the picture, the producers had no idea that it would be one of the outstanding pictures oi the year. Gilbert had been assigned to the leading role, and Irving Thalberg, the twenty-six-year-old vice president and assistant production chief of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, stopped him one day and said something about the possibilities of the picture. Gilbert looked surprised. "Let's talk it over." said Thalberg. They went into a private office, and for two hours Thalberg talked. Gilbert came out fired with enthusiasm. He met King Vidor, the director, and spoke to him about it. "What's that?" asked Vidor. "Great picture?" "Go and talk to Thalberg," Gilbert requested. Vidor did so, and came out fired with the same enthusiasm. From that day until the picture was finished, Vidor and Gilbert, each morning, used to shake hands, and repeat, "For Grauman's Egyptian." Meaning, that they were going to make a picture worthy of being shown in that magnificent theater which tries to get only the best and biggest productions. When a studio executive can put such a spirit as that into his directors and stars, he is going to get results. An Imposing Program Metro-Goldwyn have been setting a high standard in nearly all of their pictures of late, running ahead of Famous Players-Lasky. But Famous Players are not going to drop into second place if their forthcoming releases come up to expectations. They are beginning two pictures which promise to be "world beaters." One is D. W. Griffith's "Sorrows of Satan." This picture, based on Marie Corelli's novel, is to be a year in the making, and scenes for it will be made in New York, Alaska, Hollywood, and Europe. The initial appropriation is $1,500,000, and as no picture of equal magnitude ever failed to exceed the initial appropriation, it will probably cost more. The other is James Cruze's "Old Ironsides," the story of the naval war between the United States and the pirates of Tripoli from 1804 to 1816. The story was written by Laurence S'tallings. author of "What Price Glory" and "The Big Parade," and Cruze has been told to spare no expense to make this picture "the greatest ever." Two other big specials on the Famous Players program are "The Greatest Show on Earth," based on the life of P. T. Barnum, and "The Rough Riders," the story of Roosevelt's famous regiment. Famous Players' list of stars whose pictures will form the bulk of their releases is an imposing one, including, as it does, Gloria Swanson, Pola Negri. Thomas Meighan, XV. C. Fields, Adolphe Menjou, Harold Lloyd, Douglas MacLean, Ray mond Griffith, and Betty Bronson. Besides Cruze and Griffith, Marshall Neilan and Erich von Stroheim will be featured as directors. An Acknowledgment to Carmel Myers In this issue we are beginning the publication of a series of impressions of the different contributors to PicturePlay, written by Carmel Myers, who, at one time or another, has met all of our regular writers. The selection of Miss Myers for this task came about in this way. Two years ago, while being interviewed by Malcolm H. Oettinger, it occurred to her to try, just as an experiment, turning the tables on the writer. Accordingly, she wrote her impressions, and sent them to us. Recently, when several readers of the magazine began to ask that we run something about our wellknown staff members, we recalled how well Miss Myers had already written her impressions of one of them, and that is how we came to ask her to undertake the work. We are sure that the fans will join with us in thanking her for the time and effort she has taken in complying with their request. Cn rl P'r ^n atifiouncmg their forthcoming re leases, Famous Players have promised tures the an innovation which will mean a great Year Hound c'ea" to tne ^ans want good movies all the year round. For many years it has been the custom of the producers to release their biggest and best pictures during the fall and winter months, when the theaters get their heaviest patronage, reserving for the summer the less important productions. Famous Players-Lasky have announced that there will be no falling off in the quality of pictures which they will release next summer, some of their finest productions having been reserved for the hot weather. The question of whether or not it is Writing for wortb while for the non-professional , „ writer to attempt to sell stories for use the screen on the screen has been investigated by the Will H. Hays organization, and the result of their inquiry has been set forth in a little booklet entitled "Facts About Scenario Writing." The booklet contains statements from the scenario heads of the principal producing companies. Though each one admits the desirability of obtaining some stories written directly for the screen, all agree that there is very little opportunity for any save established writers of standing. Some of the companies have discontinued the reading of unsolicited stories, and most of them suggest that an aspiring writer should aim first at magazine or book publication of his story.