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What I Think of My Wife — or My Husband — on the Screen
The husbands of Hollywood are not all blindly enthusiastic about their wives' ability as actresses, nor are the wives always carried away by their husbands' work on the screen. Some of them tell in the story below what they think of each other as actors and actresses.
By Margaret Reid
7i SfERTON'S historic line, "My wife — my best friend and / fl severest critic," had more than a degree of truth in it.
Marriage between professional people does not exclude a sane consideration of each other's abilities and attainments. An actor — or director — offers at once a sharper criticism and keener appreciation of his wife's work than could an unprofessional spouse, vice versa. It is natural that a band and wife, both in the movies, admire each other's work greatly. But they admire intelligently — as one craftsman understands the mechanics of a fellow craftsman's art.
Gertrude Olmsted turns a sagacious blue eye upon Husband Robert Leonard's work as a director.
"I think," she says, "that Bob's greatest asset to himself and to the company is his thorough knowledge of the box office. He knows instinctively just what will give a scene or sequence popular appeal. I believe that his forte is smart, sophisticated light drama. He would rather do little rural love stories
Lew Cody and his wife, Mabel Normand, really admire each other on the screen, though they sometimes pretend they don't.
with simple themes, but I think he is at his best with the polished comedy-dramas made popular by Lubitsch."
While Bob says of Gertrude, "She hasn't done, on the screen, things she is really suited to. She is usually cast in roles that don't require much acting, because she is so pretty. I'd like to see her do character parts — not necessarily parts in which she would have to be hidden behind disfiguring make-up, but parts with intelligence. If I can manage it, I hope to direct her in something like that."
Marshall Neilan, when questioned about his wife, Blanche Sweet, was in frivolous vein.
"I love to work with her — she is the best director I ever had."
Blanche supplied the seriousness for the family.
"I love the subtlety of Mickey's work. Through all the humor and lightness there is a current of spirituality — and through all the drama and tragedy there is a current of wit. It is human. But Mickey is inclined not to take his work seriously enough. This wouldn't matter in a director of less ability. But Mickey is an artist. He can do beautiful things, and he should be doing them all the time — instead of just now and then, when the mood strikes him."
Claire Windsor was Bert Lytell's fan long before they ever met. She used to go to see him in the crook pictures he made famous.
"But," says Claire, "I think I like him best of all on the stage. Whenever I see him in a picture, I constantly feel, 'But it's such a pity that they don't hear
For Elinor Fair there's only one movie star, and that's Bill Boyd. And Bill admits that his favorite leading lady is Elinor.
Marie Prevost says she does not like to have Husband Kenneth Harlan for a leading man — he steals too many scenes. Kenneth liked Mane best in her Lubitsch films.