Picture-Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1927)

Over the Teacups 49 / . rhinestones. You've heard, of course, of the man who looked it over and said, 'Heavens, Thaw shot the wrong architect !' "Oh, well, Hollywood will soon have its innings. Grauman's new Chinese Theater is to open soon, and iudging from a casual glance at the outside, I'd say it should bear the slogan, 'Glorifying the Chop Suey Parlor.' "You should have been down at the opening of the play, 'The Fool,' to see Lila Lee and Jim Kirkwood on the stage. Simply every one was there, of course, and applauded as only old friends can. It was a mark of real loyalty, because most of the audience had already seen Jim in the play in New York. But I'd go to see Lila even if she played Abie s Irish Rose. "Diana Kane came out from New York to visit Bebe Daniels, but rushed off to Del Monte for the polo games. Now Bebe is up there making scenes for "Sehorita." Bebe's grandmother, by the way, is so thrilled over Bebe's playing a Spanish girl at last that she bursts into tears of joy at the mere mention of it. Bebe. has learned fencing for the picture. She emerges from her lessons lame, but determined. "Lois Wilson is still threatening to come West at any moment, but so far as I am concerned it is the old story of 'Wolf ! Wolf !' I do want to hear all about her breaking her contract, though. There seems to be a general wave of dissatisfaction sweeping through the studios and a lot of girls are not working. "Anna Q. Xilsson has refused to make ra picture she j$ was assigned to by First Na g y\ tional and was M" taken off the Jk pay roll for M a little while, but she went •f back and is making a picture y now with Babe Ruth. Then Margaret Livingston asked to be released from her contract with Fox because she was dissatisfied with the parts they were giving her. Dorothy Mackaill refused to make 'See You In Jail,' was taken off salary, and it looks as though she would have an awfully hard time getting back. A girl needs a course in diplomacy to keep working now, even when she has a contract. "Dorothy's husband, Lothar Menides, had some difficulties with Famous Players, for whom he was supposed to direct a picture, and he likewise is doing nothing. There's a rumor floating around that he and Dorothy may go to Germany to make pictures, but if they do Dorothy's films couldn't be released in this country until the expiration of her contract with First National. And that has years to run, I think. "A well-known star told me the other day that in addition to all the books of advice on how to break into ,* Fanny avers that "Orchids and Ermine" is Colleen Moore's most sophisticated picture and that it will do lots to increase her popularity. the movies, there should be one for the girls who have already broken in. It should include courses in violent desk-pounding — a part of most conferences with producers— and lessons in how to develop mental callousness so that directors' comments wouldn't hurt to the extent of making you lose confidence in yourself. A very useful added chapter would be on how to cure picture stars' relatives of itching palms. "I can't report first-hand," Fanny skipped on, "but if there are any happy people in the picture business they should be the ones who made 'Flesh and the Devil.' It isn't only that the picture is making such loads of money ; it is so genuinelv thrilling to every one who sees it. I enjoyed it so much that when I came out of the theater I felt like sending telegrams of thanks to Barney Glazer, who adapted it. Clarence Brown, who directed it, and Greta Garbo and John Gilbert, the stars. It is the most genuinely satisfying picture I have seen since 'Beau Geste.' "The time to see 'Flesh and the Devil' 1 1 is at a matinee, when there are a lot of *»,•> schoolboys and girls in the audience. :; jgt Unfortunately, though, the picture >) stuns them so, that they don't coniw ment on it out loud. V "Of course, on the night it opened, I ™ mobs of tourists got tickets, and others f thronged around the entrance. And every one was so busy looking at the audience that I bet they didn't half see the picture. I'm through with open\ ings, except of mediocre pic \ tures. It is so distracting to be surrounded by stars and 'v> so annoying to have to fight your way in and out of the theater. Colleen Moore and I went to the first Saturday matinee of A, 'Flesh and the Devil' J t . and had a great time. C' * $fc "Lots of stars Jj. \ w o u 1 (1 rather steal in unno\ ticed at a regu\ lar performance 0f a picture and ipw' enjoy it, than to ' ;:mk^ *► go on the open , J ing night. _ "What I love is to go to a preview. Then the star and the producer and most of the production staff are nervouslv studying the audience's reactions. But many of the Hollywood populace have found out about the previews. They flock to the theaters where they are held, and often get a chance to speak to the stars afterward. "I went with Colleen the other night when she previewed 'Orchids and Ermine.' It is by far the smartest and most sophisticated picture she has ever made, and_ one pantomimic sequence in it is an acting triumph of the year. Colleen insists that if the picture is popular it will be because of Ralph Spence's titles, but I doubt if any one else will ever think of it as anything but a triumph for Colleen. Gwen Lee has a very good part in it and is awfully effective. Down at Metro-Goldwyn, Continued on page 104 X » <