Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1927 - Feb 1928)

70 A Good Trouper Julia Faye made a big liit as tlie Tartar Girl in "The Volga Boatman." ing our heavies as lovable rogues or real men and women with human weaknesses. "Villainy and comedy are very closely allied — on the screen, that is. It is our superiority complex which is responsible for this. When we see through the wicked machinations of the heavy, we are subtly flattered. And we are pleased when he is thwarted and humbled at the end of the story. "And by the same token, we are delighted when the comedian falls downstairs or when the dignified gentleman has his silk hat knocked off. Their humiliation increases our own self-esteem. "The career of Wallace Beery, who was so long one of our best-known villains and M'ho is now one of our foremost comedians, is an example of this." Miss Faye is a consistent upsetter of traditions. For instance, she doesn't care if she gets fat! "It is very nice to play character roles," she remarked, dipping with obvious relish into an imposing cocktail of avocadoes, swimming in Thousand Islands dressing and caviar, w'hich simply reeked of calories. "It doesn't matter if you take on weight. If you do, you are given fat roles ! I'll have some more dressing, please !" However, she does not look as if there were the slightest danger of her being cast in a fat role in the near future. "Acting is not a matter of the emotion of the player," she said. "It is a matter of technique. It does not matter in the least what the player feels — it is what he makes his audience feel that is important. And there are certain tricks of gesture and expression which we know by experience produce certain effects. If we master the mechanics of our profession, we can do what we will with our public. "Belasco said, 'Before you can act, you must learn how not to act !' That is so true ! Overacting is the bane of the profession !" Refreshing and novel point of view in this business where intense 3''oung people often persist in working themselves up to an emotional climax over a scene which involves the mere act of getting into a taxi ! "You do not want to be starred in straight leads ?" "Heaven forbid! I should like to play leads, of course. It gives one so much wider scope. But I am a character woman and I want to remain one." Surprising girl ! "I remember a picture some time ago in wdiich Raymond Hatton was playing, under the direction of Mr. De Mille. There was one scene which did not please Mr. Hatton. He insisted that he felt it another way. \\'ith all due respect for Mr. Hatton's ability, IMr. De Mille averred that what he felt made no difference. There was a right way and a wrong wa}' — technically — to do it. An argument ensued and they finally agreed to tr}' it both ways — the way in which Mr. Hatton's emotional reactions suggested, and the way in which De Mille, the technician, thought it should be done. 'Tn the projection room it was quite plain to ever}^ one, including Mr. Hatton, that technique had scored over emotion." As another jolt. Miss Faye does not claim to have made any "sacrifices for her art." "The only real sacrifice I can remember making," she told me, "was when I was not allowed to have a manicure while I was working in 'The Volga Boatman.' " Continued on page lOS //; ''His Dog," Julia played an ingenue witli curls 'n' everything, but she didn't like it much. ■ Photo by Archer