Picture-Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1928)

12 What the Fans Think Jannirigs' art has the depth and volume of Wagnerian opera. Chaney is like Tschaikowsky — at home in any nationality assumed. The Gilbert characterizations have the warm, wild versatility of Rimsky-Korsakoff's crashing chords and crescendos. Novarro — soul music, this — sacred music— Ave ilarias — Te Dennis reaching the souls of all the world. Adolphe Menjou — -Chopin, in all his dainty, mocking moods, masking agony. Antonio Moreno — Moszkowski. Garbo — Beethoven's sonatas. Adorec — Kreisler, and all the little love ballads that creep into our hearts. George K. Arthur — the current Irving Berlin number. Sure-fire success. • George O'Brien — Rachmaninoff, particularly the "Prelude Militaire"— man stuff, and. how ! Elisabeth Collier. Wills Point, Texas. Hurrah for Billy! Three cheers for Billy Haines, the best all-around representative of young America on the screen to-day ! The great popularity of Billy's pictures proves that fans can still enjoy a picture with good, clean humor, and a refreshing personality such as Billy displays. His aptitude for wisecracks is ancient history, not only in real life, but in reel as well. But in his latest, and, incidentally, his best — -"West Point''' — he's not only the same breezy, lovable figure, but he proves, as never before, that he can act! If we are to judge by some of the interviews that he has had — he would lead lis to believe that he is nothing but a wise-cracking youngster, but if he were that only, could he play his dramatic parts as well as he does? My answer is NO! Vivian Stephens. Perry, Lake County, Ohio. Men Warnpas Stars. Well, here we are again at the time when the 1928 Warnpas baby stars are picked. I have seen them in the Fox News and. think some of them look sick. The only ones that do not are Sue Carol, June Collyer, and Lupe Velez. While I do not know any of the others, I hope they will do something to make themselves known. As only feminine stars are picked by the Warnpas, let me offer my thirteen best among the masculine players. Above every one comes Charles Farrell, who is easily the leader of all the newcomers among the men. Also Charles Rogers and Richard Arlen, who were fine in 'Wings." Larry Kent also is talented, and so are John Mack Brown and William Collier, Jr. A^ictor Varconi is another addition to my list, with Nils Asther, Rex Lease, George Lewis, Nick Stuart, Neil Hamilton, and Gilbert Roland. I hope all these fellows will become stars. They have the makings. F. E. B. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A Knock and a Boost. A word of praise for the man who played opposite Alice Terry in ''The Garden of Allah." He doesn't seem to be mentioned in the fan magazines. His name is Ivan Petrovich. His work was very beautiful, and I think he is the handsomest man on the screen. Why doesn't Hollywood "discover" him? Now a knock. Why make audiences endure some of the slapstick comedies that are shown? Before the feature picture appears on the program one is ready to go to sleep, because so much bunk has appeared before. M. E. S. Marquette, Michigan. Ramon, Ramon! I can see where Elfreda Peel will give up reading many magazines, if she is waiting for Ramon Novarro's press agent to say he has done something startling. Times have changed, and it is no longer necessary for any artist to do something startling in order to make himself known. They are just people who desire to be judged , by their work, and, like most humans, their characters differ. Ramon Novarro will not do anything extraordinary, merely to bring himself before the notice of a class of people who delight in reading of some one else's intimate life. Why is it that an artist's life is allowed to go unheeded until he becomes famous? Some of these people work hard to reach the summit of their ambition, yet as soon as they attain that height there are people who are anxious to learn all, and often more than what is true about them. Good luck to these screen folk who entertain us and brighten the lives of tired workers, and may Novarro's press agent ever remain the wise person he is at present, and write the truth regarding him as he really is — a splendid actor with a frank, boyish character, who chooses to remain seclusive. A Ramonite. Sydney, Australia. Sounds Good, Anyway. Why all the agitation about youth versus age? Youth and age are states of mind. There is no such thing as time. If a person looks young, he is young; the number of so-called years he may have lived on this globe mean nothing at all. The belief of age is a relic of the dark ages and should be relegated to the discard, along with the beliefs that the earth is flat and that women are too weak to vote. We are interested in the newcomers and are glad to see them progress. Those who have engaging personalities and outstanding ability will, of course, sooner or later reach the top. But those who have nothing but youth to offer will not climb very far. It takes something more than a schoolgirl complexion to make a motion-picture star. A Fan. Los Angeles, California. Courage — and Then Some. A great many controversies seem to be raging over "The King of Kings." I have seen this picture and can find no fault with it. People decry having Christ portrayed on the screen. Yet for years we have seen biblical films and I have had the opportunity of seeing these projected in some of the sternest Christian churches. Then why condemn "The King of Kings" and approve some rickety, ancient films, inferior in every way, portraying" the life of Christ? Just as DeMille had the courage of his convictions, so has Gloria Swanson for her defiance of the prohibitions placed upon "Sadie Thompson." Gloria has done a risky financial thing, of course, but she has shown what little regard she has for that group we know as censors. When we have a group of people presiding over our films, eliminating the portions that may "send us to Hades," we may well be compared to a little child who is spanked and sent to bed without supper. I am making a collection of Ruth Roland clippings from magazines and wonder how many of you would care to help me out. Martin Boyer. 80 Hemlock Street, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. The Spotlight on Picture Play. I was so glad to read the article in Picture Play about the quickies, for in my opinion the pictures produced by these companies are well worth seeing, and often attract people when the larger productions fail. Let the quickies have their place, and the more popular the players we find in them, the better we will like it; but, no matter who the actors, quickies will always have their place. And, too, I would like to compliment Mrs. Olive D. Thompson on her fine interview with John Gilbert. Jack McElveny gave us something delightfully different in his chummy talk about his collection of stars' photographs. He certainly is a loyal fan, to say nothing of being a patient one, to have gone to the trouble of collecting so many pictures. I am sorry that the Banky-Colman team is to be broken up, for they have given us some very good pictures. I am a little afraid of Vilma Banky's future without Mr. Colman, for she is a type that is being rapidly duplicated in the film world ; while Ronald has given us many other productions on his own merit, so we know what he can do alone. Pearl McLaughlin. 137 Wilson Street, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Overwhelming Praise. I should like to voice my praises for two wonderful Fox stars. It was my pleasure to witness "Seventh Heaven," and the memory of that picture is as indelibly fixed in my mind as "The Big Parade," my supreme favorite. Charles Farrell is the most refreshing hero who has flashed across the screen in many a day. I feel he will go far and play a great variety of roles, but he will ever remain Chico to me, for in that characterization he has achieved screen immortality. "A very remarkable fellow." Janet Gaynor's Diane tugs at the heart with an appeal almost spiritual, and the love scenes between the two are most beautiful. There is a reverence about them that makes the adoring love of the little street waif for her sewer boy far sweeter, far more realistic, than the Garbo type of amour — Garbo, the alabaster, suffused with the ruddy glow of sex — or flamboyant Clara Bow, typifying modern youth on the rampage. Little Gaynor is saner, .deeper, plainer, and, though devoid of conscious allure, she is somehow so delightfully feminine that she makes those flaunted possessors of "it" seem tawdry. Contrast the love scenes of "Seventh Heaven" to any Garbo or Bow picture, and it is like breathing the fragrance of spring flowers after rain, compared to the artificial heat of a hothouse. William Fox is also to be congratulated on his choice of Victor McLaglen, whose Captain Flagg, in "What Price Glory?" blew across the country like a brisk Nor'wester, dispelling the memory of the humid, stifling type of hero who has soaked up the screen in so many supcrproductions. George Bancroft is another whose work is bearing notice, and Gilbert Roland is surely climbing ahead with each picture. His work in "The Love Mart" was wonderful— and the interview with him in the March issue only confirms the impression his screen performances have given — that of an unspoiled gentleman. Yes, new faces are coming, and new faces will probably just as quickly dis