Picture-Play Magazine (Sep 1928 - Feb 1929)

60 Manhattan Medley Photo by Pach George Arliss has been signed by Warner to make a talking picture. so early in the morning, I find it all an expensive business. Using airplanes, for example, runs into a lot of money. ''We had some anxious times of it, too; especially when filming a parachute jump. One man had to make a jump from the plane, high in the air, to be followed immediately by another fellow also using a parachute. The first parachute opened all right. Though our eyes were glued to the spot, we could see no sign of the fellow who had to follow suit. All wc could see was that the parachute failed to open. Our hearts were in our mouths. Terrified, we rushed over to the landing to await the descent of the plane. To our amazement the second man stepped out, looking somewhat the worse for wear, but intact nevertheless. He explained that when he had started to jump, the plane door had slammed against his head and knocked him unconscious. Fortunately the parachute half opened and caught in the door, leaving him senseless for the pilot to haul up. The plane had been so far up in the air that we had failed to see this bit of drama." Rural England is to be the scene of what Jones calls "just another horse opera." The cowboy star is to play the role of an American cowboy, who tries to become an "*'m °^ to HollyEnglish gentlemen— a story writ W(?°d> not Atlanta!" . i .1 t-> • i i said Texas Guinan ten by none other than Reginald on leaving New Denny. York. Bebe's Up in the Air. Bebe Daniels, rather weary, a bit pulled down and very nervous, but always a good sport, came to New York hoping she might persuade Mr. Zukor to permit her to make a picture in the East. But since the film gods decreed otherwise, she contented herself with a holiday spent amid the pleasant surroundings of the Thomas Meighans' estate at Great Neck, motoring into town every few days to see the plays and what not. Aviation, avows Miss Daniels, has captured her fancy, and she determined on her journey Eastward, to take time by the forelock and avail herself of the fastest mode of locomotion. Being an ardent aviatrix for years past, she was eager to try a plane as a means of transcontinental adventure. Paramount got wind of her plan a few days before her departure. Threatening messages were delivered to her, contracts were dangled before her, frowns were displayed, and the publicity department was ordered to ignore her, but Miss Daniels searched her contract for a clause forbidding aviation as a diversion, or means of travel, but failed to find it, and with a light heart sallied forth with the United States mail, over the Western mountains. "Since I was permitted to go a-flying in many films," says Miss Daniels, "I fail to see that it was such a risk for my diversion." Miss Daniels is one of those who believes that the talkies do not demand what is known in Hollywood as voice culture. "It is inevitable," says Miss Daniels "that I make a talking film, since all the world is doing it. All of us have to do it sooner or later, but I, for one, will not have my voice tampered with. The best screen acting is natural, and . it stands to reason that the best-speaking voice is. a natural one. You can't tell me that you are going to 'get over' by using affected speech. If you speak the way you are used to, audiences are going to like it — just because it is you. You have to be sincere on the screen. That was the trouble with May McAvoy's first speaking film — she was not only too conscious of her voice, but she was trying to speak as she thought she ought to speak, and it didn't ring true. May, naturally, has a very nicespeaking voice, but it was much criticized when it was recorded. A lot of people are going to make the same mistake, but I am thoroughly convinced that if you speak as you usually do the audience will like it." Audiences will surely like Bebe in the talkies, for more unaffected speech we never heard.