Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Jul 1929)

EverV Littl Continued from page 73 J There is a reason for this. It is a natural human instinct to envy — and to resent a little — people who are better dressed than we are. Sympathy naturally accrues to the simple characters. Since the days of the old melodrama, a silk hat has been the badge of the villain, and long, slinky dresses and dangling earrings have marked the vampire — a beautiful woman with no conscience, who used her sex to lure men to their ruin. Max Ree says, indeed, that the slinky feminine garment, draped tightly over the thighs, and caught up on the hip with an ornament, has been symbolic of the woman of loose morals in all countries at all periods. But Adrian, of Metro-Goldwyn, feels, that sex can be suggested more subtly than this. With such a subject as Greta Garbo with whom to experiment, he should obtain some interesting results ! In "A Woman of Affairs," the screen version of "The Green Hat," he has dressed her, for the most part, in sports clothes. At least she will be garbed like a smart Englishwoman intensely interested in sports. "Sports clothes can be no less suggestive of sex than the conventional, e Touch Has a Meaning All Its Ovtfn 101 clinging garments," he avers. "Boyish, loose, designed for the freedom of the body, a tennis dress or a golf outfit can suggest feminine allure as surely as can a fluffy negligee \" Norma Shearer will have an interesting role in "The Last of Mrs. Cheyney." She makes her appearance in London society, attracting attention by her beauty, her smart attire and her demure dignity, although no one knows who she is, or whence she came. In reality she is one of a ring of jewel thieves, and she uses her entree to smart homes to gain information to be used in big robberies. "She is clever," says Adrian. "Clever enough to know how to dress beautifully, but without too much ostentation. And yet — to make this character real — there must be a subtle, false note in her attire. She must be smart enough to pass for the real thing, but just a trifle too smart for a true aristocrat." When one considers that the outer circle of the picture — the setting — shows only in the early shots of a scene, and then for but a short time, he realizes that if the mood of the story is to be suggested by these, it must be done with broad, definite strokes which will make an almost instantaneous impression. Few people in an audience realize the thought that goes into the designs for the backgrounds of stories. The present trend is toward simplicity and a lack of confusing detail. Edward Jewell, indeed, objects even to pictures on the walls of his interiors, unless they are necessary. And costumes are being designed less and less with an eye to flattering a particular star, and more and more for the purpose of assisting the actor in his characterization. Beautiful and meaningless figures on the screen are giving way to actors who sacrifice personal appearance to create an illusion of reality in the characters they are portraying, just as the beautiful, subnormal leading lady and leading man of yesterday are giving way to stronger personalities and intellects. Actors are finding that it is important to be able to ad. The trend toward simplicity and sincerity in all departments of motion pictures is an extremely hopeful sign. The first thing you know you will find that this infant industry is getting to be adult. What the Fans Think Talkie Gets a Guffaw. At this moment, while every one is taking an interest in talking pictures, I want to write a few words about them. "Wings" was shown in our town, with sound effects. The drone of the airplanes was so beautifully produced that it seemed they were flying inside the theater. Therefore, I am for the sound effects. But spare us, for Heaven's sake, from the talking movie in its present form. At the International Film Exhibition, which was held at The Hague, I attended a demonstration of the Vitaphone. First, a 'cellist appeared on the screen and started to play. The sound was clear and natural, but when a person appeared on the screen and started to speak, the audience burst out laughing, for the voice seemed to come from everywhere — from his ears, from hi9 nose, his hands, but not from his mouth. We hear too much of the mechanism; .but I think when the apparatus has been improved considerably, talking pictures will take an important place in the film industry. H. Leonhart. Tolstraat 138, Amsterdam, Holland. Souls Melted by Tears. Let me tell you the story of a lonely old lady who, until recently, had never been inside a motion-picture theater. That is, until somebody told her of "Four Sons," for we met in this way. She sat beside me, a tragic, lonely figure, crying like a child, and I crying very much in the same way. True, we seemed like two lonely souls atop "peanut heaven," where anything else mattered little. Perhaps, too, that is why we got to talking to each other. Indeed, I let her pour her soul out to me. I learned that she had come from Austria many, many years ago. Her Continued from page 13 husband had died shortly after their arrival here. There were two sons — one a soldier, who died during the World War fighting for this country ; the other, an invalid she -still supports. Pictures, until recently, had meant little to her. For there were always busy days and little money. I understood, you see, for the tears alone told the story — "home," "children," "a mother's love." A lonely old lady brought to live these over again by a mere picture. God grant that we may continue to see pictures of its kind again a'nd again. What an inspiration they can give us ! What love and cares and tenderness they can teach us ! What memories of old they stir in us ! What dreams and tragedies and sorrow ! What tears and afterthoughts ! I am seeing them over again. But what person wouldn't? Pictures like "-Over the Hill," "Stella Dallas," "Sorrell and Son," and "The Way of All Flesh" are something of a body and soul — like a part of life itself. Here's to many more like them. Ella Nikisher. 1225 Lancaster Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In Defense of Boyd. I write to defend William Boyd, my supreme favorite, from the evidently ignoranjt onslaught of Miss Dauber, of Brooklyn, New York. She states that "William Boyd could never act as well as William Haines" ! I advise Miss Dauber to recall Mr. Boyd's excellent acting in "The Volga Boatman." I have seen many pictures of William Haines, but none of them could compare to Boyd's triumph. If she did not see -or care for that type of film, how did she like "The Cop"? When a majority — and a large one, at that — of the critics agree that Boyd's acting, and that of the rest of the cast, was the thing that made the picture, is she going to say still that Boyd cannot act as well as Haines? There was little or no romance in "The Cop," yet every one who saw it thought it a most entertaining film. What put it across in spite of the lack of 'romance? There is but one answer — the acting of William Boyd ! I would ask Miss Dauber to see this picture and then reconsider her opinion of my favorite's acting. M. Mueller. Burbank, California. A President is Peeved. This isn't going to he a missive praising or condemning any celebrity. It's just a message to all fan-club members who want everything for nothing. They think all that is necessary to make any club a huge success is their dime, quarter, or fifty cents — and that's all ! They quietly take a back seat, and let the willing officers, and the very few willing members, do all the work while they enjoy the results. The person who does the most talking about how much they would do for their favorite star is usually just trying to fill up space. This is all true — I haven't been running a fan club for nearly two years without learning a few; new things. Boys and girls kick because we charge a quarter a year dues, and it is our, or rather my, fault if our honorary president doesn't answer his fan mail. It's all in the game, and, of course, it has its good points, too ; but I wish you members would remember that it doesn't take just your money and talk to make any organization a success — but your cooperation! Elaine Iverson. Lincoln Street, Marseilles, Illinois.