Picture Show (May-Oct 1920)

11//,, 1020. IS O— Home pend away JJ r bungalow. J(i ;»,. & n«EmaaiMBiL»in * THE FILM A CINEMATIC CHAT WITH EDMUND GWENN L» delights in the days he can s lio. Here we see htm tn his summer ■ distance are the blue California h ■ ■■•■•••■■BllilllllDIIIIHIIIIII | sacies of his engines don't j jug by bis sunn; smile. A morning run in the star's specially bnilt racing car, " The Antonio Moreno." Iiaph ?e.-ials by keeping bis lawn in order. 6 ■ 1 I DO think this interview was a real kindness on the part of the person who gave it because : ' (1) I. had no appointment with Mr. Edmund Gwenn, but (2) Someone else had, and they were nearly due to arrive ! And (3) Just between ourselves, Mr. Gwenn is not frightfully keen about the subject upon which I had come to interview him ! And yet for my sake (because I looked tired — which I flatter myself I have the art of doing whon 1 want an interview very badly !), and for yours, because I told him how interested you'd be in anything he had to say about films, and how disappointed you'd be if he remained adamant, he ga%'e in with a smile. Now, wasn't that a real kindness ? And just after a tiring performance, too ! In " The Skin Game," you know ; that fine play by John Galsworthy, at the St. Martin's Theatre. His One Picture. MR. GWENN, of course, needs no introduction as one of the finest actors of the legitimate drama — to attempt anything of the sort would be an impertinence — but as regards film acting— — " Really, I feel that I should not be speaking upon such a subject," he explained, as we sat in his dressing-room, because I know so very little about films, and have appeared in but one in my life ! And I did so then only because it was a propaganda picture — ' Unmarried,' a Granger all-British production." " Even so," I remarked hopefully, " I should like to know how your first flight into filmdom affected you." " Frankly, the -work doesn't appeal to me," said Mr. Gwenn. " Can't explain why, any more than I can tell you why it is" that some people like tomatoes and others don't, or why it is that some folks love horses — myself, for instance — while others are frightened of them." Well, this at any rate was honest, and, somehow, honesty, sincerity of purpose, are the qualities of Mr. Gwenn which seem to strike one most forcibly when speaking to him. It is, for instance, a compliment to him that I cannot for the life of me tell, you what colour his eyes are, but that I remember instead the directness of their gaze ; and that, while I cannot recollect the details of his dressingroom, beyond its appearance of comfort, I did carry away with me an impression of a very sincere dryly humorous man — a real John Bull-isb sort of person. His Dislike of the Film. " T^UT surely," I persisted, opening fire tl again, " there must be some reason why film work doesn't make any appeal to you ? " .Mr. Gwenn smiled indulgently at my persistence. " Well, maybe it's because film work doesn't allow one really to lose oneself in a part, as the stage does. Why, I remember playing in a piece once, in the course of which I remained o i the stage for an hour at a time ! But in the film studio one does not act for any appreciable length of time. The director puts you through your paces for a minute or two, and then it is over, till you are called again, perhaps hotirs, perhaps days later. One cannot get thoroughly into the spirit of a role so. At least, that is the way it seems to me, though, as I told you at first, my film experience is practically nil." " Do you think you will ever play in pictures again, Mr. Gwenn ? " " I may do— one never knows ; but I'm not keen, because I don't think the w >i k would ever appear to me more congenial than it doos at present," ho replied, adding : " Of course, I cannot consider the scrap I have done in any way representative, because ' Unmarried ' had what was termed a ' record cast,' in which even those of wide dramatic experience (as well as the leaders of society featured) wore content to take quite small parts." Appreciates "Charlie's." Brains. I TAKE it that you are not specially fond of the movies as an entertainment, either '! " I queried. " I've certainly seen very few pictures," Mr. Gwenn admitted. " Any that specially appealed to you ? " " None," was the brief and cheery response. Then, more seriously : " But stay, on the rare occasions when I have seen Charlie Chaplin's pictures, I have always thought his ' business ' extremely clever." " Mr. Gwenn," I said suddenly, " I should like to know how the ovation to Mary Pickfoid and Douglas Fairbanks 6truck you ? " " I think they must bo a very worthy and charming couple," Mr. Gwenn answered, " and in every way deserving of their places in the hearts of the people ; but, as regards ourselves, I think the ovation we gave them compared with the reception wo gave the V'.C.'s the other day, was a disgrace. Of the men who must have gone so near death to have won such a decoration, we mado nothing like the fuss, and I think the comparison sheds an unworthy light on us." I lot that sink into my mind — srowly. In conclusion I asked Mr. Gwenn EDMUND GWENN. wheihor he thought the films would last, a well-known stage actress having recently told me that in her opinion they would not. " Oh, yes," he replied imper'turbably. *' Jn fact, ( should like to see every theatre in London turned into a cinema, and people spending not merely £350,000, but hall a million on amusement houses in which nothing but pictures should be shown. Then," he concluded with a chuckle, seeing my expression of amazement, " the public would be more appreciative of the theatre proper and the legitimate stage in the future ! " May Herschel Clabke.