Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

M PLAYERS. YOUR OWN STARS. and at one period Walter Damrosch conducted. On Lake George our hotel was at the edgo of the water. I played Oberon. The setting was exquisite ; it was the edgo of a lake, in tho white moonlight. A band of seventy-five horn players from Wagner's orchestra was hidden in the wood. It was as near Fairyland as one cau get it." An Obscure Position. FROM Mr. Rosmer's varied experiences in America our conversation drifted to British productions again. " I played in ' The Palace of Truth,' under that wonderful producer, W. S. Gilbert," he said. " Gilbert could get more humour out of a funny line than any other man I know." Mr. Rosmer's first productions were " Justice " and Masefield's " Nan." " One day," Milton Rosmer went on, " I had a sudden desire to appear in a film production, and did so. Mr. Rowson, managing director of the Ideal Film Company, thought I would make a good screen actor, and bagged me for another film. There was an interruption during the war. 1 became notorious in Dublin as the driver of a motor-lorry. I certainly filled an obscure position in an obscure manner." Amongst the many successes to Mr. Rosmer's credit in filmland are leading parts in " Still Waters Run Deep," " The Mystery of a Hansom Cab," " Whoso is Without Sin," " The Man Without a Soul," and " Torn Sails." Battling Barrows. 1HAD an interesting chat with Mr. Donald Crisp the other morning. Many of you will remember him playing the imposing and thrilling part of Battling Burrows in the film "Broken Blossoms," adapted from one of Thomas Burke's stories in " Limehouse Nights." Sir. Crisp came home after being away i n America for sixteen years, and his first ex■ citement on getting back to the old country was to see his father again after all those long years of absence. MADGE STUART. We Must Struggle Through. "AT the moment," said Mr. Crisp, " I am J-\ one of those who are trying to make British films the best in the world, and to gain this end the whole thing has to be taken seriously. During the war England lo=t five precious years, and now she's got to d" all in her power to regain them. We must struggle through. " The one thing I notice here," Mr. Crisp went on, speaking of his work as a producer at the Famous Players-Lasky British Productions, " is the co-operation of everyone at the studio. Everybody is so willing to learn. Major Bell is our manager, and a great deal of credit is due to his magnetism in keeping the force together. And all do their best for the director in chief." No Lillian Gishes. " \V/E have not found our Lillian Gish or \ty Mary Piekford yet, but who knows ? Any day a potential Mary Piekford or Lillian Gish may drift into one of the big London studios — as a child, just as Lillian Gish did — and work her way up into the technique of this great art," says Mr. Crisp. " Our own particular studio gives a contract for a number of years, so that the artiste has the chance of perfecting his or her work with us. We have only British artistes in the Famous Players-Lasky British Productions, and in the studio we have every modern scientific device known to man. But this lamp " — Donald Crisp smiled — " has just come from America ; it's a million candle power. At San Pedro, in Catalina Island, there is a lamp giving a light that can be seen fifty miles awav.'~ A Life of Pleasure. " T~*ILM work?" Madge Stuart questioned £"* ! tho other afternoon, when I was having tea with her. " To mo it's moro like a ufe of pleasure than work. Sometimes, however, I becomo a little homesick for tho stage, for I enjoyed being in ' Chu Chin Chow.' I started screen work last autumn, and 1 have certainly never regretted tho step I took. I adore going to tho theatre, and my next pleasure is to see Norma Talmadge films. I havo to go off to France soon, to tako part in a Stoll Picture production. I havo nev<T done any riding until recently ; but, as 1 shall have to do a tremendous amount when I get the other side of the Channel, I've hurriedly been taking lessons. No, A. V. BRAMBLE. I'm not afraid," she declared, " but I'm a wee bit superstitious. For instance, I put my jumper inside out this morning, and I didn't dare to change it ! " Strong and Silent. MR. A. V. BRAMBLE, the producer of "Torn Sails," Ideal Film Co.. might easily be termed " The Strong, Silent Man " of the party ! He says little, but his keen, dark eyes never miss tho smallest detail. " It's a great mistake," he told me, " to imagine that film drama is silent drama; it isn't. It's useless to move the lips without sound. Tho human voice brings up all kinds of emotions into the face. In a tense situation, if tho actor doesn't talk or shout, there are certain muscles in his neck -that are never brought into play, and so the expression of his features are not virile as it should be. H conversation is only carried on in dumb show, the listener unconsciously loses in expression. Mr. Bramble has produced, amongst many other films, "Her Benny," Silas Hocking; " Jimmy," John Strange Winter ; " Profit and Loss," H. F. Maltby ; " Laughing Cavalier.'' Baroness Orczy ; " Smart Set," Elliot Stannard ; " Withering Heights," " Torn Sails," and ho is now at work on Sir James Barry's " The Will." Torn Sails. ON a very brilliant, but windy morning la-t summer, I was strolling through the steep, picturesque streets of Newquay, South Wales, when I saw an equally picturesque Welshman strolling along unconcernedly. Latir on I noticed an old Welshwoman, with snowwhite hair, talking to a young and beautiful Welsh girl. They looked so attractive that for a moment I thought I was dreaming, then the truth burst upon me ■ — tho picturesque Welshman was Milton Rosmer, the little Welsh girl Mary Odette. They were members of the Ideal Film Company, engaged in filming Allen Raine's love story, " Torn Sails," in Allen Raine's own county, Cardiganshire. The other morning I passed out of a London fog into tho enchanted portals of a cinema — ■ to a private show of "Torn Sails." It is Bramble, and the scenario is by Elliot Stannard Milton Rosmer make3 a virile and fascinating Hitgh Morgan. Ivor Parry, is played by Geoffrey Ken (here he is). Mary Odette * Gwladys Price is a sympathetic and exquisite study of a Welsh girl. She quickly won nil hearts by her charm and beauty. Jose Shannon 's acting as Mad Gwen gives an unniorkablo piece of emotional acting, which is haunting in its intensity. " Torn Sails " is a British production that should win laurels for the producer and success to the company. Edith Xef-eax. GEOFFREY KERR. It is produced by Mr. A. "V.