Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

Pitturt Show, March 2tth, 1921. ance "premiere" MADGE STUART. Carnival. Already it has been stated that this British masterpiece, " is cighteon months ahead of any production of to-day, and this does not only apply to Great Britain but to every country at present producing films." My readers will have an opportunity next week of judging for themselves. It is emotional, ambitious, enthralling. When I entered the Alhambra for the trade show a few weeks ago, there was a tense Hush over the packed building, arid one had a curious sensation of feeling that, had there not been music, one could have heard a pin drop. Soul Stirring. IT is not an easy matter to describe the w onders of " Carnival," or the subtle effect it casts upon the emotions. It leaves one breathloss amazed. The onlooker is bewitched ; he, t oo, is flung into Carnival. Marvellous coloured waves of mauve , rose and gold glow upon the screen. Then there is Venice, Venice rare, and beautiful, a Venice nc%er seen to such effect, in 1 filmland before. . Matheson Lang. DO you remember how he endowed his " Silvio Steno," with all tho lire and passion that made his part so true to life In " Carnival " upon the stage. This art seems intensified in the great film; Ho has added fresh laurels to his long list of • haracter studies, and it will be surprising if '* Silvio " of the screen is not placed first amongst his many great triumphs. The Story in the " Picture Show." THE story of " Carnival " will appear in next week s Picture Show. and. 1 am sure you will all want to read this. Hilda Bayley. SHE will bewitel) you completely as " Simonetta," in "Carnival." She is exquisite, pathetic, childish, passionate, a dream of beauty in her glittering carnival dress, which shows off tile charm of her dainty, graceful figure. Her acting is wonderfully artistic. As Bacchante she dances at the Bal Masque, a thrilling dance of joy and abandonment, before the revellers. Venice. MANY scenes of "Carnival'' weic taken in Italy. I certainly did feel tho spirit of |Vcniee," Hilda Bayley told me. " It seemed so beautiful, such an" ideal city, that one felt its influence so great, that one desired beauty in life and mind. Seeing Venice in sad mists made me feci restless, and accentuated, to me, the tragedy of its beauty. In early morning I looked through my window aeross the Grand Canal, and perhaps I would see a gondola, with monks in their black cassocks, paddling themeolves along to tho beautiful old gTey church, Santa Maria della Salute. Such a gorgeous picture ! " Moonlight and Stars. HILDA BAYLEY went on to tell me that when they arrived in Venice to film the Venetian scenes, it was a warm night, ■with a clear indigo sky, brilliant stars and moon. " We glided through innumerable canals before 17 we reached our hotel, ant] when we turned wo were always confronted with bridges, and beautiful old doors with steps leading down to the water, and tho narrow dimly lit passages , between tho houses added to tho picUircsquu loveliness of the scene." The Pigeons .1 WHKN wo wero doing some scenes at St. Marks, -and tho pigeons (loitered around, the Venetians were so interested that they simply surged upon us. Tho child, ',' Nino," of tho piny, and tho maid and myself, had to be extricated and hidden in a shop. But even when tho crowd was addressed by our interpreter it would not go away ! In the end the Venetians had to be roped back. " At last .Mr. Novello and two or three others went over to the other side of the square and Started an imitation scene with a mock camera, t o entice t he crowd from us. But they wero obliged to keep it up for three quarters of an hour." To be a Successful Film Artist. YOU must have an extraordinarily quick brain," says Hilda Bayley. "' You have to think of all the wonderful things you have to do, without rehearsal. You havo to pick up tho emotions of the situation, and reflect them. The producer knows what he wants. The artist must respond, and portray tho subtleties and emotions the character requires; EILEEN DENNES. ho was released by the Famous Players and came homo. " Many of the leading stars in motion production have come under my direction," lie told mo recent ly, " and 1 havo produced slago plays for some of the foremost stars in America. ' Carnival ' I hope to follow up with others, with wonderful scenery. The 'Carnival ' set was the finest that has ever been put up in any studio." Certainly Harley Knowles is to bo warmly congratulated on his great succass. At the end of the trade show, Hilda Bayley and Matheson Lang received a tremendous ovation when they appeared in person on the stage, but the concluding scenes when the producer took his bow in response to repeated calls, is beyond description. Dress and Hilda Bayley. IBELI EVE in good lines," says she. '" Dresses that are either picturesque, or very simple, so that they are not dated, and hats with a sweep, and a good decided line." Everyone who sees Hilda Bay ley's Simonetta will acclaim her to be one of our very greatest artists. Ivor Novello. THE popular author, composer and film star, makes an ideal and romantic Count Andrea Scipione, Simonetta's lover. In one of the scenes, Ivor Novello had to sing a serenade to Simonetta outside her window, and this handsome lover promptly decided to compose a special melody for the occasion. When the scene was " shot " Novello. aided by his own accompaniment on tho guitar, sang an exquisite serenade to the lady of his heart, and the whole studio suddenly stopped to listen to the enchanting music he had specially written. Harley Knowles. DIRECTOR-GENERAL of productions for the Alliance Film Corporation, Ltd., and producer of tho super-film ' Carnival " is an Englishman with ten years American expciience. Stirred by patriotism for his country, MATHESON LANG made up as Othello, reading the script of " Carnival " with bis producer, HARLEY KNOWLES. " The Last Rose of Summer." OWEN NARES, now appearing in "The Last Rose of Summer," had an offer during the war from Griffiths to go to America for five years. " Perhaps 1 was foolish to refuse," said Mr. Nares. Owen Nares has a passion for blue, either palo or dark, Oxford or Cambridge. His " Aura," so a psychic friend assures him, is pale blue, and I believe such a shade is supposed to possess all sorts of delightful qualities. Eileen Dennes. IT was whilst Eileen Dennes was dancing on the American stage that she found her way into filmland. One day Charles Frohman offered her a part in a film, and she confesses she found it quite the most difficult and terrifying she had ever played ; however, at the end, the producer declared : " I seo you are not new to film work, Miss Dennes. Thanks ! Splendid !'° And that's just how she arrived ! Later she joined the Hepworth Company, and she has already proved her versatility. Her first picture with Hepworth's was " Bessie Saxton," in Sheba, later " Audrey Leaman,"' the country girl in " The Forest on the Hill," and tho " Prettiest Girl in London," in " Alf"s Button. ' In " Once Aboard the Lugger,' produced by Gerald Ames and Gaston Quiribet, under the personal supervision of Cecil M. Hepworth, she played the part of Mary Hnmfray ; in this production E. Hohnan Clark played a star part. Chrissie White and Powder Blue. THE other morning 1 saw Chrissie White, in the highest, spirits, going off to do exteriors. I am sure her thousands of Picture Show admirers would have been more than ever enchanted by her beauty and sweet girlish charm if they had seen her in a coat of powder blue, trimmed with grey squirrel, and the dearest little powder blue toque, trimmed with grey fur on that beautiful golden hair of hers ! A Carnival at the Harma Studios. THERE were gay doings at tho Harma Studios not long ago. A scene of a big carnival was " shot," to use the technical term. Arthur Rooke. the well-known producer, had spared no pains in making his ballroom " set" as perfect as possible. Marjorio Villi's, radiant and beautiful ill a wonderful gown and head -dress, was there as Cleopatra, and James Knight was a fascinating Anthony. Edith Nepean.