Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

Picture Show, April ltth, 1921. 17 Mr. R. Bland MANY thousands of R. HENDERSON BLAND, my readers no doubt remember Mr. Bland's sympathetic, masterly, and withal beautiful portrayal of "Gilfil" in "Mr. Gilfil's Love Story," which created such a deep impression when it was released a month or so ago. His scenes with Wary Odette leave a vivid memory behind, and he was equally effective when ho starred with Miss Dorothy Vernon in an International Producers' Federation Film — adapted from the celebrated novel by Marion Crawford — " A Cigarette Maker's Romance," which I was fortunate to see recently at a private show. Henderson Bland plays " Count Skariatine " and endows the character with whimsical and real poetic charm, and this is not surprising, for Mr. Bland is not only a famous actor, but is also a poet of repute. From Manger to Cross. ONE of Henderson Bland's most famous roles in the history of the screen was that of " Christus " in the Biblical visualisation entitled " From the Manger to the Cross." This film is a marvellous production, and it was screened in Egypt and Palestine. When I met Mr. Bland not long ago I realised how well fitted was he to play the great role of " Christus." He is a tall, handsome man, with tremendous charm i I manner, a man of culture, intellectual, with wonderfully expressive features — and last, but not least, possessing a dominating but kindly personality. Some of His Verses. I HAVE already told you that he is a poet. His " Moods and Memories " are full of grace and beauty. He also wrote the " Heroic Stand," a poem on the gallantry and indomitable courage of the Scots Guards at Festubert — this poem has been set to music by Adelina de Lara — and the following lines are culled from verses written by him when under t lie spell of " From the Manger to the Cross " — " A Night by the Sea of Galilee." " Night upon thy hills, And peace on thy bosom, O sea, As I sat by thy waters and thought Of One who has hallowed thee." With Sir Herbert Tree. HENDERSON BLAND commenced his career in 1897, when for two years he worked strenuously under the management of Tree. After this he put in hard work in the provinces, and toured with the Ben Greet Company in " Athos and The Three Musketeers." Then he played with Lewis Waller in " Monsieur Beaucaire," and with Mrs. Langtry, Mrs. Brown Potter, and Sir George Alexander. He served with the armies in the field during the Great War for four years, and was wounded in 1918, so not only has he done well as an actor, but also as a soldier. Dorothy Vernon. SLIGHT, vivacious, and dainty, she makes a bewitching " Vejera " in " A Cigarette Maker's Romance." But it is not only in filmland that she has secured laurels ; in America ehe has made a tremendous hit in " The Maid of the Mountains," and I feel sure that my readers COWLEY WKIliHT, will join with mo in hearty congratulations. A thrilling moment occurs in " The Cigarette Maker's Romanco " when Count Skariatine discovers that as ".Vejera" she has sacrificed her beautiful hair to obtain money, to enable the penniless count whom she loves pay off his debt of honour. Qf course in the end she marries the man she adores, and ho proudly shows her to the world as the future Countess of Skariatine ! "A Cigarette Maker's Romance." A BRITISH film portrayed simply, without sensationalism. It is well acted, and the exteriors are particularly beautiful. Stella Wood-Sims. SHE played " Evelyn " in the Ideal film "Ernest Maltravers." "I enjoyed playing Evelyn very much," she confessed recently, " as it was so unlike my real self, and I enjoyed the experience, Evelyn being a simpering sort of person, very shy and demure." CrowdWork and Ambition. STELLA WOOD-SIMS tells me that her first part in a film was that of " Judith " in The Silver Bridge," a Dallas Cairns production. When she was given this part she had only had one day's crowd-work, and felt very pleased with herself in consequence. Then followed crowd-work again, but in lrA Diamond Necklace " she played the French maid. Lilian Hall-Davis. HER first film was G. B. Samuelson's production " The Admirable Crichton," in which she played the part of " Agatha." " I then played the juvenile lead in ' The Better 'Ole,' " Miss Hall-Davis added, " and after this I joined the Entertainment Branch of the Navy and Army Canteen Board, and for eighteen months toured the camps with several plays, 'The Title,' 'Raffles,' 'The Butterfly on the Wheel,' ' Blindness of Virtue,' etc." Since then she tells me she has played " Rose " in " The Game of Life," Samuelson's most ambitious film, "Lexie" in "The Honeypot," and its sequel " Love Maggie," and last, but not least, " Alice " in " Ernest Maltravers." Mr. Cowley Wright. TALL, virile, and dark, he is one of the most fascinating figures in filmland, and I am sure my readers will agree with this opinion when they see Cowley Wright as " Ernest Maltravers," the hero of Lord Lytton's famous novel. Like many famous stars, Cowley Wright commenced his stage career with Tree, then he played under Matheson Lang, and Martin Harvey and Barker. DOROTHY VERNON and R. HENDERSON BLAND in " A Cigarette Maker's Romance." Predicted Bombing of London. IN the " Yellow Jacket" Cowley Wright took the role of the lover, , "Wu Hoo Git." Curiously enough, a production in which he played a lead before the war became prophetic. It proclaimed the need of a National Air Fleet, and predicted the bombing of London ! And we know something of air raids, do we not ? Laurels ! COWLEY WRIGHT has also played with H. B. Irving, the juvenile lead with Marie Lohr, and he played with Forbes Robertson in the " Passing of the Third Floor Back." Later Mr. Cowley Wright played with Lillah McCarthy. He scored a tremendous success at the Kingsway in a play entitled " One Hour of Life." Later this clever young actor scored another triumph with an Italian play. An English translation was given at a charity show, and it was such a success that the Pioneers asked for it to be given for their society. Later it was put on for a season at the Ambassadors'. He also played in " Our Mr. Hepplewhite " and in " Why Marry ! " but he smilingly declared he hated the part. And in filmland Cowley Wright played the young Frenchman in " The Rocks of Valpre," " Ernest in " Ernest Maltravers," also a lead in " Sybil," a new Ideal production. Torn to Bits. THE other afternoon things were exciting at the Ideal Studios, Elstree. A crowd of men, grim and terrifying, were hanging around. At first I began to wonder what had happened, and then after a time I caught sight of Milton Rosmer in working attire, minus a coat, horribly dishevelled, his features bloodstained, and then I began to grow interested. " I'm about to be torn to bits," he called out. I hurried after him into the studio, and within an hour I was watching the most remarkable and awe-inspiring scene. " The Real Thing." MILTON ROSMER was playing the lead in the new Denison Clift production " Demos." In wild desperation he flies from the angry mob, but he is hunted down and killed like a rat in a trap ! I have never seen such emotional acting, so much genuine pathos as Rosmer threw into his work. That he was going to read " Nan " at Oxford, with Irene Rook and Maesfield the following night, did not prevent his throwing his heart and soul, to say nothing of his voice, into " Demos." I came away from the studio amazed and thrilled beyond measure by what I had seen. British actors are certainly straining every nerve to give their best work to their fellow countrymen end women. I often wonder what you all really think about British films and artists ! Personally I am tremendously proud of them — I hope you are ! Idealism at a Trade Show. JUST where you don"t expect to find it, some will exclaim ! But the other morning at a Hepworth show, spring flowers were handed to every member of the audience — the film was " A Lunatic at Large." Edith Nepean.