Screenland (May–Oct 1925)

78 SCREENLAND The Wanderer— Continued from page 33 and when he came back, tired, dirty, torn, scared and crying, she gathered him in and sent up a little prayer that he'd always come back. He was only a baby, but twenty years from now he'd still be a baby, and if he'd only always come back — tired, dirty, torn, scared — or anything — she'd take him to her; she'd wash his hands and give him rest; with joy in her heart, she'd kill the fatted calf. That's "The Wanderer." That's the story of the little boy, grown broader and taller, but still dreaming of the great things on the next street that he couldn't see. It's the story of every boy, from half past two on, from the days before Christ when this earth first started, until that day comes when there'll be no more earth. That's Raoul Walsh's idea of "The Wanderer" as he is directing it for Paramount. He will make it big. He will make it mighty. He will have it carry a tremendous message all around this vast world of ours.1 "I am making it a story of Biblical times only as far as the costumes and settings are concerned," Mr. Walsh said to me. "They make it picturesque and seem to bring home the good old .story of the Bible in a deeper and more tender way. The story is simple, the Bible folks were gentle, and the whole atmosphere of that day is soft. Do you understand what I mean?" I did understand. Mr. Walsh went on. He was living his story as he would direct it and give it to us to live. "And the boy — I call him 'the boy' to myself, always. The boy is so young, so full of youth and so dreamy: I can feel him, somehow. Life is before him — the fields are so dull, and the flocks are so lazy and the days are so long — something must happen! He must get away. That call of youth, that inevitable thing is upon him." I understood. I thought of Junior, with the lions and tigers on the next street. They must all "get away"! "I have chosen William Collier, Jr., for my boy," Walsh continued. "He has that far-away look in his eyes. Have you ever noticed? Can't you picture him tending his flocks, looking to the hills beyond, every part of him crying out to go? He's sick of the tedious farm life! There must be something marvelous beyond those maddening hills if he could only get there. That's my boy — William Collier — with his softness, his lovable weakness and his impetuous youth. He must carry my message to every son, to every father and every mother. "Kathlyn Williams plays my mother. I have lots of faith in a mother. She knows her son the way no one else does, and largely on account of her my boy will come home." Mr. Walsh paused. Kathlyn Williams, in her quiet manner, walked across the set, waiting just long enough to tell me "hello."' There she was — the mother of "The Wanderer," the Prodigal Son. Stran-e that she should be playing this role of the wander-, ing boy's mother. Just five years ago her boy — her only boy — went away, never to come back again. Kathlyn Williams could certainly play Mr. Walsh's mother. Her understanding might be even too deep. "So he tends his flocks. The days are more tedious, and the dreaming more dreamy. His older brother tyrannizes, the fair Tisha passes on the way to the marvelous city, and my boy must go." Mr. Walsh pulled me a little closer. "Do you blame him? Can't you feel the fever of youth and adventure in his blood? Don't you see he had to go? "Oh, hello there! How are you today?" I looked around. Walsh smiled. It was his father, come all the way from New York City to watch his big son film a great picture. "We're talking about the picture," I said. "Pretty big task your son has undertaken. Do you think he can do it?" Could he do it? I might as well have asked him if dogs bark. Fathers think awful funny things about THEIR sons! "So my boy goes. He gets his portion and leaves for the city, head held high, money in his pocket, and youth in his heart. "I take him to 'A City." I give it no name, no time, and no place. Do you see what I mean? He might be ANY boy in ANY age, going to ANY place. He might be your boy or my boy. But he's basically good! He means no harm. He was made that way." Crash! Bang! Seemingly there wasn't a quiet spot in the studio. Q Flora Finch — a sincere actress with a host of friends. The Horoscope Contest is no w being determined by Miss Jane Carleton. The screen part offered by First National Pictures will be announced probably in the August issue. "That's all right," laughed Walsh. "They won't let anything fall on you. They're tearing down the set where we just finished shooting. It was the abode of Tisha, the wicked vampire, who, with the aid of Tola — Ernest Torrence — leads my silly boy astray and carries him on and on to ruin. Greta Nissen plays Tisha. She's very wicked, this Tisha. Like most vampires, she leads ' him on, spends all his money, ruins him, and then falls into the arms of her next victim. It was that way long ago and it looks as if that's the way it's always going to be. Have you met Tisha? If you have I think you'll likely fall into the net yourself." Yes, I've met Greta Nissen and the net is drawing tighter every time I see and speak to her. She's Hollywood's latest sensation. As the Hollywood saying goes, she's "got it." "Of course my boy is beaten. They always are. His money ' goes and he is ready to cheat, to lie — anything for Tisha. He is losing — losing. He would sell his soul for her!" Walsh took a deep breath. "But that's where I figure his mother comes in. In all his wanderings, through all his weaknesses and youthful worldliness, his mother has his soul. He has wished and yearned for a sight of her. I feel him wanting her. Tisha has thrown him from her; the whole crowd turns away from him and spurns him; his father's dowry is spent and even , he might not welcome him; but his mother — she has his soul. She never failed him, and she never will." That's the story as Raoul Walsh told it to me. It's the old Biblical story of the Prodigal Son who leaves his home, comes back tired, beaten and disgraced, but finds the fattened calf ready for him just the same. Mr. Walsh went on and told me of the unlimited resources Paramount has given him with which to make the picture. Any player in the country is his for the asking. Such confidence has the company in him that his word is absolute law. "I am giving our moving picture fans one of the greatest casts ever assembled for one production," said Walsh. "It has meant more work than you would think, because I insisted on tests to be sure that the atmosphere of the old Biblical days was carried out by my players. In addition to Ernest Torrence, William Collier. Jr., and Kathlyn Williams, is Wallace Beery, who plays the part of the father; George Rigas who plays the tyrannizing brother. Even 'bits' in the picture will be done by such well-known people as Raymond Hatton and Holmes Herbert. You see, I want this to be my very greatest effort, the best that is in me, and my message of faith to the world." "Yes," I thought on the way home, "we all do need that message of faith." I reached our own street. There was the other prodigal, half past two instead of half past twenty-two, playing on his own front stoop, the wanderings of the morning completely forgotten. The lady next door said he ought to be spanked, so he wouldn't forget so soon. I said so, too, so he wouldn't go away again. But his mother — his mother said she didn't care how many times he went away as long as he always, always came back home to her again. And I guess that's why he always does come back.