Screenland (May-Oct 1934)

68 SCREENLAND to cjct good snapshots now with JIFFY KODAK and VERICHROME FILM The Movie Romance that Shocked the World Continued from page 19 THERE'S a new way to take snapshots—an easier way. With a Jiffy Kodak . . . the smart folding camera that's so simple to use. At the touch of a button the Jiffy leaps out— ready for action. A click of the shutter and you've made a picture. Smartly designed in metal and enamels—as trim as a lady's compact. The Jiffy comes in two sizes . . . for 2*A x 4'4 inch pictures, $9 . . . for 2!4 x 3!4 inch pictures, $8. If it isn't an Eastman, it isn't a Kodak. YOU'LL get better pictures with Verichrome Film. In the glaring sun or the porch's shade— this film gets the picture. The cheaper the camera . . . the slower the lens— the more the need for Verichrome. Load your camera with Verichrome for better pictures. Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, New York. separation, which was never officially sanctioned, lasted until the Uuke died, followed very soon afterward by his discarded wife. Of course the world talked a lot about the strange end of their romance, which had been supposed to have been an ideal one, but it never even so much as guessed what background that end had had. Then there was the case of the Grand Duke Constantin of Russia. He had married, also for love, one of the most beautiful girls in Europe, the Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg, and for years he remained at her feet. One fine morning he told her he was going to take a short trip to the Crimea, returning in a couple of weeks— but he never did, instead _ writing his wife a letter expressing his intention of living apart from her in the future! There had been no quarrel, nothing that could have given the Grand Duchess an inkling of the catastrophe about to befall her. But the next thing which the world heard, was that a beautiful young ballet dancer was seen with the Grand Duke, who appeared as happy in her company as he had been years before in that of his wife. . The Princess bore her misfortune with immense dignity, never complaining, ignoring all the rumors which were brought to her concerning her husband's misdeeds, until suddenly something happened which drew public attention back to her. The Grand Duke was stricken with apoplexy, and never recovered the use of his limbs. But his mind remained unimpaired, and one day he was heard to say he would give anything to see his wife again and obtain her forgiveness. The remark was repeated to the Grand Duchess, who immediately had a special train ordered to take her in her turn to the Crimea, where she was welcomed with not only effusion by her truant consort, but also with repentance and the expression of his regrets for the sorrow which he had brought upon her. She remained at his side, and watched over him with the greatest devotion until he died about eighteen months later. This story caused as great excitement in royal circles as I ever remember having heard. And although I had nearly forgotten it, it returned to my mind when all the rumors about the estrangement between Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks began to fly around the world. Mary always reminded me of the Grand Duchess Alexandra whenever I heard her mentioned, and of course being interested not so much in the rumors as in Mary herself, I asked all about them when I was in London, and tried to find out how much truth there was in them. . ( Everybody loves and admires Our Mary," the only and inimitable Mary, and if possible the sympathy which she has always inspired has been increased by the dignified way in which she has behaved and borne the very unpleasant publicity to which she has been lately subjected. In consequence of this, Douglas Fairbanks has had, and is still having what one calls in French a "very bad press, and that has prevented him in his turn from getting the justice which Mary very likely would be the very first person to wish him to obtain. Doug may be vain. But then aren t all men that more or less, and are there many in the world endowed with sufficient force of mind to resist certain fair sirens when these have started on the war-path. determined to get the scalps of their neighbors? The more a man is well-known, the more of these sirens he finds awaiting him at every corner, and when it comes to such a celebrity as Douglas Fairbanks, there are armies of them on the look-out for an opportunity to throw their harpoons at him. This is why, in spite of my sympathy for Mary, I have a sort of sneaking sympathy for Doug! I hear that he is starting to make a new picture — his first film to be made in England. He is working at the studios of London Films Productions at Elstree. How hard it must be for him sometimes, trying to make "The Private Life of Don Juan," with so many newspaper items staring at him about his own private life ! Remember, the senior Fairbanks is still a most attractive man. All over the world women are interested in him. And Mary Pickford has always been admired and envied by thousands of women. Obtaining a triumph over Mary would be, for some women, something like winning the Victoria Cross in battle ! The internationally noted actor _ from whom she is reported to wish a divorce may have been seen at this or that night club, in the company of Lady So-and-So. or the Countess of This-and-That, but so have other men who have not the misfortune to be famous film stars and so do not have the embarrassment of seeing their every action magnified on the front pages of many newspapers. As for divorce actions— well, there was once a great Prince who was named as co-respondent by a certain man in his divorce suit, but no one ever thought that the Prince's wife would in turn divorce her consort so as to allow him to make another woman Princess in her place ! Why, then, do so many gossips believe that the great romance of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks must be permanently broken? Why not give them a chance to mend it? The scandal-mongers, I fear, have chosen to ignore one thing — that at heart Douglas is still Mary's Doug ! He has a large and brilliant cast of charming ladies in his new motion picture — but surely this does not mean that he will take any one of them seriously! The beautiful young Merle Oberon, who made such a success in "The Private Life of Henry the Eighth," as the unfortunate Anne Boleyn, appears in "The Private Life of Don Juan" it is said at Fairbanks' particular request. But this signifies merely that Mr. Fairbanks respects Miss Oberon's talents as an actress. Another lady in the cast is the charming and amusing Elsa Lanchester— well, she is in her own private life the wife of Charles Laughton ! And so on and on. Life, to Douglas Fairbanks, may be a great and colorful motion picture ; but to my belief there is just one real leading lady in it— Mary Pickford! Let us hope for a Happy Ending ! Somehow I seem to see a new era of happiness dawn for Little Alary, as well as for Douglas Fairbanks. I seem to see "the leading man" reappear at Pickfair, to be greeted by "the leading lady" with a grave, wise, affectionate and indulgent smile. Angels alwavs find a special joy in forgiving! Meanwhile people all over the world are talking— talking. As they never, believe me, talked in the past about the love affairs of Kings and Queens. No royal romance ever shook the world as the movie romance of Marv and Doug is doing today !