Screenland (Nov 1935-Apr 1936)

68 SCREENLAND of a microphone and told me to say someing, but I can't remember what I said because of all the excitement. Then we went inside, and presently the film started with the actors' names rolling up on a sort of manuscript thing and people clapping. And do you know, they even clapped when my name rolled up, which was frightfully kind of them, because I was a stranger from England and they didn't know me. I held Cis's hand because I could tell she was rather nervous, and when it came to the beating part, I kissed her because I thought she might feel badly, and I couldn't comfort her on account of not talking. It's very interesting to see yourself on the screen, because you're sitting down and yet you can see yourself moving about. But the most interesting part was later, because I hadn't watched them shooting it, and especially the wreck. By jove, that was a splendid wreck, wasn't it? I should certainly love to have been it in. Well, I think that's all about "David Copperfield." After the preview? Well, everybody was sort of pushing and rather excited and trying to find each other, and we were trying to find Mr. Cukor to say thank you. And we found him in the aisle, and said thank you from the bottom of my heart. And going out, other people stopped us and shook hands and asked me to sign autographs. And somebody asked us to go to a party, but Cis said it was time for me to go home, so we went home. But we did do another exciting thing before going to bed — we cabled Granny and Grandfather about the preview, and next day we got a very lovely cable back, which said congratulations, and I think it must have been signed by practically every friend in Warminster, don't you, Cis ? We were very happy about that because, since they couldn't be present to share the joy, at least they were sharing it by wire across the seas. After that we went to New York, where so many things happened that it's all sort of jumbled up like a hash in my mind. But I remember the newspaper gentlemen who came to see us, because they were so very jolly and, instead of asking questions, we just played ping pong and chatted about this and that. And dear Major Bowes gave a party for us ; it was my first grownup party, and I had a new Eton suit, and I took my pistol along. I have a knife, too, but I've always liked pistols better. And I remember the Dickens birthday dinner, because I had to make a speech, so I said: "If Dickens hadn't been born, he couldn't have written 'David Copperfield.' And if he hadn't written 'David Copperfield,' I couldn't have acted it. And if I hadn't acted it, I shouldn't have been here tonight. So his being born was pretty lucky for me, wasn't it ?" I didn't mean only because of the dinner, but because of everything. And that's not a joke. (Next month: What Freddie's been doing since "David Copperfield"). and have a button on your foil so that you can't be hurt. But if you have no fencing instructor in your town, or feel you cannot afford to take lessons, don't think you must forego the benefit. Fencing exercises can be done by any girl with a stick picked up in her backyard. Evelyn Venable, Gail Patrick, Frances Drake and Grace Bradley are four excellent fencers. If you watch them on the screen, you'll notice how well they walk, how nicely they hold themselves, their poise, and their expressive hands. The most graceful men of any age lived during the era when fencing was man's greatest sport. They were far more graceful than the women of their day, for women then were weighted down by voluminous clothes, had no freedom, never exercised. I've said that fencing teaches you how to walk. All fencing is done on the toes and the balls of the foot. The ball of the foot takes the weight of the body, then you glide or spring lightly in the advance and retreat. Many modern doctors say that many of our ills come from our feet. Learn to walk on the balls of your feet and you'll be well. One of the early Roman emperors used to buy beautiful women slaves in the slave market. They looked wonderful to him when he saw them sitting on the block, but when he got them home he discovered that they walked with either a waddle or a thump-thump-thump. This worried him considerably until he decided that the difficulty was that his beautiful slaves had flat feet ! He had wedges of wood made and strapped under their heels so that they would have to walk on the balls of their feet — the first high heels. Modern women, however, have developed high heels to the point where they are stilts that ruin rather than help the feet. Fencing helps correct this condition. You can buy a foil for as low as three dollars and a half. A flexible stick 34 or 35 inches long can be used for fencing exercises. Wind some adhesive tape around the heavier end to serve as handle. The advice given by a master fencer as to how to hold the foil can't be bettered, so I repeat it : "Hold the foil as if you had a bird in hand, firmly enough to prevent escape, but not so firmly that you will crush it." 1. Position of attention — sometimes called the carry. The body is held erect without stiffness, the chest well up, knees straight, Fencing for Trim Figures Continued from page 57 feet at right angles, one heel behind the other, body turned slightly to the right, left hand at side, right hand, holding foil, extended at shoulder height to right. The right foot should be in a straight line with the right foot of your adversary to whom you are presenting your right side. The reason you don't stand squarely face to face with your adversary is that thus you would have to defend a larger target for his foil. 2. Salute. We salute our adversary at the beginning and end of all bouts. There are several variations of the salute, but the one commonly used is as follows : Billie Burke is the height of fashion in the evening gown of gold lame she wears in this pose. Standing as before, bend the arm so that foil and forearm are perpendicular to the floor, the fingers facing the chin. Then the hand is dropped with fingers up until the arm is straight and the foil tip about six inches from the floor. 3. On Guard. To the trained fencer, the guard is an easy position ; to the beginner, it most decidedly is not. On guard is the position of readiness for defense or offense. We will do it in four counts : (1) . Holding the last position of salute, slowly turn the tip of the blade to the left toward the body until you can lightly hold the tip end with the left hand, the blade parallel to the floor. (2) . Raise the foil horizontally over the head, still holding the tip lightly in the fingers of the left hand. (3) . Release the tip of the foil from the left hand, but keep the left arm in its raised position, wrist and hand relaxed and gracefully arched. Rotate the point of the foil forward until it is on a level with the shoulders. At the same time bend the knees and turn them out. This is something trained athletes find it hard to master, so be sure you work at it. (4) . Advance right foot straight forward in the direction in which it is pointing two foot lengths, knees still bent and turned out at right angles. Hours of practice are needed to acquire a correct, evenly balanced, graceful guard position. The right hand and grip, (handle of foil), should be breast-high, the blade forming a straight line with the forearm, the tip of foil at about the level of opponent's eye. The body is turned so as to present as little target to opponent as possible. Balance is necessary to quickness and readiness. This is attained by equal distribution of one's weight on left and right legs. Practice before a mirror to see if you have attained the correct positions. Do this over and over until each movement of the guard flows into the next. For quick action, such as is necessary in fencing, the bent knees, with feet at right angles and so separated that the balance is well placed, can endure longer and react to rapid agile movements better than any other position. It is important to practice this position until it becomes a perfectly natural one. The way to find out if you have the correct guard position is to make the call. After assuming the guard position, we ask for the call. This is performed by