The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Jan-Feb 1923)

26 ‘THE. FILM RENTER. -&. MOVING. PICTURE: NEWS. February 24,..1923 Screnr-rrom-‘' ue Prees oF Pan.”’ | -The Pipes of Pan. A beautiful nor telling a delightful story which no showman . should miss. RELEASED BY HEPWORTH. Length, 5,975 ft. Release Date, shortly. HERE is all the difference in the world between the ways | in which different men tell the same story. The gifted reconteur will tell a simple story in a manner which is the despair of the hearer endedvouring to retell it later on, The art of careful embellishment, the correct amount of emphasis, the tone in which a certain part of thé story is told, all’ have their part in putting the story over—as we say—and making it vivid to the mind of the hearer. . This is exactly what has been done by Cecil Hepworth with George Dewhurst’s story, ‘‘The Pipes of Pan,’’ in interpreting it through the medium of the screen. The picture is a triumph of production looked at from any standpoint. The casting is, with one exception, almost inspired, and, as a consequence, the acting is superb, each character making of the part a rea] person -of flesh and blood—living the part rather than acting it. The location, too, is beautiful in the extreme, shot after shot of the Surrey woodland calling forth exclamations of admiration. A‘remarkable use, too, has been made of the camera, for in the outdoor and the indoor scenes many of the pictures have an almost stereoscopic effect, the figures in the foreground standing out from their surroundings in a manner that calls for sincere compliment. These and those little ScENE From ‘‘ THE Prrss or Pan.”’ Review of Ne All About Thi touches of artistry that bespeak careful and -sympathetic handling, informed by a fine: imagination, add yet more testimony to the recognised skill of Mr. Cecil Hepworth. ‘Imagine yoursélf in & wooded Surrey lane, with: thé roadway partly grass grown, and upon a green patch of grass at the side of the road a tinker’s van with the shafts empty, and its owner busy at his work near-by. A short distance away sits his daughter busy polishing a metal pan. Enter a youth with ‘bicycle and camera asking to be allowed to photograph the girl. That is how thé picture introduces you to Miles Bunning (John McAndrews), Polly (Alma Taylor), and young Farman. Then the story goes ahead. Farman Senior is the head of (ea big commercial concern, and the photograph of Polly, and the son’s story, give him an idea for a new activity, the manufacture of a ‘new metal polish. Consequently, he seeks out Miles Bunning and, by the use of some ‘eleverly-worded : newspaper publicity, boosts the metal polish” which Miles Bunning makes, and floats a company, inducing the tinker and his daughter to leave the country and move to a grand house in the town. Attractive though this is to Polly, she has” pangs at leaving little Derek Hula: son of an artist living near-by i in a caravan. She has stimulated his childish imagination by telling him fairy tales, their friendship having dated from the time when, armed with his simple pipe, he wandered into the wood to call the fairies to him. Into the scenes that follow it has been possible to get a Jot of really tip-top comedy, for the Bunnings are.installed in..a big house (part of the publicity stunt), and the faue pas of which the old man. is guilty, and the swagger with which he.attempts to carry off his new position are productive of great. fun. The introduction of Aunt Maggie (Buena Bent) is a fine jest, and her amorous advances _towards James Flaxman. . (Lawrence _Hanray), the company’s secretary, makes a fing bit of comedy acting. So entirely does Aunt Maggie capture her. prey. that the trusted Flaxman elopes with her, taking with him all the profits. This means eviction from the big house, ‘and Miles and: Rolly return to their former life. Here enters. the. pipe. of Pan. again, and Poily,drawn to the side of little Derek, who is ill, finds the affection she had for his widowed father reciprocated. Tt.is here at'the close that one meets with the blemish in this simple, pretty little story. When Dickens was-writing. his ‘‘ Old Curiosity. Shop ’? in serial form -he was implored: by’ readers. net .to kill -Little: Nell; in the’ same way one might. implore. Mr. Hepworth to: bring Derek: to. life again and finish the story with a shot of the three of them living happily together: This would “make a much more acceptable finish to the picture. a Wheré a whole set of charactérs liave done ‘so well, it’ may seem unfair to select one or two for special mention; nevertheless, John McAndrews and Alma Taylor must’ be mentioned, for upon them so much of the play depends. Not only in the larger actions, but in tiny details, both these artistes embellished the picture in a most pleasing way, and to them much of the acting ‘success is due.” “Buena Bent and Lawrence Hanray’ have already been mentioned for some finelyacted ‘comedy. ‘‘ The Pipes of Pan” is a picture upon which any audience will enthuse, and no showman should hesitate to book forthwith this most artistic and appealing picture. Comedy and pathos