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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 1920)
4 f gg-ffiil THE SILENT DRAMA?- P---fflte I VfaTri '2' ' V ' 1 fmmmmrmm.mmmm..,kMmmmmv ni i .u.u. mm.ii n If . vT: - , , i i , I ' .-i L&VJ ; f". ' -' l r Ti 1. h' n ' - xllr - - s t -- . ;i nx i( 1 - . .f Ms. - T r W 1 if ' ' v ! I: f 1 f Itf . -X.!. V"- Sr - y&-Aj&s-.iaMz.. ..J: J I x i v -7S5r - A, - ?-M ! I TODAY'S FILiM FEATURES. 4 Columbia Gloria Swanson and Thomas Sleighan, "Male and Female." iRIvoli Jane Novak and Jean Hersholt, "The Golden Trail." Majestic Alice Brady. "The Fear Market." f Liberty William Farnum. "The t Last of the Ouanes." J Star Emile Ghautard's "The 4 Mystery of the Yellow Room." 4 Peoples Dark. S Sunset Zane Grey's "Desert Gold." i Circle Marion Davies. "The i uarlc Star." -w VENTS have W thick and fast In "fillum" row X-J during the last week that man agers and patrons both are dizzy. First the censor board clash was settled, leaving C. M. Hill and A. C. Raleigh jubilant. Then the Rivoli opened. The Peoples closed temporarily. The Liberty inaugurated a series of "knock-'em-Mead" prologues. And Frank Lacey, not to be left be hind, began the manufacture of film prologues which served as similar an end as those of Paul Noble's. Trial "Movie" Popular. A courtroom overcrowded with en ergetic and purposeful club women of the city was the result of a free mo tion picture showing of "The Thir teenth. Commandment," the much censored and talked-at film, during the trial of C. M. Hill, branch manag er of the Famouw Players-Lasky cor poration last Tuesday. Mr. Hill was accused by Mrs. Col well, paid secretary of the Portland board of motion-picture censors, of releasing "The Thirteenth Command ment" to A. C. Raleigh, manager of 1 -1 1 1, ! .. without t h A tificessarv Dermit. Prior to the trial i nearly every woman's club in the city, at the request of Mrs. Colwell and other members of the board, adopted resolutions upholding the censoring of "The Thirteenth Com mandment," which was described to them but which comparatively few saw, and adopted resolutions favoring a general clean-up of "suggestive pictures and vaudeville which are cor rupting the morals of our children and young people." Mrs. E. T. Colwell, secretary of the motion-picture censorship board, who filed the charges against Mr. Hill, ap peared in the role of one of the best witnesses for the defense under the cross-examination of T. D. Hail, Mr. Hill's attorney. One of the contentions of the de fense was that the board of censors had not been operating in compliance with the ordinance, and that the law specifically states that permission to run pictures must 6e given In writ ing by a majority of the members of the board. Mrs. Colwell. as well as members of the board who testi fied, admitted that this right had been delegated to viewers whd gave the permission. One of the contentions of Mr. Hail was, consequently, tlat the board was not and had not been operating legal ly and was, as a result, a defunct body. Mrs. Colwell admitted on the wit ness eland that she did not know whether the board was operating in compliance with the law. When asked what ship thought of the law which stated that pictures must be given permission to run in writing by a majority of the members of the board, she declared: "Yes, that's what It says, but It doesn't mean that." She then began to explain how the board as a "sovereign" body had made rules for its government. She was unable to answer satisfactorily the question of Mr. Hail, who demanded whether it was a body privileged to go contrary to the specific declara tions of the ordinance which creat ed it. TMroli Holds Opening. If huge crowds, innumerable mes sages of congratulation and liter ally trucks full of cut flowers are the accepted criteria for a motion picture opening, the Rivoli showed Portland last Friday night how a high-grade cinema house should open its doors to the public. Its offering was dignified and expressive of the high-grade entertainment which it plans to give the public each week and at the same time it was mighty interesting and filled with genuine laughs and the desired "punch" and "kick." . Particular attention- was, of course, centered on Misha Guterson and his 14-piece orchestra. Mr. Guterson Is a real musician and the same time he believes In motion pictures. This makes a rare and ideal combination, as the orchestra has proved during its two days before the public Just what an orchestra may mean to a cinema production has been real ized by those who first saw "The Golden Trail" when exhibited one midnight four or five weeks ago. At that time it was accompanied by the organ, just as almost every other picture' shown in Portland is accom panied by the organ. One thought nothing about it at the time. And one thought nothing about the music during the showing to Mr. Guterson's orchestra, but afterward then one tried to determine why the picture had seemed during its second show ing so much finer, stronger and more appealing. Its harmony had been completed and brought into more tan gible materialization by the music. The two concert numbers Liszt's J 'HuS'arian Rhapsodie" and a ser-' 1 S5- ?r-rS?. enade by Pierne were enthusiastical ly received. An exceedingly original note was struck in the one-reel picture which served to introduce Manager Taylor and Director Guterson to their new PUD'lc- Those who have seen' the little novelty feel at home at the Rivoli. for they have had an insight into the personalities of the men con trolling the Rivoli destinies. The personal appearance of Jean Hersholt and his small son Allen added a touch of genuine interest. It brought the audience into just a bit more familiar communion with the cast of "The Golden Trail." Peoples Closes. Jensen & Von Herberg Interests have beeen active during the past week. The Peoples closed Tuesday and since that time Alanager Jarmuth has been seen flying around the de serted theater, a saw In hand, tele phone wire hanging out of one hip pocket and a hammer out of the other. No definite date has been set for the reopening of the Peoples, as the work being' done in transforming it into "the palace of the peacock" Is most elaborate and pretentious. Some time during the latter part of this week further information as to the completion of the renovation is expected. "The prologue we had last week and the one we are having this week are not casual, happenstance affairs," declares Paul Noble. During the showing of "Hawthorne of the U. S. A." the Liberty theater put on with amazingly good results, from the ticket office viewpoint, an elaborate musical programme aided by wonderful lighting and stage ef fects. Murtagh executed the William Tell overture with unusual effects be cause of a 'special stage setting which made possible a scenic illustration of Rossini's famous storm. Two excel lent singers against effective back grounds added a charming note to the programme. Earl Alexander, tenor, will sing the wonderful Pagliacci prologue during this week's programme at the Liberty. An original . innovation will be launched by Murtag, when he will have his organ speak the words of' "Let the Rest of the World Roll By." "Pastimes Aboard the U. S. S. Oregon" will be a novelty picture shown In conjunction with ten "gobs" singing and playing on the Liberty stage. Laeey Don Original Cutting;. The censorship board has nothing on Frank Lacey of the Majestic, 'who last week. did some original film cut ting of his own. Believing in the present "pulling" and artistic power of the recent cinema device, a pro logue, Lacey cut his film, "The Cinema Murder." so that a clever play within a play in its new form made a prologue. The result was exception ally good, as It added a spirit of mys tery and general "sit-up-and-take-notice atmosphere." That, however, is the prevailing atmosphere of the Majestic under Mr. Lacey's guidance. The latest Portlander to commence "shooting" the wonders of his home city is Andrew Migolon, who, with his brother, conduct a candy business at the Oaks. Migolon has been taking pictures of Greek countrymen in their new and American haunts. He has been filming their play, their work and their homes in this country. He plans to tour the other large cities of the United States, taking similar scenes. These pictures will first be- shown in the cities where taken so that the persons appearing In them may see themselves as others see them. They they will be taken to Greece, where Migolon plans to say: "Come, see your brother, your sweet heart, your sister and your friends; see how they live In America; see how they are thriving maybe you, too, will want to go to America." His present schedule will allow him time while In Greece to film the wonders of that country and brintr them hunk to America for exhibition. Portland will soon know the, fct Jt? V 1 7 AW lO H ! ;w A that it should be realizing a lion's share in revenue from the third larg est Industry knqwn to the world, that of -motion pictures. - - When it sees the action on the screen of the story "Headin" North," a vehicle written for Pete Morrison, ' i t wi 1 nitlur fhnf it h . f n r B didn't consider the picture possibili ties that prevail through Oregon. C. H. ("Bud") Wales, the cinematog rapher for the Beaver Film company, is filming this picture and Mr. Wales has made It a careful study in this picture to show Portland what she possesses, for it is for Portland and Portland people. The hair-raising flight of Jack Walters, who Is playing the heavy in "Headin" North," as he flashes down a flume on a log around the side of a mountain covered with tall, stately Oregon pines and firs with, snow capped peaks above and . silvery streams below will again make it realize its picture possibilities. On top of some of the mountains, crater lakes, beautiful beyond descrip tion, were found by the Beaver Film company, and many of the scenes for the love interest of the story were taken around these and under the clever direction of Charles E. Bart lett, have been utilized to bring out the best scenic effects. Hidden caves that break from the earth's surface in certain localities, with .an opening of 20 feet or more and running downward and back for miles, hung with brilliant silvery icicles, then lava formations, twere woven Into the story around the ac tion of Barney Furey, who plays a character that is different from any thing that has been done of late on the screen. BORDER STORY STIRRING OXE "liast or Duanes" Pictures Some Magnificent Natural Scenes. The latest William Farnum pro duction, a splendid picturizatlon of the Zane Grey novel "The Last of the Duanes," contains some of the most magnificent locations ever "shot" by a camera. In the character of "Buck" Duane in this stirring story of Texas border life, which will be presented at the Liberty theater this week, Farnum Is hunted by many posses, .always eluding them until he voluntarily gives jhimself up. Toward the last K is chased by a posse which drives him across the desert and mountain till he gets Into a canyon from which there is no es cape. For this scene Director J. Gor don Edwards found Cathedral canyon, one of the most wonderful natural beauties in America aside from the Grand Canyon of Arizona., To get to this place the members of the company had to go by ma chine toward Indio. and then on horse back more than seven miles to the entrance of the canyon. Once within the canyon, there comes to view a natural amphitheater of granite, the smooth sides of which rise to a height of more than . 1000 feet. This height Mr. Farnum and a band of cowboys had to scale, climb ing on hands and knees. A slip might mean instant death. The height was scaled, however, without accident. His extraordinary ability to inject himself absolutely into the part he is enacting , never has been more ably demonstrated by William Farnum than in "The Last of the Duanes." To achieve a successful and convinc ing portrayal, Mr. Farnum maintains the prime essential is the art of be ing natural plus entering sincerely into the spirit of the role. "Let the characterization grip your heart feel the spirit of the thing." he says, "and your emotions as re corded by the camera will be gen uine enough. In a word, it is not the straining after effect that goes across it is the presentation of the part jjj 2 wb.?Iss?me manner tja.f wiU jjj TItE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, JANUARY 18, convincing ness." In Its repressed natural- COLUMBIA SHOW'S GREAT FILM "Male and Female" DeMille'e Big gest, Finest Production. It would seem that Cecil B. De Mille has been working up toward the pro duction of "Male and Female," his new picture, through his entire ca reer. For this picture, which was shown for the first time last night at the Columbia theater, represents the consummation of his many-sided gen ius, the finest fruits of years of ar tistry. ' The several excellent qualities which have distinguished his former productions have reached their full est development here. That he has hitherto done ' nothing to compare with this is unquestionable. In his society dramas, "For Better, For Worse," "Don't Change Your Hus band" and others, he exhibited deli cacy of handling the luxurious and opulent in drama such as had never before been displayed on the screen. The cosruming, the Betting, the pre sentation of these will not soon- be forgotten. In, "Carmen," "The Woman God Forgot" and other costume plays he showed that he could handle the spectacular and the colorful in as masterly a manner. And In the mat ter of straight dramatic intensity, who can forget "The Whispering Cho rus?" "Male and Female" combines the luxuriousness of "Don't Change Your Husband" with the spectacular beau ty of "The Woman God Forgot" and the dramatic strength of "The Whis pering Chorus." The opening scenes, in the London home of Lady Mary, are the last wora in luxury. Mr. De Mille has spent money on his pictures before, but it is doubtful if he has ever spent so much, and so effectively, as in these scenes. Gloria Swanson has more wonderful gowns than ever. AUTHOR DIRECTS OWN PRO DUCTION. Lewis II. Moomivr. The author of "The Golden Trail," the present feature of the Rivoli theater, is Lewis H. Moomaw, a co-director with Jean Hersholt. of the picture. The story, which vibrates with "the big out-of-doors," is con sidered one of the best stories of the north produced the past year. Mr. Moomaw has been Identi fied with the American Llfeo graph company since Its inaug uration almost a year ago in Portland. x" "it Ax . - i iff s, - - t4ti . J J XV:" - K. " ; ! SSl w.. i ,m . . v N , .y i tlf t and the settings, down to the tiniest I detail, are'In Keeping with the storied ! characters. Then there is the Babylonian epl- sode short but thrillingly beautiful, Here la th nnt ,.! hir,rf wim tne exquisite. 1 nomas ineignan who plays Crichton, is the king in tins episode. Gloria Swanson, more beautiful than ever In the barbaric splendor of the Babylonian costumes, is the untamed slave. In the end she 13 thrown to the lions and they're real lions, too. As everyone knows, J. M. .Barrie wrote the play, "Admiral Crichton." from which "Male and Female" is adapted. Sir James is one of the last authors to allow his works to be filmed. The cast headed by Thomas Mei ghan, who duplicates his excellent work in "The Miracle Man" and Gloria Swanson is uniformly excellent. Theo dore Roberts. Lila Lee, Raymond Hat ton, Maym Kelso, Robert Caine and Edward Burns are some of the big names in it. Jeanie Macpherson wrote the scenario. PORTLAND FILM TOPCIiAR "The Golden Trail" to Be Shown Until Friday at the Rivoli. Continuation of the opening pro gramme of the Rivoli theater until midnight Friday was announced yes terday by E. Marshall Taylor. The announcement was made following evidence presented on Friday, the opening, and last night when many persons were turned away from the overcrowded Rivoli. - "The Golden Trail" is the cinema feature of the Rivoli's opening pro gramme. This is the picture which was made in and about Portland last summer by the American Lifeograph company. It is the story of a college lad against whom fate seemed to strike more than usually hard. He goes to Alaska and there by sheer determina tion and the help of man whom he befriended in the states, is about to come Into his own when fate and the college mate who once before had spoiled his career, bob up again. The Alaskan snow scenes were filmed on Mt. Hood while the Ma zamas were having their annual sum mer snow frolic. College scenes were taken on the Multnomah club field and in them the Reed college student body participated. A novelty reel of film introduces Manager Taylor and Mischa Guterson, director of the Rivoli orchestra. This reel, too, was made in Portland. Its titles were written by a Portland boy, Linton L. Davies who served overseas with the American and Canadian ex peditionary forces. The Rivoli 14-piece orchestra has been enthusiastically received undei the direction of Mr. Guterson. The present concert numbers are Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsodie" and Pierne's "Serenade." FEAR MARKET NOTABLE FILM Alice Brady Production at Majestic Elaborate One. The most elaborate production for the screen she has ever appeared in, Alice Brady has finished work on "The Fear Market," by Amelie Rives, which is now playing at the Majestic theater. Clara Beranger has made an adaptation for the screen from the play in which Edmund Breese and Sidney Shields scored a great success four years ago. This will be the last .picture Miss Brady will make before she goes on tour with her last sea son's stage success, "Forever After," and the scenes will be taken while she is playing the Subway circuit in the same play. The first half of the picture is laid in Italy and the script calls for elabo rate sets of Italian gardens, villas and hotels. From 300 to 400 Italian extra people will be used in these scenes- The '.pltcate'of ne of New 1920 L. , , , . . , , ?! ,r,k 8 larKe ntels and a large mask ball are other features of the picture Mla! Brady has a highly dramatic role as Sylvia Stone, daughter of Major Stone, a wealthy New Yorker, who, unknown to her, is the editor of an indiscreet blackmailing society sheet. Sylvia has been brought up in Italy by an aunt and falls in love with Ettare Forni, a celebrated Ital ian tenor. There is a fine sweep of open air life 1n "Soldiers of Fortune." which will be shown at the Majestic theater next week. The author of this story was the late Richard Harding Davis, who was well known as a writer of the high est type of modern story. Allan Dwan produced the photoplay, which de picts the life and love of Robert Clay (Norman Kerry), an American en gineer for the heiress of the Lang ham millions (Anna Q. Nilsson). Their adventure with Alvarez, a South American bandit, who prepares to abscond with the Langham fortune ifnd starts a revolution to gain his end, is both exciting and thrilling. Today's concert by Cecil Teague at 1:30 this afternono at the Majestic theater will include the following selections: "Free Lance" (Pryor); "Old-Fashioner Minuet" (Bocherrini) ; "From Foreign Parts" (Moskowski); "Isle of Golden Dreams" (Blaufas); Orpheus overture (Offenbach). BEGINNING IS RECALLED Belgian Scenery, Later Marred by Germans, in First Film. The success of Emlle Chautard's "Mystery of the Yellow Room," at the Star theater this week, brings to mind some of the celebrated pro ducer's first attempts at directing. "One of my first productions. If you can call it such, will always linger with me as a cherished achieve ment," he remarked the other day. "You see, I happened to be the first man to reproduce a Belgian locomo tive on the screen, and the lovely countryside in which It was taken was later devastated by the Germans. "Being a Frenchman, that little strip to me represents much more than a mere piece of film. Behind it is a real story, a story of a nation's sacrifice, more tender than any tale yet translated into pictures." Edmund Elton, who plays Robert Darzac In "Mystery of the Yellow Room," will be recalled by theater goers for his splendid acting in a number of Broadway successes, in cluding "Alias Jimmy Valentine," "The Squaw Man," "The Boss," "Ex perience," -"The Eternal Magdalene," "Colonel Ibbettson," and several other productions. The splendid acting of Mr. Elton In "The Mystery of the Yellow Room" recalls his successes of a. few years ago on the legitimate stage when he was associated with such well-known stars as Margaret Anglin, Henry Dixey, Julia Dean, Leo Ditrichstein. Henry B. Warner 'and others whose names have flashed from many an electric sign on Broadway. Not only Is Edmund Elton a keen stage impersonator, he is a good artist as well, and might have been a truly great painter today had he not heeded the call of the stage. For years he studied under W. M. Chase, the re nowned portrait master. 'DESERT GOLD RARE PICTURE Story One of Stirring Adventures in Great Southwest. Zane Grey's "Desert Gold," which Is playing at the Sunset theater, is cer tain to add luster to the fame of America's premier novelist. Not only has "Uusert CuM" been acclaimed the greatest of Zane Grey's works, but the screen version is the first produc tion from a Jane Grey novel that has won the author's approbation. A cast of brilliant players headed by E. K. Lincoln, star of countless cine ma successes, includes Eileen Percy, Margery Wilson, Edward Coxen, Wal ter Long, W. Lawson Butt, Russell Simpson and Arthur Morrison. Desert Gold," depicts the stirring adventures of Dick Gale, a sturdy soldier of fortune. He encounters an old college mate. Captain Thorne, on his travels, and assists with the aid of two cowboys in rescuing the army officer's sweetheart, Mercedes Cas tenada. from Rojas, an outlaw and his pack of plunderers. Thorne re turns to duty, but Dick and the cow boys journey with Mercedes to Rio Forlorn to seek refuge for her at the home of Jim Belding, a rancher. That night. Gale, Thorne and the cowboys outwit the bandits and make their way to Yuma. Hiding Mercedes in a cave. Gale and the others take their stand to battle the outlaws. The desperado band is wiped out, with the exception of Rojas, who finds Mercedes and attacks her. Yaqui rushes to the rescue and throws the bandit chief over the cliff. Even with Rojas out of the way there are obstacles a-plenty in Gale's fight for the hand of Nell. Belding's foster daughter. How his valiant ranch rider sweeps them aside leads to a smashing climax a thriller that will at once surprise and hold spell bound an already highly thrilled audience. "DARK STAR" IS AT CIRCLE Marion Davis Plays Part of Rue Carew, Heroine. Rue Carew, the heroine played by Marion Davis in "Tne Dark" Star." at the Circle theater today and to morrow, was born in Turkey, tho daughter of Rev. Carew, an Ameri can missionary, and. according to common belief, she is under the in fluence oft the Dark Star, au evil planet. It is said that long ago, some metal from this star fell into, the hands of an image-maker who fashioned it into the image of Erlik, prince of darkness, chanting, "Where you are war is, and all shall last until you are taken to another land where war shall be." his image falls in posession of a secret agent of Germany who chose the hollow of the idol as a hiding place for plans of Turkish fortifica tions he had secured. He intrusts the original plans and idol to Rev. Carew, with instructions to send them to Germany if ho fails to return from the palace of Abdul Hamid whither he had been summoned. He is slain and in the uprising which takes place. Rev. Carew and his in fant daughter sail for the United States with the image. Rue grows to early womanhood. Her favorite toy was the god ErliW and when she finds the plans and shows them to her father, he ex plains that he had not returned them to Germany because he believed they might be if use to the United States government one day. Rue accepts occasional boarders among them be ing Brandes and Stull, two grafters who win her good graces for pur poses of their own. She spends her time at her housework and her pet amusement is target practice with a revolver. Such is the history of the lead ing character up to the time the action in the photoplay starts. Film Flickers. Fitting titles to motion picture pro ductions which both fit the picture and are original Is no llcht task. Monte Katterjohn wrote an orig t k inal story for Harry Garson and House Peters was selected to play tho leading role. It was called "Love, Honor and Obey." Just before the picture was completed another firm released a film under that title, necessitating a chance. Title after title which fitted the story was selected, but a journey through the files revealed that at some time or another this or that title hul been used. Then the inspiration came. It cams in the form of a mall order house catalogue, which found its way Into the earson studio and In which sev eral pages were devoted to compar ing yilk and calico.. "Silk Husbands and Calico Wives" said the office boy, and that became the title of the picture and within a few weeks this title, uttered by the least important unit at the studio, will be flaunted In millions of faces, fioni billboards, newspaper pages, theater fronts and the screens throughout the world. Just how dearly people regard "Henry" and "Polly" -of the Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew comedies, may be judged by a recent incident in a Chi cago picture theater. When "Squared," the last comedy in which the late Sidney Drew played, was shown on the screen, a little girl in the audi ence exclaimed: "Oh. mamn, there's I'ncle Henry Drew." Upon Investiga tion it was learned that "Henry" and "Polly" are regular subjects of dis cussion in tho household where tho joung "niece" of "Henry" lives. "The Night of the Dub." an Ernest Truex coni.dy, scored a big success recently at a week's pre-release show ii g at Loew's Palace theater. Wash ington. The laugh-provoking quali ties of the fun-film were put to a severe test by showing it following one of the funniest five-reel features released In 3ome time and Truex triumphed. The antics of the little comedian brought forth a volume of laughter and applause which con vinced the management that Truex comedies are just what audiences want. Universal City staged a wedding a short time ago in which the princi pals were two of the most faithful comedians that have worked in the studio, and whose romance began in the zoo at the sturiio when both were playing small parts in the. L-Ko com edy c-jmpany. Each is now a comedy star in his (or her) own right and the inly stars of their type on the screen. They ara Joe Martin tho famous orang-outang, and Topsy Tree, who Is starring In "A Jungle Gentleman." her first big production since her elevation to stardom. Fourth at Washington TODAY and TOMORROW MARION DAVIES in "The Dark Star 99 A Thrilling Picture of Adventure Based on Robt. W. Cham bers' Famous Novel Daring deeds and love, mystery, crime and in trigue all athrob in this fascinating picture-tale of "The Dark Star." ComeLCome! ! THE