1923-07-21 — Page 9

SATURDAY, JÚLY 21, 192

FILMS

PROGRAMME FEATURES.

TO-NIGHT.

Coronet.-Habit.

World-Checkers.

Star, Kowloon. The Great

Nicole.

MAXIM GORKI'S FILM.

A short time ago it was reported that Maxim Gorki was engaged in writing the scenario for a super-film dealing with early Russian history. Further details of this work are now to hand. The contract has been "negotiated the foron Com- pany, af Paris and Berlin, and the chief part, that of a Russian bandit hero of folklore, Stenka Rusin, will played by the famous singer Chaliapin.

During the period when Russia was awaying between European and DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JR. Asiatic influences. Stenka Rasin

collected a vast following of farmers and Cossacks and formed a sort of rational party. The film will deal Douglas Fairbucks, Jan., who is in particular with Rosin's marriage the latest screen prodigy and who

to a Persian princess whom he car to just sigued a contract with one

ried off on one of his raids. The at the important American film-robber chief and lus bride spent

producing firms to appear on the setron at a salary of £200 per week manimo, is never tired of relating amusing anecdotes, of which he has quite a generous repertoire.

lore is his latest. An American on a visit to London who had drunk ot a little, but far too much, was crossing Piccadilly Circus, when he caught sight of a policeman.

Here, constable," he said, ay, do me the greatest (bic) tas our spossible for an Englishmon to do an American."

The policeman was all attention.

I want you to tell me," con- tinged the American, "where I can

bee the Four Horsemen of the Apip Apap, Aplica Four Horsemen AppAaaapopipit Suo use Won't you tell me the time?"

•

Another story told by the son of the famous screen star concerns the sane American, half an hour later.

A landly disposed policeman takes the now thoroughly inebriated American home, and with difficulty tries to detach the arms of his "patient" from round his neck.

THE CHINA

A HOMESPUN VAMP.

MAIL

PRIVATE KINEMA. SHOW6:

The custom of having a private. Meg Mackenzie, an orphan, lives kinome theatre in the house is with her two old bachelor tincice, growing one, and now that one is Donald and Duncan Craig, in a installed at Buckingham Palace and small and narrow-minded rural com Balmoral, while even Mr. Lloyd munity, The uncles are silent, George has confessed that there is hard-working and thrifty to the nothing he likes botter than to see point of actual stinginces. Meg's life is a colourless round of drudgery obvious that the habit has caught a private film shown at home, it is and wistful longings. The uncles But there is another aspect finally decide that Meg ought to and it is giving the authorities some marry, and they select Joe Dobbs.food for thought. It is known that the fat soti of the village blacksmith, as a suitable candidate. Joo is more

than willing. Blog, however has bad enough of life with men whose only interest in women, is theír culinary skill. Her heart is full of romantic dreams, and those are

centred around the person of a mysterious stranger who has lately come to the village. She worships bini shyly from a distance.

This stranger is merely a writer, wooking local colour and a quiet place in which to work, but the natives regard him with suspicion and when a thaft occurs, they accuse the stranger and nearly mob him. Meg's uncles are away and

on.

FILMS.

LASSOING 1 LIONESS.

It is to be hoped that the public will very soon be given an oppor tunity to soa Mr. Cherry Kearton'a film-dr, rather, series of films Wild Life Across the World."

The number of travel pictures re- contly screened in gratifying-for there are many among us who sue Germany is secretly sanding into in the kinema a medium for some- Britain fimg of an exotic character that would not have the thing bigger than melodrama and slightest chance of getting beyond farce, excellent though they are in the film censor. Moreover, others their way. But of all travel pictures paganda of an insidious kind-pic- Kearton's latest. are frankly designed to spread, pro- none has greater interest than “Mr. tures depicting disgraceful incidents It is a film absolutely free from to incnicate a contempt for exaltedy suggestion of fake. And the in the life of royalty, the iles being people. Some of the films shown onlooker is made to realise how have been disgraceful, and these much patience, courage, and endyr- "draw" many people who readilyance were displayed by a little baud pay a high fee for the "privilege,"

of Englishmen to take the pictures or else and this is something quite

possible. new-they are the attraction to induce people to visit houses where

Most remarkable of many re-. markable, pictures is that which shows the capture of a full-grown corner the animal, which was finally

their honeymoon sailing up and she is alarmed at the hubbab in the all kinds of queer crooks foregather. tionesa. Life was freely risked to

1

down the Volga on a magnificent quiet street, so gets up and goes ship. This dalliance lasted too long down stairs. The stranger, with a OLD LONDON BROUGHT in the opinion of Rusin's followers, bad head gaab, is making an escapo

TO LIFE. who charged him with neglecting through their dooryard, and Mog their cause for his wifo. Rasin let bin come in and binds up his thereupon seized the princess round wound. The uncles find him there her waist and cast her overboard. when they return a few minutes The filming will be done in vari-later, excitedly declare that Meg is ous Volga districts, and will take six "compromised," and that unless months of continual work. A large the stranger marries her, she will number of French, German, and have to get out. Russian actors and actresses are to be engaged.

TOOTHACHE ON THE

FILM.

An audicace at Australia House, Htmand, W.C., were shown on the

Those who take an intelligent interest in films--and they are more numerous than many who direct kinema theatres realise-will regret that The Romance of London," produced by Mr. B. H. Haywood, has not been very successful in its bookings.

lassed and caged.

Elinor Glyn, famous novelist, said, in London; before departing for Los Angeles, where some of her stories will be filmed, that her proudest bonat is that she has three grandchildron.

Another fine picture of the series, although its econo in not laid in the wilda, is "Toto of the Congo." AMONG Toto in a chimpanzee which was for some time Mr. Kearton's con- stant companion. Surely never an ape before came so near to being human. And what a screen actor he is! Everyone who sees Toto will love him.

"

THE

CLASSICS.

The Walturdaw Company are now producing "Game of Litera- ture" in a series of short two reel plays. The first four are "Seroogo," Curfew Must Not Ring To Night," "The Mistleton Bough," and "The Dream of Eugene Aram," and these will be followed by the Taming of the Shrow," The Merry Wives of Windsor," "She Stoops to Con- quer," and others equally famous, accurate as to period and dress design, while starring throughout are Russel Thorndike, Madge Stuart, Ninna Vanna, and other equally talented and brilliant.

Seeing what the poor child's life will be unless he does marry her, The pictures, excellent in photo-

**WOMAN TO WOMAN." Stephen Ware, the stranger, con-graphy, full of historical interest sents to a marriage, and takes the and romance, have given keen de- The last big scene of "Woman to unwanted little country bride away light to most people who have seen Woman," in which Betty Cromp with him, telling her he will pro-

them. The atmosphere of Dr. 8on is "starred" has been success vide for her until he can get the Johnson's days has been successfully "shot" as the Famous-Lasky marriage annulled.

fully caught; old auf new St. Paul's stadio in Islington, N. It is found-All those plays are absolutely are contrasted; scenes connected with Tyburn Thee, where more than 50,000 were executed, and which was situated close to where Marble Arch now elands, are vividly re called. London life of long ago is ronde to live again in the present. But film 'renters" are afraid of the pictures because they are off the beaten track! Some day, perhaps, they will learn that there is a public for other productions besides knock about farce and cowboy melodrams.

Once away from the tyranny of film the throbbing nerve of a tooth. har uncles, Meg plucks up her The film will form part of the pro-courage and determines to keep her paganda of the Ivory Cross, an out. husband in spite of his plans, also come of the war, at the outbreak of in spite of a former fancée who is which 75 per cent. of the manhood quite eager to have the marriage of the country was found to be annulled. Meg succeeds by a most dentally unfit.

unusual campaign.

In the film lions, tigers, ele- phants, and dogs, all with splendid teeth, are shown eating the food provided for them by Nature. The only animal seen requiring dental treatment is a pet dog which was

Here is a most unusual story which Hector Turnbull boa concocted. You see the heroine married to the right man early in the picture, but not futed to live happily ever after" with bim unless something Варрегія. Well, something does The Ivory Cross National Aid happen, you may be sure, when the Fund, of 10. Henrietta-hireet, W..plucky little country bride, with all has provided for dental treatment in over 800,000 esses. It is hoped that directors of kinemas, educa- tional bodies, and others will apply to the fund for the use of the film.

You've been too kind, &-c-con-fed on slope, table, I guese," says the American, swinging round the neck of his suer. "I'd have never found this ente politeness in lil ol' New York. But tell me, constable, you've seen me home, now won't you let me see you home?"

BOOKS

FICTION.

THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH.

By Gilbert K. Cbouterten, Hodder & Stoughton.)

the odds against her, makes up her mind to win the love of the hand- sonna husband who does not in the least want her and bas only gone through the ceremony with her to

Bave her from the wrath of her narrow-minded uneles.

This interesting story is to be shown at the World Theatre, and should be appreciated hy the patrons of that well-attended kinema placa. |

experiences Great Grandmother ised by a world which has rejected finally sold and hung in England, | Christ and which refuses to see the thereby bringing happiness and faith as he himself sees it. It is an plenty to the house of Coppinger—interesting study in conversion; ob, Great Grandmother was a genu- | but, as is often the case with con ine Gainsborough 1

The Middle of the Road-Philip Gibbs. Social and economic differ- ences of opinion very nearly wreck romance; but peace is made over brilliant repertorial discussion of present day sadness in Europe.

Wanderer of the Wasteland- Zane Grey. A man creates a soul for himself in the scenes and events of the desert country where he bravely renounces temptations of the flesh.

This Preedom-A. 8. M., Hut chinson. Home may be the place for a woman; but Mr. Hutchinson isn't very convincing in bis story attempt to prove it.

Keable.

vertà, there is much intolerance of those not similarly converted.

An understanding of the book pre-supposes # knowledge of Papini's early enmity toward Chris- tianity, his unrestrained denial of orthodox religion which brought

ed on the Lyceum drama, but the onding has been changed to a scene of pathos and tragedy, and no one who beaza Miss Crompson speak of her part could doubt that she feels every moment of it deeply,

"I have gone through the last scene scores of times," she said, "but I still cry whenever I play it,

Why is it that after making arrangements to induce film critics and reviewers to see their pictures many kinema companies issue so many invitations that often the peo- pla most interested are crowded ont? At the London Pavilion the other day, when "The Wandering Jew" was shown, the theatre was packed an hour before the time for presenting the picture. And the private view of the new W. and F. Harold Lloyd film, "Safety Lask,"

POETRY.

"LAST POEMS."

A. E. Housman published in the Lafa nineties some sixty poems. which reflected the spirit of the close of his century, though they more of a grain that set them im mediately apart from the charac teristic work of that period. Now him even the taru. "anti-Christ.'

in our own time, after long silence, Considering the abandon with he issues his "Last Poems," and which this Italian genius threw strangely enough they fall in very himself into his earlier literary ex-well with the spirit of our own pressions, it is not strange that a time. At least they are "good vagrant suspicion arises now as to medicine" for our time; even the stability of his present veheraent though it is not too brash,of, as to protestation of faith. Papini, re-assert beyond their general conclu member, is only forty-two.

sion that it is still worth while

building, worth while enjoying and striving while wo live. We shall see this presently.

Yet Housman also says that.

has been described as a "free fight." The picture itself is one the best comic films seen for some time. Harold Lloyd is made to perform the most amazing feats. There is laughter in every moment.

THE SCHOOL FOR

SCANDAL"

A lady whose name had already been printed thousands of times is to be immortalised on the screen--- Lady Teazle of "The School for Scandal' fame. Mias Queenie Thomas, who recently returned to the screen after three and a half years' absence, is to play the part of the lady whose indiscretions opened the eyes of her elderly has band and made him adore ber more than ever.

Miss Thomas declares that it has always been her ambition to play this part, but that until now she has never had the opportunity, as the public demand was for stories other than those of Sheridan.

In the role of Lady Teazle Mie Thomas will be supported by a very big cast, and the dresses for the film are to be carefully copied from sketches of the costumes in vogue when the play was first produced in 1777 at Drury Lane Theatre. It i Mr. Henry A. Snow, whose anticipated that production work on "Hunting Big Game in Aftica" has the film will be well advanced by been so necessful, is to take a the anniversary of the first stage phonograph-recording outfit com- presentation of the pioca, which was bined with a carnem, to the West on May 8. Coast of Africa in the hope of obtaining not only mockey pictures but monkey talk.

"the falling sky.' Once indeed, out of more sombre pages, flashed, the talaria of Hermes, dickering the presence of the god of eternal youth

With lips that brias with laughter

But never once respond, And feet that fly on feathers,

And serpent-circled wand.

Last Poems," is a far, faint echo "Fancy's Knell," which ends

from that time, when

The girl would lift her glances

To his, and-both be muté: Well went the dances

At evening to the flute

In the original cast, Mrs. Aling- ton played the part which Miss Thomas will now fill.

Could man be drunk for ever

With liquor, love or fights, Lief should I rouse at morning

And liof lio down of nights."

But men at whiles are sober

And think by fits and starts; And if they think, they fasten

Their hands upon their hearts:

A. E. Housman is one of the few

just where to end & poem. living poets who knows how, and His terminations are remarkably effec tive. His gifta of condensation, elimination, and intimation contri- bute to this.

For so the game is ended

That should not have begun My father and my mother They had a likely son, And I have none,

In execution I find "Last Poenus" little, if at all, inferior to "A Shropshire Lad." There , per- hapa, nothing quite so perfect in its poignancy as was that first cry of youth, When I twenty." Yet the work in Last more deeply from the power of the Poena" is again admirably coin-emotion behind it. All the poet's pact, admirably reticent, often gifts would prove void were it not admirably melodions. Agata many for the intensity of a point of view lines, many verece, deeply imprint to which all his poems are but foot- the memory. It had seemed, when notes.

Of the influences and circum- one first read in the first book

Farewell to barn and stack and stances that sharpened Housman's tree," that never again could a man point of view wo know but little. render so perfectly the atmosphere We know that the same shire that of mortal tragedy. But, in "Laet fostered Hazlitt is Housman's abire.

Technique accomplishes it, but was one-and-the effectiveness of the poem springs

For those who know little of the disillusions of this tormented soul groping for truth and freedom, the despair over wasted sacrifices which drenched him at the end of the war, his turning toward a faith he once denied losos part of its significance. Papini found pesce and truth in Christ, and he is impatient that all others do likewise.

The book is based entirely upon the Gospels. He explains that his is no scientific work, advancing new discoveries, Yet the impassioned style of narration is that of a dis coverer eager to reveal his findings for guidance of others. The work could I well sustain it if it came,” Poems" we have Eight O'Clock. We know that after leaving Oxford

Few realize that Housman was thirty-seven years old when "A Shropshire Lad" was published, and that now he is about sixty-four years old. When he remarks in his tiny foreword: "It is not likely that I aball ever be impelled to write much more. I can no longer expect to be revisited by the continuous excitement under which in the early months of 1896 I wrote the greater part of my other book, nor indeed

If one man is killed and six ure suspected it is because, in Mr.& Chesterton's philosophy, each of the OMITTING SCOTLAND YARD. six probably has a good reason for committing the murder. These are reasonably intelligible and reuson- ably real people-made so by the infusion into them of their author's vital loves and hates. They are all here Jews and Little England and sceptica and red-haired girls and It has escaped the attention of no onorurines. For their monent une interested in such things that they are intensely alive. It is Mr. Chesterton is A writer of enough; and the prose style which Huperior detective stories. The Mr. Chesterton developed out of reason for his superiority may be Swinburne and which he occasion- Peradventure-Robert Keable. A that he writes them as he writes ally debauches is used with a new dramatization of religious doubt, everything else, with all his powers sort of restraint the restraint! The hero's theological emotions are and with all his amazing convic which comes from tiredness. even, at times, thrilling. tion. He condescends no more

I do not mean that Mr. Chester- Simon Called Peter Robert Lore than be did in his fine "His ton is physically or mentally tired;

The eternal strugglo of tory of England," and the History I mean that the battle in a sense high ideale and breaking moral and no more careless pages then this goes against him and that overy standards. Intensified, because the book has. None of the stories in once in a while he suspects the peo young man happons to be a minister

The Man Who Knew Too Much" ple in whose behalf he daily lays of the gospel. are better than the earliest of the down his life. It is possible after

Babbitt Sinclair Lewis. Mr. Father Brown series; and the goal, that the great majority of Eng-Lewis draws an amazingly good, if and guste of the magnificent Man lishtuen do not care for drunkenness slightly cruel, portrait of the Amari- Who Was Thursday are percepti- and do care for divorce; and when can middle class business man and bly weakened. Yet they are good ever Mr. Chesterton regards them bis haunts, better by far than the mystery in that possible light, his own light stories based on the opposite con goes out. That is why in this book

chapters, and not once does the

eight times. We have also the Patent Office and for nineteen years viction.

For it is a conviction more than a poles apart from the immortal Syme the protagonist of his ideas is a man

aggressive vigour of the style, water

bitterly moving poem just before it was professor of Latin at Univer- It is picturesque to the point where

The Culprit," which could not sity College, London--that in 1911 theory with Mr. Chesterton that the with his abounding energy and his

colourful word paintings visualize

possibly be bettered in expression. he went to Cambridge where he is claments of a mystery are common neat convictions and his violence.

events with heart stirring reality,

And in The rain, it stress on still professor of Latin, that he has placo. He escapes the fallacy of Horne Fisher knows too much to do

In no part of the book does Papini

stone and hillock is what seems,written for philological journale and believeing that all common life is anything after a certain point has

surpass the opening descriptions of

to me at least,. about the trues! edited Manilius and Juvenal. We full of that kind of mystery which been renched; he solves mysteries,

the Nativity:

transcript of a man's griet for a have read of him as an odd and. requires à detective from Scotland confronts criminals, and reports no-

Jesus was born in a stable, a real

fellow man that has ever been versi.cranky personality, a recluse and Yard for its solution: but he knows body to Headquarters. It is a well

stable, not the bright, airy portico rasta.

fied. It is intolerably searching in a crabbed scholar--we can weigh that human beings are far more that this one was killed; it would be PAPINI CONFESSES CHRIST.ed for the Son of David; as if to the word "century," making it / human sorrow, in its setting of the | from the form and tòno of his work:

which Christian painters have creat Now if I were to add ane lettorite recognition of the casuistry of the obsessions or his mind, calculat astonished and impressed by a slight far from well if that other one ariation in the things they know should be hanged. At the end he

ashamed that their God should have "centaury," from the Greek lipe and lifting of the chin-fill the its peculiar strains and stresser. intimately than by the arrival of the acts, to be sure; he kills a minister literes eftermath of the war The filthiest pince tu the world was would have the essence of his gift terrible eloquence.

The appearance of a life of Christ lain down in poverty and dirt. kentauroion, in that word you last verso leaps out with mudden But the intimate man remains a unheard of and the unexpected of the crown, his own uncle; and he is not an extraordinary phenome the first room of the only PURE MAS to our age; for dentaury is the name In West and sway the wheels of

mystery... Thus-in "The Fad of the Fisher gives up his life for England. That,

If the permanence of poetry ba wan" we are presented with a man

non. Nor is the fact that thin

of a herb aid to have been used darkness roll in a most original in proportion to the intelligent. who sits fishing all day, leaving his too, is an "appalling allegory."

On Mr. Chesterton's head bo it if from Giovanni Papini the seven is one of the finost bite in the book the instructor of the young heroce tifeally accurate view of the world poetry should certainly endure. His violent protestation of faith comes The parable of the prodigal son medicinally by the centaur Chiron, image, springing from a more scien-emotion tavolos, Housman's post only at sunset. And one day he makes us think of such things. days' wonder so many would make giving, against s glowing back- And as Chiron was to the youth of in space than most poets have style is wholly his own. He h two men go to hit with urgent Essentially and moet significantly of it. For in considering the book ground of description, the surging his day, in his stoicram, and wisdoms, information and return saying that he is a story-tellor; and he knows he refuses to budge. It is only that an idea or an emotion is a good we have to consider brat the man. thoughts of Papani on fatherhood, and the virtues of his mangio herb, so is Housman to the younger posta seen motionless that the truth arrives the man is deati...

Genevra's Money E. V. Lucas. The story of a bequest to nephews and nieces. Genuinely funny.

4 Room with a View E. M. Forster. An amused and amusing commentator pokes light fun at the world's modern ways.

GENERAL

C. G.

is written in scenes rather than in there is a mild irony in the state-stark fatality, perfectly presented in he clerked for ten years in the

ever born of women,

ment. Housman Las, indeed, coth plated his century we take the word in the sense that cricket. ers use it when any cricketer masses one hundred runs. Hous. man has written a few over hundred poems, and on these han; dred or so poema, many of them most brief, his whole reputation

опо

We find in him knowledge of the

taken

master of a certain kind of strict expression. And he is still, in

But over ses and continent from many ways, the noblest Roman of

night

them all. Safe to the Indien tas the

earth conveyed.

W. R. B Last Poeme By A. E. Hour The vast and moon-echipangish, Grant Richards

cone of night, Her towering footscap

ateiral shade

whom, at sunset, his figure is still thing to give a story point, When Fow instances of personally on duly and gogus, like all great of our own

pro on life. ever he uses these elemente he gate outside the field of autobiographyseals, loved the country" and One of two of these stories are leaves it to the reader to get them Christ to appear since Renan a plicity give to the Florentine's ledge of the spint. Each loaf of lis them deeply into his story and than this first important fe of throughout the books flashes of sim-Besh, and through the flesh, know rather high-life; for the most part out again. The story itself, the Life of Jenis. the--wild-romance-mid-the-thrill-of-

effort at relating Christ's teachings booke astringently medicines.**** inystery and terror are irruptions in swift entertaining fiction le siwaya

The real power of the book lies in to human needs, a unique place in Haamming, ""Last Poems" moris.

D&Blason Type Mot NeoemsTY. everyday existence- The Vanishing

the impression of actual particips- literature,. This "Life is really an closely we find, quite naturelly, leng

Chamberlain's Colin and Diarrock Prince makes use of u gearecrow

tion in the events. Not only doon ermansion of the Gospels, editor about young love in it." setouch

·Bawady needs no glaring haadipe ti and it was a manifest if maglan-

[attract, the publio uro-Tow simple Papini, snoosed in suggesting that lalized, philosophized by one of the again, about battles There is also Buch la the definear choly truth that the architect was

one is reading the ostration of an vilal Iterary forces in Italy to day. Huueman's obsession with the its man's fochnique. The depth of h meren pasareng family knows ha an artist.” ́ In enob one the.com

eye witness. His work becomes tha

MALICE ROms. --- | of the gallows. Oftener, it seems to thinking can be illustrated by those | valus 54 han baru mood: for focky yogas plication is deft and the false scents The Great Grandmother-G. A. ¦ emotional visualization of a devoted [Idle of Christ, “By Giovanni me, in the songs of the first book | sight linen ......

wed to fork what its name beplan. For are, managed with a grave honesty. Birmingham. After many thrilling and intransigent disciple, embitter Papini. Hodder & Stoughton the feather pate of folly bore

there.

GILBERT SELDES.

Brief Reviews.