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MUSIC DRAMA FILMS.

· MUSIC IN BRITAIN.

WESTMINSTER 'ABBEY. ACTIVITIES.

(By Dr. W. G. Whittaker, of

Newcastle-on-Tyne),

£200 A WEEK.

HOW THEY SPEND MONEY IN HOLLYWOOD.

This fan't a competition. It is a little story told by Douglas Furber, writer of the libretti of many suc- cessful revues and musical shows, and lately turned film writer as well.

FILM ACTORS.

WHERE ARE THE NEW STARS?

That excellent authority on all matters pertaining to the motion picture, the "Morning. Post" Film Critic, has in an admirable book most carefully analysed the first causes of America's success In the Mr. Furber was In Hollywood film industry; and it must be a with a Charlot revue. The Metro matter for astonishment to any who people had a story in the making examine very closely the position with a woman lawyer and a man in which the British Alm standa lawyer in it. These two were at that we have lagged so far behind. loggerheads, although in love, be- cause neither would give up the profession.

There has been, of course, a great deal of propaganda against the British dim; but, contrary to the ideas of those who believe that enormous sums of money are being paid by ainister corporations to dis- courage the British film Industry, the rei and the most deadly propa gandists have been the cinoma-go- Ing public; and that they have had their for perfect justification criticism and censure nobody can deny.

To the average man the most ideal musical post is that of organ- ist of a cathedral. To spend one's days in a peaceful, sequestered city, with many hours every day in "clolstered aisles," to make religi- ous music to waft its mysterious way through the lofty heights of a building hallowed by historical as sociations of centuries, appears on the surface to be a life free from the worries which beset the ordin-¡ ary mortal.

The film people knew that they But the position is not so attrac- wanted some riding, swimming and tive in actuality as it might seem. tennis scenes in the picture, and The routine is considerable; the that they wanted a final sensation. endless training of cholr-boys, the And there they stuck. They asked perpetual drilling of them in mat- Mr. Furbar, what he thought about ters which through years of re-it. potition, are apt to become stale, He pondéred a few minutes and the difficulty of finding sufficient then said: "Why not turn it into a Incentive to keep fresh one's own competition? Add another sport, attitude and that of one's singers finish up with a trial scone in I have seen a great deal of the in- towards services which are held at which they are opposing counsel, side of motion picture production least twice a day throughout the and let the one who loses three in the past fourteen years. I am year, may not appear onerous, but events out of the five give way to probably the only anthor who can they are severe tests of character. the other, so that they can live say that he has had about twenty

Nothing is so easy as to degen- happy ever after."

pictures produced on the screen and erate into a slack way and let "That suggestion got me my con has seen only one of them! I have everything slide. This is all the tract," Mr. Furber told me, "Of attempted to see many, but they more tempting in small towne, course, anyone could have thought have been so "hot-making" that I where, on many occasions, there of it, but the film people's attitude have never had Mr. Britling's cour- may not be more than one or two seems to be:. We can afford to pay old ladies at matins, and perhaps a chap like that a thousand dollars an occasional outsider at evensong, a week, because one day he Another thing, is that salaries do not err on the side of excess. In the findings of recent ecclesiastic commission, for example, the report on one cathedral recommended that the salaries of the canons, he in- creased to £800 per annum, and that of the organist to £8501

It might be argued that the or- ganist has other sources of income, but so have many of the clergy The average organist, who is often a much more distinguished man than his clerical superiors, has to work hard in many directions to en. sure a livelihood much less ade- quate than that of the canons, and, moreover, has always a great many honorary duties, which always fall to the lot of the principal musician. conductor of choral societies, or chestral societies, diocesan festi- vals, and adviser to this, that, or the other body. It generally means that he lives a very crowded life, and that material gains are few,

often fall vacant.

will

probably give us an idea that will be worth a million.

age.

Turning to the Stage.

im in this column at all is be- My excuse for dealing with the "It's extraordinary how money is cause I am rather concerned with paid in Hollywood-out of all pro- that unknown quantity, the British portion to the value of a man's film actor. Hitherto, in this coun- talent"a modest remark from Mr.try, we have followed the easiest Furber, you will agree.

chants, without much connection with the outer world of music. We have known them in our time, and, while they were dear old gentlemen, they did not count for very much, although occasionaly they acted as

way; and the easiest way in casting a film play is to go to the stage, We are still going to the stage for our screen material, depending ra- ther upon the names and publicity value of the actors and actresses than upon their screen quality; and I think that the present method has to be very considerably modified if there is to be any hope for cinema Industry in England.

That we should have gone to the

the

a drag upon the wheel in the neigh-stage at all is proof positive of the bourhood.

incompetence of the average Eng- lish screen director. During the years that we have been struggling along in this country only one or two screen stars have been created;

The

and we muat suppose it is because we have lacked the genius, the in- dustry, and the patience to take rial, the unknown Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks with whom we rub elbows in the street, and bring them to perfection.

from the enormous mass of mate

I have already mentioned one of the older generation who is as much up-to-date as many a man less than half his age. But, in truth must it be said, he is an exception. newer type of cathedral organist is a very different man from the kind which is fast disappearing. He is Not Many. Prizes.

well-educated, musically and other Then it is frequently found that wise, able out of his organ-loft, and the cleric is little better than the active in his connection with musi- ordinary mortal. In A cathedral cal institutions of the district-feb- Lapointment, dean, and chapter are tivala, competitions, choral and or-

-I-have-a-suspicion, too,-that-a- masters of the situation. The orchestral societies, sorts of very large number of the men who ganist has no appeal beyond them, things come under his away. and if friction arises between him Increased travelling facilities masquerade as producers have little or no knowledge of the technique and his superiors his position is make it possible for him to extend of film acting, or, indeed, of any not at all enviable. Cathedral ap- his circle of influence enormously kind of acting, and that they rely pointments are few, and do not The example set by one of the mid-upon the stage technique of the ac- dle-aged men, Dr. Bairstow, of tors and actresses they engage, A man desiring a change may York, who has the finest cathedral often at fabulous @gures, for the wait years before a suitable oppor- service in Englund, which means

plctures. tunity offers itself. If he gives up in the world, and whose activities his appointment and goes into pri in other directions are a shining The direct consequence has been vate work there is a considerable light, is being followed by many of an orgy of over-acting, which has sacrifice of income. Altogether, a the younger men. One thinks of come to be regarded in America man in this position, without sym-Dr. Hull, of Hereford, of Hylton and Germany as typical of English pathy from his overseers, is to be Stewart, of Rochester, just to men-screen technique. On the stage, pitled. He is so little his

tion two. There is an upward ten-where fireness of movement and ex- master that the music to be per- dency in the dignity of the music pression are only possible in an in- formed is chosen, not by himself, chosen, the standard of perform-timate theatre, and most impossible but by the precentor, who may, or

ance and general breadth of out- when the man sitting in the back, may not, have much musical know. look. It is a welcome sign, and is row of the gallery has to be con- ledge,

influencing parish churches far and vinced and impressed, exaggers- tions of gesture and of factal play are not only permissible but are vitally necessary. On the screen the lift or fall of an eyelid, a look, an almost Imperceptible grimace, the stage. replace the broader expressions of

own

It is an extraordinary survival of wide. mediaeval customs, and one won-

The Abbey. Organist.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1928.

DAILY CROSS-WORD PUZZLE

(This cross-word puzzle has been made by an expert but our readers are warned to look out for occasional phonetic spellings, such as harbor, plow, and altho,)

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68-Sheep talk SUGGESTIONS FOR SOLVING CROSS-WORD PUZZLES

Start out by filling in the words of which you feel reasonably sure. These will give you a clue to other words crossing them, and they in turn to still others. A letter belongs in each white space, words starting at the sumbered squares and running either horisontally or vertically or both.

(The solution of the above, cross-word puzzle will appear in tomorrow's issue along with a news cross-word puzzle.)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION.

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large salaries, but the name and the familiar features of the cinema' star are not only great assets to the com pany which exploits them, but are also assets to the nation.

It is a hard task to "break Into" pictures, and there must be thou- sands of young men and women in England who despair of ever get- ting to the stage of a film test. The producing industry is so ill or ganised, and our methods, are so- obvious and stereotyped, that the budding Pickfords have little or no chance of showing what they are worth.

Half-hearted efforts, are made from time to time, by means of "beauty competitions," to secure new faces; but I have the impres sion that the judges of these com- petitions are largely influenced by triously German flm directors were the memories of the florid barmaids adapting stage stars to the new of their youth. Not so many years medium. But they, like their ago, there was hardly, an English friends in Hollywood are doing film, which did not have amongst more than this. When I was at the the more prominent members of its Uta Stadio, I was introduced to a cast the wife or some other relation sleeping on a doorstep in Vienna by friend of new star, a boy who had been found of the producer, or some especial the man who eventually brought pany. him into the film world. He had never been on the stage; he hardly knew how to walk; but with great patience his tutor had persevered, until to-day the boy is one of the highest-paid artists in Germany.

director of the cém-'

ing of favourites"; and the husty We have suffered from this "play-

selection of stage stars has not yet. repaired the damage. We have to find new blood; and, at the risk of being inundated with photographa of screen-struck' servant girls, I in tend making an effort to comb Eng. and for beauty and talent in the New Year Edgar Wallace in "Morning Post."

ders why it lingers, on to-day, why The most important post of this a man of eminence in his own pro- sort, one really of imperial signifi- fession should be appointed to take cance, Westminster Abbey, has just charge of the music, and that some- been filled. Even more than St. one else should be ordained to Paul's Westminster is the religious select it. A musician's interest in centre of London and the Empire.

The Hard-Bolled Actor. his post is bound to be minimised There is never a day in the year severely by such an artistic serf- when visitors from all over the Gerald du Maurier is a remarkable There are producors--and Sir dom. At present there are only world are not present. Many a example-who insist upon repose two ways of counteracting it. One foreign visitor judges English and who can, by their genius and has been adopted at Norwich, where music solely by what he hears in their flair for conveying thought the precentorship was given to the the Abbey.

across the footlights, obtain extra- organist, Dr. Frank Bates. So far The man to be chosen is Dr. ordinarily telling results from the 18 I know, this is the only case of Ernest Bullock, of Exeter Cathe amallest causes. But such pro- a layman in such a position."

dral, and no happier selection could ducers are few and far between and The other way partially the re- have been made. Thoroughly the average actor and actress is sult of smallness of salary, is that equipped on the technical aldo, he trained in quite another school, d the combined posts of organist and is a brilliant organist, a fine choir-

A Quest For New Blood A great American producer told precentor are filled by a cleric. This trainer, was a Bachelor of Music at me that the hardest thing in the That old reproach, the English is certainly a practice to be depre- 18, and Dactor at 24. His composi- world was to "unteach, the hard climate no longer holds, American cated. Settled posts available for tions are fresh and original; his bolled, actor"; and we have little companies "shooting" in England musfclans are few enough without church music, in particular, sounds evidence that the directors of Eng- have discovered that we have been their being leasoned in number by a deep and true note. He has the lish film plays have made any effort libelled surely no man would have being given to amateurs, to men right flair for all that is good in a to unteach the ladies and gentle- the temerity to say that we have not who have ostensibly adopted an cathedral service, and, moreover, in men of the profession who have in England, in a scores of obscure other profession.

A complete set of triad society vilages and homes, men and women documents and other articles used a man of strong personality and in-starred in film productions. fectious energy, he is wide of out- Although we have on the stage capable of achieving success in the in the course of an initiation cere New Type And Old,

look, and has the highest ideals. men and women capable of attain- films. T Time was when the cathedral or It is no small matter to be in the ing to success in a new sphere, It is to this material we must

mony were seized by Mr. Oakeshott ganist was generally looked upon direct line of descent from Henry there is a great deal to be done be- look for the future. We have to When he raided a house' in Lorong by the active musician in the larger Purcell, but no young English musi- fore they can reach the perfection find a new kind of actor and ac-3, Geylang, Singapore. Two Chin- cities as an old fossil, quito out of clan could have been chosen more of their American and German tress, and we have to teach themese were arrested, and were son- date, immersed in his choir-boys, worthy of the post than my friend | rivals...pointed out some time ago their business. We may be build tenced to four months rigorous his services, his anthems, and his Erncat Bullock.

in the "Morning Post" how indus-Ing up liabilities in the shape of imprisonment each

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