The Times (21/Sep/1926) - The Film World
(c) The Times (21/Sep/1926)
- keywords: A. Bromley Davenport, Betty Balfour, Carlyle Blackwell, Clifford Heatherley, Easy Virtue (1928), Famous Players-Lasky, Gaumont British Picture Corporation Limited, Graham Cutts, Noel Coward, Piccadilly Pictures Limited, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927), The Mountain Eagle (1926)
THE FILM WORLD.
NEW BRITISH PICTURES.
The attempt to find an agreed scheme for the rehabilitation of the British film industry has failed, and it seems possible that agreement on the subject of "blind-booking" may fail also. At the recent meeting of the General Council of the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association it was decided that unless the renters came to a definite decision on the subject of "blind-booking," the draft Bill, drawn up by exhibitors and described in The Times last Tuesday, would be sent to the President of the Board of Trade with a request that it should be passed into law. At the same time the renters are drawing up proposals, some of which are likely to be not at all to the taste of exhibitors. So far, therefore, there seems no great likelihood of an agreed scheme even on "blind-booking," although it is still a possibility. Meanwhile the latest British films are encouraging.
Last week, for example, there were shown privately six British films, all of which were of an ambitious nature. These were the Gaumont production, Mademoiselle from Arntentitres, three New Era productions, Mons, Palaver, and Nelson, The Lodger, distributed by W. and F., and the new British National film, London. Of these, Mons, described above, is now on at the Marble Arch Pavilion for at least six weeks and five times a day, beginning at noon. London, the story of which is by Mr. Thomas Burke, with Miss Dorothy Gish in the leading part, has already gone to America, where it is being distributed by the firm of Famous Players-Lasky. Mr. Herbert Wilcox is the director. Another British film which is to be distributed in America by an American firm is Mr. Cecil Hepworth's new production. The House of Marney, which is being handled in the U.S.A. by Allied Artists. It will be ready for general release in April. Another British film, Somebody's Darling, with Miss Betty Balfour in the leading part, is being generally released by the firm of Gaumont this week. Others in the company are Mr. Clarence Blakiston, Mr. J. Fisher White, Mr. Rex O'Malley, Miss Minna Grey, and Mr. A. Bromley Davenport. For the firm of Piccadilly Pictures, who recently showed The Triumph of the Rat Mr. Graham Cutts is now making The Rolling Road, in the company of which will be Mr. Carlyle Blackwell, Miss Flora le Breton, Mr. Clifford Heatherley, Mr. A. V. Bramble, and Mr. Cameron Carr. White Heat, another British production, was also recently privately shown.
Another British production which is now being made is Second to None, based on a story by "Bartimeus," in which are appearing Mr. Moore Marriott, Mr. Ian Fleming, Mr. I. B. Imeson, Mr. Johnnie Butt, Mr. Alf Goddard, Miss Daisy Campbell, and Miss Gracie Vicat. British National Pictures, Limited are now at work on Tip Toes with Miss Dorothy Gish, Mr. Will Rogers, and Mr. Nelson Keys, and their next production will be Pompadour, with Miss Lilian Gish in the leading part. Another company is also hard at work on The Flag Lieutenant, in which Mr. Henry Edwards, the well-known British actor, is taking the leading part.
Other British productions soon to be seen by the public are If Youth but Knew, The Mountain Eagle, The Battle of the Falkland Islands, Robinson Crusoe, and a film version of Mr. Noel Coward's Easy Virtue, which is to be made by Piccadilly Pictures.
Next Monday films which synchronize pictures and the human voice, made by the De Forest Phono-Film method, are to be shown at the Capitol in the Haymarket.
At the Plaza, in Lower Regent Street, is being shown Mr. Harold Lloyd's new production, called For Heaven's Sake. Three Bad Men is being shown at the Capitol, and The Dark Angel, an interesting production, with Mr. Ronald Colman and Miss Vilma Banky in the cast, is being generally released. The Light of Asia continues its long run at the Philharmonic Hall, and the first part of Les Miserable is still being shown at the Rialto. At the New Gallery Cinema is the late Rudolph Valentino's last pictdre, The Son of the Skeikh.
