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Redlands in one sense saw “herself as others see her” last
night when Clune’s wonderfully beautiful and gripping film story of
“The Eyes of the World” by Harold Bell Wright, was given its premier
at the Wyatt last evening. Although
Mr. Wright says he did not draw his characters from Redlands people and
very few of his scenes, the fact remains that he did draw on this city
for “atmosphere” and it is the essence of California—just
California—that shows in the blazing production of that book.
It is a Clune production.
Not much more can be said for its elaborateness than that.
Clune has the reputation, and it is a deserved one, of having
everything perfect, and “The Eyes of the World” is just as
magnificent and true to the country as “Ramona.”
And it makes just as interesting and entertaining a picture, in
many ways it is more so.
Scores of the outdoor scenes were made
in Redlands, many of them in Mill Creek canyon, and some at Skyland-Heights.
The stage scenes were all made in Los Angeles.
The picture is the result of six months
labor, at which time the entire resources of the Clune studio were
centered on the work, and for that reason it is such an elaborate,
finished production. It
should be as popular throughout the country as “Ramona” has been for
it is every bit as vitally interesting.
The musical score is cued to the second
with every mood of the story that unfolds itself and the result is not
an incident of the production but one of the outstanding features.
It was well played by the orchestra last night, consisting of the
Wyatt orchestra with several men from Los Angeles.
J. C. Nurnberger directed the orchestra, he having arranged the
score.
Mr. Wright says that while he sketched
out most of the characters of the book in Redlands they were taken
largely from people he knew in the East.
He says that he finished the book after he left Redlands but
frankly says that he drew on Redlands and the surrounding country for
the setting of the story.
Those who attend the performance tonight
will see W. H. Clune, the producer, Harold Bell Wright, L. Brown, the
producing manager and Thomas Newman, the general manager.
The picture is also to be shown here at matinee Saturday and that
night.
Few stories of the times offer greater
scope for such a work. In
the matter of scenic beauty, the San Ber-
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nardino mountains could not but inspire the
producers. As for
characterization, the actors have wonderful opportunities in the
portrayal of the various widely dissimilar characters who figure in
“The Eyes of the World.”
There is the burned out, bestialized roué,
Mr. Taine, wrecked by his own excesses, still eager to maintain “the
pace that kills” but physically unable to do so, the part being well
taken by Jack McDonald.
There is the young and voluptuous wife
of Taine, a siren as polished in manner as sinister in purpose, who
intrigues to entrap the young artist in her meshes and Katherine Kirkman
is given new laurels for her work here.
There is Conrad Lagrange, the cynical
story-teller, in whose heart still burns many of the kindly sentiments
of his earlier days, and Monroe Salisbury does some excellent work in
the part.
There is the ingenious young artist,
Aaron King, ambitious for fame, who is on the verge of debasing his
talents, but finally finds the right way and his true love.
Jack Livingstone does some really great work in the part.
James Rutledge, the bull-necked art
critic, “born, bred, and reared in an atmosphere that does not
tolerate purity of thought, who covets the virgin charm of a sweet young
girl of the mountains, and a better man than Edward Peel to typify this
could not be found.
The girl, Sybil Andres, unconscious of
the baser things that go with social “culture,” whose innocence
threatens to make her easy prey for the libertine until a menacing
crisis and her dorman [sic] protective instinct arouse her to a strength
unknown to herself, is played by Jane Norak in a very capable manner.
John Willard, the convict, played by
Arthur Tavares, is one of the big characters of the play.
Myra Willard, disfigured for life by a
jealous wife, and carrying her scars through a tangled web of strange
events, is taken by Lurline Lyons.
Bryan Oakley, the forest ranger, is
played by Fred Burns, and Yee Kee, who is Fred Burns, the Chinese
manservant, keen, devoted, merry, contributes much to the gaiety of the
story.
It is needless to say that to get the
dramatic values out of these characters and the stirring incidents of
which they are a part histrionic ability is required.
The Clune company has found the artists to do this with. |
