Mme Nazimova in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm -- April 1, 2021

Photoplay, January, 1921

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

Artistic Excellence the Dominating Note of New Type of Production Starring Nazimova

Reviewed by C. S. Sewell

Quite different from anything previously presented on the screen is the Nazimova production, "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm." Either from a reading of the novel by Kate Douglas Wiggin, of Kate Douglas Wiggin and Charlotte Thompson's drama, hearing Strauss' opera or seeing the presentation on the stage during the vogue of a few years ago, the majority of picture patrons are doubtless familiar with the story or at least that portion dealing with the... 

Douglas Fairbanks -- The Nut -- March 31, 2021

Motion Picture News, 19-March-1921

Douglas Fairbanks' The Mark of Zorro was the first movie made from Johnston McCulley's novel The Curse of Capistrano. 

Learn more here: Big V Riot Squad: Zorro: From Douglas Fairbanks to Antonio Banderas -- July 14, 2017

Motion Picture News, 05-March-1921

The Nut was Doug's last modern-dress movie until his second talkie, Reaching for the Moon, in 1930.

Motion Picture News, 12-March-1921

Motion Picture News, 19-March-1921

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

This Has to Stop -- March 30, 2021

 

San Francisco Wasp, 14-November-1883

The United States and particularly the State of California has a long tradition of anti-Asian prejudice. The San Francisco Wasp, a satirical magazine, featured many anti-Chinese cartoons drawn by George Frederick Keller. Ironically, Keller was an immigrant from Prussia, but he directed much of his wrath against immigration from Asia. Recently, we have seen many people attack elderly Asian-Americans. Other Asian-Americans are blamed for COVID-19. Some of the blame goes to our former president, who stoked the fires of hatred with phrases like "the Chinese Virus" and "Kung Flu." This has to stop.

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The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse -- March 29, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

The first film adaption of of Vicente Blasco Ibáñez's novel The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse was written by June Mathis and directed by Rex Ingram. Mathis chose Rex Ingram as the director and cast Rudolph Valentino as Julio Desnoyes. Co-star Alice Terry later married Ingram. 

The 26-March-1921 edition of Motion Picture News had a large section devoted to the movie. Note how they spelled Valentino's first name in the image above. 

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

The producers had trouble finding a Tzigane Cynibalum for the tango scene. 

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

I found it interesting that the producers felt they had to explain the meaning of the world "Apocalypse." Eschatology was not a big deal among Americans early in the Twentieth Century. 

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

The Second Battle of the Marne was reenacted by people who were there when it happened.

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

Vicente Blasco Ibáñez approved of the movie. Note how they call him "Signor" instead of "Señor."

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

They spelled Valentino's first name correctly on the cast list, but not on the caption under his picture.

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

Joseph Swickard played Marcelo Desnoyers, a Frenchman who emigrated to Argentina to make his fortune. Many Europeans did this in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, including my grandmother's brother. Marcelo and his son Julio move to France after Julio's grandfather dies. Nigel de Brulier is Tchernoff, a Russian intellectual emigree in Paris. While he and Julio watch soldiers march to war, Tchernoff talks about the Book of Revelation and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

The scenes of the Second Battle of the Marne were shot in the San Bernardino Mountains.

"Smoke" Turner was Bowditch M Turner. They spelled his name Browditch in the credits. Jean Hersholt often played professors or doctors.

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

"Book Is Sensation of Publishing World."

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse opened at New York's Liberty Theater on 06-March-2021.

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

The Metro Lithograph Company called for "clever ideas" for posters to promote the film.

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

Note that "Rodolpho Valentino" appears first in the cast list, above the director's wife, Alice Terry.

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

Dirk Bogarde 100 -- March 28, 2021

 

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Actor and writer Dirk Bogarde was born 100 years ago today, on 28-March-1921. He did intelligence work in the British Army during World War Two. He was one of the first Allied soldiers to enter the Bergen-Belsen death camp. He wrote memoirs, novels and journalism.

After the war, he became a successful leading man in movies. 

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In A Bridge Too Far, Bogarde played Lieutenant General Frederick "Boy" Browning, commander of the British I Airborne Corps.

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A Twitter friend recently watched Luchino Visconti's Death in Venice and said "This Death in Venice movie is kind of depressing." I couldn't argue with him. I never went back and said he should read the novella.

Max Linder Scores a Hit -- March 27, 2021

 

Cine-Mundial, March, 1921

Max Linder was the biggest star in film comedy before Charlie Chaplin. Linder appeared in hundreds of early Pathé slapstick comedies in France. He became a major star before World War One. There is some confusion about what he did in the war, but he was wounded or became seriously ill and newspapers reported that he had died. This was not true, but the French film industry, the most powerful in the world before the war, had mostly shut down. Max took an offer from Essanay and came to America, signing a deal to make six short films. The first two did poorly and the third did only a little better, so that was the end of the series. Max returned to France and opened a cinema. He made a feature in France, and then headed back to the US. He made a feature, Seven Years Bad Luck, which did well at the box office.

Motion Picture News, 12-March-1921

The Adventures of Bill and Bob -- March 26, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 05-March-1921

Director Robert N Bradbury produced a series of one-reel movies, The Adventures of Bill and Bob, starring his twin sons, Bob, Jr (later Bob Steele) and Bill. The boys hunt and trap in the wilderness.

Motion Picture News, 26-March-1921

The National Commissioner of the Boy Scouts of America endorsed the series.

Motion Picture News, 19-March-1921