REX INGRAM CAUGHT IN AN INTERESTING SCENE WHILE DIRECTING THE PRINCIPALS IN “THE CONQUERING POWER”
CECIL B. DE MILLE DIRECTING
CECIL B. DE MILLE WATCHING A REHEARSAL
“The Indian Tomb” is by all odds the most amazing picture that I have ever seen. To begin with, Mr. May had a hand in the adaptation of it. He collaborated on the continuity which is after the generally approved method of the best American directors. He spent no end of time on this work, presumably, for Mr. Lubitsch tells us that all German directors pore over the continuity of their pictures for weeks and months so that finally when they are ready to begin the actual filming of the picture every scene is “fool-proof.” This is the method of Thomas H. Ince to the letter.
In the second place, Mr. May must have been given half a dozen billion marks or more to spend on settings. The beautiful Indian settings that are to be seen in the picture, beautiful, magnificent and tremendous could never be built for an American production for less than a million dollars. They greet the eye in such rapid succession that they might be described, in no tones of aspersion, as bewildering.
Mr. May selected an excellent cast. The actors are possibly without reputation in Germany. It is safe to say that none of them with the exception of Mia May, the star, are known broadly. But under Mr. May's direction, each works with a skill so effective that the spectator is nearly obliged to forget there is acting going on before his eye. The Indian Yogi is a commanding, inspiring figure. The Prince breathes passion, hatred, cunning. The last extra, given a bit to perform, does it with amazing effect.
Mr. May has given in “The Indian Tomb” a marvelous demonstration of what tempo means. The whole tempo of his picture, once the story reaches India is slow—but never tiresome. He seems to have realized that a picture laid in a mystic locale, a locale strange to nearly everyone who frequents picture theatres, a locale enriched in poetry, fiction and song, as a land of uncanny magic, that such a picture demanded a slow, steady tempo. The effect thus achieved strengthens the story ten-fold. Played too fast in one phase or another, hurrying over one sequence to get to another, would have spoiled the magic effect of “The Indian Tomb” completely.
When “The Indian Tomb” first was imported to these shores its length approximated eighteen thousand feet! An unheard of length, to be sure. Of course, it will not reach the American public in such an amount of footage. There is room for cutting, very careful trimming. But even if “The Indian Tomb” was shown here in all its abundance of footage, I doubt very much if it would have proved tiresome except to those with weak eyes. The magic of its story unfolded before a panorama of astounding scenes would hold the interest of the most jaded picture “fan” throughout its entire length.
The Joe May serial, “The Mistress of the World” shown abroad in forty-eight reels has also been cut down considerably for American consumption. It was made quite some time previous to “The Indian Tomb” and as a work of art cannot be compared with it. However, throughout its various chapters, Mr. May shows the skill which was to attain its fullest flower in “The Indian Tomb.” Here again are marvelous settings, here also does he show that he knows the value of tempo, although in achieving it he has often been forced to labor with poor mechanical effects. And here, too, does he know how to secure that awe-inspiring surprise by suddenly showing, unexpectedly but logically, the most amazing glimpses of extravagant, magnificent scenery.