J. M. BARRIE'S JOKE.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2777, 23 May 1916, Page 10

J. M. BARRIE'S JOKE.

"THE REAL THING AT LAST"

"MACBETH" AS A, "MOVIE"

Sir J. M, Ba,rrie's "surprise," which was part of tho programmo at tho Hoyal matinee at tho London Coliseum on a recent afternoon in aid of tire Y.M.C.A. concerts at tho front, was a delightful thing—tlio best Barrio joke for a long time. It was called "The Ileal Thing at Last: A Suggestion for the Artists of tlio Future," and was a shrewd dig at the kinema and all its works.

First you see Mr. Edmund Gwenn as a rather loud kinema managor, "a star artist with a star cigar." expressing dignified sorrow that the kinema has not been askßd to do its share in the tercentenary celebration of the "Swan of Avon." Nevertheless the trade has propared its tribute—a, "movies" version of "Macbeth'." Befow this is shown you see a miserably meek little being, representing the legitimate actor, beseeching him for a job, but lie sends him away with tho verdict "Not enough 'punch.'" Miss Irene Vanbrugh is delighted to take the tiny part of releasing the film, and you see her doing it on the screen, gingerly picking the snake-like thing out of a real' oage. Charlie Chaplin wobbles on the stage, and is received by tlio manager with' extravagant deference, while the famous actresses are sent to sit in a corner and keop quiot. The screen announces "Tho first real performance of 'Macbeth,' all. snap, 'fio calky-talky." The film is absurdly like the real thing— it would' be received most kinema palaces with delight. Sir J. M. Barrie points his satire by giving the film characters to a dozen of tho most famous .actors and actresses of the day— at least so the progranvmo says. If they are really doing it their personalities are entirely lost. Tn this Ore is probably performing on tho legs of the critics. Tho manager accompanies the film scenes with ecstatic remarks to the audience. The screen announces "The Countess of Macbeth in iber refined homo near Maidenhead." There is a very shaggy Macbeth. "Twenty feet high," 'chirrups the manager. "Oh thkit Shakespeare had lived to see this day!" To show.us how Shakespeare ought to have done it, the manager throws on the screen two versions, Ih'ere and there, showing, for instance, the old style witches followed by "witches, our Btyle"—three pretty maidens of great eleganco. "There's a bunch of peaches," said the manager. The screen announces "Old man Duncan retires for the night," a.nd you see him hanging un liis crown on tiio bed arid searching for Macbeth underneath it. "I don't trust these Macbeths," he says. When Lady 'Macbeth x.ggfi on Macbeth to the murder the screen says: "I can't. I ajn a wljite m^n," Then wo come to "the scone of the

orimo/* ond "the wicked but attractive little ludy smears the sleeping grooms with blood to make sure of their conviction at tho assizes. Hero is another triumph for kineiiia realism. "Note' the amount of blood wo use/' says the manager. "Something liko-no ■ expense spared,' and Lady Macbeth daubs them from a bucket. Macbeth sees kinema visions of his early childhood, but tho visions get mixed up and Macbeth becomes annoyed. "Ho is naturally indi". nant at anyone interfering with his visions," says the manager. The elegant home of tho Macbeths at Maidenhead is no longer a happy one. Th.i screen wains the Count: "Macduff is after you. If you see a wood moving it's a cinch." 'l'his is where tho kinema qomcs in,. You actu. ally do see tho wood chasing across the screen ,at twenty miles an hour. "Whaiir's Wully Shakspere the noo?"as » Scot said on a famous occasion. The fight is tho real kinema thing, too —none of your old-style quick dispatch, but ft real chase over a bridge and up a church tower, where you see them lighting against the sky, Macbeth being fin. ally thrown over. "Tho fight as wo do it. Having lost their swords .they butt." tn the kinema version Macbeth repents, and all ends happily, to the TGlief of the manager, who exclaims: "If only the Swan of Avon were here now!"

One of tho best iokes is the Countess Macbeth's Bleep-walking, showing the actual spot for tho first time (separate film for hantl). Sir Jaines Bcrrie has studied the solemn technique of the kinemas to good purpose. The Shakespearean character names aro improved away. We have, instead of first, second, third, and fourth murderer, first and second murdered, w illing-to-murder page (afterwards murdered), her murderer, his murderer, nearly murdered, nofc-worth-murdering-but-nnirdered, murder-specialist, and so on.

Tlio joke onds ivitli tlie miserable little person who typifios the legitimate actor humbly -waiting at the stage.door to preBent a bouquet to the kinema star. 'Well, Sir James .Barrio has revenged his Humiliation.