Chaplin Has Completed “The Circus”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 241, 31 December 1927, Page 19

Chaplin Has Completed “The Circus”

A. Glimpse Behind the Scenes at His Studios ••WORKS HARDEST OF ALL” i i | "T IGHTS have been burning j j late these past weeks at I I the Chaplin Studios,” writes f Iris Barry, the London "Daily I • Mail’s” special investigator at i I Hollywood. I The comedian is in the best » I of working trim and only a J j few more scenes remain to be f | taken to complete "The Cir- I f cus." | I I The Chaplin studios are unlike any others in Hollywood; quieter and at

more radiant. There are fewer people there, and all of them the best of friends and most of them displaying a singular versatility. Chaplin works hardest of them all. for he is not only the director of the film, the author of th© story, and the principal actor, but every detail of lighting. camera work, sets, costume.

every bit of acting, as well as the editing and titling of the film, he does himself. The scene for the next bit, a grocer's store, is ready. Chaplin stands behind the cameras, his eyes closed and head down for a moment, visualising the v F- 4: St ~ ~ -*• ~r

action. “Heady, let’s go,” he says suddenly, and rehearses the mimic fall which he is to make. But he is not satisfied and trundles round the scene whistling. His staff make suggestions. He tries something else. Suddenly he sees how to do what he wants, the lights snap on. there is immediate silence, and he does his bit. Behind the Scenes In a couple of minutes the whole unit has transferred itself to another scene, “behind the scenes” in the little travelling circus, and Chaplin is rehearsing his leading lady, Myrna Kennedy, the old clown, the young clown, and the ring-master. He takes each one in turn, acts for them exactly what he wants them to do, makes them repeat it, corrects a movement, slows down a gesture. “Xot so relaxed when you begin to cry, Myrna,” he says gently; “not despair but nerves.” It seems a pity he canont play all the parts himself, he does them so well, with such an understanding of human nature. He uses no music, by the way, while acting, as other studios do. In his opinion, music, while it makes one feel emotional, does not make one able to act emotionally. Work has been going on since long before noon. It begins again soon after nine in the evening, after a short break for food. While the lights are being adjusted Chaplin goes off to the projection room to see the “takes 1 * of the morning's work, finds some of it good, some not so satisfactory, and discusses it in detail with his assistant and his manager, Mr. Reeves, the laconic Englishman who has been with

him now since Kamo days. Then, to save time, he begins to rehearse the most important scene of the day with the young leading man. whom he is imploring to do a service for the little heroine, and imploring in his own eloquent dumb-show.

Both of them know exactly what it is he is trying to convey, both seek the best way in which it may be pantomimed. Now Chaplin is plea.ding with him, uttering the words in a tonele.'-* whisper, every limb and every line of his shabby little back eloquent. But he is not satisfied. Does it look true? he asks; he wonders if he is taking it too fast, exactly how he and the young mail are to play in with each other. They rehearse it seven or eight times; then Charlie goes off by himself to work trp his own part more naturally.