No Stars

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 648, 27 April 1929, Page 29

No Stars

Russian Director Deals in Realism INANIMATE CHARACTERS The most famous director of motion pictures in Europe is Serge M. Eisenstein* the young Russian genius who made the Soviet drama, “Potemkin/* and other masterpieces of technique. In this article he deals with his latest productions, methods and ambitions.

MS a director I supervise the work of the Sovokino, the Soviet Film Trust, he writes for the “New York Times.” My Latest production, is “The General Line,” which tells of the efforts of a peasant community to form a co-operative to dispose of their dairy products. The struggle is between the peasants, who try to pool their and organise, and the rich farmers who want to keep them poor and in their power. The wealthy farmers are so eager to suppress the co-operative efforts that when the peasants buy blooded bulls to improve the local milk supply, the rich villain tries to poison the animals.” BULL AND SEPARATOR “I do not believe in stars or the star system. My main characters are a milkmaid, a bull and a separator. “X never use real actors because an actor creates the type, which then becomes artificial, “I looked over 3,000 women before I found a leading lady for my present

S. M. EISENSTEIN, who astounded Europe with the realism and technical brilliance of “Potemkin.” He is the Soviet’s star director. film. When I tdok her to location I suddenly didn’t like her—so filmed her only from the back. “I soon discovered that the girl—you couldn’t really call her that, for she had already had 12 children and had been in prison six times—was not really the type for a heroine. When we went out to a village to film cows I found her drunk. So, because only shots of the heroine’s back were needed, I engaged as substitute the peasant girl who was milking the cows. “I liked the back of the farm girl and decided to have a look at her face, and if it pleased me, make her the heroine. “I am always afraid high salaries will cause my players to turn ‘bohemian,’ so I never let them live like stars or in any way change their mode of living. They are always peasants, working part time in the films. I give them parts to correspond with whatever they do in real life, and never let them feel they are artists for fear of spoiling their type. “My feminine star, the farm girl, for instance, has worked all her life among cattle, and when she plays with the bull in the picture, sfre is merely going on with her usual work. “The masses must always figure in our movies. They come as volunteers, and want no pay for t'fair services. Neither do the orchestras which play during the filming. “Romantic entertainment does not enter our films. We always have a message to bring out that will help build up our country under its new regime and show the change in living brought about by the October revolution. My next picture, for instance, ‘The Pathos of the Separator,* will glorify separators, cows and milk, showing the important roles play in our life. “Our films are not made with one eye on the box office, but always for the benefit of the people. That explains why they are all so glad to help in every way thr# r can. By living among them we find types we would not find otherwise, and these types are more convincing than professional actors.”

The clothes worn by Car! Brlsson who plays the part of the fisherman 1 In Sir Hall Caine's “The Manxman” < for British International Pictures, ' were so realistic that a Danish cap- ; tain meeting him in a local inn on location, actually offered him a job on his boat. The captain was terribly ing so down and out, 1

“The Wolf of Wall Street” Is the tale of a man who ruined himself in order to revenge himself on another. The principal role Is played by George Bancroft, while Paul Lukas and Baclanova have featured parts. Rowland V. Lee directed the picture, which was . recently completed for Paramount. [

"The Wedding March’* is an epic of old Vienna, produced by the famous director Enrich von Stroheim. Von Stroheim, in addition to directing the picture, also played in the main role. He was ably supported by Fay Wray, a gifted young actress, who has been , seen in a number of Paramount productions lately