merton of the movies-第69节

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　of　male　screen　idols　during　the　last　dozen　feet　of　the　last　reel。　But　how　could　he　have　suspected　the　lengths　to　which　a　perverted　spirit　of　satire　would　lead　the　Buckeye　director？

For　now　he　staggered　through　the　blinding　snow；　a　bundle　clasped　to　his　breast。　He　fell；　half　fainting；　at　the　door　of　the　old　home。　He　groped　for　the　knob　and　staggered　in　to　kneel　at　his　mother's　feet。　And　she　sternly　repulsed　him；　a　finger　pointing　to　the　still　open　door。

Unbelievably　the　screen　made　her　say；　〃He　wears　no　ring。　Back　to　the　snow　with　'em　both！　Throw　'em　Way　Down　East！〃

And　Baird　had　said　the　bundle　would　contain　one　of　his　patents！

Mrs。　Gill　watched　this　scene　with　tense　absorption。　When　the　mother's　iron　heart　had　relented　she　turned　to　her　husband。　〃You　dear　thing；　that　was　a　beautiful　piece　of　work。　You're　set　now。　That　cinches　your　future。　Only；　dearest；　never；　never；　never　let　it　show　on　your　face　that　you　think　it's　funny。　That's　all　you'll　ever　have　to　be　afraid　of　in　your　work。〃

〃I　won't；〃　he　said　stoutly。

He　shiveredor　did　he　shudder？and　quickly　reached　to　take　her　hand。　It　was　a　simple；　direct　gesture；　yet　somehow　it　richly　had　the　quality　of　pleading。

〃Mother　understands；〃　she　whispered。〃　Only　remember；　you　mustn't　seem　to　think　it's　funny。〃

〃I　won't；〃　he　said　again。　But　in　his　torn　heart　he　stubbornly　cried；　〃I　don't；　I　don't！〃

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Some　six　months　later　that　representative　magazine；　Silver　Screenings；　emblazoned　upon　its　front　cover　a　promise　that　in　the　succeeding　number　would　appear　a　profusely　illustrated　interview　by　Augusta　Blivens　with　that　rising　young　screen　actor；　Merton　Gill。

The　promise　was　kept。　The　interview　wandered　amid　photographic　reproductions　of　the　luxurious　Hollywood　bungalow；　set　among　palms　and　climbing　roses；　the　actor　and　his　wife　in　their　high…powered　roadster　（Mrs。　Gill　at　the　wheel）；　the　actor　in　his　costume　of　chaps　and　sombrero；　rolling　a　cigarette；　the　actor　in　evening　dress；　the　actor　in　his　famous　scene　of　the　Christmas　eve　return　in　Brewing　Trouble；　the　actor　regaining　his　feet　in　his　equally　famous　scene　of　the　malignant　spurs；　the　actor　and　his　young　wife；　on　the　lawn　before　the　bungalow；　and　the　young　wife　aproned；　in　her　kitchen；　earnestly　busy　with　spoon　and　mixing　bowl。

〃It　is　perhaps　not　generally　known；〃　wrote　Miss　Blivens；　〃that　the　honour　of　having　discovered　this　latest　luminary　in　the　stellar　firmament　should　be　credited　to　Director　Howard　Henshaw　of　the　Victor　forces。　Indeed；　I　had　not　known　this　myself　until　the　day　I　casually　mentioned　the　Gills　in　his　presence。　I　lingered　on　a　set　of　Island　Love；　at　present　being　filmed　by　this　master　of　the　unspoken　drama；　having　but　a　moment　since　left　that　dainty　little　reigning　queen　of　the　celluloid　dynasty；　Muriel　Mercer。　Seated　with　her　in　the　tiny　bijou　boudoir　of　her　bungalow　dressing　room　on　the　great　Holden　lot；　its　walls　lined　with　the　works　of　her　favourite　authors…　…for　one　never　finds　this　soulful　little　girl　far　from　the　books　that　have　developed　her　mentally　as　the　art　of　the　screen　has　developed　her　emotionallyshe　had　referred　me　to　the　director　when　I　sought　further　details　of　her　forthcoming　great　production；　an　idyl　of　island　romance　and　adventure。　And　presently；　when　I　had　secured　from　him　the　information　I　needed　concerning　this　unique　little　drama　of　the　great　South　Seas；　I　chanced　to　mention　my　approaching　encounter　with　the　young　star　of　the　Buckeye　forces；　an　encounter　to　which　I　looked　forward　with　some　dismay。

〃Mr。　Henshaw；　pausing　in　his　task　of　effecting　certain　changes　in　the　interior　of　the　island　hut；　reassured　me。　'You　need　have　no　fear　about　your　meeting　with　Gill；'　he　said。　'You　will　find　him　quite　simple　and　unaffected；　an　artist；　and　yet　sanely　human。'　It　was　now　that　he　revealed　his　own　part　in　the　launching　of　this　young　star。　'I　fancy　it　is　not　generally　known；'　he　continued；　'that　to　me　should　go　the　honour　of　having　〃discovered〃　Gill。　It　is　a　fact；　however。　He　appeared　as　an　extra　one　morning　in　the　cabaret　scene　we　used　in　Miss　Mercer's　tremendous　hit；　The　Blight　of　Broadway。　Instantly；　as　you　may　suppose；　I　was　struck　by　the　extraordinary　distinction　of　his　face　and　bearing。　In　that　crowd　composed　of　average　extra　people　he　stood　out　to　my　eye　as　one　made　for　big　things。　After　only　a　moment's　chat　with　him　I　gave　him　a　seat　at　the　edge　of　the　dancing　floor　and　used　him　most　effectively　in　portraying　the　basic　idea　of　this　profoundly　stirring　drama　in　which　Miss　Mercer　was　to　achieve　one　of　her　brightest　triumphs。

〃'Watch　that　play　to…day；　you　will　discover　young　Gill　in　many　of　the　close…ups　where；　under　my　direction；　he　brought　out　the　psychological；　the　symbolicif　I　may　use　the　termvalues　of　the　great　idea　underlying　our　story。　Even　in　these　bits　he　revealed　the　fine　artistry　which　he　has　since　demonstrated　more　broadly　under　another　director。

〃'To　my　lasting　regret　the　piece　was　then　too　far　along　to　give　him　a　more　important　part；　though　I　intended　to　offer　him　something　good　in　our　next　play　for　Muriel　Merceryou　may　recall　her　gorgeous　success　in　Her　Father's　Wifebut　I　was　never　able　to　find　the　chap　again。　I　made　inquiries；　of　course；　and　felt　a　really　personal　sense　of　loss　when　I　could　get　no　trace　of　him。　I　knew　then；　as　well　as　I　know　now；　that　he　was　destined　for　eminence　in　our　world　of　painted　shadows。　You　may　imagine　my　chagrin　later　when　I　learned　that　another　director　was　to　reap　the　rewards　of　a　discovery　all　my　own。'

〃And　so；〃　continued　Miss　Blivens；　〃it　was　with　the　Henshaw　words　still　in　my　ears　that　I　first　came　into　the　presence　of　Merton　Gill；　feeling　that　he　would…as　he　at　once　finely　didput　me　at　my　ease。　Simple；　unaffected；　modest；　he　is　one　whom　success　has　not　spoiled。　Both　on　the　set　where　I　presently　found　himplaying　the　part　of　a　titled　roue　in　the　new　Buckeye　comedyto　be　called；　one　hears；　'Nearly　Sweethearts　or　Something'…and　later　in　the　luxurious　but　homelike　nest　which　the　young　star　has　provided　for　his　bride　of　a　few　months…she　was　'Flips'　Montague；　one　recalls；　daughter　of　a　long　line　of　theatrical　folk　dating　back　to　days　of　the　merely　spoken　drama…he　proved　to　be　finely　unspoiled　and　surprisingly　unlike　the　killingly　droll　mime　of　the　Buckeye　constellation。　Indeed　one　cannot　but　be　struck　at　once　by　the　deep　vein　of　seriousness　underlying　the　comedian's　surface　drollery。　His　sense　of　humour　must　be　tremendous；　and　yet　only　in　the　briefest　flashes　of　his　whimsical　manner　can　one　divine　it。

〃'Let　us　talk　only　of　my　work；'　he　begged　me。　'Only　that　can　interest　my　public。'　And　so；　very　seriously；　we　talked　of　his　work。

〃'Have　you　ever　thought　of　playing　serious　parts？'　I　asked；　being　now　wholly　put　at　my　ease　by　his　friendly；　unaffected　ways。

〃He　debated　a　moment；　his　face　rigidly　set；　inscrutable　to　my　glance。　Then　he　relaxed　into　one　of　those　whimsically　appealing　smiles　that　somehow　are　acutely　eloquent　of　pathos。　'Serious　parts　with　this　low…comedy　face　of　mine！'　he　responded。　And　my　query　had　been　answered。　Yet　he　went　on；　'No；　I　shall　never　play　Hamlet。　I　can　give　a　good　imitation　of　a　bad　actor　but；　doubtless；　I　should　give　a　very　bad　imitation　of　a　good　one。

〃Et　vailet；　Messieurs。〃　I　remarked　to　myself。　The　man　with　a　few　simple　strokes　of　the　brush　had　limned　me　his　portrait。　And　I　was　struck　again　with　that　pathetic　appeal　in　face　and　voice　as　he　spoke　so　confidingly。　After　all；　is　not　pure　pathos　the　hall…mark　of　great　comedy？　We　laugh；　but　more　poignantly　because　our　hearts　are　tugged　at。　And　here　was　a　master　of　the　note　pathetic。

〃Who　that　has　roared　over　the　Gill　struggle　with　the　dreadful　spurs　was　not　even　at　the　climax　of　his　merriment　sympathetically　aware　of　his　earnest　persistence；　the　pained　sincerity　of　his　repeated　strivings；　the　genuine　anguish　distorting　his　face　as　he　senses　the　everlasting　futility　of　his　efforts？　Who　that　rocked　with　laughter　at　the　fox…trot　lesson　in　Object；　Alimony；　could　be　impervious　to　the　facial　agony　above　those　incompetent；　disobedient；　heedless　feet？

〃Here　was　honest　endeavour；　an　almost　prayerful　determination；　again　and　again　thwarted　by　feet　that　recked　not　of　rhythm　or　even　of　bare　mechanical　accuracy。　Those　feet；　so　apparently　aimless；　so　little　under　control；　were　perhaps　the　most　mirthful　feet　the　scored　failure　in　the　dance。　But　the　face；　conscious　of　their　clumsiness；　was　a　mask　of　fine　tragedy。

〃Such　is　the　combination；　it　seems　to　me；　that　has　produced　the　artistry　now　so　generally　applauded；　an　artistry　that　perhaps　achieved　its　full　flowering　in　that　powerful　bit　toward　the　close　of　Brewing　Troublethe　return　of　the　erring　son　with　his　agony　of　appeal　so　markedly　portrayed　that　for　the　moment　one　almost　forgot　the　wildly　absurd　burlesque　of　which　it　formed　the　joyous　yet　truly　emotional　apex。　I　spoke　of　this。

〃'True　burlesque　is；　after　all；　the　highest　criticism；　don't　you　think？'　he　asked　me。　'Doesn't　it　make　demands　which　only　a　sophisticated　audience　can　meet…isn't　it　rather　high…brow　criticism？'　And　I　saw　that　he　had　thought　deeply　about　his　art。

〃'It　is　because　of　this；'　he　went　on；　'that　we　must　resort　to　so　much　of　the　merely　slap…stick　stuff　in　our　comedies。　For　after　all；　our　picture　audience；　twenty　million