Show I Opinion Is Divided On Filming of J Classics I LOS s ANGELES Cal Cat Jan 14 19 Wether Weiher or not screen versions of 0 many I classic and historical nov novels ls are to enJoy enJoy en- en j Joy a wave of profitable popularity during the present year Is la the latest problem to occupy the minds of producers producers pro pro- directors and other powers of local film colony Opinion Is s divided many hold that the the- time is ripe for tor a number of pictures plc- plc turfS tunes based on on or actually adapted from the famous books of ot all aU time while others declare that 90 per cent centor of or movie fans tans dont don't care a a. hang for any any except Pt pictures of or present-day present people their problems and their sur sur- rO I Maurice a I Tourneur who Is now making making mak mak- ing inga a a screen version verson of one of or the greatest loVe stories of English lit literature literature literature lit lit- R R. D D. Blackmore's Lorna Dooney Doon believes that the most convincing con con- proof or of the popularity of ot plc- plc famous novels Is the success they have attained during the past put season As examples he cites such productions as as as' The Three Musketeers Passion based on the story of ot Du DuBarry DuBarry Barry Darry A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Arthur's Court one of ot Mark Twains Twain's s 's noted note novels Disraeli The Queen of at Sheba and man many others FAMOUS BOOKS nOOKS D Several of at Mr Tourneur's most successful successful successful suc suc- pictures have been adaptations adaptations of ot famous books am among ng them The Last of ot the Mohicans by J. J FenImore FenImore Fenimore Fen- Fen Imore Cooper Treasure Island by Robert Hobert Louis Stevenson and Maurice The Blue Bird while I D D. W W. Griffiths Griffith's latest feature Orphans Orphans Orphans Or of or the Storm is 18 adapted from froma a a. classic French novel Scores of novels of the leading author author authors au au- thor thors of ot the past two centuries are tremendously tremendous rich In screen material says Mr Tourneur In almost every Instance l It has a been necessary e In adapting them e to o the 1 screen to aib abridge ld them to picture length limits Such authors as Dumas Victor Y Hugo S Scott Thackeray Stevenson i rJ Balzac c. c Mark 1 Twain and d others r of t that school thought nothing of writing a book of ot GOO or 00 pages Many lany novels were twice that length Tire TIle modern fiction story Is sel seldom om half halt a an as long ong- and contains proportionately even een less screen material A GLAMOUR OF ROMANCE Granting that the they possess an equal amount of at action love Interest and absorbing ab ab- r characterization h t the s stories fod lt of periods long departed h have rave a power of romantic appeal that the tho picture of modern life lite cannot attain contin ues uel Mr Ir Tourneur There is a glamour glamour glam glam- our of ot romance surrounding the famous fa fa- moue heroes of ot literature tha that t the tire present day 1 s story does not I impart r aYls Y Is morn more e romantic an a figure than Sergeant York or Captain Ricken- Ricken backer although no 0 more effective or courageous a a. warrior Disraeli stimulates d' d the ri Imagination a more r th than Lloyd George but probably ba was as no more astute or clever a a. statesman Many producers are wary of the classic nOTe novels Is because of ot the tremendous tremendous dous amount of rese research work and de tail tan their production entails Better Detter acting and direction have enhanced en en- the value tUft of or screen production of classic and historic stories years ago when an an actor was called upon to play some famous farnous character he Immediately began to strut nd and gesture in an amazing fashion Now Now- ow both actors and directors have come to realize that the characters of the past were as human as those I of ot the present with the result that these roles are r now o interpreted in a amore amore more realistic o i ti and n convincing O lt manner e |