TALKING PICTURES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 39, 25 November 1937, Page 8

TALKING PICTURES

CHATS ABOUT THE CINEMA. (By “ Spotlight.”) Described as the “most sensational film find of the year,” four-year-old Kitty Clancy, a dimpled, curly-headed blonde beauty, is seen for the first time in Paramount's “Midnight Madonna.” John Lodge, last seen in “Bulldog Drummond at Bay,” is working in Italian films with his wife, Francesca Braggiotti. Carole Lombard has been seeing her lawyer about three contracts —one with Paramount, one with Warners and one with Selznick. Spencer Tracy will be Joan Crawford’s leading man in “Mannequin.” Frank Borzage starts directing as soon as Joan has finished “The Bride Wore Red.” Charlie Ituggles, appearing in Paramount’s “Exclusive,” has built up a stable of five trained dogs, valued at more than £IOOO, which he hi tea out to motion picture companies. Harry Watson, Sam of “Penrod and Sam,” will bo Fred Astaire’s little friend in “Damsel in Distress.” Constance Collier and Reginald Gardiner have also joined the cast. A Hollywood report again suggests that Leslie Howard is to return to England to play the title role in “Lawrence of Arabia.” William K. Howard is reported to bo preparing a scenario from which he will make the film. f A cablegram from Singapore advises Paramount that Producer - director Clyde Elliott “shot” the first scenes for “Booloo,” the animal adventure picture, recently . Colin Tapley, the New Zealander, is portraying the leading role, and natives make up the balance of the big cast. It is expected that six months will bo required to finish the film. The eyes of alert movie fans the world over have been on “Lost Horizon” since Capra began preparations on it at the Columbia studios more than two years ago. There seems to have been two good reasons for this. First, because it is the most elaborate production ever launched by Columbia or directed by Capra; second, because many were of the opinion that the job of transferring Hilton’s sensational novel to the screen would be no simple one, even for so capable a man as Capra. “Tall Timbers.” Successor to those popular productions “On Our Selection,” “The Squatter’s Daughter,” “The Silence* of Dean Maitland,” “Thoroughbred,” and “It Isn’t Done,” “Tall Timbers,” the exciting outdoor Australian film which opens at the St. James Theatre on Saturday, maintains the high reputations earned by Cinesound’s former films. “Tall Timers” was adapted for the screen from a story by Captain Frank Hurley, the noted cameraman, who realised

that Australia held a perfect background in the northern timber country of New South Wales. So the film emerged, a strong outdoor romantic drama, Hull of action, and culminating in an amazing climax, a giant timber dj'ive—the most hazardous undertaking yet attempted in Australian films. Fifty acres of huge trees crash into a valley below, with the men working frantically as the danger of being caught by a falling tree is ever present. In the leading parts are Shirley Ann Richards and Frank Leighton. Leighton takes the role of a young forestry officer, a virile, athletic type of young man, admirably suited for the part Playing opposite him, is Shirley Ann Richards as the daughter of the timber king. Her freshness and beauty are typical of the Australian outdoor girl, and her amazing success in “It Isn’t Rone,’’ has established her as a firm screen favourite. A genial villain without any redeeming characteristics but a disarming joviality and an ability to crack a joke when almost knocked out by the hero is Campbell Copelin, one of the discoveries of the film, while Joe Valli turns in an excellent character performance as the lame Scottish en-gine-driver. “Last Train From Madrid.” Modern war-stricken Madrid is the locale for a new motion picture woven from the newspaper headlines. The film is Paramount’s “The Last Train From Madrid,” a story dealing with ten persons, all strangers, caught in the city during its heaviest bombardment, and how their lives and destinies were suddenly made one by a common peril. It opens next Tuesday at the St. Janies Theatre. The main

theme is built around Dorothy Lamour, Gilbert Roland and Anthony Quinn. The latter, Miss Lamour’s sweetheart, arranges for her to escape from the besieged city on the last train out. He also secures a pass for his. friend, Roland, only to realise that the two arcold sweethearts. Unable to leave the city himself, he permits the two to depart for Valencia, hoping that the girl will choose between himself and Roland later. Aboard the same train is Karen Morley, an adventuress who loves Roland. Despite the peril that surrounds them all she continues to play her game of playing one- man against another. Wound up in the plot are the destinies of Lew Ayres, an American newspaperman, and Olympo Bradna, member of the famed Women’s Battalion; Robert Cummings, a deserter and Helen Mack, a street waif; Lionel A twill, commander of the city and many others. “The Last Train From Madrid” was written from actual events "in Madrid under bombardment by Paul Hervey Fox and Elsie Fox. It was directed by James Hogan. “Behind the Headlines.” The vast depository recently built at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in which the Government’s huge gold reserve is being stored, plays an important part in the new film, “Behind the Headlines,” coming to the St. James Theatre next Thursday. A daring hold-up of a.'federal truck on route to the depository and loaded with fortune in gold bullion, forms one of the tense highlights of the film, which deals with the adventures of a radio reporter in covering exciting news events. Lee Tracy, whose rapid-fire portrayals have won him a favoured place in the roster of screen stars, takes the role of the radio reporter. With a tiny transmitting set in his pocket, and a lapel microphone, he scoops his newspaper rivals by broadcasting news flashes direct from the scene of action. This innovation now actually in use in. radio work, is revealed for the first time on the screen in this highspeed offering, which builds from the stqrt to a most exciting climax. Diana Gibson lias the feminine lead in this RKO Radio picture, with Paul Guilfoylo and other well-known players in the cast. “Lost Horizon” Higtlighfis. Frank Capra, director of many great screen successes, has achieved his greatest triumph in Columbia’s “Lost Horizon.” which is shortly to be seen at the St. James Theatre, as a screen version of James Hilton’s novel of escape, which won tlio Hawthornden prize some years ago. Robert Riskin adapted the novel to the screen. “Lost Horizon” is a remarkable achievement of photography, especially in the great Himalayan scenes. These are nothing short of a brilliant technical accomplishment. There are the scenes of the terror-stricken Chinese community, the recue of foreign fugitives by giant aeioplanes, the crash of a ’plane with its kidnapped passengers on the highest peaks of the Himalayas, all as memorable and realistic as they can be. There are glimpses of snowclad peaks (the really inspiring portion of the film) ; of sylvan glades and mountain forests, with shady pools fed bv waterfalls. There are the scenes of Tibetans struggling along the blinding trails ; or roaring avalanches overwhelming with breathless dramatic effect a treacherous

party of guides from a village. Offerings such as these clearly show Capra s genius. The cast is equally inspiring, comprising such notables as H. B. Warner, Ronald Colman, Jane Wyatt, Margo (the French actress), Isabel Jewell, Edward Everett Horton, Thomas Mitchell and John Howard.