TALKING PICTURES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 20, 3 November 1938, Page 8

TALKING PICTURES

twentieth Century-Fox’s “Life or Josso James” is down for August production, with Tyrone Power as tlio American bandit. Director Henry King lias been visiting James’s old homo for material. If possible, Henry Fonda will be borrowed to play Power’s brother.

Charles Boyer has been awarded the 193.8 diploma for distinguished acting by the, American Institute of Cinematography of the University of Southern California. Last year Luise Rainer Avon it. Boyer’s award is based on his Avork in “Marie AVi'alewska, “Mayerling” and “Tovarich.”

Henrv Wilcoxon and .Marion Marsh are to appear in a dramatic production “Prison Nurse.”

Rebecca West's novel, “The Thinking Reed,” is being prepared for production by Radio.

Gloria Swanson Avill play a woman publisher in “Lady in the NeAVs,” her come-back picture for Republic. Production due to start very shortly.

Claire Trevor and June Lang are being teamed bv Twentieth CenturyFox in a. series about the adventures of two girl friends. The first Avill be “Meet the Girls.”

Jonathan Hale, who has specialised in judges ever since he Avon acclaim for his portrayal in “The Devil is a Sissy,” has been signed to play the judge in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s “First Hundred Years.”

Dorothy Comingoro Meleher, publicised as Charles Chaplin’s latest protegee, is being tested by Warners for “Girls ou Probation.”

Latest biography bought by Warners as a possible Muni vehicle is the story of William Tell.

Danielle Darrieux in “Rage of Paris.” •Danielle Darrieux is the kind of star and “The Rage of Paris” is the kind of comedy that are worth waiting a long time for if necessary. But now that the picture is due to commence next Saturday at the St. James there is no excuse for waiting. Unless one has an unreasonable dislike to see one of the prettiest girls in creation being extremely funny all through an excruciatingly amusing picture, one should go to see “The Rage of Paris” just as soon as

possible. It's swell. Universal lias done something very fine for American cinema fans in bringing Mile. Darrie.ux over here from France to make .pictures. Hanked .as the rave of the Paris screen and stage in spite of her tender -twenty-cue years, she will make a strong bid to attain the same standing jn American pictures. The newcomer has looks. S.he is certainly among the most beautiful girls on the screen to-day. She has plenty of charm and a ! most fetching ease and “unselfconsciOusupss” on .the screen that makes her perfectly adorable jn comedy. She isn’t afraid to romp. She doesn’t mind wrinkling her ; classie nose in amusing grimaces. and her accent is something that i,nust be beard to be enjoyed. The story of “The Huge of Paris” .finds Danielle in New York .without a penny, a pal or n. square meal. So she takes a job posing '.for a famous artist in the nude. However in her eagerness for the job. even .though she doesn’t fancy it. she roadies a wrong address and when Douglas Fairbanks, jnr., a young advertising executive walks into bis office', lie .finds her disrobing. From then on things get too funny to spoil by telling. Fairbanks is perfect as the advertising tycoon and Louis Hayward does a- fine job as bis rival in romance. Mischa Auer and Helen Broderick, those two comedy aces, are more than up to form. Samuel S. Hinds, Nell a Walker, Charles Coleman, Harry Davenport and the* others are grand in their parts and Henry Roster’s direction is elegant. "Cocoanut Grove.” Bing Crosbv, Ricardo Cortez, Abe 1 yman, Carole Lombard. Velo/, and Yolanda, Phil Harris and Donald Novis. No, not a list, of Who’s Who in the American entertainment field, but just a small number of the big theatrical names who have won fame and glory after appearing professionally at the world’s most famous nightclub, the Cocoanut Drove in the Hotel Ambassador in Los Angelos. And in Paramount’s now film, “Cocoanut Grove” which comes to the St. James on Tuesday, Fred MacMurrny and Harriet Hilliard play parts comparable to the real life struggles for lame enacted at.the drove. Mac Murray barnstorming with

(By “Spotlight.”)

“Wise Girl.”

a swing band of assorted nit-Avits that include Ben Blue, Rule Davis and the Yacht Club Boys, annexes a kid and a girl, the singing Harriet Hilliard, who in turn annexes his heart. Arriving in .bos Angeles, he manages to get the audition, but through a wire mix-up, Ins rival gets the job. What happens after that is a hilarious attempt on his part to keep his band together, keep track of Miss Hilliard, lvho believes ho has throAvu her over for Dorothy Howe, and get a new chance at the “Grove.”

A unique romance between the people from distinctly different social planes, is depicted in dramatic as avcll as amusing fashion in “Wise Girl,” co-starring Miriam Hopkins Avith Ray Milland, Avhich opens next Thursday at the St. James. Miss Hopkins is east as a. rich debutante Avhose father is striving vainly to gain custody of tAVo orphaned grand-daughters living Avitli their unde and legal guardian, Ray Milland, a poor but well-meaning artist. In an effort to help her father secure bis desire and also demonstrate that it takes a woman to ensnare a man, Miss Hopkins poses as an impoverished stagestruck girl and makes her home in the Greenwich Village art colony. Here she contrives to meet the struggling artist and his two Avards, the three living on a meagre income eked out of the artist’s three jobs as sign painter, clerk in an antique shop and manager of (Guinn Williams, pugilist and sculptor, Avho can turn putty into a gladiator’s profile and vice-versa. Contrary to her well-laid plans, liOAvever, the wealthy girl falls desperately in love with the poor artist. Their unusual romance blossoms under the hectic circumstances until the young man finally loses his various job/ and the millionaire grandfather cracks down on him, winning custody of the children. This leads to a series of exciting crises, Avhich have their happy solution Avlien the artist realises that the girl aided her father merely to free him from the added responsibility so that lie might resume his art career and make a name for himself. Leigh Jason directed “Wise Girl,” and in addition to Miss Hopkins, Milland and Guinn Williams, the cast includes Walter Abel, Henry Stephenson, Alec Craig. Betty Philson and Marianna Strelby.

Danielle Darrieux, idol of France and Europe’s most glamorous star. Born in Bordeaux, France, May 1, 1917. Her father, French Avorld Avar veteran, aviis a Avoi'ld famous eye specialist. Her mother is a noted singing teacher. Danielle Avas educated at Lveee La-Tour and the Conservatory of Music in Paris .where*she studied violincello. At fourteen, she saw an advertisement on the film page of a newspaper, asking for girls to try out for a child role in “Le Bal.” She answered the ad. and got the job. Since then she has starred in almost a score of hits, including the prize-Avinning, “Mayerling.”

“Ring Memories.” One of the most unusual sporting films ever made is being slioavu at the St. James next Tuesday, entitled “Ring Memories.” This fistic cavalcade brings scenes of some of the greatest fights in recent years. Ncav Zealanders Avill have icalled to them the upward climb of Tom Heeiiev to the fistic heights—the “Hard Rock from Doavh Under,” as lie was. termed by American fight scribes. He is shoAvn in fits gallant attempt to win the heavy-Aveight croivn from Gene Tenney. Timney is also seen in his battle with the “Mauassa. Mauler,” Jack Dempsey. Max Schmeling is slioavu in his bout Avith the Italian giant, Primo Camera, alid Joe Com is, the “Brown Bomber,” is seen disposing of former Avorld’s champion Max Baer in four rounds, and also winning the lieavyAveight title from plucky .James J. Braddock. Georges Carpentier is shoAvn in his bout Avith George Cook; Leo Kelly and Ambrose Palmer in Sydney; and Les. Darcy is also depicted in his match Avith George Chip, “Hawaiian Harmonists” on Stage. In addition to the double picture programme “Wise Girl” and “Ring Memories,” commencing next Thursday, November 10. “The Hawaiian Harmonists,” masterly exponents of the steel guitar Avill add A-ariety to this doublehill Avith selections from tlieir extensive repertoire. This unique and versatile quartette, headed by a wt&urd on the latest electric steel guitar undoubtedly create the right atmosphere by appearing on the stage in traditional Hawaiian costume.

“The Perfect Specimen.” Joan Blundell, the film star, escaped without even so much as a bruise recently in one of the strangest accidents ever to odour in a motion picture company. The mishap, occurred on the Flintridge country club’s golf course, where “The Perfect Specimen” troupe was on location shooting exteriors. The final sequence of the comedy-romance called for Errol Flynn, the male star, to pursue Miss Blondoll around the golf course, supposedly a private estate. The actress finally hides inside a short length of concrete pipe that is being laid in an irrigation ditch. Flynn finds her there, demands an admission of love, and. when it is not forthcoming lie lifts the pipe and Blundell high into the air with, a band winch to which the pipe is attached. All went well until the conclusion of the seem*. At Director Michael Curtiz’ “cut!” Flynn turned away from the handle of the winch to permit labourers to lower Miss Blonde]! to the ground. At that moment, the lock on the winch drums slipped, dropping the heavy pipe and Miss Blundell fifteen feet to the ground. Fortunately the pipe landed on a pile of soft dirt and did not shatter. While the rest of the company stood around horror stricken. Miss Blondoll crawled from the pipe. ‘‘That.’’ sin* commented, ‘‘was a rather rapid descent.”