Screen Stars and Films

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 77, 31 March 1928, Page 5 (Supplement)

Screen Stars and Films

Me tro-Goldwyn-Mayer 1;:- '.'Led the sere-n :?kn of -Rose Marie," with Joan Crawford, Janice Murray, House Peters, George Cooper, < reighton Hale »nd I'olly Morari heading tin: oast. Thiti it to be released shortly and will be presented with the complete Rose Mario musical scoro.

lon Chancy aband••• ■- r " ' iMio roles to play a natural one that is even more fantastic, a* a Scotland Yard detective, ferreting out a mystery amid ghosts in a haunted manor in jyunion After Midnight," his new picture. As a detective lenses many weird disguises and utilises hypnotism to trail ;i criminal in a thrilling drama of bewilderment.

A light, exhilirating atory of young married life is "Silk Stockings," the Universal-Jewel, starring Laura I,a Plante. John Hurron plays opposite the golden-baired star, \vhile the supporting cast includes Otis Harlan, William Austin, Tempe Pigot, Marcella Daly, Ruth Cberrington. Heinie Conklin and Burr Mcintosh. Wesley Ruggles directed.

"Baby Mine," one of the most famous stage farces of all time, will be seen in •creen form shortly in Aucftand. Karl Dane and George K. Arthur, heroes of "Rookies," appear in it as their second co-starring picture. It is a lilting comedy of college boys in a peck of trouble, iu which stolen babies add to their hilarious woes. Charlotte Greenwood and Louise Lorraine appear in the cast

Dolores Del Rio, the exotic Mexican star, is the national technical director, as well as the leading lady of her latest film, "Ramona." Because of her intimate knowledge of Spanish customs and traditions, the star automatically became the technical authority on her own picture. This is the first time that a star of first magnitude has acted in such a capacity.

Spectacular dress parade and other manoeuvres of the cadet corps at West Point, one of the most famous military schools in America, are elaborate details in William Haines' new picture, "West Point." Haines, who plays the part of a cadet in the picture, driiled in all these scenes with the cadets. Joan Crawford appears in the leading feminine role, while a notable cast includes Neil Neely and William Bakewell.

Victor Hugo's colossal work, '"Lea Miserables" has been filmed, and will shortly be presented locally. It is noteworthy that the majority of the exteriors were made at the same places as Hugo describes in his book, principally in the town of Digne and Montreuil-sur-Mer. No less than a year was spent in making the necessary arrangements before filming was actually begun.

Another artist from the big cast of "What Price Glory" is being given the opportunity of playing in featured roles. This is Barry Norton, the young man who played the role of "Mother's Boy." He is playing the lead in a new Fox production entitled "Fleetwing." The story of the Arabian deserts deals with the love of a young sheik for a dancing girl, who is exchanged for a horse by his father. Dorothy Janis is seen in support.

Lois Moran dances for the second time in her motion picture career, in the Fox production, "Sharpshooters," which is being made at Fox studios. George O'Brien is co-featured with lier. Miss Moran was trained as a dancer from early childhood, and during her screen career she lias only once before had the opportunity of displaying her art for the camera. Miss Moran is cast as a French dancer in a Moroccan cafe, and her interpretation of a vivacious nautch dance reveals her very evident dancing ability.

Despite scientific inventions that remove hardships from life on the ocean and make the modern liner a great floating hotel, there is still much adventure and gripping drama on the high seas. This is strikingly demonstrated in Jackie I'oogan'- new starring y>icture "Buttons.'' This is an nltra-inodcrn sea story, with Jackie in the role of a page boy, and it is crammed with thrills, with adventure, comedy and drama, and closes with a sensational shipwreck. Lars Hunson, Gertrude Olmsted, Roy D'Arcy, Polly Moran and Paul Hurst appear in the cast.

filoria Swannon 11 «i a never done a bolter piece of acting than as Sadie Thompson in the tropin melodrama of that mime, according to American critics. Her role, that of a siren of the underworld is not nil easy one. In spite of several changes. .Sadie Thompson" retains the vividness and logic of Somerset Maugham's story on which it was based. Its realism is almost entirely due t . Miss owanson. She makes Sadie a pitiful and understandable figure, enlisting mu.-h sympathy in her defensive war against organised virtue. Lionel Bairvmore, as Sadie's spiritual monitor, and Rumil \ .ilsli, as a genial sergeant of marines, form the chief supporting players.

Billie Dove appears in the principal role of "The Stolen Bride" as Countess Sari, a beautiful Hungarian aristocrat, who narrowly escapes becoming the victim of her proud father's ambitions for her. The latter i« desirous that his lovely daughter should marry the disollute young Baron von Heimberg, but Sari, being in love with a young peasant, rebels at the unnatural arrangement. The cast with Lloyd Hughes in the principal male role is responsible for some splendid work, particularly Lilyan Tashman as Ilona, the dancer. Some remarkably beautiful setting* set the production apart as unusually lavish, r hile an interesting insight is afforded into the night life of Budapest, in which * <*onsiderable portion of the story unfold* /

During the world war a very strict cen*or>hip Vds enforced with regard to the activities of the Allied aviation corps, but Lieut. Ralph Blancliard, author ♦i. Eagle." was a member of that exclusive cir-le himself and all during the war kept notes on various happenings that proved invaluable to nun when he started to write his story. Barbara Kent and Raymond Keane are featured in the picture and the direction is by Emory Johnson.

Lew Cody proves his ability as a navigator in "V\ ickedne>s Preferred.' 7 the new comedy-drama to be screened here shortly, by piloting a sailing boat to its own destruction on a rocky reef off the coast of Southern California. Less skilful handling of the craft would have meant disaster to Cody and Mary McAllister, who appears in the scenes as his passenger. "Wickedness Preferred" is the third co-starring farce presenting Lew Cody and Aileen Priugle as a co-starring team.

Charlie Chaplin's long-awaited production, "The (.'ircus,'' has at last arrived in New Zealand, and has been submitted to the censor. Members of United Artists executive present at the screening, state that it is undoubtedly the best thing that Charlie has ever done, and should repeat its current American success throughout New Zealand.

Helene Dime, a Czecho-Slovakian actress who recently played an important part in "The Cossacks," —not yet released in New Zealand—has been added to the cast of "Laugh, Clown, Laugh," starring Lou Chancy. Miss Dime will play the role of an actress in the theatre scenes of the new picture, a story of life behind the scenes, with Chaney in the role of a tragic clown. Loretta Young plays the leading feminine role, and others in the cast are Nils Astlier, of "Sorrell and Son" fame, (;wen Lee, Cissy Fitzgerald, and Bernard Siegel.

Marcella Batellini, winner of the Fox Film contest in Italy, has been rapidly learning the work of motion pictures since arriving in Hollywood, and her first appearance on the screen was in a Fox comedy entitled "Twenty Legs Under the Sea." This production was directed by Robert Ray. Since that time Miss Batellini has appeared in atmospheric work in "Publicity Madness," directed by Albert Ray. with Lois Moran and Edmund Lowe playing the leading roles. She has also appeared in atmospheric work in "Very Confidential," with James Tinling directing and Madge Bellamy the star. She has learned rapidly and will be cast in other pictures during the coming season.

An unprecedented sum lias been invested for a wide variety of novels, plays and stories by internationally prominent authors and playwrights, according to an announcement by Winfield Sheenan. vice-president and general manager of Fox Films. The deals were mostly consummated by Mr. Sheehan on his recent trip to Europe. French. Danish, English. Hungarian, Irish, American and writers of other nationalities are represented in the remarkable array of material. Especially notable are: "The Dollar Princess." famous operaetta of another day. for which the liim rights were signed in Vienna with the widow of Leo Fall, the composer, and Wiliner and Grunbaum, authors of the book; "The Four Devils," the novel of Herman Bang, a Dane; "Don't Marry," by Bela Zene. a Hungarian playwright; '•Hangman's House," a novel by Donn Byrne, Irish author; "The Richest Man in tiie World," by Franz Herozeg, Hungarian writer, and two special photoplays, to be written by Henry Bernstein, noted Frencli playwright, who is famed for "The Thief."

Norma Shearer's new picture "The Latest from Paris," in which popular Ralph Forbes is also starred, is to be released very shortly. Norma Shearer plays the role of a t iv»llin«r saleswoman in this film.

For her first United -Artists' production, "The Garden of Eden/' Corinne Griffith had several scenes photographed in colour. Douglas Fairbanks' "The Black Pirate" is the best-known fulflength colour film. Miss Griffith is one of the few major screen actresses to experiment with colour in Him production. She considers the use of colour in "The Garden of Eden" particularly appropriate because it is employed in picturising highly-fantastic dreams.

"Pullman Partners" has been selected as the final title of Norma Shearer's new picture now in production at the MetroGoldwvn studios. This is an original story in a humorous vein by A. P. Younger, the author of "Slide, Kelly, Slide," and other successes, dealing with the adventures of a travelling saleswoman. Ralph Forbes plays opposite Miss Shearer, and Bert Roach, Tenen Holtz and Dore Davidson are included in the cast.

One of the most difficult scenes photographed for motion pictures was obtained during the making of "Feel My Pulse," Bebe Daniels' latest starring vehicle for Paramount, recently com: pleted at the Hollywood studio. It consists of several "shots" of the star in a speedboat that is moving through the water at a rate of 40 miles per hour. This speed, combined with a heavy sea, was responsible for the trouble. At lirst it was found impossible to hold a camera on the scene of action, but this was finally overcome by mounting it on a bed of springs, themselves held in place by the "three point, suspension" principal. Gregory La Cava directed "Feel My Pulse" and Richard Arlen and William Powell are featured in the cast.

Billie Dove enacts the role of an Hungarian countess in First National's powerful dramatic vehicle, "The Stolen Bride." Lloyd Hughes appears opposite her as the young peasant lover, for whom the lovely countess counted the social world well lost. The daughter of an imperious and aristocratic count, "Sari," is almost sacrificed on the altar of her father's social ambitions for her, who has planned a brilliant marriage for his daughter with the dissolute young scion of the nobility, Baron von Heiinberg. In the end, however, everything ends happily, but the solution of the problem affords an hour or so of line entertainment. Gorgeously gowned, Miss Dove has never been seen to greater advantage than in the rich setting of "The Stolen Bride."

Photography has been completed on five of the present production cycle of First National Pictures, and the cutting room is again going at full force. Alexander Korda finished filming John Erskine's "Private Life of Helen of Troy'' recently, and the cutters now have it in hand. This special, which depicts in satirical fashion the home life of Menelaos and Helen, and something of tlie most famous siege of the world— that of Troy by the Greeks —lias loomed up bigger and bigger with each day that production was in progress. Maria Gorda, Ricardo Cortez and Lewis Stone are the featured players in the cast. Director John Francis Dillon completed "Man Crazy," featuriifg Dorothy Mackaill and Jack Mulhall, eight days ahead of schedule. "No Place to Go," Mervyn Le Roy's first picture, is well along in the cutting and editing. Mary Astor and Lloyd Hughes are featured in this comedy romance of New York society and South Sea Island existence. Ken Mavnard's "Gun Gospel," from W. H. Hoffman's Western adventure novel, is ready to emerge from the cutting room. In the cast are Noah Young, Virginia Brown Faire, Romaine Fielding, J. P. McGowan and others, with Tarzan, Ken's famous horse, in the centre of the action.