THE YEAR'S FILMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 9, 11 January 1934, Page 14

THE YEAR'S FILMS.

TREND OF THE SCREEN BRITAIN'S BIG ADVANCE. A LIST OF THE "TEN BEST." (By ST. PETROC.) Tlio past year in the film world has been one of change. Nearer than ever before loomed the oft-predicted fall of Hollywood. To unprecedented heights rose the prestige of the British studios,! the first "wave" of which inaugurated by "Sunshine Susie," broke late in 1932. The second wave was continued here with the release of the 1933-34 product last October, commencing with "Tell Me To-night." The year also has witnessed the fall of the great German cinema under the Nazi ban 011 Jews and other 11011-Aryans, with, consequent benefit to French and British studios of the finest brains of Ufa. However, apart from one sterling [production, "F.P.1.," Berlin has not given us anything of great moment in the past year. In Hollywood, there have been tremors and "upsets" as never before. The fabulous salaries of stars, directors and producers are now under consideration for forcible reduction by the Roosevelt Administration. The studios were entirely closed for about a month early in 1933 as the result of a strike by sound technicians —hitherto an unheard-of occurrence. A brand new producing organisation, allied, for distribution purposes, to United Artists, has arisen with the promising title of Twentieth Century Pictures, guided by the subtle-minded Darryl Zanuck. An even more significant movement has been witnessed in the linking up of at least three Hollywood circuits with major English producing groups—United Artists, Universal and Fox. Some splendid productions are promised for 1934 through this co-operation. Local Cinema Changes. Jn Auckland cinemas, observant watchers will have noted the trend of the smaller theatres towards "revivals" of popular productions. This method is far more profitable financially than the initial screening of second-rate films, and infinitely more entertaining for the public. Another development is the regular screening of two lirst-rate pictures at certain houses. Five theatres have changed hands, been rebuilt or renovated extensively. Two "theatrettcs," or newsreel houses, have opened, one screening 100 per cent of "short" features. The year 1932 saw the trend of films still strong in jungle or Tarzan types, and in Frankenstein, Draeula and Zombie pictures, but to-day that variety is quite out of public favour. Instead, there has been the sensational revival in popularity of musicals, banned by audiences for three unbroken years. Beginning with "42nd Street" and continuing with about 20 films, the musical trend has included lavish new productions and large-scale re-issues of • earlier successes, also the insertion of songs in "straight" dramas and comedies. It has also brought the first Australian musical picture, "The Hayseeds." Which .reminds one of the finest action picture yet come out of the Commonwealth's youthful studios —"The Squatter's Daughter." British acquisition of famous Hollywood stars has* been a feature of 1933. Charles Laughton, Gloria Swauson, Sally Eilers, • Bebe Daniels, Constance Cummings, Bon Lyon, Boris Karloff, Leslie Howard, Roland Young, the two Fairbanks, Thelma Todd and many another star have made pictures in Elstree or London, The big English Cinema News, however, is the establishment of a studiorenting production organisation under the aegis of the Hungarian Korda brothers, who set about making "Wedding Rehearsal" and "The Private Life of Henry VIII," the latter as yet unreleased here. Tempestuous Katherine Hepburn. Considering the rise and fall of stars, it is interesting that Owen Nares, the British cinema "king" for 20 years, has at last vanished. Clark Gable has not yet lost his meteoric popularity, as was predicted 011 all sides, while Mary Pickford has regained not a little lustre in her fine production of "Secrets." The year has passed without a single Garbo film other than "Grand Hotel," although the "Swedish enigma" is now making "Queen Christina." Garbo's joint rival in glamour, Marlene Dietrich, has given us "The Blonde Venus" and "The Song of Songs." Janet Gavnor, after her charming "Tess of the Stolen Country," made a radical change of personality in "Adorable," but reverted to the simple, appealing type of yore in her recent "Paddy tlio Next Best Thing." Strikingly similar to this was Marion Davies' splendid and popular "Peg o' My Heart" —her first film for two years, and her best for all time. Many other stars have continued to ride the wave of success, but it is of the new luminaries that one must write. The stately, dignified rise of Helen Hayes from "The Sin of Madclon Claudet" to tho utmost pinnacle of fame in Hollywood; the tempestuous flourishing of Katherine Hepburn's star in "A Bill of Divorcement" and "Christopher Strong"; Diana Wyuvard's wonderful work in "Cavalcade," and licr comparative failure in subsequent productions; the amazing but little-noticed work of Glcnda Farrell in five or six supporting characterisations, notably in "I Am a Fugitive"— these are but a few of the noticeable movements that have flashed across the screen of 1933. Toll of the Grim Reaper. Death has taken heavy toll this past year. Fred Kerr, of the British screen, Renee Adorec, Ernest Torrcnce, John Adolfi, maker of the early Arliss epics, Louise Closser Hale, Belle Bennett— these have made their final "flash" on this "set." Divoice and marriage have had "bumper" seasons in the Film Colony in 1933, and both have provided many newspaper headlines. The inevitable question arises as to the year's "ten best." After Weighing up the balances of constructional brilliance, acting triumphs and popular appeal, one would place the following as the silver screen's outstanding contributions for 1933: —• 1, "Cavalcade";. 2, "Christopher Strong"; 3, "The Good Companions"; 4,' "The Conquerors"; 5, "Dinner at Eight"; 0, "Wedding Rehearsal"; 7, "The Sign of the Cross"; S, "The Faithful Heart"; 9, "Smilin' Through"; 10, "F.P.1." All of which says nothing at all about such gems as "The Working Man/' "The Face in the Sky," "If I Had a Million," "The Masquerader," "The Kid From Spain," and the inexpressibly grotesque "King Kong." The tabulated list includes three British films and one German, and they earn their places. At least five of the basic stories or plays of those' ten films come from the pens , of British authors. The English element I

is still further advanced by the "allBritish" cast of Hollywood's "Cavalcade," by tlie work of Colin Clive in "Christopher Strong," of Leslie Howard and O. P. Heggie in "Smilin' Through," and the Nero of Charles. Laughton in "The Sign of the. Cross." Which leaves little for Hollywood. The Promise of 1934. For the remainder of this year, picturcgoers. would do well to jot down a few names of worth-white projected releases. With overseas criticism as the basis for selection, the following tentative list of promising films for 1984 has been compiled: "The Private Life of Henry VIII.," "The Loyalties, 1 ' "Catherine the Great," "Colonel Blood," "Clm Chin Chow," "The Wandering Jew" —all tifese are English in origin; and "Morning Glory" (Hepburn), "Don Quixote" (Chaliapin). "The Emperor Jones" (Paul Robeson), "The House of Rothschild" (Arliss), the Napoleon film starring Edward G. Robinson as Bonaparte, Norma Shearer's "Marie Antoinette" and "The Bowery," first of the Zanuck productions. These promise rare entertainment.