HOLLYWOOD NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 147, 23 June 1934, Page 5 (Supplement)

HOLLYWOOD NOTES.

THE NEXT GARBO FILM

(By MOLLIE MERRICK.)

HOLLYWOOD (Cal.), May 20.

Greta Garbo gets Hollywood's most promising director, Richard Boleslavsky, for her next part, "The Painted Veil," by Somerset Maugham.

The story, originally intended for Joan Crawford, is believed to have the human element which the studio has discovered it sadly needs for a quick upswing for Garbo. "Queen Christina" is not considered to have done the Swedish star any good with her public, and exhibitors in recent conference here frankly declared themselves disappointed in the soberness and seriousness of that picture, and warned the studio that Garbo must have a good human vehicle if she is to be kept from slipping.

Boleslavsky is one of the most talented men in the picture industry to-day. At present he is completing "Operator 13," Marion Davies' most Recent picture. He directed "Rasputin," coming in on a half-completed film which had been botched in its original "shooting," and carrying it through to a successful conclusion.

Bela Loblov, who was brought out here to provide music for "The Merry Widow" on his amazing violin, for which he claims two personalities—male and female voices—has astounded Hollywood by placing hi 6 priceless " Strad." in the sun every morning because, as h«_ says, "My violin, a temperamental thing, needs the warmth and the life of the sun just as much as a human being."

Hollywood believes it is up against a comedy famine in the near future. Director Edward Sedgwick is alarmed at the prospect and feels that "practically every good comedian in the world

has already had a fling at pictures." Certainly all the stage and radio comedy stars of past years have had their innings on the screen. But where are our new comedians to come from? W. C. Fields, Jimmy Durante, Charles Chaplin, Harry Langdon, Ned Sparks, Charles Ray, and Buster Keaton came from vaudeville to the stage. George Burns and Gracie Allen came from radio. It is many years since the screen has developed a comedy star from its own ranks.

"These comedians mentioned," says director Sedgwick, "are all sympathetic school exemplars. The purely 'gag' comedians will last as long as their stories are good. But where will, our future comedians come from?"

The season's new crop of pictures previewed have moments, but lack that sustained quality of greatness which makes such things as "The House of Rothschild," "Cavalcade" and "Little Women" memorable. "Tarzan and His Mate" is an evening of thrills. Don't take any of the nervous or neuralgic members of the family unless you want to minister to one big headache. But the kiddies, and the grown-ups that are kiddie-like, will love the wild animal actors and the amazing: jungle drama, and will be delighted to seo that Johnny Weissmuller holds his own in an athletic way even if he doesn't film quite so handsomely as he did in his first. He does some of the amazing things which once were the sole prerogative of, Douglas Fairbanks. And if you're a landlubber of the deepest dye it will do you good to sec someone flying through tree-tops with the ease of a squirrel. I came out feeling fit as a fiddle, leaped across a gutter, twisted my ankle and came down to earth again "pronto."

Ronald Colman is back on the screen again, and that is good news for lots of people. He's back in maddest, gayest melodrama that alternately gives you guffaws and shudders of horror. When it's over, you feel as if you'd been put through a wringer—and it's the grandest entertainment you'll ever see. "Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back" is a story of that delightful amateur detective, Hugh Drummond, told in a fresh technique by Nunnally Johnson..

and tokl so well and with such precise and accurate liumour that you can't compare it to anything you've yet seen in mystery, melodrama plays.

Loretta Young, the beautiful lead in this picture, gives it the exact amount of sex appeal in the feminine balance that a Colman should have. This actor is handsomer than ever, more suave, more assured, and has completely shed that remote Colman manner that delighted' some and irritated others. Personally, 1 always liked the detached air of Mr. Colman —but I must 6ay this new Ronald Colman is most satisfactory also.

Peverell Marley has managed to photograph this story of foggy London with unforgettable beauty. When you're not in roars at Charlie Butterworth, you're curling at the edges about Warner OJand—as nianacing a "heavy" as

ever graced the screen. Kathleen Bourke, the celebrated "Panther Woman," is an Oriental she-devil whose very obvious "divvilment" runs sometimes along tlie shadow line of burlesque. For that matter, so does the entire tale, and it is this leaning to comedy in tragedy which makes the story so unusual.

Some close-ups of C. Aubrey Smith reveal the architecture of this fine old face to great advantage. He's excellent, as usual, in his part. So are all the lesser characters. It's a great comeback vehicle for Colman, who has been off the screen all too long, even though lie looks x-ested and satisfied after his vacation.

It should line the coffers of Darryl Zanuck neatly. This gentleman seems to have a faculty for choosing the right thing at the right time. There's a

mania for mystery in the air. But the lack in most mystery stories is the absence of laughs at the right time. So neatly are the laughs and thrills alternated in this one that neither interferes with the efficacy of the other.

Edward G. Robinson may not make "Napoleon," but he is talking very seriously of a version of "Four Walls," which may be one of the most interest-

ing productions of the coming season. Robinson's contract option has just been taken up. He lias recently completed "Dark Tower," which finally came out under the title, "The Strange Case of Monsieur Cliautard." The prospect of "Four Walls"—played with tremendous success on the "legitimate" by Paul Muni—softens the disappointment he feels over the "Napoleon" episode.

are now asking for locks of hair in their letters. You can imagine the charm and sex appeal left any star complying with such requests. "I'd look like an old moth-eaten tippet," laughed Carl Brisson, whose name was once linked with Garbo's in the long ago. The publishing of this story has 'brought about a flood of these lock-of-liair petitions.