PEEPING AT FILMDOM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 170, 20 July 1935, Page 5 (Supplement)

PEEPING AT FILMDOM.

PREDICTIONS AND CHATTER. (By MOLLIE MERRICK.) HOLLYWOOD, June 12. In looking over th 6 motion picture situation, one observes three things looming as inevitable developments:—

1. The coming of colour to the screen, and the radical changes such a step will bring, both in type of starj and type of stories.

2. The inescapable tragedy of the motion picture musical, unless some ox the experiments now being tried are more carefully supervised. The "singie" died an ignominious death before from just such tactics.

3. The vogue for Jessie Ralph, which I do not hesitate to prophesy will mount sky-high during the next year. This character actress, who has all the best qualities embodied in May Robsen, in the late and dearly-loved Marie Dressier, and numerous other valuable screen assets—and who has art and finesse anl sheer capability which exceed their best moments —is bound to become a public idpl. And it is chiefly with Jessis Ralph that this article will deal.

Born in Gloucester, Mass., this .American artist is most often taken for ar Englishwoman. She has spent much of her career in the London theatres and abroad. Her father was a captain of an old sailing ship. And while Jessie has played eight parts in motion pictures (her first was Peggotty in "David Copperfield"), in none of them has she played an American woman.

She played a German woman i.i "Child of Manhattan," a French womaj in "Cocktail Hour," she was sei n as an Irish woman in "Evelyn Prentice," in

"One Night of Love" she was an Italian, and in "We Live Again" she was a Russian peasant woman. "Enchanted April' and "David Copperfield" saw her playing British parts. When you see her ia "Paris in Spring," just completed, she will be playing the part of a French srandmothcr of aristocratic mein but most human demeanour. In this roio she makes you forget everyone else in the picture. She gives one of the most beautifully balanced portrayals that has been seen on the screen in some time.

In her current film she has, according to her own words, the "finest role I have ever had in my entire life." She plays the part of "Gran" in "Jalna," the role of a woman 100 years old. Her opening line in the picture is "I want more turnips"—and she eats with terrific gusto, talks with terrific gusto, thinks with terrific gusto.

So when we scan the year, now near the halfway mark, we be pretty sure that colour is going to give us a better run for our money than ever before. Unless something untoward happens, we'll be well on our way into it for all pictures by Christmas time.

Unless singing pictures built around personalities which are not suited. to the screen are abandoned, all singing pictures will suffer the punishment the public once gave them when they were very Lad.

And Jessie Ralph is going to be a sure-fire box-office magnet with the roles she is now getting.

Fifteen years ago, a slim young Englishman landed in. New York and wandered around with little in his pocket, practically nothing to speak of in his stomach and plenty of misgivings in his heart. That fellow was Ronald Colinan, practically at his financial ebb. He'd do the rounds of the offices and then he'd sit on a bench in the park and rest, and wonder just how a cup of coffee would carry him over for the next day's struggle. But Colman ran into Robert Warwick —then a big star — and Warwick gave the young Englishman a part in "The Dauntless Three," and that put him on his feet in a big way. Three years' later, Ronald Colman played "The White Sister" with Lillian Gish, and from then on he has been on the top of things in every way.

When Colman came here recently to make "Tale of Two Cities," whom should he run into but Robert Warwick, the friend in need whom he had not seen all these years! A story like this happens in Hollywood almost any day, every day, for the wheels of Fate turn ceaselessly and they grind out surprising patterns.

Friends of the two say Marlene Dietrich will divorce Rudolph Sieber and marry Brian Aherne. This seems to be a true romance which originated in the days when the beautiful Marlene played "Song of Songs," with Rouben Mamoulian directing, and Brian Aherne was so thrilled about her that he didn't give his usual excellent performance—for which he may be forgiven. The lady is lovely enough to warrant it.

Picture kiddies grow up, and thereby hangs one of Hollywood's greatest financial tragedies. The little chap who is bringing in thousands one season shoots up into a long, gangling fellow whom nobody recognises as the small charmer. The tiny girl who thrills them all becomes less tiny —and less thrilling.

Inside circles credit Shirley Temple with a year more at most. At that time they figure the little star will have lost much of the miniature charm which is her great asset.

And there is plenty of worry over young Freddie Bartholomew. Freddie is growing in a perfectly distressing manner. The little fellow who was brought out here to play the role of David Copperfield, almost a year ago, has changed considerably.