PEEPING AT FILMDOM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 260, 2 November 1935, Page 5 (Supplement)

PEEPING AT FILMDOM.

TAUBER'S NEW FILM. LAWRENCE ON THE SCREEN. (By JOAN LITTLEFIELD.) LONDON, September 27. Gaumont-British is interested in. the possibilities of Empire films at the moment. The corporation is sending a unit to Australia shortly to work at the new National studios at Pagewood, six miles from Sydnej r . The first picture to be made will be "The Flying Doctor," which Miles Mander will direct. The story has been suggested by the splendid medical work in the far interior of the continent, now made possible by the use of aeroplanes.

Richard Tauber's new film has been shown privately in London. It is called "Heart's Desire," but does not feature the song "My Heart's Delight," which Herr Tauber has made famous. The (tory is the somewhat worn one of a singer in a Viennese beer garden, who is heard by a beautiful English lady and taken by her to London to be a star in a new opera. He is a success and falls in love with the lady, but she becomes engaged to the composer of the opera, and the singer returns to the Austrian girl, who has been faithfully awaiting him in the beer garden.

The film is directed by Paul Stein, who was responsible for Tauber's other British film, "Blossom Time," and the famous singer is given opportunities to delight his fans with songs by Schubert and Schumann. One song, "My World is Gold Because I Love You," was written by Herr Tauber for and dedicated to his fiancee, Diana Napier, who also has a part in the picture. One of the most attractive figures in the film is Kathleen Kelly, in the part of Tauber's Austrian sweetheart. Miss Kelly, a green-eyed blonde, 23 years old, has a lovely, alim figure, which she attributes to the fact that she lives almost entirely on fresh fruits and salads. Her chief relaxation is flying, and it is her ambition to gain her pilot's certificate and fly solo round the world.

Sir Thomas Beecham, famous conductor, has at last succumbed to the lure of the films. He has consented to record excerpts from Mozart's "Figaro" and "The Magic Flute" for "Whom the Gods Love," the film which Basil Dean is now making, based on the life of Mozart. Sir Thomas will conduct the London Philharmonic Orchestra and is selecting his own singers. Many scenes for "Whom the Gods Love" have been shot in Vienna and Salzburg, with the co-operation of the Austrian authorities. Victoria Hopper

plays Frau Mozart, and the part of the composer is taken by that interesting young English actor, Stephen Haggard. John Loder also figures in the film. Alexander Korda has at last chosen the actor who is to play the name part in "Lawrence of Arabia." He is Walter Hudd, a promising young West End actor and playwright, who bears a striking facial resemblance to the late Colonel T. E. Lawrence. Mr. Hudd was chosen by Bernard Shaw for the part of Private Meek, a character said to be based on Lawrence, in his play, "Too True to be Good," produced in London in 1932. The Lawrence film will be directed by Zoltan Korda, who is taking a unit to Arabia next month. Colonel Lawrence's family and executors are placing all official records at Mr. Korda's disposal for the making of this film.