THE BEST SCREEN VOICES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21257, 31 August 1934, Page 7

THE BEST SCREEN VOICES

AN AMERICAN VIEW 12 OUTSTANDING ACTORS AND ACTRESSES Who would you credit with the 12 best voices in Hollywood? This question has been put to Oliver Hinsdell, a well-known American dramatic coach and voice culture expert. He chose Lionel Barxymore, George Arliss, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Ann Harding, Katharine Hepburn, Herbert Marshall, Robert Montgomery, May Robson, Norma Shearer, Pete Smith, and Lewis Stone. In defence of his selections, Hinsdell declared that "the voice of each of those listed is entirely different, and is particularly valuable to the owner because of its extreme individuality. "To have a voice that can make you successful in films it is not even necessary to appear on the screen visually. Pete Smith, comic commentator of short subjects, is never seen in person—and yet there is a peculiar cadence in his voice that irresistibly attracts laughs. "Stage training has been the foundation of some of the greatest screen voices, but there are two brilliant exceptions to this rule in Norma Shearer and Greta Garbo, who entered pictures with no preliminary stage training at all." However, Hinsdell called particular attention to the value of long, careful cultivation of the voice, and mentioned, as his examples, May Robson, George

Arliss, and Lewis Stone. "These people are past middle age," he said, "yet their most important stock in trade is as fresh to-day as when they started. The voice of Arliss is the voice of cultured intelligence. It is a vocal synonym of uncanny cleverness. Stone'? voice similarly stands as the symbol of authority. He talks, ami in your imagination you can see the man of authority bending people to his will. . "The voice of Ann Harding has made her successful because of its crisp, clean clarity. "Garbo's voice is one that stands entirely by itself. I doubt if you will ever have another one with such a great combination of sex—and power. Her low tones have a terrific pull on the emotions." Hinsdell stated that the metallic brittle quality of Katharine Hepburn's voice gives it a compelling influence upon the public. "Technically, it has faults," he insisted, "but if those faults were corrected, perhaps much of the Hepburn personality would be gone." Lionel Barrymore, in Hinsdell's opinion, has the greatest known voice for pathos either on stage or screen. "The Barrymore voice has proved equal to drawing tears whenever they were wanted." Clark Gable, according to Hinsdell, has an extremely fine voice, and most certainly belongs In a list of the "12 most valuable screen voices." "Montgomery and Herbert Marshall," he staled, "are exact opposites in the appeal of their voices. Marshall's voice is international. Montgomery's is strictly American. Marshall has been successful because of the reserve in his voice. Montgomery'? voice attracts one because of its light, lilting 'good-time' quality. You could never mistake the two voices. "Norma Shearer's voice is a voice of fine culture. It is richly, voluptuously feminine. It is both warm, and very smart. It is undoubtedly the reason why Miss Shearer was able to play with equal ability the crinolined heroine of 'Smilin' Through' and the chic modern heroine of 'Riptide.'" UNUSUAL FILMS FOR THEATRE ROYAL "THE EMPEROR JONES" AND "DON QUIXOTE" Picturegoers will await with interest the screening of "The Emperor Jones" and "Don Quixote," two films released by United Artists which have been acclaimed as masterpieces of cinematic art by critics and public overseas. "The Emperor Jones" will be shown at the Theatre Royal, beginning on September 8. and will be repeated on September 11 and 13; and "Don Quixote" will be shown at the same theatre on September 10, 12 and 14. "The Emperor Jones" is a film based upon one of the most famous of Eugene O'Neill's plays, and starring the celebrated negro singer and actor, Paul Robeson. Also in the cast is Dudley Digges, who makes his character of the Cockney trader second only to that of the negro pullman porter who became ruler of a native empire, and fell because of his overweening ambition. Robeson is given several opportunities to sing in his wonderful baritone. In "Don Quixote" again a famous singer takes the starring role, Feodor 'Chaliapin filling the role of the Spanish squire, whose brain was turned by too much reading of romantic tales and who set out to revive knight-errantry, only to find that the spirit of chivalry and romance existed nowhere but in story-books. George Robev and Sidney Fox head the magnificent supporting cast; while the photography is said to be the finest ever presented. The film was produced by the great German director, Pabst.

"Bellerina," Lady Eleanor Smith's famous novel of a dancer's life, is to be filmed by Basil Dean. A well known Continental star will probably be engaged to play the leading part.