DRAMA OF ‘INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22430, 17 June 1938, Page 5

DRAMA OF ‘INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT

With its romance and intrigue taking place right in the midst of the Chinese danger zone, the story of “International Settlement,” which begins to-day at the Civic, features Dolores Del Rio, George Sanders, June Lang, and Dick Baldwin. Each of the characters of the story has a reason for ignoring the warning to get out of danger, and remaining behind the barricades where refugees from the stricken metropolis desperately seek safety. The most beautiful white woman in all China, Dolores Del Rio, is a glamorous figure of mystery whose motive is to live dangerously. An American soldier of fortune, George Sanders, in the Far •East as a flying instructor, remains to tempt death Dick Baldwin is a daring newsreel cameraman, daring the flying destruction of the bombardment to get his pictures and to find romance with June Lang, beautiful American tourist who proves a champion under fire.. Their lives and loves in the battle area, against a background of all the colour and drama of the East to-day, give the picture mgny big moments. Eugene Forde directed' it, with Sol M. Wurtzel executive producer, the screen

play being by Lou Breslow and John Patrick. The cast includes roles by Ruth Terry, John Carradine, Keye Luke, Harold Huber, Leon Ames, and Pedro de Cordoba. Songs by Sidney Clare and Harry Akst are featured'in early scenes of the film, which was adapted from an original story by Lynn Root and Frank Fenton. Bland, imperlurable and seemingly 7 expressionless, the Chinese paradoxically make first rate actors, in the opinion of Eugene Forde, the veteran screen director, who directed several hundred Chinese actors, bit players, and extras in a number of exciting war sequences for “International Settlement.” “The Chinese prove,” Forde explained, “to be excellent troupers, though one might think otherwise because of the reputation the Chinese have for concealing their emotions. “I have found that they are remarkably apt imitators, that they respond promptly and eagerly to direction and that even their supposed facial stoicism is a myth. In fact, I am beginning to think that a lot of our pet theories regarding them are altogether baseless. “Their faces, I have discovered, will often mirror emotion even more acutely and tellingly than those of

Leading Stars in Story of Love and Intrigue

their Occidental fellow-actors. And. if you add to that their inborn courtesy and desire to please, you have first rate screen actors.” John Boles had a letter from President Roosevelt congratulating him on his singing in “Romance in the Dark.” • • • Joan Bennett has gone on loan to Radio to star in "Mother Carey's Chickens,” originally announced for Ginger Rogers. Anne Shirley also has a good part. • « • Paramount have signed William Boyd to a contract which is said to make him the highest salaried Western star. * • * Darryl Zanuck has paid £10,400 for the screen rights of Louis Bromfield’s novel about India. “Then the Rains Came.” • • • Gale Sondergaard begins her new M-G-M contract with an important part in “Lord Jeff,” starring Freddie Bartholomew. ■* m • Miriam Hopkins will probably play the lead in Warners’ version ef the James Hilton novel. “We Are So* Alone.”