"Pinocchio" for State

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23088, 2 August 1940, Page 5

"Pinocchio" for State

The next attraction at the State will be “Pinocchio;” the second lull-length Disneylßroflubtipn' in technicolour . Humans; animals’ who might as’ well be human,_and._a_Jive .puppet; without strmgsirpb blbbws in exciting- series of adventures’.”- , *

Geppetto; an’ ; ol(i,.toy maker, ..is, just like . any; lovable- old man :.you. mightknow.,. ;He is startled, when be finds that Pinocchio, the-puppet he has creHas rcome to* life, overnight. - The puppet; 4 whom -’ Goppetto, lhas . named Pinocchro,<' has-, been' vivified ;by the Rluei-Fairiy, >iiv answer -to Geppetto’s Wish- thaT:,he .might ‘ have, a son. The Blue Fpiry herself is a character only; to be; believed when seen in the medium- of animationr.fdrshe-material-ise&Jcomithe wishing star, in-a dpzzhng floQd,-\crf -,goJden v light, and - then winds up in- anoiher -part of- the .'picture, as a whitr'dove.rr'r. t- 44 •. /

; The Fox and the Cat, the most amusing of five “villains” in .the piece, retain, their animal appearance, but talk as humans. Dressed in shabby elegance, they pasture about the countryside and manage to involve poor EinoC'dh'io in a couple of, neat jams. Geppetto’s pets are typical ’ Disney characters, Figaro!-is. a. round, mischievous .little - kitten," and 'Gleo> is a fluttery female goldfish. Although hei-. their talks.’both Figaro and Cleo are capable of hutpan reasoning, arid show it clearly in their actions. -■ : - Monstro, the whale, is, easily the biggest: actor ever- to appear oh-a screen. Jimlny Cricket, who is at the opposite end of the pole ‘for size,* is another character who demonstrates the-won-ders- of the arihnarted picture, for, little Mr Cricket, no bigger- than a thumbnail, wears clothes, talks, sings, and dances, ’ - -

A correspondent in Hollywood sends this story:— Said Cecil B. DeMille to May Robson: "Will you lend rne five dollars and not tell my mother?” . “What dn earth,” demanded May, “do you want all that money for.?”. , DeMiße hung his head. But the lady was an understanding soul. ' She lent him the money, and the following Saturday DeMille paid it back. It all happened on Broadway 40 years ago, when May was starred in a play called “Are You a Mason?” and DeMille was just 18. The 76-year-old actress recalled the episode the other day when she met the producer of “North West Mounted Police” at Paramount.

"Whatever did you want that money for, Cecil?” she asked. Answered DeMille: “I wanted to take a girl named Constance-Adams a box of candy.” Tha former Constance Adams is now Mrs C. B. DeMille.

Bette Davis is just finishing the last chapters of her autobiography, which will appear serially in the “Ladies’ Home Journal.”

“THE LAST HOUR” Dundas Walker, as Prince Nicola de Kovatch, the spy chief, assumes the principal role in Charles Bennett’s dynamic melodrama, “The Last Hour,” which will open at the Radiant HaU this evening. Mr Walker played at the Criterion Theatre, London, also as lead in George Edwards. Productions,' and was leading actor in “A Little Bit of Fluff,” which ran for six* years in London. Miss Ngaio Marsh will produce “The Last Hour.”