Films and the Stage.

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 80, 28 December 1929, Page 23

Films and the Stage.

John Barrymore’s first Vitaphone talking picture for Warner Bros, will be an elaborate production based on the novel “General Crack,” by George Preedy. This romantic story affords Mr. Barrymore a perfect vehicle full of colourful backgrounds and vigorous action. It is concerned with the adventures of a soldier of fortune in the Austrian army during the eighteenth century.

There seems to be a general impression that Helen Chandler’s rise to popularity on her showing in the Fox Movietone picture, “Salute,” was another sensational break for a stage actress coming Inexperienced to the screen. As a matter of fact, Miss Chandler acquired a ground-work in movie picture technique two years ago, when she was used by Allen Dwan in several pictures just before she went to New York to score a success with the theatre guild. Her next picture will be the “World Moves On.”

I Two talented members of the “Whoopee” musical comedy company who are sure to meet with an enthusiastic reception in New Zealand are Patricia and Terry Kendall, two of the finest dancers ever seen on this side of the globe. They have already appeared in several big J. C. Williamson musical comedy productions, and their specialty turns have been received with acclamation. The “Whoopee” Company has been greatly strengthened by their inclusion, and their popularity in the Dominion is assured, for they give of their very best, and have already proved that their work is of the highest standard.

, Bessie Love, Mary Doran, Jed Prouty, Raymond Hackett, and Ford Sterling make up the unusually strong quintet of featured players in “The Girl in the Show,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s all-talking production, which will be seen shortly. The first three are direct from M.-G.-M.’s tremendous success, “The Broadway Melody,” Raymond Hackett has just scored in “Madame X.,” and Ford Sterling—well, everyone knows this fun-maker I

Soon there will appear in New Zealand one of the most famous stage artists ever brought to the Dominion by J. 0. Williamson, Ltd; The engagement of Leo Carrillo, one of the most talented of American actors, who has scored success after success on Broadway, and w|io will appear in his original role of Tito Lombardi in the comedy of fun and fashion, “Lombardi Ltd,” should prove the outstanding theatrical event of the year. Leo Carrillo will be supported .by one of the strongest companies ever to appear in New Zealand. It will include sev- [ eral prominent artistes who have apI peared with him in the American i productions, and a specially-selected J. C. Williamson company.

When that sensational Warner Bros. Vitaphone technicoloured production, “On With the Show” is released here shortly, one will see motion picture history in the making. For once again Warner Bros, have completely revolutionised the motion picture industry. As they first made the formerly dumb drama of the screen articulate with Vitaphone, they now have endowed the once drab shadows of filmdom with the brilliant colours of heaven’s own rainbow.

■ Miss Betty Lambert is one of the most charming y.oung artists to be associated with a musical comedy company, and the Freddie Forbes Company was fortunate in having her included in its personnel when the Elsie Prince-Jimmy Godden Company disbanded. Miss Lambert has toured New Zealand several times with the latter combination, and she, was a very big favourite in this As Fay Blake, the delightful ingenue of “Lido Lady,” this popular actress made her return bow to Wellington audiences, and the ovation she received proved conclusively that she had not been forgotten during her few years’ absence. Miss Lambert takes a leading role in “Lady, Be Good,” the second production, commencing on January 2.

Following “Lido Lady” at His Majesty’s Theatre, the popular musical comedy “Lady Be Good” will open at a matinee on January 2. Bubbling over with unrestrained mirth, crammed with original and captivating melodies, and displaying much clever dancing, “Lady Be Good” is classed as one of the brightest and most entertaining musical comedies ever presented. It ran for three years in New York, and enjoyed phenomenal runs throughout Australia and New Zealand. The outstanding musical numbers of I his sparkling production include “Oh, Lady Be Gopd," “A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich, and You,” “Juanita,” “Swiss Miss,” and “What Love Does to Girls Like Me.” Freddie Forbes and Catherine Stewart have the leading roles in this production.

They have blended the rainbow with the megaphone movies in Hollywood, they have made life dance, sing and r glisten in the all-talking, natural colour picture, “Gold Diggers of Broadway,” which is to have its New Zealand premiere shortly. The wonderful production is a beautiful sunrise to the moving picture art; sets plumaged like peacocks are wiped off in a trice so that another equally glorious can take its place. Winnie Lightner, with her sparkling wit, provokes laughs galore; Ann Penington, dainty dancer, gives a wonderful display of terpsichorean art in many of the beautiful coloured scenes which follow one another in quick procession; while Mick Lucas croons several songs which, for their appeal and haunting find many admirers. F

Norma Shearer, the star of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s all-talking production, “The Last of Mrs. Cheyney,” is a notable example of an established screen star who has achieved meteoric fame as a talking picture star. Always profoundly admired by motion picture patrons everywhere for her individuality, her beauty, and her finished talent, still not one could have suspected the flashing brilliance she would reveal when the talking picture fell to her lot. But in “The Last of Mrs. Cheyney,” which will be seen at the Regent Theatre next week, she does not only add to her fine dramatic gifts and charming personality, a beautiful voice perfectly reproduced—she achieves a tremendous triumph in one of the most interesting roles the drama has ever given us. Without doubt, she places “The Last of Mrs. Cheyney” amongst the greatest talking pictures so far seen in New Zealand.

. Dixie Lee, blonde star with the blues singing voice, has been cast in the role of a flapper in the Fox Movietone picture,. “Harmony, at Home,” featuring William Collier, Sent., in his all-talking picture debut, and Charlotte Henry. Elizabeth Patterson, who has been the delight of New York casting agents because of her nagging wife and cranky old-maid types, will portray the role of a modiste in the same picture. Miss Patterson has recently completed a role in “Lone Star. Ranger,” Fox picture, featuring Sue Carol and George> O’Brien.

After all the excitement of the wreck of the Manuka down south, the members of the American Comedy Company must have found it hard to settle down to rehearsals for their opening show in Dunedin, but when tie curtain rose on their opening performance on Boxing Day at the Princess Theatre, it found the company perfectly prepared and tjie whole show went with a swing. “Family Upstairs” was the production chosen for the opening, and it is one of the fastest-moving legitimate comedies presented in New Zealand for many years, Miss Leona Hogarth does excellent work in this piece, and the company gives her more than adequate support.

At last John McCormack knows what he is going to be in his first all-talking picture. A cable received from Ireland, where the picture is being filmed, states that McCormack will portray the role of a school teacher instead of a blacksmith, as had been announced. Finding a suitable story for the great singer was something of a prpblem. The one which had been decided upon before the trip to Ireland was found to be inadequate for the marvellous opportunities presented by the Irish country as a background.

Lewis Stone, who in the past year has played many outstanding roles of the screen, is the hero of “Wonder of Women,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s gripping human drama of modern Europe, which will be released shortly, with sounda and dialogue. It is the first role since his outstanding triumph with Ruth Chatterton in “Madame X.” Peggy Wood, famous stage star, and Leila Hyams appear opposite Stone in this picture, the story of which is tense in its human interest plot, and depicts the life and loves of a temperamental German composer. There is pathos and tragedy in the play as well as humour and romance.

[ With the addition of spoken dialogue to the motion picture screen, many new photographic problems present themselves, according to George Folsey, cameraman at the Paramount Long Island studios, who is supervising the photography in “The Laughing Lady,” Ruth Chatterton’s next starring picture for Paramount. The dramatic dialogue in “The Laughing Lady” calls for variable “mood” lighting, which must fol-, low the inflection of the voices and the general theme of the story. Folsey discovered that the tone quality of the artists’ voices was many times determined by the placing of the photographic equipment. The necessary close proximity of the microphones to t.he actors presented another problem of “shooting” angles. “The Laughing Lady” features Clive Brook in the leading male role. Dorothy Hall, Dan Healy, Hubert Duce, Hedda Harrington and Alice Hegeman are-included in the supporting cast. '

The first attempt to record an alltalking motion picture on the open sea will be made by Paramount. The story selected is Joseph Conrad’s “Victory,” and the picture will be titled “Flesh of Eve.” Nancy Carroll will be starred. To facilitate the recording of the picture, a complete sound recording laboratory was transferred by boat to the location camp, on an island off the coast of Southern California, along with an elaborate electro-generating outfit and power unit. Regulation portable recording machines will be used by Paramount for the filming of the shipboard scenes on the specially chartered schooner. “Flesh of Eve” is being produced under the direction of William Wellman, the maker of “Wings,” and the story will be closely adhered to. Richard Arlen plays the leading male role. Warner Gland, . Gustave von Seyffertitz, Clarence Wilson, Francis McDonald and Evelyn Selbie are included in the supporting cast.

There are many characters in “Lombardi, Ltd.,” the highly successful play, in which the great Broadway star Leo Carrillo will make his bow to New Zealand audiences. Carrillo himself is considered to be one of the greatest stage artists in the world to-day, and with him will be associated a particularly strong J. C. Williamson company. This will include Barbara Luddy and Margaret Cullen-Landis (sister of the film star), both of whom were associated with the noted star in his New York successes; and Brandon Peters, Natalie Moya. Henrietta Cavendish, Cecil Mannering (first appearance in New Zealand), Rowena Ronald, Leslie Victor, Pop Cory, Maidie Hope, Elma Gibbs, Beatrice Kendrick, Daphne Bairn, Jack White, and several beautiful girls, who appear in a striking fashion parade in the artisticallyappointed atelier of the great Lombardi.

William Powell, who will star- for Paramount in “The Colour of Money,” will portray a notorious metropolitan gambler in the production. “The Colour of Money” was adapted from an original story of Oliver H. P. Garrett. Kay Francis plays opposite the star. Filming will commence shortly at the Hollywood studios.

A hundred stars will be featured in Warner Bros, super-special, “Show of Shows,” which is expected to eclipse any other single piece of screen entertainment in the history of motion pictures. Such names as John Barrymore, Irene Bordoni, Frank Fay, Jack Buchanan, Dolores Costello and scores of others will emblazon this magnificent revue, which will be photographed almost entirely in technicolour.

performances. With the world-wide release of “Why Bring That Up?” their first all-talking comedy for Paramount, Moran and Mack become more than gramophone personalities, they become almost flesh and blood. That the Two Black Crows have lived up to every expectation on the screen, and that they have won new friends in their picture, is proved by the enthusiastic audiences which have crowded the Prince Edward Theatre, Sydney, at every performance since the release of “Why Bring That Up?” at that theatre, on November 22. The picture will have its New Zealand premiere ,at the Regent Theatre, Auckland, on December 27.

Scores of stars from the stage, who have formerly charmed but a few thousand people with their histrionic ability, and have only been known to the public at large through gramophone records, have now the opportunity of making themselves known to the Whole world, through the medium of the talkies. Moran and Mack, the Two Black Crows, are cases in point. I Millions have laughed at the records at the Two Black Crows, but only a few thousands have actually witnessed their

It seems as if the whole of the Fox Movietone City has been combed to get featured players for Lenore Ulric’s first all-talking picture: “Frozen Justice.” Among the many wellknown names are Robert Frazer, Lois Wolheim, Laska Winter, To, Patricola, Alice Lake, Gertrude Astor, Adele Windsor, El Brendel, Charles Judels, George McFarlane, and Jim Spencer.

Early release is set for “Speedway, l * Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s spectacular drama of the auto race track, filmed at the famous Indianapolis races, in which William' Haines, whimsical comedian of the screen, turns to thrills, heart throbs, and romance. Anita Page is the heroine, and wears some very fetching outfits in the scenes where she is shown flying an open model aeroplane. Karl Dane, who will be remembered for his excellent performance in “Alias Jimmy Valentine” (with William Haines), is again responsible for many laughs in this racy, peppy attraction.

Famous figures in Gilbert and Sullivan operas in their palmy days are to-day figuring in just the opposite of those musical plays, the screen’s most vivid mystery thriller of the year, “The - Unholy Night.” In the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer version of the Ben Hecht murder mystery are Ernest Torrence, who began his career under Gilbert and Sullivan in the Savoy in London; Lionel Belmore, with Sir Herbert Tree at the same time and later in comic opera; .Claude Flemming (an Australian), Sydney Jarvis and Richard Tucker, all of whom once sang on the stage. Roland Young, Dorothy Sebastian, Natalie Moorhead, and others of note are in the cast of this vivid London mystery of murder, ghosts and mental suggestion.