Films and the Stage.

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 103, 25 January 1930, Page 25

Films and the Stage.

“On With the Show,” a Warner Bros, and Vitaphone production, is the .first all-technicoiour talking picture that has been produced, and,the combination of moving -' pictures, voices, and natural colours has resulted in a beautiful piece of art and fine entertainment. The one thing that stands out most is the colouring; the different hues, the colour shades, enthrall one. The settings are beautiful, and the costumes the most gorgeous seen in pictures. A brilliant cast includes Betty Compson, Louise Fazenda, . Arthur Lake, Joe E. Brown, Sally O’Neill, and the Fairbanks twins.

Incidents in the life of. a shopgirl are those that, compose the major portion of “The Saturday Night Kid,” Clara Bow’s-latest talkie. In this film Miss Bow Is geen-'and heard as the employee in a large department store, and her amorous' - adventures with James Hall, who was her leading man in “The Fleet’s In,” are complemented by Charles Sellon as a gin-dispensing landlord, Jean Arthur as the sister, and Edna May Oliver. A. Edward Sutherland'difected this tomantic tale.

Clayton and Waller are trying out in Liverpool this month-another musical play, “Silver Wings,” 'the.musical version, made'-in -Great Britain, of “The Broken Wing,” which was seen in New Zealand a few years ago, with Thurston Hall In the lead. The, cast is headed by-.-Desiree, Ellinger,. Harry Welchman, Lup'ino Lane, Emma Haig, who has Returned to-England from the United States, Geoffrey. Gwyther, and John Kirby, the New Zealander. “Silver Wings” has been written by that brilliant Australian, Dion Titheradge, ' anfthe. composers include Jack Waller andi*’Joseph"{Tunbridge, of “Virginia” fame.. • '! .... . .''.'l'' ; -I.'-..

Having finally completed his screen picture of Soviet reconstruction, "The General Line,” after many interruptions, S. M. Eisenstein is reported to be preparing for what may be the most difficult job of his career. The great Russian director has been instructed by the Soviet authorities to make a film baser} on “Capital, the economic work by Karl Marx, sometimes described as “the Socialist Bible.”

A new technique in lovemaking m being brought to the screen by William Powell in “Street of Chance, chatters an American gossip writer. By a subtle combination of tenderness and cruelty he has worked out a system guaranteed to reduce a B ra °“ e " hearted Amazon to tears and smelling salts. Patterning his courtship op the trustworthy old third degree used by the police, he skilfully and Quickly alternates a kind word with a-brutal one, a caress with-neglect. After a dozen caresses and a pint.of tears the young lady subjected to this treatment in “Street of Chance” feels ready for the psychopathic ward. Kay Francis plays the role. ...

The cast of “Whoopee,”’ now being played In New Zealand by a J. C. Williamson company, is particularly long, and includes a number of the best ana most popular musical comedy artists who have ever appeared in New Zealand. Miss Lilian Crisp and Mr. William Perryman are . seen and heard to great advantage in “Whoopee,” and Mr. Don Nicol is one of the most original and. funniest comedians who has yet visited the Dominions. Two outstanding artists who make their first appearance in "Whoopee” are Miss Patricia and Mr. Terry Kendall (brother and sister). In addition to playing leading parts in “Whoopee,” the 'Kendalls present their clever and original dancing specialties which' made them famous in London, and in which they created .a furore of enthusiasm in Sydney and Melbourne.

Lionel Barrymore, hailed as the “king-pin” director of talking pictures, doesn’t believe voices have anything to do .with them, except, of .course, in the case of, singers. The. director, now at work., on “The Rogue, Song,” Lawrence Tibbett’s debut in pictures, doesn’t even believe that the talkies will ever totally usurp the screen. There will always be good silent pictures also, he believes. “You still see a lot of bicycles running around in this age of autos and aeroplanes,” remarks Barrymore. “Any picture that is good is what the public want.” As to voices of actors, he remarks that the “Hullabaloo about speaking voices is largely nonsense.” “It’s like talking from California to New York on the telephone,” he says. “Anyone with the price can do it, not because he has a fine voice, but because of what the tele-, phone company can do to it.” Barrymore . doesn’t give his ' actors “voice tests,” but instead makes sure they’re real actors and lets the voice part take care of itself? In the new Tibbett pic j ture, an all-colour, all-talking, drama of Russia, in which the opera stdr sings six songs, his cast includes Catherine Dale Owen, Judith Vosselli, Lionel Belmore, Wallace MacDonald, Florence Lake, Nance O’Neil, James Bradbury, jun., Ullrich Haupt, Burr Mclntosh. Youcca Troubotzkey, and Kate Price. . ,

In producing “Baby ■ Cyclone” with the American Comedy Company at Princess Theatre, Dunedin, the Fuller manager in that town found himself in a dilemma when it came to procuring the three prize dogs essential to the plot of the story. Possessors of tjiese dogs, seemed non-existent, and it was only 'after' A, protracted search that the flustered manager discovered the necessary canines, all of which had to be bro’ught in from a considerable distance for the performance. However, they were there, and the production went on tb schedule, while the manager was veryrelieved that the next production demanded nothing more than a six-cylinder motor-car.

Talkies do have their hardships for stage people. Take the matter of scenes where drinks are served. Wh,en he started such a sequence in “Lord Byron of Broadway,” director William Nigh’ said significantly to .James Morgan, “Finish the glassful, if yomican!" -It was the first motion picture drink of the newest recruit from the vaudeville stage, and only age-old theatrical tradition kept him gagging on the lukewarm concoction which passes for liquor de luxe in all studios.

They’ll have to invent soundproof

fog for Greta Garbo’s first “talkie,” . ‘“Anna Christie," now in production at the Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer studios. 'Present fog-produc-ing apparatus creates a hissing sound that picks up loudly in the microphones.

Among the synchronised pictures that have claimed equal success with the 100 per. cent, dialogue productions, three ’stand out pre-eminent. These are “The Divine Lady,” “The Four Feathers,” and the vivid and tuneful “Hungarian Rhapsody.” This latter masterpiece is packed with the music of Vienna and Budapest, and is scored with waltzes, czardas,

and the exotic and unusual rhythms of the Hungarian folk songs.

Colleen Moore, that clever little comedienne, is shortly to be seen in First National and Vitaphone’s production, “Footlights -and Fools,” a sparkling, comedy-drama in technicolour. In this special production Colleen Moore charmingly radiates the diablerie of the Parisian, and sings several songs in a piquant manner which is captivating.

Irene Brodoni, international stage star of France and America, will be seen and heard, for the first time on the screen in “Paris,” which tells the story of a Parisian stage favourite. Many new musical numbers will be sung by the star as well' as a few of I the song hits from the original stage production.

There are tricks in all trades, but a some of the quaint- I est must surely be " in the “talkies.” In | the British Inter- i national picture I “Blackmail,” Cyril I Richards has' to . whistle a tune “off,” while Anuy I Ondra is acting I before the camera. | On the day on which this scene - ■ was being “shot,” | Cyril Ritchard was. ! appearing at a 1 matinee of “Love 1 . Lies,” at the I Gaiety Theatre, I London. As it was I necessary for him 1 to whistle so that the scene could be ig finished, he was called up on the % telephone, which gi was connected with . the microphone in | the sound studio, I and between the J numbers at the Gaiety, he whistled ' S the tune into the | receiver so that it | was transmitted g and recorded at | the same time that j Anny Ondra was I doing her part. “He’s Mine,” in which Isabel Wilford understudied the star Tallulah Bankhead, ran for less than four weeks in London.

Marie Dressier, who will next be seen in support of Lillian Gish in Ferenc Molnar’s “The Swan,” was a circus star performer forty years ago.

If you are contemplating a motor trip through the jungles of the Belgian Congo—don’t. W. S. Van Dyke, who is producing “Trader Horn,” states that petrol is five shillings a gallon. .

Lois Moran, who was recently signed to a long term contract by Joseph M. Schenck, will appear in “Bride 66.” Arthur Hajnmerstein’s first musical production for the screen. In the cast with Miss Moran will be Dorothy Dalton (Mrs. Arthur Kammerstein) and Joseph Macauley, of musical comedy fame.

Lupe Velez, featured in “Hell Harbour,” has been discovered more times than any other star in pictures. While dancing at a church festival she attracted the eye of a theatrical entrepreneur, who cast her in a musical comedy hit. Then Mr. and Mrs. Frank Woodward saw her and suggested she go into the movies. In Hollywood, she came to the notice of Mr. McClume, who immediately cast her in the Music-Box 'Revue. Harry Rapf was the next discoverer, then Douglas Fairbanks, who cast her opposite him in “The Gaucho,” and finally Joseph M. Schenck, head of United Artists, who elevated her to featured roles in “Lady of the Night”

Madge Bellamy makes her first screen appearance since her starring role in “Mother Knows Best," in “To-night at Twelve,” Universal’s all-talking screen adaptation of Owen Davis’s stage suecess. With Miss Bellamy in the cast are Robert Ellis, Margaret' Liv/ingston, Vera Reynolds, Norman Trevor, Hallom Cooley, Mary Doran, George Lewis. Madeline Seymour, Josephine Brown and Don Douglas.

Mitchell Lewis and Blanche Fridericl have been signed to appear in Dolores del Rio’s first all-talking picture, “The Bad One.”

The French Revolution was refought at Universal City last November. Five thousand moving-picture extras singing the “Marseillaise” and three modern compositions by Charles Wakefield Cadman, mobbed, sacked, burned and slew the French nobility and royalties to the taste of Paul Fejos, who directed the super film which Universal has called “La Marseillaise.” Laura La Plante and John Boles star in this feature.

Last November saw another exodus of Broadway entertainers toward Universal City and “The King of Jazz Revue,” starring Paul Whiteman. Russell Markert and a selected troupe of his faipdus dancers, the Tommy Atkins Sextet, with Nell O’Day, and George Chiles, international song and dance artist, all arrived to swell John Murray Anderson’s first Broadway revue in moving pictures.

Although he deplores the present condition of certain talking pictures, Mr. Alexander Watson, the English elocutionist, has confidence in their future. He believes, however, that much preliminary experiment will be necessary before anything approaching the ideal is ’ accomplished. Mr. Watson has recently completed d tour of South Africa, Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland as examiner in elocution for the Trinity College of Music, London. After spending a holiday in Melbourne, Mr. Watson will begin a series of recitals In New Zealand at Wellington on February 8. He will give recitals in Melbourne in April.

The Wellington season of . “Whoopee,” the latest J. C. Williamson musical comedy, commences on Saturday and continues for five nights. “Lilac Time,” "The Student Prince” and “Maiu of the Mountains” will each be reviewed after the conclusion of the “Whoopee” season.

Although “At- f lantic” is hailed as the most extraordinary triumph for British Pictures, it is said that some of the less preten- ’ tious creations from British International studios will earn high praise. Among these are the delightfully funny “Alf’s Carpet,” the strong story “Goodwin Sands," and Betty Balfour’s latest vehicle “The Vagabond Queen.”

Disraeli, surrounded by spies, temporarily thwarted in his plans for England’s expansion,—Disraeli, the matchmaker, the loving husband, and the successful Prime Minister, such is the Disraeli around whom Warner Bros, and Vitaphone have woven their special production, “Disraeli,” featuring that notable actor, George Arliss, in the title role. Arliss, as that superstates'man—the Jew of Italian descent —rules the picture. His every scene Is interesting, his every mannerism charming, even in his most sardonic moments. The supporting cast Is a brilliant one, being composed' entirely of stage actors and actresses, Florence Arliss, David Torrance, Anthony Bushell, and Joan Bennett.

The Tiffany sound picture “ Peacock Alley ” represents one more of those subjects which, having been splendid successes as “silents,” are being re-made as “talkies.” Mae Murray has a good speaking . voice, and the cast is practically an allstar *one. Tiffany having linked up with the newtechnicolour process, “ Peacock Alley ” will be all in colour, to which its gorgeous settings particularly lend themselves. “Peacock Alley” is a Cinema Art Films release.

Jessie Matthews, whose greatest fame has been attained in the Cochran revues, “Wake Up and Dream” and “This Year of Grace,” is another London star who has gone to New York. She is one of the most popular of the song and dance artists on the English stage to-day.

“Sunny,” at His Majesty’s Theatre, sees Miss Betty Lambert step into the leading part, previously played here by Miss Elsie Prince, and in the title role this dainty young artiste scores a distinct personal success. It is the biggest part she has played to date with this company and it must be gratifying to her many admirers to see the splendid way she carries it off. Miss Catherine Stewart displays her brilliant gifts as a comedienne as little Weenie Winters, and, with Freddie Forbes, keeps the ball rolling merrily. Picturesque settings and striking frocks are a feature of Sunny.

Geometry and dancing go hand in hand in big stage and screen productions; in fact, geometry is almost as Important as music. So says Sammy Lee, noted dance spectacle creator of stage and screen, and responsible for the ballets and ensembles in “The M -G.-M. Hollywood Revue.” “The first step in working out a dance ensemble, says Lee, “is to layout a series of geometrical figures, so calculated that a group of dancers can easily move from one of these formations into another. Steps arp then worked out, and the dancers trained to move through their evolutions. Pyramids, circles and other effects, as well as vertical figures through the use of steps and platforms, are all based on geometry, as are the relation of the camera angles. Costumes are usually designed to harmonise with these figures or formations, so that pictorial composition is always per-, feet.” Lee, who deserted the stage to produce dance spectacles for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, is now directing “Manhattan Serenade,” his latest singingdancing revue, featuring the Brox Sisters, Mitzi Mayfair, Nina May McKenney, and others. Most of the picture is being filmed in natural colours, with several new song hits, including “Harlem Heaven,” written by Charles F. Reisner, director of “The M.-G.-M. Hollywood Revue.”

Warner Bros, and Vitaphone’s special all-singing, talking, and dancing production, “The Desert Song," marks a new era in the entertainment world, as It brings to the talking screen for the first time a complete operetta. John Boles, who portrays the masterful glorious singing role of “The Red Shadow,” has won the highest critical praise for his work, and the scenes in which he sings with Carlotta King, a coloratura soprano of stage fame, are exceptionally beautiful.

Lady Fuller, wife of Sir Benjamin Fuller, theatrical magnate, and her daughter, Fay, are at present in Christchurch, where their stay will be a protracted one. The reason for this New Zealand visit can be found in the person of “our actress daughter,” Misa Joan Fuller, or, to call her by her stage name, Miss Joan Graham. Miss Graham has been a member of the Jim Gerald Company for some eight or nine months now, and has played in Sydney, Auckland, and now Christchurch in its complement She has proved herself a very capable little performer and her singing and dancing numbers are in high favour with the audiences.

In “Whoopee," the dancing musical comedy, in which the J. O. Williamson Company have scored such an outstanding success, there is ample material for the rollicking fun theatregoers enjoy to the full, while charmingly interwoven there is a romantic story of a thwarted l OTe —the hopeless love passion of Wan-En-Is (William Perryman) for beautiful Sally Morgan (Lilian Crisp). Wan-En-Is is of the Moleve tribe of Red Indians, and against the good counsels of the mighty chief Black Eagle (Fred Bonner) persists in his apparently hopeless pursuit of happiness. The denouement in the final act is quite dramatic, and the concluding scene is one of merriment and unalloyed joy. The cast of characters is a big (and particularly strong) one, and with the famous dancers Patricia and Terry Kendall in some of their world-renown-ed specialty turns, together with a highly efficient chorus and a magnificent ballet (which includes many of J. C. Williamson’s best dancers,' "Whoopee” should prove one of the outstanding successes of the century.

It is more than probable that at the conclusion of the New Zealand and Australian tour of “Lombardi Ltd" (in which Brandon Peters appears in the important role of Toselli, “the Vermicelli King”), Mr. Peters will proceed to Hollywood to appear in 'a series of talkie pictures. Before being specially engaged, at Mr. Carrillo’s request, for the part in “Lombardi Ltd,” Mr. Peters had been approached by some of the leading producers of Hollywood, with the object of signing up for a series of big productions, but he was unable to accept an engagement then. Brandon Peters has already been “tried out" for the talkies, and his voice is admirably suited for recording. As to his capacity as an actor, New Zealanders have already seen him in leading roles, and as a film artist he should score an instantaneous success.

Chinese who witness Universal’s “Shanghai Lady” will hear, spoken in Chinese, the words of the Lord’s Prayer. When the film came up for review the censors demanded a translation forthwith. A frantic message was sent from the- New York office to Carl Laemmle.’jun., who obligingly set out to get an English translation. of the Chinese. Finally, the Chinese who spoke the lines was located, and said: “I used my own judgment. They told me to say a few words in Chinese, so I said the Lord’s Prayer.”

Jim Gerald combines with his ability- as a revue comedian an unusual flair for discovering and developing talent in an amateur performer. Just recently, in Christchurch, he made a “find” in a local girl, Miss Iris May, whose beautiful soprano voice has since been adding considerably to the delight of his elaborate production numbers, and who has achieved considerable success with the Christchurch Public.