Shaw's Own Ideas

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 134, 4 December 1930, Page 21

Shaw's Own Ideas

Mr. George Bernard Shaw is not allowing British International Pictures to deal as they elect .with the talk-film of his play, "How He Lied to Her Husband." The actors in the film are all being selected by Mr. Shaw himself. Mr. Edmund Gwenn was chosen some time ago for the principal male part. Every cinema actress in the country aspired to play the leading lady,'and dozens of tests were made at Elstrce; but none of them satisfied Mr. Shaw. . He has now made his selection from outside the orthodox ranks^ It is understood that Miss Vera Lennox, of whom Mr. Shaw thinks very.highly and who is playing in "Freclerica" at the Palace Theatre, has been chosen. Elstree already recognises that this film is to be made on extremely" unorthodox lines. A technique. has been evolved in talk-films known'as "waiting for the laugh." Each line which the director hopes will make his .audience chuckle is followed by a hiatus in the dialogue, for the director does.;not want his next line drowned in a gust of wholesale laughter. But Mr. Shaw will not wait for his laughs. Shakespeare and Shaw, he told the studio people on Saturday, demand to be played as they are written; he will not have his action held up for guffaws.

"Stolen Thunder." The screen romance of aii-opera singer and a burglar has begun at the Fox Film Corporation studios with the filming of the opening scenes of "Stolen Thunder," with Jeanette Mac Donald and Reginald Denny in the principal rolea. Marjorie White, Warren Hymer, Alison Shipivorth, Albert Conti, Bela Lugosi, Andre Cheron, and William Davidson are in the other featured roles. Blondes. Decided blondes, brunettes, and redheads are the best screen: types to .succeed in technieolour pictures. Players whose features present strong colour-con-trasts also have an excellent chance of success. This is the word passed out by John Francis Dillon, who directed his second all-technicolour picture, "Bride of the Regiment," First National and Vitaphone's romantic . operetta. -Vivienne Segal, who portrays- the leading role in "Bride o£ the Regiment," has been cited as an example of a fine blonde type. She has light blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and a fair complexion. Walter Pidgeon, Louise Fazenda, Ford Sterling, Myrna Loy, and Lupino Lane support Miss Segal and Allan Prior. "Morocco." "Morocco," a recently- completed alltalking adventure romance,, is announced by Paramount as one of ' the biggest specials of the year. Filmed with a lavish background of desert scenes, and containing a sustained love story, "Morocco" is said to rival "Beau Geste" in magnitude and appeal. Gary Cooper and Marlene Dietrich are co-starred in the film. "Cimarron." Sixteen technical advisors, seven assistant directors, five script clerks, three cutters, and a comparably strong production staff in other divisions will assist Wesley Buggies, directing "Cimarron," in which Richard Dix will be starred.