STAGE AND SCREEN

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 81, 6 April 1933, Page 16

STAGE AND SCREEN

Musical Comedy Revival. ; It is the intention of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., to present up to date- productions of several popular musical comedies which have stood the test of time. The phenomenal success in Sydney of "Our Miss Gibbs" indicates that the public welcome such revivals. Negotiations are proceeding- for Dorothy Brunton to appear in "So Long, Letty," "Canary Cottage," "High Jinks," and "The Girl in ihe Taxi." The reorganised Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company will probably be . seen later on in revivals of "The Desert J3ong," "The Student Prince," and "Paul Jones." After Mr. Theo Shall has returned to Europe, the company which has appeared in "Autumn Crocus" and "The Command to Love" will be reorganised, jand a woman star will be brought from ;London to be at the head of it in several iew productions. "The Waltzes, from Vienna" company will be coming "to New Zealand after the Brisbane season, which "follows the Sydney-season, commencing at iEaster. - . . ',^'The Jewel Song." i , i'L Production has commenced on the new jjB.LP. film "The Jewel Song," under the ;idirection of Harry Hughes. .This film Swhich stars Stanley Lupino has a str.ong Imusical interest in addition ; to- iiovelty comedy sequences designed specially for ..the comedian's'individual and original tal'Jents. His partner in dance and song is a ■pretty newcomer, Nancy Byrne, who has already shown great promise during these first few days. of her film career. The story'of the film tells of a young man who falls, in love at first sight cw'itlr the girl >f!io occupies a box opposite, him at the opera, and his subsequent "endeavours' to make her "name the day.? Much that is discouraging, riotously funny," find tensely exciting ensues, and he finds the course of true love running its usual obstacle race. The^ climax of his.adventures and romance behind the scenes in an opera house, comes to an exciting and original finale as the curtain falls on a performance of "Faust," scenes from which will actually be filmed for this production. ■ Marie Ney's New Role. Miss Dorothy Massingham and Mr. Murray Macdonald have written a play specially for Miss Marie Ney, the exW«lington actress now living in London, the title being. "The Lake." It had a brilliant first night at the Arts Theatre CBub, and "The Post's" London correspondent anticipates that it will be presented outside the confines of the Arts Theatre stage, and with an unchanged cast. The etoi*y briefly is of a bride who is,widowed on her wedding day. It is a most interesting psychological study, of a girl whose individuality does not develop until just beftore her wedding day, when she begins to Hove her fiance (to jvhoin she has be- , come-: engaged without" loving ' him); an hour after her marriage her husband meijts with a fatal accident through his car; going over a^ parapet into the ornamental lake in his father-in-law's garden. The' bride is saved, and by degrees following the severe shock, she develops an individuality that will allow her to hold her owii in the world. Stella is pictured as alternately weak and strong; irresolute and impulsive; seldom sure of herself; her moods and desires changing with alarming suddenness. In Miss Ney's hands, apparently, the role of Stella was a big success, judging by the Press criticisms of her acting. "The Times" said: "The portrait of Stella in her hesitations, her failure!, her supreme joy and grief, has an uncommon richness and depth. MissNey pours herself into it. Her opening is briliant with indications of character undeclared; her happiness has authentic light; and her sorrow, in its coldiiess, its tumult,; its recovery of control, gives us that very rare thing—a performance in the last actfof a tragedy that is not greyness and'aslies, but a flame." "The Morning Post" says: "Miss Marie Ney gave a performance which not only places her among the best actresses in this country, but among her contemporaries in any country"!; and the "Evening News" comments: "Miss Ney made the situation deeply moving by the emotional range and colour of her acting." The rest of the past alalo came in for approval—-Dame May Whitty, Esme Church, Douglas Jjefferies, iAlan Napier, A. R. Whatcombe, and Norah Balfour. Musical. Camera <"work on "The Kiss Before the Mirror" h!as been completed at Universal City. It ! js a picturisation of one of the cleverest pilays from the pen of the noted Hungarian playwright, Ladislaus Fodor, and has a remarkable all-star cast to portray its provocative dramatic story. The cast is headed by Nancy Carroll, Paul Lukas, Gloria Stuart, and Frank Morgan: "The. Kiss Before the Mirror" finally evolves from its studio grooming, it will be found to have a remarkable musical score, a thematic song treatment, effectually welding together the story which bristles with dramatic, bizarre situations, gripping action/ and terse clever dialogue. New Release. :: Another indescribably funny Josser "Saga," this time entitled "Josser in the has been released by 8.1.P. The irrepressible Ernie Lotinga stars in this film, and pieturegoers will once more be transported .to 1914 with Jimmy Josseroffering his services to King and Country. Not only does he succeed in upsetting his' entire battalion, but on reaching France he loses his regiment and his trousers as ■well! He succeeds in unmasking a German spy and ,disguised as a German general, is on the'verge'of having him shot when ho too is unmasked. He takes to a German bomber, but on approaching the home lines he-is mistaken for the enemy, and is met by.a formidable bombing squadron. However all ends well with Josser coming out on top. Ernie Lotinga is supported by Betty Norton, Jack Hobbs, Hal Gordon, and Jack Frost. -_ Piano Prodigy. i Musical circles in the Dominion will be surprised at the pianoforte efficiency of youthful Philip Hargrave, the Adelaide boy of ten, who is to tour New Zealand shortly under the aegis of Messrs. J. and !N. Tait. In the opinion of Mr. Frank Tait, managing director, this exceptionally gifted juvenile will bo a revelation to I adults, for he displays brilliancy seldom expected in one 50 young. The genius of the piano has been acclaimed throughout ■ Australia, and the highest musical experts predict a successful career- for the lad. In order not to tax Philip's strength, he is to give only 20 recitals in Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand music-lovers may look forward to a rare treat. The dates of young Hargrave's tour will be announced later by Mr. Harry Stringer, representative in New Zealand for Messrs. J. C. Williamson and J. and N. Tait.

Cecil B. De Mille. Cecil Blount De Mille, producer of "Sign of. the Cross," ,which is to be screened in Wellington during - ; Easter, and creator of the screen's most ' extravagant spectacles, is once; again in the limelight. . De Mille was in at: the very beginning of moving pictures. He heiped Jease Lasky to build' up the company which, later became the Paramount Corporation of today. He made many of the early' "super" pictures," and he founded the reputations of Gloria Swanson, Bill Boyd, the late "Theodore Roberts, and several other players equally famous in their day. To De Mille the screen largely owes the elegance, the fashion, and the opulence displayed in its He taught others to dress their stars and decorate their pictures lavishly. He brought" to the silent film a type of culture which, though superficial, certainly helped in the evolution of better pictures. ' Showmanship, in the Barnum and Bailey sense, is the sign of Cecil De Mille. That, more than egoism, makes him spell the "De" in his name with a capital "D," and plan his pictures with a flourish rather than with discernment. ' He insists on doing things in a big way. If he brings /.a Zeppelin into one s of his films (as he did in "Madame Satan"), it must be the longest and broadest Zeppelin ever seen, and something spectacular must happen to it. When he stages an orgy there is no possible chance of mistaking it for a Sunday school. picnic. The methods are typical of the man. When De Mille was in London in 1931 one did not drop in for an informal chat. One was ushered into the Presence and invited to listen. with rapt attention, murmuring an occasional, "Yes, Mr. Qe Mille," or, "Really, Mr. De Mille," when the Great Man paused for breath. To Miss, Dodo Watts, the British. film actress, De Mille spoke with amused condescensioti. "My dear young lady," he • said, when she asked him what he thought was wrong with pictures,. "I don't spend my time looking for faults—l want to find good points." Miss Watts said afterwards that he made her feel like a small girl at school. Outside the studio De Mille is just as much of a poseur and a personality. When he' took a' holiday from Hollywood in 1931 and toured the worlds he-made a deep impression on the he visited. The story goes that the Russians offered to lend him a portion of the Red Army if he would make a Soviet film. I am surprised that he did not accept it. Instead, he made the assertion, quoted in the Press of the world, that "there is more drama to the square inch in Russia than to the square mile in America." Many of his other sayings are easier to elucidate. For instance, he once declared, referring to his largely fictitious reputation for bathroom scenes, that "I have done more to beautify the bathrooms of the world than any man alive." In actual fact he has used bathtubs in very few of his films. When he does use them, however, they are bathtubs such as plumbers dream about. "There is nothing immoral about a bathroom," he contends. His fashion complex, reflected in the gorgeous gowns of Gloria Swanson and the other early De Mille stars, is accounted for by his creed that "clothes should be the frame for a woman's beauty." His low estimation of "art" in relation to the -screen is expressed in a rficent statement, "My next picture will be hokum, beautiful hokum." _ And his fondness for. religious subjects is explained partly by his anees-r try (his father, grandfater, and greatuncle were prominent churchmen) and. partly by the opportunities for scenic pstentation offered by Biblical themes. He speni half a million pounds—not dollars—on the decorative effects' of "The King of Kings." "the Command to Love." A stage star .of other days, Reginald Roberts, plays an' important part in the spectacular romance, "The Command to Love," in which Thco Shall, the Viennese actor, has been pleasing Australian audiences. Mr. Shall is producing the play in conjunction with Messrs. J. C. Williamson, who brought the handsome Continental actor to Australia to play in their^ production of "Autumn Crocus." In "The Command to Love," Mr. Shall has also assembled Campbell Copelin, Roger Barry, Lou Vernon, and Leslie Victor, most of whom have played in New Zealand. The visit of Mr. Shall is a treat in store for Dominion _ theatregoers, who will appreciate the diversity of his acting—from the innkeeper in "Autumn Crocus" having a late-blooming love affair with a guest from England to the suave diplomat of "The Command to Love." The elaborate ecenes of the latter comprise the foyer at the French Embassy ball, the attache's apartments, and the French Ambassador's reception-room. Beautiful frocking, handsome uniforms, and unusual lighting are features of this production. "When Ladies Meet." Arrangements have been completed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer whereby Ann Harding will play the feminine lead in the forthcoming production of "When Ladies Meet." The filming of Rachel CrotheA's current Broadway stage success Trill be directed by Harry Beaumont.

Wild Animal Drama. One of the highlights of "Nagana," the Universal picture which will be released shortly, is a sequence inside a laboratory in. the African jungle. Doctors are endeavouring to discover a serum which will cure sleeping sickness' (known to the natives as Nagana), and the basis of their experiments is the belief that certain wild animals are not affected by the scourge and that-.serum' can be prepared from their blood. The laboratory is full of cages containing lions, leopards, huge monkeys, and other animals. There is a fight between two lions, and they break their cage. In the ensuing, melee all the other animals are liberated, and it takes a complete native village to recapture them. The dread Nagnna has been responsible far a huge death roll in Africa and in Uganda. Whole native villages have been wiped out with the disease. The story of the picture denls with the fight against the spread of the disease by the Tsetse Fly. A large number of doctors have martyred themselves to science by innoculatihg themselves with the parasites carried by the fly. The glamorous Tala Birell and Melvyn Douglas are the stars of "Nagana."

Less Dialogue. 1 What is believed to be a long step in the direction of talkie perfection hag been taken in the picturisation of "White Zombie," the United Artists picture, for in this production only 15 per cent of tile action is accompanied by dialogue. From the advent of the talking picture, objection has been taken to the inclusion of too much dialogue, even up to 100 per cent, of the picture's length in innumerable instances. The result is a consensus among motion picture students that an absolute minimum of dialogue and a commensurate increase of action must bo adopted before improvement comes to the screen. "White Zombie" is an unusually actionable' story, one which is toUl.infinitely better in picture form than by the spoken word. This was one of the principal reasons for its selection in the first place, for Edward and Victor Halperin, its producers, have, long since felt that the motion picture has. been marring its possibilities since the advent of the talkies by .the employment' of too much dialogue. Only where a line of dialogue is absolutely essential- does a character speak in "White Zombie," and the result is a revelation. This means that 85 per cent, of the picture's length the story depends entirely upon camera action. '

"Dante, the Great Magician," Coming. There are magicians and presdigitators,, ; and several clever performers. have appeared in the Dominion, but it iB gen- ■ erally admitted that Dante the Magician . (formerly known in Australia and New. Zealand as the Great Jansen) is head and shoulders above all other artists in this , particular line. It is said of him that ihe presents one of the costliest shows staged in this part of the world, and that ' he equals in skill' and originality entertainments of h similar nature produced in the great capitals of the world. He travels with, one of the largest companies ever [ ■ brought south of the line. Three times : lias he toured the world, and every tour has proved more and more successful. Mr. Harry Stringer, the New Zealand representative of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., has received Cable advice that the Great Dante will vcome to the Dominion next month, and will bring his complete company and paraphernalia, the latter consisting of some of the most extensive stage settings ever seen in New Zealand. Mr. Strineer is at present , arranging ■ the Dominion itinerary, details, of which.will. . be available shortly.

Here and There. Messrs. J. C. Williamson will have three outstanding attractions in ' Sydney at Easter. The spectacular musical play, "Waltzes from Vienna," the London Dramatic Company headed by /Nicholas Hanncn and Athene Seyler in "The Breadwinner," and the Clarkson Rose English revue company. Margaret Rawlings, who was in the New Zealand genson of "The' Barretts of Wimpole Street" and "Happy and Glorious," was playing in "I Hate Men," a new Peter Godfrey play, at London, Gate Theatre last month. ■ Madge Elliott and Cyril Ritchard, in "Our Miss'Gibbs," will be. the Easter attraction at Melbourne. These Williamson stars are immensely popular in their home country, and their success has been phenomenal. ■ . ■ Lance Fairfax, the ex-Wellington baritone, has been making a success of his role of Leopold in the 'Sheffield version of "Waltzes from Vienna." Creighton Hale," a former screen star, is playing in a Grand Guignol season in the weirdly decorated Playhouse 'in San Francisco. The decorations follow those of the Grand Guignol in Paris, from whi-h home of "horrors and fun «the plays to be used, in English, adaptations,will come. "Red Leni, an Apache drama," "Fear," and "French Dressing are to be staged. • '■««,■ Josef Hofmann, Polish master of the keyboard, has been playing in the Oppenheimer series at the Memorial House, San Francisco. One of his, favourite numbers was the Chopin B Minor Sonata, but Godowsky's paraphrase of music ot Strauss' "Variations on a Theme of Bandel" was also very popular. Crane Wilbur, a former screen actor, now turns his hand to writing, and is a second Edgar Wallace in the thrillers he produces. He has been acting in the States in his own plays. < One of his masterpieces was "The Monster He is a great admirer of Wallace; and with Pauline Frederick was recently mtne production. "Criminal at Large." He plays a Scotland Yard detective sent, down from the Yard to Prior Hall, the seat of the Lebanon family, to investigate-mysterious murderß. London knewth-? pI?J,« • The Case of the Frightened.- Lady," a title the Americans found .too unwieldy.- . Court Scene. i Laughter in Court is usually reported as being instantly repressed. When filmgoer! see Leslie fuller, the gen.a comedian, before the Bench in his latest 8.1.P. film, "Hawley's of High Street, however they will be able to take an uproarious part in the proceedings without any disapproving 'ush from the usiei. In this picture Leslie has a bitter rival »n his life-long neighbour, played by Moore Marriott, and is called upon to give evidence against his enemy. A; well-known London County Court was reproduced in detail in the studio "for these scenes, ami in the dock stood Marriott charged with "loitering* on enclosed prennses and obstructing the police and, assaulting a constable." The injuries to the policeman were apparent to all so realistic was his ■lakeup, though .the prisoner's dishevelled attire and battered appearance indicate^ that Marriott had apparently suffered no less at the hands of the law. . Leslie Fuller in the witness box, undergoing a. pitiless cross-examination by the defending counsel, but blithely disregarding all legal procedure, is provided with unique opportunities of raising gales of laughter. Gilbert. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have announced that the completed cast of "Rivets, the new John Gilbert vehicle, includes Robert Armstrong, Mac Clarke, Robert Burns. Warner Richmond, Vince Barnett, and Sterling Holloway. The picture is based on an unproduced play by John W. McDermott. British Film. Cole Green Station, which is considered to be the most beautiful country station in Greater London, was lent by the London and North Eastern Railway for a location sequence of the first London film production, "Wedding Rehearsal," released by United Artists. This charming little station, which is never used on Sundays, and is, in fact, semi-private, being mostly used by the Countess Strathmore and Lord Desborough and their guests, makes an ideal location for a sequence in "Wedding Rehearsal." A passenger train', kindly lent by the L.N.E.R.,. was filmed arriving at the 'station. Among the "passengei's" were Miss Kate Cutler, the distinguished actress, and Merle Oberon, ene of the four beautiful young players signed up on long-term contracts hy Mr. Alexander Korda, the director of "Wedding Rehearsal." They were "met" by Roland Young, the English film idol, who came over from Hollywood at the request of Alexander Korda specially to star in this highly enjoyable' British production. Miss Marie Moffatt Returns. After four years' pianoforte .study in England and on the Continent under some of the foremost authorities, Miss Marie Moffatt, of Palmerston North, returned to New Zealand recently. Qualifying A.T.C.L. at the early age of fourteen years, it was considered that she showed sufficient promise to warrant a period of studentship abroad, and she was first sent to the New South Wales Conservatorium, where she worked under Mr. Frank Hutchens, and then, after about a year, to London, where for about two and a half years she was with Professor A. Rosonthal. Miss Moffatt then took a course of lessons under one of the most eminent professors of the piano, Artur Schnabel, in Berlin. Of Schnabel Miss Moffatt speaks with the greatest enthusiasm and admiration, both as a player and as a teacher. When he came to London some six years ago only a few people acquainted with Continental musical life knew who he was; today his name is a magic word throughout England, as well as on the Continent, and he is regarded as the foremost exponent of Beethoven's pianoforte works, and as one of the most outstanding musicians in the world. Chiefly as the result of his marvellous concerts in England last November and December, devoted wholly .to Beethoven, Miss Moffatt remarked the other day in relating her impressions, the London musical season had been given over almost entirely to performances of the master composer's music. Miss Moffatt has also visited the principal centres of musical endeavour in France, Switzerland, and Italy. Her main interest as a pianist is in the romantic works of Chopin, in which she had expert tuition while she was with Rosenthal, who was a pupil of a student of Chopin. Miss Moffatt's lilans for the future are indefinite, but arrangements have been made for a. recital (unassisted) at the Town Hnll Concert Chamber on Thursday, April 27.