SCREENLAND JOTTINGS

Evening Star, Issue 19776, 28 January 1928, Page 18

SCREENLAND JOTTINGS

Paramount announces that preparations are under way for the celebration of “ The Greater Movie Season ” in March. The new Paramount ranch, Caluoriii., opened on November last for production activities. It is planned to make almost all exterior scenes for Paramount pictures at the new 1 '"ition. Creighton Halo and Edward Connelly have been added to the cast of Miss Greta Garbo’s next starring vehicle for Metro-Gddwyn-Mayer, ‘The Divine Woman.’ Other players of note in this production are Lars Hansen, Lowell Sherman, Miss Polly Moran, Miss Dorothy Gumming, Cesare Gravina, and Miss Paulette Duval. Harry Beaumont, who has just finished directing Ramon Novarro in ‘His Night’ for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, will direct John Gilbert’s next starring vehicle, based on an original story Tjv Laurence Stallings, author or 1 The Big Parade.’ Gilbert will begin work on the new picture, as yet untitled, when be finishes his role in ‘The Cossacks.’ • Partners in Crime ’ is to be tho next Wallace Boery-Raymond Hatton motion picture for Paramount. It will precede 1 The Big Game Hunt,’ which has been postponed. After acting as bridesmaid when wedding bells rang for Miss Noma Shearer and Irving Thalberg, Miss Marion Davies is hearing the studio bolls ringing for herself. Tho vacation Miss Davies took after the completion of ‘ The Fair Co-Ed ’ was cut short by a hurried call from the Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer studios to begin work on her new picture, ‘The Patsy,’ which King Vidor is directing. One looks forward to another picture from this delightful comedienne. The film ‘ Wings,’ which recently arrived in Sydney, opens up a new angle of motion picture entertainment. Tho entire story in this picture, which was produced by Paramount, is devoted to the activities' of air pilots during the Great War, and many air battles which took place in Flanders were rcstagod for this film. The actual fighting midair was “caught” by _ automatic cameras fastened to the wings of tho ’planes themselves. Although the ‘Cat and the Canary,’ Universal’s cinema version of the great stage success of the same name (now at the Empire), is worked out to achieve to the fullest degree the eerie and startling sequence called for by the scenario, the director, Paul Lcni, has not overlooked the use of adequate comedy relief to heighten the_ effect of his startling scenes. He utilises the services of no less than three veteran comedians to carry out his comedy ideas to the fullest. They are Miss Gertrude Astor, Miss Flora Finch, and Creighton Hale. One of tho most thrilling episodes of iho Great War, the sinking of the Emden after her various exploits that left an echo round tho world, has been brought to the screen in a photo-play, made under the aegis of tho German Admiralty, ‘ Tho Exploits of the Emden.’ The film, which is described by an English paper as remarkable for its realism as well as truth, is a production that deals with amazing fairness with the incidents leading up to and the historic battle with H.M.A.S. Sydney. The producers have not forgotten the fact that it was the Sydney’s victory, but the far-famed bravery and humanity of the great German commander, Captain Karl Yon Muller, has been portrayed with compelling interest, while a love theme ii:.; boon introduced into the production. The picture is said to he remarkable for some wonderful seascapes, and shots showing the bombardment of the Madras oil tanks at night, the sinking of shipping by the Emcleti. are described as wonderfully realistic. The .production is to he released through First National shortly.