SCREENLAND JOTTINGS

Evening Star, Issue 20310, 19 October 1929, Page 21

SCREENLAND JOTTINGS

‘ Black Waters, ’ the first British talking feature, lias arrived in New Zealand and passed the censor. Those who were privileged to witness a private screening of the production recently are most enthusiastic. Adapted from the Broadway stage success, ‘ Fog,’ this mystery play represents one of the best “ thrillers ” yet screened. Not only is the story ingeniously constructed, but it is interpreted hy a competent cast. James Kirkwood gives a really lino performance as Kelly, alias Larrabce, and hy reason of his stage technique and resonant voice brings moments of real drama to the play. ‘ Black Waters ’ will he released at an early date hv British ’Dominion Films.

Richard Arlen’s first starring picture for Paramount, ‘ The Lost God,’ is to go into production shortly. The supporting cast will include Eugene Pallottc and Fred. Kohler, hut the feminine lead has not yet been announced. Douglas MacLcan has the lending role in ‘ Divorce Made Easy,’ a clover talkie farce which Paramount will release .shortly in New Zealand. Miss Mane Prevost, Miss Frances Lee, and Jack Dully play featured roles. That Chaplin is progressing with his forthcoming production, ‘ City Lights,’ was indicated in a recent cable received hy United Artists to the effect that the filming of two sequences had been completed at the comedian’s studio. Though Chaplin declared that he will not talk in the new picture, sound and _synchronisation will be amply provided. ‘ City Lights ' is the story of a, tramp’s meandenngs in a big city, and in addition to Miss Virginia Cherril, his loading lady, Henry Clive, famed for previous .stage, and screen appearances, will bo featured in a “ man about town ” role.

Charles (Buddy) Rogers was elected the children’s favourite movie star in a novel voting and essay competition, conducted by’ the ‘ Sunday’ Pictorial,’ Sydney’, recently’, in tho children’s^section of that paper. The competition ran for several weeks, and keen interos!; was displayed by young enthusiasts. Many hundreds of essays were received, and the winning effort was an appreciation of the Paramount star, Emil Tannings. in addition to Rogers. Clara Bow, Emil Tannings, and Harold Lloyd were other Paramount stars who stood high in tho estimation of tho younger generation.

Tlio- first edition of tho ‘ Paramount Sound News ’ arrived in Wellington by tin s.s. Maunganui on September 23. It contains many interesting news items. President Hoover, in a. short speech of "rooting to Adolph Zukor, president of Paramount Pictures, inaugurates the • Sound News.’ ‘One of the thrilling items shows in sight and sound, the refuelling of O’Brien and Jackson’s plane in mid-air during the creation of their endurance flight record at St. Louis, Mo. The landing, after days in the air, and the cheers- of the crowd are also seen and heard. (These remarkable pictures wore taken from a

‘Paramount Sound News’ plane.) Other items are: The arrival of the Rome flyers in New York, the landing of a dirigible on the plaza of the Washington Capitol, a Flemish fete at Brussels, Belgium, and thrilling race track scenes at Saratoga, New York. Beside the notable cast, which incudes Pauline Frederick, Bert Lytell, Lois Wilson, Holmes Herbert, Johnny Arthur, Jason Robarcls, Vondell Darr. Fred. Kelsey, Richard Tucker, and Franklin Panghorn, over 200 persons are seen in the court room and murder trial scenes of Warner Bros.’ murder mystery special ‘ On Trial,’ now in New Zealand. ‘On Trial ’ was one of tho great successes of Broadway, and enjoyed phenomenal success on lour. Elmer Rice, its author, was a law clerk whoso familiarity with criminal procedure made it possible.for him to write this masterpiece, and he was made independently rich by it. It was the first play to raako use of the motion picture “ flash back.” which caused a furoro in tho theatrical world. The manner of the stage play made it especially suited to the screen.

An overhead set railway, two miles in length, is the latest time-saving device which has just been installed at the Paramount Studios in Hollywood. Sets for ‘ Tho Love Parade,’ the latest Paramount all-talking and singing picture, starring Maurice Chevalier, were the first to bo transported on the new railway. By its use large pieces of motion picture sets can bo easily and quickly taken from the carpentry shops to the various sound stages and hack into_ tlie storage buildings as soon as .‘i picture is completed. In the past the work has been done by corps of men working with huge trucks. Now, as soon as a set is completed, a lai'go chain is attached to it, and the entire structure is pushed by men or drawn by electric motors as the pulley slides along the overhead rail. A series of switches along the route make it possible to send the set to any desired stage. Mr "Winter Hall, writing to the Auckland ‘ Herald, 5 states that llonakl Column is the most outstanding figure the talkies have yet revealed. He further states that tho Now York' critics, who are always the hardest to please, have bestowed extravagant praise on Column's first talking picture, ‘ Bulldog Drummond,’ which Ims captivated London and New York. It is said to be very nearly perfect entertainment, and that thousands of America’s masculine younger generation arc endeavouring to model their diction on Mr Colmairs. The entire cast for “Sapper’s” famous play was drawn from English stage players. It is not generally known that Ronald Column was one of the “Old Contempt!hies ” —that first hundred ” of England’s Army to land in Prance. He was also m the first battle of Ypres. He was wounded at Messines, and finally discharged after two years’ service in Trance.