SCREENLAND JOTTINGS

Evening Star, Issue 21904, 15 December 1934, Page 6

SCREENLAND JOTTINGS

Several different love songs by Mozart are being tested as to suitability for Frances Lederer’s voice in preparation for the filming of ‘ Pursuit of Happiness ’ at the Paramount Studios. *,* * * The musical, ‘The Night Is Young,’ starring Ramon Novarro and Evelyn Laye, will contain a marionette episode by the Hollywood Marionette The; atre Group. - » * ■ * ■' * , -- ■British and Dominion Films have signed Elizabeth Bergner, the brilliant little star of 1 Catherine the Great.’ fox* a production, the little of which has ' riot ypt been announced. *** * ' Two British film companies have been negotiating Tor the services of Lilian Harvey, recently released by Fox. In each case her terms were too' high, but she is still considering offers from England. ■ .♦ * . * * A life story of Houdini is , being written for filming by Columbia. The, title part will be played by Fred Keating, a brother magician, and he will use some of the original apparatus owned by Houdini*. ... * * * * 1 Sevenjyoar-old Virginia Weidley’s first role under her new Paramount contract was assigned to her recently. She will be in ‘Father Brown, Detective,’ in which Paul Lukas and Gertrude Michael are featux-ed. . Virginia Weidley is the ‘new child actress over which executives enthused when she recently finished the role of Einopena in ‘ Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch.’ » •* * Winston Churchill is preparing a short film showing the march of progress since the King first came to the thronef The picture will be finished in time for nest year’s jubilee celebrations. • * * » Harold Lloyd has decided to make more frequent screen appearances than hitherto. He will produce three pictures during the nest two years. The first, on which he has ; already started work, is based on a story by Clarence Buddingto i Kelland, who wrote ‘The Cat’s Paw - .’ »■♦ « » Following/Lis appejirance as Charles U. in ‘ Nell Gxvynn,’ Cedric Hardwicke will star in a new British aind Dominions production based on- the" life of Judge Jeffreys. The picture, which is entitled the ‘. Hanging Judge,’ will introxice Sir Cedric in the character of the man whose persistent and ruthless cruelty gave rise to the name of the “ Bloody Assizes.” * « '* * Fred Astaire, well known on the London stage fox' Lis brilliant dancing, has signed a three-picture contract with RKO Radio. • The contract ends speculation 'as to Astaire’s return,, to the stage, and definitely establishes hinx as a successful filth actor on the basis, of merit. .’ * * */ * Norma ■ Shearer will xnost likely appear in another costume picture, * Nancy Stair.’ It is a Scottish story set in the time of Robert Burns,, who is one of the characters in'the film. Following ‘ The Barretts of Wirapole Street,’ and ‘ Marie Antoinette.’, this will be Nonna Shearer’s third consecutive costume film.<k * • * The Dickens spate continues. The latest news is that Frank Lloyd is to direct ‘ A Tale of. Two Cities for box. Warner Baxter has been mentioned, for the part of Sidney Carton. Alternatively, the studio may tx’v to t borrow. Ronald Colman or Leslie Howard. Ihe role Was played, by William Farnixm in a silent version.

Elizabeth Bergner one of the living actresses, will appear m Me Never,’ ‘in the stage version ot which she scored one of the greatest personal successes seen on the stage for years. Practically e\e,j film company in Hollywood has been anding for the services of Miss Beignei, Scularly since her film triumph m the Great.’ The film which will be made fit Elstree. has already been guaranteed release throughout New Zealand. In common with every picture Miss Bergner has a P?^ d d ‘Escape Me Never will be directed p her husband, Dr Paul Czmner, and it will probably go info production towards the end of this month.

•* * * I * The settings of ‘ Henry VHI.’ and o . Catherine the Great ’ were designed by Vincent Korda, who has been responsible " for raising tbe quality of British film settings to hereto nnknown heights. Vincent Korda is nI ? alt ■: whose' paintings have a considerable vogue in Europe, and whose colourn anl imaginative technique is particularly suitable to the film. He spent two months exploring Spain and painting m numerable studies for the r^ th commg London film production, He. l Life ot Don Juan, which will stai Douglas Fairbanks. These sketches and paintings brought back to England the beauty and spirit, of old Spam the courtyards and market, towns ot which have changed almost imperceptibly in the last 500 years, The sets .designed from these studies surpass in beauty and magnificence, anything hitherto attempted ,by London film productions. .‘The Private Life of Don Juan, .which was directed by Alexander Korda, has one of the most fascinating and miferent plots ever, brought to the screen, and will be released by .United Artists.

Stars who appear at previews and other., events attired in accoutrements appropriate only in the sanctity of the boudoir recently aroused the. justified anger of Margaret Lindsay. She did not mind voicing her irritation, since she has a reputation for being decidedly outspoken. “In the privacy of her o\vn home an actress has a right to dress,as she pleases,” Miss Lindsay said, “but when she appears in. public carelessly dressed she is destroying the most valuable thing a motion picture actress possesses—glamour.” In her invective Miss Lindsay described the lack of grooming of some of her co-workers as “ sheer laziness,” and it is her belief that if Hollywood women wlfb offend have not the intelligence to correct the fault, some action .should be taken to remedy the situation. Most actresses are incClcukms about their appearance; and it is pnly an “ unfortunate ” minority that goes to public pkcea poorly groomed.,

Eiissa Laxuli, newly-assigned Paramount player, may soon appear on the screen in musical pictures. The actress, just finished making ‘ The Great Flirtation,’ is now preparing to enter the leadixxg role of 1 Yours to Command,’ under the direction of James Flood. Miss-Landi recently, disclosed the fact that she is beginning to study singing with Nina Koshotz, grand opera star. Several years, ago, in Loudon, slxo 'waq started well towards a career ns a mezzo-soprano of promise wlibn she gnve.it up for dramatic acting.

‘ Ax-e You a Mason?’ which was translated from the German play of Leo Dietrichsteiu by Emanuel Ledbrer, and first produced on’the English stage in 1901 at the Shaftesbury Theatre, is one of the most popular and- successful farces ever presented on the stage. The story deals with the various attempts of Frank .Perry, a young married mail, to obtain , money from his mother-in-law, and the comedy situations arise from the fact that both he and his father-in-law have pretended to become masons in order ,to please their wives, when really they have spent their. evenings on wild parties instead of .attending their Masonic meetings. This picture will shortly be seen in Nexv Zealand.

Zasu Pitts’will play the immortal, Miss Hazy in the forthcoming screen production of ‘ Mrs Wiggs of the. .Cabbage Patch.’ • Pauline Lord? distinguished. actress pf the theatre, . will make her screen debut in the lioincspun classic. Miss Lord, long sought after; by: Hollywood, signed Tier • .first film' contract .because of a life-long yearning to portray Mrs Wiggs. W. G. Fields, Kent Taylor, and EvelymTVen,ahle are i others/.announced in the, featui'cd'cait.'l' -I I '' ,• * * ■ 'Admirers of Winifred Shotter will be glad to knoxv that they will' shortly have another . opportunity of seeing this charming and popular artiste; in ‘ Betty in Mayfair,’ a x-efreshing, typically British story which has just been coxnpleted. This will be Winifred’s first starring pai-t since 1 The Love Contract.’ ‘ Betty'Jin Mayfair ’is adapted from the popular - stage play 1 Lilies of the Fields.’ Playing with Winifred Shotter are Ellis ’ Jeffreys and Anthony Bushell. ■ Pictux’e-goei's will lie glad to see Anthony in this starring part, which, it is anticipated will provide him with wider scope than his former roles, which have been somewhat in the nature of “ bits and pieces.”

Charles Dickens wrote ‘‘ Great Expectations ’ the year after he moved to Gadshill.„ He had a tunnel constructed under the highway leading from his house to a chalet on the opposite side. It.was in the chalet that he did most of his writing. His stalwart figure was a familiar sight, as he tramped .through the Kentish lanes he loved so well, with his dog, Gurk, the mastiff, at his heels. In these romantic mnes of Kent, called- “ the garden of England," Dickens thought out the story of ‘ Great Expectations;’ which was first published in the ‘ Household Magazine,’ and. ran serially during 1860-61. ■ Dickens loved London, and could write of that great city and its people better' than anyone else. But he also liked the country, and frequently visited such places as Coblam, Gravesend, and Cooling, where the first part of ‘ Great Expectations ’ is laid. It is a curious thing that when he was a small boy his father was employed in Chatham Dockyard. Dickens was attracted by a largo house on a hill outside of Rochester. His father promised him that if he worked hard he might one day come to live in it. This, little

Charles never forgot, and it was this same house lie later owned. A distinguished east is featured in the film, ineluding Henry Hull, recognised as America’s leading actor. Phillips Holmes. Jane Wyatt, Florence Reed. Alan Hale. George Breakstone, Francis L. Sullivan, and many others.

Two perfectly natural' people appear in ‘Splendid Follows. ’ They-are Sir Charles Kingsford-Sinith -and Eric Colmau. Sir Charles appears for only a brief period, but shows the happiest

ease as ho ushers the family party into the Southern .Cross, Eric Colman moves well and speaks his voice being deeper than that of his famous brother. He; is ; the flying parson, a serious role’ in which lie stays most eornmendably. It is almost impossible to realise that this is his first screen appearance, 1 and Mr Beaumont's Smith is to be commended for his discovery. With liis usual happy knack for seeing, the essential of entertainment, Mr Smith presexlts ‘ Splendid Fellows ’ as a brisk and entertaining comedy. The

film has some moments of tensity, but thbse are very few. As a whole, the characters go along very happily, and very happily they should take the audience with them. Frank Leighton is the Englishman whose escapades cause his father to send him abroad, and Leo Franklyn is the servant who accompanies him. They arrive in Sydney by a cargo ship, and see night life under the guidance of the quartermaster. Through a series of incidents they drop iii with 'members of a country family who knew the "flying parson, to whom Frank Leighton has a letter of introduction. Tlie family, simple people,

with Frank Bradley as the father, have a charming daughter in Isabelle Mahon, and. well, of course, Mr Beaumont Smith makes clever use of the centenary air race for a thrilling sequence, and of the visit of the Prince. Beaumont Smith should have been flattered at the reception given his now picture, ‘ Splendid Fellows,’ at a Press screening last month. The film reveals the producer’s sincerity in scenario writing, and his aptitude for introducing into his sequences events of real-life and giving them a romantic colouring.

,). M. Barrie’s famous Scottish play, 1 livery Woman Knows,’ will he the St. .lames' Theatre’s Christmas attraction, commencing next Friday. With Helen Hayes in the role that won Xellie Stewart fame in the stage production when shown in Dunedin many years ago. this picture was on the 1935 schedule of Melro-Goldwyn-Mayer releases. .The film exchange authorities were prevailed upon to release the film for the holiday period, and the St. .lames has been fortunate to secure it.. The-.picture is described as one that hears comparison with no other.

Mona Barrie, statuesque actress of the Australian stage, has hcou assigned' her first loading screen role. It is in Fox Films recently-commended produc-. tion, ‘Twenty-four Hours.’ Miss Barrio was among a dozen Hollywood “ prominents ’’ tested lor the role of a woman who risks both her life and her reputation to save her army officer husband who has been convicted of treason. The.-action- of the story takes place principally in Paris and aboard ship. The screen play was prepared by Philip MacDonald/ author of ‘ The Mystery, of Aft- X,’ ‘ The Lost Patrol,’ and other, novels. ’

Ronald Column, makes a Iviumplinnt return to the screen ,at the Empire Tlieatre on Friday .next in ‘ Bulldog Drunnnoiul Strikes Dark ’—and 20th Century, could not have chosen a happier, vehicle for their new star than this thrill-packed sequel to the delightful ‘ Bulldog Drummond,’ which, brings him baefc. in'tlie 'characterisation most beloved of his fans, Column is his old, charming- self, and the script, which Nunnally Johnson prepared from the latest novel by H. C. M'Neile, creator of the dashing adventurer, is rich in that, suave humour which the star is so, excellent at putting across. ‘ Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back ’ finds the lovable adventurer returned from a big game hunting expedition to attend the wedding of his mt-witted fringe!, Algy, to a gushing young beauty named Gwen, and swearing off excitement for life. Lost in a London fog, ho wanders into a deserted house and finds .the body of a murdered man. When he returns with the police, ho is . baffled to find the sinister Hindu. Prince Achmed, apparently spending a quiet evening at homo with his daughter, Lady Jane? and her husband. Dr Sothern—all amazed at the'very idea of violence; When Lola Field, a beautiful, hysterical girl, comes to., him and sobs out a mysterious tale of an undo who had vanished from tho Oriental’s house, Drummond determines to solve the riddle at any cost—and calls in

the reluctant Algy to help him.' It would (je unfair to reveal the plot in further detail, but there are many thrills, suspense,’and laughter in this smart, fresh, swift-paced mystery thriller unroll. Column has never been seen to bettor advantage, and the remaining players, particularly Warner Gland as Prince Achmed, Loretta Voting as Lola, Charles Buttcrworth as Algy, Una Merkel as Gwen, C. Aubrey Smith as Inspector Nielson of Scotland Yard, and Kathleen Burke as Achmed’s daughter, are perfectly cast and turn in performances of uniform excellence.