SCREENLAND JOTTINGS

Evening Star, Issue 22032, 18 May 1935, Page 8

SCREENLAND JOTTINGS

Wallace Beery, Jean Harlow, and Clark Gable will be featured by Metro-' Goldwyn-Mayer in ‘ China Seas, based on the novel of that title by Grosbio Garstin, which Tay Garnett is scheduled to direct. The.,,supporting cast will include Lewis Stone and Charles Butterw6rth. Irving Thalberg will produce. ~» * , Constance Bennett, who is now appearing with Clark Gable in ‘ After. Office Hours/ has signed a long-term contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Miss Bennett recently completed work in ‘ Outcast Lady/ with Herbert Marshall. ■ ,*♦ * * According to a recent issue of the ‘ Electrical Times/ England, the Gau-mont-British Picture Corporation Ltd. consumes more power and lighting current than anv other British concern.' The bill for 1934 was only a few pounds short of £1,000,000.ii * * * * Sir Guv Standing, whose performance as Colonel Stone in Paramount’s., 4 The Lives of a Bengal Lancer has been hailed as one of the most outstanding of many months, has signed a new long contract with Paramount. Sir Guy Standing appeared on the London stage prior to the war, and after the armistice was a leading player on Broadway. He made his screen debut in 1 The Story of Temple Drake, and has appeared in 1 The Eagle and the Hawk/ ‘Midnight Club/ ‘Death Takes a Holiday/ ‘ The W itching Hour/ ‘ Double Door/ ‘ Now and For-

ever,’ and ‘ The Lives of • a Bengal Lancer.’ The 60-year-old actor-baron is at present visiting London for the Jnbilee celebrations. «•* * ■ • ‘ Vampires of Prague,’ the Guy Endore-Bernard Schubert story, which Tod Browning will direct, is scheduled for early production at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. Tlic cast will be iieadcd by Lionel Barrymore, -lean Hersholt, Elizabeth Allan, Henry Stephenson, and Donald Meek.. * * ■-.* * ’ Preparations for ‘ The Passing of the Third Floor Back,’ which is, to be directed by Berthold Viertel, whose last film, ‘ Little Friend,’ proved one of the screen sensations of tho last year, are now almost complete, and the ■picture will take the floor at Shepherd’s Bush immediately.

Max Reinhardt, greatly daring, re- • cently ventured to name the 13 people whom be personally considers to be the world’s greatest screen actors and actresses. They are Janies Cagney, Charles Laughton, Marion Davies, Greta Garbo, Paul Muni, Bette Davis, Robert Donat, Marlene Dietrich. Kay Francis. Katharine Hepburn, Edward G. Robinson, and ijcslic Howard. :** * * , Apart from the affront-to their professional ego (most motion! picture stars want to dominate their vehicles), there exists in Hollywood a definite and understandable fear of teaming with others. It is considered bad business by a player of great importance, who has achieved high rank by individual effort, to suddenly share that prominence more than once with a player of the opposite sex. For this reason Marlene Dietrich refuses to duplicate her leading men. Thus in her last eight pictures she was supported each time by a different actor. In her current film, ‘ The Devil is. a 'Woman/, the last she is to make under the direction of Josef Von Sternberg, the blonde Continental star is supported by Cesar Romero —a comparative unknown, but with a creditable Broadway career behind him. The Paramount star will also _add a new nationality to the long list of, roles which, have cast her as Russian. Hungarian, German. English, and French women, and in her latest starring picture she portrays a, Spanish character. *i* * * ‘Behold My Wffc/ a powerfully dramatic film, adapted from Sir Gilbert Parker’s book, ‘ Translation of a Savage/ is the next the Regent, starring Sylvia Sidney and Gene Raymond. Miss Sidney, who has played a

variety of nationalities in her screen career, is this time cast as a beautiful Indian maiden, and she brings all the charm,- all the petite wislfulness to the role that audiences have come to expect of her. She is more than capably supported by Gene Raymond, who plays opposite her. The cast also includes fl. B. Warner, Laura Hope-Crews, and Charlotte Granville. Gene Raymond is cast as a wealthy son of wealthy, parents, madly in love with a girl from what Ins family' regards as a “ lower social stratum.” Their efforts to break up the affair drive the girl to suicide, and Raypiond. heartbroken but infuriated, leaves his home vowing vengeance. Numbed by his tragedy, he drives his car grimly across the country to crash it finally in New Mexico. There he meets Tonita, the Indian girl, who nurses him back to health and incidentally falls in love with him. To re-

venge himself on his family he decides to marry Tonita and take her back to bis “ exclusive ” family as his wife. This he does —and what follows is sometimes grim, sometimes amusing, sometimes tragic, but always intensely interesting, with a dramatic denouement. Miss Sidney’s brilliant performance is a satisfying climax to her work in other outstanding pictures. She is always fresh, always charming, and, above all, always sincere, Raymond gives a magnificent performance, and H. B. Warner as usual is suave and convincing, while the work of the supporting east rounds off an entertainment as interesting as it is unusual. * * * * Gary Cooper discards his familiar role of soldier and Anna Sten becomes a modern American girj in Samuel Gpldwyn’s production of ‘The Wedding Night,’ which will shortly be released by United Artists. The film, a dramatic romance, depicts a situation familiar, to a l]—revolt of the younger generation' against the dictates and commands of the older generation. Cooper, as a famous author whose ability has been lost in the mad shuffle of New York parties, drinking, and night life, goes to his Connecticut home to rest and seek inspiration for a new book. He meets and falls in love with a farm girl, played by Anna Sten, who looks after his home when his luxury loving wife leaves him to return to gay New York. * ■ • • • Constance Bennett and Herbert Marshall are co-starred for the first time in ‘ Outcast Lady/ which will head the new programme at the St. James Theatre next Friday. ‘ Outcast Lady ’ is a, screen adaptation'of ‘The.Green Hat/ the novel which set all Eng-

land talking a few years ago, and made the name of Michael Arlen famous. It is a modern story and enshrines in somewhat lighter style that strangely universal appekl to compassion which made ‘ East Lynne ’ famous both as a stage play and story. In the title role the vivid personality of Constance Bennett dominates the cast, enriches the action, and captures the sympathy of patrons as completely as anything accomplished by George Arliss in his historic masculine roles. It is a study in pathos, characterised by tho delicate surety of touch for the shading of sentiment in which the English stage excels, and which produces effective seeming simplicity. In tile character of Iris March, reckless \of self in her loyalty to family and friends, she sets and suffers for a standard, of honour as a “gallant gentleman ” which compels the puzzled admiration of her intimate friends, but wrecks her happiness. _ It is a fascinating story of a feminine Don Quixote of the twentieth century. The complicated emotions evoked by the experiences through which Iris March passes gives Constance Bennett fine opportunity for sympathetic acting, and the picture is said to be a triumph for her. * * # * When Carole Lombard, blonde siren of the screen, was signed to play the litlo role in ‘The Gay Bride,’ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s satiric comedy of the post-prohibition era, the announcement was received by persons “ in the know ” on show business as being one of the cleverest casting scoops of the year. Miss Lombard was unanimously conceded to be the most suitable Hollywood star for the leading feminine role in the rapid-paced comedy which attracted wide attention when first published in a national magazine under the title of ‘ Repeal.’ The picture is now at the Strand. The blonde star curtailed a European vacation 'to accept the role, virtually stopping at the gangplank to rush back to Hollywood from New York by airplane. The contract was signed when she arrived in the cinema capital. ‘ The Gay Bride ’ marks Miss"Lorabard’s initial appearance under tho M.6.M. banner, where she joined the (roster of such noted players as Greta Garbo,'Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer. Jean Harlow, Jeanette MacDonald, Helen Hayes, and other feminine stars. The|,notable cast assembled for the hilarious film includes Chester Morris in the male lead, Leo Carrillo, Zasu Pitts. Nat Pendleton, Sam Hardy, and Walter Walker. The production was directed by Jack Conway, who last scored with ‘The Girl From Missouri.’ Amusing “ inside glimpses ” of the lives of American expatriates in Paris arc gained in ‘ Paris i

Interlude.’ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayey’s hilarious comedy romance, showing in conjunction with ‘ The Gay Bride ’ at the Strand. Fashion salons, gay cafes, the art colony masquerade ball, and other lilting episodes enliven the colourful picture, in which appear Madge Evans. Otio Kruger, Robert Young, Una Merkel, Ted Healy, -and others of note. x * * * It must have been too much practice in private life which caused 50 extras to ruin a gambling scene in Paramount’s ‘ Father Brown, Detective,’ which is now at St. James Theatre, with Walter Connolly, Paul Lukas, and Gertrude Michael featured. Gertrude Michael, Paul Lukas, and the 50 extras were in a gambling salon set which was supposed to be raided by the police. Instructions were given that all but Lukas and Miss Michael were to be caught. The action went quite naturally up to the point where the call of “Police! Raid!” was sounded. Before the men who played the part of the police could break into the set, every one of the extras had made a, get-away, leaving Lukas and Miss Michael, the two wlio were supposed to escape, as the only ones on whom the police could lav hands. ‘ Father Brown, Detective,’ is y the screen’s version of Gilbert K. Chesterton’s famous stories of the little, ambling priest. With his umbrella and a piece of chocolate in his pocket, he catches England’s most sensational diamond thief. An outstanding item on the supporting programme now showing at St. Janies Theatre is a film featuring the world-famous Dionne quintuplets. Exclusive screening rights of this production have been secured by ..Sir Benjamin Fuller. The feature does not merely provide scenes of the babies, but introduces their parents, the doctor under whose care they are, and many other interesting sidelights on how they are looked after. « * ' * * Reuniting the great producer-director combination which made motion picture history with such films as ‘The Covered Wagon,’ ‘ Old Ironsides,’ and others, the new Jesse L. Lasky-James Cmze production ‘ Helldoraclo ’ opens at the Grand Theatre on Wednesday. Here, it can safely be predicted, is a picture which will take its place in

the memorable series of screen stories produced by Lasky and directed by Craze. Now an important producer for Fox Film, Lasky has, in this thrilling new film, assembled one of the most notable casts of the year. What is more, he has found a narrative that for originality, drama, and colour has not been equalled in seasons. ‘ Helldorado ’ is the story of■ a group of eleven stranded strangers, .cut off from the world by cloudburst and Hood, who find adventure and romance in an abnn- ’ doned California ghost town. ' More particularly it is the story of a beautiful young heiress, the millionaire who is about to marry her, and the footloose young adventurer who teaches her that she. is just a woman after all. There is a modern gold rush as a climax to this vivid story—with armies of hungry gold seekers sweeping down upon the old deserted town, now but a shell of former glory. Craze, who has a particular flair for stories with a sweep, apparently has found ‘ Helldorado’ much to his liking, for he has turned out a big ■ picture—wide in scope, sympathetic in characterisations, free and driving and colourful in the flow of its narrative. Richard Arlen and Madge Evans play the young adventurer and the heiress with ■outstanding skill. , « • » » The star with the greatest fofjowing in the world is to make all 1 his pictures in colour in future. Walt Disney, creator of the world’s own Mickey Mouse, has decided that Mickey will from now on appear on the screen in the beautiful technicolour which has always been used with his Silly Symphonies. The diminutive star will make his colour debut on the Screen in ‘ The Band Concert,’ which will be released shortly with ‘ Clive of Jndia.’ The making of a Mickey Mouse picture is an intricate and laborious process, puzzling to the layman. Each production requires as much effort and detail as the average feature film in which living actors are 1 used. The chief obstacle to colour success was colour fringing—< the lack of distinct outline where one shade touched another. This has been overcome by the high precision of the photography now employed, which registers not only the primary colours but their various secondary combination with fidelity and smoothness. Mickey Mouse in colour is another big step forward in the development of the great entertainer, the cartoon film. United Artists will release ‘ The Band Concert.’ « • m » Shortly to be seen throughout New Zealand is Fox Films’ ‘ One More Spring.’ the third picture in which Janet Gaynor and Warner Baxter have been teamed, and both of their pre-

vious joint productions, ‘ Daddy Long Legs ’ and ‘ Paddy the Next Best Thing,’ were highly successful. In their new picture, which was directed by Henry King, they have a strong supporting cast, which includes Walter King, Jane Harwell, Roger Imhof, Rosemary Ames, Grant Mitchell, John Quaelen, Nick Foran, and Astrid Allwyn. It is. a Winfield Sheehan production. ,** * * Madeleine Carroll’s Me of “ Pamela ” in * The Thirty-nine Steps ’ promises to be an amusing and interesting one. Her first appearance in the story is when she is forcibly kissed by the deperate Robert Donat on the express from London to Edinburgh. Further scenes will show the two co-stars handcuffed together escaping for dear life from crooks across the damp, dark Highland moors and the amusing predicament when the two of them, wet through and loathing each other, are forcer! to spend the night still handcuffed, in the draughty bedroom of a wayside tavern. Others in the cast of ‘ The Thirty-nine Steps ’ are : —Godfrey Tearle, Peggy Ashcroft, Frank Cellier, Helen and many others. The picture was directed by Alfred Hitchcock.