FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 23451, 16 December 1939, Page 5

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

by ‘ f Loiterer ,,

STARS AND THEIR HOLIDAYS "Rush Jobs" for Headliners Three Weeks is a Luxury Philadelphians Observe the Sabbath - A latter from Columbia Studio* (Los Angeles) tells how.quite a number of the stars are going to spend their holidays. There are one or two unfortunate persons who have to run through on a picture even although other* are enjoying their vacation, it is going-to be a busy week-end this Christmasy as there is ; Sunday, on which all the picture show* are busy; there are four, five, and six screenings a day in the theatres In U.S.A. Philadelphia-is the only city which observes a quiet Sunday similar to,that of New Zealand. This is- because it is a Quaker city, and has always been what the Americans term a “ Blue Law City.” If the people in Philadelphia want to go to a show they drive 90 njiles to Atlanta City in their high-pqwered ears, this bejng only one and a-hialf hours’ drive. Play days and holidays,for the studio people, are. just the same as they are for other working people—-they all have their favourite resorts, their-beach houses, or their ranches. Of course, they probably have a good deal more to spend than-the average Zealander—they, earn'higher salaries. Christmas Day in the West-Is, a balmy summer day. Jusfout *f Los Angeles, at Passadena, there.is held the Parade of, Roses; this Isa lovely‘sight—a wonderful procession of cars and chariots air be-decked-with beautiful summer flowers, mainly roses. The--Little Theatre.Groupls there, and itis-»n this city—lo miles from Los Angaleai-that. a great many scouts pick out the future 1 propremising stars.

'Howorar, let us, see .what the stars are doing this Yuletide. ... Barbara' Stanwyck, who has - just completed ‘Golden-Boy* for Columbia, is to , spend- her well-deserved rest on her ranch at Santa .Monica with her . bus-, band, Robert‘ Taylor, She .breeds very ; fine racehorses, and is eagerly awaiting ' race day—Now: Year’s Day—at Acqua ■

; four-year-old daughter Dorothy,- and • going -to revel in ■the sun aha bathe m ’the briny at Burbank. ■ Popular Jean: Arthur is married to Frank Boss, jun., a ,flourishing : builder in,.Los .Angeles. They- are 'making a hasty trip by plane to,New York for the 'festive season, but- will , be ■ back in :Ho!lywood on New Year’s -Day, as ■ Miss

Caliente, where she hopes that at least two of her horse* will win praise. Joan Blondell and Dick Powell have two. charming ; Dick is going to play Father Christmas this year at their home in Beverley Hills. Joan aay* little Norman Scott, aged three, hu been a perfect angel for the past month. They are not going away this year, aa Joan is busy working on a delightful comedy entitled ‘ The Incredible Mr Williams.’ . ■, Melvyn Douglas, who is. Joan Blondell’* co-star in this picture, is married to a charming young lady, Helen Qahagan. ,He married her: after he made his stage debut, but it was only two years ago that they took a belated honeymoon round the world. This holiday will <be spent at their beach house in Santa Monica, with Peter, a six-year-old.. Tennis is Douglas’s favourite •port, and he hopes to indulge this year. , Penny Singleton and her , husband, Dr Laurence S. Singleton, have a summer house at Burbank Beach. Burbank is about 125 miles out of Los Angeles. They are leaving their Westwood home for a few days with their'

Arthur must start another picture the following day. Lew Ayres, as most people know, is married to Ginger Rogers, but they have been separated ■ for a few years. Mainly it seems on account of Miss Rogers’s going ahead so fast and Lewbeing at a standstill for a year or more. However, this must now be at. an end. Lew has certainly staged’ a come-back. Perhaps it is a coincidence that both Miss Rogers and Mr. Ayres, are going to Atlanta City for Christmas. Miss Virginia Bruce ’ and her husband, J. Walter Ruben, who is also well known in Hollywood, ; have arranged for three weeks’ vacation.,They aeg considered l very lucky, as this is rather difficult in Hollywood.’ They are taking this opportunity to go a little further afield than usual, and will probably go over the border into Canada, although so,,far this is not certain. It seems the stars wish to retain a deep appeciation of home life and spend Christmas together'this year. There seems to be little or no talk of world cruises and the dike. Probably on account of the European strife and the increasing insecurity of others’: lives—if not their own.

Jottings on the peopl* pf the Stage and Screen and on the latest recorded Musle.

WEEPY MOVIES ARE POPULAR DIRECTOR STAHL LIKES TO “ MAKE ’EM CRY" Tie war has caused an alteration of production plans, but it will not mean a serious limitation of enterprise (remarks a Hollywood writer). More bright pictures may be expected than were originally intended, but there will be a plentiful supply of “ sob stories.” Director John M. Stahl believes that the films which make women weep bring the best results at the box office. Hollywood has' lost much of its foreign market as a result of the war, and naturally will give more, attention than ever to the taste of the American public. Stahl is one of those who claim to know the tastes of the people. “ Make ’em weep,” he told me. “ Women enjoy a good cry, when they are crying about someone eise’s woes, and when a picture makes them reach for their handkerchief or choke back a sniffle it will be a success.” That, briefly, is Stahl’s box-office formula, and, with a few exceptions, he has adhered rigidly to it for more than 20 years of moviemaking. ‘ Back Street 1 of eight years ago was a box-office triumph. So was ‘ Imitation of Life.’ These films, and a dozen other outstanding hits of the tearful variety, bore the Stahl trademark. His few efforts at lighter drama have not been nearly so successful — because Stahl’s heart is in a good cry, not, in a laugh. “ You can easily forget that you laughed at the big fat man who slipped on a banana .peel,” he said, “ but what pulls at the heart strings t stays in the memory for a very long time. A heart-tug is a hundred times more effective than a loud guffaw. I know, because I’ve tried them both. “ Men may scoff at a very sentimental tale, but that’s all right with me. I know that the women like to cry, providing their emotions are worked up in a reasonable, logical manner. And I’ll eater for the women every time- “ Women give show-shopping a lot of thought. Men are inclined to be casual, and thus are easily led. They buy the tickets,- of course, but women lead them up to the chosen box office. “ Screwball comedies, Westerns, and biographical super-spectacles are all right in their place,” he said. “ Bui I don’t want them. I’ve spent most of,my time in ,the movies making women cry, and, believe me, it’s a good business. I don’t intend to stop at this late age.” SHE CAN TAKE IT PART FIRST-APPEARANCE SECOND Bette Davis lias never balked at having her natural beauty marred if a situation demanded it. An acquaintance visited Miss Davis on the set of ‘ The Sisters,’ her latest Warner Bros, picture, just after the actress supposedly had survived an earthquake and fire. She looked sick and distraught; her hair was. in disarray ; her features were streaked with grime; her voluminous clothing was dirty and torn. “ Don’t I look awful P” she remarked as she called over her wardrobe woman to apply a little more synthetic dirt to her clothing. Bette looked just as she described herself. A thin coating of oil held the dirt and grime to her face, and in places showed through, adding to her disreputable appearance. But she didn’t mind; in fact,, she obviously enjoyed it. Bette has never in her screen career voiced a word of objection to the makeup department’s “ wrecking crew,” socalled because they are artists at destroying whatever natural beauty a player possesses. Quite the contrary, she offers suggestions to aid the artists to “ mess up ” her face, as she describes it. “ Why shouldn’t IP” she asks. “ I’m no raving beauty. You can’t do justice to a role and worry about your looks at the same time.” That is one of the secrets of Bette’s success as a dramatic actress. Always she worries about her performance first and her appearance next. It won’t be her fault if in ‘ The Sisters ’ her appearance as a refugee is not convincing. Less hardy and less talented young ladies of the screen might insist they could - convince audiences of their condition by sheer force. of dramatic appeal, but not Miss Davis. “ If you’re supposed to have just come through an earthquake and fire you should look the part as well as act it,” she contends. They can continue to do what they will to my face and my costume as long as the roles are worth it.”

PLANS CHANGED DEANNA DURBIN CANCELS LONDON TRIP Wav-compelled cancellation of her command performance before British royalty in London has caused a hasty revision of Deanna Durbin’s film plans. Instead of vacationing end travelling on completion of ‘ First Love,’ the singing star went immediately into her next vehicle, ‘.lt’s a Date.’ ; William Seiter was engaged by Universal’s Joe Pasternak to direct the picture, and the writing staff worked overtime to complete the script. ‘ I’s • a Date ’ will be distinguished from previous Durbin, productions in that the main portion of the locale will be in Honolulu. The entire company may be taken to the Island for the Hawaiian sequences. On completion of 1 It’s a Date,’ Deanna will take a well-deserved holiday, probably of several months’ duration. In early February she will make her long-deferred film with Charles Boyer, war permitting, as the Frenchman, now in Paris, is a member of the armed reserve. Under present plans, this will be a costume production in technicolpur.

WESLEY (HIGGLES TO DIRECT COMEDY Wesley Ruggles announced that, his first production for Columbia will be a gay romantic comedy, based on the successful stage play, ‘ Too Many Husbands.’ The comedy will star Jean Arthur; Fred M'Murray, and Melvyn Decision to produce a comedy at this time, Ruggles stated, is the result of an extensive survey recently completed by Columbia' pictures to ascertain the current public trend in screen entertainment. “ During periods of stress of' war.” Ruggles continued. ‘ the public leans strongly toward high gay comedy—the type of picture which affords relaxation and enjoyment. While good comedy is always delightful to behold, it is particularly in public demand when conditions are somewhat depressing ‘ Too Many Husbands ’ keynotes the delight of a young woman who finds herself being courted by two husbands, both of whom are unwilling to give her up. In the midst of her enjoyment of the novel situation the law steps in and hilariously complicates matters, i

SIX-SHOOTERS—BOOT HILL ASSOCIATIONS OF DODGE CITY Dodge City, the soutli-western Kansas (U.S.A.) town, glorilied by the Warner Brothers’ Studio in its tcchni-colour production, ‘Dodge City,’ cams into existence because its site lay just five miles from Fort Dodge and was just at the edge of the military reservation, so liquor could not be sold legally there. Within two years Dodge City, originally named Buffalo because it was the centre of buffalo hunting activities on the western plains, had mushroomed! into the “ wildest and woolliest ” town on a steadily advancing western frontier. Hardly a day passed without its gun battle, and between 1872 and 1878 ninety-odd men and two women who came out second best in six-gun encounters on the dlusty streets and in saloons and gambling halls were buried in Boot Hill Cemetery, on the outskirts of the thriving little cattle town. Up to the turn of the century, Dodge City owed its prosperity to two things; it was the shipping point of millions of buffalo hides and then for more millions'of longhorn cattle. Then someone discovered that the soil of Kansas produced the finest wheat, and Dodge City became the centre of a vast agricultural area. It is the picturesque period of Dodge City’s colourful history before the turn of the century that Warners glorified in their big techni-colour production. Errol Flynn, the reckless buffalo hunter and cattle train driver, who becomes sheriff of Dodge City, might have been any one of half a dozen peace officers who survived solely because of their nerve, speed, and accuracy with the Colt six-shooter, the universal side-arm of the western frontier. There were many of them in the old days when justice was carried in a leather sheath on either the right or the left or both hips. Wyatt Earp, who died not long ago in Los Angeles, was one. Bat Masterson, famous of the three Masterson brothers, was another. Fred. Sutton was one of them, too, as were Tom Marshall, Pag Subhrue, Ham Bell, Chalk Beeson, and Bill Tilghman, who died in harness only a few years ago after bringing hundreds of outlaws, gun fighters, and bad men to justice. Dora Hand, one of the two women who were buried on Boot Hill because the conservative element of Dodge City would not permit her a Christian burial, has her counterpart in Ann Sheridan, Bruce Cabot’s sweetheart and hostess at his prosperous Gay Lady saloon and dance hall. Little of the pioneer Dodge City remains now. About the only thing left standing to remind the 10,000 citizens of the thriving town of its past is the cemetery on Boot Hill. But even that has changed. Once on the outskirts, of Dodge City, it has been completely surrounded by the growing city. BOY MEETS GIRL OTTO KRUGER IS EXPERT IN APPROACHES Thousands of ingenious methods have been devised for boy meeting i girl, but according to Otto Kruger, who speaks from experience, the field is still wide open to exploitation. Kruger became so impressed with the unusual manner in which a hoy may meet a girl that, in collaboration with his stand-in, Richard Foster, he has written a satirical book, ‘ Seven Approaches to Boy Meets Girl,’ now in the hands of the publishers. “ The first meeting, one of the most important factors in any courtship, always piques interest,” Kruger explained when questioned. “ Take my present picture, * Scandal Sheet,’ for instance. The meeting of the boy and the girl took place long before the story actually starts, but the. audience is given enough of its background to make the ‘ boy meets girl ’ motif of intriguing interest.” Kruger added that he had drawn upon his own stage and screen experience in outlining the various methods by which a boy can become acquainted with a girl. “ Writers have shown remarkable inventiveness in bringing boys and girls together. Sometimes they depend on heroic rescues or.mutual dislikes as the attracting ingredients. More often they have their hero and heroine meet under unusual circumstances which excite immediate interest and establish their characters, either as rugged individualists or average citizens.

“ Oddly, in all my experience on both stage and screen, I have only ' once met the .girl through the time-honoured and old-fashioned manner of personal introduction. This is so unusual that it immediately brought a gasp from the audience. “ Since most stories depend on a hoy meeting a girl you can understand that it is an important element in every story. In fact, in my mind it is so important that the only way I could get it out of my head was to write a book on the subject.” HITCHCOCK-LAUGHTOH DUO Alfred Hitchcock and Charles Laughton seem to have met in a padded ring for ‘ Jamaica Inn ’ with Laughton taking the decision, the water-cooler, the resin box, and everything else he could carry. It’s his picture, not Hitch’s. It would require a fingerprint expert to find a single Hitchcock touch on-it —beyond that remark of Basil Radford when he arrives on the scene to find the mad Sir Humphreys .climbing the ship’s rigging: “ What’s the squire doing np there?” he asks of no one in particular, and thereafter it didn’t matter one way or the other to us whether the old squire intended to jump or wait to be shot down. Except for that, it might have been the work of any one of a dozen other first-rate melodramatists who have a sense of camera, the knack of telling a direct story, the inability to resist the blandishments of a vastly amusing actor who also happens to he the producer’s partner. Air Laughton must have had things pretty much his way in ‘ Jamaica Inn,’

AUTHOR SATISFIED WITH SCREEN ADAPTATION A truly gratifying and thrilling instance of a great book being transformed into a great motion picture is offered in Darryl F. Zannck’s production of ‘ The Rains Came,' by Louis Bromficld, with Myrua Loy, Tyrone Power, and George Brent sharing honours. As a novel, this powerful story of human emotions at the breaking point and human lives at the climax while the angry forces of Nature ravaged the earth, proved one of the outstanding best-sellers in the British Empire and the United States, as well as in France and the Scandinavian countries. How successfully and how faithfully Darryl JSanuck has transferred to the screen this fascinating story set in the colourful, mythical city of Ranchipnr, India, is reflected in a statement made by Louis Bromfield. “ This is my story and these are my characters,” wrote the author. “.As a novelist, 1 am grateful for the privilege of seeing this book come to life. In my opinion ‘ The Rains Game ’ is a great picture. I should like to express my gratitduo to Darryl F. Sanuck and Director Clarence Brown who recreated it with such astounding fidelity.,”

STAGE NOTES

SHIRLEY ANN RICHARDS FOR DUNEDIN WITH DON NIGOL IN AUSTRALIAN COMEDY , COMPANY To open a Dunedin season on Boxing Day will he the Celebrity Comedy Company. an Australian troupe, which will present during its stay two comedy plays _ entitled ‘ Charley’s Aunt ’ and ‘Up in Mabel’s Room.’ There has not been an outright comedy company in Dunedin for many years, and this return of flesh and blood artists will provide a most refreshing innovation, which no doubt will meet with ite full measure of appreciation. ’ Leading comedian is Don Nicol, who will be remembered by Dunedin theatre patrons as the comedian of ‘ White Horse Inn and ‘ Balalaika.’ His inimitable style Is too well known to require recounting to stage followers. Prior to this engagement he was appearing in Sydney and Melbourne with Marie Burke .in a revival of ‘ Wildflower.’ Hist work in . ‘ Charley’s Aunt,’ according to northeni viewers, is particularly fine, and eclipses those

any film “ fan ” will readily agree. The leading Australian feminine film star. Miss Richards is making her first of the Dominion, and her presence with the company will be a strong reason why the show should be popular. Those who remember her flawless acting in ‘ Dad and Dave Come To Town,* with the redoubtable Bert Bailey; jtha leading lady in ‘ It Isn’t Done,’ with Cecil Kellaway opposite; in ‘Lover* and Luggers,’ with Lloyd Hughes; and in ‘ Tall Timbers.’ will be only too anxious to see this engaging personality in person in such a role as she-plays in ‘Charley’s Aunt.’ Phil. Smith is another trouper who' needs no introduction to Dunedin audiences, and has'been seen here on many notable occasions. He was the principal comedian with-the (Royal Comic Opera Company, and will be remembered* in, ‘ The Arcadians ’ and ‘ Maid of the Mountains ’ with Gladys Moncrieff. Principal character actor and- producer is Charley Albert, who was one of the original “ Pollard’s Juveniles,”and has made, more recent fame with Gilbert and Sullivan and the ‘ White Horse Inn ’ company in New Zealand. s Mary Duncan, Alathea Siddons, and Leal Douglas are three versatile artiste who toured New Zealand - with Irene Purcell in her ‘ The Women ’ company, which was here quite recently. A newcomer to the Dominion is a Londoner, Norman Barrington, ,who has been associated with such well-known - artist* , as' Dame Sybil • Thorndyke, Mathesoa Lang, and Sir Seymour Hick*.' Maisia

previous successes on other popular visits to New Zealand. It is undoubtedly, if one can believe the critics, a masterpiece of farce. Leading lady is Miss Shirley Ann Richards, also too well known to need introduction, through her appearances in many Cinesound film productions, and indeed a refreshing personality, as

and Mr Hitchcock, in all probability, had no compunction about surrendering the teacups he usually throws whenever one of his actors sticks his head an inch beyond the melodramatic lino he has chalked. For Mr Laughton is a persuasive chap. He has persuaded us, for example, that his Squire Pangallan is so richly drawn, so charmingly repellant, so unashamedly phony that he is sufficient excuse in himself for whatever he may have done to interrupt and slacken the course of the melodrama. Hitch has done his best in all the other sequences to hurry things along, but the moment the squire hears his cue he takes the bit in his mouth and champs it and champs it. .And that, since we relish Mr Laughton enormously and never more than when he is moving under a full head of costume and putty nose, is all right with us.,

Wallace, who was here with the ‘ Hollywood Hotel ’ company; Lane Patterson, a gmart newcomer from the London boards; and last but not least, John Fleeting, who was the accompanying lead with George Wallace in his latest Cinesound triumph, ‘ Gone to the Dogs,’ complete the company. As can be seen from the impressive list of principals, the Celebrity Comedy Company should have no difficulty in living up to : its name. There are celebrities aplenty, and critics maintain there is comedy, too, so that Dunedin audiences will look forward with some impatience to the'time when they will make acquaintance with Shirley Ann Richards in the flesh, to say nothing of the remainder of the company. First presentation will be ‘ Charley’s Aunt,’ while * Up in Mabel’s Room ’ will ■ form the change of programme.

Harry Bauer, the talented French actor, makes one of his rare-appear-ances in a British picture in : ‘.Th» Rebel Son,’ which is shortly to be-re-leased by United Artists. Supporting . Bauer is a strong cast. headed by Roger Livesey, Anthony Bushell, Joan Gardner, and Patricia Roc. The film is based on the famous book by Nicholas Gogol. •