BOTH NEWCOMERS

Evening Star, Issue 23527, 16 March 1940, Page 5

BOTH NEWCOMERS

DEANNA’S TWO LEADING MEN

Deanna Durbin has two leading men in ‘ First Love,’ both entirely new to the screen. The newcomers are (Robert Stack and Lewis Howard. Stack is a Los Angeles boy, while Howard hails from New York.

Both boys are just approaching 21, and neither has had extensive stage training. Stack appeared in a halfdozen “little theatre” presentations around Los Angeles, while Howard, who attended Columbia University, New York, had some experience in college dramatics before appearing in two plays in New York City. - Stack was chosen as the romantic interest in the picture and as the first man to deliver a cinematic kiss to Deanna. It was producer Joe Pasternak’s reasoning that the man with whom Deanna first falls in love on the screen must be an unknown player so that there would be no prejudice, one way or another, in regard to him. Howard, who plays the role of Deanna’s lazy cousin, has black hair and green eyes. He stands 6ft 2in, and has a shock of unruly black hair. His role is largely comedy in ‘ First Love.’ Helen Parrish, Eugene Pallette, June Storey, Leatrice Joy, Marcia Mae Jones, and Charles Coleman complete the cast. ‘ PINOCCHIO ’ DISNEY'S SECOND FEATURE CARTOON A little less than two years ago Walt. Disney and liie staff were in the throes of completing their first feature length production, ‘ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ A glimpse of early rushes had convinced the Disney organisation that feature-length pictures for them were beyond the. experimental stage, an actuality, and immediately ideas for the second Disney feature poured in. An overwhelming number of people throughout the country, suggested Gollorli’s famous story of ‘ Pinoechio.* , For the benefit of the few who were not introduced to - the delights of story ; fconcerns an old woodcarver named Geppetto, who creates a little puppet boy of pine; Because the kindly, old man loves children,, and has neydr had ,»ny-.of'his own,the Blue Fairy ‘ Pindfcchio,’ suffice it tb : say that the brings the marionette to life to be_ a son to him. The fairy tells Pinoechio, however, that he cannot become a real boy until he’ has proved himself worthy. Pinoechio is ’a very mischievous boy, and addicted to lying. Every time he tells a lie his nose grows and grows. The rest df the story concerns the mischievous Pinocchio’s scrapes and adventures before he becomes worthy of .being Geppetto’s son. Now two years nave passed and Walt. Disney is about to give the world another delightful hour and a-half filled with the adventures of Pinoccio. ENDORSED MOST SUITABLE FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN As an outcome of a private screening of the motion picture, ‘ Rulers of the Sea,’ a representative of the Film Appreciation Committee , of the Secondary Schools’ Association, has circularised the following endorsement of the film, which has been directed, in bulletin form, to all prominent school masters in the Dominion:

“ This is not a war-time picture, but a fictional story dealing with the first crossing of the Atlantic by steam. Frank Lloyd permeates his film , very effectively with the tang of the sea, and Will Fyffe gives a fine interpretation of the old Scottish engineer, Shaw, who believes in steam as the motive power for ocean-going vessels as well as for coastal boats, and battles valiantly against vested interests and conservatism to perfect his model engine. Eventually, encouraged and aided by exmate David Gillespie (Douglas Fairbanks, jun.), sees his invention triumph in a thrilling Atlantic crossing before his death. . The film is notable for its inculcation of high moral values.”

No release date has been set for the presentation of this picture to the NeW Zealand public, hut the Wellington office of Paramount Pictures indicates that it. will come shortly after Easter, and that it will be presented .on a spectacular scale. There is no doubt, that it will he one of the important pictures of the year. Frank Lloyd, the producer, lias made nothing but impressive pictures. !