FILM NOTES

Grey River Argus, 20 May 1938, Page 12

FILM NOTES

FASHIONS ON A BUDGET! Gav bright clothes predominate in the budget wardrobe of Jean Parker playing the leading teminlne role m “Penitenitary”, in which Walter nollY and John Howard are also featured. Jean plays the wardens daughter, and necessarily her wardrobe could not be too expensive She and Robert Kalloch, designer at Columbia Studios, worked out an attractive collection of frocks based upon a limited budget. The clothes are very voting and gay, and feature styles that will predominate this season For travelling Miss Parker wears a brown tweed' collarless coat, three-quarter lengths, and a matching plain brown woollen skirt. Her blouse is yellow silk and features brown hand-stitching on the collar and front closing. She wears a brown oil-the-face hat and brown alligator shoes and bag. Another simple and youthful costume is one of blue background figured silk, with a slim bodice and pleated skirt which is stitched to the hipline. The collar and short cults are of creamy lace. A sheer woo! frock of deep hyacinth blue has a plain high neckline and long tight sleeves. The waistline is fitted and features th.ee half-inch handings of self materials that tie in tailored bows in the front. The skirt is circular and is laid in four box pleats in front. Jean completed the outfit with a long

blue wool fitted coat, matching hat and other accessories which also can be worn with her other costumes in the picture. “Conquest of the Air”: The London Films documentary drama of the history of aviation, is at last completed and one of MrKoidas first tasks on his return from America was the supervision of the final editing of this picture. The picture starts with the study of the .flight of birds and a summary of the earlj' attempts at human flight to be found in legend and mythology. From this it passes through all the phases of man’s achievement and finishes with an amazing prophetic reconstruction of the possibilities of flight in the future, based on the present day study

' of the stratosphere. The latter se- ' quence shows the vast metropolitan ! airport of the future sending out stratosphere liners to all parts of 1 the world and follows the flight of 1 one air-liner, which covers the dis- ’ tance between London and New York 1 in less than two hours. Although : "Conquest of the Air” may be termed 1 a documentary film, it has a strong ' dramatic interest as the many historical episodes connected with the ' invention of mechanical Hights have ' been re-enacted by a large and bril--1 liant cast of players. For instance, Laurence Olivier plays the part of Lunardi, one of the early balloonists, 1 and Margaretta Scott is seen as Isobella d’Est in the sequence dealing with Leonardo da Vinci. De Rosier,; the Brothers Montgolfier, Count Zeppelin, Morelli, Bleriot, Robert Cocking, Otto Lilienthal. Blanchard. Jeffries, Bacon, d’Ascoli, Wilbur and Orville Weight are just a few of the many characters played by well-

known artists in this film. “Conquest of the Air” was produced by Donald Taylow and directed by Alexander Shaw. ****** Production Boom: Production is booming at Columbia Studios, with five pictures now in work, several in preparation, and many elaborate sets being built. The present shooting schedule necessitated the employment of hundreds of carpenters, painters and technical craftsman working night and day in three shifts at the Gower Street lot. and the Burbank ranch. The five features include “Holiday” co-starring Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant, under the direction of George Cukor; the Frank Capra production, “You Can’t Take It You”; “Crime Takes a Holiday,” star- | ring Jack Holt; “Swingtime in the I Saddle,” starring Charles Starrett; and “State Patrol,” featuring Robert Paigne and Jacqueline Wells Also prominent in the cast of “Holi- - day” are Lew Ayres, Ddris Nolan, Edward Everett Horton, binnie Barnes, Henry Kolker, Jean Dixon and Henry Daniell. It is ah adaptation of Sidney Buchan and Donald Ogden Stewart of the Philip Barry stage play, and is being produced by Everett Riskin. Much of the current new construction, including the erection of a New York residential section and a prac-

ticable elevated railway 500 feet long is for the Capra production “You Can't Take it With You’ adapted from the Kaufman-Hart Pulitzer Prize play by Robert Riskin. To date three principals have been cast for this production which Capra will direct. They are Lionel Barrymore. Spring Byington and Ann Miller. Tom Sawyer Film: Mark Twain himself would have rejoiced to see on the screen his most famous book —“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”—his only living daughter declared yesterday following the world preview of the David O. Selznick technicolour production. The former Clara Clemens, now Ossip Gabrilowitsch, widow of the late Detroit orchestra conductor, dabbed at her still youthful eyes with a chiffon handkerchief, after the final fade-out of the picture, and reported: ‘■‘This brings' back vividly the long series of summer afternoons many years ago when my sister and I sat in father’s lap while he read us Tom Sawyer’s adventures, as they grew under his pen. That little Tommy Kelly was a wonderful Tom Sawyer! I cannot understand how a mere child could be taught, to give such a magnificent portrayal of the character. It must be that all boys are alike at heart. I must meet Tommy if it’s the last thing I do. I loved him on the screen, and I know father would have loved him too. He brought Tom Sawyer to life for me—exactly like tne Tom I pictured in my min-d while my father was reading the story." Mis Gabrilowitsch had a good word too, for Ann Gillis, who played the part of Becky Tly.tcher, for Jackie Moran, as Huck Finn, and Waite." Brennan as Muff Potter, and tor the director, Norman Taurog. But it was to May Robson as Aunt Polly that she presented her personal congratulations, in the forecourt of Grauman s Chinese theatre, after the shriw. “If you were older, I would be sure you had met my grandmother, who was the original of Aunt Polly," Mark Twain’s daughter said. Mrs Gabrilowitsch, a handsome woman in her sixties, but who looks much younger, is in Hollywood incognito, writing her third book, volume of reminiscences concerning her famous husband, who died nearly two years ago She also has written a book of memoirs concerning the writing habits of her famous father, whose constant companion she was during his later years. She rememoers well the things he did, and, more important, the things he said.

“My father was always regarded as a humorist,” she said, "but he Was not always that. Many a morning, we would find he was in a black rage after reading the papers, riot at us, but at the world. Then he’d prop himself up in bed and write furiously, until he had turned out an article ex posing whatever injustice had attracted his attention. I fear if he were alive now, he would be in one of those rages almost every motriing Perhaps, if he were, his writing might help to correct some of the injustices in the world to-day.” Mrs Gabrilowitsch said she believed her father would have liked Hollywood, and would have interested himself in motion picture production. "He was always a keen student of new things,” she said. “I’m sure he would have been fascinated by this wonderful modern method of exchanging and spieading ideas.”

NOTES. Wardrobe costs for Samuel Goldwyn’s “The Adventures of Marco Polo,” which stars Gary Cooper and introduces the Norwegian discovery Sigrid Curie as his leading lady, amount to 150,000 dollars. Every player, from start to extra, had to be fitted in the costumes of the 13th century China. ******* Joe E. Brown has dished out heaps of film fun in his' career, but rarely has he been as ..generous with his helpings as he “Wide Open Faces” shortly to be released in New Zealand. As an amateur detective, Joe can get into plenty of trouble and his current story finds him in just such a role. He gets mixed up with the underworld quite by accident, and in no time at all, th,? situation is well out of hand. Such able and attractive performers as Lyda Roberti, Alison Skipworth., Jane Wyman, Alan Baxter. Lucien Littlefield and Barbara Pepper do much to enhance the general merriment. 3flc ik * » • » Victim of his first Hollywood’ movie fan rush, Charlie McCarthy is a wiser and a warier dummy. It happen-

ed, of all places, on a sound stage at the Samuel Goldwyn studio Edgar Bergen, his ventriloquist boss and co-worker, had brought Charlie to the stage to make their first technicolour test for "The Goldwyn Follies.” Samuel Goldwyn’s technicolour musical extravaganza. Ballerinas from the American Ballet, hoofers of the chorus, electricians, grips, props and cameramen were on hand? The moment Charlie popped out of his travelling case.they staged a concentrated rush and surged around him like fans at a premiere. Studio watchmen from other stages had to be called in to help restore order so the test could go on. Since in “Over the Moon”, her second picture, Merle Oberan inherits several million dollars and dashed down to the Rivera, set builders, architects and carpenters at the Denham Studios are busy building the newest thing in yachts and furnishing it as befits a modern-day heiress. In addition to creating several de luxe cabins, the builders are also constructing a cocktail lounge and an intimate dancing saloon.

Somewhere in New York City, Francis Lederer and his recent bride, Margo, are absolutely “lost” to the world —and hoping no one can find them. The couple left Hollywood recently for a belated honeymoon, and declined to make known their exact plans or whereabouts lest either or both be hurriedly summoned back. It was their first opportunity for. such a sojourn. When the two were married last October, Lederer was being featured with Madelaine Carroll in Columbia’s "It's All Yours" and Margo had just previously appeared with Ronald Colman in Frank Capra’s “Lost Horizon’” at the same studio.

Women’s hats, which have gone to extremes in size, shape and contour, will revert to more sensible lines in the winter, according to a fashion forecast by Robert Kalloch. The pergoda and pergola pinnacles of ' last season will go into the closet, Kalloch states. "Hats will be either extremely small, or extremely large,” he declares. “All will cast a shadow, and crowns will be shallow. “Furthermore the veil will go!” Kalloch states that, styles will be influenced by the parkas and other styles of the American eskimo. The East Indies and Spain will also provide inspiration for both millinery and clothing, he adds. Kalloch has just finished designing costumes for Joan Biondell, Mary Astor and Frances Drake for the forthcoming Columbia comedy, “There’s Always a Woman.” “Clean, classic lines will prevail in the new outfits,” Kalloch continued. “Three and four colour combinations will not be unusual. For example, I have designed Miss Blondell a dinner dress in four colours, with black floating chiffon skirt, flesh chiffon top with sapphire and jade chiffon sashes, and coral jewellery ”