FILM AND STAGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 196, 18 July 1935, Page 10

FILM AND STAGE

Action And Romance. “This is the picture—and this is the character—hy which I should like the public to remember rue.” Ronald Colman made this official statement upon completion of “Clive of India,'” his new starring vehicle for 20th Century Pictures, which comes to the Regent Theatre on Saturday and in which he plays the title role. Darryl F. Zanuck’s first millioh-dollar production, the picture is adapted from the smash London stage hit of the same name, by W. P. Lipscomb and R. I. Minney. The story covers the life of Robert Clive, who by his own audacity rose from a clerk in tho East India Company to become the conqueror of an Empire at 26. and became England’s greatest hero. Stressing the beautiful romance between Clive and the lovely Margaret Maskylene, to whom lie proposed by letter after seeing her picture in her brother’s- locket, the drama shows how the man’s private life influenced his public life, and how his star fell when the woman who loved him had drifted from his side. The production, contains faithful reproductions of such historic scenes as the Battle of Plassey, Clive’s trial in the House of Commons and the horror of the Black Hole of Calcutta. Loretta Young plays the lovely Margaret, while Colin Clive, Francis Lister, C. Aubrey Smith and Cesar Romero are also prominent among the film’s seventy-two principals.

Farce and Thrills. As the fastest, merriest farce for a long time, with laughs galore, “Lightning Strikes Twice,” now showing at the State Theatre as part of a big double feature programme, proves to be a peak Hollywood comedy of the year. The story is an unusual combination of the comic and melodramatic. It deals with the day’s experiences of a wealthy, man having his one last fling with a friend before his fiancee and his aunt arrive on the scene, and whose butler has a horror to cats. To this last point is keyed the laughably exciting “murder mystery” interwoven with the main theme. Also showing is the story of “The Phantom Light,” a GaumontBritish thriller. The novel properties of this'play are finely supported by the convincing atmosphere the picture presents of a lonely lighthouse on the rugged coast of Wales —an unusual setting in which niost of the action takes place. It is this eerie

remoteness, the cry of the gulfs, the sigh of the -wind, the fog wraiths drifting, the tiny, winking lights on distant cliffs, the something seemingly alive in the whispering wash of the sea that spurs imagination to liveliest anticipation of tragic happenings. The plot is cleverly unfolded.

.lean Parker, star of Sequoia, plays the feminine load in “Murder in the Fleet.” “The Roundabout.” by J. B. Priestley, was staged for two nights this week by the New Plymouth Little Theatre Players. Max Reinhardt’s film of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” has been cut to 12,500 feet. It will take more than two hours to show.

Love In The Air. For Paramount's stirring picture of adventure and romance above the clouds, “Wings in the Dark,” coming to the Rosy Theatre oil Saturday, Myrna Loy and Cary Grant have been cast as flying sweethearts in the costarring roles. Miss Loy plays a thrillseeking aviatrix, while Grant acts the role of a scientist of the air. His life work is the perfecting of blind flying and piloting devices that will make flight absolutely safe. The two are first brought together when Miss Loy’s brazen attempt to cash in on the publicity of Grant’s trans-Atlantic flight forces his withdrawal from the project. He attempts the flight again, but is blinded by an accident and flees to the woods for solace. Miss Loy, who has learned to love him, follows him to his hide-out, brings him one of the famous “Seeing-Eye” dogs, and helps him to regain his self-respect and. interest in his work. Just as Grant is convinced that his experiments are reaching their climax he loses his ’plane because he

lacks funds. As a last desperate gesture, Miss Loy undertakes a MoscowNew York flight for .enough money to enable Grant to complete his work. The flight is completed safely, but only through Grant’s last-minute heroic efforts, during which he confesses his love. Melody and Comedy. Carl Brisson and Mary Ellis, Paramount’s two premier singing stars, are brought together in the leading romantic roles of “All the King’s Horses,” a blend of melody, comedy and romance, which comes to the Regent Theatre on Saturday, July 27. Miss Ellis, one of‘the foremost singing and dramatic stars of the London and New York stages, makes her bow to the New Zealand film public in “All the King’s Horses.” Assisted by a east that includes Edward Everett Horton, Katherine De Mille, and Eugene Pallette, these two enact the story of a king and queen whose public life interferes with their ro-

mance. The king sneaks off to try the gay life of Vienna and leaves a double in his place. When the queen mistakes the double for His Majesty and the king can’t be found, a royal crisis threatens. But it all comes out all right in the end, to the accompaniment of tunes by Sam Coslow and dance routines designed by Lc Roy Prinz.

Charlie Chaplin has finished his now picture and is now supervising its cuti'ting. The comedy is set for release this ! I month, hut Chaplin is too good a busi- ! ness man to start the picture, which is • Iyet without a title, in the summer ! i (says an exchange). He probably will . wait until the. autumn before releas- > ing it. Paulette Goddard is the leading lady.

Beauty And Music. The outstanding impression left by “My Heart is Calling,” the GaumoiuB.ilish picture, starring Jan Kiepura, winch begins at- tlie State ’Theatre on Saturday, is one of beauty. Beauty ot music, vocal and instrumental ; beauty of personality and graceful self-expression; beauty oi scene. The fine voice of Jan Kiepura was never used to better advantage in a popular number than in the theme song “My Heart is Calling Lou,” whne his rendition of “lou, Me and Love” has assuredly establish Love” lias assuredly established world-wide popularity for an attractive song. In Marta Eggertli, Gau-mont-British Iras given the picture-go-ing public another accomplished actress for which the screen is the better. Not least among Miss Eggertli’s screen attractions is her graceful dancing. It would appear that no Jan Kiepura picture could be completely satisfactory without that vigorous laughter-maker, Sonnie Hale. On his capable shoulders rests the lion’s share of the comedy and in “My Heart is Calling” the action practically turns upon the rapid succession of eruptive brain-waves possessing the soul of the irrepressible Itosee in his struggles to keep his professional head above water. Youth and Romance.

The opportunity presented by a superb screen story, a splendid supporting ca6t and intelligent direction, has given us a Loretta Young more sure of herself and thoroughly convincing as a mature actress who has fulfilled all her early promise. It is this happy combination which makes the First National picture, “They Call it Sin,” which opens at the Kosy Theatre on Wednesday next, an outstanding and delightful piece of entertainment. It is a story of youth and mixed romances in that always romantic and colourful setting of Broadway, with its musical shows, pent houses and night clubs. There has been a fortunate avoidance in this picture of all the clinches generally perpetrated against this background. Instead, we have a new and up-to-date view behind the scenes of show life and the people who make up the great metropolis. The freshness of the story material is in itself a worthwhile achievement. A plot of unusual merit has been beautifully worked into a fast-moving actionful typo of movie. A Matinee Thriller.

Thrills week after week with one of the greatest stories of the West ever told are promised by the State Theatre management, who announce the coming of “Rustlers of Red Dog,” starring John Mack Brown, which is regarded as the most sensational picturisation of the winning of the West since “The Covered Wagon,” “Rustlers of Red Dog” is a chapter play, one episode of which will be shown each week lor twelve weeks at the Saturday matinees onlv and commencing on Saturday next. The mighty days which held the activities of mighty men lias long been a favourite subject lor writers and motion picture studios. But seldom lias an incident been unearthed that is as replete with adventum, excitement and mure stirring sagas of the plains, “Rustlers of Red Dog.” vividly pictures the struggle of tiie early settlers with the Indians and the much greater menace, the bad men who preyed upon their own people and even after the redskins were beaten, fought the civilisation that followed the pioneers. Each chapter as it reaches the screen of the State Theatre each Saturday reveals new obstacles in the path of the men who fought their way to an empire.

Joan Crawford is appearing in a film called a word which means “the fear ol confined space.” George Eliot’s “Silas Marner” is to be filmed with Lionel Barrymore in the title role.

In 1936 Yehudi Menuhin, the 18-year-old violinst, will go into rctirotor the purpose of rest and study. He will appear on the concert platform again in 1937, his bookings taking him up to 19-10. lan Hunter, the English actor, will play in “The Girl from Tenth Avenue,” with Bette Davis. He is also in the cast of “Jaina.”

James Whale, the English director, who directed “Journey’s End” and “Bride of Frankenstein,” will direct “Show Boat.”

The Wanganui Repertory Theatre presented a programme of one-act plays recently. These were: “The Waxen Man,” “Two Naughty Old Ladies” and “Moysey,” a New Zealand play. The society will stage “Ambrose Applojohn’s Adventure” for three nights this month. Lyle Talbot has been chosen to replace William Cargon as Marion Davies’s leading man in “Page Miss Glory.”

Edmund Lowe plays for the fii-st time the role of father of a grown boy in “The Black Sheep.” Tom Brown is the son and others in the cast arc'Claire Trevor, Adrienne Ames, Herbert Miindin, Eugene Pallette and Ford Sterling. “The Patsy.” revived a few nights ago, will !>e the last production at the Sydney Criterion Theatre, which is to be demolished. Agnes Doyle, the young Australian, takes the title role, in which Irene Homer appeared in New Zealand some years ago. At the close of the season Miss Doyle will leave to try her luck in Hollywood.

Charles Laughton, finishing “Mutiny on the Bounty,” will return to England to star in “Cyrano de Bergerac,” it is said, ii! which the dialogue will be in rhymed couplets. Also in “Mutiny” are Robert Montgomery, Clark Gable and Donald Crisp. Elizabeth Allan and Dudley Digges are in the cast of “A Tale of Two Cities,” in supporl of Ronald Colman. Brian Aherne is being tested for second lead. Rehearsals are under way for the new comic opera, “My Kingdom for a Cow, 1 ’ which is to be produced at the Savoy Theatre, London. This js an adaptation by Reginald Arkell of the text of Vambery. The music is bv the famous German composer Kurt Weill. Author and composer have worked out the opera together in Paris, but the English adaptation will be seen before any production in the original language. Herr Weill is the composer of many operas and comic operas, which have been performed all over the Continent. In one of them his librettist was Jacques Deval, the author of “Tovarich,” which recently reached its 50th performance at the Lyric Theatre. “My Kingdom for a Cow” will be his first introduction, however, to the London theatre public. Darryl Zanuck’s lavish production of the Victor Hugo classic, “Les Miserables,” will bo released shortly. In this powerful film Fredric March, Charles Laughton and Sir Cedric Hardwick share honours. Richard Bolesawski directed the picture from a screen play by W T . P. Lipscomb. Rochelle Hudson. Francis Drake and John Beal have featured roles, while also prominent in the supporting cast are Florence Eldrklge, who is Mrs Fredric March in private life, Jessie Ralph, Ferdinand Gottsclialk and little Marilynne Knowlden.

Strong Dramatic Story. The elaborate talking picture version of “Bella Donna,” starring Mary Ellis, Conrad Veidt and Sir Cedric liardwicke, which is now showing at tho Regent 'Theatre. is undoubtedly the most colourful and interesting handling of this famous subject the screen lias yet witnessed. Most people are familiar with Robert Hichens’s famous novel, but the film version emphasises the struggle between Dr. Isaacson (Armine’s friend who opposes his marriage) and Bella Donna, and also the fatal frascitiation which Baroudi has for Bella Donna. Earlier adaptations of this story concentrated more on Bella Donna’s rage at discovering that Armine would not. after all, succeed to a peerage, and her decision, to get rid of him by poisoning, whereas the talking picture version stresses the angle that Bella Donna attempts to poison Armine at Baroudi’s suggestion, in order that she might go to him. Mary Ellis, of stage and operatic fame, makes her screen debut in the title role of “Bella Donna,” a part previously made famous by Pauline Frederick and J’ola Negri. Opposite Miss Ellis is Conrad Veidt as Baroudi, the fascinating but unscruplous Egyptian, and Sir Cedric Hnrdwicke plays Dr. Isaacson, Bella Donna’s implacable enemy. AVitli such a famous trio allied to brilliant staging, a strong dramatic story and infinite care ill pro-

duction, the success of “Bella Donna” is a foregone conclusion. Realistic, and lavish Egyptian sequences are. an outstanding feature of the film. Drama of a Millionaire. The story of a double murder is the theme of of the picture, “Upper World,” which comes to the Kosy Theatre on Wednesday next. The picture is based on the thrilling novel by Ben Heclit, famous author and playwright, who points out that philandering love affairs and bloodshed can happen in the highest society as well as in the realms of gangdom. Warren William, portraying a millionaire railway magnate, who becomes involved with a chorus girl when neglected by his socially . ambitious wife, heads a large cast of talented players. Stately Mary Astor has the role of his wife, while Ginger Rogers is the burlesque queen for whom ho sets up an apartment in which the killings take place. There are many thrilling incidents, in addition to the murder episode, includ-

ing the rescue of a girl washed out to sea hv the tide and the crashing of an airplane in which the millionaire and liis inamorata: arc keeping a tryst.

Marie Provost, Ben Turpin, Chester Conklin and Ford Sterling are making a combined reappearance in a tworeeler called “Keystone Hotel.” All of them are old Keystone Comedy players.

The screen version of William J. Locke’s widely read novel, “The Morals of Marcus Ordeyne,” had a highly successful preview at the Prince Edward Theatre, London, recently. Adapted for the screen by Guy Bolton and Miles Mander, the film marks the British screen debut of the Mexican actress Lupe Velez, who went specially to England to play the leading role.

NOTES AND JOTTINGS.

Robert Donat will be starred in the talkie version of “Captain Blood.” Joe Brown’s next comedy will be fitted with music. “Back to Broadway” it is called. Irving Berlin’s latest- contribution to modern melody consists of a series of songs written for ‘ ‘Top Hat,” the latest Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers starring vehicle. These titles give promise of Berlin at his best—There ' are “Cheek to Cheek,” “White Tie and Tails,” “Get Thee Behind Me, Satan.” and “Isn’t This a Lovely Day to be Caught Out in the Rain?” “Gay Masquerade,” a musical comedy with the tenor Tom Burke (husband of Marie Burke) in the leading male role, ran only three nights in London. Claudette Colbert’s current picture is “Natural Velvet,” a story about a sweepstake. ' . A picture called “Chain Letter, based on the craze of sending letters round and rpund the world in geometrically increasing proportions under threat of dire penalities if the “chain” is broken is to be produced. The next Eddie Cantor picture will be called “Hurdy-Gurdy.’* Anne Grey, wife of Lester Matthews, has been signed to play opposite Laurel and Hardy in their latest comedy “Bonnie Scotland.”

I Hollwood is preparing to welcome a ! new juvenile actress Carol Ann Beery, I five-year-old adopted daughter of Wali lace Beery, who will make her film debut in “China Seas.” | Edna May Oliver, who scored with '• her performance as Betsey Trotwood lin “David Copperfield,” will play the j part of Miss Pross in “Oliver Twist.” | “Mom” is the title of Alice Brady’s i next picture. She appears as a cook ! who unexpectedly inherits a title. | Douglas Montgomery. June Clay worth, and Alan Mowbray arc also in the cast. I Clarence E. Mulford’s western fiction hero, “Hop Along Cassidy,” will bei come a motion picture star, under the j terms of a contract Just signed, | Charles “Chic” Sale, who is famous 1 for his portrayal of old men on the I screen, has been cast to play the part lof Abraham Lincoln in “Malice Toward None.” Lewis Stone lias been offered the role

of Pontius Pilate in “The Last; Days of Pompeii.” He will accept, provided he is through with his work on “Manhattan .Madness” in time.

The next production at the Ga,te Theatre Studio, London, is “The Trial of Oscar Wilde,” which Hugh Ross Williamson has adapted from the text of Maurice Rostand. The French version is at present running in Paris, where it is having a big success. The play deals with incidents of the Is ter part of Wilde’s life. The scenes are a supper party at the Savoy, the trial itself and the final act is set in Reading Gaol. The part of Wilde will be taken by Frank Pettlngell, who makes up extraordinarily well as the poet. Harold Young has another important part and Norman Marshall will produce. The settings are being designed by Roger Furse.