FILM AND STAGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 260, 1 October 1936, Page 7

FILM AND STAGE

Dramatic Spectacle. .tour great stars, a cast of ten thousand, and a story that flames with the intensity of Sahara’s burning sands, “ r ing one of the mightiest spectacle dramas of motion picture history to the screen in “Under Two Flags,” coming to tiie State Theatre on baturday. Heading the list are lionald Colman, Claudette Colbert, Victor McLaglen, and Rosalind Russell, who lead a supporting cast of forty character stars and numberless extras. The setting of the story is a sunbaked post of Umpire on the edge of the Sahara. McLaglen is the hard-bitten commander of a battalion of Legionnaires and his outstanding soldier is Ronald Colman. McLaglen is the slave of the tantalising “Cigarette,” played by Miss Colbert. "When he discovers that she has given her heart to Colman, he comes to hate his subordinate. Colman, however, falls madly in love with the beautiful Rosa-

lind Russell. Sent to a fortress in the heart of Arab territory, McLaglen persists in putting Colman in posts of danger, hoping that his death will remove the obstacle between himself and Miss Colbert. Me recants of his deed, and goes to Column's rescue. Just as the entire force seems doomed, Miss Colbert leads reinforcements of legionnaires to their rescue, giving her life to send the man she loves back to another woman. A Fine Production. “The Scarlet Pimpernel” leaves the critic groping for superlatives. For this new production, returning on Wednesday next to the Regent Theatre, is unquestionably the finest British picture of the year. Leslie Howard is Sir Percy Blakeney to the life; the magnificence of the settings leaves one spellbound; Alexander Korda has achieved his greatest success as a producer; Merle Oberon is exquisite as Lady Blakeney. Leslie Howard’s performance is a sheer delight, and by far the finest lie has ever contributed to the screen. The foppish London clubman and the “demned elusive Pimpernel” are both portrayed by Howard with, incomparable polish, charm and resource. .The settings arc consistently fine; and the attention to detail is remarkable in such scenes as i the Grenville Ball, the outdoor boxing ring, and the guillotines in Paris and

Boulogne. The rest of the east is extremely competent—Merle Oberon is a delightful Lady Blakeney, Nigel Bruce a realistic Prince Regent, and Raymond Massey, sinister but real, is ideally cast as the villian Chauvelin. Lillian Coogan, mother of Jackie, is collaborating with scenarist Winniired Bunn on “Everybody’s Boy,” the first of a series of three pictures starring the new child player, Bobby Breen. A well-known company is planning a second 1:1m with the Bienne Quintuplets as stars. 'J his time it is con- | sidering including Shirley temple in i the cast —thus ensuring that tne picture will be a success. Production on the long-expected “Lloyds of London” is about to begin. Bon Ameche, C. Aubrey Smith and Sir Guy Standing have already been cast in the picture. Production has begun on “Fire Over England,” based on A. E. W. Mason’s best selling novel of Elizabethan times. First names in a brilliant cast are:— Queen Elizabeth, Flora Robson; Philip of Spain, Raymond Massey; Michael Ingolby, Laurence Olivier; Cynthia, Vivien Leigh; Burleigh, Morton Selten ; Elena, Tamara Besm ; Spanish Ambassador, Henry Oscar; French Ambassador, Lawrence Hanray. The first of what may prove to be a scries of films based on great operas has been begun at Elstrec. J Ins is “ PacliucciMax Scbaclis first piodaction. Karl Giunc is directing, and the cast includes Richard I aubci, Steffi Buna, Arthur Margetson, Diana Napier, Esmond Knight, Jerry Verne, and Arthur Ohesney. Albert Coates will supervise the translation of Leoncavallo s music to the screen, Monckton Hoffe and . Roger Bu l '| ol ' tl h written the script and John Dr.nkwator has done some °h W m-k en-lv Robert T. Kane will begin woik eaily in November oil iail fr , • m'he kaTr... C.V~o .ill bs played by a new French stni.

A Human Romance. “A Woman Alone” will be presented at the Regent Theatre, on Saturday. Co-starring Henry Wilcoxon, popular star of “Cleopatra” a.nd “The Crusades,” and Anna Sten—a new, real Anna Sten—this human romance is set in the picturesque surroundings of prewar Russia. This is a drama of a beautiful peasant girl who loved a man far above her station ... a captain of the regiment in which her fiance served. Both fought against the temptations of their love . . hut the dictates of the human heart are strange indeed

.... and this unique trio of lovers are thrown into a maelstrom of passionate intrigue. Much of the pageantry of the country has been recaptured, while the director has brought a number of quaint customs to the screen tor the first time. Many spectacular scenes are also featured in the production, such as a reconstruction of the St. Petersburg Barracks, a re-enact-ment of a wedding ceremony, a brilliant hall and a picturesque peasant festival. An Unforgettable Story. In a thundering dramatic spectacle that rivals the greatest of the screen’s achievements, “Under Two Flags,” which opens at the State Theatre on Saturday, brings to the screen Ouida’s unforgettable story of a man redeemed from the legions of the doomed by a woman’s love. The picture presents Ronald Colman, Claudette Colbert, Victor McLaglen and Rosalind Russell, with a supporting cast of ten thousand. Colman is a private in France’s Foreign Legion, loved by Miss Colbert. She. in turn, has captured' the heart of McLaglen. his major. When Colman, who has fled England to atone for his brother’s crime, falls in love with beautiful Rosalind .Russell, the tale begins to rise to its peak of dramatic intensity. At an isolated desert outpost, McLaglen attempt* to get rid of Colman by sacrificing him to the revolting

Arabs, but recants, and comes to the assistance of the cornered subordinate. The climax arrives, when their entire force faces extinction The production of Stephen Phillips’s great tragedy, “Paola and Francesca,” by the Dunedin Playbox, recently, was a great success. Negotiations have begun with AV. P. Lipscomb for the rignts of a story he has written, called “Limey Gubbins.” It is intended as a George Raft vehicle. Lenore Ulric, famous American stage star, will have an important part in Greta Garbo’s “Camille.” She was once the wife of Sidney Blackmer and has played in some films before.

Season Extended. Surrounded by a cast of Hollywood favourites and introducing'five new hit songs, Shirley Temple is setting a new high standard in entertainment in “The Poor Little Rich Girl,” the season of which has l>een extended till Friday at tlio State Theatre. Alice Faye, Gloria Stuart. Jack Haley and Michael Whalen all have featured parts in the film and Mack Gordon and Harry Revel, Hollywood’s most famous songwriters, have written a quintette of new numbers especially for the little star, including “When I’m With You,” “But Definitely,” “You’ve Gotta Eat Your Spinach,” “Oh, My Goodness” and “Military Man.” A Triangle Romance. Three of Hollywood’s most important romantic stars, Fredric March, Gary Cooper and Miriam Hopkins together with Edward Everett Horton, than whom there is no funnier, play the leading roles in the film adaptation of Noel Coward’s “Design for Living,” which is the next change at the Mayfair Theatre. The picture, which was directed bv Ernst Lubitsch, concerns itself with the romantic entanglements of three sprightly, light hearted artists. The triangular romance has its inception in a Parisian spring, and wends its hilarious path through London and New York before it reaches its bombshell conclusion.

Thrilling Background. Reproduction of the Hollywood Bowl ■ as the location of a film opera performance. marks a tribute from the screen ito an institution that has brought Hollywood fame just as have motion pictures themselves. For the Hollywood Bowl and its “concerts under the stars” are known all over the world. Great conductors from Europe, masters of music, such as Sir Henry Wood, Pierre Monteux, Stravinsky, Otto Klemperer, Hugo Hertz and others have conducted there “under heaven’s canopy.” The Bowl was reproduced to serve as a setting for “II Trovatore” in “Moonlight Murder,” the new mystery romance, with an operatic background, now showing at the ICosy Theatre. The story hinges on the murder of a famous tenoi as he sings before a Bowl audience. Chester Morris plays the detective who solves the mystery, assisted by Madge Evans. Leo Carillo portrays the tenor. Riotous Fun. The associate feature to “Moonlight Murder” at the Kosy Theatre, at present, is “King of the Castle,” a merry, modern “fairy” tale, made for laughing’ purposes only. The story tells of the riotous comedy complications that befall young Monty King, who inherits a castle, and Pullen, the butler that goes with it. But the next thing is to prove the inheritance, with Pullen—as lie himself explains—“pullin’ his weight” with a weird and wonderful array of brain-waves. Staged against delightful English countryside and castle locations, this film lias for its hero Monty King, a young clerk who turns out to he the missing heir to a peerage. The romantic development depicts liis victorious conquest of an American heiress, Marilyn Bean, despite active opposition from his employer, who stops at nothng to further his own suit.

j “’Hint Hostel Affair,” a thrilling mystery play, has been put into rehearsal by the Hamilton Playbox. Plans are being prepared to make a ; film based on the lives of the Wright Bros, the aeroplane pioneers, Orville , Wright, who is still alive, will assist with the production. . Mrs Enrico Caruso has given per- ■ mission for a film to be made of her ■ husband's life. The famous tenor’s i actual voice will be taken from records for use in the picture. Four performances of “.Outward ' Bound,” Sutton Vane's impressive psychological plnv, were given recently by the Dunedin Little Theatre Society.

Noel Coward Play. Ernst Lubitsch’s new picture, “Design For Living,” conies to the Mayfair Theatre as the next change. It lias for its leading players Fredric March, Gary Cooper, Miriam Hopkins and Edward Everett Horton and is an adaptation of Noel Coward’s sensational stage success of the 6ame name. Mo- , tion pictures have rarely attempted | pictures dealing with tlio subject of I “Design For Living.” On a Parisbound train, Miriam Hopkins, vivacious young artist, first meets the two men who are to change her life. They are George Curtis, also an artist, and Tom Chambers, playwright, played by Cooper and March respectively. Tom and George both fall madly in love with her. To further complicate matters, Miss Hopkins falls in love, too. Only she is too fond of Tom to tell him she loves George, and she loves George too much to hurt to tell him about Tom. After lengthy discussions, the problem is solved—but to explain how would he telling too much. Heroes of Aviation. The test pilots, unsung heroes of aviation, are held up for recognition of their valorous deeds in a film that is scheduled to open on Saturday at the Kosy Theatre. It is the drama, “Devil’s Squadron,” and it stars Richard Dix. Dick Grace, one of the world’s foremost aviators, who has come into the limelight for his hazardous stunting and crashing of ’planes for the movies, wrote the story. Test pilots do not take ’planes up for a gentle, level ride and then land easily. It is necessary for them to put the ’planes through the most difficult deathdefying stunts—tail-spins, rolls, power dives, etc.—so that every part of the

’plane is tested to the utmost. Featured with Dix in “Devil’s Squadron” are Karen Morley, Lloyd Nolan, Billy Burrod, Shirley Ross, Henry Mollison, Gene Morgan, and Gordon Jones. Most of the players are either licensed or student pilots in real life. Featured on the same programme is Buck Jones in “The Fighting Ranger.” Romance and Thrills. No more dramatic tin-ills ever were shown in a picture embracing the activities of G-Men than in the production, “Public Enemy’s Wife,” which comes to the Mayfair Theatre on Saturday. Yet the picture has a unique and unusual flavour, as in addition to the exciting episodes, there is a fascinating

romance between the ace German and the woman in the title role, the wife of a public enemy, although at the time she is the ex-wife. There is an unusually talented cast which includes Pat O’Brien, Margaret Lindsay, Robert Armstrong, Cesar Romero, Dick Foran, Joseph King, Richard Purcell and Addison Richards in the featured leads. The story by P. J. Wolf son is filled with fire and dynamite. It centres about the life of a beautiful and cultured young girl who falls for the blandishments of a handsome and magnetic youth nnd marries him, not knowing he is one of the loaders of a band of the country’s most dangerous crooks and killers.

The script of the film production “The Man Who Could Work Miracles” was written by H. G. Wells from his hook of the same namo. The cast is headed by Roland Young, Joan Gardner, Ralph Richardson, Ernest Thesiger, Robert Cochrane, and Lady Tree. The story revolves around the unusual and amusing consequences which follow when a humble village shop assistant, Fotlieringay, discovers that he possesses the power to work miracles. This ordinary and every-day individual finds himself the centre of incredible happenings. Idealists urge him to reconstruct the world, while reactionaries try to kill him. He becomes intoxicated with his own greatness, and finally stops the sun from setting and commands the earth to stop rotating. All is chaos, and F'otlieringay. wearying of his exalted position, commands that l the earth and sun shall revert to their former routine and that he shall lose I his power to work miracles.

“Waiting for Lefty,” by Clifford Odets, is to he produced by the Auckland W.E.A. “The Maid of the Mountains” '"■ill [follow “The Merry Widow” in MelI bourne, with Gladys Moncrieff in her old part of Teresa and Frank Leighton as Baldasarre (a non-singing role). Next in importance to the magnificent portrayals by Katherine Hepburn and the dramatic significance,of the Maxwell Anderson play, are the historic settings and costumes of “Mary of Scotland,” soon to be released. Approximately 45 sets were used in the picture. Queen Eliza-

betli’s lavish Whitehall Palace, the austere, picturesque Scottish castles —Holyrood, Fotheringay, Dunbar, ami Loch Leven—are reproduced in all their authentic splendour.

NOTES AND JOTTINGS,

George E. Stone is going to England to play in a film at Teddington. lan, Hunter and Claude Rains are in “Mistress of Fashion.” Pola Negri, star of the silent days, has signed to maks two films—“Mos-cow-Shanghai” and “Countess Volescu” —in Berlin. Kirsova will be the principal ballerina of the Ballet Company coming to Australia soon. “Yes, Madam P” the new musical comedy, is proving very popular in Sydney. Supporting George Wallace, the popular comedian, at the Majestic Theatre, Sydney, are Minnie Love. Nellie Small, Moreni Trio, and Marcelle Trio. An Ibsen play, “Hedda Gabba,” will l>e staged this month by the Wellington Repertory Theatre, with Leo du Chateau as producer. Three one-act plays—“ Shadow of the Light,” “Come Away, Death” and “Drums” —were staged by the Napier Repertory Players last week. Three one-act plays are being rehearsed by a group of Wanganui Catholic amateurs. Bonita Granville and Marcia Mae Jones, the two children who scored hits in “These Three,” have been added to the cast of “The Garden of A I- 1 lah,” in which Marlene Dietrich stars.