PALMERSTON PICTURE PROGRAMMES

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6620, 5 August 1931, Page 12

PALMERSTON PICTURE PROGRAMMES

KOSY THEATRE EEX BEACH THRILLER BROUGHT TO TALKING SCREEN The first story ever sold on a royalty basis for motion picture production was “The Spoilers," according to information brought to light by Paramount during the recording of this famous thriller as an all-talking picture. It begins today at the Kosy theatre. It was in 1913 that Sclig was first approached by Ecx Beach with an offer to sell the story for the screen. Negotiations between the two wero conducted by John Pribyl, literary agent for Sclig, who was somewhat; astounded when Beach demanded £025 for the screen rights. The figure was unprecedented in the industry. An agreement was finally reached whereby Beach was to receive a certain royalty of the gross returns. He subscciucntly realised a fortune from the deal, receiving many times the amount ho had first demanded. The story lias since become one of the greatest pieces of motion picture property in the industry Paramount secured the screen rights through Edwin Carcwe, who bought them as a personal investment several years ago. Carcwe directed the production as,a modern sound picture of elaborate scale for Paramount, with Gary Cooper featured, in the east. PALACE THEATRE MOVIE COMEDIANS SURPRISE THEMSELVES You never can tell until you try. An old adage, but again proved true in the case of Charlie Haggles and Natalie Kingston, tiiat pair of romantic comedians who appear with Clara Bow in that star’s latest hit, “Her Wedding Night," which as a Paramount picture shows at the Palace theatre to-night. Rugglcs and Miss Kingston found they could do things for laughs they had never done before, while making “Her Wedding Night," and without trying. They discovered, to their own surprise, that they were acrobatically talented. Directed by Frank Tuttle, tho two comedians went into a scene in which Miss Kingston w'as to faint and Rugglcs was to catch her and hold her up. They were instructed to “make it funny." The scene was to climax when Rugglcs loaded the inert form of Miss Kingston on a carpet sweeper and dragged her from the room. All went forward with reasonable smoothness until Rugglcs, struggling to support the relaxed Miss Kingston, slipped and fell, with her crashing on top of him. Director Tuttle refused to believe the fall had been unintentional, and on the next “take" ordered them to do it again. Countingtwo “takes" each for the long, medium and close angles, Rugglcs and Miss Kingston did their fall six times. Now they arc Toady to go out as the opening act on any vaudeville bill.

AT THE REGENT TOO MANY LAUGHS IN “TONS OF MONEY” The critics’ chief objection to the British Dominions comedy, “Tons of Money,” coming to the Regent theatre to-night, was that there were too many laughs and that it had a far too damaging effect on the ribs. “Tons of Money is an all-talking adaptation of a farce-comedy that did over 700 performances at its initial presentation in London. Ralph Lynn, Mary Brough, Yvonne Amum) and other members of the original cast appear in the talkie, which incidentally was directed by that priceless master of comedy, Tom Walls. The title of tho latest British comedy derives its significance from the fact that the central situation concerns Ralph Lynn and the, literally speaking, “tons of money” willed him by a sensible relative who went oIT to Mexico and, after a tussle with a bunch of bold, bad hombres, lost interest in money and its goods and evils. Lynn is absolutely wonderful in his difficult role, while Mary Brough and Yvonne Airnaud need no introduction. Tho latter, it will be remembered, appeared opposite Tom Walls in both his recent successes, “Or. Approval” and “Canaries Sometimes Sing.” It is certainly safe to say that “Tons of Money” is superior, for the number of laughs contained anyway, to anything previously turned out by British studios—and that’s faying a whole lot. Residents of Palmerston North should not throw away a real good laugh by missing “Tons of Money.’’ The plans arc located at the Central Booking Office, phone 7178.