Prison Picture Gives Inside Story

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6626, 12 August 1931, Page 5

Prison Picture Gives Inside Story

An “inside” story of prison life in both possible meanings of the phrase forms the basis for First National’s talkie drama coining to tlic Palace tonight, “Numbered Men.” •'in tbis picture, which screens with “College Lovers,” for the first time, camera and Vitaphone explores the real truth behind prison outbreaks, politics and abuses. The “honour system” is also dealt with. Director Mervyn Lo Roy spent several months inspecting Baii Quentin, Folsom and other famous prisons/ before filming this version of Dwight Taylor’s startling stage play. Conrad Nagel) Bernico Claire and Raymond HackCtt aro featured in the picture. A fine supporting cast is ficaded by Ralph luce, Tully Marshall, Maurice Black, William Holden and George Cooper. “Number Men” is primarily a tensbly dramatic and human love story with a tremendous emotional punch for its denouement, and the realistic prison life is merely its background.

v. . Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer’s “ Stepping Out,” which will be shown at the Palace . Theatre on August 22, is purely a matter of laughs... Reginald Denny, Leila Hyams, Charlotte Greenwood and Cliff Edwards, the -principal characters in tho comedy, see well-to, that! The new picturo is a story of Hollywood’s amateur, movie-makers, lured by the possibility of. making a fortune with one picture—and the girls who want to “co-operate” with the men.behind-the purse-strings. Denny and Harry Stubbs play the two unfortunate - millionaires, with Miss Hyams and Charlotte, Greenwood. aS the two - wives. Miss Bond plays Cleo the vamp -and Merna Kennedy the part of her . partner'in mischief. .

Celery courses are out o fscrecn dinners as far as Director Robert Z. Leonard is concerned. The crunching of celery in a scene “Five and Ten,” Marion Davies’s new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring film, drowned out the dialogue. Leonard had to have the noisy course eliminated.

Jacques Feyder, French director who recently finished his first English dialogue production, Ramon Novarro’s " Daybreak, ’ ’ will again direct Novarro in "The Son of the. Rajah.” This picture is scheduled to go into production in the near futuro at the Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer studios.