The Current Vogue For Film Sequels

Northern Advocate, 22 April 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

The Current Vogue For Film Sequels

The season for film sequels seems to be in full swing, and no sooner do characters endear themselves to film audiences than they reappear some months later to delight fans with more adventures. The fact that old favourites never die, as it were, is continually being proved by the everlasting success of serials such as Tarzan and Speed Gordon, and the adventures of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck will never be boring.

The greatest number of reappearances are staged by William Boyd as Hopalong Cassidy, who seems to find

no trouble in discovering fresh western pursuits. Mr and Mrs Nick Charles—“ The Thin Man” and his wife—are a couple who always satisfy filmgoers, and more of their adventures will shortly be filmed with William Powell and Myrna Loy in the original roles. ‘•Topper’’—Mr Roland Young—has already made two appearances, and it is more than likely that more adventures will follow “Topper Takes a Trip.” The Family Series As for the übiquitous Hardy family . . . They have already explored Paris, Washington, and the great outback, and their popularity shows no sign of diminishing. Similarly the Jones family, with Jed Prouty as the blustering papa, provide continual entertainment with their homely lives. “The Three Smart Girls”—Deanna Durbin, Nan Grey and Helen Parrish —will be seen again in “Three Smart Girls Grown Up,” and the “Four Daughters” will all be married in the sequel being filmed as “Four Wives.” “There’s Always a Woman.” with Joan Blondell and Melvyn Douglas, has been followed by “There's That Woman Again." with Virginia Bruce as the “woman,” and will probably be followed by a further film dealing with this annoying but attractive woman, who will dabble in detection. Horrors Even horror has its fascination, and the awe-inspiring Frankenstein monster. created by Boris Karloff in “Frankenstein," is continuing to promote goose flesh in “Son of Frankenstein.” The other alternative from having sequels is to make new productions of old films which enjoyed singular sue-

cess. “The Dawn Patrol,” which previously featured Douglas Fairbanks, Junior, Richard Barthelmess, and Neil Hamilton, has been remade with Errol. Flynn, David Niven and Basil Rathbone in the leading roles. “Beau Geste” will be Gary Cooper this year instead of Ronald Colman, who starred in the original version. Other Geste brothers will be Ray Milland and David Niven and. not Ralph Forbes and Neil Hamilton. Katherine Hepburn took Ann Harding’s role in the recent production of “Holiday,” in which Cary Grant replaced Robert Ames, and Claudette Colbert will be the third “Zaza” on the film records.