IN FILMLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19838, 7 January 1928, Page 9 (Supplement)

IN FILMLAND.

The Jean Hersholt starring vehicle, "The Symphony," by Svend Gadc, has been changed "in title to "Jazz Mad." This is the picture whfch Universal made in the Hollywood Bowl with Alfred Hertz conducting an orchestra of 150 before an audience of 100,000. Raoul Walsh's next production as a director for Fox Films will be an elaborate Russian story entitled " Tho Red Dancer of Moscow." Miss Dolores Del Rio and Charles Farrell will have the featured roles, two artists who should ensure a fine production. John Gilbert, star of "Tho Big Parado " and " Bardleys The_ Magnificent," will be seen next in the now famous screen success, " Tho Merry Widow." The film of one of the great light operas of recent years was produced by Erich Yon Stroheim for Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer, with Miss Mao Murray in the title role. " His Lady," John Barrymore's latest picture to be released by Master Pictures, is another adaptation of Massenet's famous opera, " Manon." Miss Dolores Costello is featured opposite the star. It is the unanimous opinion of those who have seen the film that it is more spectacular than " Don Juan," and more gripping than "The Sea Beast." Although its moving picture title hits not been definitely selected, George Melford has chosen a cast for the Peter B. Kyne story designated in the studio as "The Freedom of the Press." The cast includes Lewis Stone, who has just finished his role in "The Foreign Legion," Miss Marceline Day, Donald Keith and Robert Emmett O'Connor. Paramount's wonder picture, "Chang," which ran for more than eight weeks at tho Plasa Theatre, London, so impressed British authorities that a copy of the film was accepted by the London Museum. These valuable records of such a remarkable picture will be preserved in sealed boxes until 1977, fifty years hence, when "Chang" will be rescreened.

" The man with a thousand faces," as Lon Chaney is known, has a new role in his latest picture for Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer, " Mockery." This time the character he plays is that of a primitive Russian peasant, who during the great Rebellion is thrust from simple surroundings into the society of the elite of Russia Miss Barbara Bedford and Ricardo Cortez also play important roles in this film. Grover Jones, a veteran motion picture author, has renewed his contract with Paramount for a long term. During the one year Jones has been with the organisation he has helped in five stories, "Rolled Stockings," "Wedding Bells/' "Figures Don't Lie," ''She's A Sheik ' aud "The Big Game Hunt." Jones also wrote " The Gay Defender," an original Richard Dix starring vehicle which is now in production. Tho important role of Joe Horn, the Island trader in Gloria Swanson's production for United Artists, "Sadie Thompson," will be enacted by James A. Marcus. His performance in "Little Lord Fauntleroy," "Beau Brummel" and "The Eagle " would suggest that no happier selection for the *'Sadie Thompson role could have been made. The picture is based on the sensational play, ''Bam, founded on a short story by Somerset Maugham.

The many admirers of the popular Universal star, Miss Laura La Plante, have a treat in store when "The Cat and the Canary,' a photo-drama full of thrills, is shown here. The story is mysterious, the plot is complex and baffling. In a fine supporting cast there are Creighton Hale, Arthur Edmund Carew, Forrest Stanley, Tully Marshall. George Siegmann, Lucien Littlefield, Miss Flora Finch, Miss Gertrude Astor and Miss Martha Mattox. Miss Janet Gaynor, the young actress who jumped' to fame in Seventh Heaven," which will have a long run release early next year, has a unique and colourful dressing room in one of tlie circus waggons, „ which are a part of " Lady Cristilinda," her latest picture for Fox Films. It is now being made under the direction of Frank Borzage. Charles Farrell, the hero of " Seventh Heaven, has become an Italian artist in ' Lady Cristilinda," which is a fascinating romance of Naples. The famous coronation scene in ''The Merry Widow" has been produced in technicolour by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This is said to be a revelation 111 colour photography, and is a brilliant spectacle that will linger in the memory of those who see it. The film version is an adaptation of the famous musical comedy that caotivated the world. It is to be released shortly throughout New Zealand, and it will be presented on a scale that is fitting for a picture that has a.ready won world-wide fame. John Gilbert, Miss Mae Murray and Roy D'Arcy have the principal roles. A costumo romance of the Napoleonic period, "Brigadier Gerard," to be released shortly by First National, has Rod La Rocque in the leading role, with Miss Phyllis Haver as tha heroine. The plot has been founded 011 Conaii Doyle s fine novel, "The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard," and tho, picture is said to be a clever and entertaining combination of artistic production and dramatic art. The suspense reaches its highest point when Napoleon, cealising that = tho hero is about to be shot unjustly, rushes to the scene of the shooting, eventually savmg him. There is come'dy which relieves the tenseness of the dramatic action, and the acting of Sam De Grasse as "Talleyrand and Max Banvyn as " Napoleon " should be an interesting feature of the production.