LEARNING TO KISS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20366, 21 September 1929, Page 3 (Supplement)

LEARNING TO KISS.

TASK FOR FILM STARS.

GOLDEN RULE OF SILENCE

The world's greatest film stars are learning to kiss. Yes, even Greta Garbo says tho Sunday Chronicle s Film correspondent. From Elstree to Hollywood 1 hey are taking lessons iu the art of which they had imagined they knew tho last passionato detail. For the " talkies" are showing that tho old-time kisses of silent picturo days arc out-of-date. It is not that such kisses lack passion or style—it is just because they are too real. To the super-sensitive ears of the microphone they aro appalling What was onco considered a modest matronly "peck" sounds to " Mike"— as tho microphone is known—like a coster's " smack" for his girl in tho Old Kent-road. And as for thoso long, lingering, sheik-and-Cleo kisses that so thrill th 6 "one-and-threes," they bavo Tieen likened by the men behind the " mike" to a mare pulling its hoof out of a mud puddle. Thousands of feet of film were scrapped iu Hollywood during the. early stages of tho " talkie" boom owing to noisy kisses In tho history of the film colony kisses havo never been so expensive—or so dangerous. Clara Bow, tho " It" girl, recently cost her producers £4OO when she kissed her leading man with vigour. * The importance of the silent kiss will be realised when it is stated that even the rustle of a silk gown sounds dreadfully unreal on tho " mike." There aie scores of sounds that cannot; bo recorded with natural effect. And kissing is one of them.

So the silent kiss is now the golden rule, but, although silent, it must still retain its realism.