PRODUCTION ACTIVITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20508, 8 March 1930, Page 11 (Supplement)

PRODUCTION ACTIVITY.

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER PLANS. Some details concerning the production activities.of'his firm were given recently },y Mr. David Lake, general sales manager for Metro-Go! dwvn-Mayer films, who was in Auckland in the course of a business tour of the Dominion. Mr. Lake is confident that there will bo better quality in coming films and that talking pictures will continue to make rapid progress. Interest in talking pictures is still on the increase," Mr. Lake said. " When the first flush of novelty wore off people began to look seriously into the possibilities of tho new entertainment medium and to see that it provided entertainment of a higher order than was possible in tho days of screen silence. New Zealand audiences are already exercising discrimination with regard to talking pictures. They respond to films of the better class. "There is still a vogue for the revue and musical comedy typo of film, but wo feel certain that a new cycle is at hand. The public is gradually turning toward stronger drama, just as it was doing in the closing , days of the silent era, when a man so unlike a picture star as Jannings was acknowledged to bo the greatest actor. Wo are confident that we have strong dramatic films to meet this new demand." Among the outstanding dramatic productions of his firm, Mr. Lake listed " Dynamite," tho first talking picture to he made by Mr. Cecil B. do Millo; " Anna Christie," the famous Eugene O'Neill / play converted into a talking picture for the exotic Miss Greta Garbo; and Tolst,oi's •" Redemption," with Mr. John' Gilbert. Other special films were " Devil May Care," with Mr. Ramon Novarro singing and talking; "Untamed", with Miss Joan Crawford; and Miss Norma Shearer in " Their Own Desire' 1 and " The Trial of Mary Dugan." Musical films of the type popularised by " The' Broadway Melody" would always be popular, Mr. Lake added, and his firm -would release two outstanding singing and dancing "talkies" in "Chas ing Rainbows," with Miss Bessie Love Mr. Charles King, Miss Marie Dressier Miss Polly Moran and Mr. Jack Bennj in the leading roles, and " It's a Greal Life," with the Duncan Sisters. " There has been considerable tall about the production of pictures on wid< film, but this is not yet practicable,' ■Mr. Lake said. " The wide film and th< wide screen will come when the. talkinf picture is more fully developed. Cclour however, will be used extensively and : largg number of our films will be filmec cither fully or partly in colour. Th< •Ecreen version of Jules Verne's " Mys * terious Mand,' will bo photographe< throughout" in colour."