IN FILMLAND.

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

IN FILMLAND.

i. Ramon Novarro, whoso first dialogue picture, " Devil May Care," is due for early release, and who has just completed n his second talking picture, " The House y of Troy," will begin talking and singing at once in " The Singer of Seville," under the direction of Charles Brabin, for ! j Metro-Goldwyn-Meycr. a e Mitchell Lewis has been engaged by Radio Pictures to play a deaf and dumb character in Rod La Rocque's now star- ? ring film, " Strictly Business." Lewis - will bo the first actor since the " movies " went " talkie " who has not had to j worry about memorising dialogue lines. His portrayal will be confined to tho 1 pantomime of the silent era. Berihhold Viertel, noted European dij rector who scored in his first American directorial effort, " The One Woman Idea," and again in tho all-talking Fox 5 Movietone production, " Seven Faces," I starring Paul Muni, has received another . important assignment. Viertel will direct " A very Practical Joke," a dramatic story from tho pen of Ben Ames Williams. > Since he scored his initial screen success j in " Behind That Curtain," Gilbert Emery, whoso next appearance will be 1 in " The Sky Hawk," has been given I credit for being an English actor. As i a matter of fact, Emery was born in ; Naples, New York, and is an Ammherst graduate, but lias lived abroad for many years, acquiring a " perfect" English accent. Miss Greta Garbo, who has just finished her first talking picture, "Anna Christie," will begin work soon on lier second alldialogue feature, " Romance," under Clarenco Brown's direction. Brown also directed Miss Garbo in " Anna Christie," and many of her silent starring vehicles. " .Romance" is tho well-known stage play by Edward Sheldon and was recently purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-iMayer. Miss Jean Arthur, popular screen leading lady, has been assigned to the feminine lead in " The Benson Murder Case," William Powell's next starring picture for Paramount. Miss Arthur replaces Miss Fay Wray, who was assigned to another production. Others in the cast are Give Brook, Eugene Pallette, E. H. (Jlavert and Neil Hamilton. Louis Gaznier is directing. Paramount's new all-talking romance, " The River Inn," which was adapted from an original Ben Hecht story, has been retitled, " Roadhouse Nights." Miss Helen Morgan and Charles Ruggles are featured in the production. " Roadhouse Nights " was completed recently under the direction of Hobart Henley. The story deals with the activities of newspaper reporters on the trail of a, rumrunning organisation. Numerous thrills are promised in " The Sky Hawk," a Fox Movietone film of wartime aviation. Spectacular scenes of ' London during tho Zeppelin raids, a British training aerodrome in full blast, and a breath taking climax in which a Zeppelin is shot down in flames are interwoven. John Garrick, known better here as Eeginald Dandy, Miss Helen Chandler and Gilbert Emery head the cast and the film was directed by John G. Blystone.

Tiie interesting evolution of women's fashions is presented in Sarah and Son," Paramount's talking picture version of Timothy Shea's novel, starring Miss. Ruth Chatterton. The first sequence of the picture is laid in 191$, and the iinal action takes place in 1929. Fredric March plays opposite the star and others in the cast are Fuller Melish, jnr., Miss Doris Lloyd and William Stack. Miss Dorothy Arzner directed the picture. In " Honey," Paramount's new musical romance, Miss Nancy Carroll will speak, for the first time, in the broad Irish brogue of her County Claire ancestors. " Honey " was adapted from the stage comedy success, " Come" Out of the Kitchen/' and set to music for production as a musical comedy. Stanley Smith, Miss Lillian Roth, Skeets Gallagher and Harry Green are included in the supporting, cast. Frank Tuttle is in charge of the direction. The making of pictures in technicolour, which requires three times the lighting facilities needed for black and white pictures, has presented a new problem to studio engineers in Hollywood. Technicolour has increased the number of lights on each set, and the problem of ventilating is one "that has kept the studio experts figuring for many weeks. Studios where pictures are being produced in technicolour are almost like furnaces, and the lot of picture stars under these conditions is not enviable. Franz Lehar, who wrote " The Merry _ Widow," and is one of Europe's most distinguished composers, lias contracted to compose the score of Miss Gloria Swan- jj son's next talking and singing film, an all-colour operetta entitled " Queen Kolly." Tho composer had refused all ' previous offers from American companies. Lehar is already at work on the musical V score in Berlin and will not go to Holly- ' wood. When Miss Swanson's voice was | broadcast from London last year, she was heard by Franz Lehar in Berlin. Ilis operetta will be composed with that voice chiefly in mind. f George Grossmith, noted English actor if and writer, the fourth of his family to f gain fame on the London theatre, has | fcieen engaged by Fox Films to work on | the screen adaptation and dialogue of | " The Dollar Princess," the 'drama of | melody which Alexander Korda will Si direct. Melville Bnker, who wrote the || screen version of " The Swan," is also ft working on the story. J. Harold Murray, ■ who has played the leads in " Married H in Hollywood " and " Cameo Kirby," R and who before then starred 011 Broadway jg in " Rio Rita," will have the principal ■ role in Leo Fall's famous song play. Miss | Marjorie White and El Brendel are the | only other players who have been given | places in the cast to date. j |