IN FILMLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20602, 28 June 1930, Page 11 (Supplement)

IN FILMLAND.

" Monte Ciirlo" has been selected as the title for tho Paramount screen operetta in which Jeanatte Mac Donald and the. English star, Jack Buchanan, are to have the leads. Ernst Lubitsch, who directed Maurice Chevalier's " Tha Love Parade," is handling the new production. Alice White has just completed her filth musical-dramatic role in "Sweet Mama." Sho portrays a Broadway chorus girl in this First National and Yltaphone production, which wa3 made under the direction of Edward Clino. David Manners plays ieading man and Eita Flynn, Robert Elliot and Lee- Moran are also in tho cast. In the opinion, of tha Academy of Motion Picture Art 3 and Sciences, the best picture exhibited during the year ending last July was " The Broadway Melody," and, on behalf of Sfatro-Gcldwyn-Maycr, Irving Thalberg, tho scenarist, wa3 recently presented with the attractive gold statuette symbolical of the 1929 honour. Larry Darmour will release twelve feature comedies for Radio Pictures this year that will aim to lift the short subject into the feature field. 'Taking notable stars from the screen aa featured players in these productions. Darmonr has signed Earl Dana and George K. Arthur for a series of six and Louise Fazenda for a similar number. The Australian actress. May Beatty, and John Ince have been allotted featured roles in " Alias French Gertie," in which Bebe Daniels is' starred for tho third time for Radio Pictures. An adaptation from tho stage success, " The Chatterbox," this picture has started production, those in tha cast consisting of Ben Lyon, Betty Pierce, Robert Emmet, O'Connor, Charles Giblin and Nella Walker. " For tha Defence" haa been selected as tho title for William Powell's nest Paramount picture, in which ha will appear a3 a former district prosecuting attorney who senda an innocent man to the electric chair and then turns his legal talent 3to the defence of criminals. John Cromwell, who directed Powell in his first starring pictnrs " Street of Chance," is handling • tha new film, while Say Francis will appear opposite the star. Harry Pollard, director of " Show Boat," who waa recently placed under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, will direct Joan Crawford in " Tha Great Day," an adaptation of tho stage musical success by William Gary Duncan and Jolin Wells. " The Great Day" has been pre pared for the screen by James Montgomery.. This is a story of the south, with tha star in the tola of a read-house entertainer. " Ladies Leva Brutes," George Bancroft's all-talking production for Para, mount, is to ba released in the near future in tho Dominion. Recognised aa Bancroft's best picture to date, the new film I deals with a steel worker who battled I his way to tha top of his profession, and | seeks to attain similar success in society, i Mary As tor, Fradric 3 [arch, Stanley Fields ami Ben Hendricks ara in the sup- ! porting cast. ■1 _ . Beatrice Liliic, the internationally | famous comedienne, will appear in " Are i You There!" her first musical produo j tion for the talking screen. The 3tory j and continuity of " Are You There ?" j is by Billy IC. Wells and George Gros- | smith, with dialogue by the latter and t Harlan Thompson. Of the supporting enst those definitely assigned so far ara Jillian Sand, who recently arrived from England, and John Carrick, featured recently in " Tha Sky Hawk." Henry Victor, who appeared opposite j Evelyn Laye in a talking picture, "Luck of the Navy," which that actress made in England, has been added to tlie Fox i Films' stafE under a five-year contract. '. Victor is a native Londoner and haa acted in pictures in Germany, France and England, having had, in addition, experience on the London stage. Ho appeared recently in tha talking pictures, "The Hate Ship," and " Song of Soho," and previously was starred in tha silent films, "L'xlrgent," "The Guns of Loos," "Donn Channel" and " After the Verdict." Ruth- Chatterton." famous for her emotional roles, varies them by singing with a mala dancing chorus in " Tho Lady of Scandal," screen adaptation of Frederick Lonsdale's stage hit, "The High Rand," in which she is being starred. Miss Chatterton plays p. musical comedy star in the stage sequence, sho and Ralph Forbes appearing together with a chorua of London clubmen. " The Lady of Scandal" is an ultrasmart drama of London society with Miss Chatterton and Basil Ra'hbone in the principal roles. Tha stage sequences are shown in an elaborate modernistic setting. A spectacular all-talking drama of tha jungle will be produced Tby Harry Garson for Universal with the filming of the story, " Ourang." in tho wilds of Borneo. A company of 14 will have a five months' trip into tho henrt of tho jungle of the i far-away island of the Malay Peninsula, | to film and record in dialogue and sound what is claimed as one of the most daring dramas ever attempted. A private yacht will be chartered at Singapore carrying the company and equipment to Borneo, where three months will be spent in filming the story. All necessary equipment, including laboratory apparatus for developing negatives, will be taken from America according to Garson.