FILM TOPICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20792, 7 February 1931, Page 11 (Supplement)

FILM TOPICS.

Miriam Hopkins, the youthful blonde stage star, who was engaged by Paramount to appear in " Fast and Loose," has been selected to play opposite Maurice Chevalier in his next Paramount picture. The new film, which is as yet untitled, will be produced at the New York studios, under the direction of Ernest Lubitsch. The film story is from an original by Preston Sturges, a prominent stage dramatist.

Booth Tarlcington has completed the dialogue for " The Ruling Passion," which will be one of the next Vitaphone vehicles for George Arliss. Mr. Arliss, whoso current release, " Old English," promises to rank as the outstanding picture of the year, as his " Disraeli " was of the preceding ono, prevailed on the famous novelist and playwright to prepare the dialogue on tliij story for him as an act of friendship. " The Ruling Passion," is based on the book by Earl I)er Riggers.

An amusing picture shortly to be released is the Warner Brothers and Vitaphone production, " Captain Applejack," which has been adapted from the stage play by Walter llackett. The picture is an hilarious comedy with a splendid cast, including Mary Brian, Claude Allister, John Holliday and Louise Clossor Hale. The story deals with a timid suburbanite who, after learning he is descended from a ferocious pirate, starts on a wild pursuit of adventure.

Edgar Wallace has completed the scenario of the comedy which lie has specially written to exploit the whimsicalities of that versatile English comedienne, Masie Gay. Miss Gay has already appeared in a talking short, which was exclusively produced as a prologue to a recent Cochrane revue, in which she was appearing, at the London Pavilion

Possibly the most sensational piece of news about British pictures is a quiet little cable which reports that the British International Pictures comedy, " The Middle Watch " has been booked for the Roxy Theatre, New York, the largest theatre in the UniLed States, and possibly in the world. Following on this comes the news that all 8.1.P. productions so far made this year.have been sold for distribution in the United States. This is the first time on record that such a thing has happened.

Michael Balcon, managing director of Gainsborough Pictures, has announced the intention of his company to produco an all-dialogue version of the celebrated Conan Doyle mystery romance, " The Hound of the Baskervilles." This weird Dartmoor story, written in 1902, is considered one of the finest of the " Sherlock Holmes " series. It has been filmed previously as a silent picture, but the advantages of dialogue and sound promise to make one of the most ambitious productions secured by British studios.