AUCKLAND ACTOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21112, 20 February 1932, Page 11 (Supplement)

AUCKLAND ACTOR.

WORLD-WIDE SUCCESS. VIEWS ON ENGLISH FILMS. The opinion that, British films will receive an unprecedented increase in popularity throughout the world this year was expressed yesterday by Mr. John Batten, the- Auckland-born film actor, whoee series of successful pictures has been crowned by t lift notable arauia, " Men Like These," to be seen in Auckland next week.' " Th« ' boom ' that the English studios ' received last year has put them in such » position that they will be able to extend their market enormously," Mr. Batten said. " World-famous playwrights and actors have been secured, and the technical side ' has been immensely strengthened. Over 200 films are to be produced in England this year, British International Pictures alone having 52 on their schedule." Mr. Batten, who is a son of Mr. F. H. Batten, has had experience in the three great film centres of the world —Hollywood, Elstree and Berlin. Having always tad tastes and ability for acting, Mr. Batten took a keen interest in amateur dramatics in Auckland, and he welcomed an opportunity while en route to England to visit" Hollywood. An introduction to Dr. Cecil Reynolds, Mr. Charles Chaplin's physician, led to his meeting Miss Jane Murphin, a noted scenariowriter whose best known work was "Lilac Time." At her invitation, Mr. Batten took part in a play that was presented before, the exclusive Writers' • Club in Hollv.wood, and his work in this won the favourable attention of Cecil B. de Mille, William Fox and D. W. Griffiths, the 'noted directors, who were present. This interest led to several comparatively minor engagements but before long Mr. Batten was selected to play juvenile lead in " Robinson and Crusoe." Later followed " Back Stage," a Tiffany production, and'"Her Great Ambition," produced by Universal studios. Mr. Batten also appeared in the. stage plays, "White Cargo," "The Squall" and " Pormander Walk." In 1929, Mr. Batten visited England and he was chosen by British International Films to be principal in the delightful idyll, " Lender the Greenwood Tree,'' remembered with snch pleasure by Auckland audiences. The famous

German studios, U.F.A. then engaged him to be principal in the English version "The Love Waltz," one of Mr. Batten's finest pictures. Then came The Great Game," for GaumontBritish studios, and finally hi,"? last film, "Men Like These," completed only a >hort time ago. Mr. Batten found his engagement in Germany among the most interesting of h>« experiences. The great studios have heen established at a place called " Neue Babelsberg." or " The New Tower of Babel." The name is particularly appropriate -since the establishment of the toulti-hjigual studios, for actors flock to it J° make films in the four' leading languages of the world to-day—English, German, French and Spanish. In the production ot multi-lingual films, the " sets " ot backgrounds, are used "J' the four different cast's. The "sets" *re arranged for a particular scene and director lakes the casts in succession. While one cast is rehearsing the scene, •he others are not allowed to watch it, jUlce it is better to allow the actors to jTolve their own interpretation of the than to have them influenced by •Peers' portrayals.