FILM TOPICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21165, 23 April 1932, Page 10 (Supplement)

FILM TOPICS.

Howard Hughes paid more than half a million dollars for " Cock of the Air," his latest film-play. " Cook of the Air," with Billie Dove and Chester Morris, is one of the most lavish motion pictures of the year. Incidentally, Hughes is the. only producer in the motion picture industry who makes pictures entirely with his own capital. This picture is to be released by United Artists.

Columbia's first outdoor drama, soon to be released in New Zealand, will be Tim McCoy's " Fighting Marshall." The cast, in addition to McCoy, includes Dorothy Gulliver, Mary Carr, Matthew Betz and Pat O'Malley. This picture is a gripping story of love and adventure in the great outdoors. Daring feats of horsemanship, together with thrilling gun duels and numerous fistic encounters, go to make up a stirring plot.

Mr. George Arliss repeats his former successes, " Disraeli," ",-fhe Green Goddess " and " The Millionaire, in his latest Warner Brothers picture " Alexander Hamilton," which will be shown here shortly. The story deals with a dramatic episode in the life of a great statesman, when the wiles of an adventuress temporarily held him in her power and caused a scandal which only his outspoken confession cleared up. June Collyer plays the part of the famous Mrs. Reynolds in " Alexander Hamilton," which was written by the famous actor George Arliss himself in collaboration with Mary Hamlin.

Ruth Chatteiton, who left the stage to become a great lady of the speaking films, is now, it appears, about <0 turn play producer. She has acquired Gilbert Wakefield's comedy, "Counsel's Opinion, which was presented in London not so many months ago, and will shortly offer it on the Pacific Coast. In the cast will be Roso Hobart, who has given several good performances in New York, and Ralph Forbes.

Alan Mowbray, former English stage producer, director and actor, has been signed by Paramount to enact the second most important role in George Bancroft's Russian melodrama " Red Harvest." This is Mowbray's first film for Paramount, lie made his screen debut a year ago after directing and starring in a series of plays in Los Angeles. Miriam Hopkins will play opposite Bancroft, with John Cromwell directing.

Subsequent to Reginald Fogwell Productions Limited's acquisition of Gilbert Frankau's " best seller," " Martin Make Believe," the British and Dominions Film Corporation have secured the film rights of that writer's early novel—" The Love Story of Alietto Brunton. Ihe latter was originally produced at. Elstree as a silent by Mauric Elvey. Frankau's attitude toward the talking picture art has evidently changed with a vengeance. Not more than one year ago he was ono of its most antagonistic opponents. Perhaps tiio novelist realised that money, like the screen, can talk with effect.