Rival Loyalties

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22949, 29 January 1938, Page 14 (Supplement)

Rival Loyalties

Vivien Leigh's Preference for Stage In Spite of Success in Screen Parts STORY OF YOUNG ENGLISH ACTRESS' RISE

By ANNE HASTINGS

Vivien Leigh was reclining on a divan in her Denham dressing-room. She smiled a greeting, pointed to a chair, and excused herself while she completed the task on which she was engaged—signing autographs for fans. Suddenly, from beneath the divan, came a familiar sound. Meow. "That," Vivien explained, "is a Manx cat. I have just had it given to me—and it baffles me! It simply stays underneath here, and doesn't know whether to be friendly or not.

HER -jomment remained in my mind. For Vivien (no offence meant) strikes me in exactly the same way as the cat strikes her. Of all the people I know, she baffles me more than anyone else. She is just about the strangest girl in the English studios. Vivien has screen success at her dainty feet. She rose to overnight fame in a play" called "The Mask of Virtue," and her name appeared in practically every newspaper in England when Alexander Korda signed her on a long-term contract. There was a long interval of two years before she was seen in a korda picture, but she has made up for this. In the last few months, filmgoers have seen her in "Fire Over England, "Dark Journey, and Storm in a Teacup." Since these, she has compie ted "First and the Last, and at the moment she is appearing in Metro-

been there since she was a very small child. . , When she was a youngster, she went to a convent at Roehampton. A pretty, dark-haired little Irish girl went round one dav and asked the other girls what they wanted to be when they grew up. An actress, " said V lviene, promptlv, when approached. The girl who had asked the question was Maureen O'Sullivan. To-day, both Mauroen and Vivien are appearing in the same film, "A Yank at Oxford. It was Maureen who remembered the incident. Studies in Europe After having left Roehampton, Vivien went abroad to continue her education. She learned languages in San Remo, Italy, and a little later went to Paris, where she studied acting. Sho went to the Comedie Francaise, and learned the rudiments of the art. When she returned to England, she went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and continued her acting studies there. At this time, her thoughts centred entirely 011 the stage. Yet she made her professional acting debut in a film. ' "It happened that I managed to get a part in Cicely Cotirtneidge's picture, 'Things Are Looking Up,' " . she told me. "But I was only, an extra. After this, I seemed to remain 011 the screen, because other parts came along. I wanted to be 011 the stage, but 1 was more anxious to be acting than anything else, and I did not worry much in what medium I was playing.

Goldwyn-Ma.ver's first British production, "A Yank at Oxford, ,r with Robert Taylor. Preference for the Stage Yet she is not satisfied. She does not think much of herself on the screen. She simply cannot realise that she is one of the few British youngsters with really big film possibilities. She refuses to make more than an average of two pictures a year, and she is very definite in her preference for the stage. She feels that she has a future in the theatre, and her heart and soul are in this type of acting. I studied her carefully as she sat there. She has provocative features which are particularly filmable. Her hair is dark and her eyes are blue, which reveals the Irish blood in her. Although born in India, she is oi: Irish and English parentage. "I ani going to the Old Vic when I finish this picture," she said. "I shall be in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream. Poor Opinion of Film Parts I tried to steer her away from thoughts of the theatre. "What about your films ? Which have you liked best?" , . She hesitated before replying. Perfaaps you should have asked which 1 have disliked the least. I do not mean the pictures as such. I have been very

"Curiously enough, I did not make a film test for quite a time. I remember I went down to Worton Hall for one, and the man who photographed it was Hal Rosson. It was an utter failure. Now, Hal Rosson* is photographing me in 'A Yank at Oxford.' " She appeared in two or three small pictures. One of them was "The Village Squire," and another "Gentleman's Agreement." They did not amount to very much, but a Hollywood talent scout was sufficiently impressed to draw his studio's attention to her; and a tentative offer was made. Appearance at "Q" Theatre But Vivian turned the offer down. How many unknowns would have done that. Vivien felt that the time was not ripe. She did not want to go as an unknown, and did not want to be tied down to film-making without the opportunity of appearing in stage plays.

Soon after this offer, she made her professional stage debut at the famous "Q" Theatre, jumping-off ground for so many well-known players. Then things suddenly happened to her. Syd-

lucky. But somehow, I have never been happy about myself. I went along to see 'Storm in a Teacup,' and I enjoyed it a" lot—but I did not like myself at all "Then there was 'Dark Journey.' When I saw it I could not help feeling that I was terribly flat. I did not seem to be at all convincing. It was a foreign kind of part to me. "I disliked myself the least in 'Fire Over England.' Mine was an enioyafcle role. The girl was spirited, and thero was something to her. The girl in 'First, and the Last,' is quite interesting, too. She's a working girl, and very human. Need for a Vital Role "So far, of course, I do not know how my part in 'A Yank at Oxford' will turn out. I play a vamp for the first time, and there's a good deal of comed.y about the role. I rather enjoy comedy, though I should hate to bo tied to it." Vivien Leigh is perhaps too critical of herself. Filmgoers have acclaimed her. Her roles have been good, but she has yet to play anything /feally vital. She is not yet a star, though she has billed as a co-star. As any actor will tell you, there is more personal satisfaction in acting on the stage, and this satisfaction can be achieved in the film studios only when thi3 players have reached really big and interesting roles. Vivien confessed, rather wistfully, that she would give anything to play Scarlett O'Hara in "Clone with the Wind," but she has not even dreamed of submitting herself for that part. Satisfaction on Stage When Vivien has progressed far enough, and intelligent and worth-while roles in important films come her way, she will probably take far more interest in the cinema. That, at least, is my own feeling. She is young—only iu her early twenties —and tremendously ambitious. She gets personal satisfaction out of her stage roles, and this matters jnoie than money or fame to her. Vivien has always wanted to be an actress. She cannot remember when the ambition was born. It seems to have

ney Carroll invited her to appear in the West End in "The Mask of Virtue." She accepted, and paved the way to sudden fame. Before the plav, she made one more picture, "Look Up and Laugh," with Cracio Fields, (who took a great interest in her, and has renewed her acquaintanceship at Denhain, where she is working on an adjoining set). Miss Leigh's Opportunities Then the play came on. Vivien was terrified. It was an enormous responsibility for a youngster with very littlo experience.' She could scarcely believe it when she was hailed as an important new discovery. The Korda contract followed. Vivien will go far. She is so thoroughly alive. She has done much already. By the time she achieved fame, sho was already married and a mother. She has a.sense of humour, grace, and undeniably fascinating features. Her voice is attractive, and she is versatile. , . , _., There has always been a cry for British girls on the screen. Vivien Leigh has wonderful opportunities, if she cares to take them.