Star's "Gome-Back"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22955, 5 February 1938, Page 20 (Supplement)

Star's "Gome-Back"

Ramon Novarro Takes Leading Part In Comedy from an Independent Studio EFFORT TO ESCAPE FROM EARLY TYPE OF ROLE

"Ramon Novarro's 'come-back' is attracting quite a Hot of attmtion. It is hardly surprising, of course. Few stars have ever attained the popularity he enjoyed for so many years, and in spite of his absence from the screen, most people have remembered him. , "This was why I found it particularly interesting to work in his 'come-back' picture, 'The Sheik Steps Out,' a production from the Republic Studios," writes Robert Coote, another member of the cast appearing in the film. .

I should imagine that the majority of Ramon Novarro's previous pictures have taken anything from three months upwards to make, at a very 'minimum; and all have cost a lot (the writer continues). "The Sheik Steps Out" was produced in a fortnight and cost very little. Yet those who have already seen it agree that it is a thoroughly entertaining production. The production was purely an experiment. Novarro wanted to return, and had read several stories without finding anything that appealed to him. Republic enterprisingly had a story written especially for him, without his knowledge,'and the story was submitted to him. He liked it so much that he agreed to make it, and this was how he came to make a come-back picturo with an independent company. Since the making of the picture, Ropublio have Bigned him up for a further series of productions, so the picture has served its purpose in more wayß than one. No More Sentimental Romance I cannot help feeling that it should he made very clear to filmgoers, too, that this is not the type of picture Novarro has usually played in. In spite of the title, he does not appear as a sheik. He simply poses as one, in order to try to win a girl who has romantic yearnings for a sheik as a hoy friend. "I do not want to go in for any more sentimental romance," he told me one day. "I want to break clean away." I was introduced to Novarro for the first time on the set by Irving Pichel, the former actor, who has now turned director, and handled "The Sheik Steps Out." Novarro was instantly friendly, and particularly interred when he found I was English. He talked a lot

working late the studio provided dinner for everyone. When I was there one night I asked him: "Where does one get this dinner?" "You have to go and get it yourself, you know!" he exclaimed; And ho queued up with everyone else, "prop" boys, electricians, small-part players. He had to get his own plate and knife, and stand up to be served. Ho liked doing it, too. When someone offered to fetch the food for him. he refused. As an actor, he showed all that technical polish that he had learned during his years at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. He had forgotten nothing, and was perfectly confident. So far as I know, only one scene in the whole picture had to be retaken, and that had' nothing to do with him. I mentioned just now his remark that he wanted to break clean away. As a matter of fact, he had to be restrained

from too much "breaking away." "The Sheik Steps Out" is a comedy. Novarro wanted to make his part even broader than it is; but the producers felt that he should not ignore his reputation completely. So he had to be less funny than he would have liked. He has a grand sense of humour. He was responsible for a lot of the fun of the picture. He saw for further humour in situation after situation, not only so far as his own part was concerned, but in regard to tho other roles. Suggested Comedy Touches I had a scene in which I wag getting married to Lola Lane; Novarro had to break into it, and carry the girl away. All the time, he was putting up ideas to me for getting more fun from the scene, and I followed a lot of hu» suggestions. They concerned actions, by the way, not dialogue. The curious part was that I was supposed to be a "silly-ass" Englishman, and it surprised me that Novarro should be able to advise on such a role. Incidentally, the making of this

about England; he was very sorry, but very gracious, about. the failure of the play he had presented recently in London—there was no trace of bitterness; and told me that he hoped to have another try at a later date. Friendliness of Character Naturally, I wondered at first how he would behave. Would he act as though he were still at the height of his fame, and behave condescendingly toward the rest of the cast in this "independent" production? I did not wonder for long. I soon realised that he was conscious of the fact that he was bent upon making a comeback, and had no illusions about the importance of the picture to him. Its success was going to. mean the starting of his second Hollywood screen career. Novarro was bo thoroughly pleasant and unassuming that we were all trying very hard to make the picture a success for his sake. There was a spirit of friendliness that one rarely sets in the bigger studios. It was a really marvellous atmosphere, and personally I have never enjoyed making a film quite so much. ; Striving for Success Novarro, like the rest of us, arrived at the studio by eight o'clock in the morning, and did not mind how long he worked. He was tremendously conscientious, and as the picture progressed one realised just'how seriously he was striving to make the grade. He was genuinely popular with everyone. Let me give one example of*the sort of-thing that happened. When

Fetvei' Credits

Filmgoers who suffer from blindness and bewilderment over the number of names flashing by at the introduction of a picture will Welcome a mooe being planned by a leading Hollywood company. The plan is simply to reduce the number of credits given on the screen. The truth is that the list of credits used to take about 40ft. of film and now takes nearly 150 ft. At times it seems more like 500 ft.

scene proved how fit he has kept himself. He does not look a particularly virile man. When we reached the scene, Lola Lane exclaimed: "Surely you are not going to carry me!" He was quite indignant. "That is easy!" he exclaimed. And he lifted her as though she weighed no more than a feather, and there was no sign of breathlessness after he had finished the scene. I am glad "The Sheik Steps _ Out" has succeeded in a big way in bringing Novarro back to the screen for further pictures. After all, he is still a young man, and is a yery good actor. His fan clubs are still in existence all over the world, and there has been a steady demand from his fans for him to return.