SCREEN AND STAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21612, 6 April 1932, Page 3

SCREEN AND STAGE

FROM GREEN ROOM AND STUDIO

BY HARLEQUIN.

Miss Evelyn Gardiner’s Career It is generally agreed that the most popular of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas which have been played in Dunedin by the present J. C. Williamson Company so far was “ lolanthe,” and for the success of last Thursday’s performance a great deal of credit must be given to Miss Evelyn Gardiner. The possessor of a striking contralto voice, Miss Gardiner made a thoroughly delightful fairy queen, and the charm with which she invested the part, added to the excellence of her singing, mad*; her characterisation one of the gems of a memorable evening. Miss Gardiner’s stage career commenced somewhat differently from that of most aspirants to stage distinction, as she married before she was attracted to the footlights, but her singing gained for her the notice of D’Oyly Carte, who immediately gave her an understudy role. Later London heard her sing all the Gilbert and Sullivan parts that she lias taken here, but before coming to the southern hemisphere she had experience in drama and the films. History of “ Outward Bound ”

'•Outward Bound,” Sutton Vane’s remarkable play, has a very interesting history. EL G. Hobday, who is presenting it at Wellington just now, had a play running at the Garrick Theatre. This was Arthur Richman’s “Ambush,” and after 100 performances business was slackening off so a successor had to be found as there were a few weeks of the tenancy of the theatre still to run. Mr Hobday was advised to pay a visit to a little experimentaL theatre in a London suburb. There he met Sutton Vane, who was presenting “Outward Bound” to a small audience. The play was produced with any scenery which could be found or made by the players themselves. Mr Hobday was impressed, and sought the opinion of that great actor and producer for Bernard Shaw, Lyall Swete, who urged that the play should be acquired. Together Hobday and Swete worked on the script, making extensive cuts until it was presented as it is to-day. Mr Lyall Swete played “ The Examiner ” at the Garrick Theatre. It received the unanimous approval of the London critics, played 383 .performances in an unbroken run at five London theatres, then went on a tour of the great English cities. No fewer than seven companies went on the road with it in America. Will Silent Films Return?

The Hollywood motion picture industry, looking about for something to cling to in this hour of need, is turning to the idea of again making silent pictures. The suggestion comes from surprisingly different directions; from a picture magazine editor, from a pioneer in the picture world, and from an actor, a recent adventurer into this medium.

Of these people, the most arresting statement is made by Joseph M. Schenck. He has been in the picture business since early in its development, altogther about IS years. He brought the English dancing star, Josie Collins, into pictures, and then made two feature length films with Evelyn Nesbit Thaw as his star. He picked Roscoe Arbuckle for a comedy star, and in 1918 he became producer for Norma Tahnadge, whom he had married the previous year. Schenck is now president of United Artists.

Talking to a film correspondent, lie said: “ Silent' pictures have a chance of coming back. They never should have been altogether -abandoned. I believe that Greta Garbo, the strongest screen personality now before the public, might be used by M.-G.-M., as a test of this theory. That company could put her in a full-length feature and would not lose money, I feel sure. “ She alone would be all right and could do the trick, but to cinch the matter, put Clark Gable with her. There are other stars who could easily carry the thing through. Don’t forget that Charlie Chaplin’s ‘ City Lights,’ a silent comedy, has earned more in ■ this day of talking pictures than his ‘ The Gold Rush ’ did when all pictures were silent. "There is a public for silent pictures, I am certain. The advantages of silent pictures are many, the only offset being the novelty when speech first came to the screen, and that has long since vanished. The greater ease for the actors, the better acting, the less worldly story, the simpler morality—but pass up these advantages for those of patrons of pictures theatres. “ There is another angle, that of the theatre. In the old days there was surprise and difference between the silent picture and a stage act that might be added to bolster up a weak picture. Now with a weak talking picture there is no variety in bringing on human entertainers, and nothing is gained in effacing the bad effect of the bad picture.” Film Topics

With the signing of Thelma Todd, the cast is now completed for the musical romance, “He Met a French Girl,” The blonde actress will share honours with Lily Damita, Charlie Haggles, Ronald Young and Gary Grant, the latter being recently placed under contract following his Broadway successes.

Hhving returned from India, where he took exterior “shots” for “The Lives of a Bengal Lancer,” Ernest B. Schoedsaek is perparing to start work on interior scenes at the Paramount- Hollywood Studios. Clive Brook will have the title role and Phillips Holmes will play another of the leads. The director, Rouben Mamouiian, has started preparatory work on “Love Me To-night,” Maurice Chevalier's next operetta to follow “ One Hour With You." Mamouiian has left Hollywood for a holiday at Palm Springs, where he will devote a few weeks to the study of the story of “ Love Me To-night.” Jeanette MacDonald, who appears with Chevalier in “ One Hour With You,” will also be in his next production.

“ Chances,” an adaptation of the novel by A. Hamilton Gibbs, starring Douglas Fairbanks, jun., and Rose Hobart, will be released in New Zealand shortly. “ Chances ” depicts the service done by the artillery in time of war, and in order to make the picture correct in every detaily, First National engaged the services of Captain J. ‘S. Scott, who served in the artillery of the British Army during the World War. In the Bobby Jones “ How to Play Golf ” series, which will be shown in New Zealand shortly, the world-famous champion explains and illustrates his general ideas of the game and methods ot play, in interesting stories which form an integral part of each picture, and with some of Hollywood’s most popular stars appearing with him. The latter include Richard Barthclmess, Loretta Young, Leon Errol, Joe E. Brown and many others.

Veterans of the French, British, American, German, Russian, Italian, and Australian armies were among the 500 atmospheric players engaged for opening scenes of “ The Broken Lullaby.” Those former belligerents sat in a large church, a reproduction of the Paris house or worship, during services commemorating the anniversary of Armistice Day. “ The Broken Lullaby,” based on Maurice Rostand’s famous European play, is a story of an unforgiving German father whose son was killed in the war, and who finally discovers that the French boys have fathers too. Lionel Barrymore, Nancy Carroll, and Phillips Holmes head the imposing cast of “The Broken Lullaby.” While the amateur photographer regards sunlight as his greatest aid to good work, not so the motion picture cameraman. Sunlight, the latter contends, is to intense for beautiful photography and renders outdoor work much more difficult than on the studio sound stages. This interesting Hollywood paradox was revealed by Arthur Todd, head cameraman on Paramount’s sport drama, “Touchdown, ’ in which Richard Arlen is starred. Much of the action of “ Touchdown ” takes place outdoors, presenting more than the usual number of problems to the studio’s kinematographers. Strange as it may seem, for the many outdoor scenes on this picture we used almost as many electric lights as indoors, said Todd, in explanation. “If these were not employed the shaded side of the players’ faces would have photographed black. To overcome this difficulty we use special spots called boosters, augmented by silver ancl gold-faced sun reflectors which, trained on the shady side, eliminate the heavy shadows. In some cases the direct sunlight must be reduced by placing large screens overhead and focussing the reflectors and spots on the plaver as before.” Appearing with Arlen in the cast of touchdown ’ are Peggy Shannon, Regis I.oomey George Barbier, and Charles otarrett. Norman M’Leod handled the direction.

The World in California Ihere are at present persistent rumours in America that certain film studios intend to remove their centre of production trom Hollywood to the East Coast, but not much credit is given to these suggestions }*y the New York Times, which says tliat tliey cause more hope in New York than consternation in Hollywood. “Possessmn is nine points and scenery the rest, the paper says. Ihere is in existence a map of California, on the various sections of which are painted the localities of the world which local scenery duplicates. Beginning ”i th. e north around Lake Tahoe is bibena, the French Alps and Switzerland, the Sacramento River is the Mississippi. New England is found in the rolling country back of Stockton, while the New England coast is between San Francisco and Monterey. Alaskan rivers are found along the east shore of San Francisco Bay and the Is lie runs inland from Monterev Eay. The African veldt is along the coastline of King City and the Swiss Alps are around Mount Whitney. In the southern part of the State is +i^ Sl tj p a |if° rnia around Santa Barbara; tuo iiret Harte country, moved, singui , ei)oU nh> from its true location near utockton, south to the Ventura district; the coast of Spain is along the shores of the k.anta Barbara Channel, while Wales is along the Point Firmin cliffs near San I edro. Venetian canals are found at Eong Beach, and Holland is a marshy district south of that city. South Sea islands are provided by Catalina, which also doubles as Long Island Sound, and a little below' is the Malay coast provided bv the San Juan Capistrano district. Old Spain is at San Diego. 'Hie San Bernardino Mountains furnish the Kentucky country and Sherwood Forest, England, is just beneath Mount San Jacinto. South Africa is in the northern end of the Imperial Valley, the Red Sea is the Salton Sea, the Sahara Desert is near Yuma. Arizona, and the Sudan is near Nevada. This is all in addition to the scenery which is admittedly Californian.

Popular Film Actors The popular success of last year in England (says a writer in the Daily Mail) was “Trader Horn,” and its verv near rival was “The Ghost Train.” It has been established that, of all kinema stars, Mr Jack Hulbert is the most popular with British filmgoers to-day, whereas in the United States the man of the moment seems to be Dir Clark Gable, who will soon he seen opposite Miss Greta Garbo in “The Rise of Helga.” based on the novel “ Susan Lenox.” Mr Gable was once an oilman. When he was It he went to work on his own. Chiefly he worked as an engineer, building derricks on the oil fields of Oklahoma, which wo saw in “Cimarron.”

He did other things. He worked in a lumber camp in Oregon, and sometimes he did not work at all; but he joined a

stock company of actors, saved £4OO, went to New York, and spent the money on voice culture.

Six years ago he descended on Hollywood, ready to play anything. Hollywood was not impressed. In the following few weeks Mr Gable heard more unpleasant opinions on his appearance than lie had ever heard before. To-day Mr Clark Gable is the lion of Hollywood. Personally I prefer the type exemplified by Mr James Dunn, although I have to admit that good looks do not now seem to be necessary in the film world.

Kreisler in London Mr Fritz Kreisler played sonatas by Bach and Tartini and Mozart’s third concerto in G recently at the Albert Hall, London, where there was an audience estimated at 7000.

The last time the great artist appeared in London one had to remark (says a Daily Mail writer) that he was off colour. The more pleasure, then, to be able to say that at his recent appearance he was in his true form, and that it was for all Kreislerians a heavenly afternoon. The right wrist, no doubt, is no longer so flexible as once. No matter; this violin playing is still incomparable in its noble poise and depth of feeling. The great performance of the afternoon was the slow movement of the concerto. Among the smaller pieces were two Habaneras by Ravel, both exquisitely played. Comparison of Casts

Film enthusiasts will be interested in the following compilations of casts for “The Miracle man” as a silent film and the present talking production: — Character 1032 Talking 1919 Silent

Girl Crook Sylvia Sidney Betty Compson Crook Leader Chester Morris Thomas Melghan The Frog John Wray Lon Chaney Patriarch Hobart Bosworth Joseph Howling Atheist Irving Pichel William V. Mong Crippled Boy Ttohcrt Coogan Frankie Leo Pickpocket Ned Sparks -1- M. Dumont Millionaire Lloyd Hughes W. Lawson Butt Invalid Girl Virginia Bruce minor Fair Hotel Owner Frank Darien F. A. Turner His Daughter Fiorina M'lvinncy Lucille Hutton It is interesting to note that Paramount made both versions. “ Pygmalion ” Bernard Shaw’s witty and satirical play, “ Pygmalion,” was successfully produced last Saturday by the Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society, principal parts being taken by the following players: — Professor L. G. Poeoek, Professor Henry Higgins; Miss Kiore King, as the Cockney, Eliza Dolittle: Mr H. M‘D. Vincent, as the moralising dustman; Dr Robinson Hall, as Colonel Pickering; and Miss Nance Alexander. EHssa Land!—Actress and Writer Elissa Landi, who sailed recently for home and England to take a brief vacation between pictures, bad three offers from stage producers while she was in Hollywood to appear on Broadway this season. A slim, pretty girl, with long, auburn, bobbed hair and hazel eyes, she strikes one as rather a paradox. Naive, yet sophisticated; English, yet curiously European; old-fashioned, and at the same time modern —all describe the young actress.

Perhaps, however, she has a right to be these contrasting things. For she was born in Venice, Italy, was educated in England, is the grand-daughter of Empress Elizabeth of Austria, and the wife of an English barrister, Mr J. C. Lawrence, Her mother, who lives in England, is married, to Count Zenardi-Landi, Elissa’s foster-father. But it is not this unusual traditional background alone which gives the heroine of last season’s stage play, “ Farewell to Arms,” and this season’s' films a personality difficult to classify. For one thing, she is an established writer as well as an actress, which is not usual. She has had published two novels, “ Neilson ” and “ The Helmers,” both said to be successful, and she lias just finished a third, now in the hands of a publisher, which she wrote in California. She says she lives quietly in the hills of Hollywood, at the edge of town, with a cat, a dog, and a favourite horse.

She spoke with enthusiasm of America, liking the warm humanity of people in that country, its vast spaces and the dauntless spirit of Americans. She discussed the crumbling of Europe, and said she thought one reason was that all the world is over-civilised.

She has enjoyed making pictures, but has been disappointed with most of them —her_ last, “ The Yellow Ticket,” recently seen in Auckland, she thinks is her best. She admires the work of Miss Garbo, Miss Dietrich, and Ina Claire very much, believing the first to be glamorous, the others to be the more human. She says any roles appeal to her which portray real and natural people. She made pictures before coining to this country in England, France, and Sweden, appearing altogether in eight productions. America, she believes, is far ahead of any other country in its picturemaking, both artistically and commercially. Germany is beginning to do some good things, and Russia used to. She said the most beautiful picture she ever saw was “Light Over Asia.”

Fighting On the Films * The business of being a “ gangster ” on the screen is a dangerous and a poorlypaid one (says the New York HeraldTribune). A prize fighter, while his luck is with him, can fight 10 rounds, and in one night earn money running from three to six figures. But a “ movie mug ” mixes in a free fight and gets out of it 25s tr30s a day, with perhaps a week in a studio hospital with broken ribs and a nose (lushed awry.

Still they come back for more—rougli, scarred men with “ cauliflower ” ears and barrel chests—men who can fight with fists, clubs or pistols, or play a rhapsody on a machine gun. They put realism into “ The Public Enemy," “Little Ccesar,” “The Big House,” “The Secret Six,” and more. Several times it has been announced from Hollywood that the public no longer liked gangster pictures. But there is still work for the shock troops to do, although the “ talkies ” reduced- their number.

“ In the silent picture days we had no end of rough types in our files,” said David Allen, executive in charge of toe casting bureau. “ They were hard-boiled fellows who would scare a man half to death. But some of them had tenor voices, and high tenors at that. The ‘ talkies ’ dealt them a blow.”

An interesting personality who played the role of Monk Manilla, a gangster, was Robert Wilber. Studio records show lie was a member of the old car-barn gang which disturbed New York in 1910. In the same film were Frank Goddard, 2101 b, a European fighter with some 40 knockouts to his credit; Jack Perry, who once knocked out Jack Britton; Charles Sullivan, former light-weight champion of the A.E.F., and “Sailor” Vincent, a Navy champion for 12 years. Sometimes when the men who do the hand-to-hand combat begin to wonder if 25s to 30s a day makes it worth •while an assistant director calls them together. “ Now’ hoys,” he said, “there’s £1 apiece extra coming to you t ■>- day if this fight is a good one.” The bonus puts new life into them and a few broken teeth later may be picked up on the field of battle. Sometimes the action in '>nc screen adds zest to another. One big fellow’, not in a gangster picture, but a Julius Cmsar opus which required rough work became too realistic with his spear. A few days later he was a minor Russian officer who came upon four ruffians. These ruffians happened to be those he ha I prodded with the spear. The fight which' followed was a masterpiece. All five were taken to the hospital.