SCREEN AND STAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22709, 23 October 1935, Page 13

SCREEN AND STAGE

FROM GREEN ROOM AND STUDIO

BY HARLEQUIN

Ann Harding's New Partner The selection of Gary Cooper and Ann Harding as a romantic team in Paramount's adaptation of George du* Maurier's love story, "Peter Ibbetsori," is creating much interest in the part of theatre-goers. The romance is regarded as one of the greatest love stories of the ages. Delicate, it carries its hero and heroine out of the mundane world into dreams and into heaven. Should the production prove to be as great as the enthusiasm of its stars and producers, its entertainment power will be electrifying. Ernst Lubitsch, managing director of production at Paramount, classes Cooper, Miss Harding, and the director, Henry Hathaway, as " perfect temperamental affinities," entirely capable of making the dreamlike quality of the romance real, believable and beautiful. Cooper himself has never been so excited about a production, not excepting Paramount's " Lives of a Bengal Lancer," in which, under Hathaway"s direction, he scored his greatest kinema triumph. For mom lis prior to production, Cooper studied with unaccustomed zeal the du Maurier work, until he became almost as familiar with it as the author himself. With Cooper and Miss Harding in the picture are Ida Lupino, John Halliday. Douglas Dumbrille, Virginia Weidler and Dickie Moore, the two last-mentioned enacting the roles of Cooper and Misrs Harding as children. Noel Coward's Picture Noel Coward, the brilliant English actor and playwright, is the star of " The Scoundrel," which will open on Friday at the Eegent Theatre. The screen play

was written by Hecht and MacArthur. One of the most remarkable things about " The Scoundrel" is that, although it deals almost wholly with entirely unmoral characters, it is an entirely moral play. And another remarkable thing is the ' way which Coward, Hecht, and M'Arthur, in feeding this dish to filmgoers with jaded appetities, have kept the best part on the side of their plate till the last. One hardly expects the redemption of Tony Mallare, cynical, ruthless, young publisher of books and philanderer with women, to take the amazing form that it does. To Hecht and MArthur must go credit for having hit upon that old legend which says that he who dies unmourned dies without hope of eternal rest, and for having woven it into an essentially modern story; and to Xoel Coward must go even greater credit for having played the role of Mallare with 6uch conviction that a fantasy has become real. Another novel experience that lies in wait for those who see "The Scoundrel" is the acting of the supporting east, and particularly of Julie Haydon, playing one of the few really likeable and moral characters in the piece. She is the poetess ■whose belief in the goodness of mankind is crushed by Mallare's callousness, and yet who finally saves his soul from damnation. "Young, emotional, and vital, her style of acting is the perfect foil for Coward's. The dialogue is said to be eo highly polished that it literally sparkes with w^it. " Roberta " Romance in a Paris gown shop is the theme of "Roberta," KKO-Radio's film adaptation of the Jerome Kern musical stage success. Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, and Ginger Rogers are co-starred in the picture. Miss Dunne sings a number of. Kern . compositions, including the popular melody of the stage play, " Smoke Gets

Into Your Eyes," and Astaire and Miss Rogers introduce spectacular dance routines.

The story revolves about the amusing situation of an ail-American football player inheriting a smart gown 6hop in Paris. A spectacular fashion show, in which a bevy of America's most beautiful girls display the most chic of feminine finery, is an intriguing feature of the production. Supporting the three stars is a strong cast, including Randolph Scott, Helen Westley, Victor Varconi, Claire Dodd, Luis Alberni, Ferdinand Munier, and Adrian Rosley. " Rhodes " Film in the Making Gaumont-British have more than half completed their film, "Rhodes," dealing with the life of Cecil Rhodes-, who is being impersonated by Walter Huston (.writes our London correspondent on September 28). Xdaniso Kumalo, Matabele warrior and nephew of the famous Lobengula, came to England to play the part of Lobengula in the film story. Into the scenes staged this week came a note of drama. With Rhodes exerting his strength to gain' the Rhodesia-to-be, arrived the dreaded news of the Jameson Raid. The faithful "Dr Jim," eager to help where Rhodes cannot, leads his armed force against Johannesburg, is ambushed by the Boers, and imprisoned by Kruger with death imminent. Such a move was the breaking point in the middle of Rhodes's life. That one action of the impetuous Jameson swept Rhodes from his pinnacle and smothered him in the dust of scandal and public antipathy. r Such scenes as these, showing the crushing effect of the news on Rhodes, have

been played in a reconstruction of " Groote Schuur," on Table Mountain. That the G.B. studio craftsmen had done their work of re-making "Groote Schurr" to perfection was evidenced in the delight and admiration of a famous figure in the London theatrical world who visited the studios. Miss Lilian Baylis, of Old Vic fame, and one of London's most celebrated personalities, watched the filming and was greatly moved to find the exact reproduction of the house where she had once, as a girl, played before the famous pioneer. She insisted on walking along the flowerbordered stoep, remarking: " It's just like it—the dear old place! It makes me teel quite sad." Miss Baylis's association with South Africa are numerous, and in her early days she and her family used to eke out a theatrical livelihood, touring the country in a bullock cart, giving concerts wherever they could. Kaffir runners with bells used to herald them into the towns, and men on ponies with placards would tour the surrounding countryside, advising Boer farmers of the " Famous Baylis Family." Coincidences seem to be rife nt the studios, for not only has Huston unwittingly had his field boots for the film made by the same firm that made them for the real Rhodes, but the other day he met Rhodes's actual godson making a film on an adjoining sound stage. This week a strange twist of circumstances brought an actor into the studios whose job it was to act as a " butler" in a scene between Rhodes and Dr Jameson —Rhodes's faithful henchman (Basil Sidney). As the story of the film clings very close to actual fact in detail. Huston and Basil Sidney were surprised that Julien Henry, playing the " butler," was closely acquainted with all incidents and facts relevant to the time. On inquiry it transpired that Henry used to act in a confidential capacity to Dr Jameson in the hectic years of African development.

Julien Henry, after 10 years in the Cape Civil Service, returned to London and in Westminster was appointed to Jameson on his frequent visits to England. All cable messages from South Africa for the distinguished visitor passed through Henry's hands, and it tell to him to de-code them, he and Jameson between them having the only two copies of the secret key in which the cables were sent. Many were the thrilling and eventful messages that passed through his hands, and the story that this now small-part actor might tell would make sensational reading. A Humorous Thriller In " The Casino Murder Case," opening at the St. James Theatre on Friday, Paul Lukas, the featured player of such successes as " Little Women " and " The Fountain," brings to the screen a third distinctive portrayal of Philo Vance, S. S. Van Line's famous fictional detective. Rather than present a purely dramatic mystery, the producer, Lucien Hubbard, has chosen to make the newest Philo Vance thriller an unusually humorous yet mystifying story with rapid action and sparkling dialogue, suggestive of the tempo of "The Thin Man," one of the year's outstanding pictures. That the new picture has its funny moments is assured by the fact that the inimitable Alison Skipworth is prominently cast as the domineering Mrs Lewellyn, around whom much of the action circles. An excellent supporting cast includes Isabel Yewtell, Arthur Byron, Donald Cook, Leslie Fenton, Leo G. Carroll, and Louise Fazenda, who will be well remembered by many picture-goers of the silent days. "The Dark Angel" Fredric March, Merle Oberon. and Herbert Marshall play the three lovers tossed helplessly about the relentless tides of life in "The Dark Angel," a new Samuel Goldwyn Production. Set in a lovely, quiet corner of rurnl England, the story, which Lillian Hellman and Mordaunt Shairp adapted to the screen from a play by Guy Bolton, reflects the conflicts and triumphs in tho life of Kitty Vane, a beautiful Englis'i girl who since childhood has been loved by one -boy, Gerald Shannon (Herbert Marshall), while she loves his cousin, Alan Trent (Fredric March). Months in the trenches bring to Alan the realisation of his love for Kitty. Home on leave, he confesses his love and they ecstatically arrange to marry on the morrow. . An order cancelling all leave shatters their dream, however, and they spend their last hours together trying to forget that they may never see each other again. The story proceeds from this point to a powerful emotional climax and, after many vicissitudes, the lovers are reunited to face the future together. Sidney Franklin directed ' The Dark Angel," and the supporting cast is headed by Janet' Beecher, John Halliday, Henrietta Qrosman, Frieda Inescort, Claude Allister. and Cora Sue Collins. A South American Romance A rollicking romance of the South American cattle country, "Under the Pampas Moon," which comes to the Grand Theatre to-day, is one of those outdoor films that combine excitement with humour. The hero, far from being the traditional unbelievably daring and handsome person who is as much at home in a dress suit as in the saddle, is quite often a figure of fun. A gaucho who is uncrowned king of the pampas, he j mingles an air of bravado with a complete lack of self-consciousness, which j makes him a delightful and very human figure. ! Warner Baxter plays the chief role with zest and ability, and, thanks to his efforts, the film never flags for a moment. The story concerns the change which an aeroplane party which makes a forced [ landing effects in the carefree life of the I pampas. The "king of the pampas," be- i loved by all the girls in the district, loses his heart to a beautiful blonde i singer, played by the French actress, Ketti. Gallian, while his horse is stolen from him at the behest of the girl's j manager. He traces his beloved animal to Buenos Aires, where he cuts a comical figure in the midst of the glittering night life of the great city. His naive selfassurance is mixed with a determination and attractiveness which overcomes all obstacles, however, and with the help of his comrades he sets out to defeat the villainy that theratens to rob him of his horse, which proves as great a performer on the race track as on the pampas. A series of highly exciting scenes brings the film to a climax. Dressing Crusaders Dressing film players for their roles is not all a matter of, cutting and sewing. In the case of Cecil B. de Mille's current Paramount picture, "The Crusades," starring Henry Wilcoxon and Loretta Young, it took sheet metal workers, blacksmiths, farriers and jewellers. It took more metal workers than cloth workers to dress one of the 1009 Crusaders used in the picture. The well-dressed Crusader be he star or extra, is a man of much weight. Henry Wilcoxon, who plays the leading role of King Richard the Lion Heart, added 1001 b of costume and gear to his own weight of 190ib. Fortunately, in the twelfth century period Which the film depicts, full plate armour had not come into fashion. That was the age of chain mail, with only small pieces of plate for elbows, wrists and shoulders. The business of dressing a de Mille Crusader meant employment to hundreds of people. The designing of the costumes was the first and main step, and photographs from leading museums were procured so that absolute authenticity in costumes could be obtained. The foundry, metal shop and blacksmith's shop at the Paramount Studios went into high gear, swords were pounded on anvils day and night and huge iron and steel shields were hauled from the metal shop to the wardrobe department in stacks on trac-tor-drawn trucks. The chain mail shirts and head covering necessitated miles of metal to be woven. Thus the Crusader had added almost 50 per' cent, to his own weight, but there was more to come. Spurs were clapped on his heels, a seven-foot lance placed in his right hand, and one of the tremendous shields on his left arm. Only then was he ready to sally forth and do battle for the picture. New Child Star Although she is only eight years old, the feet of Virginia Weidler are planted on the ladder to screen stardom. Already she is accorded the recognition and consideration which are bestowed upon leading luminaries of the kinema. Little Virginia has a private tutor, a special nurse, both a. studio and a set dressing room, and an official playmate, her sister. Sylvia, hired by the studio to keep her company between takes. Virginia first attracted attention with her portrayal of Little Sister in "Laddie." She is now playing "LaurieLou " in " Freckles," the Gene-Stratton-Porter story. Jean Batten to Introduce Film Jean Batten recently signed a contract with Gaumont-British Distributors to appear personally and introduce their flying picture, " R.A.F." "R.A.F." was filmed with the co-opera-tion of the Royal Air Force. John Betts, the director, worked on this film for 18 months, the everyday job of Britain's air arm contributing splendid material and enabling him to place on record the achievements of the finest air force in the world. The film is remarkable for many entrancing " shots " of armadas in the sky. To secure these great patience and daring was demanded of the cameramen, who in some cases were strapped to the wines of bombers to secure thrilling parachute jumps. Helen Hayes Leaves the Screen In spite of her success over a period of four years on the screen, with another still to go, according to the contract from which Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have just recently released her, Helen Hayes has said farewell to films. It is not, she frankly explains, that she feels the slightest antagonism toward either pictures or picture people. On the contrary, she believes that films have helped her. But her screen performances, with the exception of a few pcenes in "A Farewell to Arms," have never satisfied her, and her film work has constantly interfered with her private life. Her original screen contract stipulated that she might return to Now York and the stage for six months after a period of the same time in Hollywood. But, somehow, it never worked out that way. Either the play did not close in time, or the picture was not ready. "Besides," she confessed, "I feel that the stage is where I belong. I am much better there. I feel that I was getting constantly worse in pictures. I am more confident on the stage. I have more command there. I know what I am doing. I can 'get' an audience three

minutes after I've stepped before the footlights. I have always missed that reaction before the camera. You never know how a scene is going to succeed until you see it in the theatre and can get the audience's reaction —and then you usually want to bury your head in shame and run. " For example, I begged to play in •'What Every Woman Knows." I loved the part. I had played it over and over for an entire year on the stage, and never tired of it. It has the sly humour that I like. The film company granted my wish, and we started work cheerfully. But the film was not a success financially. There are various reasons. "Too often, the studios 'adapt a fitory or play out of all recognition. That happened to ' The Lullaby.' I made a story, new scenes were added, others cut, and new sequences injected. When I saw the final version, after I had returned to New York for a play, I was heartbroken. It was not the story I thought I had acted in at all. It was entirely different. " I was amazed to discover, not only that the picture was a great success, but that I had become an important film star! And when I was awarded the prize for the best performance of the year, I decided that I knew even less than I thought I had learned about the amazing film industry. "I do not say that I will never make another film. I am deeply indebted to pictures and all they have done 'for me. But I insist that my place is mainly on the stage. I am better and happier there."

Discontent Among Stars Discontent is rife among the leading players of Hollywood. Helen Hayes has left the screen largely because her roles have never satisfied her. Ramon Novarro, Maurice Chevalier, and Anna Sten have run away from Hollywood for much the same reason. The underlying cause is identical in each case, indifferent pictures. A year or two ago, faced with an acute shortage of material, brought on by the exacting demands of the " talkies," Hollywood began to be very careless. The best subjects and stories were reserved for pictures which had to stand on their own merits. The " starring " pictures, fortified with famous names, often received what was left over. "There is no need to worry about a leading actor's films," the producers thought. " the public will pay to see him in anything/' So they extracted a timeworn plot from the scenario department's files, played up the leading part to suit him, and trusted to luck and the box office value of his name to put the thing over. The result was that the actor'? popularity soon began to suffer. Those of his followers who were faithful stood by him, protesting loudly about the poor quality of his pictures. Those who were not so loyal bc~gan to desert him. And this has been arrested only by the rebellion of its more influential victims. The folly of regarding a prominent artist as an insurance policy againsc failure has be?n brought home to Hollywood, first by the financial failure of inferior " starring " pictures, and, secondly, by the loss of the players themselves. The screen is not so rich in personalities of proven appeal that it can afford to hazard any of them. A leading American studio magnate recently admitted that.' in spite of the importation of scores of newcomers, the supply of box office artists remained woefully unequal to the need for them. " Oil for the Lamps of China " "Oil for the Lamps of China," the latest Cosmopolitan production released by First National Pictures, which comes to the Empire Theatre on Friday, is heralded as both a most powerful drama and a stirring human document. The scenes for the most part are laid in the Orient, including the snow-swept plains of Manchuria, Peking, Shanghai, and the torrid interior. The picture was more than a year in the making, for atmospheric shots were taken in Manchuria a year before a camera crank was turned at the studio. The director (Mervyn Leßoy) spent several months in the Orient, studying China and Chinese customs, before beginning work. Pat O'Brien has the leading role, that of an American fired with enthusiasm to make good with his company, a great oil concern, and to bring light to China by the way of lamps and oil. Josephine Hutchinson portrays the girl O'Brien marries and who, in the end, saves him from being east aside by the company in whose service he had spent a lifetime of work. Jean Muir and John Eldredge play the roles of friends of O'Brien and Miss Hutchinson, who, failing to understand Chinese methods, are broken on the wheel of adversity. Lylo Talbot also is broken by the life. Arthur Byron has the role of "No. 1 Boss," who ends his life when ordered to a minor position. Donald

Crisp is one of the officials who dies in a swamp. Henry O'Neill is the new •" boss." New Type of News Reel Great interest is being displayed in RKO Radio's announcement that they will be handling " The March of Time " series. Although four of the monthly issues of this two-reeler have been released in America, New Zealand has yet to see a sample of this idea which has been the subject of a great deal of newspaper publicity in the United States. _ " The March of Time " offers something entirely new. It is photographic journalism, presenting curtly, clearly and concisely, incidents of outstanding importance—tells why they happened, what is behind them, and what they mean to the world in general. It is not a newsreel. It might be described as a dramatisation of the news, a completely new treatment and presentation of current events. This series has been built up on the hypothesis that the public is interested not only in the fact that news happens, but why it happens, and what it means. Theatre and Screen Differ Rene Clair, the French producer, who recently started work at Isleworth, England, for London Film Productions, plans to turn out a picture which will be " one hundred per cent kinema." "Ever since the 'talkies,' he says, "we have kinema no longer. We have enly theatre. Kinema is kinema. Why make it theatre? It is stupid! "

The fault with the kinema, according to Rene Clair, is that it has taken over the conventions of the theatre, lock, stock and barrel. " The worst of these borrowings," he said, " is the three-sided stage. The kinema insanely ties itself down to the limitations of an art that was never intended for the kinema. The theatre," he declared, "is synthetic. The kinema is analytic." In the epoch of the silent films, he believes, the kinema reached a much truer expression than it has to-day. "The ' talkies' and colour films have been a great advance scientifically, but not artistically," he said. He does not deny that the industry must welcome scientific developments and use them. "If we have television to-morrow, we must immediately work with it." What ho objects to is the present over-emphasis on new discoveries. " Technique is not the important thing, but the nse to which you put your technique. Colour is an incident, not a revolution in "the industry! " Mr Clair believes it is downright treason to film geniuses—such as Shakespeare.. "' Romeo and Juliet' was written by a man who never visualised such au invention as the kinema," he said, "and to film it in his spirit we would ntied the same genius which created this great play from a little Italian story." M. Rene Clair is probably right in maintaining that the kinema hag so far

tied itself much too slavishly to the theatre and its conventions (stated the News-Chronicle, London, in commenting on M. Clair's remarks). But the ease may be over-stated. M. Clair does so, for instance, in suggesting that " Romeo and Juliet" ought not to be filmed because Shakespeare did not write for the kinema. He did not: but neither did he write for the modern stage, which is scarcely less remote from the Elizabethan than the kinema itself. Shakespeare would have been about equally astounded by both. " The Merry Widow " Songs that have delighted the world for years, becoming ever increasingly popular, are to come for the first time to the talking screen with Ernst Lubitsch's production of " The Merry Widow." which opens to-day at the Mayfair Theatre. The strains of the "Merry Widow Waltz" are as familiar and as loved today in Moscow as in Buenos Aires, in New York as in Peking. All the famous songs of the Franz Lehar masterpiece are to be heard in Metro-Goldwyn-Maycr's presentation, co-starring Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier. The hauntingly romantic "Vilia" is sung by Miss MacDonald, as are "To-night Will Teach Me to Forget," " Melody of Laughter," and " Widows Are Gay." Chevalier s songfi include "I'm Going to Maxim's"

and "Girls, Girls, Girls." Together Miss MacDonald and Chevalier sing The Merry Widow Waltz." A male chorus renders " We'll Go to Cafe De Paris.' Chevalier and Miss MacDonald head a cast that includes Edward Everett Horton, Una Merkel, George Barker, Minna Gombell, Ruth Channing, Sterling Holloway, Donald Meek, and Herman Bing. Double-feature Programme "It Happened in New York," a romantic comedy representing capital light entertainment, will be the mam feature on the new programme at the btranci Theatre on Friday. The story, which blossoms out on original hues, is smartly planned, while its bright satire is clearly interpreted by an attractive cast headed by Gertrude Michael, Lyle lalbot and Heather Angel. Fun excitement, and.romance are expertly blended on a btory which touches on the "eternal triangle theme and then races skilfully away. Lyle Talbot has the role of a taximan who is forced to choose between a glamorous film star and a shop girl. However, while he is making up his mind there is plenty of time for smart repartee and exciting situations to develop. That beautiful blonde screen star, Bette Davis, blossoms forth as a clever comedienne in "Front Page Woman, which will be introduced to the Dunedin public at the Strand Theatre on Fnday. Miss Davis takes the part of Ellen Garfield, a reporter for the Star, who is in love with Curt Devlin, star reporter for the Express. There is war to the knife between the pair, and the manner in which they "scoop" each other makes a iaseinating and most intriguing story. A murder case and the tracking down ot the criminal is a feature of the him. Eventually Devlin is committed to prison for contempt of court, and his sweetheart, after she has shown him what a woman reporter can do, allows him to fasten a slave bracelet around her ankle through the prison bars. George Brent does some effective acting as the star reporter, and others in the strong cast include Roscoe Karns, Winifred Shaw. Walter Walker, J. Carroll Naish, and Gordon Westcott. Story of the Navy "Brown on Resolution," the spectacular Gaumont-British naval production, is based on the best-selling novel by C. S. Forester, and is distinguished by realistic scenes made with the co-opera-tion of the British Admiralty. This is the first occasion on which permission has been granted for the navy to be used in a purely dramatic film, previous facilities being afforded only in cases where productions have possessed a documentary or other official value. Without flag-wavmg or sentimental heroics, "Brown on Resolution" tells a plain, unadorned tale of a duty carried out in the exalted spirit of naval tradition. "Courage from hearts and not from numbers grows." Dryden's fine line echoes the theme of this stirring British saga of desperate single-handed devotion to a principle. Scottish Pfayright's Success James Birdee is generally recognised as one of the most brilliant and outstanding Scottish dramatists of the present day. His greatness has been admitted by the critics for many years, but public recognition was not fully granted until his historical drama, " Mary Read " had its extremely successful run in London iecentlv. Miss Elizabeth Blake has chosen this play as the subject of her lecture recital to be held in the Jubilee Hall to-morrow night for the benefit of the members and friends of the Repertory Society and the Drama League. Those who attend will certainly spend an evening as enjoyable find amusing as it will be instructive, for Miss Blake's charm and wit will add ?race and point to her remarks and illustrations. Arliss Refuses Overtime George Arliss has just refused a £6OOO cheque for overtime. The amazed man who received back the cheque is the director of productions for Gaumont-Bntisn, Michael Balcon. "To be sure that Mr Arlisss latest film, 'The Guv-nor,' is worthy of a star of his- importance, we had allowed the production to run a few days over schedule," Mr Balcon said. We did not want to spoil the ship for a ha portn of tar. Under his contract Mr Arliss is allowed so much a day for each day s work after a period agreed upon 'when the film is begun. Accordingly, when his scenes in the film were finished a few days ago a cheque for his overtime was sent to him. "The next day he walked into my office. I thought it was one of his usual visits to talk about the progress of the film. Mr Arliss took an envelope from his pocket, extracted our cheque, and said- 'Listen, old man. I don't want to take this. After all, we are all working together on the picture.' And before I could pull myself together he had vanished! "Such a thing has never happened to me before. I was flabbergasted! Of course, any star has a right to payment for services outside his contract, but it was a very pleasant experience to have Mr Arliss take such an attitude. One hears so many stories about the. hard business methods of stars who earn large salaries that I think my surprise was excusable! " Mr Arliss will receive about £30,000 for making "The Guv'nor "—without the overtime. He worked eight days beyond the schedule. The sack George Arliss carried round for weeks as the tramp hero of " The Guv'nor" now lies in an obscure corner of the studio property room. Within an hour of finishing his last scene Mr Arliss was in the train on the way to his home at St. Margaret s, Kent. Now Mr Arlies will read, browse, and walk—he does a lot of walking—around his lovely home by the sea until the script is ready for his next Gaumont-British film, to be begun at the end of this month. He is now choosing one of two subjecta.

Film Topics The new Shirley Temple picture for Fox Films is called " Our Little Girl," and was produced by Edward Butcher Joel M'Crea. Rosemary Ames, Lyle lalbot, Erin O'Brien Moore and others are prominent in supporting roles. " Our Little Girl" was adapted from the magazine story by Florence Leighton, and the screen play was written by Stephen Morehouse Avery and Allen Rivken. " Small Town Girl," based on the novel by Ben Ames Williams, will be brought to the screen by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with Maureen O'Sullivan in the title role and Robert Montgomery in the starring masculine lead. The two appeared together in " Hideout." Miss O'Sullivan is now at work in a new Tarzan picture, with Johnny Weissmuller, and will start in " Small Town Girl" as soon as Montgomery returns to Hollywood from his present holiday. • Peter Lorre, who registered an international success in "The Man Who Knew Too Much," and Alfred Hitchcock, who directed the picture, have joined forces again for the forthcoming Gaumont-Brit-ish screen version of W. Somerset Maugham's " Secret Agent." This is a thrilling spy tale in which Lorre will impersonate the Hairless Mexican and Madeleine Carroll will have the feminine lead. "Mutiny oa the Bounty" has Irv-

inc G. Thalberg aa producer and Frank Llovd as director. Clark Gable, Charles Laughton, and Franchot Tone have the leading roles in this spectacular sea story. Other members of the cast are Dudley Digges, Henry Stephenson, Herbert Mundin, Donald Crisp, Eddie Quillan, and Francis Lister. Many an old Southern custom, including a feud, is brought out in the latest Will Rogers picture, " In Old Kentucky, which is a laugh from beginning to end. Will Rogers is his lovable, homely self, trying to fix up everything for everybody. It is said to be a film for every type of theatre-goer, well balanced in humour and action, with fast-moving and modern diaEdinund Gwenn, British stage and screen star, has signed a long-term Metro-Goldwvn-Mayer contract, and will play the title role in " The Bishop Misbehaves, scheduled for early production. The fcreen adaptation by Monckton Hotfe and Leon Gordon is based on the stage play by Frederick Jackson. E. A. Dupont will direct with Lawrence Wemgarten as producer. Jack Buchanan's Leading Lady Fay Wray, the well-known American actre&s now playing opposite Jack Buchanan in the current production Lome Out of the Pantry" at the British and Dominions Studios, has done a considerable amount of ''free-lance ' work tor various film companies. As her services are always in demand, she can pick and choose, and does not mind where she makes a film as long as the part suits One of the things Miss Wray likes about British pictures is that they have given her an opportunity to strike out on somewhat new lines. Until s\e came to England, although she had made scores of pictures, she had appeared in only two comedies. Out of her three British films two have been comedies, which has given her an idea. She finds she likes playing in this type of picture, and wants to continue doing so as often as possible.