SCREEN AND STAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23059, 9 December 1936, Page 15

SCREEN AND STAGE

FROM GREEN ROOM AND STUDIO

"Till We Meet Again" A thrilling tale of the espionage system—the story of men and women who take their livens in their hands working for their country, expecting nothing in return, not even protection —is unfolded in the Paramount picture "Till We Meet Again," which will commence on Friday at the Regent. Theatre. With an exciting plot.and plenty of romance this film is said to rank as one of the best spy dramas yet seen. The story concerns two happy lovers, stars of the London theatre in August, 1914. These are Herbert Marshall, as Alan Barclay, and Gertrude Michael, as Elsa Duranyi, his Viennese sweetheart. Their wedding plans are wrecked by the declaration of war. As a loyal Englishman, Barclay joins the colours. Elsa, who has been working in London as a member of the German Secret Service—of which Alan is unaware—also reports to her commanding officer. Assigned to the British Intelligence Service, Barclay enters Germany disguised as a German shell-shocked soldier, Hans Teller. Elsa Duranyi is also stationed in Germany, when accidentally she meets her lover in the German espionage director's office, and unwittingly betrays him. However, she realises that her love for him is so great that she can forget her loyalty to her cduntry; she risks death before a firing squad in order to save him, and attempts to leave Germany with him. The way in which the sweethearts outwit the German agents and make their successful escape across the frontier into a happier world of peace and love furnishes the thrilling climax. Herbert Marshall, renowned as a most natural actor, is said to give a masterly performance in the difficult role he is called upon to portray, while

Gertrude Michael ably supports him in4he romantic lead role opposite the star* As Ludwig, German espionage thief. Lionel Attwill t is excellent, others in the supporting cast being Rod La Roche and Guy Bates Post.

BY HARLEQUIN

Australian Theatrical Family Members of Australia's .leading theatrical family who left their native land nearly 20 years ago to seek—and find—fame in the American theatre, have finally capitulated 'o the motion picture and settled in Hollywood. ' ■ It was Alan Marshal who preceded his parents, Leonard Willey and Irby Marshal, to Hollywood from the New York theatre. Alan, who is in his middle twenties, was "discovered" last spring by Producer David O. Selznick, who signed him to make his screen debut in a prominent role in Selznick International.Pictures' technicolour production, "The Garden of AJlah," co-starring Marlene Dietrich and Charles Boyer. ' ■ Alan, afraid he had not made a personal hit in the picture, returned to New York, but after viewing a rough cut of the picture Selznick sent for the young actor and placed him under a long-term contract. And now Alan s parents, who haven't played in motion pictures since they made a few short subjects in Sydney, Australia. 30 years ago, when Willey was one of the first directors for Pathe, have left New York to settle in Hollywood. Selznick's faith in Alan Marshal has been borne out by the after-preview comments of the press who witnessed, a showing of "The Garden of Allah" in Hollywood a few days ago. They all praised Marshal's work highly. But even before this Marshal had been loaned to another studio, M-G-M, for important roles in "After the Thin Man" and "Parnell." ' ' By the time Marshal returns to his home lot at Selznick International, he will probably have already established himself with the fans, and already he is being mentioned for prominent features and possible starring parts in such future Selznick productions as "A Star is Born," "Gone With the Wind," and "The Man With a Young Wife." He is six feet and one-half inch tall, weighs 1651 b, is 27 years old, has dark hair, and brown eyes. As a child he played in Maeterlinck's " The Blue Bird," and in two short films, produced in Sydney under his fathers direction. , . , , When Alan was five, his parents took him to San Francisco, where they played on the stage for several months. After that they moved to New York,

where both the mother and father became prominent stage players, Alan meantime accumulating an education in schools on Long Island. He always wanted to go on to the stage, and finally, when he was 15, he obtained an important role on Broadway in "The Swan" with Eva Le Gallienne and Basil Rathbone. Alan then resumed his schooling, artd, after four years, he began to take up the theatre seriously. It was in 1928 that he really started his career, joining Fritz Leiber's Shakepearian Players in New Yorkv He worked up to the role of Lorenzo to George Arliss's Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice." Then Alan's career in modern plays began with " Michael and Mary." Appreciative of the great training value of stock, he signed with a repertory troupe in Toronto for a year, and then in Montreal for a year.

He returned to New York to appear in " Fool's Cap," " Best Sellers," " Lady Jane" with Frances Starr, "The Bishop Misbehaves," and "On Stage" with Osgood Perkins. On completing the last role, he made a screen test for the role of De Trevignac in David O. Selznick's filmisation of Robert Hichens's immortal story, "The Garden of Allah." He won the part, and made his screen debut on location with the troupe in the American Sahara near Yuma, Arizona.

Rathbone in England Basil Rathbone and his wife, Ouida Bergere, the famous film scenarist, arrived recently at Southampton from Hollywood in a thick fog (says a writer in the Daily Mail). For two good reasons the fog bitterly disappointed Rathbone, who has

returned to England to play the lead opposite Ann Harding in her first British film,',' Love From a Stranger," for the Max Schach-Capital'Company. He is anxious to get to work, on the film and had arranged to fly to London, but the pilot decided the trip would be unsafe. He is also an enthusiastic amateur kinematographer, and fears that the colour films he took of the Normandie's docking will not be all that they might be.

Rathbone is temporarily renting the home of Sir Cedric Hardwicke, who is at present in New York, but he intends to take a house in the Chilterns during his film work. He has read the play script of " Love From a Stranger," and was very pleased with his part of the mysterious stranger played in the West End stage S reduction by Frank Vosper, but a ttle puzzled by the eagerness of producers to cast him for murderous characters.

"I trace this back to my part of Murdstone in ' David Copperfleld,'" he said; "and the way I got that part was curious enough. I had been playing in the stage productions of ' Romeo and Juliet' and 'The Barretts of Wimpole Street' in Holywood with Katherme Cornell, and six months later received a long-distance call in New York offering me the Copperfleld part. 1 was a little astonished, and still am, to think that playing Romeo was a recommendation for playing Murdstone." Recently Rathbone has played in the screen version of " Romeo and Juliet" with Norma Shearer. He declares that the film will prove a revelation to the British public. Rathbone, who wanted to be an actor from his earliest days, but put in a year in an insurance office in deference to his father's theory that stage players should have some business experience to fall back upon in emergency, returns to England with a long list of Hollywood achievements to his credit.

His first big hit was scored opposite Norma Shearer in "The Last of Mrs Cheyney," and later he was Garbo's husband, in "Anna Karenina," and Pontius Pilate in the "Last Days of Pompeii," following this by becoming the Marquis d'Evremont in "A Tale of Two Cities," and later playing lead in " Feather in Her Hat" and " Kind Lady." He has another big part as Count Anteoni in " The Garden of Allah," the Selznick Technicolour production, with Marlene Dietrich.

"Earthworm Tractors" Joe E. Brown, who comes to the Empire Theatre on Friday in "Earthworm Tractors," got ducked in the muddy waters of a swamp during the production of the film. And the First National comedy star is not sure, but he has a sneaking notion that Guy Kibbee may have had something to do with it. Joe admits that his suspicion of the corpulent Kibbee is based on his general knowledge of human nature and a natural desire for revenge. "The reason I thmk Guy caused me to fall into the mud," grinned Joe, "is that several days ago, while I was driving the big 'Earthworm Tractor,' I gave Kibbee the scare of his life." Kibbee denies that he jarred the plank on which Brown was standing when he took the swamp tumble. He denies it, members of the " Earthworm Tractors " company point out, but he continues to grin. Brown took his muddy tumble on location at "Gopher Flats" on the ranch Just across the river from the First National studio. And when he fell, eyewitnesses said, he let out a Joe &. Brown yell that was really genuine. Hurriedly furnished with facilities for a shower bath of a crude type, and given a complete change of wardrobe, the comedy star within an hour after the " accident" was serenely doing his work over the muddy swamp. But—he was keeping, it was noted, a wary eye on Guy Kibbee. "Earthworm Tractors" is described as a screamingly funny comedy based on the stories by William Hazlett Upson. Besides Joe E. Brown and Kibbee, the cast includes June Travis, Dick Foran, Carol Hughes, Gene Lockhart and OUn Howland. Raymond Enright directed the picture from the screen play by Richard Macauley, Joe Traub and Hugh Cummings.

"Pepper" n "Pepper," featuring Jane Withers, is the next change at the State Theatre. With Irvin S. Cobb and Slim Summerville as her-henchmen, "Ginger Jane goes on a rampage in her new hit that is said to promise to eclipse even the merriest of the mischievous miss's previous triumphs'. The film opens in a rush of excitement and comedy as Jane leads her "gang" through the streets, celebrating the Fourth of July by creating havoc in the neighbourhood. The fun ceases abruptly when Jane comes upon a family being evicted from the tenement flat and she sends the other kids out to raise the 11 dollars necessary ,to pay the rent. When they fall short of their goal by five dollars, Jane decides to get the money from Irvin S. Cobb, a dyspeptic millionaire. Amused at Jane's impish antics, Cobb takes her to Coney Island and later they visit Jane's home, where Cobb meets Slim Summerville, her uncle and guardian. Much against Cobb's will, his daughter has announced her intention of marrying a millionaire. Summerville notices a picture of the en-

gaged couple in a newspaper, and reveals that he has met the baron somewhere before—and that the baron is a fake. Cobb offers Jane and Slim 5000 dollars if they can expose the baron and prove him an impostor. How Jane does so, with the help of her crowd of ragamuffins, is said to provide a riotous climax to a hilarious film. Two songs are featured in "Pepper," with Jane singing one and also collaborating with Cobb and Summerville in a rendition of "The Song of the Coyotes." James Tinling directed the film, with John Stone associate producer. Dean Jagger, Murial Robert, Ivan Lebedeff, Maurice Cass and Romaine Callender are also included in the cast.

J. C. Furnas in Hollywood J. C. Furnas, author of "And Sudden Death," which as a book has passed the 3,000,000 mark in sales, stopped in Hollywood a few weeks back on the final stages of his world tour. The Furnas story, published first in the Readers' Digest, prominent American publication, is now world famous, and although it is most noted for its restraining of reckless drivers by illustrating in graphic language the gruesome details of motor crashes, the 29-year-old author said details of the worst crashes were omitted. "The idea for the article was not mine," explained Furnas. "The editor of the Readers' Digest suggested that we might help people into a realisation of the danger of careless driving. Every detail was authentic, gathered from the Police Department, doctors, ambulance drivers, and hospital attendants. There was no need for imagination." "And Sudden Death" has been adapted for the screen by Paramount under the title of "Toll of the Road," with Frances Drake, Randolph Scott, and Tom Brown cast in the leading roles. It has already been released in Auckland, and is set for early release in other centres.

Multi-starred Film Seldom has such a galaxy of talent been produced in any one film as is the case in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayers production " Dinner at 8," which commences at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday afternoon for a session of six days. As a stage show, " Dinner at 8" was an outstanding success, both on Broadway and in London. Great as was the play, however, it is doubtful whether it could compare with the film, for, as everyone knows, so much more can be shown on the screen than on the stage. As for the cast, it is doubtful if a better one could have been selected had the whole film colony been searched from end to end. Every character is a star, and even the smallest part is handled with ability. The plot of the film tells of a brief section in the lives of a group of various people drawn together at a dinner party. Romance, tragedy, comedy, and self-sacrifice find thenplace as the picture progresses. There are no noble-minded heroes, no simple, pure heroines, no double-dyed villains. Each character comes from life, with human virtues and human failings. Heading the galaxy of stars is the late Marie Dressier, who excels in the role of a somewhat gushing actress. John Barrymore appears as the brokendown kinema actor, and his brother Lionel has a very different type of role as the head of a big shipping concern facing bankruptcy. Wallace Beery is cast as Dan Packard, a bluff and unscrupulous mining magnate, and Jean Harlow plays his ill-mannered but beautiful cabaret-girl wife. Billie Burke plays Michael Jorday, who arranged the fateful dinner that brings the widely different guests together. Lee Tracy plays Max Kane, the theatrical agent. Edmund Lowe as the philandering doctor, and Karen Morley as his understanding wife make a charming couple, and Madge Evans receives her greatest opportunity. Jean Hersholt and May Robson are also in the cast. Ranch for Dogs

Hollywood, the last word in initiative, again scoops the world with the establishment of the first dude ranch for dogs. '" ' Created by the desire of screen stars to provide a playground for their pets while they are on vacation in New York or in Europe, a 15-acre tract high in the San Bernadino mountains provides every type of canine recreation, sanitary housing, and hospital accommodation. . ■ , , Many of the stars send their dogs there for whelping and for buildingup after the arrival of the pups. Others send their long-haired dogs to the ranch during the winter to get their coats in prime condition for the spring dog shows. While Ginger Rogers enjoys a trip to New York, her dog Rover romps at the ranch and roams the surrounding hills. Richard Dix sends his blooded setters there in the snow sea-

son to condition their coats and perfect their wind at the 7800-foot altitude. When Katharine Hepburn flies east to visit her family and to see the Broadway shows, her cocker spaniels swim and run in the mountains.

At the ranch each dog has a large private runway, dog house, cedar bed, individual eating bowl, and sunbath platform. And if you don't think it is a dog heaven, listen—there are no flies or fleas at the altitude at which the ranch is located.

Gladys Shipman owns and operates the ranch, and dogs are picked up in special trucks anywhere within a radius of 150 miles of the ranch.

John Boles, a Perfect Husband Dorothy Arzner, Hollywood's sole woman director, is probably voicing the opinion of a good many eligible girls when she calls John Boles the ideal-husband type. Miss Arzner, however, hastens to add that her interest in Boles's marital qualifications is purely technical. To clear things up a bit, Boles was the director's choice for the important role of the husband in Columbia's "Craig's Wife," in which the slender dark-eyed Rosalind Russell plays the title role. "In the film," says Miss Arzner, " Mrs Craig is just about everything a good wife should not be. By way of contrast, to set out Mrs Craig's unappealing character in bold relief, Walter Craig is supposed to be a very desirable husband. "And that's where John Boles comes

What makes Boles a desirable husband? Miss Arzner is very definite about it.

"First of all, he looks the part, and that's half the battle in a motion picture. Everyone will agree that John is a very presentable fellow, handsome, well-built, tastefully and quietly dressed.

"There is a certain solidarity about him that women look for when selecting a lifetime mate. He has a sense of humour, is honest, a good sport. John's own wife—their marriage, by the way, is considered one of Hollywood's happiest—will vouch for those things, and will add that he is sympathetic, understanding, and, incidentally, a good provider. Besides Miss Russell and John Boles the cast of "Craig's Wife" includes Billie Burke, Jane Darwell, Dorothy Wilson, and Alma Kruger. "Riff Raff"

A story of the primitive emotions of men and women who go down to the sea in ships; wresting an existence from the constant struggle with the deep, is related in "Riff Raff," which opens a season to-day at the Mayfair Theatre. Like "China Seas," "Rin Raff " gives Miss Harlow a tremendous opportunity to display her dramatic ability. This is no society drama, no polite comedy of the drawing room. This is a love story without a word of love, a romance as savagely elemental as the environment in which it takes place. Jean Harlow gives an excellent portrayal of a young woman whose attempts to win the affections of a boastful young fisherman lead her into Erison when she endeavours to help im out of his difficulties, while Spencer Tracy, as her lover, is also outstanding. Una Merkel and Joseph Calleia, who scored a notable success in " Public Hero," head a strong supporting cast. "Annie Oakley " will also be shown. "The Fanner in the Dell"

Featuring Fred Stone and Jean Parker, and based on Phil Stong's widely-read novel, RKO Radio's "The Farmer in the Dell" comes to the Grand Theatre to-day. The story of a kindly, retired lowa farmer who keeps his sense of true values when the lightning of motion picture fame strikes him, is said to fit Stone's personality and talents as though it had been written to order for him. Pa Boyer, the farmer who turns actor, is a simple-hearted, lovable, homespun character, but a man of extraordinary intelligence and clear vision. And Fred Stone is known as just such a character, a sincere, kindly, and genuine gentleman, unaffected by the international fame that has come his way in his 50 years in the show business. Comedy, romance, and drama are blended into the production, with Jean Parker and Frank Albertson carrying the love interest. Esther Dale, as Ma Boyer, has a rich comedy role. Others in the cast are Moroni Olsen, Rafael Corio, Maxine Jennings, Lucille Ball, Ray Mayer, Spencer Charters, and I Frank Jenks.

Crashing the jungles with native helpers and an elephant train, capturing its prize denizens and crating them for shipment to the circuses and zoos of the world, sums up the action in Frank Buck's latest film, " Fang and Claw," the associate feature. With the largest advance order for birds, beasts, and reptiles that he had ever carried to the Far East, Buck set out for Malay and Northern India expecting to be away from his American wild animal base on Long Island for a year. The expedition, the largest in point of men and equipment in Buck's quarter of a century of animal collecting, rounded up some 5000 birds and animals, a record catch. "Fang and Claw" is said to be more

thrilling and entertaining than " Bring 'Em Back Alive" or "Wild Cargo." Buck is said to have made a picture wherein all the secrets of his traps and methods of capture will be revealed to audiences. In one exciting episode, Buck goes to the rescue of a native in the Sakai country who is treed by a tiger. In another, Buck, nearby when a native is encircled by a steel-springed python, saves the boy and captures the snake.

"Moonlight Murder" The slaying of a great opera tenor, played by Leo Carrillo, before 20,000 witnesses in the famous Hollywood Bowl, forms the unusual motivation for "Moonlight Murder," the first operatic mystery drama in which Chester Morris becomes a detective and, aided by Madge Evans, solves one of the oddest crime mysteries fiction has ever created. The new picture, coming this Friday to the Strand Theatre, is from an original story by Albert Cohen and Robert T. Shannon. It was directed by Edwin L. Marin, who has two successful Philo Vance stories to his credit. Lavish operatic sequences, showing portions of the opera "II Trovatore" as produced at the Bowl, lend spectacle and lavish music to the uncanny mystery. The ingenious plot throws suspicion on practically every member of the cast until its amazing solution in the last few feet of picture. Morris, who recently completed "Three Godfathers," plays the young detective who, with the aid of Madge Evans as daughter of a scientist, solves the mystery. Leo Carrillo, of "Viva Villa" and other hits, portrays D'Acosta, the tenor. Others in the cast include Duncan Renaldo, Robert M'Wade, H. B. Warner, J. Carrol Naish, Benita Hume, Katharine Alexander, Grant Mitchell, and Frank M'Hugh. Great sequences in the Hollywood Bowl, with thousands of people, a lavish and colourful operatic presentation with more than a hundred in the cast, including many famous Ziegfeld girls as gipsy dancers, interesting scenes about the Ambassador and other Hollywood haunts, embellish this weird mystery with its odd scientific twist.

"Hearts Divided" Laid in the romantic setting of the South in 1803, and presenting a distinguished cast, Warner Bros, new Cosmopolitan production, " Hearts Divided," has been booked to open at the St. James Theatre on Friday next. The story by Rita Johnson Young, has an historical background, set in the Napoleonic era and touching on the Louisana Purchase. Leading American and French characters set the stage for a glamorous romance between Captain Jerome Bonaparte, brother of the French emperor, and Betsy Patterson, the belle of Baltimore and Washington. Jerome, who is in America as emissary of Napoleon in the sale of Louisana, meets the beautiful Betsy when travelling incognito, falls in love with her, and becomes her music and French teacher. She loses her heart to him despite the fact that she believes him to be only a tutor, and then awakens to the surprise of her life when she discovers his identity. Napoleon had a diplomatic match in mind for his brother, but Jerome, romantic lover and adven-

turer that he was, could not be crushed, and the story ends in a surprising and pleasing climax. Songs written specially for the production by the famous team of Harry Warren and Al Dubin are sung by Dick Powell, with Miss Davies joining him in one of the catchy airs. The famous Hall Johnson Choir also make their film debut in this picture, singing several spirituals, and furnishing background music. Miss Davies has the role of Betsy Patterson, and Powell plays the part of Jerome, whose love for Betsy is far stronger than his desire for fame and fortune. The role of Napoleon is played by that sterling English character actor, Claud Raines. Charles

Ruggles, Edward Everett Horton, and Arthur Treacher have the comedy roles as the indefatigable and highly amusing lovers of Miss Betsy. Other comedy parts are taken by Walter Kingsford and Etienne Giradot, as aides to Jerome. Several historical personages are represented in the picture, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Alexander Hamilton, and John Marshall. Other important players in the cast include Henry Stephenson, Betsy's father; Clara Blandick, her aunt: John Larkin, Halliwell Hobbes, Hobert M'Daniels, Freddie Archibald, and Beulah Bondi. "The Road Back" James Whale's first production under his new contract with Universal will be " The Road Back," by Erich Maria Remarque. Universal officials and James Whale agree that world conditions at the present time give the production of "The Road Back" particular significance. "The Road Back" was originally run as a serialisation in Collier's and then appeared as a little brown novel, the success of which was little short of the phenomenal sale pi "All Quiet on the Western Front. Universal intended to produce it several years ago, and at that time R. C. Sherriff made a remarkable adaptation and script for the story which will be used now. Decision to shelve it for the time being was made because of the excessive cost. Whale has always been anxious to make it. Preparations to make "The Road Back one of the year's most important pictures will get under way immediately. During the next two months, the director will interview likely applicants for the parts of the half-dozen youths around whom "The Road Back" will unfold its gripping story of post-war rehabilitation.

"Itis my hope that' The Road Back' will uncover not one, but several movie stars of the future," Whale declared. "I expect it to be the biggest Universal production of the year, and, in view of the current unrest throughout the world, a picture which will have international significance."

To Play in "Winterset" Margo, dynamic Mexican actress, who played the leading, feminine role in the New York stage presentation of " Winterset," has been signed by RKO Radio for the same powerful part, op"posite Burgess Meredith in the screen version of the Maxwell Anderson hit. She replaces Sylvia Sidney, formerly announced for the role.

Signing of the young actress brings together in this screen production the three outstanding stage figures of "Winterset," Eduardo Cianelli, noted Broadway character actor, having affixed his signature to an RKO contract only a few weeks ago.

Beginning her career as a dancer, Margo displayed amazing versatility by becoming almost overnight one of the theatrical world's most brilliant dramatic actresses. After making her screen debut in the memorable "Crime Without Passion," she appeared in several Hollywood pictures, later going to Broadway for her role in "Winterset."

Western Film for Strand Ken Maynard, Western star, has found what is—for him—the key to success. "Success lies in wanting something, getting it—and then wanting something else," says Maynard. "It's important to keep on wanting something. When I was a boy I wanted to have a dozen suits of clothes. With that ambition satisfied, I wanted to have a luxurious home. After I had the home I wanted a swimming pool and gymnasium. I next wanted an expensive car. Then I wanted a chauffeur. Then I wanted an airplane. After getting one airplane I wanted two more. Then I wanted to develop the best private library of Western volumes in existence. My present ambition is to do some exploring and excavating in Central America. I've made several preparatory trips, and I know that this particular ambition will keep.me 'wanting' for a long time to come. Maynard is appearing in Columbia's "Heir To Trouble" at the Strand Theatre on Friday. Big Kinema Deal

The biggest deal of its kind in the history of the British kinema industry, involving combined assets of £24,000,000, and preventing the Gau-mont-British Picture Corporation passing under American control, was completed this week, states our London correspondent, writing on October 14. The transaction was between the Gau-mont-British Picture Corporation and the Associated British Picture Corporation. The first part of an agreement between Messrs Ostrer and Associated British Pictures providing for the acquisition of the holdings of Messrs Ostrer in the Metropolis and Bradford Trust, which has a controlling block of shares in the £6,000,000 GaumontBritish Corporation, was also completed. Until the deal the controlling shares of Gaumont-British were in the hands of the Ostrer brothers, financiers. Some months ago they decided to dispose of this controlling interest, and rumours were current that it was to be.sold in America. Mr John Maxwell, chairman and managing director of Associated British Picture Corporation, .Ltd., a Scottish solicitor, has now acquired this interest, and so retained the control of Gaumont-British in British hands. The deal provides for the acquisition of the holding of Messrs Ostrer in the Metropolis and Bradford Trust, which has the controlling block of shares in Gaumont-British. The agreement is to be operated in two stages. The first part has now been completed, and by ft Mr Maxwell's company. Associated British Pictures, acquires the 250,000 B shares of the Metropolis and Bradford Trust. It is stated that the shares have been transferred, and the appropriate part of the purchase consideration paid over. The second stage of the agreement, regarding the acquisition of the 5100 A shares held by Ostrer Bros., will be dealt with as soon as possible. Until that time the administration of Gaumont-British will remain exactly as at present. In a statement, Mr Maxwell said: " In making this agreement I have been mainly influenced by the desire to prevent Gaumont-British passing under foreign control, and this agreement secures that. I took the view, that if the arrangement originally contemplated with American companies had been carried through it would have meant the passing under foreign control of a huge block of the British kinema and film industry. "If that had happened there is no doubt that the other large American companies, in order to preserve their own interests, would have endeavoured to make similar arrangements, indeed were already trying to do so, with the result that in a short time the bulk of the kinemas in this country, and certainly most of the best ones, would have passed under foreign control. Such a situation would have been intolerable in any country, and, in my view, a humiliation that a great nation such as ours would have been compelled to stop, if necessary by governmental and legislative measures. "I have no fears of the threats coming from America of our transaction being stopped by legal proceedings."

Film Topics Bonita Granville, the child actress who scored a triumph in "These Three," has been added to the cast of " The Plough and the Stars." Barbara Stanwyck has the feminine lead. British International Pictures have bought the screen rights of "Aren't Men Beasts?" and are hoping to persuade Robertson Hare and Alfred Drayson to play their original roles in the film. . Three acres of ground in the Paramount studios, at present covered by sets representing London streets, New York docks and Panama dives, are being levelled to provide Wild West backgrounds for Cecil B. De Mille's Buffalo Bill picture, now called "The Plainsman." ~ , Lawrence Tibbett has decided not to appear in a musical version of Douglas Fairbank's famous film, " The Mark of Zorro." Instead, his next picture will be "Love Flight." Arthur Treacher and Slim Summerville have been cast in support. The Laurel and Hardy comedy, The Bohemian Girl," has been banned in Germany. No reason has been given for this. How Stars are Discovered Myrna Loy was " discovered " by the late Rudolph Valentino, while she was appearing in a prologue in a Hollywood theatre. Maureen O'Sullivan was dining in a Dublin cafe when Director Frank Borzage introduced himself and urged her to take a film role in "Song o' My Heart." Ann Loring, New York girl, won her firm contract through a talent contest conducted by M-G-M's travelling studio. June Knight was singing in a Hollywood club and paid a visit to the studios. She has been in pictures ever since.