SCREEN AND STAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23224, 23 June 1937, Page 4

SCREEN AND STAGE

FROM GREEN ROOM AND STUDIO

BY HARLEQUIN

Spanish War Scenes Paramoun t's topical melodrama, "Last Train from Madrid," is now before the cameras with a cast headed by Gilbert Roland, Karen Morley. L'ionel Atwill, Olympe Bradna. Robert Cummings, Helen Mack, and Anthony Quinn. James Hogan is directing, and George Arthur producing. The production started literally with a bang, opening shots being staff headquarters of Government forces defending a battle-torn city, with bombs dropping beyond sandbag fortifications. Action being filmed will be interspersed with actual Madrid battle shots, a camera unit now being at work in the Spanish city.

" God's Country and the Woman "

With virgin forests of the Northwest as its background and a feud between rival lumber companies as its theme, "God's Country and the Woman," Warner Bros.' picturisation in natural colours of the James Oliver Curwood novel of the same name, comes to the Regent; Theatre next Friday, with George Brent and Beverley Roberts' in the stellar roles. Brent is

make a worth-while story for his column. The adventures of Elaine and Peter (not to mention Freddie) find climax in the West End theatre where Mrs Smythe-Smythe was to have made her debut. The acting of Jessie Matthews, Robert Young, and Sonnie Halo is a feature of the show. The music is tuneful, it is said; the dancing is marvellous, and the settings better than even Hollywood has given.

M.G.M. Acquires New Theatre Cabled advice has been received in Wellington that the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corporation has added the Liberty Theatre, Sydney, to its chain of picture houses. " Rose Marie "

When I was assigned the part of Sergeant Bruce in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's "Rose Marie," writes Nelson Eddy, who is corstarred with Jeanette MacDonaid in the film which will be shown on Friday at the Empire Theatre, I was under as many delusions about the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as the rest of the population. I thought that when a

said to be at his vigorous and.ingratiating best as Steve Russett—a rich idler who achieves power in. the big woods through conflict with his ruthless brother—and the influence of a courageous girl of the forest, Joe Barton, a role portrayed by Beverley Roberts. "God's Country and the Woman," which was filmed almost wholly in the big woods district, is the last word in natural colour photography. The story revolves about the fact that Brent has a brother, Robert Barrat, who heads a lumber company and whose hatred is aimed against Beverley Roberts, who owns a rival company. He is engineering a crooked deal which will make, the girl pay unreasonable royalties for transporting supplies across his territory, when the younger brother arrives on the scene and disturbs his plans. . Brent upsets the deal, denounces his brother, and starts back to the city. Barrat has him shanghaied and brought back to the woods, with the idea of forcing him to become a lumberman. Then begins the terrific conflict between the brothers, and the strange romance with the beautiful girl of the timberlands.

Mountie got his man he got him dramatically, lunged forward in his saddle, with two guns blazing and his sword half drawn in readiness, in case the bullets gave out. That was all very poetic, but a long way from the truth. The truth is, as I soon learned, that Mounties aren't like that; they're much braver. Because " Rose Marie " is such a famous piece of theatrical property I assume that you all know about Sergeant Bruce—how he meets Rose Marie and discovers that she is bound north to save the very man, her brother, whom Bruce had been assigned to bring back to justice. The brother has killed a man. That Rose Marie and Bruce fell in love is an interesting complication, but not one that concerns us here. The script was written, and we all thought it a fine job. Then Director Van Dyke got in touch with headquarters at Ottawa and asked if his old friend, Inspector W. C. Grennan, could be sent down to act as technical adviser on the Eroduction. In a few days he arrived, aving been relieved of 100 labour prisoners, no less, whom he was taking across Canada for trial. He read

"It's Love Again" " It's Love Again " will be released at the State Theatre on Friday by Gau-mont-British. It stars Jessie Matthews. Robert Young, and Sonnie Hale, supported by a distinguished cast. The story is set in extravagant locales, intermitting between hectic Fleet street and the lavish cabarets of Mayfau. Jessie, it is claimed, was never seen to better advantage, while Robeit Young is her ideal romantic opposite with Sonnie Hale playing the fool in his inimitable way.. The story concerns Elaine, an aspiring dancer, who, having failed to impress a very eccentric producer, is intrigued by the publicity given to a certain Mrs SmytheSmvthe a great traveller, big-game hSitSSs. and Indian celebrity, about whose allure and mystery the papers are making much to do. f^ 13 naughtily decides to impersonate the absent lady, and. dressing for the part, successfully makes a sensational appearance. Unfortunately for the intrepid little lady, there is no such person as Mrs Smythe-Smythe. . Peter, a ▼oung newspaper "gossip-writer, has invented the celebrated traveller to

the script and made a pronouncement. "It's fine," he said, "wonderful, except that the Force isn't like that." Then he told us about it, and the scenes were changed accordingly. A mounted policeman, he told us, never goes about looking for trouble. Sometimes he doesn't even carry a gun. He regards himself as a disciple of peace. However, crime can't always be prevented, so he is occasionally assigned to get his man. He tracks him 1000 miles if necessary, then makes the arrest simply, without bravado. Such is the prestige and fame of the Force that rarely, the inspector says, does the criminal show any resistance. Strand Features Mary Astor will be seen in her first starring role in Columbia's comedy melodrama, "Lady From Nowhere," which will open at the Strand Theatrenext Friday. In addition to Miss Astor's bow as a full-fledged star, the film also introduces to the theatre public the new screen "find." Charles Quigley, who plays opposite Miss Astor. " Lady From Nowhere" is based on a story

by Ben G. Kohn, directed by Gordon Wiles. It concerns the serio-comic adventures of Polly, a manicurist, who acts as an uninvited witness to a gangland murder. Forced to flee for her life from the vengeance of the racketeermurderer. Ed Lustig, played by Norman Willis. Miss Astor, or Polly, lands in the small Connecticut town of Clearview, where events become exciting. "Killer at Large," Columbia mystery melodrama, featuring Mary Brian, Russell Hardie, and Betty Compson, will be one of the new feature attractions at the Strand Theatre, starting next Friday. Adapted by Harold Shumate, " Killer at Large " tells of a demented waxworker who uses his strange art to cover a career of murder. David Selman directed. To coincide with the heavy-weight boxing championship match held in Chicago this week between James J. Braddock and Joe Louis (the "Brown Bomber"), the Strand Theatre has booked the film of the Louis v. Sharkey fight. It will commence its season on Friday, and clearly depicts the fighting qualities of the negro champion, who put the K.O. on Sharkey's ambitions to make a come-back and challenge for the title he previously held. Boxing enthusiasts should not miss this stirring ring encounter at the Strand.

Grand Offerings The first of a series of screen plays to be produced by the newly-organised B. P. Schulberg studio for release through Paramount, "Wedding Present," will open to-day at the Grand Theatre, with Joan Bennett and Cary Grant in starring roles. The film is a romantic comedy set against a background of newspaper life. Heading the supporting cast are George Ban-

Mayfair Attractions "The Amateur Gentleman," one of the most widely-read novels of the day, has been brought to the screen by Criterion Films, a British film-produc-ing company whose product will be released through United Artists. This, their first production, which will be commenced at the Mayfair Theatre, brings to the screen one of the most colourful periods in English history, the Regency period, and deals with the adventures of Barnabas Barty, the son of an innkeeper, who by hij skill as a prize-fighter and wrestler rises to prominence in London society. Meanwhile his father is sentenced to death on a false charge. Barnabas rescues his father from prison, and in an exciting denouement unmasks the real culprit. In doing so he wins the hand of the Lady Cleone. Among the lavish settings is the reconstruction of the eighteenth century Carlton House ballroom, which is claimed to be the largest set ever built for a British film. Costume and historical research were under the supervision of James Laver, assistant keeper of the Victoria and Albert Museum. A brilliant cast interprets "The Amateur Gentleman," headed by Douglas Fairbanks, jun., Elissa Landi, Gordon Harker, Hugh Williams, Frank Pettingell, and Sydney Athole.

The leading style creators of the United States have begun a new mode which they call " Front Page Fashions, linked to events that are being earned on the front pages of newspapers. Tne novelty of the idea has an appeal that is sweeping the country. Locally the thought is being brought to public notice at the Mayfair Theatre, which emphasises what "The Girl on the Front Page " wears at various times of the day, in connection with the Univer-

croft, Conrad Nagel, Gene Lockhart, Inez Courtney, Edward Brophy, and Damon Ford. Taken from a Saturday Evening Post story by Paul Gallico "Wedding Present" introduces Grant and Miss Bennett as reporters on a metropolitan daily. Their ability and pranks make them the joy and despair of their hard-boiled city editor Bancroft. As the story opens, one of these pranks puts a halt to a proposed marriage of the two reporters, Bancroft resigns as city editor and Grant succeeds him. Intent on becoming a success, he forgets his playful nature and becomes as hardboiled as his predecessor. An argument with Miss Bennett results in her running away to New York, where she convinces herself she is in love with Nagel a writer of inspirational books. Grant, quitting his job and following her, prepares to give her the most impressive wedding present of all time.

The story's laughs are added to by Brophy and William Demarest. Demarest is a New York gangster whom Grant has saved from drowning. The second film is " Don't Turn 'Em Loose," a dramatic expose of the parole system. The cast is headed by Lewis Stone. Bruce Cabot, and James Gleason.

sal picture of the same title, which features Gloria Stuart and Edmund Lowe. Miss Stuart wears several new creations. Gloria Stuart and Edmund Lowe are supported by Reginald Owen, Spring Byington, Gilbert Emery. David Oliver, Clifford Jones, and Maxine Reiner.

Russian Ballet in 1939 The Colonel de Basil Monte Carlo Russian Ballet Company, which was" received with great enthusiasm throughout New Zealand recently, will return for a tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1939. Mr Jacques Lidji, co-director of the company, made this announcement to Sydney newspapers this month. Mr Lidji promised an even stronger company than the one that visited Australia and New Zealand this year. In Chicago, on a recent visit, he had conferred with Colonel de Basil about the tour. He saw the de Basil company there dance the Berlioz "Symphonic Fantasique," which, he said, had created a sensation in America. This work would be included in the next Australian repertoire, together with " Choreartium," which is arranged to the music of a Brahms symphony. The company which toured New Zealand has just concluded a season

Sydney, and is booked to give a season in London, at Covent Garden, in six months. The famous Russian choreographer, Balanchine, has promised to create some new ballets specially for

"We must have two companies permanently active henceforth," said Mr Lidji. "America is becoming more and more enthusiastic about Russian ballet; and London now demands a season of Ave months each year. In America people were astonished when I told them that here in Australia we were keeping the ballet going with great success for nine months." " Green Pastures "

Warner Bros.' production of the Pulitzer Prize play, "Green Pastures," directed by Marc Connelly, declared to be "America's best-loved play," a title earned by a continuous run of more than five years, during which more than 2,000,000 in 39 States witnessed it, will have its local premiere at the St. James Theatre soon. Directed by the author, Marc Connelly, who in 1932 won the coveted Pulitzer Prize with the play, "The Green Pastures" is said to be the most pretentious ever attempted by Warner Bros., or any other studio. All the lavish detail that distinguished the studio's production of "Midsummer Night's Dream," "Captain Blood," and "Anthony Adverse " has been supplied, and it is claimed that nothing has been left undone to give this inspiring play the majestic background it deserves. There are 111 speaking parts in the screen version, besides the famous Hall John-

the movies. It has been three years since he has done a stage play, and he mav never do another. "If I were to do a play, I should like it to be one which I produced myself and to which I could give my full time and attention," Horton said. "And such a venture, considered from the standpoints of time and money invested, is not tempting for just one play. If I had four or five plays, with one ready to go on right after another finished its run. the idea might be more appealing. The films, however, have been very good to me. I'm more than content to stick with them." The records show that pictures have, indeed, been more than ordinarily good to Horton. He has gone from feature to feature in roles that have been of stellar or top ranking importance. He has. in fact, been so busy before the cameras that he hasn't had all of the time he would like to devote to his pet hobby—development of his 11acre estate in San Fernando Valley. Stars As Artists

Hollywood has gone highbrow. Not in the dramatic sense, but many of its stars and players are painters, sculptors, and etchers. With some it has been an avocation for years. Others have more recently taken it up, spurred by the success of friends. Among them are several really outstanding artists. Lionel Barrymore's etchings, for instance, have been hung amongst the " best prints of the year " at the annual exhibit of the Society •of American Etchers, of which he was recently elected a member. Jean

son Choir of 60 voices, and hundreds of extras. In all, there are 120 scenic settings, some of them of gigantic proportions. One of these is the famous "fish fry," in which 60C characters attend, a picnic in a sunlit glade. There is a southern community, with a fullsized church, gambling halls and night clubs. Scenes of spectacular beauty are shown, including barbaric revels set in ancient Babylon, in one of which four-score of shapely dancers entertain the guests. " Spectacles we could talk about on the stage we now actually bring to the eyes of the audience," said Mr Connelly, who collaborated with Sheridan Gibney in writing the screen version of his play. Exceptional music sets off this production, and 25 spirituals, two more than in the stage production, are sung in the film version by the Hall Johnson Choir, who appear in the cast. Most of them are familiar and beloved old tunes, and a few are new. Thirty of the characters in the original play have leading roles in the film. The leading part is taken by Rex Ingram, whom author-director Connelly declares is one of the greatest actors in the world. He has the role made famous by Richard Berry Harrison, who died during the run of the play. The story is based on a book by Roark Bradford. It is humorous, yet tenderly reverent, and outlines the folklore, music, and traditional beliefs and practices of primitive dwellers in the Deep South of the United States.

Coronation in Technicolour A letter received from Wellington in connection with the technicolour produced by Fox Films says: "1 have just seen a film which, in its theme, its treatment and its colour photography, utterly transcends anything I have ever imagined. It is a little over 1000 feet in length, in the most glorious technicolour to have yet been projected, which focuses 3500 years of British tradition and symbolism into the short space of time occupied by the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. "Forty technicolour experts, under the direction of Natalie Kalmus, arrived in England weeks before the actual ceremony, and carefully selected and photographed scenes indissolubly bound by eras of tradition to the Coronation. . ~ ~ . " Thus, for the first time the historic castles of Windsor, Sandringham and Buckingham are revealed in the full magnificence of natural colour. By royal permission the colour cameras photographed many of the incidents of the Coronation rehearsals and the luxurious beauty of the robes worn by the highest nobles of the Empire, including those specially posed by the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, and the gold-chased magnificence of the Archbishop of Canterbury's regalia. "But the advent of the Coach of State pales everything else. The absolute splendour of its shining golden glory and the sight of Their Majesties in the robes of Stale seated inside is a picture that takes the breath away. The footmen and Yeomen of the Guard striding beside the coach, in their resplendent uniforms, form a colour combination of exquisite beauty. "The black and white versions of the procession only serves to heighten the brilliance of the Coronation in colour. The variegated colours of the overseas contingents, the bearded Indians, the striding Life Guards, their white-plumed helmets and the traditional uniforms of England's oldest regiments make this procession the greatest event, in the history of England—and of the camera."

University Dramatics The University Dramatic Society is presenting the famous Chinese play " Lady Precious Stream " in Allen Hall on Friday and Saturday. This production is not for students only, but also for the general public. No expense is being spared, particularly in costuming, and the production is in the efficient hands of Mrs O. C. Stephens. The leading parts arc taken by Doris Craig, Henry Williams, Ngaire Glue, Eric Charteris, Lydia Henderson, Moya Ripley, Jack Allen, Ernest Duncan, and Norma Bain, and there are many others in minor roles. The play is definitely something different, staged as it is in the traditional manner of the Chinese theatre, and it should be greatly appreciated by the audience.

Stage Lacks Allure Although he believes the stage is regaining much of the popularity it lost through the first onslaught of the talking screen, and through the lean years of the depression, Edward Everett Horton says he feels no temptation to return to the footlights. The droll comedian, who is now working in RKO-Radio's new Fred Astairc-Ginger Rogers musical, " Shall We Dance?" is a definite convert to

Hersholt's paintings have been exhibited, and Jules Cowles, character comedian, has attracted considerable note as a successful painter. Sculpture is represented by Myrna Loy, who studied the art and opened a studio before she ever dreamed of going before a camera. Sculpture indirectly led to the screen in her case, for Mrs Rudolph Valentino, calling at her studio to arrange a commission for a statue, saw Myrna's possibilities, and aided her in obtaining her first role. Clever cartoonists among the screen

designs made in hundreds of pieces of dilferent woods. A collection of his inlaid articles was recently exhibited in Hollywood, attracting wide attention. Screen stars, apart from acting, are i successful in business. I Many of them maintain thriving commercial ventures " on the side," some with extraordinary success. The largest motorised model plane factory in America, for instance, is that of Reginald Denny Enterprises, founded and operated by Reginald Denny, whose latest picture is Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's " Romeo and Juliet." Frank Morgan, a vice-president of the largest bitters firm in America, has just extended his business career by opening a shop in Palm Springs, selling fine furniture. He applied his showmanship by giving it a typical Hollywood premiere, with lights and Paul Muni and Lewis Stone both operate ranches on a commercial scale, and so does Louise Fazenda. All are successful. Fred Esmelton, English character actor, operates a catering business on the side, dealing in English menues, and doing a wide/business among Britons in the scTreen capital. Jean Hersholt is interested in ahank and several commercial ventures. Charles Bickford owns a garage and service station and manages these himself. Wallace Beery operates a ranch. Robert Montgomery operates a farm in New York State.

Anna Neagle's Amazing Make-up After a three-hour ordeal of intensive making-up, Anna Neagle was transformed into the 80-year-old Queen Victoria for the sequences of the end of her reign in "Victoria the Great, which Herbert Wilcox is making at Denham (writes our London correspondent on May 26). The likeness to the well-known portraits of the elderly Queen in her customary black literally staggered the "Victoria" unit, the transformation being the more remarkable as Anna Neagle had appeared till then as the Queen in the early days of her reign and her romance with Albert—a slim girl, high-spirited and with unusual grace of deportment. From this lively and determined little person she had become td the life the heavy, sad-featured Queen of the last days.

Credit for this extraordinary work of make-up must go to Guy Pearce. who had not merely to achieve the resemblance of extreme age, but had also to work within the limits of the technicolour camera, as the final scenes are to be filmed in colour. "I had to abandon most of my old tricks of make-up,"' he remarks, "because, while suitable for black and white, it would have been obvious faking in colour. I have had to experiment With a new make-up which has the right colour values. This is the first time such a make-up has been attempted for colour filming, and if the experiment proves successful it will mean one more step towards conquering the difficulties which have been holding back colour films. We are now waiting to see what the technicolour test is like.

" I am lucky to have had Miss Neagle as a subject for this experiment. She is so intensely interested in her work that she enters 100. per cent, into the spirit of the make-up. Others might hesitate at appearing in a film as eighty—and looking like it—but not Miss Neagle, to whom the characterisation is everything. I cannot think of many actresses who would have finished a long day on the set and would have consented to sit. through the laborious process of being madeup for three hours."

Guy Pearce is having what he calls a field day -on " Victoria the Great," with the task of achieving likenesses to famous people, many of whom are within living memory, Anna Neagle as Victoria is having four different stages of make-up—as a young woman at the time of her accession and her marriage to Albert, as the devoted wife at the time of' the Prince Consort's death, at the age of sixty, and as the old Queen when the Diamond Jubilee makes a fitting climax to her extraordinary reign. With Anton Walbrook, he had an actor who is an ideal subject for the Prince Consort, The already .remarkable likeness between the two only needed accentuating.

notables include Nelson Eddy, who de- | Apart from these two, personalities lights in making comical sketches of whose pictures are still to be found his friends, and John Barrymore. Both | n many homes throughout the coimmen have done cartoons professionally, try have walked out of his make-up Barrymore on the New York Journal room—Melbourne, Gladstone, Palrnerand Eddy on several newspapers in ston, Disraeli, Duke of Wellington, Philadelphia, before he learned to Charles Dickens, and so on. Many sing by practising with gramophone others who will appear in the final records, then deserting journalism for tremendous sequence—a resurrection mus ic | of the greatness of the Victoria ageChester Morris is a skilled wood- are being sought for among the actors carver, and fashions artistic little trays up and down the country and will reand other decorative knick-knacks. ceive the final touches which will Charley Grapewin works in inlaid transform them into Lord Kitchener, woods, fashioning tables, panels, chess- Gordon. Liv ngstone, Rhod Kiphng, boards, and other objects containing Irving. Elgar-and even W. G. Grace.