SCREEN AND STAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23321, 13 October 1937, Page 13

SCREEN AND STAGE

BY HARLEQUIN

FROM GREEN ROOM AND STUDIO

• Moonlight Sonata ” | Music such as had never been heard I In the picture theatre before is pro- , vided by Ignace Jan Paderewski, the ; world-famous pianist, who, at the age j of 75, is making his screen debut in “Moonlight Sonata,” which will open , its Dunedin season on Friday at the i Regent Theatre. Audiences every- ; where have been enthralled by the freat maestro's playing and captivated y his delightful personality. Charm is the keynote of Moonlight Sonata,” with a tender romance surrounding Paderewski, who reveals himself as an

afctor as well as a master ol music. "Moonlight Sonata" opens with the pianist giving a recital in a crowded concert hall. Attention is drawn to a happy young couple and their baby daughter, and later in his club Paderewski tells the story of their romance, how, it was nearly broken and how his music brought them together again. Eric Mdlander (Charles Farrell) is steward on the remote, picturesque estate of Baroness Lindenborg, who encourages his affection for her beautiful grand-daughter, Ingrid (Barbara Green). A plane makes a forced landing on the estate, bringing Paderewski, his secretary, and an elegant young man, Mario (Eric Portman). Mario is a professional conjurer pretending to be a gentleman, and within a few days he completely fascinates Ingrid, even to the extent of persuading her to elope with him. Eric she,, dismisses as unexciting, but a! the eleventh hour Mario is unmasked' and Ingrid bitterly realises what a fool she has been She is too ashamed to confront Eric, but the magic of Beethoven’s “ Moonlight Sonata, as played by Paderewski, shows the way to love. Marie Tempest, beloved figure of the English stage, enacts the role of the imperious Jbut- kindly Baroness, giving a brilliant performance. “ Moonlight Sonata” offers entertainment for the whole family, and music lovers will welcome this opportunity to hear the master in the several numbers he plays

during the course of the production. These include “ Minuet in G major ” (Paderewski). “Hungarian Rhapsody No, 2” (Liszt), “Polanaise” (Chopin), and the first movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” Strand Theatre Attractions

Combining the speed and thrills of aviation with a modern mystery plot, Universal’s flying story, “ Reported Missing,” opens at the Strand Theatre with William Gargan and Jean Rogers in the leading roles. The picture deals with the adventures of a young inventor who perfects a navigating device for the giant transport planes of a major airline —and then sees plane after plane, depending upon his instru-

ment, plunge to destruction until the inventor, by clever detective work, unmasks an unscrupulous and merciless sky bandit who is responsible for the wrecks. Gargan and Miss Rogers are supported by Dick Purcell, Joe Sawyer, Michael Fitzmaurice, Hobart Cavanaugh, and Billy Wayne. Milton Carruth, one of Hollywood’s rapidly rising young directors, made the picture. George Bancroft, in a role reminiscent of his memorable portrayals in “ Underworld,” “ Dragnet, and “ Docks of New York,” heads the large cast appearing in Columbia’s “ Saints in

Exile," the new screen attraction opening on Friday at the Strand Theatre. Appearing opposite Bancroft is Wynne Gibson and Evelyn Venable, last seen opposite Jack Holt in “ North of Nome.” directed by Erie C. Kenton from a story by Harry Sauber, “ Saints In Exile” relates the story of “Big Bill” Waldon, racketeer and. public enemy, who hides in his home town. When, at a church social, he discovers he has the gift of oratory, he launches on a new racket—as a fake evangelist. When Bill falls in love again with Evelyn Venable, his childhood sweetheart, his character takes an unexpected development. “ Hobson's Choice ” in Dunedin

Comedy and pathos are mingled delightfully in many of the plays of Harold Brighouse, giving an unusual sense of realism. We find this in “ Hobson’s Choice,” the Lancashire author’s best-known three-act drama, which is to be presented at the Concert Chamber on Saturday, October 30, by the W.E.A. Players, under the direction of Mrs Ailsa Stephens. The play is essentially comedy, but one is conscious throughout of the tragedy of old Hobson’s sliding downhill and his final helpless resignation to the dominant will of his daughter Maggie. The comedy would be striking if it lay only in the contrast between Maggie’s easy domination and her father’s blus-

tering and clinging to the shadow of parental authority, but when we have the further contrast of the utterly diffident Will Mossop, workman in Hobson’s boot shop, carried off into marriage and business partnership by Maggie’s tempestuous strength and gradually inspired with something of her self-confidence, one gets such an interplay of characters as gives exquisite fun. Brighouse’s method of mingling tears and laughter is, perhaps, better known from his one-act play “The Price of Coal.” In this there is a tense scene after a mine accident. | The audience waits to hear of the I death of the young lover, when he | walks in with only a broken arm and

Thriller For Octagon

A New London Play

remarks that, as he will have some time on his hands until the arm is knit, he can fill the gap nicely by getting wed.

"The Road Back” Love-hungry soldiers, hardened by four years of battle, yearning for the touch of a woman’s hand, for her smile, eager for escape from the memory of days and nights in the trenches, tread the road back to their homes. It is their story that Erich Maria Remarque penned in his world famous novel, “The Road Back,” a sequel to “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Remarque’s book dealt with the period following the close of the World War when the German people cast out their leaders and groped for relief from the famine and hardships which had been their lot during the four-year conflict. The novel proved a political bombshell and the author was forced to flee from his- native land. Universal Studios has now screened this powerful story. James Whale was selected to direct it, for he had proved his ability with " Journey’s End.” R. C. Sherriff, playwright who wrote “ Journey’s End,” was assigned to write the screen play. “ The Road Back ” comes to the screen of the Empire Theatre on Friday.' The dramatic narrative concerns the experiences of the returned soldiers as they try to adjust themselves to peacetime conditions, and to find love and happiness to supplant the hate and misery through which they had struggled. Whale considered hundreds of actors for “ The Road Back ” cast, finally choosing John King, Richard Cromwell, Slim Summerville, Andy Devine, Noah Beery, jun., Maurice Murphy and John Emery for the roles of returning soldiers. In leading feminine parts he placed Barbara Read, of “Three Smart Girls,” Louise Fazenda, Greta Gynte. Jean Rouverol, Spring Byington and Laura Hope Crews. Other important roles were entrusted to Lionel Atwill, Etienne Girardot, Henry Hunter, A 1 Shean, of the former Gallagher and Shean team; Samuel Hinds and Robert Warwick.

Harpo Marx—Sceptic Harpo Marx has lost all faith in fortune tellers, tea leaf readers, crystal gazers, and particularly machines that forecast your future as they tell your weight. Recently, the mute Marxian. who hasn’t spoken a word on stage or screen since he made his debut 15 years ago, deposited his penny in such a machine, watched the indicator point to his weight, then hopefully picked up the slip of paper it deposited in his hand. It read: "You have a great career ahead of you, but be careful that you don’t lose your job. Among other things, you talk too much.

George Arils* Returns It is estimated that George Arliss, Gaumont-British star, has done more than anyone else to spread the English influence of the screen around

the world. From Tokio to Tampico, from Barcelona to Ballarat Arlis has gone, through the medium of the silver screen, and the unofficial friends he must have made are legion. To what extent the film can be used for propaganda purposes is clearly seen in file wide popularity o t Arliss s films, which are unobtrusive propaganda for better acting, better speaking, better culture. In his most recent film for Gaumont-British, George Arliss brings two separate characters to the screen In “ His Lordship, which will be shown at the State Theatre on Friday, there is a mixture of thrills drama, and comedy. The supporting cast is headed by Rene Ray, who won recognition for her fine performance in “The Passing of the Third Floor Back,” and Romilly Lunge, a particularly handsome hero.

“ The Case of the Stuttering Bishop,” which opens at the Octagon Theatre on Friday, is from the pen of Eric Stanley Gardner, whose success with the “whodunit”, type of novel has been mounting since 1923 until he r£ mks high among best sellers. Donald Woods plays the part of Perry Mason, debonair lawyer-detective, and Ann Dvorak his quick-witted secretary. They find themselves drawn into a baffling murder of Ronald C. Browley, a millionaire oil man, by a bishop who is anxious to see that justice is .done in the matter of inheriting the oil mans wealth. Six people are suspected of the plot and the resultant murder to obtain the fortune of the oilmanfor a girl who poses as his grand-daughter. The bishop is_ one of the suspected impostors by virtue of the fact that he stutters, and the unfolding of the story, the discovery of the imposters, and the real murderers, suspense woven into each incident until the moment of its denouement, is said to make ihe Case of the Stuttering Bishop one of the most thrilling dramas of the year. Edward M’Wade is the Stuttering Bishop, and others in the cast mclude Charles Wilson, Helen M’Kellar. Craig Reynolds, and Gordon Oliver.

“ The Day is Gone ” is the title of a new play which was put on at the Embassy Theatre this week (writes our London correspondent, on September 15). Its author is Mr W. ChathamStrode, member of a family very well known in the South Island a number of years ago. Its purpose is to depict what it feels like to be married to a murderer, and the author receives considerable praise from an idea clevely worked out and psychologically convincing up to a point. Mr Nicholas Hannen and Miss Angela Baddeley have the opportunity of some fine acting, and Mr ■ Hilliard has some good comedy as an actor-lodger. The theme of the play seems to be an attempt to bring sympathy for an undoubted, but sorely-tried, murderer. He was a quiet, gentle-souled chemist, named Stanley (Mr Hannen)., driven almost to madness by a nagging ana spiteful wife (Miss Sybil Grove). He was also tempted by being in love with a buxom Yorkshire girl, Rosie (Miss Angela Baddeley), who took a great interest in his literary pursuits and his painting One day he took his wife out with him on the water, they changed places in the boat, and she was drowned. Then he married Rosie. For a time they were ideally happy, until a jealous former admirer not only suggested to Rosie that Stanley had murdered his first wife, but that he might murder Rosie, too. The essence of the play is the gradual torture of Rosie by suspicion, ending in Stanley’s confession to her that he was really responsible for her unloved predecessors death. From that moment all hope of happiness was over, and Stanley goes out and throws himself under a railway train. Thus a romantic comedy develops into a final tragedy. It is expected that "The Day is Gone ’’ will be brought to a West End theatre. Many of the most successful glays have been tried out at the Emassy.

Brilliant Hollywood Director James Whale, the noted director for Universal Studios, is one of Hollywood’s white-haired boys, not only in the complimentary sense, but in the literal meaning. Although he is still a young man, his hair is snow-white. His hair did not turn white from directing temperamental stars and unresponsive extras. It turned white with horror. It happened in the World War, after Whale, a British second-lieutenant, was captured by the Germans. His hair was bright red when he was captured. Forty-eight hours later it was bright white. The German Intelligence Service for some reason thought Inhale had inside knowledge about a new type of British tank just put into ser-

vice. For 48 hours they “invited” him to watch Allied spies led to an execution wall and mown down by machine guns. He had to watch, till the German Intelligence Service men realised that he knew nothing or would tell nothing. Whale would not talk, and he was not frightened for his own life, since he was supposed to have valuable information. It was the horror of watching his comrades shot, the shock of it, that whitened his locks. The first chance he had to look into a mirror was when he got to the prison camp, and saw his hair was white. He was then 23. He is now 42.

That prison experience marked more than a change in the colour of Whale’s hair. It changed his whole life. For in the scores of plays Whale wrote and produced to relieve the monotony of camp life, he learned to be a director. What he began, to lighten weary hours, became a passion with him, leading him to choose the stage as his life’s work. After the Armistice, Whale returned to England. A newspaper cartoonist before the war, he used his drawing talent in designing stage sets. That led to his playing a role in John Drinkwater’s “Abraham Lincoln.” Then he scored successfully on the London stage in a dozen plays. Whale felt that he wanted to produce plays, and he finally achieved international recognition for his direction of “Journey’s End,” which was written by R. C. Sherriff. That same playwright did the screen play of Remarque’s “The Road Back/’

Whale shoots scenes quickly. His advance preparation and skill in sketching plans for sets and pictorial composition enable him to go ahead rapidly with filming. His method avoids expensive retakes. Whale was the first and only choice of the New Universal of a man big enough to handle the filming of “The Road Back.” He had been through the war himself, and while on active service met Erich Maria Remarque, the author of the story and R. C. Sherriff, who adapted' the novel to the screen, Moreover, Whale had to his credit the directing of “ Show Boat,” the biggest box office attraction screened to date.

A cast of 40 principals and 2000 players were required to interpret the story.

Columbia’s Powerful Star Roster Even so early in the piece, Columbia is in a position to announce a contracted star roster containing some of the most important names in screendom, who are to appear in the first and other new-season productions. In addition to this comprehensive group of personalities, many others will be added as the season progresses. With the signing of Gloria Swanson, Columbia once more presents to the motion picture goers of the world a “ remade star.” It is promised that a new, smart, sophisticated Miss Swanson will be the outcome of Coluipbia’s grooming. It will also be observed that stars like Irene Dunne have been signed for similar screen subjects in which they have proved themselves so outstandingly successful. For instance, Irene Dunne made her debut under the Columbia banner in “ Theodora Goes Wild,” and will be cast in a similar comedy with Cary Grant, entitled “The Awful Truth.” Important personalities who will make their first appearance for Columbia are Madeleine Carroll, Gloria Swanson, Loretta Young, Joe E. Brown and Don Ameche. The star roster as it stands at present includes:—lrene Dunne, Richard Dix, Cary Grant, Fay Wray, Madeleine Carroll, Jean Arthur, Francis Lederer, Walter Connolly, Loretta Young, Chester ' Morris, Randolph Scott, Don Ameche, Grace Moore, Dolly Haas, Melvyn Douglas, Luli Deste, Gloria Swanson, Dolores del Rio, Edward S. Robinson, Edith Fellowes, Carole Lombard, Mary Astor, Joe E. Brown, Richard Arlen, Jack Holt and Lionel Stander. Frank Capra is under exclusive contract to Columbia and will make one or more enics in 1938.

“A Family Affair” Lionel Barrymore, always master of the character analysis in a screen portrayal, again touches the heart in his latest role as a fearless old country judge in “A Family Affair,” based on the play “Skidding,” which had a record run in New York. “A Family Affair” will be screened at the St, James Theatre on Friday. With Lionel Barrymore are many of the cast which appeared in “Ah, Wilderness." The new film draws a picture of the tragedy and comedy that mingle in the average home in any small town. The cast includes Cecilia Parker and Eric Linden, who portray the young romance, with Mickey Rooney Charles Grapewin, Spring Byington, Julie Haydon, who will be remembered for her good work in “ The Scoundrel,” Sara Haden, Allen Vincent, Margaret Marquis, Selmer Jackson, and Harlan Briggs. Barrymore, as the judge with

a large family, enacts the familiar role of a man beloved in his community. An older married daughter gets into an ugly scandal at about the same time that the judge is accused of blocking the progress of the town with a decision against a public project in which the people are vitally concerned. Bad luck always comes in pairs, or worse, in life as in fiction. A younger daughter and her fiance quarrel. The family is disreputed, shamed in the eyes of

Do the Stars Worry?

The Tale’s the Thing A couple of years ago, in an interview, Mervyn Leßoy was asked what was most important in making a movie. “The story,” he said. “Give me a good story and an unknown cast, and I’ll make a great picture.” Leßoy, according to Hollywood scouts, has just done that over on the Warner

the people with whom It- has always been associated, and the judge is to blame. He then proceeds to straighten things out in his own characteristic manner. Dhoever has been in an average American town will recognise the atmosphere. Certainly the circumstances will be familiar and the picture as a whole will touch the sensitive strings of memory.

Grand’s New Programme Courageous Coastguard crews rescue from the crater of death passengers from a burning ship, and later passengers and crew from a huricanebattered vessel in RKO Radio’s romantic drama, “ Sea Devils,” which will be shown to-day at the Grand Theatre, starring Victor M'Laglen, Preston Foster, and Ida Lupino, with Donald Woods heading the supporting cast. M'Laglen appears in the role of a hard-boiled Bo’sun’s mate in the Coastguard, who becomes greatly concerned when his daughter, Ida Lupino, shows interest in Preston Foster, a happy-go-lucky sailor who prides himself on being quite a ladies’ man. Bo’sun M'Laglen decides his daughter should marry an ambitious young Coastguardsman, Donald Woods, and he is none too subtle in letting Foster know that he would rather die than have him as a son-in-law. The enmity between these two leads to some wild melees. M'Laglen and Foster played together in RKO prize-winning play of 1935, “ The Informer,” which resulted in M'Laglen gaining the Academy Award for the best male screen performance in 1935. Guy Kibbee Una Merkel, and Lynne Overman are said to reach new comedy heights in RKO Radio’s screen comedy, “ Don’t Tell the Wife,” currently playing at the Grand Theatre. As a matter of fact, the reputation of all the players, including Guinn Williams, Thurston Hall, Frank M. Thomas, Harry Jans, Hattie M'Daniels, Lucille Ball, Harry Tyler, and William Demarest is raised by their portrayals. The successful Broadway play, r ‘ Once Over Lightly,” by George Holland, was adapted as “Don’t Tell the Wife ” for the screen by Nat Perrin. It was produced by Robert Sisk and directed by Christy Cabanne.

Hollywood, where things move at a brisk clip, is a house divided against itself on the question of serious worrying.

Joan Crawford defends worrying. "Worrying is just as essential as optimism to a normal existence,” she said. “ Each day brings up something to worry and think about. Worry is merely being conscientious.”

Said William Powell: “Worry is the secret of my success. I can’t see anything ahead but disaster, and haven’t for 20 years, Don’t quote me on the sanity clause.” “ Worry? ” asked Clark Gable. “Why should I?” Robert Taylor is also among the non-worriers. “ Haven’t time," said Bob, whose last three leading ladies have been Greta Gabo, Joan Crawford and Barbara Stanwyck. “After 50 you can afford not to worry,” commented Edna May Oliver. Montague Revue Company Two big musical revues, “This Year of Carnival” and “Let’s Go Places,” are included with the Bertram Montague Revue Company, of London, which will commence a Dunedin season on October 23 under the direction of Sir Benjamin Fuller. Mr Lewis M. Marks, the West End producer, is travelling with the company, and has stated that the two revues will be staged on the same elaborate scale as that which marked their London appearances. Between 150 and 200 tons of scenery and costumes are used, including many costumes of delicate fabrics, decorated with sequins and ostrich feathers. The leading lady of the company is Miss Barbara Vernon, and the chief comedian is Mr George Doonan. The latter |s making his first visit to Australia, although he has been twice to South Africa. He started his stage career at the age of six. Recently he has been engaged mainly in vaudeville. Years ago he played in “ Casey’s Court” in London, when the cast was headed by Charlie Chaplin. The company includes the Darmora Troupe of 12 Hungarian dancers —a ballet of 10 and two specialty dancers. They perform the real Can Can dance, at which they are rated second only to the dancers of the Bal Tabarin, Paris.

Bros, lot with his production “They Won’t Forget.” The story id a strong indictment of mass prejudice and emotion, and an exposure of the great tragedy and injustice that can result from too great reliance on circumstantial evidence.

Around the studios “They Won’t Forget” is already being called “the triumph of the great unknowns.” Leßoy ignored existing stars in casting the

picture, went outside, and made his selections where he pleased, Claude Rains and John Litel are about the only members of the cast who have achieved kinematic prominence. For the chief roles Leßoy picked Gloria Dickson, 20-year-old blonde beauty who had had even the movie press agents gasping and singing her praises —no mean feat. She was working in a Federal Theatre project when Leßoy discovered her; Edward Norris, young player who has hitherto been unknown to fans; Lana Turner, 17-year-old high school girl; Linda Perry, another youngster with little experience; Elisha Cook, jiin., Allen Joslyn, Frank Faylen, Donald Briggs, and Elliott Sullivan, all of whom have been seen on the stage, but were by no means well known.

Miss Turner, In particular, la a modern movie Cinderella. She was drinking soup in a lunch wagon across from Hollywood High School when a Warner scout saw her, decided she fitted the description of a girl Leßoy wanted for “ They Won’t Forget,” and hustled her off to the studios for a screen test and a contract (She still has to do her high school work, even though she’s a prospective star, being only 17, and compelled to attend classes under California law.)

Making the picture required just about four times as long' as did the actual events which took place in the story. A murder trial sequence occupied eight days; a Confederate Memorial Day parade took eight hours to film; sequences showing police investigations of a murder were shot for five days. To insure technical correctness of dialogue, atmosphere, and setting, Leßoy obtained the services of Professor Dalton S. Raymond, head of the opera department of Louisiana State University, as 'technical adviser on the picture. Casting, however, was the biggest problem in production. More than 500 players and ambitious youngsters i were tested for the approximately 50 i “name” roles in the picture. Among 1

those who were successful was Wilmer Hines, one of the country’s top-flight r. tennis stars, who plays the part of a S v Southern youth whose sister is mur- * dered.

The murdered person, inci- fi? dentally, was Miss Turner and her movie debut was rather ■■■ gruesome. Her first day on the fl lot the murder sequence was filmed, .«* and from then on she was out of the picture. In between lessons, however, she stayed on the set, watching the story being completed before the cameras. Leßoy directed as well as £ produced the picture. t. “They Won’t Forget” will be re- rtf leased in New Zealand at an early date. Woman Stars Needed 5

“We’ve got the cream of the world’s -'-v talent to choose from. We’ve got a, surplus of beautiful, talented girls in Hollywood. But, ironically, there aren’t enough women stars," declares Walter Wanger, “ because personalities who actually deserve the label ‘star’ are few and far between. We are con- • stantly searching for new stars, girls or women with the calibre of Marlene Dietrich, Madeleine Carroll, Sylvia - Sidney, Joan Bennett, Carole Lombard, 7 but they don’t grow on trees. Because the 5 public makes stars. We are trained to spot personalities with star possibilities, but the verdict of - the public decides their ranking. We t never stop looking. We comb the j,* high schools, the colleges, the stock .... companies, Broadway, Only recently I opened a new field of potential star a material—photographic models.; Of a 1" these ‘most photographed girls m the world’ I selected several professional 7 young models from more than 1000. Screen fans will first meet them in “ Walter Wanger’s Vogues of 1938. II - only two or three of them develop eventually into stars our months of f. searching and training will not nave. been in vain. A girl may have beauty, brains, shapeliness, personality, and every other qualification and. still not possess that intangible something necessary to complete a star. Its that intangible something Hollywood always has and always will be hunting. Local film fans will shortly have the opportunity of seeing ‘ Walter v Wanger’s Vogues of 1938, the gay ,I'l- - romance, starring Warner Baxter and Joan Bennett. The film rwas directed by Irving Cummings for • ■ release through United Artists.

Film Topics X Ra Hould, the Dunedin boy. who scored a hit in “Beloved Enemy, will appear in Gene Autry’s new Western, a Republic picture, to be released here by Action Pictures. ,* Following upon the completion of the ... “Sheik Steps Out,” his first for Republic, Ramon Novarro will appear m four further features for the same comP3 lda Lupino and Herbert Marshall will be the leads of RKO -Radio s A , t Lady to Fight For.” Ben Stolofi will be the director. ,r:a

Isabel Jeans has been signed to play K in Warner’s version of the stage suecess “ Tovarich." Miss Jeans was last in Hollywood when she played m o “Cavalcade.”

Lyda Robertl. Oliver Hardy (with- ,v out Stan Laurel), and Patsy Keily have been added to the cast of Hal Roach s v . “Road Show." John Barrymore has ■; already been assigned a role. ’ British National Films are to produce a feature picture based on the , r . “ Mr Penny ” episodes, a popular radio feature in England. Richard Gqolaen „• will repeat his radio performance m the film. ,v Mayfair Films

Hailed as the most astonishing motion picture plot ever to reach the screen, “The Devil Doll,” directed by that master of shockers, Tod Brown- a-, ing, comes to the Mayfair Theatre ■;* to-day, and it is claimed it will .V? make local film-goers sit on the edge T. of their seats as one thrill after an- .* other is unfolded before them. And, G believe it or not, the ominous-looking, ivj grey-haired woman in the film is none ■ ■' other than Lionel Barrymore in the ,-'j most amazing role he has ever played, < M Frank Lawton and Maureen O’Sulh- .-j van, who won your hearts as the lovers .e ■» in the memorable “ David Copperfleld,” are reunited in “The Devil Doll, -ah Maureen O’Sullivan appears as Lionel hi Barrymore's daughter in “The Devil oV Doll,” M-G-M’s uncanny drama of a ih mad scientist who reduces human > beings to one-sixth of their natural size. r

The second feature on the Mayfair’s bill commencing this evening is a Columbia drama entitled “Air Hawks,” , featuring Ralph Bellamy, Tala Birrell, 3 v,; and the famous airman Wiley Post.

'C.< 'V,