COMMERCE AND FINANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23491, 4 May 1938, Page 15

COMMERCE AND FINANCE

LOCAL AND OVERSEAS MARKETS

“¥ou Can’t Have Everything” The release by Twentieth CenturyFox of the new musical hit, “ You Can’t Have Everything,” opening on Friday at the Octagon Theatre, brings to the screen one of the largest casts of featured entertainment specialists assembled for a musical picture. Alice Faye, the Ritz Brothers and Don Ameche head the list, and the cast includes Charles Winninger, Louise Hovick, Rubinofl and his violin, and Tony Martin. Other entertainers are Arthur Treacher, Phyllis Brooks, Tip, Tap and Toe, Louis Prima and his band, and Tyler Brooke. Music and lyrics by the song-writing team of Mack Gordon and Harry Revel add to this already enticing list of amusement specialists. To Darryl F. Zanuck, vicepresident in charge of production, goes the credit, for uniting such diverse theatrical elements. “The realisation that entertainment in its strictest form is the best guarantee of success is slowly but surely shaping current motion picture trends,” declares Zanuck. The guiding genius of his studios, Zanuck took the lead in shaping this trend himself, his efforts attaining increasing acclaim with the successive releases of such outstanding musical shows as “Sing, Baby, Sing,” “One in a Million,” “On the Avenue,’ and “ Wake Up and Live.” The idea culminates in “ You Can’t Have Everything,” which precisely embodies the producer’s theory that “ the tendency is toward a more rapidly paced enter-

tainment than formerly was in vogue.” “You Can’t. Have Everything” was supervised by Zanuck, with Norman Taurog directing and Laurence Schwao as associate producer.

Chaplin as Nijinsky? Nijinsky, the greatest male dancer the world has ever seen, :is a patient in a mental hospital in {Switzerland, where he lives in a queer, fantastic; world of his own imagining, his art and his fame forgotten. Far across the Atlantic his wife, Madame Nijinsky, is trying to induce Charlie Chaplin to play the part of her husband in the film of the famous ballet idol’s life, which is to be made in Hollywood by Sam Goldwyn. The idea of Chaplin appearing in a tragic film about the Russian ballet may spund ridiculous. But is it? An English ballet-lover. Miss Norma Dawson, says this:— “ I was afraid, when I read that they were going to film Nijinsky’s life, that they might put a tap-dancer or someone totally unsuitable into the part. Only a great screen artist could portray the soul and pathos of the character. Charlie Chaplin is ideally suited in every respect. Nijinsky was a little man. He seldom spoke, ikenes from ‘ Petroushka,’ in which Nijinsky was particularly famed, could be used as part of the story. In fact, the dancing could be doubled by any competent ballet dancer,”

Juvenile Operatic Society The Dunedin Juvenile Operatic Society will present the old favourite “Cinderella” in the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Saturday afternoon and evening. The society has many £ast successes to its credit, and, as tiss Muriel Eagar is again the producer. patrons, are looking forward to an excellent entertainment. The principal child performers are Gloria Foots (Cinderella), Donald McFarlane (Prince Charming), Isabel Dakers and Mary Delaney (the cruel stepsisters). Betty Perks (the fairy queen). The assisting artist will be Mr D. C. Rose. A dainty minuet will be performed, in which the solo dancers are Joyce Rowley, Irene Scott and Maureen Keenan. The beautiful costumes worn by the performers will be a feature of the production. Miss Olive Moreton is the musical directress.

Mayfair Theatre Programme Garbo has been in the public spotlight as a star longer than any other famous screen personality of to-day, yet less is known about her than all of her competitors. Now in her eleventh year as a Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer star, she comes to the Mayfair Theatre to-day in “ Camille,” in which she is co-starred with Robert Taylor. Aside from a few intimate friends and a small group of co-workers who have been with her year after year, no one has succeeded in penetrating the Garbo mask of exclusiveness to learn the type of human that she really is. Yet Garbo, her co-workers and friends will tell you, is extremely human. For those whom she considers her friends, she has the friendliest of smiles, and she never forgets these friends. If Guy Kibbee had not been so lazy, he would probably be a newspaperman or a publisher to-day, instead of one of the screen’s most foremost comedians. Kibtaee’s father was a roving newspaper editor, and Guy grew up in an atmosphere of newsprint and ink and of adventurous happenings in New Mexico. Later the family moved to New York City, and Guy finished his schooling, still enamored of a dramatic career. His brother was then managing a road show and gave him his first job as a property boy, from which Guy progressed steadily up to playing leading roles on Broadway, and finally went into pictures five years ago. He is featured in “Don’t Tell the Wife," at the Mayfair Theatre to-day.

“ Vagabond King ” Those who saw the picture "Vagabond -King,” starring Jeanette MacDonald and Denis King, at the Regent Theatre a few years ago cannot but help remember the beautiful songs in this play. Now, Dunedin is to have the opportunity of seeing a flesh and blood production of this play when the Dunedin Operatic Society presents “Vagabond King” in His Majesty’s Theatre during Winter Show Week (June 4 to 11). Miss Rita Stone, who has been cast as Princess Gather in de Vancelles, is a young lady with personality and a good voice. She will play the same role as was taken by Jeanette MacDonald, and her numbers will include “Some Day,” “Only a Rose,” “Love Me To-night,” and, with Mr James Macfarlane, as the Vagabond King, “ To-morrow.” Mr Macfarlane has several well-known numbers, but probably his most outstanding number will be the famous “ Song of the Vagabonds.” Miss Freda Elmes, who has been cast as Huguette du Hamel, needs no introduction to a Dunedin audience. She will be heard in “Love For Sale,” and the Huguette waltz duet with Mr R. A. Wilson as Noel. Miss Tui Northey, as Lady Mary, is well cast, and she will be heard with Mr Stan Lawson (Guy Tabare) and Mr R. P. Murphy (Oliver) in the comedy trio “Plim, Plum.” Mrs John Hamer will play Margot, keeper of the tavern. Mr Richard White, who is well known for his clever work, has been entrusted with the role of Louis XL Others in the cast are John Gordon (Rene), Mark Gaston (Casin Cholet), E. W. Griffiths (Thibant), Donald Munro (captain of the Scotch archers). There is a chorus of 76 voices and a full operatic orchestra under the baton of Mr James Clark. Mr Stan Lawson is producing the play, and Mr Angus Gorrie will be the stage manager. The society is leaving nothing undone to ensure that .the “ Vagabond King” is staged in appropriate manner. It has arranged to import the original scenery and costuming for the play, and has entrusted the production of ballets and ensembles to the Lawson—Powell School of Dancing.

“It’s a Grand World” Sandy Powell is now recognised as one of the greatest comedians in England to-day, so that, when he makes a film, it is a notable event. His latest vehicle, “It’s a Grand World,” which will open at the Regent Theatre on Friday, is said to not only more securely install him as Britain’s No. 1 comedian, but establishes the Old Land as second to none as makers of really entertaining pictures. Never before, the critics acclaim, has the famous Yorkshireman been provided with such a fine medium with which to exploit his talents. Supporting the star is a particularly strong cast, including Cyril Ritchard, Gina Malo, Gary Marsh, Frank Pittingell, John Turnbull, and the new British child star, Iris Charles. Sandy’s one interest in life is football, and he is attending a football game when the film opens. Sandy has been on the dole, but, much to his disgust, he is allocated to a job through the Labour Exchange. He reports as stage hand at a theatre, where his peace of mind is unsettled by two things—the leading lady, Joan, with whom he falls ill love, and a circus lion, which becomes the terror of his life. Sandy makes an enemy of the leading man by his attentions to Joan. But things go well with him, and he wins £16,000. He proceeds to turn the theatre upside down—and takes his dismissal blithely. Sandy goes out to Joan’s home, and finds what he thinks are gangsters plotting murder and all kinds of villainy. Actually it is the production of a picture in which Joan is starring, and Sandy ruins the scene through breaking in at the wrong moment. Smarting under Joan’s reproaches and ashamed of his own stupidity, Sandy creeps abjectedly into the night. Joan rushes out to bring him back, and in a burst of joy they sing his favourite song, “It’s a Grand Old World.” The story was written by Tom Arnold, the famous pantomime producer, who is also responsible for the production of the film. Herbert Smith was the director. Grand Theatre Features Elsie Randolph, co-starring with Jack Buchanan in “ Smash and Grab ” at the Grand Theatre to-day, is a talented member of the English contribution to the feminine comediennes of the world.

It seems to be a characteristic of the English that a great percentage of the first-class comediennes are women. Along with Grade Fields who. after a long period, has consented to make American films, Elsie Randolph is a national figure in the fun and laughter of England. Elsie was discovered by Jack Buchanan, and his influence and tuition largely helped Miss Randolph attain the position she occupies to-day. As a comedienne she possesses more originality than most other stars. Her piquant beauty and grace of figure and bearing has greatly helped her to win out in the hard struggle that always faces one hoping to make good in the world of entertainment.

Some of her outstanding film successes have been made in “ This’ll Make You Whistle,” “ Yes. Mi Brown,’’ and her latest picture, “ Smash and Grab.” This film shows the extent of her versatility in no small degree, She does not rely in one single scene on her speciality of singing and dancing, but rather changes entirely to a role which calls for all the flnei nuances of sophisticated comedy drama. Harold Bell Wright’s newest action adventure, “ Western Gold,” Twentieth Century-Fox release which opens today at the Grand Theatre, brings to the screen an historical locale seldom, if ever, before depicted in a motion picture. The story, which stars Smith Ballew, is one of the frontier West during the Civil War, The film tells the historical story of the great struggle to transport Western gold from the hills of California to the Treasury in Washington Ballew, who portrays the role of a happy-go-luckv cowboy, is assigned the important duty of disbanding a vicious bandit gang that has been waylaying the goid coaches on the western trails “Western Gold,” which marks Ballcw’s initial starring film, was directed for the screen by Howard Bretherton. Also in the cast are Heather Angel, Leroy Mason. Ben Alexander, and Otis Harlan. W. C. Fields Talks You just have to be ill for a spell to relieve the good health, or should I say appreciate it? Or is that synonymous with saying that hitting yourself on the head with a hammer is one way of getting a fine feeling when you stop? The rest enforced upon me during my recent illness was the most enjoyable I have ever had.

says W. C. Fields, famous comedian, who has just recovered from a serious illness. It was really the first holiday I have taken in this young, sweet life of mine. It would have been better, of course, to have kept fit and in perfect condition, but there had always been too much work to do.

As a young man I was an acrobat, a juggler. I played hard at tennis and golf, did a small amount of swimming, and boxed a little. I was always active. Then came “ Mississippi. ’ “ David Copperfield,” and “ Poppy,” one right on the heels of the other. Sleep became difficult. When I would exercise at odd times I would do so strenuously. The result: I pulled a tendon, slipped my sacro-iliac, had a nervous breakdown, lobar pneumonia, double vision, paresthesia, arthritis, neuritis, ad libidum.

I have found exercise, rest, and work must be taken in moderate doses with, might I add, the same moderation as to alcoholic stimulants. However, I might say I did not consume enough of the vile stuff to interfere with my doing the three pictures fairly well—but maybe I should leave this for the fans to decide.

In speaking about moderation in drinking, I do not mean to drag the fair name of alcohol through the mire. Many of my friends suggested dope and sleeping potions, but I took what I thought the lesser evil. A friend of mine once came to me and said: “ Bill, I’m so nervous I can’t sleep. Do you know where I can buy some dope? ” I assured him I did not, but I suggested thai lie take a couple of drinks of alcohol before he went to bed at night. There is a synonomous case where liquor acted as a substitute, and prevented a man from becoming a dope fiend. “That’s wonderful. Bill," people usually say when I tell them that story. “And did tne man get well.” No, unfortunately, he did not. He now sleeps in a drunkard’s grave. However, now that I am well again, I have discovered that it might have been cheaper had I died. A friendly undertaker would have given me a choice grave for nothing, and thrown in a couple of people I don’t like. Let me conclude that I am my old self once more, and able to lick my weight in wildfiowers. With the recovery of “Bill" Fields,

Paramount immediately assigned him the leading role in the “ Big Broadcast of 1938,” and at this juncture production has just about been completed. Its arrival in New Zealand is expected within two months, and New Zealand picturegoers should welcome to the screen the return of such a comedian as Fields.

Alexander Korda’s Decision . The future of British film production as a profit-making industry depends on its ability to obtain a share of the overseas market in the opinion of Mr Alexander Korda, who declared this week that London Film Productions would henceforth make no films for home consumption only (writes our London correspondent on April 6).

This decision was reached in spite of his view that the new Film Act, giving added quota protection and assistance to British film producers, would be felt for the most part only by concerns making films for the local market.

London Film Productions, Mr Korda said, had proved that the world market was a satisfactory one to seek. For some time the company’s major efforts had been directed towards this end, and 60 per cent, of its current revenue came from overseas.

Sales in these markets were steadily improving. From now onwards, the company had decided to concentrate on the production of “ worldappeal ” films only. Experience had proved that nothing could make a British film successful abroad except its intrinsic merit, its appeal to a very widely-varying public. Such films, of necessity, had to have a much broader conception than those intended for the home market only. They needed internationallyknown stars, large casts, and accur-ately-made settings. All these things were expensive, and were unlikely to become less so.

Mr Korda expressed cautious optimism as to the future of the British film industry. During a period of growing pains it had done tilings which had caused it to lose the confidence of the financial interests, without which further growth was scarcely possible. Under the increased protection it was now being afforded, it had an opportunity to rehabilitate itself and to develop on sound lines.

English Actors Criticised The American director William K. Howard, who has just returned to America after making several pictures in England, has been explaining what is wrong with the British film industry. The trouble, he thinks, is mainly due to three factors: Effect of the West End stage on English writers; effect of the West End stage on actors; and the geographical position of the studios —so near London that actors are able to work for stage and screen at the same time.

“ Practically every writer in London who might do good work for the screen has written a play, is writing a play, or is going to write a play.” Mr Howard says. “ They are more interested in the theatre than in the screen, and as a result they never take time to learn film technique. There are any number of writers in London who can turn out a fine dialogue scene, but who know nothing and care less about scenario writing.” The same is true. Mr Howard finds, of English actors. “Most of them,’ he says, “ would much rather play at the Old Vic for £2O a week than for £2OO a week in the films.” When stage players are induced to work for the screen, he adds, they take two afternoons off for matinees, leave early, arrive late next morning, and are tired out after sitting up till 2 a.m. in West End restaurants.

Darryl Zanuck, according to Mr Howard, often starts work at 3 or 4 a.m. “In England,” he laments, you cannot even get them to the studio by 8.” Mr Howard believes that the new quota law will save the British industry after breaking it. When American companies have to produce a certain number of films in England at £IOO.OOO each they will be forced to develop new directors, actors and other talent. Dog Star at St. James

Making his last appearance in New Zealand before returning to America, an actor who has known the bright lights of Hollywood, and has been artistically associated with some of the American film colony’s, best-known stars, is coming to Dunedin. His name is Caesar, and he is a highly-valued six-year-old Alsatian belonging to Mr Bert H. Tonks, a former Western Australian oil man. Mr Tonks has had Caesar since he was six months old. He began to teach him tricks, and from the outset Caesar displayed an extraordinarily high standard of mtelh-

gence. Naturally, Mr Tonks became very attached to the dog, and when they went to Southern California to study oil-refining methods he took Caesar with him. The refineries are not far from Hollywood, and film folk became interested in the handsome Alsatian. Caesar’s parts have been in “The Rise and Fall of Susan Lennox,” with Gable and Garbo; “ Horse Feathers,” with the Marx Brothers; two Western thrillers; and “Trailing the Killer," in which he is the star. Two years ago Caesar remained in Hollywood, but he had to come back to Australia when Mr Tonks’s permit to stay in the country expired. He is going back shortly, however, as. he has been cast for another film. Mr Tonks’s valuation of him—only as a money-earner—-is £25,000. Caesar has now played in 429 theatres in Australia. Caesar *s last picture was “ Trailing the Killer,’ which will be shown at the St. James Theatre, and the dog makes a personal appearance on the stage in a 20-minute act. Caesar has broken records whenever he has been, and is particularly popular with children, and “ Trailing the Killer ” has the added merit that it is a clean show for children. Caesar is the star, and it is an all-male and animal cast. As a nimle-footed policeman, Bill Robinson again has the opportunity to tap-dance in “ One Mile From Heaven, ’ Twentieth Century-Fox’s production, which will be the second feature at the St. James Theatre on Friday. Robinson’s fortune is not in his hands, but in his feet. Admittedly he is the world’s greatest and the highest-paid tap-dancer. Allan Dwan, who directed “One Mile From Heaven,” compares Robinson’s feet with Paderewski’s fingers. Claire Trevor is featured with Sally Blane, Douglas Fowley, and Fredi Washington. Technical Improvements

The year 1937 has. been a year of modern miracles behind the scenes in the motion picture studios. According to scientific technicians, 1938 will bring even more startling developments in an industry that is building with particular care for the future.

In the field of photography, a multispeed camera shutter has been perfected to photograph clearly in one--20,000th of a second.' This instrument photographs a projectile leaving a gun in the first six inches of its flight.

A three-colour still camera, manufactured in the precision shops at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. was designed by O. O. Ceccarini, consulting research engineer, which is expected to revolutionise the art.

According to Clarence Bull, ace photographer at that studio, the new speed film and improved lens will save the eyes of players and save the industry a great deal of expense because it requires infinitely less lighting. A synchronous-switch on the 1938 still camera will fire as many flash bulbs as may be required to light a whole sound stage. In the recent outdoor scene for “ Rosalie,” constructed on a 60-acre set, 600 of these bulbs flashed in a glaring instant to light the huge stage, with its chorus and ballet of more than 500 people. “The shot was made so fast,” explained Bull. “ that it caught the chorus in a uniform pose. Where the human eye could not possibly catch one or two dancers out of step, the camera did. Those in error were corrected and the result was perfect synchronisation.”

Using the new multi-speed shutter. Bull actually “ stopped ” the wheels of a racing motor car, so that the spokes could be counted in the finished print. “ In the next year,” he said. “ we will probably catch the propeller blades of an aeroplane.” Cameras of this type are being used to photograph Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, and Spencer Tracy in flying scenes in “Test Pilot.” now in production, he added. Radio has helped motion picture sound photography this year, with the introduction of an “ incorporated ” microphone, built into the camera. This permits the photographer to talk to the players through a small amplifier, guiding their actions for the benefit of camera and sound recorder. One of the major additions in the new building programme at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. now nearing completion, is a completely equipped colour laboratory, to be in charge of J. M.

Nickolaus, superintendent of photography. Here, colour prints and transparencies will be made. According to Nickolaus, the new colour cameras will detect unevenness of colour in what appears to the human eye to be solid colour. Due to atmospheric changes, a colour pigment will change. Green, for instance, will show up yellow or blue in the affected spot, but not enough to impress the eye. “The colour-camera will catch it, said Nickolaus. “Even more important, the camera has proved that when people appear against certain backgrounds their skin changes colour. A pale complexion requires a warmcolour background. Then it doesn t even need retouching. The new cameras showed up these faults when the human eye failed.” Greta Garbo, as an example, photographs perfectly against backgrounds of yellow, red, orange, brown, and green, such as were used in her latest picture. “ Marie Walewska.” Luise Rainer requires tan, pale blue, or orange. Myrna Loy, Jeanette MacDonald, and stars of their peculiar colouring photograph best against a green background. Gladys George, a striking blonde, needs red for colour prints and deep blue for black and white, used in her current film, “ Love Is a Headache,” with Franchot Tone. Men require less background than women, Nickolaus continued. Robert Taylor shows blue shadows unless counteracted with a deep red background. This is true of Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy, particularly in their present picture, “ Test Pilot,” in which their faces appear grease-coated and unshaved. Nelson Eddy, lightcomplexioned and with blonde hair, must have a background of light blue or yellow. . ~ The infra-red now in use enables the studios to photograph night scenes at high noon. It is a heat ray that penetrates, sometimes with weird results. Stevens last year photographed the earth through the clouds in his stratosphere balloon, using infra-red. The same process photographed a group of girls in modern rubber bathing suits, and, much to the amazement of the experimenters, it simply omitted the rubber from the final impression. In the field of sound, Douglas Shearer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer expert, has perfected the push-and-pull system, which he hopes to improve in 1938 with still more refinements. This brings to the theatre audience the audible sounds from any point of a huge stage, without exaggeration and with only normal vocalisation by the players. A whisper or a bellow is recorded for exactly what it is.

Other devices, perfected and In the laboratory stage, will reveal their merits in 1938, it was said. .It is intended, according to leaders in the industry, to make the mechanics of pictures so perfect that the human element of error will be virtually discounted. Dunedin Playbox An interesting excursion into the realms of experimental drama is to be made by the Playbox Players on Tuesday evening next, when under Mr W. Russell-Wood’s direction they will appear in H. G. Stevens’s “ Immortal Garden,” a play in a prologue and three acts. “In writing ‘lmmortal Garden,’ the author has done something very beautiful, and has succeeded in calling again into being faiths that have died and hopes that have failed. One is made to feel a sureness that the life just beyond death is a continuation— only a more free continuation, fuller and richer. —So writes Dame .Sybil Thorndike, patron of the Dunedin Playbox. “ Immortal Garden” has been performed by repertory societies all oyer England and in the West End, when C. V. France appeared as the general. The Playbox cast will include Mr Frank Lanyon, Mrs R. T. Little, Misses Peggy Griffiths, Ngata Bus well and Alice Clarke. Messrs Leo Manning, Colin Martin. Thomas Terrant, D. Hancock, Ben White and Andrew Fraser. Strand Theatre Attractions “The Big Apple,” sensational dance craze, has taken the nation by storm. Everybody’s doing it. But it takes Hollywood to immortalise it. Hal Le Roy famous eccentric dancer of Ziegfeld Follies fame, and Virginia Dale, head an ensemble of 200 film dancers in a mass interpretation of “The Big Apple” in “Start Cheering” at the Strand Theatre on Friday. The spectacular dance is said to have originated in a coloured dance hall in South Carolina which operated under the name of “’The Big Apple.” It can be executed by any even number of dancers over eight in number, and is a combination of the Charleston. Black Bqttom. Truckin’. Snake Hips, the Busmen and the Tiller routine, with much of the old-fashioned square dance and Virginian reel thrown in for good measure. The dance swept America following a visit by several white neople to the South Carolina dance hall, and is just reaching its popularity peak throughout the country. Johnny Green and his band, Jimmy “ Schnozzle Durante. Gertrude Niesen, Walter Connolly, Raymond Walburn, Joan Perry, Charles Starrett, and many other principals participate in the mass display.

Romantic Hawaiian backgrounds add interest and novelty to “ Hawaiian

Buckaroo,” Twentieth Century-Fox release, opening on Friday at the Strand Theatre, and provide an entirely new setting for an outdoor picture of ranch life. Smith Ballew, famed singing cowboy of radio and screen, is starred in the title role. An Arizpna cowpuncher transported to the Pacific paradise, he finds the familiar perils of the range back home creating an era of terror on the tropical ranches. Swaggering his way into troubles and scrapping his way out, Ballew sings lilting cowboy songs from the hills of the south-west to the shores of Waikiki.

“Lovers and Luggers” Adventure, romance, dare-devil deep-water diving sequences, and fascinating settings on Thursday Island, are blended in “ Lovers and Luggers,’ Cinesound’s production starring Lloyd Hughes and Shirley Ann Richards, which will be presented at the Empire Theatre on Friday. With each picture Cinesound’s Ken Hall, has given “something different." Two cameramen were associated with this picture, Frank Hurley doing the exterior work at Thursday Island, and George Heath being responsible for the remainder of the photography. Apart from star value, this picture has unusual story value. The screen play, written by Frank Harvey from the novel of Gurney Slade, is a brilliant'piece of scenario work. “Lovers and Luggers ” introduces an interesting screen discovery in Sydney Wheeler, well-known on the stage, and here making his first picture. He has been acclaimed as an Australian “ Wallace Beery," and his part as “ Captain Quid” gives him ample opportunity to exploit his exceptional talent as a character actor. Another interesting member of the cast is Alec Kellaway, brother of Cecil, and he provides many laughs to punctuate the thrills of the production. On the feminine side, Shirley Ann Richards, making her third Cinesound picture, is seen to even greater advantage than in her earlier pictures, and justifies the confidence displayed by the studio in casting her opposite the experienced Lloyd Hughes. In a part of almost equal importance is the beautiful Elaine Hamill, well known on stage and screen. The cast includes such other well-known players as James Raglan Campbell Copelin, Ronald Whelan, Frank Harvey, and Leslie Victor. Some tremendous sets were built for this picture, notably a Thursday Island scene showing a street lined with bungalows leading down to a beach with the ocean in the background. The set occupied almost the whole of the studio. For the first time in Australia, short-wave wireless equipment was used in the direction of the action of the boats. A further unusual feature of this picture is the under-water photography. Pearl-divers are seen going about their work many fathoms below the ocean

surface, and a fight for a pearl on the ocean bed between two of the principals and the rescue of a diver whose air line has been cut, are exciting highlights. Virile adventure is stronglyfeatured in this romantic story of the pearling grounds on the north of Australia.

“ Fifty-second Street ” From the springtime of 1912 to the swingtime of 1938 is the scope of “ Fifty-second Street," which will come to the State Theatre on Friday. The picture reproduces the real-life scenes of New York’s night club sector, and merges the talents of many fine actors. Kenny Baker, America’s outstanding young tenor, has the romantic lead

with attractive Pat Paterson. Coming straight from school, Margaret Rondeil is delighted to find that her father has been, unknown to her, making his money out of a night club. Despite the same antagonism which her father faced when he chose his career, she chooses the same way and prepares for her career of night club entertainer. Despite the feud which appears likely to develop, she joins forces with the son of a night club friend of her father’s, and together they seek romance while their elders fume. These two pursue their merry way midst the night life of Manhattan, and they are ably supported by a cavalcade of radio and screen personalities. Ella Logan, star of screen, stage and radio, is entirely at home in the picture, while Zasu Pitts and Leo Carrillo are two _ other players who have no need of introduction to filmgoers. Others in the cast are lan Hunter, Sid Silvers. Dorothy Peterson, and Jack White. The Weintraubs

A typical Continental flavour characterises the performance of the Wemtraubs, brilliant comedy instrumentalists who are already known to Dunedin audiences. They will present a complete new stage presentation at His Majesty’s Theatre on May 20, 21, and 23. The name Weintraubs (pronounced Wine-Trobes) means drops of wine, and the entertainment that these amazingly versatile young men offer is just as gay and stimulating as the word suggests. Gaiety and lively comedy are the keynote of every performance. Each member of the band is a polished musician,' and can play no fewer than six instruments. Dunedin _ audiences will find their, music irresistible, fos it ranges from ultra-modern swing to the tuneful melodies of yesterday. The Weintraubs originated in Berlin, and have performed with success in every capital city in Europe. Their travels have taken them' from the Scandinavian countries to the Far East, and within the past year their bright music and infectious comedy have created a vogue in Sydney and Melbourne. Novel Museum Exhibit

Selecting . the David 0. Selznick technicolour production “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” as a foremost example, the New York Museum of Modern Art has taken the lead in ranking pictures with such classic arts as painting and sculpture. “The Making of a Contemporary Film from Script to Preview” is the museum’s hit exhibit to-day. With odds and ends ranging from artificial warts to story conference notes, the exhibit gives an intimate history ol how “ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ” was made. There has never been a display like it, nor has any leading art centre such as the New York

Museum previously conferred the serious title “Art” upon a Hollywood product. Not far from where this exhibit stands is a painting by Paul Cezanne.

Thousands of New Yorkers, in addition to film and art critics, flock to the museum each week to learn facts about motion pictures they have never known before. Spread before them they see John V. A. Weaver’s original script, the revisions, final shooting script, costumes worn by Tommy Kelly, the picture’s Tom Sawyer, research data, interoffice communications, props, sketches, contracts, even luncheon vouchers for extras, and other interesting items. Obviously it would be impossible to place an entire motion picture on exhibit. for this would mean running the finished release print itself over and over again. It was reasoned, when the idea for the display first was considered. that the interests of art appreciation would be better served by giving the public an “ inside ” view of film-making.