Real Food Served In Film Banquet Scene

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19121, 16 September 1936, Page 9

Real Food Served In Film Banquet Scene

piI.MdOKRR, after seeing a big res

luurnnl-scene ai the local picture theatre, often ask “ Is the food real?”

The answer is that, in most, cases, it is. There are many reasons for this, the chief being that “fake” food never looks convincing when photographed, and is generally more expen sive that the real article. Moreover, the waiters invariably carry out their duties more correctly when called upon to serve a. series of real courses in their proper order, than if simply presented with a number of dishes of: marshmallow, gelatine, and other

“property” foods, and told: “This is supposed to lie roast, duck, and this represents fruit salad.”

“11 ’a Love Again,” (ho new Jessie -Mai 1 hows-Robert Voung-Sonnie Hale musical comedy, includes several important scenes in a smai'l London restaurant. These scones have been photographed ,iu a magnificent setting, which includes a vast dance Hoar which rose, by electricity, from the centre of the set, and on which Jessie Mat thews and her partner, Cyril Wells, perform an exhibition (Inline.

For this scene, the studio became, for the time being, an actual restaurant'. The head waiter of a famous West End haunt of the fashionable look down a stall! consisting of four head waiters, seven “chef-waiters, ” seven “ eommis,' ’ two wine-lmllers, and a “ traneheuv, ’■’ or carver, wlio presided tit the huge silver-plated roast -server. Waiters Receive No Tips “Actually, I could have served a complete dinner for JOO people,” said M. (diaehollo, who was in charge of operations. “Wo had a full buffet., wilh delicious cold foods, including roast, tame jardiniere/and oilier spring dishes—an impoiiant point, this, to establish the season in which the action takes place properly. Roast duck, lobster, crab, macedoine of vegetables and fruit woie also there. I made crepes Snzette and poire (lamb'* beside the tables, as you would see in actual fact. I made out ray own list of viands, posled my waiters, and attended in the dinners just as I do at. my own work- - from which 1 look a week's ‘busman’s holiday ' for the lihu -ami, in fact, everything was quite leal, eveept (hut I lie guests were not presenled wilh bills, and the Winters received no lips! “

The crowd of more than 100 beautiful women and smart ly-dressed men who look- part in this scene would, one might, imagine, -profit by a. splendidly cooked and served luxury meal. Alas; As soon as a, particular dish was served, the stentorian voice of the assistani; director rang out: “Please, don’t, eat the food! Wo may need if: for rc-takcs! ”