A Girl Who Likes a Gamble

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19777, 3 November 1938, Page 10

A Girl Who Likes a Gamble

produced ‘TOO Men and a Girl,” and now England replies with 5000 men and a girl. At any rate, that might be a suitable alternative title for Alexander Korda’s latest production, “The Drum,” a teehnicolour adventure-romance of India, .which was recently seen in Gisborne. Valerie Hobson is the girl and the 5000 men are composed of troops from India’s ' North-west Frontier, natives from the province of Chitral. and a team of actors led by Sabo (of “Elephant Boy” fame), Raymond Massey, and Roger Livesey. Although “The Drum” offers Miss Hobson her first really big chance, she is by no means a newcomer to the screen.

Valeric started young. She first attracted attention in the Drury Lane show, “Ball at the Savoy,” when she was 17. The result was a Hollywood contract. This was a promising beginning, but somehow things did not work out to well. The young' actress was hailed by Hollywood as a new and interesting type. Ambitious plans were announced for her, but these seemed to go astray, and Valerie found herself appearing mostly as the terrified heroine in “horrors” and thrillers.”

Thoroughly disappointed, and realising that the type of work she was doing would never advance her career to any extent, Valerie obtained a release from her contract and sailed for London.

Now, at 21, she is endeavouring to rebuild her career along difTerenl lines.

It was a gamble, no doubt, to leave the security of a Hollywood contract —however distasteful—for the uncertainty of battling the open market in London. However, Valerie likes a gamble.