THE SHADOW WORLD.

Southland Times, Issue 19291, 9 July 1924, Page 11

THE SHADOW WORLD.

LATEST REAL NEWS OF REEL FOLK.

“The Country Kid” will play at the Albion Theatre soon as the feature attraction of a well-balanced bill. Wesley Barry and Bruce Guerin are two of the trio of screen youngsters in this picture, the third being “Spec” O’Donnell, the lad whose start from a newsboy to a film favourite. An accident in a motor boat caused Betty Hopkins to stay away from home all night. Her father, who belonged to an aristocratic Southern family, was in a fury at her absence. His doubt of her innocence caused a novel string of unexpected incidents to happen. Reginald Denny is as popular with the ladies as with the men folk and young people. His pleasing personality appears to considerable/advantage in the new series of “The Leather Pushers” now at the Civic. Denny is now making full length feature films, of which the first “Sporting Youth” will be here shortly. Billy Sullivan, another good-looking young gentleman with a hefty punch will shortly be seen in the place occupied by Denny in later episodes of “The Pushers.” ’ Richard Walton Tully is on the Coast to try to find “The Bird of Paradise” among the young leading women in Hollywood. He began production on June 15. Hedda Hopper is playing the mother cf the flapper (Eleanor Boardman) in Hobart Henley’s first Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, “Free Love,” adapted by Carey Wilson. The love of two men, one of whom she spurned! a career as a reporter on a big daily paper, and an explosion changed her life materially. This is all vividly portrayed in “Sunshine Harbour,” a Playgoers film in which Margaret Beecher, grandniece of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” is starred at the Albion Theatre. Production has been started at the Fox Coast studios of “Hearts of Oak,” the old stage melodrama by James A. Herne. John Ford is directing the screen version of the play, which will be one of the “special attractions” which the Fox Film Corporation will release during the 1924-25 season. Hobart Bosworth has the leading role. The other principals selected so far include Theodore Von Eltz, Pauline Starke, Janies Gordon, Frances Powers, Jennie Lee and Frances Teague. Rowland V. Lee is on location on Catalina Island for ‘The Man Without a Country,” a .Fox special. Gladys Walton (Mrs. H. M. Herbel) is back on the Coast, ready to return to work. She and Mr Herbel, sales executive for Universal, will make their home out there. Cecil B. de Mille’s Paramount production of “Fool’s Paradise,” one of the most colourful pictures seen here in many months, is now on at the Civic. It is a beautiful and appealing story and the dramatic moments, notably those transpiring in a Siamese Temple, are exceedingly thrilling. The cost chosen for “Fool’s Paradise” is invincible. It includes such noted stars as Dorothy Dalton, Mildred Harris, Conrad Nagel, Theodore Kosloff, John Davidson, Julia Faye and others. The scenes of the picture are laid in France, Mexicoe and Siam. They are beautiful in the extreme, while the theme is dramatic and unusual. It is one of the most massive and artistic productions with which the name of Cecil B. de Mi lie has thus far been identified. If you fail to see it, you will be the loser. Conway Tearle is to be co-featured with Colleen Moore in her next picture, which bears the tentative title of “Counterfeit.” It is a story by Leßoy Scott. It gives Miss Moore the role of a temperamental young actress, and Tearle the character of a lawyer interested in psychological research, who takes advantage of opportunity to study the “dual personality” of the actress. “Learning to Love,” which has been temporarily abandoned, and will be resumed about the middle of August when John Emerson and Anita Loos will go to Hollywood to supervise production, has been replaced by a story which is a translation from German. This will keep Constance Talmadge busy until August 15, when she will resume work on the interrupted picture. Hope Hampton gave a little “Hello dinner” at the Savoy, London, an her brief visit there, after her honeymoon in France. It was very informal, and Miss Hampton, looking singularly pretty and animated, made a neat little speech and told one or two delightful stories. Unfortunately her visit to London was a short one, as she was hurrying back to the States to fulfil her stage engagement, which will allow her to emerge from screen silence and make use of her voice, which is declared on good authority to be of quite exceptional quality. Hope Hampton’s next appearance in New Zealand will be in the leading part of “The Gold Diggers,” the Master picture version of the popular play. At the Albion Theatre next week will be screened “The Hero,” an absorbing story asking the question, “Who was the greater hero? The soldier who won the Legion of Honour, the man who rescued the children from the burning school, or the tired business man, who sacrificed his life to save his brother?” There are a number of big emotional scenes, interspersed with a sparkling humour, and daring adventures. Barbara La Marr, Gaston Glass, and John Sainpolis head the caste. Mme. Alla Nazimova, long absent from motion pictures, is to return to the screen. She has signed a contract to appear in a First National picture, according to announcement made by Richard A. Rowland, general manager. Negotiations between Nazimova and First National have been going on for some time, and the actress was engaged because she will be given the opportunity of appearing in a big role. The name of the story will be withheld until negotiations with the author are completed. “At present we can say nothing except that Nazimova has been engaged and that she will appear in the work of a celebrated foreign author,” said Rowland. The picture is to be filmed in Los Angeles. Tom Moore will be the leading man for Laurette Taylor in “One Night in Rome,” which the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer company will make of the J. Hartley Manners stage play. The picture is to be made on the Coast, so Mr Moore packed his bag and started for Los Angeles last month. Eric Von Stroheim has been devoting all of his energies for some months to the task of compressing his eighteen-reeler, “Greed” into exhibition length. Before she went to Italy Miss June Mathis was helping him. So far as can be ascertained the picture is still too long. However, it looks as if Stroheim were going to let isomeone else do the worrying and cutting, j He has been selected to direct Mae Murray in her next production, which will be a film adaptation of the famous old opera, I“The Merry Widow.” It has been many a long day since Miss Murray has appeared in a picture which was not directed by her husband, Robert Z. Leonard

“White Hands,” a thrilling story of the sea, with Hobart Bosworth, master of virile roles, in the principal character, is the William Fox attraction on the current programme at the Civic. Pharus the Egyptian, who is now at the Albion has made some wonderful, not to say miraculous cures, during his short .stay ip Invercargill. It is a pity that this gifted physician cannot be persuaded to stay longer. “Zaza,” a popular and famous drama of the French stage has been brought to the screen by Paramount, with Gloria Swanson in the leading role. Miss Swanson is the admirable type for this story, and she is supported by a one-time popular star in the person of H. B. Warner, one of the most dignified and vital men of the silent screen. The Motion Picture News of recent date in a critique says:—“lt is a sumptuous production, magnificently cast even to the smallest character study of a woman who has loved not wisely but too well. ‘Zaza’ is no doubt Miks Swanson’s greatest success, and the settings of the most luxurious gowns and wealth suit her admirably.” The Civic will screen “Zaza” on Saturday. A kiss was the only toll Dick Turpin used to levy on pretty ladies, while the men had to part with all their valuables. Some of the ladies enjoyed paying the toll, for Dick was a handsome, dashing fellow with an irresistible way. Matheson Lang, London’s matinee idol, plays the part of this gallant gentleman of the road, in the excellent British Master picture, “Dick Turpin’s Ride to York,” and Isobel Elsom is one of the ladies who is asked to pay the toll. Hugh D. Mclntosh, the Australian theatrical magnate, is going into the film business on a big scale. Mr Mclntosh is now in London, and the paper which interviewed him tells us that he “feels very strongly that the typical picture from Animerica has generally ridiculed British institutions, British thought, British standards of honour, and has presented the typical Englishman as a creature of low intelligence wearing an idiotic smile and a monocle. He realses that the American picture Is Americanising the world. This, he also realises, is disastrous from a Brtish Empre point of view.” It Is added, that it is because Mr Mclntosh has seen, at first hand, the evil wrought in Australia by American films, that he has decided to take an active interest in film production, his object Ixdng to guarantee such an output of notable pictures in which the ideas of the British peoples will no longer be held up to ridicule. His scheme of production, it is said, will result in the making on. a big scale of British Empire pictures with a world-wide appeal. Reginald Denny has just finished another ftf those fast action photoplays for which ne has become popular. The new picture is “Captain Fearless,” which is a screen version of a best seller titled “The Missourian.” The main part of the story deals with the Maximilian rebellion in Mexico. It has a prologue and an epilogue in the present which allow Mr Denny to do his stuff. “'The Call of the Canyon” (Zana Grey) will be screened at the Civic shortly. The picture (by Paramount) is said to be the most successful screen adaptation of any of Zane Grey’s works. The cast includes Lois Wilson, Richard Dix and Noah Beery. Lloyd Hughes was forced to play nurse to his dog, Cameo, who got a pair of Kleig eyes while acting with him in “The Hero,” a Master Picture. The poor little animal went howling round the set for hours before it was discovered what was the matter. Kleig eyes are ocular inflammation, caused by the brilliant studio lights. Thomas Meighan, popular Paramount star, will present as his next offering “Pied Piper’Malone.” This is a Booth Tarkington story, and Meighan is seen in an entirely different role with all his old appeal, and a lot more. The story deals with life on the New Zealand coast, a locale which Booth Tarkington knows so well, and which has been portrayed so excellently in this story. Hope Hampton has returned from Europe, bringing with her a whole trunkful of dresses from Paris, and all sorts of assorted impressions and information about the Orient. Miss Hampton will next be seen in “The Gold Diggers” a forthcoming Master picture to be seen at the Albion. All who have read “This Freedom” will be anxious to see what sort of a film has been made of this recent Hutchinson novel. It is as good as “If Winter Comes,” and by some critics considered to be better. The Albion will screen it. In adapting the story, “Andy McGee’s Chorus Girl,” by Richard Davis, for screen purposes, William Fox called it “Cupfid’s Fireman” and dedicated the picture to “the men who risk their all for the lives and property of others.” It is fitting that the production should be thus dedicated, according to opinions expre&sed on its completion by veteran firemen in New York and elsewhere. The picture comes to the Civic next week. Charles (Buck) Jones, erstwhile player bf Western parts, has the role of the bashful fireman detailed to stand watch in the wings of a theatre. How he meets the girl of all girls, rescues her from death and overcomes the obstacle of a worthless husband, all go to make a terrific story of romance and action. Baby Peggy’s first big film, “The Darling of New York,” will be shown at the Civic this week-end. It is one of those exceptional stories which are not built around a star, but as a narrative to entertain. From the beginning the interest is caught and sustained. There is a nice balance between pathos and comedy. For thrills there is a tenement fire and an exciting rescue. “Hollywood,” the Paramount superproduction, which comes to the Civic shortly, tells the fascinating story of a screen-struck country girl who ventured to Hollywood to “crash” into the movies. It never occurred to the ambitious heroine that an unknown, inexperienced girl might find the alluring doors of Fame so strongly fortified that they could not be battered down by mere force. As a matter of fact, very few of the eighty screen celebrities comprising the brilliant cost of this picture reached the heights of screen success with a simple leap and a bound. In most cases they were compelled to go through a maze of preliminary struggles and training before they eventually “got in.’ Apart from the insight this picture gives into life in Hollywood and its environs it is full of rare entertaining qualities. Coming soon to the Albion is the feature “The Child Thou Gavest Me,” a First National attraction. Unlike the usual picture, which ends with the ringing of wedding bells, “The Child Thou Gavest Me” begins with the wedding, which immediately develops into a tragedy. The story is interpreted by an all-star cast, which includes such celebrities of the screen as William Desmond, Lewis Stone, Adele Farrington, Winter Hall, Barbara Castleton, and last but not least, little Richard (“Itchie”) Headrick.