THE SHADOW WORLD

Southland Times, Issue 20792, 5 June 1929, Page 15

THE SHADOW WORLD

MOTION PICTURE PLAYS & PEOPLE

(5 Z

Columbine.)

THE MAJESTIC. To-snght: “Who is the Man?” (Paramount All Star) ; “The Physician” (Miles Mander, Elga Brink); Vaudeville (Sam Stern and Sadie Pepper). Saturday: “The Wright Idea” (Johnny Hines, Louise Lorraine); “Tall Timber” (Eden - Landeryou, Billie Sim); "The Collegians” (All Star Sports Series). A beautiful girl, a drunkard and a doctor, the two men loving the same girl—primitive passions—fighting liner ■ instincts — gripping intensities from start to finish—that is “The Physician/’ opening at the Majestic to-night. On Saturday comes Johnny Hines’ latest First National picture, “The Wright Idea,” in which one of the most exciting sequences takes place on a large yacht cruising far out to sea. This necessitated the. company’s remaining aboard for three or four days. On the first night, Louise Lorraine, petite leading woman, suddenly appeared on deck and rushed up to the comedian. “Johnny,” she said, “will you please come down and see what’s the matter with my stateroom! It’s jumping around terribly!” Billie Sim who plays her first starring role in the Union Master Picture "Tall Timber” on the same programme, is not, as most people think, an Australian girl, but a New Zealander who has lived long in Sydney. She is an expert horsewoman, often slipping away to Wallacia for a weekend, where she finds the riding delightful; a keen lover of the outdoors, she can change a tyre quicker than a Camouflage Cab mechanist, and positively lives for her two Airdale pups, Bolivia and Bart. When asked the reason of “Bart,” this very captivating Billie Sim answered, “Because he just looks like a Bart, in a heavy drama.” .Next Wednesday The Majestic will show two British productions—“ The Ring,” with Lillian Hall-Davis, and “A Woman Redeemed,” with Brian Aherne. Also done for release at The Majestic shortly is the second Fritz Lang Ufa production to be seen in New Zealand, “The Spy” (the first was that magnificent “Metropolis”). When the Great War came to a finish, it left chaos behind —not only in the countries and nations, but also in the soul of mankind, but there was one that derived profit from the chaos existing in those leaderless souls of men. Nobody knows him. Nobody knows the exact whereabouts of his headquarters, from whence he is sending out his emissaries into the frightened world. But he is there, and the crimes committed in his name, are incessantly augmenting. Murder, robbery, extortion—they form the evil triad of the shrill melody of high treason and terror, breach of faith and self-annihilation, in which atmosphere all countries seem to tremble. Such was the state of the world ruled by “The Spy” until a greater and more potent force prevailed. But nobody even guesses that the cold-blooded leader of this witch-devil is a lame Russian banker, “Haghi.” There follows some of the moat amazing sequences of thrills, plots, and counter-plots, and train smashes, in rapid succession ending with the suicide of the Arch Spy, Haghi. Gerda Maurus, the Viennese girl, plays the-part of a clever heartless woman spy, reformed by love; Willy Fritsch is No. 326 of the Secret Service, Rudolph Klein-Rogge is Haghi, and Lupu Pick the Japanese Ambassador. “The Spy” is adapted from the novel by Thea von Harbon (also the authoress of'Metropolis”) and created considerable comment last year both in England and America. The Scotch comedienne, Josie Heather, has completed a short talking picture for Warner Brothers under the direction of Bryan Foy. Richard Barthelmess will play the role of a newspaper man in his forthcoming production; “Drag,” based on the novel by William Dudley Pelley. Lila Lee, Alice Day and Lucien Littlefield are included in the cast. Miss Pickford has dropped all her adolescent props in the way of curls and short dresses and ‘will speak up at Norman Besant in “Coquette,” a talking picturization of the play by George Abbott and Ann Preston Bridgets. John Mack Brown portrays the role of Michael and Matt Moore is the Stanley Wentworth of the story. Hollywood's first all-coloured picture (and by this I mean the players are all coloured people) has been appropriately called “Hallelujah.” There is some striking dancing by a ten-year-old boy named “Half Pint” Couch. This boy is also doing another turn, teaching Anita Page some special negro shuffles. CHARM OF THE SILENT SCREEN. In a recent article devoted to the championship of the “silents” over the Talkies, Arthur S. Mom, motion picture editor and critic of La Nacion, writes: I believe that Lillian Gish never will be able to say with words what she has said with her marvellous eyes in Griffith’s films. Nor will Mr Griffith himself be able to make any actress say with words what he has made say with gestures, poses and subtle movements the admirable Carol Dempster, whose unpopularity and absence from the screen I never shall be able to understand. I don’t believe, for example, that Zasu Pitts could say with words what is said by her eyes and hands, especially the hands. I should not like to listen, on the screen, to Vilma Banky or Corinne Griffith, whom I consider figures of especial charm in the films, of spectral suggestion. So much so that I have used them as protagonists in one of my books of fantastic and improbable tales. And I should not like to have the experience with them that I had with Dolores Costello in “Noah’s Ark,” where, when I heard her speak, not because she spoke better or worse than the others but just because she spoke, all the charm she possessed for me collapsed. I cite these personal cases because they may be the same as those of many spectators. I believe that Evelyn Brent is the artist who has done the best work in talking pictures thus far. But, with all that, what an abysmal difference between the Debora Kane of “Interference” and the beautiful, untamed, adorable and silent revolutionary of "The Last Command”! I think that the case of Chaplin would be an exception, because Chaplin himself is an exception, I am sure, nevertheless, that on the day his character pronounces four words on the screen it will die for half the world, and perhaps for the whole world. I recollect having been last year for hours and hours on the sets of Pola Negri, of Jannings and Mjmjou, watching actors and directors fight for hours and hours; but that was a struggle more noble and fruitful which fired even the spectator. It was the struggle for a beautiful detail, artistically attained. I also saw Clara Bow fighting hand to hand with a bit of nonsense before : a microphone. I watched her for almost half an hour and I had seen what I wanted when she caused me to leave the set. I felt sad enough. Not because of the dis- . courtesy, which I attributed to the studio j functionaries more than to the actress. I ; felt sad at having seen Clara Bow, whom ; I always had considered, at least, as having : perfect control of herself, nervous as any beginner and unable to hit upon the best i way to pronounce a few stupid words. <

THE REGENT.

Now Showing: “Baby Cyclone ’ (Lew Cody, Aileen Pringle) ; “The Bushranger,” (Tim McCoy, Marion Douglas—Miss Australia, Dale Austen—Miss New Zealand. Friday s “The Skyscraper” (William Boyd, Sue Carrol). Maurice Gutteridge and his Vice-Regal orchestra. Tuesday: “Excess Baggage” (William Haines, Josephine Dunn). Maurice Guttridge and his Vice-Regal orchestra. CHANEY AND GILBERT. I have seen two interesting films at the Regent lately—Lon Chaney’s “Laugh, Clown, Laugh!” and John Gilbert’s “The Masks of the Devil,” the first directed_ by Herbert Brenon, who has lately re-establish-ed himself with such productions as “Beau Geste” and “Sorrell and Son,” the second by Victor Seastrom, the man who has now gone back to Sweden. Both were Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer productions, and both introduced new feminine “finds.” Of the two I preferred the Chaney vehicle and Loretta Young; John Gilbert’s picture, on the other hand, was more significant from the point of view of picture-making and screen history; his new leading lady, 17-year-old Eva von Berne from Vienna is a heavy type, both bodily, facially, and while the part of Virginia gives her but little scope, she appears to have a surprisingly limited range of expression. What annoyed me further was the attempt to hide the plump swell of her figure by dresses several siz'es too small for her, by transparent shawlcollar effects, and by a lengthening hair arrangement. There is one thing I admire about Clara Bow —she does not try to minimize her plumpness, and consequently gets away with it. Loretta Young is a charming little girl with a delightful figure, and Nils Asther always makes a most presentable hero. Chaney, in his less bizarre, work is convincing in spite of his beetled reputation, and the story, whose theme is by no means new, “got” one through him despite the inclination of the average motion picture audience to titter when it is afraid of having its emotions touched. The ending of “Laugh, Clown, Laugh” was somewheat weak, as if by a tendency to hurry it through. “The Masks of the Devil,” on the other hand, has one of the strongest and most effective endings I have seen in the films, though unfortunately rather subtle for the general public, and consequently a conclusion, for once in a while, which could have done with broader treatment. Erwin is shot by his friend —he exposes his own treachery to his friend’s fiancee, whom he loves—spends long minutes in explanation and finally succumbs to her devoted avowals—they are left in the conventional close-up—she asks him why he is so pale and ill-looking—he answers (the hero!) he has never felt stronger; her expression is one of contented love, while a slight movement, and his head drops—she is there, he has. . . gone. Very effective, Mr Director Seastrom, but as I say, how many in the audience recognized the death? The other interesting thing about the production, which almost compensated for the distressing number of close-ups of the effeminate Mr Gilbert, was the system of dual thought presentation—the translation of what was passing in the mind of the sneaker, probably borrowed-from Eugene O’Neill’s overlong play, “Strange Interlude” —used with a nice humour. It is pleasant to see Theodore Roberta back again, and Alma Reubens.. But why do they disguise_ her behind distorting make-up in such mediocre parts? Her work a few years ago suggested individuality, and I do not think the motion picture world is yet overflowing with this.

Twenty old-time burlesque queens with portly figures will appear in “Burlesque,” the Paramount production with Nancy Carroll and Hal Skelly.

Allan Dwan has completed “The Far Call,” featuring- Charles Morton and Leila Hyams. The story is about the piratical raiding on the seal preserves of the Pribilof Islands.

Robert Ober, actor and former stage director, has been assigned the direction of “Casualties,” a one-act play by Martin Flavin. Mr Ober is also to play the leading male role in this film with Mary Doran in the feminine lead.

Fox are busy perfecting a third dimension device for the screen, but this is nothing to the news that comes from Italy, where some genius has found a method of putting odour into the talkies. This ia another argument for the silent pictures. See Naples by all means —but smell it!

An English film company recently arrived in America to complete the screen version -of Warwick Deeping’s novel, “Kitty,” which they started in England. The picture was photographed mainly at Henley, England. It will be completed in the R.C.A. studio in New York. Victor Saville, who directed “A Woman in the Night,” is supervising the direction of this film.

When one takes a talking film test one should repeat “Oh young Lochinvar has come out of the West,” which, according to some reports is now a standard line for talking tests. Alice White, who is making “Broadway Babies,” persists, however, in singing an old stenographic exercise of hers, “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party.”

Monta Bell, production executive of the Paramount Long Island studio, announced that Anthony Bushell has been engaged to play in Paramount pictures. Mr Bushell is now acting opposite Jeanne Eagels in “Jealousy.” Mr Bushell was educated at Oxford and started on the stage in London. He played once before with Miss Eagels in the footlights version of “Her Cardboard Lover.”

Clara Bow’s next picture will have a circus background anti Miss Bow will play the role of a clown under the big top. The story was written by Lester Cohen, author of “Sweepings,” and is to be a dialogue film. David Newell, a former leading man for Ethel Barrymore, will play opposite Miss Bow. Lother Mendes will direct the film, which tells of the near sacrifice of a girl clown’s life for the man she loves.

“Revue of Revues,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s forthcoming production, will include stage as well as screen, stars in its cast. Those who have been signed for parts in the production include Bessie Love and Charles king, Gus Edwards Marie Dressier, the Brox Sisters, Cliff Edwards (Ukulele Ike), Conrad Nagel, Polly Moran, Albertina Rasch and her troupe, and Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown, who did music for “The Broadway Melody.”

Once upon a time motion picture studio lights were anathema to the, actor, who lived in fear of Klieg eyes; but to-day the lights are considered as good _as a few weeks at Hot Springs. For, with the introduction of incandescent lamps which supplanted the carbon variety, the lights became effective for the treatment of rheumatism and diseases of the nervous system. Moral: if your joints are stiff, join the moving pictures. Lee Patrick of Pathe’s "White Cargo” was the first, so it is said to notice the curative value of the incandescent lighting system.

CIVIC PICTURES. To-night: “The Way of All Flesh” (Emil Jannings, Phyllis Haver, Donald Keith) ; “Marquis Preferred” (Adolphe Menjou, Chester Conklin). Saturday: “Red Wine” (Conrad Nagel, June Collyer); “Wild Blood” (Rex, King of Wild Horses).

Six youthful players appear in Paramount’s “The Way of All flesh,” Emil Jahning’s first picture made in America, which opens at the Civic Pictures to-night. Director Victor Fleming declares that this group of youngsters forms the greatest child cast ever given a production, and all during the filming of the opening sequence he marvelled at the ease with which they worked and at the marvellous results obtained. Paramount officials throughout the studio shared his enthusiasm. The sextette embraces Philippe de Lacey, Mickey Mcßan, Betsy Ann Hisle, Gordon Thorpe, Carmencita Johnson and Jackie Combs. The first three are best known for their fine work in “Beau Geste.” In the opening sequences, Jannings, who “doesn’t be•lieve in villains and hates heroes,” plays a kindly, middle-aged family man, in love with his wife, his children and his work. Then “the other woman,” Phyllis Haver, enters his life, and years seem to drop from his shoulders. He is young, vigorous and carefree. Then comes the denouement and Jannings, a dissolute, broken man, wears the evidence of weakness in his haggard face. The fourth and closing characterisation is that of an old, old man, with bald head, scraggly beard, sunken cheeks and dull eyes. But here, again, comes a change, for sadness gives way to happiness, and the picture closes upon the smile of a happy patriach. Belle Bennett (famous for her'“Stella Dallas”) heads the cast in support of the versatile Jannings. Donald Keith appears as a young musician. “The Way of All Flesh,” announced by Paramount to be one of their finest 1928 productions, portrays the struggle of soul against flesh. Included among the forthcoming attractions to the Civic are Zane Grey’s “The Sunset Pass (Jack Holt), “Ten Modern Commandments” (Esther Ralston, Neil Hamilton), “Homesick” (Sammy Cohen), and “Red Lips” (Charles Rogers, Marion Nixon).

Thirty-two negro spirituals arc to be heard in “Hearts in Dixie,” the William Fox pro.duction.

A trained rooster walking the tight rope and doing somersaults on the trapeze in addition to counting and smoking is the amazing fowl who will be featured in “The Midway,” a Tiffany-Stahl production.

Lewis Milestone will direct Norma Talmadge’s initial talking film. Mr Milestone made “The Racket” and “Two Arabian Knights.” CJilbert Roland will play the heavy and not the hero in Miss Talmadge’s picture.

Emil Jannings’s forthcoming picture, “The Concert,” with Ruth Chatterton, will be directed by Victor Schertzinger, who’ made “Redskin.” The story is an adaptation of the Herman Bahr stage play which served as a vehicle for the late Leo Ditrich.stein.

Tully Marshall, who played the role of the old scout in “The Covered Wagon,” and who has played scores of character hits in many films, has been engaged for a supporting role in George Bancroft’s dialogue film. “Thunderbolt,” from a special story by Charles Furthman. Richard Arlen- and Fay Wray will play the juvenile leads in this film, which will be directed by Joseph von Sternberg.

British International Pictures has made arrangements to take Norman Kerry, Marie Prevost, Lya da Putti and other screen players to England. Victor Varconi has a contract to go to London and make two or three pictures for British International. Among their own performers, the authorities in charge of British International think rather highly of James Thomas. He has appeared in England in “Week End Wives,” “Piccadilly” and “The Woman in the Night.” THE HOLLYWOOD HERMIT. I quote parts of a recently published interview with a motion picture actress whose work I persistently admire despite reports of her unpopularity with the motion picture people, and despite successively stupid vehicles. The reporter obviously reported with his tongue in his cheek —he is Mordaunt Hall, quite a screen authority in New York —and there are touches that are positively catty! . That languid screen enchantress, Greta Garbo, was at the Hotel Marguery, Park Avenue, having arrived the day before from Sweden. Her mere presence appeared to have its effect upon the room clerk, for most of the conversation was either uttered in a whisper or by signals. The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer represent atives could not have acted with greater deference had a visiting potentate been the object of their attentions, for Miss Garbo, like Charlie Chaplin or Sir James M. Barrie, is a shrinking violet when it comes to being interviewed. The telephone bell broke the silence and the room clerk lifted a finger as a signal to the elevator operator that Miss Garbo would receive our representative. Soon the door of Miss Garbo’s apartment was flung open and the sinous figure of the alluring actress appeared as if from a ray of sunlight. In a low-toned voice that suited her bearing, she greeted the caller, whose eyes fell from her face to a bouquet of flowers on a table and then to the carpet. “Won’t you sit down?” she said. The visitor’s eyes once more challenged the chance of being caught staring and forthwith became aware that Miss Garbo wore a black covering on her head, like a skull cap, with two tassels of hair bursting forth from each side. It was quite obvious after she had answered a few questions that Miss Garbo’s magnetism was just as impressive off the screen as on. Like Pola Negri, whom she grdatly admires, she is natural, being more amused than embarrassed by her none too extensive knowledge of English. She wore a pink silk sweater with a short black velvet skirt, and coils of smoke rose to the ceiling from the cigarette she held in - her long-fingers. When she first came here, three and a half years ago, Miss Garbo, knew hardly any English, but now she succeeds fairly well in expressing herself and, in spite of occasional lapses, that are quite captivating, she declared that she was quite willing to try acting and dialogue in a talking picture. What would she like to do as a pictorial story? She puffed her cigarette, threw back her head, lowered her eyelids and vouchsafed:

“Joan of Arc. But it probably wouldn’t go so well. I would like to do something unusual, something that has not been done. I would like to get away from the usual. I don't see anything in silly love-making. I would like to do something all the other people are not doing. If I could get von Stroheim! Isn’t he fine?” , Miss Garbo said that she liked the screen translation of Arlen’s “Green Hat,” which was called “The Woman of Affairs,” better than any other of her films. Her first pie-

ture, one of the only two she made in her native Sweden, was the film version of “The Legend of Gosta Berling,” which was exhibited here in 1928. She was then .17 years old and, according to her own description, "twenty pounds bigger, or was it ten pounds?” Crowds greeted her when she returned to Sweden this last time. She did not make much of the reception, but admitted that throngs had been at Guttenborg when she landed. She did not know, now that she was back in America, whether she was homesick or not. In Stockholm she said that she loved to wander along the streets looking in the smaller shop windows and then going off to dinner without returning to change her clothes. Her blue-gray eyes lighted up as she referred to this. When she was asked whether many people recognize her in this city, she replied, as she has a habit of doing to other questions: “I don’t know.” This would-be hermit admits that she knows very few people in Hollywood. She occasionally plays a little tennis and owns only one car, but drives in others belonging to friends. The talk of necessity switched back to Sweden, when Miss Garbo was asked whether she had ever appeared on the stage. She said she had not, but that a friend of hers asked her to act in “Resurrection” while she was in Stockholm. She, in evidently a rash moment, consented. She went on so far as to memorize her lines and study the part. She was confident of herself, but the night before the dress rehearsal she began to be very nervous and she could not sleep a wink. She asked her friend to come and see her and she told him that she could not appear after all. She had not slept. No amount of pleading could change her mind. She simply could not appear before the footlights. One would be almost inclined io believe that no matter where Miss Garbo goes she has a pretty dull time. But that seemed impossible. She takes about six weeks to make one of her pictures and so far ha« appeared in eight Hollywood productions. There is no longer any Swedish coterie in Hollywood, for Victor Seastrom is no longer there. Lars Hanson is back in his native land, to which lesser lights have also flown. Miss Garbo has a profound admiration for Pola Negri. She said that she loved the way in which Miss Negri kept to the OldWorld atmosphere. “There’s hardly no one so good as Pola Negri,” said Miss Garbo. “She is so amusing. It is always amusing to see her.” • Amusing as used by Miss Garbo means a combination of interesting and inspiring. According to her interviewer, she loves to dine alone and “look always at the gorgeous unreal skyscrapers"—Miss Garbo’s “beloved skyscrapers.” That, and the inclusion of the “hardly no-one” convinces me of the cattiness of Mr Halil