THE SHADOW WORLD

Southland Times, Issue 20949, 5 December 1929, Page 15

THE SHADOW WORLD

MOTION PICTURE PLAYS & PEOPLE

(5/

Columbine.)

THE MAJESTIC. To-night: "The Awakening” (Vilma Banky, Walter Byron, Louis Wolheim). Monday: “The Lono Wolf’s Daughter” (Bert Lytell, Gertrude Olmstead, Lilyan Tashinan). Coming soon: "Eternal Love” (John Barrymore, Camilla Horn, Armida), “The Iron Mask,” starring Douglas Fairbanks, and the talkie thriller “On Trial.” Opening at the Majestic this evening is charming Vilma Banky’s first individual starring film, “The Awakening,” produced for United Artists by Victor Fleming. Those who were privileged to see her in her second vehicle This is Heaven,” as well as to hear her husky, slightly foreign voice, will not miss this opportunity of following her starring career. It is another interesting fact that Walter Byron, her leading man, makes his first appearance in American films. He was last seen here (under his real name of . Walter Butler) title role of "Tommy Atkins,” that excellent British film reviewed in these columns. A feature of this film is the use of Irving Berlin’s newest theme song, “Marie.” Another of the famous ‘ Lone Wolf” stories by Louis Joseph Vance has been made into a photodrama by Columbia Pictures and is being shown at the Majestic, under the title of “The Lone Wolf’s Daughter” on Monday. Bert Lytell continues to play the Lone Wolf, the character which he created for the screen. The production was made under the direction of Albert S. Rogell with a cast including Gertrude Olmstead, Charles Gerrard, Lilyan Tashman, Donald Keith, Florence Allen, Robert Elliott and Ruth Cherrington. A television set provides one of the thrills of the picture. Coming attractions at the Majestic include two outstanding United Artists productions—“ The Iron Mask” (based on Alexandre Dumas’ “The Threel Musketeers,” “The Man in the Iron Mask” j and the Memoirs of D’Artagnan, Richelieu! and de Rocheforte) with Douglas Fairbanks i once more D’Artagnan; and “Eternal Love,” an Ernest Lubitsch production of the story 1 by Jacob Christoph Heer, with John Barry-1 more in the starring role. For the present 1 it will be sufficient to print the cast of < each, themselves powerful recommendations: ' “The Iron Mask” with The Queen Mother: (Belle Bennett), Constance (Marguerite de la Motte), Milady de Winter (Dorothy Revier), Madame Peronne (Vera Lewis), Louis XHI (Rolfe Sedan), Louis XIV and his Twin Brother (William Bakewell), The Young Prince and his Twin Brother (Gordon j Thorpe), Cardinal Richelieu (Nigel de | Brulier), de Rocheforte (Ulrich Haupt), Father Joseph (Lon Poff), Planchet, D’ Artagnan’s Servant (Charles Stevens), The King’s Valet (Henry Otto), Athos (Leon Bary), Porthos (Stanley J. Sandford), Aramis (Gino Corrado), D’Artagnan (Douglas Fairbanks). This entire production was under the supervision of Maurice Leloir, member of the Society of French Artists, illustrator of “The Three Musketeers,” the acknowledged authority of the period depicted. Alan Dwan directed this picture, while Elton Thomae prepared the story. The cast of “Eternal Love is as follows:— Marcus Paltram (John Barrymore), Ciglia (Camilla Horn), Lorenz Gruber (Victor Varconi), Rev. Tass (Hobart Bosworth), Housekeeper (Bodil Rosing), Pia (Mona Rico), Pia’s Mother (Evelyn Selbie).

__ Another change has been made in the title of Harry Richman’s forthcoming first venture in talking pictures. It previously was “Play Boy,” now it is "Broadway Vagabond.” It has also been kown as “Song of Broadway."

Mary Nolan, formerly known as Imogene Wilson, will next appear in “The Girl From Evil Lane,” a story of a girl who runs a night club. Miss Nolan recently completed “The Shanghai Lady” and is now making “The Come-On Girt” Myrna Loy will enact the role of Lea, the mistress of Jacques Moreau, played by Douglas Gilmore, in “Cameo Kirby.” Robert Edeson is to act the role of Captain John Randall, father of Norma Terris, in the same production. AL JOLSON’S PICTURE. Having seen “The Jazz Singer,” I do not find it difficult to understand how it was such an instant and prolonged success • in America, not only making a fortune running to millions for its producers, the Warner Brothers, but definitely putting talkies on the map. This picture was made over two years ago, and in the nature of what it has inspired in the world of shadows it is not a talkie. Actually there is only one talking sequence; but there is a plentiful scattering of songs through the piece, and the orchestration by Louis Silvers is very fine. This writer has commented before on the excellent atmospheric effects Silvera introduces into Warner Brothers’ productions, and the photography also shows more than the usual amount of artistry. That is one of the advantages Warners have over most of the other American companies —one is always assured of a well-finished production, and the titling itself is a joy. So much for the organization that produced “The Jazz Singer,” and had the initiative to engage America’s most popular exponent of jazz to burst upon the expectant world with talking shadows. With good photography and a fairly good story (to the Americans the magic word “Mother” is sufficient to ensure the success of anything and anyone in the entertaining line) the rest was "up” to Mr Jolson, and it must be admitted he “put it over.” Apart from anything else, the picture provides an interesting picture of Jewish customs, and Eugenie Besserer as usual gives a very fine performance, this time as the Jewish mother torn between love for her husband and for the son whom the father had turned out for his jazz singing. As long as Jolson sticks to his jazz singing he is quite convincing, although one cannot imagine his becoming a vogue in this country to the extent he has become in America. Perhaps we like our “sob stuff” given more quietly; it is obvious, merely from the type of sentimental gush that flows into the music shops from America that they like to wallow in it. It must be remembered, however, that Jolson suffers from the disadvantage of being only a shadow to us, and no matter how great his personal magnetism may be, it passes through the inevitable filter of the camera in being transferred to the screen. The fact remains, however, that as the jazz singer he is an engaging fellow, and even in the Atonement scene, in the synagogue is quite convincing. The picture given of those kindly people in the Broad- i way show business who bow their heads to the inevitable and obligingly put off the opening of their new show so that their : unknown star will riot disappoint his mother i is very touching, and should persuade many i stage-struck girls to take the first boat to ; New York. i

“The Jazz Singe?’ is never boring, which is more than could be said of its successor, “The Singing Fool,” which suffered from too much Jolson. All the same I cannot help regretting that anybody ever told Mr Jolson about the tear in his voice, which I have yet to discover; but consciousness of its preserice seem to weigh heavily upon him, and becomes as tedious as that terrible glinting of his eyes, which may pass as the masculine equivalent of sex appeal in America and yet go unrecognised her®.

THE REGENT. To-night: “The Man I Love” (Mary Brian, Richard Arlen, Baclanova). “Show Folks” (Eddie Quillan, Lina Basquette and Bessie Barriscale). Saturday: “Charming Sinners” (Rt<h Chatterton, Clive Brook, William .swell, Mary. Nolan). Coming attractions include “Nothing But the Truth” (Richard Dix, Helen Kane), “The Black Watch” (Victor McLaglen, Merna Loy), “The Idle Rich” (Conrad Nagel, Jrene Rich), “Fox Movietone Fahies.“ William A. Wellman, the director of “Wings,” is also res[>onsiblc for the Paramount all-talking production, “The Man I Love,” at present showing at The Regent, with a strong cast consisting of Richard Arlen, Mary Brian, Baclanova, Harry Green, Jack Oakie, Pat O’Malley, Leslie Fenton, Charlie Sullivan and William Vincent. In this film Mary Brian’s voice is heard for the first time from the screen singing “Celia,” the song written especially for her. The picture deals with the ups and downs of a pair of young sweethearts. The boy goes to New York and, when the girl follows him there, she finds that he has yielded to the charms of a wealthy society woman, through whose influence he has made a great success. That “Sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose,” is the moral of “Charming Sinners,” W. Somerset Maugham’s drama of domestic re-arrange-ment, which Paramount has made into an all-talking picture coming to the Regent on Saturday, proves that a woman has often the best of the argument in a battle of wits with her husband. Ruth ChatterI ton, Clive Brook, William Powell and Mary | Nolan are the leading players. The story ■of “Charming Sinners” has to do with a ■ new treatment for philandering husbands. I Ruth Chatterton, as the wife, applies a unique comedy aptly. Clive Brook for once 'steps out of the tragically serious character into a part which gives free play to interest'ing whimsicalities. William Powell, as the | "other” man, and Mary Nolan in the role lof a frothy, light-headed, but altogether charming woman, (of the stage), Laura [Hope Crews, Florence Eldridge (of “The j Studio Murder Mystery” cast), and Montagu Love are in the group of players. Robert Milton, for years one of the biggest stage ’ show producers on Broadway, directed “Charming Sinners.” George Jean Nathan rates William Collier and Ned Sparks as America’s two greatest comedians. Sparks’ lines are never spoken with a smiling expression, but they bring many laughs. | Sparks appears in one of the principal supporting roles of Richard Dix’s first alltalking film, “Nothing But the Truth,” which comes to the Regent shortly. Adapted from the stage play by James Montgomery, Victor Schertzinger directed this picture assisted by William Collier, Junior, who starred in the original stage production of the play. Supporting the star are eight actors who have appeared prominently in other productions. Helen Kane, who has become famous for her “baby-talk” singing, has an important part in the play, singing some of her typical songs in a night club scene in the show.

Lilian Gish has started work on her first talking picture, "The Swan.”

Victor McLaglen’s next picture will be entitled “Hot for Paris,” and was directed by Raoul Walsh.

After finishing her role in “La Marseillaise,” Laura La Plante’s next role will be in “The Behaviour of Mrs Crane.”

After a number of years on the stage, June Clvde has returned to the screen, and is the leading lady of RKCs “Tanned Ixjgs.”

Charles Rogers’s next film will not be known as “Here Comes the Bandwagon” since the substitution of the title “Half Way to Heaven.”

Madge Bellamy’s first appearance on the screen since "Mother Knows Best” will be made in “To-night at Twelve,” a Universal production in which she co-starred with George Lewis.

In the prize ring sequences of “Hold Everything,” the Vitaphone production that Warner Brothers are making of the musical stage production, Georges Carpentier will box Tony Stabenau.

Pauline Frederick, who recently completed two talking films for Warner Bros., the first of which was “Evidence” and the other "The Sacred Flame,” is rehearsing a new play which is to be presented shortly on a Californian stage. After the play finishes she will return to the screen to appear in “A Woman’s Game.”

The cast of "Murder Will Out,” in which First National planned to feature Monte Blue and Lois Wilson, has been changed since an accident befell Mr Blue, and Jack Mulhall has been substituted in his place and Lila Lee will officiate instead of Miss Wilson.

“Budapest” is the title of the next talking picture in which the team of Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell will again be seen. The production is to be directed by Alfred Santell, who is at present finishing the .last sequences on "Romance of Rio Grande,” in which are featured Warner Baxter and Mary Duncan.

A sound “double exposure” will be heard in the talking picture “Condemned!” This is the term sound technicians have coined to describe a phrase or voice which, once heard in reality, is repeated as an echo, a mental reflection or some other unnatural use. In the forthcoming Ronald Colman picture, Vidal, the warden, played by Dudley Digges, hears the townsfolk slander his wife, as they say “Poor Vidal!” He enters the house and hears echoed and re-echoed, “Poor Vidal!” This repeated echo comes from phonographically recorded voices rather than from the spoken words of the players. Indirect rather than direct reproduce zn was required in order to give a sufficiently unnatural quality to the words.

CIVIC PICTURES. Now showing: “A Man’s Man” (William Haines and Josephine Dunn), “The One Woman Idea” (Rod La Rocque and Marceline Day). Saturday: “Modern Love” (Charlie Chase, Jean Hersholt, and Kathryn Crawford). “Head of the Family” (William Russell and Virginia Lee Corbin). Wednesday: “Dawn” (The Heroism of Zdith Cavell) —Sybil Thorndyke. "Wild Orchids” (Greta Garbo and Lewis Stone). It would be hard to decide which will be the greater attraction at the Civic’s next mid-week programme beginning next Wednesday—“ Dawn,” the British film over which so much controversy arose, or “Wild Orchids.” about which it is sufficient to say that it is a Greta Garbo film. “Dawn” has already had; so much newspaper publicity that it needs no further introduction, but quite apart from its historical value, it is said to be an epic because of Miss Sybil Thorndyke’s magnificent portrayal of Nurse Edith Cavell. In “Wild Orchids,” whose story was specially written for Miss Garbo by John Colton, Nils Asther, her fellow countryman, who is probably making as many feminine hearts flutter as the best of the movie sheiks, plays with her for the first time in an American picture, although they appeared together in several Swedish films before going to America. With its background of the exotic life of Java, the story is a drama of the emotions and struggles of a beautiful woman caught in a situation that both attracts and repels her. Sydney Franklin directed this film for M.-G.-M. and it will be remembered that there appeared in this column some months ago the published opinion of one New York critic who said that as long as Greta Garbo continued to make silent films they would seriously combat the influence of the talkies. On Saturday the Civic will screen another production of the Lumas Film Corporation of America (who were responsible for “Bare Knees”). Taken from the Saturday Evening Post story by George Randolph Chester, “The Head of the Family” was directed by Joseph C. Boyle with Virginia Lee Corbin, William Russell, Mickey Bennett, Richard Walling, Alma Bennett, William J. Welsh and Aggie Herring featured in the cast. Many picture-goers will remember Virginia Lee Corbin as the vivacious child-star of ten years ago or more, whose only serious rival in her own field was Madge Evans. (Her first picture was “Jack in the Beanstalk” for Fox, as far back as 1915. This picture comes with the recommendation that “doctors the world over are generally unanimous that there is nothing so good for a physical or spiritual disability as a good hearty laugh.” On the same programme will be shown “Modern Love” in which Universal introduces their new juvenile lead, Kathryn Crawford, fresh from her triumphs as the leading lady of “Hit the Deck” on the ligitimate stage. Jean Hersholt and Charlie Chase are also featured in ‘'Modern Love,” which was directed by Archibald Heath from a story by Beatrice Van, dealing with the problem (problems?) of a modern married life.

ARE THE AMERICANS AFRAID? This, needless to say, is from an American paper: ‘'Miss Sybil Thorndike ranks among the foremost of English actresses, and in the eyes of her admirers is unsurpassable in her own particular line. George Bernard Shaw has paid her high tribute—possibly the highest he has ever vouchsafed to any tragedienne. She was his Saint Joan, of course. When it was reported that Miss Thorndike was to appear in an all-British film, hopes ran high that so talented an actress would achieve the apI patently almost impossible feat of satisfyl ing the requirements of that section of the ' public which has convinced itself that i nothing really good can come from Hollywood. One might question the existence of such a section, seeing the patronage accorded to the American films; but even if it be an almost infinitesimal minority, it talks nineteen to the dozen, while the majority just pays its money and says nothing. When it was next reported that Miss Thorndike would appear in a play entitled "To What Red Hell” the highbrows ' rubbed their hands in glee. At, last the world would see what British 'producers | could do with such material as Percy Robinson’s tragedy provided, acted by a company of consummate artists who would speak in a language that could be recognized as the King’s English. The general public, it must be admitted, remained cold. The masses had never heard hither of the play or its author. Only a very small moiety of the theatre-going public had had the good fortune to see Miss Sarah Allgood in the part of the Irishwoman whose son was condemned to death for a murder he had not committed. That moiety was not altogether agreeably surprised to hear that Miss Thorndike was to apear in Miss Sarah Allgood’s creation. “However, ‘To What Red Hell” was a good title, even an alluring title. Surely it would make an apeal to the unsophisticated masses, particularly when coupled with the name of Miss Thorndike!

"So Edwin Greenwood, who was engaged by Tiffany Productions to direct the picture, set to work, and ‘To What Red Hell’ was practically completed as a silent film when the talking films came and upset the applecart. Nothing daunted, Mr Greenwood transmogrified his production into an audible film. Had not Miss Thorndike a beautiful voice, one of those voices compounded of gold and silver which people write home about ? Eventually ‘To What Red Hell” was ready for showing, and the “trade” was invited the other day to witness a private exhibition of its merits.

‘1 have not heard any very prodigious reports about its bookings. “The trade” does not seem to pin much faith in the capacity of highbrow producers to judge what the general public is willing to pay its money to see. Possibly ‘To What Red Hell” may do very well; one hopes that it will, for it certainly is a meritorious effort and Mias Sybil Thorndike does possess a beautiful voice and is also a very talented actress. But It seems the answer to the heading is in the affirmative.

Ann Pennington been engaged by Fox Films to dance in a leading role in their new Movietone film, “New Orleans Frolic,” which Benjamin Stoloff is directing and in which there will appear all the Fox stars. Lilyan Tashman will be Mary Brian’s screen mother when “The Children,” a film version of the novel by Edith Wharton goes into production. Miss Brian, who seems to be retracing her roles back to the “Peter Pan” characterization, will play opposite young Philippe De Lacy, who is rapidly growing. Miss Brian's last screen part was as the young girl in “River of Romance.” “By the Way, Bill,” is the title of Will Rogers’s next film, which will be directed by William Howard, who recently completed “Love, Live and Laugh,” in which George Jessel is starred. Mr Rogers’s last picture, “They • Had to See Paris,” was directed by Frank Borzage. His next will be an adaptation of an original story by Ben Ames Williams. THE LATE JEANNE EAGELS. Those people who- were fortunate enough to be present at the Paramount film, “The Letter” which was shown here last month will not soon forget Jeanne Eagels, who was heard as well as seen as the central figure of the woman commanding the play. Acting has, so far, been excluded from the arts, but Miss Eagels’ performance created the nearest conception of acting as an art that this writer has been privileged to witness. On October 11 Miss Eagels died at the age of thirty-five years. Her death was first pronounced as caused by alcoholic poisoning; but a subsequent chemical analysis proved that she died from an overdose of Chloral hydrate, a powerful sleep-producing drug. Across Broadway at Sixty-fifth Street, Miss Eagels’ shadow was still moving and talking through the ardent drama of “Jealousy” on the screen of a theatre. Few actresses in the recent history of the stage achieved the succes won by Jeanne Eagels as Sadie Thompson in “Rain,” and no other actress, critics said, could have been as well suited to the part. "In the stage character and in the actress there was a little of the same vixenish impulses, the same sort of bravado, the same mutability of temperament,” one critic said. Jeanne Eagels was born to the stage. For the roles she was to play at the height of her fame she had no specialized training. She seemed created for the footlights; she had a flair for drawing the spotlight to herself and she was gifted with talent for what some people call nerve and others courage. Jeanne Eagels was born also to a quixotic temperament. Her native city was Boston. Her father was Spanish, her mother Irish, and both seemed to have been blessed plentifully with the colourful attributes that are accepted of these nationalities. She came by her name because her father's name, originally Aguilar, is a Spanish approximation for “eagle.” Later in life Jeanne Eagels was to have perhaps the greatest income among actresses and to be the owner of an estate along the Hudson, but her earlier years were passed in what amounted to poverty. She did not mind her circumstances, however, and about the time she was ready for schooling, of which she never had a great deal, she was getting together troupes of girls of her own age to play a fantastic game of theatre. Her home at the time was Kansas City. A dancing teacher undertook to produce “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and little Jeanne, a boisterous child with a wealth of golden hair, became the Puck. She was seven when she undertook the part, and the engagement definitely started her on a stage career. The first flush of success soon faded, and before she was ten she was an experienced trouper among the tent shows of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. From Puck, the epitome of mischief, she turned to Little Eva in “Uncle Tom's Cabin,” and she managed to submerge her own precocity so well that she played the part times innumerable.

The road up from the tent shows was long and hard, but she had a way of thrusting herself ahead, and at fourteen she obtained a part in “Babes in the Wood,” only after she had convinced the manager she was four years older than she actually was. Then at seventeen she reached the mecca of all troupers, New York, and in 1911 that city saw her for the first time in a part in “Jumping Jupiter” at the Lyceum. Had she given in to the producers of musical shows instead of clinging to her hope that some day she would be a dramatic star, Miss Eagels might have been one of the greatest of the “show girls.” After critics had spoken of her as a “not retiring beauty” she got a part in ‘The Mind the Paint Girl,” with but two lines to speak. Her salary was 35 dollars a week, and Florenz Ziegfeld, producer of the show, wanted her to remain on at a salary nearly five times as big, but she stamped out of his office declaring that she was “an actress.” Next she toured for a season with Julian Eltinge, and when she came back, the leading role in the travelling production of ‘The Outcast,” was open. Elsie Ferguson had had a successful season in the play in New York.

When Miss Eagels heard the job was open she dressed exactly as Miss Ferguson and went to the. producer. Bursting into the office, she gave an imitation of Miss Ferguson. She left thinking she had put on a good but unrewarded show. The next morning the script was sent to her by messenger, a useless procedure as she already knew the part and could have stepped into the role at a moment’s notice.

During 1916 she toured with George Arliss in “Disraeli,” “The Professor’s Love Story” and "Hamilton.” Then in 1918 came her first real success in* “Daddies,” which she followed up by achieving some further Broadway note in “A Young Man’s Fancy.” Her next two plays were “The Wonderful Thing” and “In the Night Watch.”

Then like a meteor she swept across Broadway. In 1922 she was given the part of Sadie Thompson in “Rain.” The play by Somerset Maugham, ran for nearly five years, having a long run in New York and playing to crowded houses throughout the country.

"Rain” enabled her to buy a place at Ossining, where she kept a kennel of thirty dogs. When the play was near its end she became the wife of Ted Coy, whose gridiron feats made him a Yale athletic hero. That was in 1925. She divorced him three years later. Miss Eagels was travelling the high road when she played “Her Cardboard Lover” in New York in 1927. When the production went on the road the managers poured complaints into the Actors’ Equity Association that the temperament of the star was proving too much for them. When they asked her why she had not appeared several times at the opening curtain, she would point to her record in “Rain,” in which, in all its run, she had missed but fifteen performances.

In April, 1927, the storm broke about het head. She was brought up on charges. Equity sustained the producers, and Miss Eagels was given the longest suspension ever meted out to an Equity member. It lasted until this September. In addition, she was fined two weeks, salary, about 3,600 dollars. But barred from the ’stage' she turned to vaudeville and the motion pictures, so that the people in this hemisphere, at all events, have much to be grateful for to the Actors’ Equity Association, in being responsible for the fact that she has left the permanent record of two audible pictures. "Jealousy” has not yet been released in New Zealand.

John D. Williams, who staged "Rain,” said in the course of a lengthy obituary in The New York Tunes: "In my score of years in the theatre, Miss Eagels was one of the two or three highest types of interpretative acting intelligences I have met. Had she lived, a far greater field was before her in the theatre. Depending never at all on superficial lure and beauty-shop manifestations, she could have restored to our theatre what it chiefly lacks—ideality and romance -of illusion. There is a dustladen saying that the career of every fine actress or actor is as fleeting as something written on water. It is more likely that things material and mechanical perish after a brief day. Fine souls, real contributors to truth and beauty, ring on tor ever,”