The SCREEN and its STARS

Southland Times, Issue 22730, 5 November 1935, Page 5

The SCREEN and its STARS

inn IL World of f MOTION L PICTURES J

By

“Columbine.”

THE MAJESTIC NOW SHOWING: “The Biography of a Bachelor Girl” (Robert Montgomery, Ann Harding, Edward Everett Horton, Una Merkel). COMMENCING WEDNESDAY: "The Casino Murder Case” (Paul Lucas, Alison Skipworth, Donald Cook, Rosalind Russell). COMMENCING SATURDAY: "The Scoundrel” (Noel Coward. Julie Haydon. Hope Williams, Rosita Moreno, Martha Sleeper). COMING ATTRACTIONS: "Go Into Your Dance” (Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler. Glenda Farrell, Sharon Lynne. Patsy Kelly, Helen Morgan); "Oil for the Lamps of China” (Pat O'Brien, Josephine Hutchinson, Jean Muir); “A Lady's Morals” (Grace Moore, Reginald Denny, Wallace Beery, Jobyna Howland); "Times Square Lady” (Robert Taylor, Virginia Bruce, Isabel Jewell, Helen Twelvetrees). * » * »

“The Casino Murder Case,” coming to the Majestic on Wednesday, brings to the screen a third distinctive portrayal of Philo Vance, S. S. Van Dine’s famous fictional detective. Humorous, yet mystifying, the new film has Alison Skipworth cast as the domineering “Mrs Llewellyn,” around whom much, of the action circles. Isabel Jewell is her daughter; Donald Cook her son; Arthur Byron her brother; Louise Fazenda is the family' maid, and Leo Carroll is the family butler—all of whom, at one time or another are murder suspects. The picture brings a new Philo Vance to the screen in Paul Lukas, who is ably assisted in solving the “perfect crime” of a diabolical poison plot by Rosalind Russell, who makes her debut as a leading lady on the screen. * ♦ * » Noel Coward makes his acting debut in motion pictures in Paramount’s “The Scoundrel,” coming to the Majestic on Saturday. But, if the popular Englishman’s career in films is at all like that he has pursued in the theatre, it will not be long before he will also write and direct them. Three of Coward’s plays have already found their way to the screen and met with universal acclaim. Foremost is the masterpiece, “Cavalcade,” and the brightly witty “Private Lives” and “Design for Living.” Coward makes his debut in a picture wholly written, produced and directed by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. With the smart set of literary New York as its people, the picture tells the harrowing tale of a man who flaunts love in life but returns from the grave to a woman who will mourn for his death. Hope Williams, Julie Haydon, Rosita Moreno, Martha Sleeper and Stanley Ridges are among the distinguished company who support Coward in “The Scoundrel.” ♦ * * *

Alice Tisdale Hobart’s best selling novel, “Oil for the Lamps of China,” comes to the Majestic Theatre soon. Mrs Hobart spent a large part of her life in China, and after years of collecting her data, spent five years in writing her story of the romance, sacrifice and hardship endured by the pioneers in introducing American oil into the Orient. The picture sweeps from 1 the snow wastes of Manchuria, through I picturesque Chinese cities and villages to the torrid interior. There are shots | also in the cherry blossom land of Japan and in New York. Cameramen were sent to Manchuria early in 1934 to make atmosphere shots, more than a year before the picture was started c.t the studio. Director Mervyn Leroy also spent some months in China studying the country and the customs of its people before casting the picture. Pat O’Brien, Josephine Hutchison and Jean I Muir head the cast which includes John Eldredge, Lyle Talbot, Arthur Byron, Henry O’Neill, Donald Crisp and Ronnie Cosby. Several hundred Chinese work in the picture in roles from important speaking parts to extras.

Guy Kibbee is to play Hagthorpe, the principal comedy role in the film of Sabatini’s “Captain Blood.” Errol Flynn has the name part in this Warner Brothers’ picture, which has gone into production. Olivia de Havilland plays the feminine lead, and others in the cast include Ross Alexander, Lionel Atwill and Forrester Harvey. Helen Vinson, who recently married the British tennis champion, F. J. Perry, on her return to New York, completed two important British pictures before making the trip to her wedding. They were “King of the Damned,” with Conrad Veidt, and “The Tunnel,” with Richard Dix. Both are for early release in Australia, the cast of the Dix film including Madge Evans, C. Audrey Smith, Leslie Banks, and Basil Sydney. Helen Vinson will be remembered for her leading part in “I Am a Fugitive from the Chain Gang.”

THE CIVIC NOW SHOWING: Double feature bill: “Oh! Daddy" (Leslie Henson. J. Robertson Hare, Frances Day, Barry Mackay, Marie Lohr, Alfred Drayton) and "One Night of Love” (Grace Moore). COMMENCING SATURDAY: “Roberta” (Irene Dunne. Fred Astaire. Ginger Rogers. Randolph Scott, Helen Westley). COMING ATTRACTIONS: “Rocks of Valpree” (Winifred Shotter, John Garrick, Leslie Perrins. Lewis Shaw); "Party Wire” (Jean Arthur, Victor Jory, Helen Lowell, Robert Allen, Clara Blandick); “Fighting Stock” (Ralph Lynn, Tom Walls, J. Robertson Hare, Veronica Rose, Marie Lohr).

The farcical qualities of “Oh, Daddy,” now showing at the Civic, have been elaborated, with the result that the picture is bright, satirical and humorous entertainment. Leslie Henson and Robertson Hare, stage and screen favourites, make the most of the farcical situations, and Frances Day is the glamorous cabaret personality around whom the amusing situations revolve. There are also Barry Mackay, Marie Lohr, Tony de Lungo and Daphne Courtney to add to the merriment. “Oh! Daddy,” is the story of the visit of two officials of a local branch of a Purity League to London and what befell them at a cabaret in a big London hotel. The two officials were Lord Pye (Leslie Henson) and Rupert Boddy (Robertson Hare). At the cabaret they met Benita De Lys (Frances Day), whose glamorous personality fascinated them. Benita happened to be Pye’s stepdaughter, whom he had never met, and she and Lady Pye determined to teach his Lordship a lesson. Their success in doing so brings great satisfaction to themselves and much amusement to the audience.

Does to-day’s girl have any chance of winning fame in an artistic career against the competition of foreign artists? In “One Night of Love” now at the Civic Theatre you will see the grief and struggle such an ambition involves. You will see, in glamorous foreign settings, the adventure and beauty that makes such a struggle worthwhile. The story of “One Night of Love” is largely the true story of Grace Moore, star of the picture, an American girl who made a spectacular struggle upward to fame in musical comedy and grand opera. In “One Night of Love” Miss Moore emerges as a sensational motion picture personality! a glorious, dazzling film figure. All the charm of European scenes and people; all the glamour of life abroad; all the glorious beauty of the finest Italian, French and Spanish music, form the charming and thrilling background for this exceptional, romantic motion picture. The handsome Tullio Carminati, Italian born screen lover, plays the romantic lead opposite the famous songstress. Victor Schertzinger directed.

“Roberta,” after being eagerly awaited, comes to the Civic on Saturday. Virtually a musical comedy, the story . concerns an American who inherits a I fashionable gown shop in Paris from his aunt, and there falls in love with ! an exiled Russian princess, who is employed in the shop as a dress designer. Accompanying him to Paris is his friend, the leader of a famous American dance band. These three decide to conduct the business along their own lines, and they make a sensational success. This plot makes opportunity for some very lavish and beautiful frocking and a number of spectacular dances. The musical score is by Jerome Kern, and contains several new numbers. Of these the best are perhaps “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” with a Russian balalaika band accompaniment, “Lovely to Look At,” “Touch of the Hand,” “Let’s Begin” and “I’ll Be Hard to Handle.” Much of the success of the film is due to the wonderful dancing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, both of whom earned popularity for similar ability in “The Gay Divorcee.” In the chief singing role is the popular Irene Dunne, while the other central characters are taken by Claire Dodd, Helen Westley and Randolph Scott. The dialogue, which contains much real wit, is always good.

A stage actress who is new to the screen, Elisabeth Risdon, has been given an important role in Ruth Chatterton’s starring vehicle, “A Feather in Her Hat,” which has gone into production under the direction of Alfred Santell. Louis Hayward plays opposite Miss Chatterton in this Columbia production, and Billie Burke has been signed for a prominent part. For the past 10 years Miss Risdon has been with the Theatre Guild, and was playing the feminine lead in “Laburnum Grove” in Chicago when she signed the contract which brought her under Columbia’s banner. Among some of her past successes were “Strange Interlude,” “Elizabeth the Queen” and “The Silver Cord,” in all of which she played the leading roles on tour.

THE REGENT NOW SHOWING: “In Caliente” (Dolores Del Rio, Pat O’Brien. Edward Everett Horton, Glenda Farrell). COMMENCING WEDNESDAY: “Private Worlds" (Claudette Colbert, Charles Boyer, Joan Bennett, Helen Vinson, Joel McCrea). COMMENCING SATURDAY: "The Were- | wolf of London” (Henry Hull, Warner Oland. Valerie Hobson, Lester Matthews). COMING ATTRACTIONS: Edgar Wallace’s "Sanders of the River” (Paul Robeson Leslie Banks, Nina Mae McKinney); "Front Page Woman” (Bette Davis, George Brent); “Now I'm A Lady" (Mae West. Paul Cavanagh, Ivan Lebedeff, Monroe Owsley); "Stolen Harmony” (George Raft, Ben Bernie and his band, Grace Bradley); "Viennese Nights" (Vivienne Segal, Alexander Grey); "Cardinal Richelieu" (George Arliss); "Look Up and Laugh” (Gracie Fields). * ♦ * * “Private Worlds” the new Claudette Colbert starring picture, comes to the Regent Theatre to-morrow with a supporting cast headed by Charles Boyer, Joan Bennett, Helen Vinson, and Joel McCrea. The picture reveals the story of a brilliant young woman physchiatrist who is unable to apply to the “private worlds” of her own mind the same skilful understanding that wins her fame in dealing with others. Obsessed with a memory of a sweetheart killed in the war, she is unable to yield to a newer, greater love until a nearcatastrophe presents itself. Boyer, the young French star who is winning lau-

rels in Hollywood, plays opposite her. Closely tied up with the main plot is a three-cornered romance involving McCrea, Miss Bennett and Miss Vinson.

Remember “Dracula,” “The Old Dark House,” “Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde,” “Frankenstein”? Well—roll all the thrills, chills and excitement of these pictures into one, and you’ll have “Werewolf of London,” which is coming to the Regent theatre next Saturday. “Werewolf of London” is a picture based on the fabled creatures called “werewolves;” creatures who are men most of the time but who become transformed into wolves each month during the full of the moon. It is then that they prowl the darkened streets tearing the life-blood from humans to satiate their wolfish blood lust. Henry Hull,' one of the greatest character actors of modern times, plays the title role in this film. Warner Oland is another who is seen as half man and half wolf. Valerie Hobson is the wife of Hull, and the high spot of the picture is the scene in which she sees the man she loves turning into a wolf and attempting to kill her. It is a gripping story of a British scientist who is bitten by a werewolf while on an expedition into the wilds of Tibet. And then on his return to his home in England follows his suffering and his murders.

A notable British film comes to the Regent soon—“ Sanders of the River.” Few stories more difficult to adapt to the screen could have been chosen than the late Edgar Wallace’s saga of the British district commissioner who, mainly by force of personality, controlled some of the most savage tribes of West Africa. The whole picture is on a massive scale. One scene taken in Africa shows thousands of bloodcrazed natives crashing through the jungle as the weird drums signal their menacing news that “Sanders is Dead.” Paul Robeson plays the role of the friendly native, Bosambo, and Nina Mae McKinney is Lilonga. Others prominent in the cast are Eric Maturin, Robert Cochrane and the Marquis of Partago. The picture contains music from original composition that is said to be one of the outstanding features of the film. The London Press has acclaimed the film as another Alexander Korda masterpiece and compares it with “The Lives of a Bengal Lancer,” inasmuch as both stories have the same strong British flavour.