ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1930, Page 10 (Supplement)

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

COMING EVENTS. OPERA HOUSE. Now Plymouth. finally to-night,—"Prisoners” (Corinne Griffith), First National; and "The Lost Patrol” (Cyril McLaglen), British Dominion Films. January 22.—“ Whoopee” (J. C. Williamson’s Ltd). January 23. —“Lilac Time” (J. C. Williamson’s Ltd). January 24.—“ The Staid of the Mountains” (J. C. Williamson’s Ltd), EVERYBODY’S. New Plymouth. January 18 to 24,—"The Desert Song” (John Boles-Carlotta King), Warner Bros.’ talking, singing and dancing super special; and Fox Movietone News. January 25 to 28.— “The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu” ( Warner Gland); “Hold Up” (all talking comedy); and “Sidewalks of New York" (singing, cartoon). January 29. —“Thru Different Eyes ’ (Mary Duncan), Fox Movietone special; “Beneath the Law”; “Napoleon’s Barber,” and Fox Movietone News. February 1 to 4. —“Love Never Dies" (Colleen Moore), First National Vitaphonc Sound Syncronised special Fox Movietone News; Gene Morgan’s Orchestra; and “Nigul Court.” ' Febuary 5 to ll.—" Noah’s Ark” (all star), Warner Bros.’ Vitaphonc special; “Visions of Spain” (musical); and gazette. Febuary 12 to 14.—“ Hard-Boiled Rose” (Myrna Loy), National Vitaphone production; and Fox Movietone News, Febuary 15 to 18. —“Nothing But the Truth” (Richard Dix), Paramount; Fox Movietone News; “A Hint to Brides” (talking comedy), and “Interest” ■ Febuary 19 to 21.—“ Sonny Boy” (David Lee the original “Sonny Boy”), Warner Bros.’ Vitaphonc production. February 22 to 25— Sinners” (Ruth Chatterton.); Fox Movietone News; “If Men Played Cards as Women Do” (novblty), and “Good Bye Lady Love” (singing cartoon). THE PEOPLE’S. New Plymouth. January . 18 to 21. —“The Hole in the Wall” (all star), Paramount Production; Abe Lyman’s Orchestra; “Bennett Twine” (child impersonators and dancers); “My Pony Boy” (singing cartoon); “Kisses” (talking comedy). January 22 to 24. —“Conquest” (H. B, Warnqr and Lois Wilson), Warner Bros.' Vitaphonc production; Vincent Lopez and orchestra; Mary Lewis (soprano); Geo. Jessel (comedian), and Margaret McKee. January 25 bo 28.—“ The Million Dollar Collar” (Rin Tin Tin), Warner Bros.’ part talking Vitaphone production, ' January 29 to 31.—" Submarine” (Jack ‘ Holt-Dorothy Revier), Columbia Musically Syncronised production. # ’ . “THE DESERT SONG.” , “The Desert Song,” commencing at • Everybody’s talkies to-day at 2 p.m. dnd 8 p.m., is a Warner Bros.’ and Vitaphonc production of the highly successful musical comedy type. The Binging and acting of John Boles, who portrays the romantic role of the Red Shadow, the beauty of Miss Carlotta King, lyric soprano, who sings oppoj. site John Boles, the comedy sup- . (plied by Louise Fazenda and Johnny ■ Arthur, and the beautiful natural colour .. desert scenes, are features of the pro- - duction, * * * * "PRISONERS.” “Prisoners,” finally showing at the Opera House to-night, is a colourful romance in. which the beautiful Corinne Griffith takes the part of Riza Rega, a Hungarian peasant girl. The story revolves around a company of Hungarian actors who frequent the little cafe •where Riza acts as cashier. She steals ■ money from her employer in order to look nice in the eyes of Nicholas Cathy, a younn- lawyer who is betrothed to a lady of his own class. Nicholas eventually appears for Riza in court when ( charged with theft, and wins her heart 'as well as her case. Corinne Griffith and lan Keith take the principal roles.

“CONQUEST.” ' Monte Blue appears in “Conquest,” his latent Warner Bros, starring special, ■ as pilot, of an airship which is bound ’ for the South Pole. No one among the ' picture stars is as well suited for the • herbic part —since he has for years been. an amateur flyer. “Conquest” is com- ■ plcte with thrills and adventures ex--tremely timely just now, with all of us interested in exploration of the Antarc- ’ tic regions,, for it recounts the hazardous attempts of two friends to do the same heroic thing, and there are countless amazing scenes amid the icefields of the South Pole. “Conquest” •which ■ comes to The People’s talkies shortly is the first 100 per cent, aviation talking drama. # * «= # “LOVE NEVER DlgS.” AU the delightful comedy usually associated with Colleen Moore’s pictures combined with breath-taking air battles, magnificent spectacles and tense romance, are present in her First National picture “Love Never Dies.” With its entrancing locale, a French village where British airmen are billeted—this greatest of all Colleen Moore’s pictures” holds the interest from beginning to end. Miss More is ideal as the little French girl “Jeanine,” while Gary Cooper leaves nothing to be desired as the hero, a British Ace. Glorifying the deathless courage of the dauntless units of the Allies air forces, _ “Love Never Dies" is also charming in its romantic beauty and impressive in its magnificence and sincerity. # * * * “THE HOLE IN THE WALL." The cast of “The Hole in the Wall,” the Paramount all-talking thriller is an unequalled group of chosen actors who have had considerable experience on the stage. Several of them have had their n&mes in bright lights many times. They were chosen fr.orn a, great number of likely candidates for the roles they

fill. The settings are weird, mysterious and interest-compelling. An atmosphere of awesome plotting and clever faking of the occult art pervades the scenes, and the eyes are forced to alert attentiveness by the uncanniness of it all. This picture commences at The People’s talkies to-day at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m, * * * * “THRU DIFFERENT EYES.”

[u “Thru Different Eyes,” latest product of the Fox-Movietone studios at Beverley Hills, California, mere than 50 persons have speaking parts, in contrast to the first of the talkies in which the casts were kept down to a scant half dozen or so. In addition to the many speaking parts in this thrilling courtroom drama, a number of novel sound effects are achieved. In the early sequences, which take place in a reporters’ room in the basement of the courthouse, dozens of typewriters and telegraph machines are clicking during the action of the play, as'well as a number of “outside, noises” of automobiles and people walking over an iron sidewalk grill, just outside the Press room. .In this sequence reporters are telegraphing stories to their papers, messengers o are dashing about, office boys are fighting and indulging in horse play at the same time the main action and dialogue is taking place. Critics of the earlier talkies who complained that there seemed a definite gap between sound and dialogue, are answered in unrefutable ma'nner in “Thru Different Eyes.” An excellent cast, headed by Mary Duncan, Edmund Lowe and Warner Baxter enacts this Fox-Movie-tone play. * * * * “THE ROYAL RIDER.”

Variety being the spice of life as well as entertainment plenty of it has been injected into “The Royal Rider,” Ken Maynard's latest starring Western feature. “The Royal Rider” has -proven to be the most popular picture Ken has ever made, for its freshness of theme and treatment appeals to all classes—even those who as a rule do not care for Western type of entertainment. The story, deals with a troupe of Texas rangers travelling through Europe with a wild west show and happen upon a small mythical kingdom which is right in the midst of political upheaval. A boy king and an American girl are the innocent causes of it all and of course that is enough to sway the boys to their side of the argument. An excellent cast is to be seen in support of Ken. Harry J. Brown personally directed this Charles R. Rogers production for First National Pictures. “MYSTERIOUS DR. FU MANCHU.” “Tracking a dangerous criminal is more thrilling than hunting big game; there is the elemental lure of the chase and the added mental stimulus of matching wits with the man sought. That is why motion picture audiences are partial to mystery stories.” This is the theory advanced by Rowland V. Lee to explain the acclaim accorded his picturisation of Sax Rohmer’s famous novel, “The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu,” Paramount’s latest all-talking thriller. “Rohmer’s “The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu,” differs from . many mystery stories in that there is no uncertainty about who commits the crimes. The audience knows. that Dr. Fu Manchu is the killer. The questions arc: How does he do his killing without leaving clues? Where will he” strike next? Will he thwart the romance? Will he be brought to Justice?” MANAGERS NOT UPSET. “TRASHY STUFF” IN NEW YORK. America is unshaken even by the weight of actor-manager Oscar Asche failing from a great height, like an avenging angel of the Camera class, on the low theatrical managers of the United States, writes Mr. E. J. Tait, from New York, to an Australian paper. Some time ago the Australian producer of “Ghu Chin Chow” and “Cairo” launched in London a vehement denunciation of American entrepreneurs, their methods and their ideas. No great notice was taken in America of Asdic’s triade. “As for Oscar Asche’is criticism of plays, he certainly did excellent work in ‘Kismet,’ ‘Chu Chin Chow’ and ‘Cairo,’ but for those who saw ‘Th< Spanish Main’ —which I personally think was the only play that Asche was responsible for —that was the most unfunny play, and very vulgar at that, which I have witnessed. As for expense in production, Asche is one of the worst offenders. With regard to plays, they certainly produce some trashy stuff here, and (Sometimes get away with it. “They also produce some good plays. They have 120,000,000 people to cater for, and if anyone takes their local plays abroad, he has only himself to blame. Australian audiences would not look at 75 per cent, of the successes of London and New York.

“As there are only 15 to 2>o per cent, successes here, it is only possible to reproduce about 5 per cent, of the whole in Australia."

STRANDED IN INDIA., AUSTRALIANS’ BAD SEASON. PASSAGE MONEY GIMRANTEED In spite of Federal law, tho efforts of the Actors’ Federation, and repeated newspaper denunciation of careless or unscrupulous managers, yet another Australian theatrical company is stranded somewhere in India. Hilda Dorrington, Mildred Carlton, Carl Lawson, Walter Hunt, Binnoy and Walter MacCallum are among the members of this company, culled the Carl Lawson Comedy Company, which is left stranded at Calcutta as the result of poor attendance and Ibad luck. Lawson himself is a well-known actor, and for some time was with the Nellie Brantley Company. Tho Australian Federal law requires the re-

turn passage of the players to Australia to be guaranteed, and in this case William Russell, husband of Nellie Bramley, and a well-known showman, put up the guarantee for the return of the whole of the company. ’ In the meantime, however, says the Sydney Daily Guardian, William Russell himself has suffered’ severe reverses of fortune. Hilda Dorrington was through Now Zealand with Allan Wilkie's Shakespearian Company some years ago. “ON WITH THE SHOW." COLOUR PICTURE TRIUMPH. “On With the Show,” one of the first all-talking, all-colour pictures, is the greatest event in the cinema world since D. W. Griffith produced “The Birth of a That is the opinion of the film critic for the London Daily Chronicle. Here is something entirely new, he declares. The story is just the old, old talc of a theatrical company which had to “make Broadway or bust,” and the fact that it is told with a pace,. a tempo and a zip which makes the picture move like an express train is only incidental to its success. There are many other incidentals — for example, the introductory chorus and dance, a thing of such fervour and fir that ,at the private view, when the j audience was composed mainly of the i actors and actresses from London's cur-1 rent musical comedies, there was spontaneous and enthusiastic applause. The secondary plot of the picture is tho tale of a youth who indulges in what ho describes in execrable English as “a phantim sweetheart.” He has an accident in a musical-comedy hunting field, and sees his “sweetheart” when he is almost unconscious. Then follows what is, without question, the most beautiful example of colour photography ever seen on the screen. This fairyland on the film, and is the best of the incidentals which go to the making of “On With the Show.” But, apart from these things, the picture is a landmark in the history of cinematography, in that it makes dialogue natural and not artificial. “On With tho Show” lias lifted film entertainment to new heights. Those who have felt that tho black-and-white picture would remain, even ini spite of tho best- that colour could achieve, will now be convinced that colour can enhance the reality and the dramatic force of any motion picture story out of all comparison with anything done in black-and-white. SONGS FOR “TURNED UP,” Jack O’Hagan, tho Melbourne composer of light music, has prepared much of the music of “Turned Up,” which was produced for the first time in Australia at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, on Boxing Day. Two musical comedies by Mr. O’Hagan are now in the hands of J. C. Williamson, Limited, and may be produced in Australia. Mr. O’Hagan iu a prolific composer, and his works have been published in England and Australia. In the past 10 yearn nearly 2,000,000 copies of Iris, songs, have been sold. J. C. Williamson, Limited, considers the music written by Mr;-O’Hagan is a distinct improvement on that used in the original London production of “Turned Up,” and d musician after a rehearsal told the. composer that the score was now one . of the most tuneful and best of its class he had heard. Mr. O’Hagan has written both lyrics' and music. Two of his numbers in this production, which arc expected to be particularly popular, are “Start the Day Off With a Smile," and. “In a Little Place Called Heaven.” This is not the first time that musical numbers by Mr. O'Hagan have been interpolated in J. C. Williamson productions. “Black Shuffle" and “It Was Your Hat,” were used in “Tell Me More”; others in “Primrose.” He has also written many pantomime songs. Mr. O’Hagan began song writing at IG. His first b'g success was “Anatol.” a theme sons’, for the film, “The Affairs of Anatol." “In Dreamy Araby,” was another big success soon afterward. His next big effort was “Gundagi,” possibly the most widely sung number in Australia. KING’S THEATRE, STRATFORD. Matinee to-day 1.30 p.m. —“Hold Your Man.” (Laura La Plante). To-night (8.15) and Monday.—“ Hold Your Man.” (Laura La Plante). Tuesday and Wednesday.—“ Alias Jimmy Valentine.” (William Haines). Thursday and Friday.—“ The Divine. Lady.” (Corinne Griffith),

SHAKESPEARE TALKIE. “THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.” LONDON CRITIC IMPRESSED. Shakespeare, who loved a rollicking jest, and who was so good at making successful entertainment out of other people’s plots, would undoubtedly have vastly appreciated Mr. Douglas Fairbanks’ and Miss Mary Pickford’s talk-ing-film version of “The Taming of the Shrew,” which opened at the London Pavilion (says the London Daily Mail). That 1 possibly some of his commentators, and grave persons generally whom he always delighted in ridiculing, might consider it irreverent, would probably enchant him all the more. This film is grand fun. Opening appropriately with a glimpse 'of a. Punch and Judy show, the film

carries •us in the best Elizabethan manner swiftly into whatever thickness of plot there is—the peppery heroine is at her smashing, her perplexed papa at his wits’ ends, and the carefree hero striding and laughing>his way into a fainily°dilemma with excellent speed. Our first glimpse of Katherine reveals a strange, delightful Miss Pickford, who plays her part throughout, and speaks it inimitably. Air. Fairbanks was always a Petruehio, though his acting and delivery are better than his voice, which seems a trifle powerful for the microphone. To say he has never been better is praise enough, but it is impossible not to suspect that the famous pair wholly enjoyed themselves, as the gay comedy required of them, as they have never enjoyed a picture before. Their acting shows it. Katherine, a little unsure of herself, awaiting the tardy bridegroom on the wedding'day, is delicious : Petruchio, munching an apple while priest' and guests await the commencement of the ceremony, is irresistible, and so is his great cry of consent to make her his wife. In the unflagging amusement “The Taming of the Shrew” provokes one hardly notices the surcncc.s of acting; but it all tells. The stars arc ably abetted by every member of the cast. Not’ all of Shakespeare’s play is here, as to dialogue, but it seems rightly so, save that a film so delightful is over all too quickly. We are constantly being astonished nowadays at the achievement of the films themselves, and more so of the film players who weekly outact celebrated stage folk. It has been left to Air. and Mrs. Fairbanks, in uniting to produce and appear in this jolly picture, to induce the public —one is safe in predicting that they will —to go and see Shakespeare, not as a solemn duty but for sheet pleasure, and to do so in a theatre in the heart of the West End. This is a feat which it seems only the films could accomplish to-day.

LEON GORDON IN TALKIES. FEW MORE PLAYS IN AUSTRALIA When Leon Gordon finishes his Australian contract he will ‘become a talking picture actor in America. His wife, Nancy Gordon, who is popular on the stage, may also appear on the screen. This announcement was made recently by Mr. Gordon, who is now appearing in “Murder on the Second Moor at the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne. Mr. Gordon will be seen in only a few more plays before he leaves Austialia. The actor-author said that he had made a contract with the Fox Film Corporation, which was to produce an audible film version of “The Poppy God. This play was written by Ixion Gordon and. Colin Le Rov Clemence, and produced by Mr. Gordon in New York about live years ago. It is a Chinese story and is strongly dramatic. Mr. Gordon added that he would like to convert his play “White Cargo into a talkie, and hoped tho ban would be lifted. The American censor would not permit the presentation of “White Cargo" on the screen, though it had. been staged in various parts of the woild since 1923, and played by as pinny as 21 companies in the United States a. one time. An English talkie veision of “’White Cargo” has been made. It is possible that “The Poppy Cod may be done in Australia. Mr. Gordon intends to stage Somerset Maugham’s “The Land of Promise after the run of “Murder on the Second Floor," while the production of two of O: car Wilde’s plays is contemplated. “Murder on the Second Floor" has bad a very successful run in London. Frank Vosper, the author, is an actor, one of the few actors who are playwrights. “While having no particular preference for mystery plays, I must say ‘Murder on tho Second Floor’ presents this form of entertainment at a completely new and very interesting angle, and I can think of no better choice for a Christmas entertainment,” said Mi. Gordon. “‘Murder on the Second. Moor calls for at least two of the actors to have acrobatic tendencies in the second act, This necessitates both actors falling 1which represents three floors of a house, and in which the mysterious happenings take place. Among these is the sudden collapse of tho banitisters near winch two of the characters are struggling. fceL

AMERICAN ADAPTATION. A MARK TWAIN NOVEL. DRASTIC WORDS Oh CRITIC. "A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur,” an American musical adaptation of Mark Twain's novel, was recently produced in London after months of advance publicity. It was raked fore and aft by the critics. Here is one criticism, which appeared in the London “Theatre World”: — If tliis is the best Air. Schlesinger can do for Daly’.s, the sooner he has the theatre wired for talkies the better. The worst ‘TOO per cent, all singing, all dancing, all talking” film is 10'0 per cent, better entertainment than this witless, vulgar, unutterably fatuous piece. Without exception it is the worst America has ever sent us—and that is saying something, when one remembers some of the specimens imported for London’s amusement.

Tho film version of Mark Twain's book was exceedingly funny. The musical comedy version is just dulldull, this is, when it is not almost unbearably irritating. Old pantomime jokes and undistinguished music—the hard-plugged “I feel at home with you” is none the better for being already familiar to London — do not a musical comedy make. They may have done in the past, but most of the making was done by one or two outstanding personalities in the cast. Nobody in this play is more than mediocre, with the exception of Norah Robinson and Sam Livesey (who have my deepest sympathy, although it won’t help to lighten their burden). The muchboosted Constance Carpenter proves to be a moderately competent dancer, vaguely reminiscent of June and Binnie Hale, but with none of the latter's cleverness.

It is quite impossible to understand why Harry Fox should have been brought from America to 'be leading man. He cannot sing—much—and. as he does not dance, I can only imagine he cannot do that, either.

He does little but display an excellent set of teeth. This he did so consistently that 1 almost searched my programme for acknowledgements to his dentist. The production reminded me of a bad operatic society doing its best with one of those “costume’’ musical plays amateurs love so well. This impression was shattered at certain intervals., when the chorus camo on and stamped their feet with .considerably more energy than grace or precision. A dreadful evening. STAGE OR SCREEN? THE FLESH AND BLOOD ACTORS. To anyone who is an ardent film enthusiast with a deep-seated conviction that the talking picture must eliminate the theatre from the world of entertainment put this simple question: “If your favourite screen star could be seen on the screen in talking film and on the (stage in the same play, which would you patronise?’’ Andrew Soutar, writing in the Sphere, holds that 75 per cent, of those who have forsaken the theatre for the talking film would choose the theatre. He adds that though his interest's lie more with the film play, he has always held the belief that the talking film' would be the means of reviving enthusiasm for the speaking stage. The majority of the present generation of cinema-goers have not seen a stage play. They have been content with the admirable entertainment of the modern cinema and the reasonable prices of admission. If entertainment is essential to human existence (and Mr. Soutar holds that it is), the makers of film plays are entitled to laurels. The talking film must excite the intercot of the generation in stage playfl. They are shown a ghost that talks. They will insist on seeing the flesh and blood actor, hearing the beauty of the human voice that has been trained for the stage. That which we call personality cannot be put over from the screen. THE INTELLIGENT PUBLIC. Motion picture producers are now catering to a far more intelligent public than ever before. Ten years ago, the world's mind was approximated by

scientists at twelve years old, but the .radio, newspapers and motion pictures have made everyone in every out-of-the-way community fully conversant with all phases of modern life. To-day, the world’s mind has come of age. That is the opinion of Jesse L. Lasky, vice-president of Paramount Pictures, who explains that Paramount’s talking picture, “Medals,” starring Gary Cooper, could not have been produced a few years ago. The theme, intelligent dialogue, and clever dramatic situations, would have been grossly wasted on many audiences of a decade ago. The public would not have taken kindly to a story so subtle as to be beyond their mental reach, nor one in which there was no juvenile love interest. “Medals,” which was recently completed under the direction of Richard Wallace, will arrive shortly for New Zealand release.

SPEECH PICTURES SHOWN. SOUND TRACK OF FILM. Pictures of spoken words were (shown to the New York Electrical Society recently and discussed as a new kind of possibility for enabling the deaf to hear conversation (says a New York message dated November G). These speech pictures were thrown on a canvas screen, where they literally talked, by turning themselves back into speech. The pictures were the sound track' of a movie film, magnified with the stereopticon until the row of jagged shadows which represents spoken sounds ' was as big ns a line of icicles. As this row moved across the canvas the alternat-

in<r light and shadows penetrated * in the cloth and fell upon a mirto , thence they reflected to a photoelectric cell and were turned into words. A. the speech translation was instantaneous, the audience could see the shape of shadows that made the sounds. In reading the shadows, said the demonstrator of the picture, John Ballamy Taylor of the General Electric Company, lies a possibility of relief for deaf. He warned, however, that there is no early likelihod of this, relief. Nevertheless, Taylor said, it is conceivable that methods can be devised of turnino- the moving shadows into a series °of stills which the eye can see while speech goes on. Ordinarily the shadows move so fast that they aie a blur. He said that although he knows of no one now able to read the words in these sound tracks, the key to shadow translation may yet be discovered-