MANY NEW TALKIES

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1933, Page 8 (Supplement)

MANY NEW TALKIES

HOLLYWOOD PREPARING. 1933 STUDIO REVIEW. It was considered in Hollywood a year ago that the moving picture industry had got over the worst of the' blizzard of 1931, and that by the exercise of economies in production the succeeding twelve months would • not be so bad. Last year, however, brought losses amounting to millions of dollars. According to Joseph la. Breen, of the Producers and Distributors’ Association, the reasons for the prevailing depression in the picture world were: (1) The industrial depression. (2) Too many theatres. (3) Competition by other forms of entertainment such as radio and dog racing. (4) A lack of big personalities on the screen. . . It was said that the studios themselves were not in such a very bad way, but in most cases they are closely associated with holding companies which are saddled with theatres throughout the United States and in England. A few years ago it was the policy of some of these big concerns to have their own chains of theatres,, either by purchasing the freehold outright or taking them on lease for a term of years, so as to have the medium for exploiting their studio wares. I * During the past year there has been some frantic attempts to hand these leasehold theatres back to their original owners, but this has not been achieved with any great success. The old operators evinced no particular desire .to resume showmanship under the prevailing conditions. It is felt, or rather hoped, that the theatre problem may be solved during the coming months by the assistance of reduced rents and the permanent closing of hundreds of theatres. COMPLETE REORGANISATION. In respect to the activities of the principle studios in Hollywood, the Fox people have gone in for a complete reorganisation. Production has been centred in Movietone City, ■ to the west of Hollywood, and picture costs in the centralised plant have. been, .reduced, ambitious efforts have been completed. Noel Coward’s “Cavalcade,” in which Irene Browne (in ' New Zealand with Julius Knight many years ago) appears, was screened in New • York during the first week in January. The other big picture is “State Fair.”- Jesse Lasky, one of the industry’s earliest producers, has joined the concern as a unit pro--1 ducer, and the list of Fox stars has been

augmented by'the engagement of Lillian . Harvey, Clara Bow, Genevieve Tobin and Henry Garat. ' 1 The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corporation maintained its high position ip production during 1932, and looks with confidence upon such pictures ■ as “Rasputin,” “Pigbpats,” “La Tendresse,” “Tugboat Annie,” apd a talkie of “The White Sister” to maintain its., reputation this year. Paramount, with the others, has had its financial worries, but its personnel is looking forward with comparative tranquility to the new year, and they feel in the face of their difficulties that such films as “Trouble.in Paradise,” “If I Had a Million,” and “A Farewell to Arms” are an indication as to what may be expected from that quarter. Emanuel Cohen, production head, has with Sidney R. Kent, president of Fox, drawn the attention of all interested that the old system of applauding a rival’s failure and regretting his success can no longer hold.’ Through Mr. Cohen, Paramount has signed on Charles R. Rogers, P. B. Schulberg, and the Halperin Brothers as producers; and it is predicted that the entire studio will soon be operated upon a unit basis. • THROUGH A STRENUOUS PERIOD. R-K-O-Radio went through a strenuous time last year, althopgh they turned out good winners in Clemence Dane’s “Bill of Divorcement,” “Animal Kingdom,” “Bird of Paradise,” “What Price Hollywood,” and “The Conquerors.” Their immediate schedule fqr tire new year includes. such offerings as “Topaze” (played on the stage in the United States by Ethel Barrymore), Somerset Maugham’s “Our Betters,” “The Great Desire,” and “The Past of Mayy Holmes” (“The Goose Woman”), which is' giving the studio new confidence. Universal regards the future with characteristic optimism. Those who remember the quasi-historical films which this studio has given up in the past, such as “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” will be glad to learn that further historical plays are in contemplation, essentially stories that make for action, and reduce dialogue to a minimum. With the retirement of Tom Mix, Universal intends to abandon “Westerns,” and will increase its output of serials and cartoons.

Warner . Bros.’ studio is known in Hollywood as one of the most efficiently run in the. State, and on top of past economies budgets are being cut below the usually accepted figures for big productions. “Red Meat,” a tale of a Chicago meat packing family, is to be one of the first offerings,! and “The Match King" and “The Big Shot” are mentioned to follow. “The Match King” is believed to be founded upon the Kreuger financial scandal of last year.