ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1934, Page 20 (Supplement)

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

AROUND THE THEATRES WHAT TO SEE AT NEW PLYMOUTH. THE OPERA HOUSE BILL. “Right to Romance” Ann Harding, Nils Asther, Sari Maritza, Robert Young. “Sadie McKee” Joan Crawford, Franchot Tone. “Miss Fane’s Baby is Stolen” Dorothea Wieck, Alice Brady, Baby Leßoy. September 11 and 12: Williamson Musical Operetta Company, “The Dubarry” and “Waltzes from Vienna.” EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. “That’s a Good Girl” Jack Buchanan. “Man Who Changed his Name” Betty Stockfeld “Moulin Rouge,” Constance Bennett, Franchot Tone. THE REGENT. “Last Round Up” Randolph Scott. “Midshipman Jack,” Bruce Cabot, Purnell Pratt, Arthur Lake. “Siftin’ Pretty” Jack Oakie, Thelma • Todd, Ginger Rogers. REFRESHINGLY DIFFERENT QUALITY OF “MOULIN ROUGE.” A refreshingly different type of musical film comes to the screen in “Moulin Rouge,” which opens at the Opera House, New Plymouth, next Saturday. It is a comedy romance in which the musical scenes are definitely subordinated to the intensely interesting plot. It is usual for the plot to be merely incidental to the music in such pictures, but here is a reversal of the rule. Acting honours go to Constance Bennett, who is splendid in a most difficult dual role. She portrays two widely differing characters with consummate skill, masquerading as a French actress who has been brought to New York by her husband’s firm. In that guise she becomes his lover.

Tullio Carminati, the possessor of a delightful tenor voice, gives a most natural performance as the husband’s guide, philosopher and friend. Franchot Tone takes the part of the husband. With its comedy, dramatic moments and music “Moulin Rouge” provides admirable entertainment “MIDSHIPMAN JACK" BRUCE CABOT HEADS GOOD CAST. * I A splendid cast of promising youngsters and talented veterans enact the drama, romantic action and comedy of “Midshipman Jack,” RKO-Radio picture at The Regent on Wednesday. Bruce Cabot, the hero of “King Kong,” has the male leading role. Betty Furness plays opposite. Other important parts are enacted by Margaret Seddon and Frank Albertson, Purnell Pratt, former Broadway matinee idol, Arthur Lake, once the most popular juvenile actor on the screen returning to the films after a retirement of two years, Florence Lake, comedienne, and John Darrow, young leading man. v The production, filmed at Annapolis, in the United States Naval Academy, deals with the adventures of a dashing young cadet who, to win the love of his commandant’s daughter, casts the rules and regulations of that institution to the four winds, only to emerge a hero. HAS ITS DISADVANTAGES BROTHER TO RONALD COLMAN. “ ‘Doesn’t it give you quite a thrill to have a brother as famous as Ronald ?’ Many people have asked me the same question—or words to that effect,” says Eric Colman, now starring in Australia. “Well, it does and it does not The fact is that the relationship has its disadvantages. It is very pleasant to bask in a blaze of reflected glory, but not at the expense of losing one’s individuality. “A while ago I was acting in the capacity of master of ceremonies at the first performance of Ronald’s picture, ‘Devil to Pay,’ at the State Theatre—it really was my first public appearance in Syd? ney. The very next day I was walking down Pitt Street when a charming young thing, a complete stranger to me, came up and said, ‘Excuse me, Mr. Colman, will you sign my autograph book?’ How would my autograph interest her, I asked her quite nicely, to which she replied, ‘Well, it will be the next best thing to your brother’s, as I cannot get him.’ . “Ronald still chuckles over an incident that happened in London after the war,” continues Eric. “The movies were a small industry then, but we had a ‘hunch’ for it, and visited a film studio for a test The manager showed us both the door as being unsuitable. Ronald went to Hollywood and made good, and I came to Australia. I wonder what would be the London manager’s reaction if Ronald applied for a job to-day •? When I am not on terra firma addressing a vast concourse of people through the ‘mike,’ I swim, play bridge, and amongst other things am a qualified air pilot.” MUSICAL PLAY ITINERARY NEW PLYMOUTH IN SEPTEMBER. The New Zealand dates for the tour of the Williamson Musical Operetta Company have been finalised by Mr. H. Stringer, N.Z. representative for Messrs. J. C. Williamson. The season commences at Auckland on Saturday, August 18, New Plymouth will be visited on September 11 and 12 and Wanganui on September 13. The plays to be presented are “The Dubarry” and “Waltzes from Vienna,” of which the beautiful Sylvia Welling, London prima donna, is star. GRENADIER GUARDS BAND N.Z. TOUR IN DECEMBER. Messrs. J. C. Williamson and J. and N. Tait announce that the New Zealand tour of His Majesty’s Grenadier Guards Band will open at Auckland early in December.

THE HAWERA THEATRES PROGRAMMES FOR THE WEEK. the opera house. To-day: “Sorrell and Son” H. B. Warner. August 20 to 24 (inclusive): Hawera Competitions Festival. THE GRAND THEATRE. To-day: “Sittin’ Pretty” Jack Oakie. See under New Plymouth theatres. Monday: “Sorrell and Son” H. B. Warner. Tuesday and Wednesday: “Cavalcade” Diana Wynyard. Thursday and Friday: “Falling For You” Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge. SCREEN CLASSIC H. B. WARNER IN “SORRELL & SON.” A classic of literature, and a classic of the silent screen, Warwick Deeping’s “Sorrell and Son” now comes before the public again—this time in the form of a talking film. It will be shown at the

Opera House to-day and the Grand Theatre on Monday. The star of the silent, H. B. Warner, plays the part of Sorrell once more in the talkie version. The supporting parts are played by a mammoth cast. Kit, the son, is taken by Peter Penrose and Hugh Williams—it is the latter’s last British screen appearance before leaving for Hollywood. Winifred Shorter appears as Molly Pentreath, the young novelist whom Kit marries, and it is interesting to see this very accomplished actress playing a distinctly new type of character. EPIC OF EMPIRE NOEL COWARD’S “CAVALCADE." I * “Cavalcade,” the Fox picturisation of Noel Coward’s great play, comes to the Grand Theatre on Wednesday for an engagement of two days. It arrives with the highest praise ever accorded to a film by critics throughout the world, and the greatest enthusiasm ever evinced by motion picture audiences. Diana Wynyard and Clive Brook have the leading roles in this picture of a generation. The supporting cast includes Ursula Jeans, Herbert Mundin, Una O’Conner, and Frank Lawton. HULBERT-COURTNEIDGE SONGS IN “FALLING FOR YOU." There is quite a handful of new songs in “Falling For You,” the new Hul-bert-Courtneidge picture which will' be shown at the Grand on Thursday. “The Sweep,” sung by Jack Hulbert and “Mrs. Bartholomew,” by Cicely Courtneidge, are two excellent numbers and there are also “You Don’t Understand” and “Why Has a Cow Got For. Legs?” Another outstanding feature of the picture is a dance by Jack Hulbert on the counter in the cocktail buffet. It’s a great comedy. CLARK GABLE MOBBED PERSONAL APPEARANCE TOUR. When Clark Gable went on a short personal appearance tour he says that the so-called weaker sex mobbed him and souvenired the following articles: 27 silk hankerchiefs, 33 buttons torn from his clothes, 1 complete sleeve of a dress shirt, 1 lapel from a business coat, 1 pair of bedroom slippers, 1 top half of a pair of silk pyjamas, 1 wristwatch. The last-named article was a gift from his wife, and Gable has offered to send the person who took it a duplicate of the watch, a cash reward of fifty dollars, and no questions asked if she will return it. It is also said that one morning, as Gable stepped into the hotel lift to go down to breakfast, a girl stepped in after him, and as soon as the lift started on its downward journey, she threw her arms round his neck and began to rain kisses upon him. In the midst of this display of affection, the lift reached the ground floor, enabling Gable to make good his escape through a crowd of astonished spectators. When the film actor had retreated safely to a corner, he found that the girl had tom a button from his coat. Advice of Experience. Rudy Vallee, who has been having plenty of marital trouble, says of women: “You can’t live with them, And you can’t live without them.” The Latest Divorces. The latest divorces (still they come!) —Kay Francis from Kenneth MacKenna; Dorothy Mackaill from Neil Miller; Thelma Todd from Pasquale de Cicco; Doris Kenyon from Arthur E. Hopkins. Esther Ralston has filed suit against her husband, George Webb.

JOAN CRAWFORD FILM TITLE ROLE IN “SADIE McKEE.” FRANCHOT TONE AS LEADING MAN. John Crawford is said to play one of the outstanding roles of her film career in the title role of “Sadie McKee, (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) which opens on Wednesday at the Opera House Theatre, New Plymouth. With Franchot Tone playing the romantic male lead stimulation is automatically aroused. For the private life romance of these two famous lovers is thus reflected on the screen. The producers of “Sadie McKee” filled the two other important roles with men known to every film goer, sene Raymond and Edward Arnold. Raymond won over 100 competitors the prized part of “Tommy” the crooner, who wins Joan’s heart with songs accompanied by a ukelele and a charming smile. It is the veteran actor Edward Arnold’s distinction to enact the role of Brennan, dipsomaniac millionaire and Joan’s husband-for-a-time. Esther Ralston returns to the American screen more beautiful than ever in the role of Dolly, blonde vaudeville headliner and torch-singer, after appearing in the British-made hit, “Rome Express.” Adrian designed the breath-taking wardrobe which Joan, in the later sequences, is given the opportunity to wear. Three hit tunes “All I Do Is Dream of You,” “Please Make Me Care” and “I Looked in Your Eyes” are in the picture. The story deals with’a small town girl in love with an amateur crooner. They elope and rush off to New York where the crooner, a weakling, deserts her for

a vaudeville singer. She fights her way through various stages and finally marries a dipsomaniac millionaire whose life she ultimately saves from excessive drinking. In the close of the picture she discovers that her love lies not in these two men, but another, her childhood friend and a one-time enemy. SPARKLING WITH TUNES MUSICAL SHOW “SHTIN’ PRETTY.” Sparkling with bright tunes, the glamour of 80 of Hollywood’s most beautiful chorus girls and the inimitable funmaking of Jack Oakie, Ginger Rogers and Thelma Todd, the Paramount musi-

cal comedy hit “Sittin’ Pretty,” will open at the Regent next Saturday. Among many 6f the features in this gorgeous, colourful spectacle are the daring “fan dance” number by Ginger Rogers and speciality numbers by America’s famous Pickens Sisters and the Beverly Hills Billies.

“Siftin' Pretty” details the adventures of two song writers, played by Jack Oakie and Jack Haley, who walk from New York to Hollywood in search of fame and beautiful girls. They get both, but pass through a series of mad, fantastic and side-splitting adventures, which include experiences with a lunatic movie producer, scheming blondes, furious red-heads, worthless cheques, wild parties and narrow escapes from disaster. DOROTHEA WIECK AGAIN HOLLYWOOD ON KIDNAPPING. Hollywood’s first motion picture dealing with the crime of kidnapping is Paramount’s “Miss Fane’s Baby Is Stolen,” which ' opens at the Opera House, New Plymouth, next Saturday, with Dorothea Wieck and Alice Brady in the co-starring roles. In addition to the above named players, the cast includes Baby Leßoy, Jack Laßue, Alan Hale and George Barbier. The story tells of Madeline Fane wellknown screen star, who, ready to leave for a location trip, goes into her baby’s bedroom for a last look at him. Frantically, she calls for help! The baby has been kidnapped. She does not notify the police, hoping to be able to deal direct with the gang responsible. When this fails, she fijhts with all the forces of law enforcement to bring about the safe return of her child. And while the world shakes with fear and hope, Molly Prentiss, wife of a poverty-stricken mountain farmer, is risking her life to rescue the child. . How she causes the apprehension of the criminals and gets the baby to his mother is said to make a thrilling, entertaining picture.

SPICE OF THE PROGRAMME CURRENT SUPPORTING FEATURES. THE OPERA HOUSE. Saturday, Monday and Tuesday: Pathe News, “On Approval” (comedy), “Croon Crazy” (cartoon) and “Walking Back Home” (comedy). Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Metrotone news and “Air Fright” (Thelma Todd-Patsy Kelly comedy). THE.REGENT THEATRE. Saturday, Monday, Tuesday: British sound news, “Station T.0.T.” (novelty), screen souvenirs, “Keeps Raining ' All the Time” (cartoon), Cinesound news and “Just An Echo” (Bing Crosby musical). Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Pathe news, “Suits to Nuts’-’ (comedy), “A.M. to P.M.” (cartoon), “The Fireman” (Charlie Chaplin comedy) and Australian Fox news. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. Saturday, Monday, Tuesday: Pathe news reels (20 minutes of topical events), “The New Highway” (interest), “Highlights of the Victorian Melbourne Centenary.” Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Pathe 1 news reels, “Amheim Land” (scenic), “Charting Our Coastal Lanes” (interest). EDGAR WALLACE THRILLER “MAN WHO CHANGED HIS NAME.” “The Man Who Changed His Name,” which opens at Everybody’s Theatre on Wednesday, is from one of Edgar Wallace’s most successful plays, and has a powerful story that should kep an audience on its tiptoes from beginning to end. Furthermore, there is a brilliant cast, including Betty Stockfeld, Lyn Harding, Leslie Perrins, Ben Welden, Aubrey Mather and other good English performers. FOUR PRIMARY TYPES LOVERS ON THE SCREEN. While romance abounds in all Hollywood screen dramas, there are four primary types of screen lovers. So stated Sylvia Sidney recently after a vibrant love scene with Fredric March, in the B. P. Schulberg picture, “Good Girl,” at the Paramount Studios. According to Miss Sidney screen lovers are classified in four types: the masterful lover, the noble lover, the tender lover, and the romantic lover. AH other types are combinations of these. “The tender lover doesn’t rate very high, today,” Miss Sidney says. “He’s oldfashioned. The noble lover ranks love above everything material. For love, he is willing to give up everything." Sylvia classifies Fredric March as the masterful lover. ThL is the type that crushes with power. He is merciless in trampling the tender emotions, and he goes away leaving the woman to await his return. He is a civilised caveman, she says. According to her, this type of lover is the favourite everywhere, and in thb class come most of the great lovers. “The romantic lover is a favourite, too,” she continued. “He needs a moon, a park or balcony and an obligato of soft music to work his devastating charms.” TALE OF TRAGEDIES DOLORES DEL RIO UNAFRAID. “THE DU BARRY” HOODOO. Bad luck has pursued all the film actresses who have portrayed Madame Du Barry on the screen. Pola Negri won motion picture fame by her role of Du Barry in “Passion,” but her career was short lived, and now she is no more than a name.' Norma Talmadge’s second talkie was “Du Barry, Woman ■of Passion,” but she has not made pictures for many years. Stage history reveals that many ills have befallen many Du Barrys, although there can be no doubt that the Du Barry “curse,” like that of King Tut’s tomb, purely owes its origin to a string of strange coincidence . There was Anny Ahlers, the German actress, who was the original star of the London stage production, “The Du Barry.” Her health was ruined through the demands of a long and exhausting season, and her life ended in tragedy. x An English actress, named Kathlyn Hilliard, replaced Miss Ahlers in the cast, but during the second run of the play she collapsed on the stage, was taken to a rest home, where she died. Laurette Dauvrigne, a French actress, suffered a serious accident while starring in “Du Barry,” while Gitta Alpar,, a young Hungarian actress, collapsed on a Viennese stage while portraying the same part. Dolores Del Rio intends to make a big “come-back” by playing the title role in a new Du Barry picture to be made shortly. “I am not afraid of the shade of Du Barry,” she says, “I welcome the new role as the most promising I ever had.” Wanted—A Ghost Boris Karloff, Universal “horror” star, reports receiving a fan letter recently in which the writer wanted to know how much he would charge to haunt a house!

STRATFORD PROGRAMMES PLAZA THEATRE. To-day and Monday: “The White Sister,” Clark Gable, Helen Hayes, Lewis Stone, May Robson. Tuesday and Wednesday: “Falling for You,” Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge, Tamata Desni. Thursday and Friday: “The Kennel Murder Case,” William Powell, Mary Astor, Eugene Pallette, Ralph Morgan. KING’S THEATRE. % To-day and Monday: “The Mystery of the Wax Museum,” Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Glenda Farrell. ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS STARS AT WORK AND PLAY. LATEST NEWS FROM EVERYWHERE. Lovers of the Screen. The screen’s outstanding romance, that between Joan Crawford and Franchot Tone, flourished during production of “Sadie McKee,” new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film which opens on Wednesday at the Opera House, New Plymouth. With Miss Crawford in the starring role and Tone supplying the male romantic interest, a romance which many commentators expect to end in marriage ran high both on and off the set. The' two lovers were seen in company with each other every day the picture was in production, it is reported, and on one occasion frankly held hands before a scene crowded with 300 extras. New Zealander’s Next. Colin Tapley, who was the successful entrant from New Zealand, with Joyce Nielsen, in the recent “Search for Beauty" contest conducted by Paramount Pictures, will next. be seen in “Double Door,” with Evelyn Venable and Kent Taylor. Ostrich Feather Again. Mae West has introduced the ostrich socially once more by- wearing 500 plumes in “It Ain’t No Sin.” One gown that she wears has a long train, with which goes an ostrich feather hat and a huge feather boa. Six Ounce Costumes. The dancers which you will see in “Flying Down to Rio” at New Plymouth shortly wear costumes weighing but six ounces—including shoes. They were chosen from 10,000 applicants. Anna Sten—Step-mother! Anna Sten is the devoted step-mother of her husband’s 14-year-old daughter by a previous marriage.

LIMBO OF PICTURES FILMS YOU WILL NEVER SEE. HOW “NANA” WAS REMADE There are quite a number of films made which you will never see. They have been shelved for various reasons. In 1933 over 6,000,000 dollars went' into these lost movies. When Sylvia Sidney withdrew from the cast of “The Way to Love,” the picture was half made. This was scrapped, and a complete .new film made starring Ann Dvorak opposite Maurice Chevrlier instead of Sylvia Sidney.

“Nana,” featuring Anna Sten, was remade after about 400,000 dollars had been spent on it. In the original version, Pert Kelton an.l Warren William supported Anna Sten; in the second version, William’s place was taken by Lionel Atwill, ana the part Pert Kelton had played was split by the scenarists, and divided between two other actresses, Mae Clarke and Muriel Kirkland.

“The Sin of Madelon Claudet,” which was such a triumph for Helen Hayes, was almost complete!/ remade before it appeared on the screen, as neither the directors, the producers or Miss Hayes were satisfied with the first version. The discarded production cost somewhere in the vicinity of 550,000 dollars. Mary Pickford remade “Secrets,” while Gloria Swanson’s “Queen Kelly” was completed, but never shown at all! “Trader Horn” ,/as nrginally filmed almost entirely in Africa, but the greater part of this film was never released. The second version—the one that was released—was refilmc ' ct the studio in Mexico.

“Hell’s Angels” was originally made as a silent picture with Greta Nissen in the leading role. This completed version lies in a vault, unseen, forgotten, simply because the advent of the talkies made the producers decide to refilm it with sound. Jean Harlow was tht leading lady this time—which was unfortunate for Greta Nissen. Some ghost pictures lie scrapped, and also many “sad” versions of films that have ultimately been released with “Happy endings.”

FILM STARS’ MANNERISMS AN OUTSTANDING SURVEY. Like all othez people, the film stars have their’ mannerisms. The Four Marx Brothers, at other times so rowdy and obtrust've, always arrive at ths studios separately and silently, apparently overcome by the mournful fact tnat, during the'day; they will have to do their funny stuff. Bing Crosby always talks to ] zople i a husky whisper. When James Dunn talks he invariably accompanies his chatter by hammering the palm of his left hand with the clenched f of his right. Wallace Beery’s little habit is to whistle softly to h’ .self. George O'Btien has a direct gaze which is almost embarrassing in its intensity. He says it is the result of a trick taught him by his father, who told him that if you can outstare any manor woman with whom you com: intz contact, you will be master of any situation.

Jean Harlcw steadily and, persistently polishes her already much-lacquered fingernails. Will Rogers pulls, a lock of his hair if ’.e is not feeling at ease. Clark Gable looks at his wrist-watch about every five '.inutes. It seems he is not happy unless be knows exactly what time it is. Spencer Tracey’s out-, standing mannerism is to protrude his lower lip and bite his upper lip hard. Garbo’s prize habit is to kick off her shoes the moment she reaches’ the seclusion of her room. This is one of the few personal details that the famous Swedish actress has let slip about herself. Miriam Hopkins is always shaking her hair out of her eyes. Hail Hitler!

Dorothea Wieck, the German screen actress now in Hollywood, is faced with a strange situation. She wants to go back to Germany for a month or two to visit her husband, but if she does she will never be able to return to Mr American screen career. Her husband is editor of one of the German newspapers giving active support to Hitler’s move to make all German talent stay at home! • ;