ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1934, Page 20 (Supplement)

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

AROUND THE THEATRES WHAT TO SEE AT NEW PLYMOUTH. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE "Those were the Days,” Will Hay and all star cast. "Two Hearts in Waltz Time,” Carl Brisson and Frances Day. "The Broken Melody,” John Garrick, Merle Oberon. THE REGENT. "The Greater Glory,” Lois Wilson, and “Rex, King of Wild Horses,” Edmund Gwenn, and “Girls Please,” Sydney Howard. ‘Tog,” Mary Brian and Reginald Denny and “So this is Africa,” Wheeler and Woolsey. OPERA HOUSE. "I am Suzanne,” Lillian Harvey and Gene Raymond, and “Murder at . the Vanities,” Carl Brisson and Kitty Carlisle. ■' • • “The Scarlet Empress,” Marlene Dietrich. TWO BEAUTIFUL VOICES CARL BRISSON AND FRANCES DAY. Romance, music and song are delightfully interwoven in “Two Hearts, in Waltz Time,” which is to be presented at the Everybody’s on Wednesday. The picture is essentially a musical comedy, but its theme and presentation are something out of the ordinary. Carl Brisson and Frances Day, a newcomer to the screen, play the title roles, and they fill their respective parts admirably.

■Both have beautiful voices, which find plenty of scope in the film. Although the story is perhaps slender there is a feast of lilting melodies, lavish dresses, glittering scenes and beautiful girls. Brison plays the part of Carl Hoffman, a light-hearted composer of musical scores, and Miss Day that of Helene Barry, a leading English star. Although Carl is overwhelmed with women he falls in love with Helene at first , sight, and on her failing to respond to his advances he sets himself out to capture her heart. After much deliberate delay he unintentionally composes the theme song of a new musical comedy, and through this he eventually wins Helene’s love. The sequences are cleverly worked out, and some spectacular settings are presented during the firstnight performance of the new play. Assisting the stars are Oscar Asche, Peter Cawthome, Bert Coote and many others. The incidental musical numbers are particularly “catchy.” They include “For Love of You,” “Give Her a Little Kiss,” “We Hate the Men,” and the most captivating of the lot, “Tvzo Hearts in Waltz Time.” THRILLING; MYSTERIOUS BURIED THROUGHOUT IN FOG. All the action of “Fog,” a Columbia production which opens at the Regent next Saturday, takes place aboard a transatlantic steamship immersed in mist—and the result is enough to make even the most stubbornly fiat head of hair stand on end.

Three murders occur within 23 hours after the ship leaves its New York dock. All three victims are strangled to death. Two are first-class passengers, the third the ship’s doctor. The criminal must perforce be a passenger or a member ot the crew, but not until the final fadeout is the identity of the murderer revealed. And only the most alert of picturegoers could possibly have decided that he— or she!—was the guilty one. Therein lies the distinctive charm of “Fog.” The characters are more thorougly delineated than in most mysteries; the itself is better motivated; the direction, photography and technical effects are more realistic, and the set itself is a masterpiece of studio construction. “Fog,” unlike most thrilling films, justifiably has been given a lavish production and an all-star cast. Fourteen characters, assembled from all walks of life, play important roles in “Fog.” They are brought vividly to life by Donald Cook, Mary Brian Reginald Denny and a well chosen selection of supporting players.

INEFFICIENT MODELS MISHANDLING BY PRODUCERS. Much clever work has recently been done in the construction of film models for the entertainment of the vast filmgoing public. No effort has been spared to make these models as realistic as possible. Expert advice has commanded its own price in guidance and erection. Cities, trains, ships and aeroplanes have been made on a most elaborate scale. Every endeavour has been made, in fact, to present before the public eye miniatures that conform in every particular to the originals. Yet much of this painstaking, preparatory work is sadly mishandled by highly-paid producers. This inattention to meticulous detail irritates a growing number of discerning “fans,” impatient with directorial inefficiency. These are just a few cases. The scene was a storm at sea, a fairly obvious-looking model of a liner getting a severe buffeting from the plunging waters. The camera switched to another angle and, lo and behold, a completely different model was shown, with funnels black instead of white! Again, two trains were heading for dire destruction —it was a thrilling climax to a thrilling film. But one long look at the entirely unmoved “driver and fireman” as they rushed to an obvious collision quite spoiled the effect. If dummies can’t be made to move in a life-like manner, why spoil the scene.by showing them? INCORRECTLY DRESSED. Yet another instance is of. an aeroplane circling an airport in a shrieking blizzard, seeking to land the mails. Photographed from an imaginary cockpit, a realistic downward view is seen, with a miniature figure, clearly shown against the “snow,” braving the storm. But what a man! As fixed as a rock, while the ’plane circles round, he dares the gale without a coat, disdaining the wraps the others will wear in the succeeding close-ups. Finally, a terrible

flood is sweeping the world. Monstrous buildings are seen to collapse, toppling and crashing to awesome destruction. But see hoW quickly they fall! The roofs of thousand-footers hit the ground in record time—to be precise, three seconds. Even gravity grew fierce on that appalling day, doing its work in a quarter the time. With that swift fall, contrast the scenes in a real collapse; when Nature works to . time. Remember the breaking of the ice-pack in that epic of the north—SOS Iceberg. Remember the majestic fall of the huge cliff faces, nothing h’ear so high as the supposed “skyscraper,” and one has a real conception of what true producing should really produce. MOTHER AND DAUGHTER BOTH IN "SCARLET EMPRESS.” Maria Sieber, eight-year-old daughter of Marlene Dietrich, makes her motion picture debut in ' her mother’s Paramount production, “The Scarlet Empress,” which comes to the Opera House next Saturday. Blonde as her parent and resembling her to a, great degree, little Maria was felt to be the logical selection for the childhood delineation of Sophia Frederica, who in maturity became Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, about whom the story revolves. Maria’s starring mother then assumes the role as the drama develops. Various film tests of Maria were made under von Sternberg’s direction, and all proved successful and satisfactory to both the director and the child’s mother. With the possibility of a film career thus opened to her daughter, Miss Dietrich set aside her first unwillingness to see her daughter enter the profession. Marlene Dietrich may be said to reach one of the heights of her life with the portrayal of the role of Catherine in “The Scarlet Empress.” It is drama, exciting, powerful and thrilling. It is filled with the exotic bizarre splendour of the Old Russian; it has the sweep and majesty of that vast empire, and it is a truly amazing spectacle of pageantry, glamour and beauty.

Big Star—Tiny Feet. Every time Bob Woolsey buys himself a pair of shoes he has to sneak into the Children’s Department and make a selection from the current styles in youthful footwear. Bob, it seems, is outside of the men’s department when it comes to his walk-wear. He takes a number four shoe!

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS

STARS AT WORK AND PLAY. LATEST NEWS FROM EVERYWHERE. Sunsliine. Earl Carroll, beauty expert and impresario, advises every girl who wants to be “young and beautiful” to get plenty of sunshine. Sought After. Mary is said to be the most popular girl in Hollywood. She is constantly being squired to filmland’s social rendevous by one or another of the most eligible bachelors in the cinema colony. Valentino’s Brother. Alberto Valentino, brother and heir of the late Rudolph, has returned to major films as an Italian opera singer in Paramount’s “Enter Madame,” a story that features Elissa Larjdi, Cary Grant, and others. For the past few years Valentino has been starring in independent pictures and foreign versions. An Easy Way Out. “And with one shot I felled the charg • ing rhinoceros,” said W. C. Fields, telling a group of children about a hunting exploit which once came his way. “And how do you spell rhinoceros?” piped one of the youngsters. “How does one spell' rhinoceros, my boy?” repeated Fields. “Well—er—well, let’s see —it was a rabbit I shot, my boy, a rabbit.” No Tweezers. “Go easy on the tweezers” urges Earl Carroll, who took eleven of his beautiful shovz girls to Hollywood to appear in the. Paramount film version of his famous New York stage play, “Murder at the Vanities'.” Carroll does not approve of the eye-brow-less beauty who uses a pencil and tweezer to affect fantastically unnatural arches above her lashes, and each of his girls has honest-to-goodness eye-brows. A Dramatic Scene. “It was during a dramatic scene in Ann Harding’s new picture, “The Fountain," that they met on an obscure spot on the radio lot. George Johns, an Englishman, was acting as technical director on the set. Johns was showing Director John Cromwell just how he and some companions had actually gone about digging their way through during the war. “Nearby was an extra, Otto Kraus, watching the scene with much interest. After the scene had been completed, Kraus walked over to Johns. “Didn’t that escape of yours take place at a prison camp in South Germany near the border-line into Switzerland?” he asked. “Yes,” Johns replied. “Well, I’m the guard who almost got courtmartialled because of your escape,’’ Kraus told him. Unusual Jobs.

You have heard of freckle removers, weight reducers, and ink eradicators, but how would you like to be a footstep remover. The Paramount Hollywood Studio has a man whose sole job is to see that all footprints are removed from highly-polished floors before filming starts. Then there is the fly-chaser, the man who goes around with a vapour gun, chasing insects which annoy players and buzz around the microphone. Each studio also also has a squeak-and-echo eliminator. This fellow goes around with a long pole, and a roll of burlap and a pocket full of nails, and a hammer. He nails down noisy floorboards and uses his cloth to muffle reverbrations. Australian.

Billy Bevan, in motion pictures for the past twenty years, and on the stage for fifteen previous years, is known as Hollywood’s outstanding Cockney-accented player. But he admitted recently that he has never been in. England. “Since sound came in I have played practically nothing else but Cockney parts,*’ he pointed out at Paramount, where he again is rolling his “r’s” with George Raft in “Limehouse Nights.” “I have talked so long with a Cockney roll to my tongue that I find myself doing it in private life, yet the closest to an accent I ever heard was in Vancouver, 8.C., when I was on the stage, more than twenty years ago.” He was born in Australia. Prefers Solitude.

Janet Gaynor, who has reigned unchallenged as the screen’s foremost romantic actress ever since “7th Heaven, ’ genur inely prefers solitude to public acclaim. This preference for solitude with many screen luminaries, would be taken as a pose and a shrewd bid for publicity. But no one has ever accused Janet of posing; she is the most sincere and forthright actress the picture colony has ever known. Shy and unassuming, timid to the point of downright bashfulness in the presence of strangers, she nevertheless has very definite views concerning herself, and what she wants to do. And she lives up to them, whether or not they meet the popular idea of -what a film star should be. Lanny Ross.

Lanny Ross was once fired from a New York stage company by George Arliss, who advised him to give up trying to be an actor. Lanny was six at the time. His father, Douglas Ross, noted Shakespearean actor of the day, was playing the butler with Arliss in a Broadway production of “Disraeli.” As a stunt when the play closed, Arliss staged a “miniature” production of the same play with the children in the parts their parents had played. Thus Lanny became the butler in place of Ross the elder. But during rehearsals the company discovered he had more temperament than a prima donna. He did not want to rehearse. Once he even dropped a tray on the floor and sat down and commenced to cry. When the play opened he was stricken with, stage fright and forgot his lines. That was enough for liss. Ross the younger was fired. “My boy,” said Arliss, “never try to follow in your father’s footsteps. Be anything —but never try to be an actor.” John Boles.

John Boles owes his screen fame to the war. He intended to be a doctor, but a noted British musician after hearing him sing at an A.E.F. entertainment, urged him to train his voice, which he did, later winning success on the New York stage. That led to pictures. Boles was born in Greenville, Texas, his father being a banker. He entered John Hopkins University for a medical course, enlisted for overseas and attained the rank of lieutenant in the intelligence department. He studied voice in New York and in France. His first role was lead in the musical comedy “Little Jessie James,” and he scored subsequent Broadway successes and sang opposite Geraldine Farrar in her only light opera venture. Gloria Swanson offered him a lead opposite her in her picture “The Love of Sonya.” His first singing role for the screen was in “The Desert Song, and he has been an outstanding success both in roles which require singing and those which do not. His pictures include “Rio Rita,” “Song of the West,” “King of Jazz,” “One Heavenly Night,” “Resurrection,” "Seed,” “Careless Lady,” “My Lips Betray,” “Bottoms Up,” “Stand Up and Cheer,” “Only Yesterday,” “Back Street” and "The Life of Vergie Winters.”

STRATFORD PROGRAMMES

THIS WEEK’S ATTRACTIONS. PLAZA THEATRE. To-day ?nd Monday, “Looking Forward,” Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone, Benita Hume, Elizabeth Allen; also Scott and Black’s arrival at Melbourne, winners of Centenary air race; scenes of Prince Henry at Melbourne. Tuesday and Wednesday, “Rookery Nook,” (return season), Ralph Lynn, Tom Walls. t> Thursday and Friday, “Operator 13,’ Marion Davies, Gary Cooper, Ted Healey, Jean Parker. KING’S To-day and Monday, “Happy,” Stanley Lupino, Jimmy Godden, Dorothy Hyson, Gus McNaughton. A PROMINENT ROLE LEWIS STONE LEADS. Spirit of courage and enthusiasm find’s dramatic expression in Lionel Barrymore’s newest starring vehicle, “Looking Forward,” which comes to the Plaza Theatre to-day as a new production from Metro Goldwyn-Mayer-Cosmopoli-tan who recently produced the sensational “Gabriel Over the White House.” Dedicated to a hopeful attitude by the world, the film employs the same title of President Roosevelt’s story, . “Looking Forward,” which he used for his bestselling book, although the action of the motion picture is not based on the Roosevelt work. The picture, which deals with the lives of two business men, is unique in respect to its handling of two stories in one. The life of a millionaire depart-ment-store owner whose wife deserts him when he faces financial ruin is counterbalanced with the story of the humble employee who likewise is baffled by his inability to meet his payments and keep his home together, but whose family prove their loyalty when he most needs it. The wide range of characters in “Looking Forward” provides an opportunity for a number of fine acting portrayals and an outstanding group of players are seen in support of Barrymore. These include Lewis Stone last seen in “The White Sister,” Benita Hume, Elizabeth Allen, Phillips Holmes, Colin Clive. Alec B. Francis, Doris Lloyd, Halliwell Hobbes, Douglas Walton, Viva Tattersail, Lawrence Grant, George K. Arthur, Charles Irwin and Billy Bevan. A “HAPPY” NOTE MERRY MUSICAL COMEDY. A snappy, riotously funny musical comedy entitled “Happy,” which introduces some brilliant song numbers, i®. be presented at the King’s theatre to-day. This film boasts a cast which includes six popular comedians —Stanley Lupino, Laddie Cliff, Will Fyfe, Harry Tate, Gus MacNaughton and Jimmy Godden, while the feminine roles are portrayed by Dorothy Hyson, Renee Gadd and Bertha Belmore. The story concerns the adventures of a young song-writer, Frank Brown (played by Stanley Lupino, who has invented a machine guaranteed to protect cars against theft, but which will not work, and who, as an alternative to starving, becomes the leader of a dance band in a popular cafe, where he falls in love with a beautiful girl, Lilian. When Albert Waller, president of a large car insurance company, comes to town, Frank visits him, with a view to selling his invention, but Mr. Waller

proves to be more interested in pyjama parties. Frank tells him about the chateau he does not possess, and consequently finds himself in a series of tight corners when Mr. Waller appears at a party which he thinks is being given by Frank, but where the latter is only band-conductor, and is kept very busy between doing his duty and keeping Mr. Waller away from the real host and hostess. Such a brief outline of what is definitely an outstanding comedy entertainment and one which will appeal to all tastes, NORMA SHEARER AGAIN IMPRESSIVE CAST OF “RIPTIDE.” With Robert Montgomery and Herbert Marshall sharing leading man honours, one of the most impressive casts ever assembled is seen in support of Norma Shearer in “Riptide, her glamorous new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring vehicle which opens to-day at the Opera House, Hawera. Montgomery, playing the part of Miss Shearer’s play-boy sweetheart, makes his fifth appearance with the star in this film. Marshall, popular English stage and screen star, was last seen in “The Solitaire Man” and “Four Frightened People.” He plays the part of Lord Rexford. Miss Shearer’s husband in the new film.

Mrs. Patrick Campbell, one of England’s most distinguished actresses, famous for her great triumphs in “The Second Mrs. Tangueray” and other famous hits, makes her screen debut as Aunt Hetty, eccentric dowager. Lilyan Tashman plays the part of Miss Shearer’s sister. Sheets Gallagher is cast as Montgomery’s New York chum, and other famous personalities included in the cast are Ralph Forbes, Arthur Jarrett, Earl Oxford, Helen Jerome Eddy and George K. Arthv-

A DOUBLE LIFE

PERFECT WIFE AND MOTHER. ACTRESS OF OUTSTANDING ABILITY The actress who had the courage and instinct to play brittle, sophisticated roles when the demand was still for fluttering, ultra-feminine heroines, has another life, in addition to that of her screen world. Norma Shearer, film leading lady, is also Mrs. Irving Thalberg and, in her double life, she has been more than successful. With almost unbelievable courage and tenacity, she has fought her way to success, for in 1920 she almost starved in New York in her endeavour to get a start in movies. Yes, Norma Shearer has cooked eggs over a gas-jet and budgeted with pennies in order to exist. Even after she had a job or two, the fates were not kind. Times of semi-starvation followed, with long periods between her chances to act. Finally Hollywood recognised the talent of this ambitious Canadian girl, who had inherited an indomitable spirit from her mother, a preacher in the Humber River Country, and her father, a pioneer. Her meeting with Irving Thalberg, the brilliant young producer of Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer films, seemed to mark the beginning of the really successful period of her life. The romance between the young producer and the young actress developed slowly. Her career was first. She had to succeed. He had his job to attend to. Perhaps occasionally they dined together. But the intensity of production activities allowed little free time. Even to-day Irving Thalberg is concentrated action, a human dynamo. Yet, as time passed by, he was becoming aware of the actress as a woman whom he loved and wanted. Three and a half years after she first walked into his office, Irving Thalberg asked Norma Shearer to marry him. To-day, Norma Shearer has been successful in leading a double life—Mrs. Irving Thalberg, wife, mother, hostess, and Norma Shearer, great star of the screen. NOT A GADABOUT MATRON. She is not one of the gadabout matrons of Hollywood society. Her huge home at Santa Monica, with a glorious view of the blue Pacific, is open to a . few intimate friends, her husband’s business associates, Jack Conway the director of the great epic, Viva Villa, Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Mayers, Helen Hayes and Charles MacArthur, and Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Goldwyn. Despite «. cloak ’of femininity and the suggestion of pandering to her lord and master, Norma Shearer has a will of steel. She made Irving Thalberg stop working to take a trip abroad for his own sake. Happiness is the most important thing, and she spares no detail, important or trivial, to achieve this. . To a oid the possible chance of religious difficulties arising later in their married life, she adopted the Jewish faith when she married. Norma Shearer is really an amazing woman. She presents the glamorous illusion of physical perfection despite her physical disabilities. Her attention to details is astounding, even to respecti blic opinion, for when she and her nurse take the baby for an airing along the promenade, interested mothers come up and discuss babies! She admits to one weakness. When she loses her temper—oh, yes, she has one —or whenever she is angry or overexcited, she tears off her clothes. But in this she shows her good taste for her temper is always expressed in the privacy of the home. She does not care for public demonstrations and the socalled temperamental explosions of screen personalities. • Norma Shearer fully deserves your praise and also merits whole-hearted congratulation on the success she has made of her double life—her career and her marriage.

MARLENE DIETRICH

LEADING PARAMOUNT STAR. Regarded as strictly a dramatic personality Marlene Dietrich is gaining a reputation among movie folk for her cooking, yet the select few who are acquainted with her culinary skill cannot be induced to discuss it. They know her aversion to being indentified with it and do not want to jeopardise the possibility of a return invitation. The violin, however, continues to be her first hobby—a love born of early training for the concert stage and abandoned when over-practice caused a disability to her left wrist. Marlene remains aloof in the studio and on the set and worked throughout the production of her new starring Paramount vehicle, “The Scarlet Empress,” without a personal attendant, contenting herself with the services of the studio make-up and hairdressing departments. She surrounds her daughter Maria with servants and protectors and has a chauffeur who once drove for the King of Belgium. Throughout her American screen career she has played only extremely emotional roles which was due to her success in “The Blue Angel, ’ filmed in Ber - lin, her first with Director Josef von Sternberg, yet previously she had been known as a comedienne. Miss Dietrich has few superstitions, yet faithfully upholds the tradition of wearing feathers on at least one costume in every picture and enjoys unique distinction because no-one else has achieved so rapidly, so easily and so surely the same degree of success. She has made six pictures since going to Hollywood in 1930 and remembers as her greatest embarrassment her appearance before a national network microphone on the night of her arrival, to sing a song as her greeting to America.

FILM FASHIONS

CAUSE OF CHANGED STYLES. Believe it or not the repeal of prohibition has ' begun to restore formality 'in fashions and brought about a marked change in styles during 1934, says Vera, noted fashion designer for Universal Pictures, in a letter from Hollywood. “During the so-called prohibition era, Americans—both men and women—were extremely careless in their dress,” Vera points out. “Women adopted mannish garb, dinners ceased to be formal gatherings, and dancing parties were frequently attended by men in business clothes escorting women improperly dressed for such social occasions. Men in golf suits danced with women in slacks apd sweaters, and full-dress affairs were practically forgotten. “Resumption of legal drinking gives reason for more entertaining than at any time in the past ten years, or more. Dinners at home, at hotels, and popular eating places will become important social events in 1934 and men and women will dress for them With pride. “Women, who have found that they have lost attraction adopting mannish modes, will quickly change over to the more effeminate dresses—soft, exquisite, dainty materials and lines which will accentuate womanliness and physical charm.

“Motion-picture producers are guiding women’s fashions back to the charm and exquisiteness of years gone by. Silks, satins, dainty laces, full skirts and rich perfumes will play an important part in milady’s search for lost charm in 1934, with daintiness and good taste, modesty and refinement the keynote to what will be in style.’ ” Makes a Difference.

Joan Marsh has dropped 321 b. in weight—from 9st. lib. to 6st. 111 b! Pretty drastic, isn’t it? And her slimming process is not a secret. “A fresh vegetable diet for three months will turn the scales around,” says Joan. “Then you can eat anything you want and not put on weight again.” Fresh vegetables for three months does not sound too pleasant and yet, maybe its worth it afterwards. SPICE OF THE PROGRAMMES OPERA HOUSE. This Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. Fox Movietone News, “Oil Can Mystery” (cartoon), “Outdoing the Daredevils” (camera thrill) and “The Melbourne Cup, 1934.” This Wednesday Thursday and Friday. Australian Cinesound Review, Paramount Pictorial, “Mr. W’s Little Game” (novelty), and British Sour. News. EVERYBODY’S. This Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. “Melbourne Cup of 1934,” Pathe Pictorial, “Grey Owls Strange Guests,” (Nature Study), Pathe Novelties, and Caledonia, Stern and Wild (scenic). This Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Pathe News, “Victoria—loo Years Progress” (interest) and “Angler's Paradise” (Trout fishing). REGENT. This Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. “The Melbourne Cup, 1934” and Double Feature Programme. This Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. DahWo FonHira Pmm-amma.

ROMANCE IN. MEXICO

RAFT AS BULLFIGHTER. George Raft, sleek-haired film star, returns to the Hawera Grand Theatre, next week, this time in “The Trumpet Blows,” Paramount’s thrilling, action-packed romance of Mexico and the most dangerous sport in the world—bull fighting. His supporting cast is headed by Adolphe Menjou, Frances Drake and Sidney Toler. When Raft, young brother of Menjou, retired bandit, now, a respectable cattle rancher, arrives backin Mexico from his schooling abroad, the older man tries to dissuade him from becoming a bull-fighter. Frances Drake draws Raft into an impulsive romance, and he in turn finds she is loved by his brother. This conflict, flamed into intensity by Raft’s pursuit of bull fighting in defiance of his brother’s dictates, reaches a thrilling climax in the arena. Doing an “Adolphe Menjou.”

Sally Eilers, in “Walls of Gold”— adapted from the “best seller” by Kathleen Norris—wears sixteen different outfits. She calls it “doing an Adolphe Menjou,” for in his film, “The Worst Woman in Paris ?” he had two-doxen changes! One of the sixteen frocks Sally wears in “Walls of Gold” weighed more than forty pounds and was made of more than half a million jet-black beads, arranged in herring-bone design. It took ten women seven days to create this gown!

FAMOUS'' stage.

DRAMATIC, ROMANTIC, > MUSICAL. Romance and stark drama, convincing;, ly acted arid- unusually . realistic, com- - bine to make “The Broken Melody,” the British and Dominions drama which comes to' the Everybody’s*hesit Saturday; a fiim out of the ordinary. “The: Broken Melody” has, long been famous as a stage play. It looses nothing of its dramatic appeal in its adaption-for film proposes. . ' . ■ “The Broken Melody”- tells the story of a young composer who becomes infatuated with a-famous opera star. He marries her, and in doing so looses the friendship of a noble young woman. The marriage is a failure, and later, , when the couple have started to drift apart, the husband finds the wife with a former lover, whom in a fit of rage /he,- kills. He is sentenced to the dread Devil’s. Island, from which fie eventually escapes. What happens after that, leads up to a climax that raises the film to great heights , The acting of all. the principals- is of a high order. John Garrick is the: husband, Margot Grahame the wife, and Merle Oberon the young woman' whose love for the young composer isf his' teacon through life. Mr.. Garrick' is. heard in the beautiful song “The -.Broken Melody,” which is a feature of the stew. l Joe E. Brown has been resigned ,by Warners for , another five- years with an increase in salary.