THE SCREEN : ITS PLAYS AND ITS STARS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20108, 15 May 1935, Page 14

THE SCREEN : ITS PLAYS AND ITS STARS

INTERESTING TOPICS ON FILM ARTISTS AND CINEMA ATTRACTIONS

Hollywood Fashion Notes Grace Bradley, playing opposite George Raft in "Stolen Harmony,” a Paramount picture, wears one of the new dance frocks. White chiffon made with a formal waistline and a skirt which requires yards and yards of the material is highlighted with ostrich feather trimming. The dress intentionally resembles a night club costume appropriate for an exhibition dancer. And this is the type of evening frock which will be worn by the most fastidiously dressed women this season, according to Travis Banton, Paramount style expert. Gertrude Michael has a very important role in Paramount’s "Four Hours to Kill,” and she wears one every delightful gown of black crepe, made along semi-formal lines and lavishly trimmed with bands of silver fox. The hat which Miss Michael wears with this outfit is a black crepe turban worn quite far back on the head and adorned with rare feathers. Among the inspirations the fashion world is already receiving from Marlene Dietrich’s costumes for Paramount’s “The Devil is a Woman,” is a revival of lace stockings for evening. All lace, or cheerest chiffon with panels of intricately patterned lace straight up the front will be the vogue for milady's hosiery in the coming season. Bhere is, according to Trevis Banton, Paramount’s style expert, an inexplicable allure about an ankle encased in lacey covering.

Cuban Artist Models Costumes More than fifty original Cuban costumes for Paramount’s “Rumba,” have been designed by one of Havana’s leading artists—Senorita Del Barrio, now in Hollywood. Senorita Del Barrio is the daughter of Manuel Del Barrio, Cuban water colour artist and attorney. She learned the art of costuming in the Parsons school in New York. “Rumba” features George Raft, Carole Lombard and Margo in the leading roles.

Extravaganza in Technicolour “Vogue of 1935,” a super-musical fashion extravaganza, to be filmed in colour from beginning to end with the new Technicolour three-colour process, is announced by Paramount. The plans provide for an all-star cast of Hollywood favourites, a number of important entertainers, several new tunes and brilliant musical and dancing ensembles Irene Dunne Has the Voice Trained for opera, for three years a star of musical comedy, for four years an outstanding film star, and with one of the finest lyric sopranos in America, Irene Dunne had to wait until now for an important singing role in motion pictures. In the RKO Radio Picture "Roberta,” she sings the Jerome Kern numbers that were in the original production as well as the special new melodies that Kern has written for her. “Star of Midnight” William Powell and Ginger Rogers, co-starring in “Star of Midnight” for RKO Radio Pictures, have completed work on this sophisticated melodrama, and the film has gone to the cuttingroom. Currently on the screen, Miss Rogers is making audiences sit up and take notice by her acting, singing and dancing in “Roberta” with Irene Dunne and Fred Astaire. * • • m Margo, blonde Spanish-American ac-tress-dancer, appearing with George Raft and Carole Lombard in Paramount’s “Rumba,” abbreviated her name to the single word, because she did not have time to write on cheques her full name, which is Donna Maria Margratia Guadalupe Bastado Castilla!

“Here is My Heart” Bing Crosby received word from England recently that members of the Royal Family—The Prince of Wales, the Duke of York and Prince George—had attended the showing of “Here Is My Heart” in London. The English press featured the event, pointing out that having any one of the three princes attend a public cinema theatre was a rarity, and the attendance of all three was indeed an auspicious occasion. The princes usually see- pictures at private showings in Buckingham Palace, and only on rare occasions. Crosby, elated over the report, hoped that the princes would like as well his latest picture, “Mississippi,” when it is shown in England. Let It Be Velvet! Velvet is to take pride of place in the new season’s fashion goods, according to Joan Bennett, who is featured with Bing Crosby in "Mississippi.” For this town suit Jean has chosen wallflower velvet with a fine cord.' The very newest lines are embodied in the high-necked, split tunic and the skirt which is finely pleated in front. Highlighted by an immense bronze buckle and matching brooch, this outfit is just the thing for winter wear, and as accessories, Joan has chosen beige felt trimmed with brown velvet for her hat, pigskin matching tones for her bag and gloves and jaunty brown and white kid shoes.

“All the King’s Horses” It is a King who has to change his clothes more often in the course of a full day than anyone, regardless of environment, in the world to-day. Carl Brisson, Danish star under contract to Paramount, is probably the first commoner to make this discovery. And Brisson arrived at it quite accidentally. It was while he was playing the kingly role in Paramount’s new picture, “All the King’s Horses.” Producers of the picture decided that they would avail themselves of an excellent opportunity to display a royal wardrobe. As the King, Brisson, naturally, was called upon to act as model. And this is what happened:

Brisson had to dress and yndress a dozen times. From regal clothes of social formality this Danish star plunged into naval and army insignia. When Brisson was finished, he felt quite exhausted. If he ever possessed any envy for holders of sceptres it had perspired away in the course of his rapid changes. And Paramount, as the result of Brisson’s busiest day, now has several hundred feet of film which it is incorporating in “All the King’s Horses.” The kingly wardrobe, however, won’t take much more than three minutes to display Itself on the screen. Mary Ellis plays the feminine lead and Frank Tuttle is directing.

Patsy Kelly, one of the funniest and best-known comediennes of stage and screen, has been signed for a leading comedy role in “Four Stars for Love” the new musical picture to be made by RKO Radio. Walter Lang will direct “Four Stars for Love” which will have several thrilling Negro dance numbers staged by Earl Dancer.

“Alice Adams” “Alice Adams” one of the finest novels written by Booth Tarkington, has been purchased by RKO Radio Pictures as a starring production for Katharine Hepburn. The heroine of this favourite story is epected to furnish Miss Hepburn with a role perfect for her unusual personality and talents.

“Chained” In “Chained,” which is the Regent’s Saturday attraction, Joan Crawford and Clark Gable are co-starred in a story written especially for them by Edgar Selwyn, noted writer, director and producer. They are cast in the kind of roles which each has made famous —Joan as

a vivid young lady of Manhattan, and Clark as a young American rancher in Buenos Aires. With Otto Kruger as the “other man,” a rich, gentlemanly, middleaged New Yorker, also in love with Joan, the story takes on dramatic power. Following the new trend of fast moving locale, the background against which the action takes place is as swift changing as the drama itself. Beginning with a sun-flecked motor boat sequence on New York bay, the locale swiftly shifts to Manhattan, then to a luxurious liner at sea, then to Buenos Aires, South America, out on to a great ranch, back to New York, and thus to a smart mountain resort in the North. The story itself concerns a beautiful girl who deliberately breaks one man’s heart to save a man to whom she is

indebted from suffering. Then she bravely faces the dramatic consequences,* with tlie surprise ending a happy one for all three. Clarence Brown, M.G.M.’s ace director, who was behind the megaphone of "Chained,” also directed Joan in her last hit picture, “Sadie McKee.” Armed with a powerful story and a remarkable oast, he has woven “Chained” into a brilliant photoplay of humour and drama. Stuart Erwin plays the part of Gable’s friend, whose wise observations add flavour to the rapidly placid story. Una O’Connor and Marjorie Gateson are equally well cast as Joan’s companion, and Kruger’s wife, respectively. Also featured are Paul Porcas, Akim Tamioff and Ralph Bushman. John Lee Mahin, well known scenarist, adapted Selwyn’s story to the screen. George Folsey, ace cameraman, was responsible for the photography. Hunt Stromberg was the producer.

How Mary Astor Keeps Fit 4 Mary Astor, who was the leading feminine role in the First National production “Red Hot Tyres,” makes no secret about her pet method of exercise. She lives in the exclusive Toluca Lake District in North Hollywood, and each morning before breakfast she starts out, togged in heavy sweater and loose athletic shorts, and trots along the road skirting the lake shore for half a mile. At the half-way mark she pauses for a brief rest and then jogs back to her home. After a shower she is ready for a hearty breakfast and then prepares for her day at the studio. Her latest picture. “Red Hot Tyres” is a dynamic drama of the auto race tracks with speed thrills that will take the breath. There is a stirring and unusual romance in which two daredevil drivers battle both for racing honours and the love of a beautiful girl, the part played by Miss Astor. Lyle Talbot heads the cast, which also includes Roscoe Karns, Frankie Darro, Gavin Gordon, Mary Treen and Henry Kolker. D. Ross Lederman directed. A vast courtyard setting featured by cherry trees in full blossom and a beautiful fountain is the locale of brilliant fashion show scenes of “Roberta” RKO Radio’s picturisation of the Jerome Kern musical hit which stars Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. ‘’Babes in Toyland” Because it took up nearly as much space as a genuine village street, the world’s largest sound stage had to be produced to accommodate the Toyland village street scene of “Babes in Toyland,” new feature-length picture

starring Laurel and Hardy, which will be shown at the Regent Theatre soon. Two stages had to be combined in order that all of the buildings in the street scene might be placed on one set. The result was a structure 250 feet wide by 500 feet in length, 125,000 square feet in all. The entire structure, completely sound-proofed, was then transformed into a veritable wonderland. Lining both sides of the mythical thoroughfare were such buildings, made famous by the Mother Goose rhymes and other childhood writings, as the Drum House. Noah’s Ark, the home of the Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe, the Doll House, House of Wooden Blocks, the Wind Mill, as well as a Toyland school, toy factory, toy warehouse, a barracks, police station and many other little buildings. On this street appear many of childhood's mythical characters, Widow Peep and her daughter, 80-Peep, TomTom, Simple Simon, Mother Goose herself, Little Red Riding Hood, Santa Claus, Jack and Jill, the Three Little Pigs, Little Boy Blue, Puss in Boots, Jack Horner, the Queen •of Hearts, King Cole and many others, Victor Herbert’s beautiful music, rendered by Harry Jackson's famed radio orchestra, and sung by the gorgeous voices of Felix Knight and Virginia Karns, radio vocalists, when combined with Laurel and Hardy’s inimitable comedy and these extravagant settings, produces a film that sets a new high in the history of filmdom. In completion of the picture, Hal Roach made the city of Los Angeles a present of Toyland street and its unique structures, the setting to be erected at the children’s playground in Griffith Park, recreational centre of the Southern California city.

Supporting Laurel and Hardy in “Babes in Toyland” is a notable cast which includes Charlotte Henry, Henry Kleinbach, Florence Roberts, Felix Knight and Virginia Karns. Gus Meins and Carles Rogers were codiroctors of the picture.

Seasiek on Dry Land Barbara Stanwyck lives on the ocean, at Malibu Beach, California, a large part of the year. But she went 25 miles from the ocean to the First National studios in North Hollywood to get a case of real sea-sickness. The sickness developed in the production of the picture, “The Woman in Red.” In one sequence Barbara appears on a yacht off Long Island. The scene calls for quite a swell on the ocean, as one girl falls overboard and is drowned. Most of the shots were taken on the Pacific at Santa Monica, but close-ups were made in the studio on an improvised yacht built on rollers so that it would toss like a real yacht. It was while working on the dry land yacht that Barbara developed sea sickness. She had worked on the boat most of the day. Finally towards evening she staggered off to her dressing room. Frst aid was called and the doctor reported she had a genuine and very bad case of sea sickness. She went home for rest for two days.

Hand With Pencil During scenes of her new Paramount picture, “The Gilded Lily,” Claudette Colbert indulged her secret ambition by cartooning the members of the cast and company working with her. An inspection of one day’s caricatures by the gifted actress revealed creditable cartoons of Ray Milland, Fred MacMurray, her leading men, Le Roy Prinz, Paramount dancing director, and Sam Coslow, who wrote the songs for “The Gilded Lily.’’

“There’s Always To-morrow” With two of the outstanding players on to-day’s spreen together with what Hollywood has termed “the season’s perfect cast,” the most distinguished drama of American family life of the year, Ursula Parrott’s “There’s Always To-morrow,” will open at the Regent theatre on Wednesday next. It features Frank Morgan and Binnie Barnes, bringing the fascinating second wife of “Private Life of Henry VIII” to the screen in her first American film. She is now under long term contract to Universal. The story by Ursula Parrott, pictures two years in the life of a typical American father of five children whose sole function seems to be that of a ‘meal ticket.’ The existence of the family is tranquil until a girl who understands the husband-father re-enters his life. Gay and hilarious in its earlier reels the filmplay builds to one of the most tense situations created on the screen in some time. In addition to Mr Morgan and Miss Barnes, the cast includes Lois Wilson, as the wife, Louise Latimer, Universal’s latest importation from Broadway, Elizabeth Young, who won distinction with Garbo in “Queen Christina,” Robert Taylor, Alan Hale, Maurice Murphy, Dick Winslow, Helen Parrish and the noted New York comedienne, Margaret Hamilton. The picture is one of the most wholesome of the year, deriving its sparkling, buoyant humour from the counterplay in a typical American home. The film reunites three of the memorable family of “Seed,” Miss Wilson, Helen Parrish and Dick Winslow. “The Wedding Night” The word “exotic” has been used too frequently and indiscriminately in describing screen beauties, Count Sobieski, European portrait painter declared when he arrived in Hollywood recently. "Actually the word in its true sense means only something foreign,” he said. “However, Hollywood has taught America to accept it as descriptive of a form of strange, wonderful feminine beauty. It is in that sense I use it.” The only women in motion pictures deserving of the adjectives are Anna Sten, Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. “Miss Sten has one of the most expressive faces I have ever seen,” he said. “She has not only great beauty but also a face that reflects character and a knowledge of life. There is about her an aura of mystery, provocative and alluring.” Count Sobieski painted the portrait of Miss Sten in the magnificent ornate bridal gown she wears in “The Wedding Night,” the Samuel Goldwyn production for release' through United Artists, in which she and Gary Cooper appear as the screen’s new romantic team.

Paramount Cameramen For five successive years, Paramount cameramen have won the annual award of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for excellence of photography. The system of awards has been in effect for seven years. “With Byrd at the South Pole” won the bronze statuette in 1929 for cameramen Vandeveer and Rucker: “Tabu” won it for Floyd Crosby in 1930: "Shanghai Express" as photographed by Lee Garmes won in 1931-32: “A Farewell to Arms” brought the prize to Charles Lang in 1932-33 and “Cleopatra” with Victor Milner as the 193334 winner, was just recently announced. Winner the first year, 1927-28 was Carl Struss, for “Sunrise,” who is now under contract to Paramount as Mae West’s cameraman. Struss will do the camera work in Mae West’s latest starring picture, “How Am I Doing?”

Eighteen young dancers, coated from head to foot in gold paint, are featured in the night club scenes from Paramount’s “Paris in Spring,” featuring Mary Ellis and Tullio Carminati.

Most Curious of Hollywood Girls The most curious girl at the Warner Bros, studio is Jean Muir, who has the leading role in ‘‘The White Cockatoo”. Because of that curiosity she has leaped to motion picture stardom in just one year. When Miss Muir came to the screen, by her own admission, she knew absolutely nothing about the mechanics of picture making. She made up her mind to learn, and from that time on she was a familiar figure in each and every department. When workers in the studio realised the girl with a million questions was utterly sincere in her desire to learn, they became interested and gladly helped her. Her first role was that of a corpse in “The Bureau of Missing Persons.” Six months later she was playing second leads and her splendid work in pictures gave her the stellar role in “The White Cockatoo.” In “The White Cockatoo” she is associated with a cast consisting of Ricardo Cortez, Gordon Westcott, Ruth Donnelly, Minna Gomball, Walter Kingsford, Pauline Garon, John Eldredge, Andre Cheron and others. The picture, adapted to the screen by Ben Markson and Lillie Hayward from the novel by Mignon G. Eberhart, was directed by Alan Crosland.

Half a billion candlepower was used for lighting the Battle of Waterloo sequences in “Becky Sharp,” starring Miriam Hopkins. The picture is directed by Roubon Mamoulian, and has an impressive cast including Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Alan Mobray.

An Excellent Double Bill Teaching the daughter he loves tc love another man is the dramatic feat accomplished by Richard Dix in his starring role in “His Greatest Gamble,’ RKO-Radio picture coming to the Theatre Royal, In this production, Dix portrays a scapegrace but well-intentioned father who seeks to guide his child to happiness, at no matter what the cost may be to him. He steals the girl from the mother’s cosseting custody, but their life together is terminated when an accidental killing sends him to gaol for a long term. Ten years pass, and the daughter is rendered weak-willed, and at her mother’s dictation almost gives up the man she loves. At which her father breaks gaol and precipitates a pulsating climax which saves the girl’s happiness, although it sends him back tc prison for life. A grand cast, comprising many of the foremost featured stars in Hollywood, appears in the second feature. Columbia’s “Once to Every Woman,” the screen version of the widely read Cosmopolitan Magazine novelette, "Kaleidoscope in K.” Fay Wray, who in the past year has assumed imposing proportions on the Hollywood horizon, is cast hr the featured role of “Mary Fanshawe,” a professional woman who falls in love with Walter Byron, against her better

judgment. wnen Byron is unmasked as % philanderer, she seeks consolation in the sincere devotion of Ralph Bellamy, a brilliant young surgeon, then to discover that his love is what she had mistakenly believed Byron's to be.

Owing to the immense size of the sets built by Cecil B. de Mille for scenes in his current Paramount picture. “The Crusades.” it was found necessary to equip them with public address systems through which de Mille couid direct the hundreds of extras?