THE “STAR”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18805, 6 July 1929, Page 25 (Supplement)

THE “STAR”

NEW ZEALAND’S OFFICIAL FILM NEWSPAPER

By

“ THE MOVIE MAN ”

OFFICIAL FIRST RELEASES IN EACH CENTRE FOR NEW ZEALAND.

WEEK COMMENCING JULY 8, 1929.

GENERAL FILM GOSSIP.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. K.W.—David Rollins, Mary Astor, Leatrice Joy, Nancy Drexel and Charles Farrell, Fox Studio, Hollywood, California. Viola Dana and Virginia Valli. Columbia Pictures. 1438, Gower Street, Hollywood, California. John Darrow, Caddo Productions, 1040, Das Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, California, Clive Brook, Paramount Studio. Hollywood, California. Greta Nissen and Antonio Moreno, First National Studio, Burbank, California. George Dewis and Havden Stevenson, Universal Stud’o, Universal City, California. Frank Albertson was the other boy in "Prep and Pep.” Address Fox Studio. Lilian Oldland had the part of Virginia in " Virginia's Husband.” Address not give in ' The Kinematograph Year Book.” Mabel Poulton, 38, Spital Square, Bishopsgate. E.C-, London. Regret I have not been able to obtain a cast of '* The Collegians.” V.M.S. —Metro-Goldwyn Studio, Culver City, California, should find bo-.h Alma Rubens and Eva von Borne. Questions are answered through this column, not by post. At Everybody’s Theatre next wecic, Adolphe Menjou will be seen in A Gentleman of Paris.” It is now_ some time since Menjou has been seen in this city, and his return will be welcome i. He still retains all his polished and cynical mannerisms of the man of t e world, and the picture he plays in has the sophistication and tartness of a typical French comedy of life. N ->t all laughter is this comedy, for it is too true to type, but Menjou mal js every scene faintly amusing no what it is about. Nicholas Soussan:ni, as his valet, contributes a brilliant bit of dramatic acting, and the ladies are played by Shirley O’Hara, Arlette M rchal, Ivy Harris and Lorraine Eddy. “A Gentleman of Paris” is a pure gem of piquant comedy. Also at Everybody’s next week will be “The Ware Case,” from the stage play of P. G. Bancroft, a son of Sir Squire Bancroft. It is hailed as one of the best murder mysteries ever written, and without being at all too gruesome and terrifying, it still is immensely exciting and. baffling. Stewart Rome and Betty Garter have the main roles. At Crystal Palace Theatre next week Anna May Wong, the Chinese actress, will be seen in “Show Life.” which is a tragic romance of a Chinese dancei and a broken-down actor in the English music halls. This picture takes one through the panorama of the East, the east that lies east of Suez. It is a story of love that is doomed from the start, and is a delicately-acted, beautifully-produced picture'. It is always intensely interesting, notwithstanding the atmosphere of fatalism that pervades it, and Anna May Wong acts her part delightfully. Also at Crystal Palace Theatre will be “Red Wine,” a picture recommended to adult audiences. Conrad Nagel, June Collyer and Sharon Lynn play the main parts, and it is all about a wicked young husband who listened to the voice of the sirens for one night June Collyer is the wife who sits by the family hearth, and then makes up her mind to be clever. It is a delight fully humorous and human story, and with some snappy scenes of the night life, with Sharon Lynn and her assistants doing their stuff in the merry night club. At Liberty Theatre another talkie programme will be presented. This includes the comedy “Give and Take,” and stars George Sidney, George Lewis, Jean Hersholt and Sharon Lynn It is the first all-talking comedy ever screened in New Zealand, and it would have been a laugh riot merely as a silent film. As a. talkie, however, it is doubly humorous. It is a tale of love and business, and the two won’t mix The Jewish comedian, George Sidney, and the Danish comedian. Jean Hersholt. are partners, and the Sidney son comes home from college to modernise the factory. There is uproar, and a lot of fun to follow. The dialogue is witty and smart, and’the story is all that is pleasing. The usual programme of short supporting subjects will be screened The Royal Hawaiians in new Island melodies. Fox Movietone News of the World in.sight and sound two comedies, “The Raw Recruit,” and “Barnum and Bailey,” and the service last year at the Cenotaph on Armistice Day, showing and recording the marchpast, the arrival of H.M. the King, the massed bands of the Brigade of Guards, “The Last Post.” “Reveille.” and the National Anthem. Altogether a most interesting talking programme next week. At the Grand Theatre three “big” pictures will be screened. “Detectives.” a Karl Dane-George Arthur comedy, heads the list, to be followed by Hoot Gibson in “The Lariat Kid.” Then the first chapter of the great chapter play. “Tarzan the Mighty,” will be screen ed, from the famous and sensational book by Edgar Rice Burroughs. “Detectives” sees Dane and Arthur as amateur sleuths in a fashionable hotel, with the telephone girl (Marceiine Day) and themselves involved in a big jewel robbery. It is hugely funny. “The Lariat Kid” is another typically thrilling and amusing Hoot Gibson picture. The first chapter of “Tarzan * is entitled “The Terror of Tarzan,” and is a revelation of life in the jungle, and a tremendously thrilling and spectacular chanter. “ A Woman Redeemed,” a British production from the Stoll studio, heads the current programme at the Strand Theatre. It is a strong drama—adapted from the thrilling secret service story by F. Britten Austin. The story is laid in Paris and London, and tells of a young English inventor who perfects plans for a powerful war-plane. A secret foreign society, the head cf which is a wealthy count, desires -o secure the plans, and in a novel way uses a charming English girl as the pawn in his political game. Brian Aherne, who is rapidly becoming one of the most popular of English scr< n actors, is seen as the young invent r. John Lockton is the English gi-l. Many novel camera angles and beardful backgrounds are features of the production. the story of which is said -:o held the interest of the spectator from start to finish. The pictures to be shown at the Theatre next week, commencing 0,1 Monday, will be “The Battle of the

Griffith, and “ Steamboat Bill, Jun.,” featuring that well-known comedian. Buster Keaton. “ The Battle of the Sexes ” tells a story that is universal in its appeal. It presents a picturisation of home life, as it is lived in the average home, moments of supreme happiness and of depression, all of which is reflected in the character development of the leading players. The principal parts are filled by Jean Hersholt, Phyllis Haver, Belle Bennett, Don Alvarado and Sally O’Neill, In “ Steamboat Bill. Jun.,” Buster Keaton appears as the “ softy ” son of a burly Mississippi river boat captain, who essays to help his father in the troubles that face him There is ample scope for Buster’s type of comedy Ernest Torrence has a great part as the father, and the girl is Marion Byron. “The Jazz Singer,” at the Theatre Royal, has drawn crowded houses during the week, and will be continued next week, finishing on Thursday evening. On Friday the all-talking drama. “ The Wolf of Wall Street,” will be presented. The film abounds in tense situations, dealing with stock market manipulations which afford excellent material for dialogue. The picture has proved a tremendous success in America. Heading the cast is George Bancroft, for whom the story was expressly written. Hi? principal supports are the well-known Russian actress, Balanova, Paul Lukos and Nancy Carroll. , The management of the Grand Theatre offer prizes in connection with the chapter picture, “ Tarzan the Mighty,” the first chapter of which will >e screened on Monday. The competition i? confied to boys and girls under the age of fourteen years. Competitors are required to collect the Tarzan animal cards which will be given away at every screening, and the competitor who collects a complete set of fifteen different cards, and writes the best essay of 100 words describing “ Why I Like the Grand Theatre,” will be afforded the first chance of the several prizes offered Six prize? are offered Great enthusiasm was shown on Thursday night of last week when the Maori film, “ Under the Southern Cross,” was exhibited in Rotorua. The actors in the original play, including the hero and heroine, appeared on the stage, and gave a living illustration by poi dance and haka. The performance was opened by the Mayor, Mr T. Jackson. and the chief Mita Taupopo, in full tribal regalia, welcomed the visitors on behalf of the Arawa tribe. The film is recognised as a great advertisement to the Dominion. The three Moore brothers—Owen, Tom and Matt—appear in the R.K.O. production, “Forty Ninth Street.” In connection with the recently reported mergers of American motion picture interests, Adolph Zukor, president of Paramount Picture?, has cabled the head office in Sydney that that organisation will not merge with any other. Estelle Brody, whose recent successes in “ liindle Wakes,” “ Mademoiselle from Armentieres,” “ Week-end Comedy,” “ Kitty," etc., have made her an outstanding figure on the British screen is a fascinating Canadian brunette who made her first appearance in England in “ The Blue Kitten ” at the Gaiety Theatre, London, in 1925. " The Jazz Singer ” has broken the picture record put up in Sydney by “ The Ten Commandments ” —430 showings in a single theatre (says a Sydney paper). The movie that introduced th?, canned voice of A 1 Jolson had 537 screenings at the Lyceum. For weeks queues a hundred yards or more long waited for the opening of the morning sessions. The kaleidoscopic procession of rhythmic feet, rapid smiles, nimble wit and ever-changing colours that is called stage life has been cast into another story of the theatre, “On with the Show,” by Warner Bros. Entirely with dialogue, the production is also in natu ral colours. The cast include? Betty Compson, Arthur Lake, Sally O’Neil and Louise Fazenda. Latest advice from UFA states that a picture similar to “Chang” has been produced by Werner Bohne in the African jungle. This picture will have

periences and magnificent shots of wild African animals. The producers met with many exciting situations while in the jungle making this picture “ Pori “ is the title of the picture which will be released by Art Films. “Show Boat,” which played to 60,078 people in the first week of its run at the Tivoli, broke its own record on the second week, according to the reports of the Tivoli manager. In curious con tradiction to the usual practice, “Show Boat _ had its Los Angeles premiere after it had been running for over a week in London. Hollywood turned out in force for the first night, manv iamous stars being present at the performance, and since then the picture has been doing record business there. Chief Secretary Argyle is experiencing difficulty in enforcing the Australian him quota in Victorian theatres, and is a last resource is asking audiences to assist him (writes a Sydney “ Bulletin” correspondent). Managements habitu-

ally relegate the quota pictures to the end of a long Yankee programme, and most of the spectators file out when they see them coming. One theatre has even gone the length of throwing on an announcement that it is obliged to show the local celluloid, insinuating that it does so with reluctance, and its patrons apparently agree with it. Stupendous in the sweep of its scenes at sea, and tense and dramatic in its more intimate moments, “ The Divine Lad}*,” First National’s biggest produc tion of the }'ear, stands out not only because of its patriotic appeal but also because of its dramatic story. Corinne Griffith has never before given a more sincere or compelling performance than that as Lady Hamilton. A fine sup porting cast includes Victor Varconi, who ably supports Miss Griffith in his characterisation of Lord Nelson, and H. B. Warner, who gives a finished performance in his portrayal of Lord Ham ilton. Master of Comedy—and master of pathos, too —A 1 Jolson, now starring in Warner Brothers Vita phone production “ The Singing Fool.” is counted among the screen-’s greatest stars. As the sing ing waiter who becomes Broadway’s greatest composer, sinks to the depths and rises to the heights again, he gives a finished performance. Betty Bronson of “ Peter Pan ” fame, and Josephine Dunn, compete for honours secondarv to the star. Another notable! member is little Davy Lee, the three- i

year-old boy whom A 1 Jolson personally chose from more than five hundred children who applied for the role. Carl Brisson, who won fame in a night by his performance as “ Danilo ” in the London revival of “ The Merry Widow,” and has since become a popular musical comedy hero, seems likely to achieve even greater success on the screen. He is now on a long contract with a leading British firm, and his first picture, “ The Ring,” was praised by the critics. He will be seen as “ Pete ” in the screen version of Sir Hall Caine’s story, “ The Manxman ” Mr Brisson is a fine athlete. He was a light-weight amateur boxing champion when he was seventeen, and holds more than one award for saving life from drowning. In spite of the fact that she is the best known comedienne in the business, Marion Davies, of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, made the rounds of all the studios in Los Angeles in search of a job, and was turned down. The episode, however, was merely in her latest picture, “Show People.” In this production Miss Davies portrays the role of a motion picture actress, for the film is a story of life and love behind the scenes in cinemaland. The part demands many characterisations, and to give it colour, Miss Davies has chosen a wide variety of costumes. William Haines so-stars with Marion Davies in “Show People.” Nils Asther, young Swedish actor, whose popularity has been constantly on the rise since appearing with John Gilbert in “ The Cossacks,” has signed a new long-term contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Asther’s rise to ♦he top rank of motion picture players has been accomplished in less than two years, and he is now said to have one of the largest fan followings of *.iy screen player. His roles include the masculine lead parts in “ The Cardboard Lover,” a Marion Davies starring vehicle, the juvenile lead in “ Laugh, Clown, Laugh,” Lon Chaney’s starring film, and an important part in the sensationally successful “ Our Dancing Daughters.” Baclanova, the Paramount player who has an important role in “ The Wolf of Wall Street,” an all-talking picture starring George Bancroft, was a former opera star. She was a pupil at the famous Moscow Art Theatre, and became one of the leading artists there. The actress studied for many months, and eventually starred in the Russian version of “ Carmen,” titled “ Carmencita and the Soldier.” Later she played the Madonna in “ The Miracle ” Baclanova’s voice is heard in two song 4 in “ The Wolf of Wall Street.” She also sings four songs in “ A Dangerous Woman,” another Paramount alltalkie. Both pictures are set for early release in New Zealand. Of “ White Shadows in the South Seas,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, the Sydney “ Film Weekly ” says: “One of the most entertaining pictures screened for many a long day. The scenes are taken in Polynesia, with its intriguing tropical scenery, its beautiful maidens and massively built men, a wealth of novelty—as provided in the amazing underwater scenes—and the hundred and one touches which the producer has introduced in order that not even the minutest detail might be overlooked. The story is of a most outstanding character. The acting is splendid, the action most natural, and the intimate glimpses of native life, something that has hitherto been denied us. As to the photography, most of it ha never been excelled. High grade! ’ The average idea that all Spanish girls burst into a fandango on Wit slightest provocation and always carry red roses between their teeth is all wrong, according to Renee Adoree Miss Adoree, whose mother was haif-Span-ish, plays the leading feminine role in “ Tide of Empire,” Metro-Goldwyn Mayer’s vivid screen version of Peter B Kyne’s famous story of the nian gold rush. “ Spanish women,” says Miss Adoree, “ are the most de mure, most feminine and least bold women in the world. The high caste girls are gently bred under the watch-

ful eye of a companion until thev are married.” “ Tide of Empire ” is a vivid drama of the California gold rush and includes George Duryea, William Collier, Jun., George Fawcett and others of note in the cast. The Patriot,” Emil Jannings' great Paramount production, opened the State Theatre, Sydney, on June 7 It was one of the most brilliant openings ever seen in Sydney. The Governor Genera] of Australia, Lord Stonehaven, accompanied by Lady Stonehaven and the Governor of New South Wales. Sir Dudley de Chaii and Lady de Chun were present with their suites The audience included many of the lead ing personalities of Sydney and repre sentatives of every motion picture or ganisation in Australia. A special ad dress of welcome to the theatre was made from the screen by Mr Dow, Sec retary in New York to the Trade Com missioner of Australia. That Short Talking Picture was made at the Paramount Long Island Studios, by cour tesy of Paramount Pictures. Critics who have stated that the talkies will corrupt the English lan IT-age by the introduction of American accent and expressions, have lost sight of the fact that actors and actresses who are portraying certain individual characters must speak in the accent of the language called for. Stage characters hare used many totally different accents and dialects. Jewish characters have spoken tvpically Jew-

ish accents, Cockneys with the Cockney twang. Italians with an English all their own. A French character without an accent would hardly be true to stnge type, in the same way that Sir Harry Lauder without a Scotch accent would not be Sir Harry Lauder. So far the stage has not been accused of corrupting the English tongue, although the language that is spoken from the footlights in a fair percentage of cases is hardly academi cal. The talkies will follow the stage in this respect. What did screen favourites do the first day they worked in motion pictures? John Gilbert donned chaps and a ten-gallon hat, and did a cow boy bit in a William S. Hart picture Norma Shearer pulled a woolly sweater over, her head and acted like a college girl in a New York studio the day she made her debut—as an extra. Lon Chaney was a crook in a mob scene on his first day at work, and the first day Eddie Nugent went to work at the Metro-Goldwyn studios, he slipped and fell in front of the camera and almost lost his job for being so awkward. John Mack Brown was a soldier on his first day of screen work Joan Crawford was a dancing girl extra when she first stepped before a camera and Raquel Torres jumped into a tank of water on a comedy lot before she had a chance in “ White Shadows in the South Seas.” Anita Page walked right in as William Haines’s leading lady in “Telling the World Renee Adoree doubled as a circus rider for someone else on hex first . day's work, and Greta Garbo played i a coy ingenue in her initial film ap- \ pearance. William Haines did a clowning bit, ami Buster Keaton did trick falls in a comedy by way of | making his screen entrance.

j Jannings has gone back to Germany. presumably never to return to pictures ; in this country (says the "Exhibitois Herald-World” an American trade pub lication). Jannings. apparently, was not a success lie is a great actor, unsurpassable, but outside of a few big cities his pictures did not draw Jan nings was permitted to do only pathos, or rather bathos, in this country. It didn’t take a string of pictures to prove that this wasn’t the only thing he could do Everyone who had ever seen Jannings knew he was a magnificent comedian, still is. But was he ever given a chance at comedy ? Even with the great dearth of comedians, a dearth that will from that very nature of things always exist, no attempt was made to give Jannings a free rein in the field of comedy. Now, pre sumably, because of the advent of talking pictures. Jannings is gone. This is little short of tragic. Jan nings should never have been dismissed. Jannings shouldn’t be dismissed any more than Charlie Chaplin should be dismissed. Australian producers (says “The Australasian,” Melbourne) are not likely to be altogether pleased with the conditions governing the award by the Federal Ministry of prizes of £SOOO. £2500 and £ISOO for the best dims made in Australia between the beginning of this year and March 31. 1930. The pictures must be of the normal length of 5000 ft to 8000 ft. British capital must be used in the production, and no awards will be made unless the entries attain a reasonable standard. The condition that will probably be least palatable to the Australian producers, whom the j award is intended to help, is that I which provides that 50 per cent of the j persons engaged in the production shall { be British subjects who have resided I lor two years in Australia. Under this' condition it will be possible fur an

Australian investor, or one from Britain, to win the prizes with a film made in this country by foreign directors, photographers and players, provided that an equal number of local persons are employed in minot capacities. If players and technicians are brought from overseas to compete for the award they will almost certainly leave Australian as soon as their work is done. If this occurs and prizes are won by films made in this way, the award will fail in its object, which is to assist the permanent establishment of moving picture production in Australia. Twenty yearn in partnership, Chester Conklin and his moustache recently parted company. Comedy or tragedy, farce or domestic drama, Chester and the walrus adornment decorated together. The break came in “Stairs of Sand.” There have been vicissitudes in the life of that moustache It was donned when Chester in an obscure legitimate comedy role years ago was instructed to work out a funny makeup, and decided that a hirsute handle bar would be about as funny as anything else. Several times it has in creased or diminished in size, or altered in shape. At Erich ven Stroheim’s re quest it became a flowing, virile affair for “Greed.' It curled towards Chester’s ears in what Conklin took to be the French manner for “A Kiss in a “I’m not pretty enough—” That was the excuse Louise Fazenda always gave when urged to take part in school theatricals. Now she is playing • the role of a beautiful giri in Warners’ Vitaphone Technicolour spectacle, “On With the Show." "There were two girls in my class at l.os Angeles High who had brilliant futures predicted for them. One was stunning and dark.

She was Carmel Myers. The other was little and blonde—just about the cutest trick in school. She was Bessie Love. They were in every class play that came along, and I watched them with envy and wished that I were as pretty as they. It didn’t occur tq me that anyone but a raving beauty could have a stage career.” According to Louise, it was economic pressure that landed her in the movies. She had to get some kind of job after graduation, and because she had no special training she counted on an extra’s pay for her live lihood. :: sc k “What Price Glory” might well be the name of a trial scene Held in a Hollywood Judge’s courtroom this week (writes a Hollywood correspondent under date May 11). The question that the Judge had to decide was, in brief, just what it is worth to risk breaking one’s neck, leg, or what have you, all in the day’s work for a movie stunt man? The bill submitted by Jack Case, cowboy, reads as follows: To being thrown to the ground while riding two bucking horses at the same time, 75d01; to seven falls from running horses at lOdol a fall, 70dol; to riding a horse off a twenty-foot rocky cliff into a running river, lOOdol; to twenty-four stage coach runs, driving six horses down a steep incline and crawling out on tongue of coach while horses are at full speed, at 25d0l a run, GOOdol. These stunts were done in connection with the filming of “The California Mail Express,” and defendants m the case are the Charles Rogers Productions and First National Pjoductions, who complained that the bin is entirely too high.

DAILY LIFE IN FHJVTOOM. A Western Single. All the boys who were accustomed to live handsomely when Western movies were the thing had a fat heyday ot late when one studio made a single of the wide open spaces. Bac«c they came from the job® they had to take when their careers came to a sudden close. Back to the studio lights and the grease paint came the Cahengua Avenue boys, those cowpunching bucks many of whom wore 2 Stetson like a cigarette ad., chapparajps with a mane eight inches long, the highest heels, the sharpest spurs, the broadest belts, the most intimidating vocabularies. What mattered it that a lot of them would have fainted at sight of a wild horse. Cowboys they were, so far as the public were concerned. Out of vaudeville. Out of the land of the imagination. Out of janitors’ jobs. Off milk wagons. Great huskies with oversize shoulders and undersize hips. The kind that make little ladies with undersize mentalities sigh and look wistful. All the good bathroom baritones among them got into the al 1-West talkie, which was a “singie.” This is a broad order, for any good healthy human of the male species is a baritone in the bathroom should he choose. What tile walls won’t do for a man with vocal aspirations! Or a woman! How do you suppose I found this out? The Lady-killing Type. Matinee idols almost disappeared from the earth of late years. Women took the place of the heart-breaking boys who lured feather-weight mentalities into theatre seats of afternoons.

The girls went to see how Billie Dove did her hair. Or hovr Greta Garbo did her stuff. To imitate Norma Shearer’s sports clothes. Or acquire the demure comeon of Lois Moran. Of course the dark and lovely boys had their hours, too. But the sort of matinee-idoling which was a nation’s pastime a few

years back was waning. Until—Gary Cooper was made a lady-killing type, and a lady-killer's personality was grafter upon him. You find his head on the covers of fan magazines. And when have they ever featured men before? In Cooper’s most recent pictures thera is a frank play to the hey-hey girl element. The kind that like their skirts short, their liquor strong and their men menacing. The Best. Hollywood now insists that the best Russian tyes in the colony are AmeriTbe best everything in this gelatine pillage is something else. The best gin is synthetic. The best picture the one that was never made. The loveliest blonde a brunette. The prettiest titian-haired girl was born with raven locks. The cleverest producer died at birth. 55 55 Btartssg With a Clean Slate. If you were an old-time movie girl ftdth a pretty face and a flair for rollyour eyes about in a way to make the audience know that your boy friend was hiding behind the door while you cajoled your husband to go out on the terrace long enough to let the boy friend slip out the back way— Where was I? Oh. yes, if you were ft good movieite, and read William le

Baron s orders to his staff, what would you think about business for the com- “ There is no deadwood in our back yard now. Don’t start loading up with anv;’ The producer goes on to_ say: “We are a new organisation. We are starting from scratch. We are not loaded with any holdovers from the silent regime. Everyone who joins us must be specially qualified for the talkies.” And again: “We shall want all our girls to be able to sing and dance." About the only thing a star can leave out of her daily grind these days X 3 cooking lessons. The graces are passing in movies for the arts have arrived. Mary and Doug are to do Shakespeare. Mary’ has made .the hit of the year with her venture into drama. And Doug is to shed the hose and doublets of elder Dumas for the abbreviated Shakespearean version of Oxford bags which Petruchio wore. With Mary as the shrew Katherine, and the bard of Avon complicating things for the microphone with his involved sentences intended for a leisurely audience we shall see. The most interesting thing of all is the fdet that Sam Taylor, the same director who saw Mary through all the days of little girl roles, will carry right on into Shakes*eare ’ « * « The Moore Brothers. The three Moores are coming back in a picture. These are respectively Tom Moore. Matt Moore and Owen Moore. All three fascinating Irishmen are to be seen in a story which will be a tale of contemporary New York. If it’s made in sound, sez I, they won t be able to hear the Moores by reason of the subway. And other charming little New York sounds. Not forgetting the steel riveters —those Manhattan meadow-larks who make the early morning glorious. <1 5? New Types Arrive with the Talkies. Hollywood gazes with an apprehensive eye at the new type which talkies have brought into the colony. Typical of the revolution in beauty and fashion is Carlotta King, who is being launched as a star of the musicalcomedv angle of this new art. One who is accustomed to the bizarre whimsies and unconventional speech of the old-time movieite is lost on first encounter with this new artist. Her kind is not to be found in the studios where kleigs have given way to electrics and where the megaphone has yielded sway to the microphone. She doesn’t ride in an orchid-coloured limousine. ITer conversation isn t iarcled with expletives which would make a longshoreman wince. She hasn t made the front page. And doesn t particularly v. ant to unless she can do so in the line of work. Her jades and diamonds are conspicuous enough to be smart, but not blatant. Her printed

crepe de chine frock is in dull modish tones, and the little casque of bronze straw which tops her toilette is cunningly curved to frame her face. But it all' smacks of the fine boulevards of the 'Continent and the expensive little side streets of New York. It’s a million miles removed from the gilt-trim-med salons of Hollywood boulevard, where a white fox is still the password to elegance and a red dress is the last word in swelldom. Carlotta King orders just the right salad and eats it in just the right way. Her conversation leaves herself politely to one side that she may discuss the newest operas, the best books, the modernistic movement in interior decoration. She has a background that would pass muster in any drawingroom in any land. A husband tnat s a poet. A soprano voice that nets her one of those nice fat talkie-tone salary cheques. And that cheque is probably the only plebeian trace you’ll ever find in Carlotta King. She doesn’t call } 7 ou “dearie” or “kid” or “baby.” There isn’t a “swell” in her entire vocabulary. She never pulls a “nifty” and she has had “opportunities” in Hollywood instead of “breaks.” She floats in on that wave or music and music-makers which began with tin-pan-alley on every lot and is culminating in Chaliapin and Tito Ruffo with salaries that give you apoplexy to even think of. She is part of that new regime which carried John Boles, imported to Hollywood to play opposite Gloria Swanson in a picture which turned out to be a total loss, to a place more powerful in movieland to-day than even Gloria Swanson can command. For Gloria isn’t a singer. And just now producers bend the knee only to someone who can create talkie or sound effects. Carlotta King has had one husband. The same one she began married life with. When I think of Gloria, who was swung from custard pies to coronets within the arc of youth, I wonder. Could Hollywood have ever begun with such charming personalities as Carlotta King? I fear not. Hollywood was a mining town in celluloid. Ladies came hither to open hash-houses and ended by commanding a corps of butlers, chauffeurs, producers, and even princes. ' If such a lady choose to have a purple head one day and a canary yellow one the next, isn’t she entitled to it? If such a queen dig her butler in the ribs with a rosy finger-tip and huskily command: “Give handsofhe over there another cocktail and be quick about it!” Who is there to cavil? Hand some is having a far better time most probably than he has ever had before. But here in this celluloid town, now grown up and permanised into something a little less rawly colourful on the surface, is beginning another reigning dynasty. Beauty and culture and charm—where once was colour and courage and cuss words. Perhaps in the long run the legitimate will claim these subtle green orchids of the new Hollywood wardia and leave the red lilies that once were indigenous to the soil to bloom again undisturbed. Hollywood concerns itself about the fate of Gloria Swanson. One of the

most colourful figures of the village and one of the most able exponents of the art of silent drama faces the talkie impasse. But, one of a group who have gone east to discuss another merger, Gloria Swanson moves to-day among cinemaites with undimmed splendour.

Her frocks are the most chic. Her taut charm is undiminisherl. Rumour says that her bankroll is depleted, but Gloria’s dinners for fifty and sixty people are still put on with the old finesse. A vital part of the Hollywood game is maintaining the panoply of financial plethora. The village has only one common gauge—money. If 3 t ou are

in need there must be something wrong with you. Seldom does the village say: “Here is genius, even if it is in rags.” Gloria Swanson, knowing her village and knowing that they are perfectly aware of the fiasco of the picture on which she has been working these months past, puts on a sartorial show for the colony’s benefit. The much-discussed _ which Gloria Swanson and Eric von Stroheim began and Gloria Swanson and Eddie Goulding tried to carry on, is, I am told, one of those impossible stories that nobody could carry through to a successful climax. What weird naivete brings experienced and able screen artists like Miss Swanson to choose such a weak vehicle? Gloria Swanson turned down ten thousand dollars a week salary and a long contract to make her own pictures. Her first venture, counted a failure, threw her into the shadowy area of waning stars. She came back one hundred per cent in her version of Sadie Thompson in celluloid. It was not a subtle version—nor even an original one—yet Gloria put it over. The latest —and now discarded picture—is said to have opened with a street shot of a lady (Gloria Swanson) losing her lingerie. “Now what,” asks

my informant, “can you do with a thing like that?” Figure out the answer for_ yourself. It’s better mental g3-mnastics than crossword puzzle stuff any day. Into the Talkies. On top of this is the announcement that Charlie Farrell and Janet Gay nor will talk. As if you hadn’t guessed by now. Everyone will talk—once, anvwar. And some will survive while others 'will pass out with the first sentence. There’s no more recipe for forecasting all of this than there was when a new star was launched in pantomime. They either clicked with the public—and >'Ou sometimes wondered why—or they'didn’t. Often in the latter event you wondered how it could be that the masses could overlook someone you thought had so much to offer. Its much the same as marriage. But here in Holl>-wood they worry far more over their unsuccessful movies than they do over their unsuccessful marriages.

Feature. Make. Star. Yovra. Released by “The Terror” Warner All Star. Auckland. First National. “The Knight of Nights** First National. All Star. Auckland. First National. 4 The Ware Case” Pa the. Stewart Rome. Christchurch. First National. ‘ Oh Kay ” . First National. Colleen Moore. Dunedin. First National. ' Thoroughbreds’* Universal. Marian Nixon. Auckland. Universal. Gi\e and Take’ Universal. Sidney-Hersholt. Christchurch. Universal. “T.irzan the Mighty” Universal. Christchurch. Universal. “The Lariat Kid” Universal. Hoot Gibson. Christchurch. Universal. “Thoroughbreds” Universal. Marian Nixon. Dunedin. Universal. “Mother Knows Best’* Fox. Madge Bellamy. Wellington. Fox. “Red Wine” Fox. Conrad Nagel. Christchurch. Fox. “No Other Woman” Fox. Dolores Del Rio. Christchurch. Fox. “True Heaven” Fox. Lois Moran. Dunedin Fox. “The Joker” British Domns. All Star. Auckland. British Dorans. “ The Ringer ” British Domns. All Star. Auckland. British Domns “ Troublesome Wives" British Domns. Mabel Poulton. Wellington. British Domns “The Joker” British Domns. All Star. Wellington. British Domns “A Woman Redeemed*’ .............. British Domns. Brian Aherne. Christchurch. British Domns “Virginia’s Husband” ................ British Domns. Mabel Poulton. Dunedin. British Domns.