MOTION PICTURES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19108, 28 June 1930, Page 26 (Supplement)

MOTION PICTURES

News of Plays and The Players

THE “C! {RISTCHURCH STAR ” IS NEW ZEALAND'S OFFICIAL FILM NEWSPAPER.

GENERAL FILM GOSSIP. At Crystal Palace Theatre next week there will be presented the Sir James Barrie play “The Old Lady Shows Her Medals,” which comes to the talking screen under the title, “ Seven Days’ Leave.” This picture is one of the best things the talkies have yet done, free from any semblance of that . familiar type of picture which finds expression in much singing and dancing and sentimental romance. “ Seven Days’ Leave ” is new, is different, ana is completely devoid of any love story whatsoever. Even for this it would have been remarkable, but Barrie attains the remarkable in other ways as well. The humour, the pity and the slender irc-ny of his story have been carefully preserved for the screen. This story of ai) old charwoman and her son is always as beautiful and tender as anything that Barrie has written. Gary Cooper, as the Highland soldier, and Beryl Mercer, as the old lady, head an all-British cakt. Cooper though an American was educated at an English public^school. ' At Everybodys’ Theatre next week that very delightful screen team of Miss Ruth Chatterton and Clive Brook will be seen in “ Charming Sinners,” from the story by Somerset Maugham, and indisputably the best picture that they have made together. Three other great names in the cast are W illiam Powell, Mary Nolan and Montagu Love. The stdry is not outstandingly diferent being the methods adopted by a clever wife to cure her husband of a serious flirtation

gt S a ® ffi liS ffl efi I*l ffl ® ffl i*i is IS ® m I*l ts i*i he is engaged in with her best friend. But Miss Chatterton does the thing so perfectly, and Clive Brook is such a delightful sinning husband, if there can. be such a thing, and Mary Nolan, as the false friend, and Montagu Love, as her suspicious husband, all fit into their niches so perfectly, that one comes away from “ Charming Sinners ” satisfied with having seen and heard a masterpiece of subtle comedy. The four leading roles in “Conquest,” one of the pictures to be screened at Liberty Theatre next week, are played by Monte Blue, H. B. Warner, Lois Wilson and Tully Marshall. The picture is from ail American novel,, “The Candle in the Wind,” which enjoyed a great vogue a few months ago. It was written soon after the ill-starred expedition of General Nobile’s “Italia,” and one or two of the more i controversial points •e dramatically ex-; ploited in “ Conquest.” It is the story of two men, enemies, who make a flight to the Pole. They reach their gc.al, but, returning, are forced to descend. One is wounded, and the other leaves him to die on the ice, and, coming back to civilisation, tells a fine tale of his own heroism, and of how he left his dead comrade in the frozeu wastes. When the other man confronts him, and his tale falls to pieces, there is played out a very tense drama indeed between the people concerned. Not only for its fine shots of a Polar flight (all in speech and sound, of course), but for its more human aspect, is “ Conquest ” a most notable film, and one worth going to see* Monte Blue, 11. B. Warner and Lois Wilson are seen to advantage in their roles. “Big Time,’’ the talking, singing and dancing picture to be screened at ♦he Majestic Theare next week, has cast of well-tried n d experienced •audevillians, headdby Lee Tracy, osebpine Durm nd Daphne Polird, the Austraan comedienne. Big Time” opens rith two young eople trying to ireak into what be profession calls big time,” that is, he great theatres jji.vuv. -'he man is an egotistical fool; his wife, who is also his partner, has the brains that will ulti-

mately land them into big time. /Josephine Dunn is the vamp, and with her advent begins the troubles that upset the team, that send the patient and long-suffering wife to Hollywood, and on to stardoom, and keeps the man in obscurity. Everything ends happily, however, and “Big Time” may be writ ten down as a very honest story of everyday people, something quite dif ferent from extravagant romances of exalted people. Lee Tracy is great as the high-spoken, small-time artist. Ken Maynard will be seen and heard in “ Parade of the West,” the supporting full-length talkie, at Liberty Theatre next week. Ilis own horse, Tarzan, is, of course, very much to 1 the fore in the story, and Rex, the wild horse, is also in the picture, which is a very interesting one of life in the West as it was in the romantic pioneering days. Ken Maynard is always satisfactory in roles that call for plenty of daring action and spectacular horsemanship. “ Parade of the West ” is rich in these sequences, and in the less rugged scenes Gladys M’Connell is seen to advantage. “The Last of Mrs Cheyney,” now showing at the Civic, is one of the finest of English plays that has been adapted to talking screen. The cast chosen by Metro - GoldwynMayer could not have been improved upon. Norma Shearer undoubtedly gives the finest performance of her career as Mrs Cheyney, the society crook, and Basil Rathbone as Lord Arthur Dilling gives a polished performance, his 'acting and speaking being perfect. In final scenes, when he catches Mrs Cheyney in the middle of her nefarious scheme and at the same time realises how much he loves her, he' rises to great heights. Ultimately he insists on “The Last of Mrs Cheyney” by that charming lady becoming the future Lady Dilling. As the butler-crook George Barraud gives a portrayal that is faithful in every detail, his diction

being perfect. The whole cast—except one—are Britishers. The supporting programme at the Civig is excellent. In addition to Mickey Mouse in “Jungle Rhythm,” Metro-Golden-Mayer provide a new type of “short” in “The Man Higher Up.'* This is powerful drama of dialogue between two men in connection with the white slave traffic. Ho.bart Bosworth and Robert Edison are the two characters, Bosworth taking the part of a doctor who, in revenge for the loss of his sweetheart in his youth, for forty years slowly tortures the man (Robert Edeson) who has caused her death. The scene is in the doctor’s office, and the enactment of it represents the fulfilment of the doctor’s scheme of revenge on the man who was responsible for his sweetheart’s death. The programme to follow the current one at the Theatre Royal will have as its features “ The Awful Truth” and “The Ship from Shanghai.” The former is an all-dialogue picture that tears the mask from the two great obstacles to marital happiness—pride and jealousy. It is a human, compelling, dramatic story of love and marriage subtly told. In a- Claire, famous stage actress, has the leading role, that of a sophisticated society woman who has trouble with her husband, and after they have been divorced, brings him back to her. Her histrionic ability, her charm, beauty and admirable voice are all conspiciously displayed in this dramatic picture. A totally different type of story is “ The Ship from Shanghai,” which deals with a mutiny at sea leading to the passengers being placed in the power of ard, who has gainard, who hasgained control of the ship’s water supply. The ship is wrecked and before the survivors are rescued the elemental nature of each creeps through the veneer of civilisation. A powerful dramatic story presented by a cast, which includes Conrad Nagel, Kay Johnson, Carmel Meyers and Louis Wolheim. America’s most distinguished star, John Barrymore, whose voice has charmed two continents on the stage, speaks from the screen for the first time as the star of “ General- Crack,” Warner Bros. Yitaphone special scheduled to open at Fuller’s Opera House

to-day. In the title role of “ General Crack,” adapted from the George Preedy novel, Barrymore enacts the son of a gipsy princess and a nobleman, who becomes the great-est-military. leader of his time. The role of General Crack—the mad Prince Christian—is a constant conflict between inherited traits. The i story is laid in 1 middle Europe during the early part \of the eighteenth century. In addition to making his initial bow as General Crack, Mr Barrymore also plays the father of his character in the prologue, and enacts his father’s ghost in later scenes. The exceptional cast appearing in his support includes Lowell Sherman, Marian Nixon, Armida, Hobart Bosworth, Jacqueline Logan, Otto Matieson and Philippe de Lacv. The picture had a great reception in America. The magnetism, resonance and melodious inflections of Barrymore’s voice, the perfect diction, and the ease with which he gained mastery over this new medium of expression proved, him to be one of the greatest acquisitions to the talking pictures that has yet been made. Clara Bow and Charles Buddy Rogers will be seen together at the Grand Theatre next week in “ Get Your Man,” a type of story that Miss Bo_w does supremely well. The story infinitely more original than one might expect from its title. Miss Clara is seen as a young American who is visiting Paris. She meets a young man, in unconventional circumstances, and promptly decides that as a life-partner, he qualified unreservedly. The young man is a French nobleman, who at the age of eight years had been betrothed to the infant daughter of Marquis. There was no getting out of a contract like that. But the girl from the States thought otherwise. It is an education, and an amusing one, to learn how Miss Clara gets her man, for she does get him. It is funny, bright, original, and quite clever. ft ft ft Richard Dix and Jean Arthur will be seen together at the Grand Theatre next week in “ Warming Up,” which is a snappy base-ball story. In this picture Richard Dix returns to his first love, those high powered, sporting dramas which he simply steps into. Phil McCullough makes a return also to these roles of faint villainy, and, as the “ king,” makes things un? pleasant enough for the doughty hero. Jean Arthur is altogether delightful as the girl in the case. • j “The Merry Widow,” which heads the current programme at the Strand Theatre, is based upon thefamous, stage musical comedy. It is a story of King’s Courts and princes’ courtships told amidst the picturesque beauty of the Balkans.. John Gilbert and Mae Murray have the leading roles, and also in the cast are Roy D’Arcy, George Fawcett and Tully Marshall. The principal supporting picture is “The Bellamy Trial,” a sensational mystery drama with a surprising and thrilling climax. Leatrice Joy, Kenneth Thompson and George Barraud have the leading roles.

*'‘Splinters,” a British Film. One of. the really great British talking. pictures will be screened at the Civic on Friday next, July 4. This is “Splinters,” a film which is enjoying great public support. It is the only one to run an extended season of two weeks at the Civic Theatre, Auckland, the largest house in this country, and is, at the moment, doing tremendous business at the Paramount, Wellington. In Melbourne it ran for eight weeks at four sessions a day, at a time, too, when business was the worst that Melbourne had experienced. In Sydney it is still going strong at the Lyceum, after seven weeks, and the “Film Weekly” of Sydney considers it will run for three months. “Splinters” is British throughout, British in sentiment, British in character and diction, and British in the entire production. Not only that, but “Splinters” conveys to the mind the tremendous difficulties that faced the army commanders when it was found that the men needed something to cheer them in their grim task of soldiering. It. was the G.O.C. of the First Army that conceived the idea of forming a soldiers’ concert party, and thus “Splinters”—meaning Fragments from into being. All the difficulties of formation are. faithfully shown and then the show grows and becomes one of the greatest attractions the world has ever seen. General Sir John Monash, G.C.M.G., K.C.8., says of “Splinters”: “I found ‘Splinters’ more, amusing and entertaining than anything I had seen on the screen as long as I can remember. It is a most excellent production, true to life and history and deserving of large patronage.” In Christchurch the film will be . shown under the patronage of the Returned Soldiers’ Association. Plans will be opened on Monday. At the Majestic Theatre and at Everybody’s Theatre next week there will be a sound picture of the Rugby test match that was played between New, Zealand and Britain at Dunedin last Saturday. Apart from the fine shots of the enormous crowd waiting in the baby blizzard that raged, there is a long and comprehensive picture of the match itself. A very good idea of the play of both teams can be obtained, and the scoring of the three tries is clearly seen. The roar of the crowd comes through well, and altogether this is a first-rate picture' of an historic event. Another celebrity will be at the Majestic and at Everybody’s next week. Miss Amy will speak, from the screen, as there will be screened a sound and talkie picture of her recent arrival in Sydney with FlightLieutenant C. T. P. Ulm. Miss Johnson makes a neat little speech, which the Sydney crowd promptly appplauds. The escort of ’planes, as she enters the city, is a very fine sight, and there is an excellent scene of the welcome and address in the Town Hall. The picture to follow* “Seven Day’s .^? ve ’’ at Crystal Palace Theatre is The Captain of the Guard,” which is a story of the early days of the French Revolution, and has John Boles in the role of Rbuget de Lisle, the author of “La Marseillaise.” Laura La Plante is the girl revolutionary in the story. “The Captain of the Guard” is a fine, stirring tale of days romantic and calamitous, with great mob scenes, the storming of the Bastille, the march on Paris of the southern men, and through all, a great tale of love and conspiracy. As de Lisle, John Boles is much better than he was in “The Desert Song” and “Rio Rita.” These gallant costume plays are his forte.

Of “Rookery Nook,” a British film coming to the Theatre Royal on July 19, a Melbourne writer says: “If British producers maintain the standard that has been set by ‘Rookery Nook,’ they should win the unsparing support of audiences that are already giving definite evidence of the fact that they are no longer interested by certain kinds of American pictures.” This British-made film is based on Ben Travers’s famous farce of the same name. The picture retains every bit of the crisp humour and funny dialogue that made the play the rage of London for a year, and proved a great attraction in America and Australia. The leading parts are in the capable hands of well-known English stage acttors—Ralph Lynn, Tom Walls, Mary Brough and Winifred Shotter.

A picture that has been booked for early presentation at the Majestic Theatre is “The Adventures of 513,” which was originally entitled “Men Without Women.” A change of title, however, does net affect the nature or trend of any story, and this picture, with its names altered from • sheer drama to adventure, is still the same picture that set the American critics wild with delight. A submarine collides with a ship in the China Sea, and sinks. - The men are' cut off, there is no hope of salvation. Frank Albertson is the youthful and inexperienced officer in -charge; Kenneth M’Kenna plays Burke, the. mystery man, who has been in the British service, and never , talks. The men, while waiting for death, discuss their pasts,-and what they ‘would - have liked the ; future to be. The tension increases. Divers locate the ship; the supply of oxygen is getting;less; salvation for all except one is in sight. Burke demands that he remains. . He and the officer have words.' He-; reveals wliy he welcomes death. James Kirkwood, movie actor, to-day filed'suit, for divorce against Lila Lee, his _ actress wife, . charging desertion (says a Los Angeies message, dated May 24). . “Sarah apd Son,” Paramount’s alltalking dramatic, gem, in Rptli Chatterton'is starred, had its New Zealand premiere at the Majestic Theatre, Auckland, on June 20. Marie Dresslerr, Metro-Goldwyn player never had a music, singing, dancing or elecution lesson in her life and. had no stage training whatever before landing'in musical comedy. There are 2000 regular employees at the > Paramoun t studios in HolPywood, exclusive of actors. Of the fortyseven players under contract, thirtyeight have had stage training. Five miles. of rich damasks, velours and decorative hangings of the Louis XIV. period were utilised in “dressing” the lavish sets in Radio Pictures’ original' screen operetta, “Dixiana,” starring Bebe Daniels 'and Everett Marshall. . Lew. Ayres, who played the j uvemle role opposite Greta Garbo in “The Kiss,” has the leading juvenile part in “Common Clay,” by Fox. Movietone. Constance Bennett, plays the lead, a highly dramatic characterisation. Hale Hamilton has an important part. For his distinguished work in “ Disraeli ” and “ The Green Goddess,” George Arliss has received the Eichelberger: award for 1930. The award is in the form of an elaborately engraved gold medal. The Warner Brothers star has received similar awards for stage appearances as well. Universal’s spectacular production, “ King of Jazz,” featuring Paul Whiteman and his band, opened at the Roxy Theatre, New York, on May 2, and played to such tremendous business during its first week in this huge theatre that it was held over for a second week. The picture has been proclaimed the outstanding production of its class. Louis Mann, stage star appearing in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s “ The Sins of the Children ” appears in six separate makeups in the picture. lie starts -as a young man and finishes as an old one, and every time lapse is marked by his appearing in an “ older ” makeup. He also changed his voice to impersonate increasing age in the new play. Noah Beery has been discovered as the outstanding basso profundo of musical pcitures. Tn “Song of the Flame,” the First National and Vitaphone first operetta in natural colour Noah Beery is a sensation singing the drinking song of the Red Soldiers, and' he has been hailed by critics everywhere as the screen’s first great singing discovery. Lovers of beauty, dancing and music will appreciate the First National and Vitaphone all-colour production “Sally,” which will be shown here shortly. This picture, with its lavish , colour,, its clever comedy, and. its dainty. Marilyn Miller, whose dancing will be of great interest - to • devotees : of the . terpsichor-

ean art, is considered to be one of the best pictures of the year. Dennis Neilson-Terry, a member of the famous family of English actors and actresses, has taken up pictures, and makes his talking picture debut in British Dominions’ thrilling version of A. E. W. Mason’s story, “The House of the Arrow.” He plays the part of Hanaud, a criminologist. The picture is one of British productions that have been secured for release in* New Zealand.

EH®EEiH®®®H]®H®®®H®S®SH[ Says a Los Angeles message, : dated May 20: Betty Compson, to-day was granted an interlocutory cjecree of divorce from'James Cruze. She charged mental cruelty, chiefly through her, husband’s continual round of parties in their home which, the actress testified, sent her into a-sanatorium suffering from a nervous breakdown. Cruze did not contest the action. The couple were married’on October 14. 1925. “Evolution” is the title of a onereel Vitaphone Variety which unreels a panoramic history of motion pictures from the old kaleidoscopic da\ r s up to the . firfst singing, all-talking and. all natural colour productions. Glimpses are shown of old film favourites in scenes from early pictures, John Bunny, Flora Finch, Norma Talmadge, Anita Stewart, Maurice Costello and his daughter Dolores as a child. This is

a novel and entertaining Warner Bros, and Yitaphone Variety. The announcement that Warner Baxter’s performance in “In Old Arizona,” was adjudged the best by a him actor in 1929 by. the, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was almost coincident with the completion of Baxter's second picture of a similar type. . It is an outdoor film in which Baxter is again a romantic bandit of the south-west, a kindred spirit of the “Cisco Kid:’ His leading lady is Mona Maris, the Argentine actress, who appeared with him in “Romance of the Rio Grande.” The picture is titled “The Arizona Kid,” and producers claim that it ’is the first talking picture filmed entirely on location. It was made at Grafton, a deserted townsite two miles from Rockville. Utah, on the banks of . the Virgin River, and over 100 natives of the region and fifty Piute Indians were employed in the’ production. Theodore von Eltz and Carol Lombard have important roles in the picture, the story of which was written expressly for the screen. Colleen and John Separate. The rift in the harp strings out at the Bel Air mansion of Colleen Moore and John M’Cormick provides the rather startling climax to rumours that circulated for the last three years, only to be emphatically put down from time to time (writes a Hollywood . correspondent) . No one visiting Colleen and John at their home prior to their announced separation would have gleaned that there was anything but harmony in the lives of the couple. The palatial mansion, rumoured to cost in the neighbourhood of 900,000 dollars, was wont to resound with the cooing of the two doves whenever callers were about. While many feel that Colleen made a fortune for John, she reminds one that John gave her her first big chance when, as an executive for First National, he gave her her role in “Flaming Youth.” Then, of course, there is the story that John’s business methods evoked the storm at First National, and that Colleen’s sticking with him when he was ousted lost her her place in the sun. It’s a good deal of a back and forth story, and seems to lead nowhere. Colleen announced to friends that if the break was permanent, and it showed every sign of being permanent, the business relationship would also be severed completely. The prospect is rather saddening; one wonders what will become of the dream house, and whose feet now will go tripping across the tiny tile with the shamrock on it, that is embedded in the

i® tun® ui*]®®®® mm® sin® sis®® stonewalk before Colleen’s door. (Latest advice is to the effect that Colleen Moore secured divorce at Los Angeles on May 13.) “ Arizona,” a most popular stage play, has been secured by Columbia for an all-talking screen production and, when completed, will be released by Greater Australasian Films Ltd. The author is Augustus Thomas, who has more than-one hundred plays to his credit and “ Arizona ” was one of the most successful. The long string of achievements attached to the play started in 1899 at the Hamilton Opera House in Chicago where it had its premiere and in the cast were three members who afterwards became prominent in the screen world—Theodore Roberts, Robert Edeson and Lionel Barrymore. | For over nine years “ Arizona ” held its I grip on the public. In 1918 it was filmed

by Douglas Fairbanks and five years ago the Shuberts, well-known American stage producers, had it set to music under the title “ The Love Call,” and it proved as successful as it had as a dramatic production. Influence of Although varying Colour* tones of grey are the only colours to be reproduced in the black and white films, each motion picture setting is painted in natural colours by the art department solely to make the actors feel comfortable. That information comes from William Saulter, art director of ParanYcunt’s New York studios, who supervised *he construction of settings for “ Animal Crackers,” the four Marx brothers’ next Paramount screen musicale. “It would be a lot easier and just as effective photographically if all interiors were painted varying tones of grey,” he explains, “ but it has been found that, without exception, actors become stilted, uncomfortable, and unable to remember their lines when they are put into colourless surroundings. So we use tints such as they ordinarily would see about them in real life.” “ Animal Crackers ” is adapted from the stage success of the same name. Lillian Roth has the Jeading feminine role. An American paper states that Mar? Pickford may desert the screen temporarily at any rate, for the stage. Perhaps the unqualified triumph of Lillian

• isli in Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” has something to do with the matter (says the paper). They were both in “The Good Little Devil,” a David Belasco production, about fifteen years ago. Dorothy Gish, who preceded her sister’s tootlight comeback by her own, is much in demand for stage productions, and has even been acting in London. Recruits from Broadway are leading the way in discovering new methods of “ Going Hollywood ” (writes a Hollywood correspondent). The local picture clan thought they were stepping pretty fast when they built private swimming pools, tennis courts and miniature golf courses upon their estates. It took the Broadwayites to set a new vogue, however. One recent arrival, having an insatiable desire for the noble oyster and finding the Los Angeles Tariety not to his taste, has imported his own stock and planted a private oyster bed in the waters fronting his beach home. Another New Yorker, a member of the song-writing brigade, not wishing to bother with lengthy fishing trips up in the mountains, has had a special stream prepared on his estate, and 0 stocked it with his favourite species of trout. Hollywood is now wondering if any of Manhattan’s big game hunters are thinking of migrating to the West Coast.

HOLLYWOOD IN PERSON.

DAILY LIFE IN FILMDOM. (By MOLLIE MERRICK.) (Copyright by the “ Star ” and the North American Newspaper Alliance.) All Rights Reserved. HOLLYWOOD, April 21. Puzzled Guests. When Hollywood makes * merry en masque it’s something to talk about. Easter breakfast talk centred on the bal masque which Carmel Myers gave for the daughters of William B. Mayer. The Spanish home in Beverly Hills was hung for the

riesta in gay coi- | oured lanterns. A | million-odd bright I balloons circled I about the drawing I rooms and turned | the scene into I something- approxi I mating German I camera-technique in colour. The big worry of everyone present

was their difficulty, in locating the hostess. Tall and slim with rare Ti-

tian colouring and a Gardenia skin that is famous in this colony of beauties, every guest felt he or she would have no difficulty in finding the lady. So they chose someone whom they quite sure was she and murmured, “marvellous party, my dear,” as they danced past. When the unmasking came lo and behold their hostess proved to be a futuristic cowboy whose car had rolled in at the patio gate some little time after the merrj?-mak-ing started. A fantastic creature in white leather and ostrich and startling black curls. At Afternoon Tea. Leonore Ulric queened it at the James Gleasons’ Sunday tea looking like a girl of eighteen. For all that they say that the beautiful actress with a million dollars worth of temperament isn t going to make another picture. The type of art which rivets us into gratifying silence in the theatre doesn’t always get over with the cincmaite.

Louise Dresser was there, very lovely in black and white and radiating the charm and intelligence which has given her a unique place in celluloid records.

And that interesting come-back, Lev/ Cody with a knot of friends about him-, standing near the fireplace. lie will be in Gloria Swanson’s new picture. Jack Sheehan, identified with funsters these many years. . . Thelma Todd, very gorgeous and blonde in royal blue . . . Dixie Lee, another blonde with restless feet. . . . Zelma O’Neai, the guest of honour, in bright blue beret and little straight biscuit coloured sports coat. . . . Husband Anthony Bushel!, whci has done as good a piece of work in Journey’s End” as any actor in the colony these past months. . . Sydney Blackmer, the Ulric's husband and a popular chap and Patsy Ruth Miller and Tay Garnett, pointed out as a happily married couple in Hollywood. Sentimental Adventures. The Hollywood, which once rushed into marriage on the third meeting, now elects long engagements. Conservatism in love matters may be only a vogue. But it has kept vSally Ellers Hoot Gibson in the fiancee and fiance stage for many months now, and Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyons announced their engagement a year ago. Whether men are becoming loath to split their celluloid salaries three ways via the alimony route, with the inevitable child coming in for its share, one cannot tell. Or if Indies are slow to tic themselves in double harness with the limitations and responsibilities which that involves. Hoot Gibson is the third lad young Sally Eilers has been engaged to since her meteoric debut in pictures. Mack Sennctt found her. And she promptly became engaged to Matty Kempt, the boy who played opposite her in the first picture. William Hawks cut Maitv Kempt out. And a large diamond gleaming on the Eilers hand spoke volumes for his devotion. Bessie Love tripped into sight with a big success and the Eilers romance began to peter out. Bessie and William made the romance permanent and the Hoot Gibson engagement began. Hoot Gibson was once reported engaged to Ruth Elder. But Ruth married another. Perhaps the boys and girls got so mixed up in their sentimental adven-

tures that they decided to let things crystallise. Two Old Timers. The old timers are beginning to come back into talking pictures. Hobart Bosworth and William Farnum —and who of those who

who ui uuuae wuu s followed movies in i the long ago does j not remember i them? Both are [ playing in Norma l Talmadge’s new : picture. Hobart Bosworth was the George Bancroft of the silent films. He it was whose “Sea Wolf" was one of ;. the most realistic bits of pantomimic

uirs oi pantomimic art the old screen ever saw. He mushed along Alaskan trails in some of the old Rex Beach stories. He was a beachcomber with a way, when tho South Sea thing had its first vogue. He kinged it in uniforms. He wore the khaki and campaign hat of the old U.S.A. when the Spanish-American War tales came in. William Farnum has been six years. away from the screen. A combination of illness and accident has kept him from his profession through this long, pain-ridden time. He was to have come back in “Hangman’s House," and a recurrence of illness prevented. But he was once a star of the legitimate, and his voice has excellent timbre for the mikes.

A Compliment. (George Arliss in a talkie version of “Old English" is one of the greatest compliments yet paid the American public. That village producers, with their knowledge of box-office, dare risk the amount of money necessary to a celluloid production on a play of such high calibre is sufficient evidence that eighteen months of talkies have advanced the taste of the movie-going public. A Matter of Publicity. “I do not believe Mrs Chaplin made the statement credited to her, and I know that I did not. Possibly it is the work of her Press agent or of mine ” Thus Charlie Chaplin characterised the rumour that he was to remarry his divorced wife, Lila Grey Chaplin. Hollywood was not impressed by the ■story. The finality of that Chaplin separation seems to be firmly impressed on the minds of the colony. Lita Chaplin is vaudeviliing. Which means keeping in the public eye as much as possible. Rumour of reconciliation with the man who is one of the outstanding personages of interest in the world is an excellent way of doing this. Charlie goes buggy-riding a bit with Georgia Ilale. It’s an old friendship. He paid courtly attention to Mary Lewis when that blonde beautv came to movieland. But double harness seems a long way off. Novarro’s Success. And breaking through a phalanx of women surrounding the piano at a party last evening, one found Ramon Novarro singing the hits of his latest talkie and playing his own accompaniments. Novarro’s career in movies is a singularly interesting one. During recent financial depressions, I am told that his pictures not only held up the mark when others were doing starvation business, but in certain cities broke all previous records of the theatres in which they -were being shown. He would seem to be keeping alive that romantic flame which Rudolph Valentino lit lor the world. Yet lus forte is light comedy. Thistledown nit, captivating and satisfying from a Thespian standpoint. Because no matter how enthusiastic one may become regarding this chap’s way with the women of the earth, there is no doubt about it he is one of the cleverest actors before the camera to-day. The Troubles Of Grant Withers. Grant Withers's troubles aren’t over by a long way. Like young Lochinvar, he no sooner stole his bride away than her mama stole her back again A later shift gave bride Loretta vSung b.u k to Grant. Ex-wife sued for more money and got it. and now a lawsuit of 50,000 dollars brightens this week ot the honeymoon. It’s the result of J'lmnrv ac cident which occurred last This leading man sports one of the' most daring colour effects of any men j in the colony. His hair is a near strawberry pink. The only rival to it is Charles Bickford's dizzy head—titian red with purple lights in it. The girls, have to look to their laurels these days. Our boys are stealing their thunder.