HOLLYWOOD IN PERSON

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 519, 30 July 1932, Page 24 (Supplement)

HOLLYWOOD IN PERSON

By

Mollie Merrick.

HOLLYWOOD, July 1. The Greatest Mystery. Hollywood, arrived at the decision that mystery is one of the safest formulas in the fiction world, will give a great deal of attention to this branch of cinema endeavour during the coming year. The story of weird and mysterious flavour will be in the ascendancy. Not horror stuff—the consensus of opinion bears towards a lessening of that form of’entertainment. If Hollywood had any doubts as to the absorbing quality of mystery, the greatest example of it in all history

is right at its door; nor are the members of the motion picture profession exempt from its contamination—they are as eager as little children to know what the next move will be. At the time this any member of the public or the professional group will listen avidly to the most groundless rumour concerning Greta Garbo. The hazards ventured as to her possible plans have covered a wide range, humorous and stupid and intriguing in turn, and all of them, have received at least momentary consideration from a mystenr-mad public. A girl with a flair for pictures—a cameo quality of countenance and a vast desire to be let

alone because she was misunderstood and misquoted, j lives quietly to heri self and refuses to | encounter her 1 public. Instantly [ that public desire nothing in the world more than to penetrate the isolai tion she has built about herself. Members of her own profession who should understand some-

thing of the reserve and shyness and beleaguered feeling this artist has regarding personal contacts since the public in general have refused to regard her as a human being, but rather as a super-goddess, still make childish endeavours to meet her. .Any number of motion picture people would sail with her on the ship which will bear her to Sweden—providing she doesn’t fulfil the latest rumour, which is that she will remain here and go right on working. But a large group of stars considered bored and blase by the citizen public, would tingle and grow bright of eye at a chance to meet Greta Garbo. Their frenzy is increased by the fact that those few who possess her friendship rarely speak of her, and

when they do speak, give out none of her moves, reveal none of her plans—if indeed they know any—and keep off the subject whenever possible. They know this is the only way to keep her friendship, or even to maintain contact with her. Despite the fact that she is the great mystery story of Hollywood, the Ilavs Office will not approve of a picture written about such a character, paraphrasing her life, her ideas and her conduct. They feel it an intrusion on her “ mystery.” When a recent rumour went the rounds that “ Garbo was remaining in Hollywood because she had re-leased the home she has been occupying during the last year,” a counter rumour was issued to the effect that “ the story is nothing but a publicity stunt circulated by estate corporations operating in this vicinity with a view to subletting large estates near-by to people who would like to live near the great Swedish star.” Figure it out if you can. To add to the general dismay Greta Garbo has a “ double ” who spreads the mystery light very ably for her. So amazing is the resemblance between the Swedish star and the wife of one of the French Consular attaches in Los Angeles that an actor who has played in films with Greta Garbo tells me that he was within three feet of the woman when he realised it was not Garbo. Undoubtedly this “ double,” who, by the way, dresses in a manner intended to identify her with the star, causes some of the conflicting rumours that circulate so freely. A group of writers or actors will gather and one will say: “ Just passed Greta Garbo as I came in here.” “Impossible; she was driving towards the beach as I was coming to town myself.” Famous Horse. Ken Maynard, the Western star, called his famous horse Tarzan long before Johnny Weissmuller made the talking pic ture version of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s famous story. Tarzan is full of tricks. One of them is getting coquettish and running away just

when Ken wants him for an important .shot in a picture. Off to the far end of the lot he will gallop full speed then turn and, neighing loudly, would appear to be laughing at his owner and the studio staff. When Ken goes after him with a whip, Tarzan gets down on his knees and begs pardon so fetchingly that he seldom gets punished. The horse has eight understudies, two of which know most of the tricks he can do. These have been bo«ght up over a period of many years and during trips in out-of-the-way places. Novarro’s New Home. The most beautiful modern home in the professional colony has just been completed by Ramon Novarro. This home of Hollywood’s handsomest ljachelor and, by the way, recipient of more “ fan mail ” than any other member of his sex, is trimmed on the outside with bands of wrought copper made verte against a white stucco background. Inside it is the culmination of the modern artist’s dream. The host has two bedrooms—one in soft green which opens directly on a rectangular pool into which he may plunge on warm summer mornings. A high stucco wall crowned by the wrought copper surrounds the pool. For another mood there is a sky chamber on the top of the house. Made almost entirely of glass, its walls and ceiling space are of the most amazing blue which carries the sky tones down into the room. Venetian blinds are of the same exquisite white of clouds, and the furniture, which is enamelled until it has taken on the patina of metal work, is also in cloud tones. A dining room in black and chromium opens off from a living room in neutral tones. A rectangular black glass dining table has chromium legs, and the black walls are striped with fine chromium chains which are strung on leads much as the strings of a harp are arranged. In place of the theatre which Ramon Novarro has in his old home, there is a music room of exquisite proportions in biscuit and henna colour. The furniture, of white wood with fine wavy markings, is inlaid with chromium and copper. A semi-circular terrace opens off this room, which has a beautiful background of hilltops crowned by trees. Of course, there is a bar with a copper sink and all forts of little contraptions. and there's a bathroom amazingly inlaid with mirror mosaic which is like stepping into the heart of a diamond or a dewdrop. There are no pictures on the restful wall spaces that are so exquisitelv toned, but they make a perfect background for the porcelains which Ramon Novarro brought back with him from Berlin on his last European trip. Jean Harlow to Wed. The notice of intention to wed filed by Paul Bern and Jean Harlow, the original platinum blonde, came as a surprise, although the two have been seen together for a long time now. Paul Bern has also done a little cavaliering of Estelle Taylor on the side, but Jean Harlow has been stick- j ing pretty close to work—and to Paul.'

Ilarlene Carpenter M’Grew, Jean’s real name, is pretty, the most famous blonde in a blonde business, and won fame when she appeared as the girl in “ Hell’s Angels.” Prior to that she had been a wistful little beauty watching pictures from the sidelines without much opportunity to show the talent she later revealed. Her current picture, “ The Red-headed Woman,” caused much discussion—every redhead in the industry was up for the part, but Jean Harlow won it. Tallulah’s Contract. Tallulah Bankhead is approaching the close of her contract. The studio which has made four pictures for her, none of which has come up to other productions made on the same lot, is hesitating whether or not to renew the actress’s contract. Critics state that Tallulah Bankhead is “ a great

actress in bad pictures.” That Is the invariable formula. Her popularity seems to persist despite the pictures which rarely meet with public approval. Elissa Landi, beautiful and talented, has done but little at Fox to acquire the acclaim such qualities should have. Elissa is going to Paramount for a picture on a loan arrangement. It might be a good idea to send Tallulah Bankhead over to Fox and see what that studio can do with an artist of her possibilities. It has been long since established here that an actor or actress who fails dismally at one studio may go to the top in another. It’s a matter of viewpoint—of flexibility on the part of studio heads—and sometimes of change in writing staff. However, neither of these actresses has done what she should in pictures.