GENERAL FILM GOSSIP.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20483, 8 December 1934, Page 28 (Supplement)

GENERAL FILM GOSSIP.

A NEW CHARLIE CHAPUN. On a farm near New York two gentlfemen farmers are nurturing what they hope will be the new Charlie Chaplin (writes a New York correspondent). The farm is near the town of Hohokus, which should be an ideal location. The gentlemen farmers are Ben Hecht and Charlie MacArthur. who are much surprised to find themselves farmers. The 4 new ” Charlie Chaplin is Jimmy Savo. knockabout burlesque, revue and night club comedian, who has had his cigar removed and his pathos enlarged in an effort to convert him into a Charlie Don’t be shocked. Charlie himself was a burlesque and music hall gagster at the time he went West to grow up with the country. Unlike Jimmy, Charlie had no eminence before he started out. Like Charlie, Jimmy enters the films with a supreme gift of pantomime. On the rich soil of Ilohokus„ Jimmy is being tended delicately Farmer Hecht and Farmer MacArthur show joy when the picture rushes look genuinely funny. And sometimes they j show anxiety, for Farmer Hecht and j Farmer MacArthur are doing this work ; with their own money. It is certainly unusual for a scenario writer to back up his ow n stories j with his own money. " We’re doing i it for the city relief,” says Farmer MacArthur. 44 We figure there’s been a laughter drought in the big cities ever ] since Charlie decided to plough under ; every four years.” The “ new ” Chaplin is a modest little Italian, with soft, brown eyes. He says, “Yes, sir,” to the interviewers—l can remember when Marlene Dietrieh. said, “Yes sir,” too—and he is wistfully eager for screen success. I’m afraid I can never be the second Chaplin,” he smiles, “the best I can hope to be is the third. The second is already established. He’s Mickey Mouse. There’s Mickey and me and Charlie makes three,” is Jimmy’s idea of a comedian’s blue heaven. “ There are lots of funny fellows,” he says, 44 but it’s only once in a while that a comedian comes along and becomes an institution. Sometimes I’m afraid they’re asking too much of me to think I can land in the institution class. Some great comedians never have. Harold Lloyd knows all about comedy and he can make you laugh, but he’s a character. Chaplin was a symbol. Mickey is a symbol. Through them people laugh at themselves. Everybody’s vanity was lampooned in Chaplin’s threadbare efforts to be jaunty. Everyone has a sweetly sheepish remembrance of his own mooncalf courtship when Bfickey courts Minnie.” u Heritage ” Completed. Charles Chauvel. producer for Expeditionary Films. Ltd., has announced that the final scenes of 44 Heritage,” the spectacular picture of Australia’s first 100 years, have been completed, and that the editing of the film at the Wattle Path studios should be finished in a few weeks’ time.

Old Filins in New Form. The revival as talking pictures of outstanding silent film successes of the past twenty years has been predicted as the next vogue for Hollywood productions. A striking instance of the new tendency is the announcement that 44 The Birth of a Nation,” first produced in 1914, is to appear in a modern version made by the original director, D. W. Griffith. At least a dpzen other films, as old, are already under consideration for revival. Following a box office success lor any one of these pictures, it is likely that every production company will make a hurried search of its vaults. Film producers are facing a serious shortage of new material. Their difficulties are increased by the fact that they have, from motives of self-preserv-ation, accepted a censorship governed by the standards of leaders of the purity campaign in America. There is an incessant demand from the public for the re-issue of its old favourites. <’arl Laemmle, president of Universal, one of the largest film cor porations in the United States, said during his recent visit to London that i he received thousands of letters from j 44 fans ” who desired to see “ Ivanhoe ” j again. “ Ivanhoe,” the earliest instance |of production in England by an ; American company, was made in 1912. Universal is considering making talk- | ing films of three other silent film i “hits”—“Merrv-go-Round,” “Showboat” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” | “ Captain Blood,” a full-flavoured sea I story, produced by Warner Brothers, is ! another subject scheduled for revival. One successful example of a talking film success which repeats silent storv material is at present showing in the West End of London—“ Nell Gwynn,” first filmed eight years ago, with Dorothy Gish in the name part. Two others, in “ The Merry Widow ” and “My Old Dutch,” are announced for early presentation. “ Thirty-nine Steps.” John Buchan’s mystery thriller, 44 Thirty-nine Steps,” is to be made by Gaumont-British under the guidance of Alfred Hitchcock, who has made a speciality of drama. The story is one of international espionage and affords | ample scope for the film camera. Hamilton’s Scholarships. Neil Hamilton, who appears in RKORadio’s 44 By Your Leave,” has established two scholarships at the Uni vers-' ity of California. Greta Garbo’s Next. Clemence Dane has gone to Hollywood to write a film play for Greta Garbo. Garbo, who has finished acting for the “ The Painted Veil,” adapted from Somerset Maugham’s work, recently signed a contract wdth Metro-Goldwyn-Maver to make another picture for £60,000. Clemence Dane subsequently made a 44 lightning arrange- ; ment ” with Metro-Goldwvn-Mayer, and , sailed for America from England a few ' days after it was proposed that she L should write a screen play for the Swedish star.

Name for Child Star. Twelve thousand persons suggested names which they thought the most suitable for Nova Pilbeam, the fourteen-year-old English film “ discovery,” and Gaumont-British has awarded the prize of £l5O to a woman who submitted the name of Anne Shelley. The girl is the star of “ Little Friend,” and with this, her first picture, she has caused a sensation in England. But Gaumont-British did not like the sound of Nova Pilbeam. It wanted a name that came easily to the lips. The winner said that she chose Anne because it was such a typically English name, and Shelley because, the girl had always appeared to her to have a poetic look. Because her mother came from Nova Scotia, the child star was given the unusual name of Nova. A New Dance. “ The Continental,” the new ballroom dance craze introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in RKORadio’s musical corned}-, 44 The Gay Divorcee,” is said to include a bit of the rhumba, a dash of jazz, some waltz and foxtrot rhythm and several courtly movements from the stately old minuet. “My Heart is Calling.” • Jan Kiepura has lately been in Monte Carlo making scenes for his next picture for Gaumont-British, “ My Heart is Calling.” Among his songs in this picture is “ You, Me and Love,” which it is expected to be very popular. “ Anne of Green Gables.” In charm, atmosphere and spirit, “ Anne of Green Gables,” which will be released shortly, can be called another “ Little Women.” Anne Shirley, a new star, brings this delightful heroine to the screen in RKO-Radio’s film version of the famous story. Bluett and Chaplin.

When Gus Bluett, the popular Australian vaudeville comedian, was a young lad he visited England with his father and mother, and in London the family lived in the same boardinghouse as the famous film comedians, Charlie Chaplin and his brother Sid. This was, however, long before either of them had faced a motion picture camera. Charlie Chaplin at that time was appearing with a Fred Karno show. Gus was offered an engagement with this company, but his father thought that he had better stick to his schooling, so Gus missed the opportunity of an early association with the comedian who is now a world-famous figure. “ Enchanted April.” Ann Harding, whose long-term contract with RKO-Radio has been renewed and who recently completed “ The Fountain,” will appear in the film version of PHizabeth Russell’s novel, “ Enchanted Isle.” More Honours. Katharine Hepburn was recently awarded the gold medal for the finest screen actress by the Venice International Film Exhibition. She was given a similar award for her work in “ Little Women.” Good Work Rewarded. Mary Carlisle’s fine work in the new Wheeler-Woolsey picture, “ Kentucky Kernels,” has resulted in her being signed for the daughter role in “ The Portrait of Laura Bales.” in which RKO-Radio will star May Robson. “ Wicked Woman.” “ Wicked Woman ” has been placed in production at the Metro-Goldwyn-Maycr studios with Mady Christians in the leading role. This is Mady Cliristians’s first role since her arrival from the Continent under a long-term Hollywood contract. “ Wicked Woman ” is an adaptation of Anne Austin’s novel of the same name. A Busy Man. A rapidly-increasing volume of mail, plus his various business and acting interests, has forced Carl Brisson to open offices in Hollywood. Brisson’s hobbies include European tailor shops, coffee shops, restaurants, dog kennels and British theatrical stage investments. Besides guiding these, Brisson also spends much of his time taking care of the correspondence in connection with his several ehaiities. These started with his maintenance of a bed for cancer patients in a London institution, but now are to include similar donations in America. Ills next Paramount film will be “ All the King’s Horses.” Five Years’ Contract. Feeling that she is really starting a new career, the English actress, Constance Collier, is about to sail for America. She has signed a contract to act for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the next five years, but the arrangement will not altogether deprive the London stage of her services during that time. “ I have never acted for the talkies before,” Constance Collier said, “ but I supervised the production of the film of 4 The Taming of the Shrew ' for Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. 1 have many friends in Hollywood, where I directed the production for two stage plays. My contract requires me to stay in Hollywood six months, and permits me to return to London and have time to do a play there. Then will follow spells in Hollywood and London alternately.” Stating that she had acted since she was three, Constance Collier remarked that she represented the fifth generation of her family on the stage, which she could not desert. 44 Acting for the talkies is so utterly different,” she added. 44 You can camouflage on the stage—you cannot in the films. They photograph the mind of the players, not just the acting.” On her first return from Hollywood Constance Collier will reappear on the West End in a play which Ivor Novello has promised to write for her. In London. Adrienne Ames, formerly under contract to Paramount, and recently free lancing, has been signed by British International Pictures for the leading role in “Abdul Ilamid.” Adrienne Ames is now in London, where she will probably appear on the stage following the completion of the picture.

projector. The great secret of my idea is in the relief of this strain, which becomes no greatei than that in a pocket camera. “ The flick of an electric switch opens the box-office. The flick of another electric switch starts the projector running. Both the mechanised gate and the automatic projector work continuously till they are switched off. “ The cinema owner, sitting in his office, can open his doors and begin his programmes just when he likes; or he can let electric time switches do even that for him.” The all-automatic cinema may first be tried as an “ all one price ” news theatre in the West End of London within a few months. Jack Hylton Signed. Gaumont-British have signed Jack Hylton, whose first feature film will be 44 Oh ! Listen to the Band.” About Charlotte Henry. Charlotte Henry, the Alice of "Alice in Wonderland.” was born in Brooklyn, New York. She appeared on the stage in New York in “ Courage,” and followed the production to Hollywood to play her role in films. Roles in “ Huckleberry Finn.” “ Arrowsmith 44 Lena Rivers ” preceded her big hit as “ Alice.” “ The Last Gentleman,” with George Arliss, came next, and then the stage called her again, this time with Will Rogers in “ Ah, Wilderness,” in the San Francisco and Los Angeles runs of the Theatre Guild production. Charlotte Henry will next be seen in “ The Human Side ’’ (Adolphe Menjou). “ Glorious.” Warner Brothers have “ teamed ” Leslie Howard and Jean Muir in “ Glorious,” a romantic yarn of Baltimore during the early days of the last