STUDIOS CRITICISED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 14, 17 January 1936, Page 10

STUDIOS CRITICISED

attention to detail VARIOUS ERRORS NOTICED ‘ * There are hundreds of instances in which the studios are criticised, in which the critics, not the studios, are wrong, and, strangely enough, the studios make many technical errors in pictures which pass entirely unnoticed.” Mrs. Nathalie Buckn,all, head of the research department of the Metro-Goidwyn-Meyer Studios, and rated one of the 10 most important women in West Coant industry, made this interesting observation recently. ‘‘No less than a dozen observant fans wrote to the studio with regard 'to a ‘letter box’ on the gate of the cottage at Blundcrstonc in ‘‘David Copperfield/ ” Mrs. Bucknall said, “but it wasn’t a letter box at all! It was an old fashionvd lantern, and was true to the period.” ‘‘ln ‘What Every Woman Ku-nrs’ we had a number of letters complaining because the telephone was not of the English type. Oddly enough the studio had imported the telephone from England. In the fame picture there were letters stating that the weighing machine in the committee room was improperly need, whereas we have actual photographs showing exactly such machines in use.

“On the other hand, it was technically incorrect in that picture for the bride to throw her bouquet. Yet the action of the story demanded that it be done, and it done in the picture. We didn’t receive a single complaint. Still another instance where a. technical error was not caught by the L fans was in ’David Copperfield/ where two of the principal players wen?, seen in the town of Yarmouth silhouetted against a gorgeous sunset. Technically the ecenc was entirely wrong, because Barmouth is on the each coast of England. Yet the error was not noticed, even in Great Britain. “Within the last six months an entirely new type of critic has appeared in our mail,” she added. “These are the people who object because the names of hotels, theatres and cafes are made fictitious, or because the real trade names of commodities arc not used. The studios make these deliberately and for obvious reasons, just as actual telephone numbers or addresses are in anj stories dealing with crimes. Yet if a story should be laid in. New York, for instance, we arc certain to get complaints because the correct names of streets and public buildings are altered on the screen.” His Next. Al Jolson’s next picture for Marner Bros, is “The Singing Kid.” an original screen play to bn produced on fEe same lavish scale as “Wonder Bar’ and “Go Into Your Dance.” It gives Al Jolson a great opportunity of following up these successes with another outstanding picture, as the story is a splendid combination of comedy, drama and entertainment. No cast is at present announced.