Page 8 Advertisements Column 3

Waikato Times, Volume 123, Issue 20692, 30 December 1938, Page 8

Cinema ♦ ♦ Snapshots About Picture People John FROM FILM WEEKLY JOAN FONTAINE, I hope you agree, is one of Radio's pJeasantest discoveries and best bets. Well, they vs let her option drop. Just about confirms a recent Film Weekly article which accused Radio of grossly mishandling this potential big star. Discovered, boosted, made to stand or fall by the harsh tost of “A Damsel in Distress,'* now dropped like a wet sponge. Only parallel folly known was Radio's own over Burgess Meredith. Fontaine could have made good with a little help from her studio. Rut maybe Radio just don't like keeping their stars. After finishing “ The Duke of West Point. '* for I'nited Artists, 1 hear Joan may make u pieture in England. Its a chance for whatever company take* it, to succeed where Hollywood stupidly failed. * * • • TRENT flew into pictures, now tries a flying come-back. Trent was the commercial pilot whom producer H’hulberg picked off an air liner and starred in ** A Doctor's Diary.” I thought Trent looked likely the thrice I saw him, but he doesn't seem to have worked since Schulberg left Paramount. Now Monogram have hired him. He'll be in his element, playing Hal Forrest, Great War air ace and cartoonist of the “ Tailspin Tommy •• American comic strip. Monogram are planning a series of six pictures based on Forrest's own adventures. Sounds like regular work for Trent. * * • • ANTON WALBROOK, taking time A off the screen between Wiloox s chapters of Victorian history is going on the London stage in Noel Coward’s " Design for Living. - ’ In America the star parts were played by Coward himself and the notorious Lunts. Here Walbrook's costars do they call them that in the theatre? will be Rex Harrison and Diana Wfnyard. All people we'd like to see on the screen more often. Can never understand why Walbrook only plays Prince Albert. His name cropped up during one of those family fireside easting games. One irregular lllmgoer suggested him for Monsieur Curie, opposite Garbo’* Madame. Curie of course, like Albert, hat to be strongly sympathetic, but subservient to the star. Casting is already giving M-G-M headaches. Walbrook seemed to me an inspired suggestion. • • • • FLEMING comes in as third * director on ** The Wizard of Oz.” Richard Thorpe started it and got ill. George Cukor took over but has been ealled back by Selznfck to prepart ” Cone With the Wind.” Perhaps the first two wero bewitched. Fleming, even as third, seems a curious choice for a pixilated fantasy full of altebei, fairies, all manner of animals and even more improbable characters. His best-known pictures, “Treasure Island,” Captains Courageous” and “ Test Pilot ” suggest very different talents from the fantastic—in an ethereal sense. Cukor's recall seems funny after all the years of preparation on ” Gone With the Wind.” 'But there's a great ist-minute hustle on now. Everything's ready, even the costumes, but still no Scarlett to put them on. * * • » JASCHA HEIFETZ is Addling while ** Goldwyn makes up his mind. JJeifezt, celebrity violinist, has been taking Goldwyn money for a year and hasn't made a picture yet. Tired of waiting, fiddler has date with the concert world. So Sam put him to work shooting four 6cenc* with an orchestra for ** Reckless Age.” Picture's no ways ready for production. So the musical scenes will he kept in cold storage until body of film goes to work late in December. * * * * |7 VELYN KEYES supplies another of those grizzly notes about the show going on. Got appendicitis during making of ” Say it With French.” Instead <>f packing poor girl off to hospital die's been packed with ice packs to try to enable her to finish the remaining ten days' shooting. Despite all packs and reminders of the money depending on her recovery. patient is 'till unable to work. •• Studio is awaiting developments” a I In ent. Unlikely that K\ Hie did a bit in ' Rut it's the money $ part is big. ■ Buccaneer.” studio wants LASHES -AY I'HAN. IS has finally left \YarV ntrgi in,! !■ promised usiness with .Myron Selznick early L'IFL HAIXER recently collapsed on ‘ the set 0 1 “ iii '. 1 : er weakness was said to he due to uAN FONTAINE'S argument, about tlie billing ..r her name in " The Jiuke of West Point" mav lead jean Parker being given her part. lONEL MAHIIYMOIIE will not h* 1 well enough to play S b -ii-M's - A Christmas Car..).' Ilegihl Owen is taking bis pl.ee, > \\\ It ICE ki • ' will plat a fashion perl in " Manhattan Cinderella " ith llo.lt I-a M irr and sp-m-y Tracy reeled by V..» ft.'Tub ''re -M