TALKIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 29, 28 June 1939, Page 3

TALKIES

BERNARD SHAW'S BRILLIANT COMEDY "PYGMALION" BROUGHT TO THE SCREEN is the screen version: of Bernard Shaw's brilliant comedy. Leslie Howard plays the starring role J in this Pascal production which deals with a subject of direct interest and illimitable appeal to the masses. THE STORY. Bernard Shaw's story, it will be remembered, tells of a Cockney flower girl, who becomes the subject of an experiment to a professor of phoned, ics—a role which provides Leslie How ard one of the greatest opportunities of his distinguished career to display his unchallenged histrionic geniu.s. The idea from the phonetic expert's point of view, is to prove that it is possible to take a girl out of the gutter and transform her into a society lady of fine speech and exquisite man ners. The experiment is a brilliant success. The girl is taken for a Princess at an Ambassador's rccept'on--— but the real problem arises when triumphant result has been achieved. What is to hecomc of the girl now? As a Covent Garden flower girl she was at least happy doing a job she j knew, but now that she has beer.,: taught to be a ladv she cannot tc. turn to her former occupation. At the same time, she is unfit and unqualified for any other kind of job--' and completely bewildered by .the revolutionary change in her social surroundings. The working out of the young girl's destiny provides a max of unparalleled dramatic and emotional quality. j "PYGMALION'' nrov ; d?s something new, fresh and different in the way j of cinematic entertainment. It is a

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] real London, story with the genuine 3 London backgrounds. The characters 1 in the film are the ordinary cvery-day 1 people of these islands—unrivalled 5 the world over for their quaintly ' ■ whimsical, broadly humorous, immovable straight-forward outlook of life. 1 THE HEROINE OF "PYGMALION" *' is a common, Covent Garden girl < called Eliza Doolittle Her father is a 1 London dustman. Eliza is one of the people—a member of that class which C is. the real backbone of the nation. She is genuine and sincere, full of simple human qual tics—a type which everyone knows and admircn. This delightful role is filled by j Wcnd3* Hiller who, brought before r the pjublic eve by her memorable stage performance in ''Love on the £ Dole,' makes her screen debut in this |" film, in, which she gives a performance which raises her right into the front ranks of stardom. ' AN OUTSTANDING ARRAY of r supporting players is headed by Wii- r frid Lawson, renowned for his bril. liant character studies who appeal's as Eliza's father, the rabelaisian dust j. man, who relinquished all claim on j ( his daughter for a monetary consid- g eration, while strong characterisa. & I tions are taken b3 r such celebrated v i players as Marie Lohr, Scott Sunderland, Jean Cadell Dav'd Tree, Esmc Percy, Violet Vanburgh and Viola Tree. Anthony Asquith and Leslie Howard collaborated on the direction j, of "Pygmalion." j VENICE APPLAUDS a General Film Distributors. London, ■ has received a congratulatory message from Count Volpi, President of i the Venice International Cinematographic Exhibition, which bears glow" I ing accounts of the high honours paid to "PYGMALION," the brilliant t

Pascal production of Bernard Shaw's famous comedy, which has been hailed in England as a turning point in the British film industry. This film AVifl be released by G.B.D. throughout Australia and New Zealand. At the Exhibition, Leslie Howard awarded first- prize for his magnificent performance. "WE'RE GOING TO BE RICH" "We're Going to be Rich,'' a surprising, different and thoroughly enjoyable 20th Century., Fox production brings a ncwcomer to our screens with hearty. happy enjoyment of her songs and a deep appreciation of her skill as an actress. With Victor McLaglen,, one of our favourite he-men, in his finest role as a somewhat irresponsible devotee of the 'get-rich-quick' idea of getting on in the world —and with Gracie Fields as his devoted showgirl wife, "We're Going to be Rich'' presents a broad, lusty story of 1 fe in Australia and South Africa. These two stars, Victor and Miss Fields, are sec in two points of ?» triangle which is completed by Brian Donlevy in the principle featured role. Add to this the capable work of a child actor, Ted Smith, and some t new faces in the supporting roles, and life during the "Eighties" in th? Boer country is vividly paraded be. fore the audience to the accompaniment of six ne;w song hits and a stir, ring "Trek" song of the Veldt teriiWrr. As fast as Gracie' can save monev to go back 'ome to England, McLaglen manages to lose it in swindles. She meets Donlevy who runs a dance and gambling hall in Johannesburg while Victor is cooling his temper in jail. The McLaglen.Donlevy feuds are well enough known to their thousands of admirers a>nd for once th°ie is a different twist to this one. Mtes . Fields demonstrates a remarkable ability for changing her moods from hilarious music hall fun to ab-orbing dramatic scenes. CHANCE MEETING DEMANDS PLATITUDE ''Fawncy meeting you here! ' Brian Donlevy, who heads the featured cast of "We're Going to be

Rich" has his home on the top of a mountain near Hollywood. All he has to do to visit Jack Conway a, director and one of his closest I neighbours is to "drop in on him" — which literally means he could achi_ eve it by falling off his front porch, for Conway lives at the foot of Hie mountain. And while they have been living there three years, neither of them ever met the other until the filming of the 20th Century Fox hit, which stars Victor McLaglen and Gracie Fields. Donlevy travelled to London with, McLaglen for this picture and walked into the studios to meet Conw T ay directing there. It was during the introductions that Donlevy found Conway was the man downstairs.