STUDIO CHATTER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 77, 22 May 1946, Page 6

STUDIO CHATTER

A FEATURE COLUMN What, No Horse? “California” is Barbara Stanwyck’s first outdoor picture in which she does not ride a horse. She is one of Hollywood’s best equestrians. The picture will represent her first Technicolour appearance. Worshipped Bill Hart As a boy in Boston, Sonny Tufts, along with thousands of others the world over, worshipped William S. Hart, and his ambition was to be a movie cowboy. He is to play his first Western role in Paramount’s “The Virginian.” Fond of Animals ! Dorothy Lamour can look back on a close association with a whole mena gerie of wild animals in her film career. The dark-haired star has consorted with lions, tigers, leopards, elephants, camels, panthers, pythons bears, chimpanzees, crocodiles, Bob Hope etc. And there’s always been a wolf in the background too! Niven Returns David Niven has returned to Hollywood to take up the promising film Career he bolted from in 1939 to join the British Army. But according to reports, his bearing has changed for he is now a freshly inactivated lieutenant colonel, one of the twentyfive Britishers to receive the American legion of merit, and a family man with responsibilities. Versatile Audiences have pleasant recollections of Barry Fitzgerald, the lovable old priest who stole scene after scene of “Going My Way,” but few realise that he is ond of the most versatile actors of the screen. The whimsical little Irishman, who never thought of acting until he was 42, has been a potato speculator in “Incendiary Blonde”; a cablecar gripman in “I Love a Soldier”; a judge in “Ten Little Indians”; a ship’s cook in “Two Years Before The Mast” and a drunken beachcomber in “Ebb Tide,” as well as playing numerous other varied roles. His latest assignment in “The Stork Club” calls for him to dance. He is now 57 years of age and is assiduously practising waltz steps.

Regent: “The Way Ahead” (Sat-, and Mon.) This picture stars David Niven in possibly his best performance. It received an excellent crit-

icism in the N.Z. Herald, and it is unfortunate that due to pressure of a number, of equally new releases, its .season has had to be cut to two days. “The'Way Ahead” is the story of a group of men all from different walks of life who are conscripted into the Army, the greatest of equalisers, and together make up a platoon. Each and every man represents the typical Tommy soldier. The picture is English, and can be described without qualification,. as outstanding. The cast is exceptionally strong, and the plot falls in the same category. Audiences may count on A 1 entertainment.