THE FAMILY HONOUR

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22514, 23 September 1938, Page 7

THE FAMILY HONOUR

Exciting Story in “Four Men and a Prayer”

Loretta Young and Richard Greene come by their histrionic ability as a heritage. In addition, a line from Gilbert and Sullivan applies well to their case, for. “So do their sisters, and their cousins and, their aunts.' Loretta Young, who sounds a gay. flippant note in the otherwise dramatic “Four Men and a Prayer,” opening to-day at the Civic Theatre, is the sister of two more of Hollywood’s stars—Sally Blane and Polly Ann Young. She has appeared in 48 notable films. These pictures include Loretta Young in roles opposite Lon Chaney, Richard BarthelmeSS, Robert Young, Cary Grant, Gene Raymond, Ronald Colman. Charles Boyer, John Boles. Robert Taylor, Ralph Forbes, Ricardo Cortez, Conrad Nagel, Henry Wilcoxon, Clark Gable, Don Ameche, and Tyrone Power. Now she appears with Richard Greene. He also comes of a “theatrical family..” He is the nephew of Evie Greene, a well-known English musical comedy star. He has one uncle on the New York stage and another in the current Lyceum pantomime. His mother, Kathleen Gerrard, is playing character roles on the London stage, and his father was also a British footlight celebrity. George Sanders. David Niven, and C. Aubrey Smith also also featured in ‘‘Four Men and a Prayer,” which ;was directed by John Ford. The film is the story of the endeavours of four young Englishmen to vindicate their father’s honour. Richard Greene. George Sanders, David Niven, and William - Henry are the four men who forsake everything in their careers to track down round the world the menace which cashiered their beloved -father, C: Aubrey Smith, out of the army in disgrace, and then brought death to a great soldier. A film director must know how to demonstrate to a shy young star the fine art of . making love before a camera: he must be on nodding terms with all forms of athletics, military evolutions, costumes, and such minute details as courtroom procedure and waiting at a table. John Ford, the famous director, ranks properly as among the most versatile men in his particular calling. But even those familiar with his many aptitudes got the surprise of their lives when he suddenly branched out as an orchestra leader during the filming of ‘‘Four Men and a Prayer” at the Twentieth Century-Fox studios. .A tango orchestra appears in a number of sequences. Somehow, Ford found that the music’s tempo did not accord with the action Of the picture. Thereupon Ford himself took over the job of directing the orchestra, and for 15 minutes drilled the musicians to play the particular number exactly as £e wanted it.

HOLLYWOOD TAKE-OFF A chance to take a peep behind >• Hollywood scenes—and laugh—is _iided by “Stand-In,” a Walter .Wanger comedy, starring Leslie How-

ard and Joan Blondell. “Stand-In” tells the story of Mr Atterbury Dodd, a shy young banker who went' to Hollywood, took over a 10,000,000 dollar studio and tried to run it according to the science of mathematics. Joan Blondell has her finest role as the “Standrln” of the title.

Jose Iturbi, the conductor-composer-pianist who has been talking with Hollywood for some- time, makes his film debut in -M-G-M’S “Sweethearts.”

SHORTS THIS WEEK ClVlC—March of Time,- No. 10; Fox Australian News;. Fox Overseas News; Novelties. AVON “Newsboys’ Nocturne,” musical tabloid; “Speaking of the Weather,” Technicolour cartoon; British Air-Mail News. MAYFAlß—“Getting An Eyeful,” comedy; Terrytoon cartoon; Gaumont British News; International News; Fox Australian News. • PLAZA Double-feature programme. CRYSTAL PALACE—Doublefeature programme.