STATE AND SCREEN

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 77, 28 September 1933, Page 16

STATE AND SCREEN

Maria Brem tier's Versatility. Marie' Bremner, who in private life is Mrs. Ewart Chappie, is going to South Africa: in December to'play in the J.C.W. Gilbert and Sullivan Company which is undertaking.a tour of Africa. Miss Bremner ■ possesses a lovely soprano voice, and is an' accomplished actress as well. She will play lead in a revival of "Rose Marie/* She is a keen sportswoman. In fact, she was intended as a physical culture instructress. Her love of sport goes back to childhood days: Mornington Beach (Victoria) devotees used to marvel at the acrobatic feats of the Bremner children, andl in -particularsi -the tomboy antics of the youthful Marie. She and her sister Greta had plenty of outdoor freedom; tennis,.. riding, walking, and even shooting were included in their daily round, so it' was no wonder Marie's thoughts turned' tp athletics as a career. Training under a Victorian instructor, Miss Bremner soon qualified, and not until she "iron the Melba Scholarship for singing did ahehave any ideas about the stage. Folk dancing is another of her accomplishments, her..''special- forte; being- Greek dancing.' She;isa,good cricketer, too, and captained the;-'.'Rose'Marie" team. Surfing,.fishing,; motoring are also hobbies of this delightful; Australian. "Stage Mother." Phillipa Holmes, Ted Healy, and' Alan., Edwards are additions to the cast of j Metro-Goldwyn?Mayer's "Stage Mother," which is now in production at the coast studios with Charles Brabin directing. •

'•Bitter Sweet.?

Fernand Graavey, the young French actor who plays, Carl Linden in the British and 'Dominions film version of "Bitter Sweet," his first-British.'performance, had to: grow sideboards in order to conform with the hairdressing style of thei period , in : which ,the story is set. -He also had to let his normally close-cut dark hair grow Heveral inches longer. It was on the . last day of shooting on "Bitter Sweet" that he was first heard to bemoan-his < fate. ■ ; ; Marion Davies. . . Two' new Marion Davies starring vehicjee are announced for the new season by. Jiletro-Goldwyn-Mayer. One of these will be Hollywood," a story with - a musical background, while the other production ia "Operator 13," a new novel by Robert W. .Chambers. This is a story «fa; girl spy during the Civil War," and is listed to follow "Going Hollywood." . ■ • Changes. ■

; Elizabeth Allen, newest of the younger •creen. "finds," has' been signed by Merian. C' Cooper, RKO Radio executive producer,; to play the feminine lead opposite Richard Dix in "Ad Man," replacing Karen- Morley, who was previously, announced for. the role. Miss Allen, after attaining great popularity on the London stage and appearing in the British-made Shu, "Service for Ladies," opposite Leslie Howard*' was lured to Hollywood, and ha«. just completed a role in 'Metrd-Goldwyn-Mayer's - "Looking Forward." She *ii being • loaned' by M-G-M to .JtKO Kadio for the new part opposite Dix. ••

Music Out took in America. The musical situation in America continues to be bad, and with the curtailment of radio engagements, hundreds of singers and instrumental artists are idle in the States. The Chicago Civil Opera, after twenty years' existence, has been disbanded, and the city now possesses two large empty opera houses. The Metropolitan Opera season was curtailed to four months, and all singers have had to accept substantial reduction in salaries. Fred" crick Stock, conductor .of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, at a luncheon tendered, to him, spoke of the serious position of the musical world, and mentioned that when Heifetz appeared in conjunction with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra the house was very poor, while Rachmaninoff, who previously had filled the large Auditorium Hall, also played to a small audience. Charles Laughton. Charles Laughton, the famous character actor, who appeared as Nero in "The Sign of the Cross," and who starred in the 1 stage and screen versions of "Payment Deferred,": will play the part of Henry the Eighth in the new London film production called "The Private Life of Henry the Eighth," from the story by Arthur Wimperis and Lajas. Biro. This Britishmade talkie, a dramatic comedy, to be released'by United Artists, is being,directed by Alexander Korda, who has made several American ■ successes, including "The Princess1 and: the Plumber," "The Golden Calf," "The Dollar Princess," "Reserved for Ladies," ' and- "The Wedding ReAearsal."

Chrlstchurch Musician's Success.

Mr. Hamilton- Dickson, A.T.C.L., LiT.CL., ai Ghristchurck musician, leceived wide recognition during Music Week in Sydney. At, the'concert of the Queen Victoria Club, under the patronage of . the Lord Mayor,'lie contributed solos, with his 'cello and as a singer, in a programme, arranged by Mr; Roland .Foster, teacher of voice production at the Sydney Cbnservatorium and well known in Christchurch as- a- judgel at- the• Competitions. Later-in-the week; Mr. Foster, selectgd'him as assistant to the two judges in the vocal section at the Sydney Eisteddfod, at which the entries were exceptionally ; large, seventy i competitors turning out for thegrand- opera solo, with corresponding numbers in other classes. This was a great compliment to the young .Christehurch native, as judging positions usually are-re-served for.men of mature years and-long experience, so that Mr. Roland Foster,, a recognised authority, must have been iin- 1 pressed by Mr. Dickson's musical ability/

At St. Jude's Anglican-Church, Randwipk,! Mr. Dickson assisted at an organ recital with 'cello solos, hjs'numbers including "Siciliana" and "Arietta," two of his own compositions, besides playing obbligatos for two solos sung by Miss Alma Davies. Twice. lately ■ he: has been heard' over the any in 'cello solos, from Sydney, first from 2FG and later.frpm2BL, his numbers on each occasion including some of his own ' compositions. - ' : ' Mr. BY Cousins was producer fpr., the . Palmerston .Northl Amateur and" Operatic (Society's,production of "The Best People"

"That's a Good Glfi." An untoward incident happened during one of the; scenes' of "That's a' Good-Girl,' made in ; the. south of France. Jacl Buchanan "was anxious to open a swim ming pool- sequence with girls diving froir a board fifteen feet from the surface am racing down the length of the pool. Hi; difficulty was to find anyone among the crowd of artists capable of performing the feat. No volunteers were forthcoming until at last Jean Gray, travelling witt the British and Dominions' suite as hairdresser, said that she would be willing tc undertake .the job if another girl could be found. Finally . another girl was founc and shooting began. Whether she had misunderstood''the ■ necessities of the shot never became clear,'but it must suffice tc say. that the French'girl who had offered to appear in the sequence could neither dive nor swim.' In fact she fell from the diving-board and-Miss Gray turned round in time -to assist her ■ out of the water with the aid of other members of the unit. "

Variety. 5 The Sound' City Picture. Company is one of'the most alive units today in Eng- . land. Its capital has just been increased > by £175,000 to enable the erection of ' moro -Bound studios. The collection of , young and vigorous brains dominating this ', company threaten to make an entirely new \ line of British pictures. The tragedy t in the picture business seems to be that . pictures run too touch to type. After one , success a company.makes a dozen imita- , tione. Mr. Norman. Loudon, one of the [ brains in the British industry, is exploit- [ ing this theory with success with nearly ;- every production. So far the half-dozen \ pictures landed from this studio in New. [ Zealand arc remarkable for their novelty • interest and.two of them at least are close ;to the super grade. "Reunion," "Doss i House,'" "Golden Cage," "Eyes of Fate," i "Paris 'Plane," are titles which will give : some idea of the variety and range of this coriipany's work.

British Actors. Pat Somerset's addition to tlie cast o£ H. G. Wells's "The Invisible Man," now filming at Universal Studios under James Whale's "direction, swells the total of British actors cast in this bizarre film to nine. Dudley Digges, Glaude Rains, Una O'Con-. nor, Henry Travel's, Forrester Harvey, Merle Tottenham, E. E. Clive, and Holmes Herbert are the other former London stage celebrities featured in the picture. But there are American actors and actresses in the cast too—Gloria Stuart,' William Harrigan, and Donald Stuart. . "• Famous Poem. It-is refreshing in "Kissing-Cup'sßace" the latest picture releaeed by Australia and New Zealand Pictures, Ltd., to, see English.racing scenes faithfully done. The famous old poem of the course contains a story that is ■well known, and this picture portrayal of it is up to'date..The settings are lavish' and .the horses are English racehorses. running on grass tracks.

Primo Camera. Primo Camera,; vrho- recently defeat? Jack Sharkey for the world's heavyweigli boxing championship, will appear wit Max Baer, one of, his-.challengers for thi title, in' "The Prizefighter and the Lady. This new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film i scheduled to set under way in about tw weeks, with Baer in the leading male rol and Walter Huston in-another leadiri part. Garnera and Baer will be seen i action in one-of the sequences of th story. ' ' .. i , • ■ . "Tarzan and His Mate." With, the addition of Eod La Eocqu to the cast, production has commence on "Tarzan and • His Mate." This is 'i new Edgar Rice Burroughs story writtei especially' for . Johnny Weissmuller, wh' was seen'last in "Tarzan,' the Ape Man.1 Maureen O'Sullivan has the principal-fern mine role1 and the cast includes Neil Ham ilton, Forrester Harvey, Doris Lloyd, ani Frank Eeicher. ■ Cedric Gibbons is direct ing. . • ! . . ■

"Up to the Neck." d G. A. Stegman, art' director of "Up ■ it the Neck," R^alph Lynn's, latest Britii h and DdminionS'farce, had a strange, ta: is to perform. during his work: on this pi " ture. It was t6 build four different typ is of stages. covering the' various theatric o activities of Norman B. Good, the eha c acter played by Ralph .Lynn. One w g the stage of the MiddletOn Technical C< a lege upon wh.ic.h. the. aspiring student (i c eluding N. B. Good) recite their vario pieces before the, celebrated actor, Sir Ar brose Wilkins. Another was the stai of the Middle.ton Town Hall, where.Go< c appears' a 9 a train-bearer in .- a i chari a matinee. "A musical comedy stage1 was tl a third. On this Winifred- Shotter is dan a ing in the when Ralph ;Lyim fir o gets> eyes on -her. The .fourth, was tl London stage on which Norman Barnab !*, Good'achieves, the. anjbition-of his life J- the playing of a. leading part in a We 3 End show. .....' ~...■.. "Queen Christina." ■.' . ' - Greta Garbo and' John Gilbert will 1 " reunited aa .screen .lovers. . The pictui will be "Queen Christina," the directc Rouben Mamoulian, and production scheduled to start, immeditaely. Aunounc ment that the two.players' who swept i triumph in "Flesh and the Devil," "Love : and "A Woman of. Affairs" would' agai be co-starred by-Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer i a new vehicle comes as one of the su prises of the-ye.ar from 'Hollywood. ,ML Garbo recently .'returned to • thel studit after a . seven- months' •, stay, in i.Swedci and Laurence. Olivier :had been tentative] selected as. her. leading man .for"Quee Christina.") ~ .... •;. ,;..... .. .:.

"The Masquerader." ' . • Ronald Colrnan : in-"The Masquerader" comes to- the -Regent 'Theatre' tomorrow in the final series of', screen triumphs that began in company, with • Lillian , Gish in "The ■White' Sister" • and continued through "Beau Geste," '■ "Stella Dallas," "Bulldog Drumniond," - "Condemned/ • "Raffles," "The Devil to Pay," and,' "Arrows'mith." After "The -Masquerader", there will not be another Colman picture for some r time, according to 'report. Mr.: Colman' has gone to the Aegean to; spend the summer sailing the Hellenic waters far ifrom-thought of films. There is-no leading man more popular than, he.! He has the.Continental power of acting'^with his eyes, ' face in general, his hands. He makes 'the .difficult seem easy. His two characters in his latest film are as far apart as beings can be,: but each is crystal clear, vital and. vigorous in- portrayal. There is a'history to the thrill and the. heart throb of "The ■ Masquerader." Years, ago "John Chilcote,: M;P.," the novel fromrwhich the,play was adapted, was one of "the mostr widely read novels published,: running into ■ hundreds of thousands in . England and America. It becamea play -in which -Guy .Bates Post toured the world -for six years, appearing in nearly,; every, ■; city where English is spoken.' v Samuel ' Goldwyn has now brought the famous romantic-drama up to the -.minute.

Parry's "Blest Pair of Sirens." to Mr. Harry Brusey and • his •• Terracf 3h ■". Congregational Church Choir, are to perfofnl * on October 1 Parry's' "Blest Pair'; ; of °- Sirens." Specially augmented for the-occa« e^ sion, the ohoir will have a - strength '~ot ai 45, with an accompaniment of organ ah# :r" strings.' The massive:: work-.is jin eight as parts; and is acknowledged- to be ohp "" of the most wonderful" choral number^ n" ever written, . Mr, .Bwiseyiaims at thai U3 presentation of works by sixteenth cehturi 11 composers and .modern' English -musician! S* such as Vaughan William's, Hoist, Bairs» J d tow, Koberton, and \ Parry,' and everjf tv month the choir performs sortie work o| le note. A good deal of interest is being °" shown in the forthcpming perfprmance-ot 6ti the Ode to Music and Poetry tb'the •wordi le- of Milton. . ■■■■.•.:,.■ ■;■•>; as.. • ■ • - . > .•:, _ Signed. ' "\ v st Constance Bennett and.Loretta Younger two of America's .outstanding . Bcrecal actresses, have just signed long-term cpni tracts with Twentieth Century ■ Pictures^ 38; the, new United Artists' production unis re headed by Joseph- M\ -Schenck and Darryl . Francis Zanuck. This is* in line with'tli«f current expansion programme of Twenii c" tieth Century/ following closely the. sign^ '„ ing of George Arlise. ■•. '• . -•- . • ','.*, n Marie Dressier-and-Jean Harlow. ; ;• n Marie Dressier-and Jean Harlbw will ;bf r" co-starred in Metro-Gbldwyn-Mayer's , pic*' sa turisation of Louis, Bf oirifiel&'s new stotyi )S "Living: in a Big Way." Miss Dressier it i l ' now working' in"'"The Late' Christopher 'y Bean" with Lionel ■Barryniore;/and Misjl n Harlow is completing- a ; new-"V: role ';u|| "Bombshell.". - '

British Drama Lwjue Ftrtlval. 1 ■"• The -first national final ?-festival ;©f-thi w British Drama \ League, ; New 'Zealand it branch, was held iff' WellingtdnUast week* n Eleven teams took; part,/coming'from aa h far afield as Auckland and' Tiiharu. Thai >g judges,' the Rev. W. A.. Constable/ Messrs* ," Dv Chateau and Wauchop, placed the' foui| ," winning teams in the, following'order:-") >t "Kestrel Edge," "The :£ong Christina* c Dinner,"- "Sisters Tragedy;" ' and -"Thd ' Wonderful Son." The judges "commented ie on the splendid performances-of>tbe, team* '" from the younger, or newly-formed:area% it especially the team'from 'Southern Tarag c naki. This team, playing.'/'Touchstone,^* , gave a splendid performance "and wai .placed next in order.'of merit. A' festival nof this kind does much-to foster-the tru« It spirit oMrama andto mate the movement) ■ [s a national ■ one. . .-..,;,, , ; *■ Four : Contracts- < ; )■ ' il New contracts are , announced ■at tM 1. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; Btiidioai with ■ Rich< d ard Boleslavsky, Robert Z. Leonard, and "• Harry Beaumont, directors, and with " Madge - Evans. Boleslavsky.-isinextlto, di« t- rect "Forever Faithful,", a > story .with d a prison background based on;an'original s script by Morris, Layine .and^adapted, t« i. the screen by Zelda Sears and Eve Green. it Leonard will next direct "Dancing Lady,'* g co-starring Joan Crawford and Clark s Gable. Miss Evans,recently completed a v part in "Beauty, For Sale"'and "Dinner at 9 Eight," and will next.play,a;leading rola in Robert Montgomery^ starring vehicle^