STAGE AND SCREEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 138, 8 December 1938, Page 21

STAGE AND SCREEN

PARAMOUNT'S BRITISH PLANS. The new year will see the Paramount Company actively engaged in produc-, tion in Great Britain. Several pictures have already been announced as near ing completion, and others are • f scheduled for preparation under the * direction of Mr. David ;E. Rose, who 'has been sent from Hollywood to take care of Paramount's activity in England. Leslie Howard, Ruth, Chatterton, and - Elizabeth Bergner are three British players who will appear under the Paramount banner during , the new year.

"IN OLD SANTA FE." Set in a background of the most pictorially beautiful along the old Santa Fe trail country, the picturesque Wes' has been caught in all its glory ir "In Old Santa Fe," Action Pictures' forth coming Gene Autry musical western In this picture Autry, who has in a few short months established himself as one of New Zealand's cinema favourites, will be supported by a cast of front-rank favourites, including Ken Maynard, George "Windy" Hayes, Smiley Burnette, H. B. Warner, and Evelyn Knapp.

H.B. HATES H-B. ' Humphrey Bogart isn't one to go around brooding over such things as malign fate, evil genius, or misguiding stars, but there are indications that he may come to it soon despite himself In himself, he is a somewhat retiring soft-spoken, serious young man with a decided aversion to crowds, noise excitement, and the less noble asped of life. Which, by the mysterious system Hollywood uses to determine such matters, eminently qualifies him for motion picture roles of gunmen, crooks, and generally disreputable and shady characters. Two of Bogart's pel aversions, of years' standing, have been crooners and hill-billy music and musicians. So quite' naturally he found himself recently knee deep in /\e latter when he reported for work - ■h his newest picture, Warner Bros.' Swing Your Lady." It almost broke Bogart's heart, but he grimly prepared to give his all to his art until he learned that not only would he spend the next five weeks in the company of the hill-billies and their music but would also consort with wrestlers and their trainers. In fact, he portrays a wrestler's manager in the film, and as such has not only to arrange and attend several bouts but be present when his giant grappler trains.

CLARE BOOTH AGAIN. Clare Booth (Mrs. Brokaw Luce, ol New York, Connecticut, and South Carolina) is an American society *oman who is fast making a name for herself as a playwright. Her play 'The Women," which is now attracting jrowds in Australia and will possibly come to New Zealand, held the mirror up to Nature and showed an allwoman cast at its back-biting, gossiping best—or worst. And now comes another searchlight in her latest play, 'Kiss the Boys Goodbye," which is causing quite a theatrical flutter in New York It is her third play, the other being "Abide With Me," which had nothing of the success that "The Women" attained. The theme of the chatter in 'fKiss the Boys Goodbye" is "whom does she mean by it?" Caricatures are said to resemble Mr Jock Whitney, the picture-loving society horseman; Roy Howard, newspaper publisher; David O. Selznick, movie producer; Heywopd Broun, a noted American columnist; and Arnold Gingrich, magazine editor The thread v used by Mrs Luce to string the characters together is the casting of a Southern screen play; and in the selection of the cast. Clare Booth Brokaw Luce does some of her best satire.

MONTGOMERY'B SUCCESS. j "You've got to tight success it , Sou .vant it." The statement is Roi: ten /[ontgomery's, whose dissatisfact hon vvith his success is a byword in Hq 11 y ■ wood. "I've seen men work day 1 151 a light to attain a goal," Montgom\ sry declared in an interview given betwe *ci 1 scenes of "Thi-ee Loves Has Nanc;yt in which he appears with Janet Gs ty nor. "Suddenly their work is rewar w cd. Insteading of keeping up the t labours they rest on their oars. Thoi ■* men tumble as quickly as they climl > cd. They can't take it." Montgomer f is seldom satisfied with anything n 3 does. "I always feel that it coul< {: have been done better," he said. "Thi. . unrest is a constant goad which ma>»^ keep me from sleeping at nights, bu , ['11 not be happy until I think I'vt done something really good. Whicr is probably a pipe dream," he addec wryly. "When I started work on thf. <tage 1 took any part I could get in small stock companies. I tried tc learn as much about stage techmqu< as about acting. I pestered directors electricians, stage hands, even stagt doormen until I was anathema to the - whole crew, but I knew that withoui a good foundation I stood little chance of even getting, a minor part. When j felt I knew enough to talk intelligently I sold mysell to a producer on Broadway. When I first arrived in Hollywood 1 knew I had a tough trail to travel I knew nothing oi movie technique, camera angles, closeups and long shots. And I m still learning I have yet to offer what I think is an outstanding performance on either stage or screen The besv thing I've done, to my thinking was Night Must Fall,' and il I had another = chance at that part I would change ji I tremendously. I'm still looking for the c time when I can honestly say I dies ~ my best job. I guess I'll be looking for a long time. At least I'm happy £ in being unhappy. It keeps me trying * LEWIS STONE. p After his long career on stage and a screen Lewis Stone is trying to find out if he ever was born. Stone has written his cousin, Florence Stone who lives in Worcester, Massachusetts asking her to obtain a birth certificat rom the city hall there. The actoi vho plays Judge Hardy in the late.* >f the Hardy Family series. "Lov> rinds Andy Hardy," is thinking o aking a trip to foreign countries as . vacation. Looking over passport need le found he would have to have •< oirth certificate, which he never har ;n his life. His travels heretofon nave been within the United States o Cuba during .the Spanish-America/ »var, or to Canada or Mexico, henc le has never needed the certificat< aefore. "It's a lucky thmg the cit> lall never burned down with the re :ords," remarks the actor, "or I don chow how I'd ever prove 1 was born vlickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Ceci] 3arker, Fay Holden, Ann Rutherfor letty Ross Clarke. Lana Turner, an Vfarie Blake are featured in "Lo^ ;'inds Andy Hardy." * The picture w x irected by George B. Seitz. THOSE "GOOD OLD DAYS." King Richard of the Lion Hear cabin. Hood, Friar Tuck,l Maid Marioii Sir Guy of Gisbourne, and the whole 0. ' England Of the late twelfth centurj -would: faint if * they could see whai notion pictures have done for them such magnificence was ever dream id of by the originals of this happ> egend which has persisted through ;even centuries. Their mouths would >pen in amazement at such feats oi .trength and skill as exhibited by lolly wood, 1938 If they, by some hance, survived these shocks and renamed on their feet, they certainly vould swoon to see the amount oi noney lavished in this modern romanticised picturisation of what to them was all in the day's work. They gasped and groaned prodigiously, according to such history of that day as is available, when Austria captured King Richard on his way home the Crusades and demanded 150,000 marks for his ransom. Translated into modern coin, that would amout to about £90,000, a fairish sum in even these days, but a mere drop in the bucket to the sum Warner Bros, spent to film "The Adventures of Robin Hood." And as for the depredations, of Robin Hood, they scarcely would total an average week's shooting cost of the company which pictured his exploits. The twelfth century Normans and' Saxons probably would have given their teeth for some of the magnificent velvet and cloth of gold garments which mere extras wore in The Adventures of Robin Hood." "THE STORM." Drama in the lives of wireless operators on merchant ships at sea provides a thrilling theme for the spectacular action film "The Storm," before the cameras at Universal studios by Producer Ken Goldsmith. A cast assembled for leading roles in the saga of danger and thrills at sea includes Charles Bickford, Preston Foster, Barton McLane, Tom Brown, Andy Devine. Frank Jenks, and Samuel S. Hinds Impressive scenes filmed under the direction of Harold Young include the explosion of a gasoline tanker in mid-ocean, the crashing of a speeding ocean liner into an iceberg, and drama of the wireless rooms as ships fight their way through typhoon and hurricane. Milton Krasner, as director of photography, was called on to film some of the most daring - scenes ever written into a screen play. FIVE-YEAR PLAN. "Charles Laughton," said Alexander Korda, who should know, "has done more for British films than any single other person in this industry." It was the last day of shooting on "Rembrandt" down in the fish market by the River Colne at Denham. That day it smelt rank with fish and wilting vegetables and grease paint, and the flies were having a field day One didn't envy Laughton. who was busy swallowing raw herrings by the tail. He strolled across, and lighting a cigarette with care among his whiskers said, "In five years 1 shall be finished as an actor. I'm not like Ronald Colman; I shan't grow old romantically and gracefully. As it is now I get credit for lots of things I don't do. Take 'Mutiny on the Bounty.' People had been told by that time that I was supposed to be a decent actor. So they watched the Tahiti scenes and revelled in them, and said, 'Look at those lovely girls; isn't Laughton a great actor?' "And they watched the storm scenes and said, 'Aren't they thrilling? Isn't Laughton a great actor?" And they shivered over the lashings and hugged themselves and said. 'Isn't he a beast? Isn't he a great actor?" But in theft- hearts they'd rather see > Gary Coqper any day—and so* they should " Charles Laughton will be seen in "St Martin's Lane." 'he first Mayflower production CONDEMNS THE CANCAN! The originator of the fan and bubble lance, Sally Rand, the young Ameri:an who caught the eye of Hollywood ■scouts when she did a fan-dance at a dig fair in the United States, refused i part in the Hollywood production, 'Zaza.*' because she had to lead a Toupe of girls in a Can-Can dance She it as her decided opinion that our grandmothers were right. "Kicking up of skirts in the Can-Can and the type of undergarments worn by the girls are very suggestive There is art in my bubble dance The Can-Can has only physical appeal." From experience of Miss Rand's "artistic" dancing, an American wit remarks that there is no law to prevent Sally from feeling more at home without clothes.

A iINDLY THOUGH!. On a tour of the distressed areas oi Outh Wales recently members ol the . a.vistock Little Theatre travelled in i Svate cars while a lorry opntaimng : fenery, lighting equipment and cosi mes formed yel another unit ol the r ©cession. The actors and actresses resented "Noah," and visited Trealaw. c iitypridd, Bargoes, Bisca, and Ponty--3 01, giving their services free. There r! is also a London season of the play t ,thp Tavistnok Littlp Theatre

SPECTACULAR DRAMA. Evadne Price acted m tier own play •Red Danger" when it was produced at the Richmond Theatre recently Her part was something of "a female Gordon Harker" type of role. Oriel Ross was engaged for a stellar role, but owing to an accident had to be replaced, arid Enid Stamp-Taylor, a vivacious actress, was substituted. Scenic effects in "Red Danger" include a race between a taxi and a, motor-cycle, a lorry smash, and the take-off of an sproplane •

HOB BURNS FEELS NO DIFFERENI Since Bob Burns finished his first tarring picture, "The Arkansas Traveler," he reports people have been isking him just one question: "'How iocs it feel to be a star?" Bob has me answer. He'd like the world to ■enow it all at the same time. So here it is in detail: "Folks are asking me mow it feels to be a movie star since C started this picture. Well, I hate to disappoint them, but 1 don't feel any different. In fact, I can't get it pound--3d into my head that I am a movie itar. AH I know is I got a darned good job. So good I can't believe it will last. That's why I've just boughi nyself five acres out in San Fernando ft's the best potato raising land I've iver seen, so I'm not worried about what I'm going to do when the movie itar job is done." It is commonly be; ieved that Bob Burns is a very creditible successor to the late Will Rogers 'There is no more natural humanist >n the screen today than Burns,", says i Hollywood trade paper. COVENT GARDEN BALLET. The Covent Garden Russian Balle at His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne broke all theatrical records not onlj by its artistic and box office success but also by its achievement lr changing its programme twice a weefc and being in the positidn to keep this up until the end of the eight weeks season. In another respect, this brilliant organisation has achieved another record by its production of Fokine's amazing and gorgeous ballet, "Le Cog dOr" the most elaborate, spectacular, and beautiful ballet ever presented in Australia; The company is expected to come to New Zealand early next year. Direct from a sensational season at Covent Garden, this troupe of 70 dancers, under Williamson management, is the biggest ballet company ever to go on tour. Over 200 tons of scenery and wardrobe travel with it. There are many famous names in its ranks, including those two eminent prima ballerinas—Xrina Baranova and Tatiana Raibouschinska Baranova is *aid to be one of the most beautiful dancers ever seen in any ballet; she is •he youngest of the children discovered w Colonel de Basil five years ago at he Paris school of Olga Preobja]enska. \nton Dolin, the most noted British iancer in the world today (who was oorn Patrick Healey-Kay), is also .in he company. Owing to engagements^ \nton Dolin could not leave with the omSny by boat, but flew to Australia. "SIXTY GLORIOUS YEARS." Produced entirely in brilliant Tech utfolor and revolving around thefiltering and drama-laden reign_of the ate Queen Victoria, "Sixty Glorious £ear? Reunites Anna Neagle and An £„ Walbrook, the stars of "Victoria Fa^erts $%JStiSs±&s£ and romantic events which made this toe most glamarous period in Britain's history, have been welded into the story yThe entire film has been produced on a scale commensurate with the story value and the romance surrounding, the Queen's marriage, the tragic international affairs, which darkened her reign yet emphasised her great fortitude, and the delight ful human incidents infused into the narrative, add much to the brilliani effectiveness of the entire production No effort has been spared to assure the authenticity of the backgrounds, and the scenes of Buckingham Palace and Balmoral Castle, _ among others, never before seen on the screen, add considerably to the atmosphere of the story, one of the highlights of which is the opening of the Crystal Palace. i which has been reconstructed in a remarkable manner for this historic pro duction. STUDIO "SCRAP." Meeting for the first time on the set of RKO-Radio's "The Mad Miss Manton" Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda had to exchange a series of stinging slaps to the face by way of introduction. The very first scene called for Miss Stanwyck, as a spoiled daughter of wealth, to dash into a newspaper office to resent a scathing criticism about young women of her type. Without preamble, Miss Stanwyck slaps Fonda across the face. In a perfectly natural reflex, Fonda returns the blow. There were six "takes" of the slaps, six additional shots for close-ups and reverse angle shots. Director Leigh Jason called the bout a draw. NOT WHAT IT SOUNDS. "One of the most difficult sounds to record on movie film is that of the villain taking a punch right in the solar plexus," says Clive Ross, sound engineer for Cinesound Productions. "11 he's hit too hard, production is. delayed until he recovers, and if the hero pulls his punch, then the microphone will find him out. So we pack the villain's stomach with a half-filled hot-water bottle! Beneath it and next to his skin is a thick padding of felt to minimise the blow. And when he eventually takes the right across to the body, it sounds vicious enough to please any audience." But the sound operators met their Waterloo during current production of "Mr. Chedworth Steps Out,' which stars Cecil Kellaway. It was necessary to record the meow of a cat for a particular sequence in the film So the best feline impersonators in the studio —property boys, electricians, cameramen, even Ronald Whelan, the assistant director —grouped around the mike and each took turns to give their version of a cat's "meow." But despite their efforts, their enthusiastic audition brought a sorrowful "N.G." from Clive Cross. Result—the purchase of a cat from the R.S.P.C.A., and the picture of a sound operator sitting, microphone in hand, waiting for a "meow." He waited two hours! But that doesn't often happen. Indeed, "what the eye does not see, the heart will not grieve about," and "all is not what it sounds" are two adages which can quite easily be applied to movie-making.

NOTABLE MUSICAL COMEDY. For. the Australian production of "I Married ah Angel," Ernest Rolls assembled a specially chosen company of international artists, seven of whom he engaged in New York. Bernice Claire, fascinating comedienne, is well known in that city on both stage, screen, and radio. Jack Arthur,' handsome leading man, has been in films, radio, and on the stage. Of equal importance is Helene Denizon, famous dancer who plays' the angel, from New York. Maryon Dale, Fred Harper, George Dobbs, and Kathryn Crawford are also prominent. Wellknown Australians in the cast are Field Fisher, a musical comedy, favourite, Rene Maxwell, Nellie Mortyne, and Jan Kowsky ' Mecklin Megley directs under the personal , supervision of Ernest C. Rolls. Horace Sheldon, the new musical director for Australian and New Zealand Theatres, ' Ltd., wielded the baton on the opening night in Melbourne recently. The artistic Australian ballet was created by Dan Eckley. expert New York ballet master. '

ODETS IN LONDON. The big New York success, "Golden Boy" (by Clifford, Odets), had a good run at the London St. James ■ when produced there by Messrs. O'Bryen. Linnit, and Dunfee, in association with the Group Theatre of New York. It was the first time an Odets play had been seen in London, though his. "Waiting for Lefty", and "Awake and' Sing" had been done by semi-private organisations in England. Clifford Odets is regarded in the States as one of the younger playwrights of note. The Theatre Group is recognised in the States as a surety of the fine qualities of plays'chosen for production. The all-American cast of the New York production was brought to London in "its entirety, the notables in its ranks including Lillian Emmerson, a charming actress whose role was that of thegirl friend of a boxing manager who fall*' in love with her- fiance's protege. Luther Adler played the boxer* who gives up a musical career for th* boxing ringi. Scenes in "Golden Boy? include the young man's home, a parfc qnd a dressing room