HOLLYWOOD STARS AS SEEN BY A DIRECTOR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 107, 22 May 1937, Page 10

HOLLYWOOD STARS AS SEEN BY A DIRECTOR

One of the most modest men in pictures has just left London for HollyAvood, He is George Cukor, director of "Uittle Women," "Camille," "JRomeo and Juliet" and a host of other pictures that have scored artistic as well as commercial successes. "The star with whom I am professionally in love is Greta Garbo, " says Mr. Cukor to an interviewer. "She is one of tlie very small handful of actresses whom *a director can tako completely into his coniidcnce. "Garbo is uniquc. Almost completely untrained, and unacquainted wilh any of the normal tricks of acting, she is a perfect iDstrjmcnt for cxpression onc's idcas. 3t is positively amazing the way she goes lo tho camcra and, in a couple of shots, capturcs exactly what you require of lier. If. however, somethang goes .wrong, and she hasn't got the scene 'in the can' after the first half-dozen takes, shc suddenly goes all to pieces. She feels that all the inspiration has evaporated aud. her acting become-s curiously awkward and amateurisb. "The only thing to do in the circumstances is to stop worlc and coino back 'to it in the morning," Norma Shearer Self-Opinionated. Cukor 's vicws on Norma Shearer are particularly iuteresting now that "Rorueo and Juliet" is being generally released. "Ske'is an intelligent, self-opinion-ated woman," Cukor said, "and is rather inclunod to quostion the director 's instructions. The iirst few days of Romeo and Juliet were »amoiig tho most wearing I have ever experienced. "Wg knew nothing about cach other. Shearer and Thalberg had been rcading tho play for a year or more. • I had my own ideas about it — and the clash of theories was heart-breaking. "Now that the picture is oVer aud done with, I am not at all sure that. Shfearer wasn't night about a great many things over which we diifered." L^lie Howard 's Flawless Teclxnique. It was largely due to Cukor 's pereuasiveness that Leslie Howard wus given the role of Romeo. «. "Howard," said Cukor, "is so good to work with because he is conscious of his ' own limriitations. He knows quite well Ihat he hasn't that divine spark which alone mgJkes an actor cap' ablo of Teducing an audience to pulp, and to counteract this JEoward has built up an almost flawless technique. ''That was what made iiirn ideal for actor to mako tho necessary traditions from great happincss to grcater Romeo. • Tho eharacter is so complex ; that it takes a techiuically perfect grief and to capture Romeo 's ardour, i madness and hoart-brcaking anguish. "The majority of Hollywood's younger stars simply couldn't liavo handled the role. It is too easy to make Romeo just a tircsome boy.-'

Hepburn an Intriguing Star. One other intruguing star Cukor was enthusiastic about — and that was Katharino Hepburn.' It was Cukor who gavo hor the lirst chance of her career — in "A Bill of Divorcement. " A young agent from New York arrived at the studio when Cukor was casting the firm. With him ho brought film tests of Miss Hepburn — an unkuown and very unsuceessful actress. "Hepburn looked a most extraordinary woman to me," said Cukor. "I sent the young man away, saying, as ono usually does, that I would file her name for futuro rcferenee. "In the night it: suddenly occurred to me that I mfght take a chance and givo her tho role of the daughter in "A Bill of Divorcement." "I gave h'er a test, found that she had tho makings of a competent actress — and the rcst you know. " "Hepburn, properly handled, is a delightful star to work with. She has, it is true, ' given one or two inferior performances — but that is because directors who did not xmderstand her vital charm tried to soften her personalitv, after her voice and her striding masculine ■ walk. ' '