FILM AND STAGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 45, 21 January 1938, Page 10

FILM AND STAGE

Famous Drama. “The Emperor’s Candlesticks,” the new romantic drama, which reunites William Powell and Luiso Rainer in their third co-starring picture, comes to the Regent Theatre on Saturday, <is an adaptation of the best-selling novel by llaroness Orczy, author of “The bear let Pimpernel” and other distinguished works. -Writing of the book was inspired by the rare and unusual candlesticks said to have been owned by Mane Antoinette, each of which contained a secret compartment in which she is alleged to have hidden secret correspondence from her consort, Louis XVI. Powell, considered to be one of the best-dressed men in Hollywood, does not wear any of his own suits in the picture, the action of which takes place in about 1900. The studio’s wardrobe department, following intensive research work, fashioned “vintage” clothes for him. For one sequence alone, that in the. Vienna Opera House, showing a masquerade party, four hundred employees of the Culver City wardrobe department made 2000 period costumes, including 15 Mary Stuarts, two Queen Elizabeths. Cossacks, Hindus, Fausts, Romeos and Juliets, and Arabs.

Lovable Story, Shirley Temple as “Heidi!” Millions the world over have been enthralled by the warmth, the tenderness and the charming beauty of Jo-; hanna Spyri’s beloved story. of Heidi and all the colourful folk who lived and laughed and loved high up in the Swiss Alps, just beneath the stars. Translated into all languages and read everywhere, it is a story that had to wait for its star before it could be brought to the screen. The production of “Heidi,” starring Shirley Temple, coming on Friday next to the State Theatre, is the picture for which' she’ll be remembered always. “Heidi” brings a Shirley Temple more glorious 1 than

has ever been known, in tlie picture she was asked to make by thousands of fans. Bringing love to hearts filled with hate, and a twinkle to eyes filled with tears, ‘.‘Heidi” tells of an embittered mountain-top exile, brilliantly portrayed by Jean Hersholt, reclaimed from this fierce hatred of the world, of a young girl who finds the strength and courage to walk again, and of the little heroine who brings everyone new zest for life. Arthur Treacher and Helen Westley play prominent roles in the story, and Pauline Moore, Thomas Beck, Mary Nash, Sidney Blackmer, Mady Christians and Sig Rumann are also featured in the cast.

The rumour that Paulette Goddard and not Tallulah Bankhead will play Scarlet in “Gone AYith the Wind is again current. Luis Alberni has one of the featured roles in “Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife, starring Claudette Colbert and Ciary Cooper. ■Dolly Haas is to star in Absent Without Leave” and this will precede the musical, “Paris on Broadway.” Caroline Fisher has been taken to Hollywood by the director Wesley Ruggles, and,may have a part in “True Confession.” She has been ,running a summer stock theatre called

the Theatre in the Garden, with her brother in Colorado. Jean Muir lias left Hollywood. She will do a Broadway play, and may then return for a single picture. . Wayne Morris, whose work in “Kid Galahad” attracted widespread attention, has been assigned an important role in “Submarine D. 1.” In this thrilling picture of navy life Wayne will co-star with Pat O’Brien, George Brent and Doris Weston. “Shi The Octopus!” a comedy thriller, was finished recently. Hugh Herbert heads the cast, other principals being Allen Jenkins, Marcia Ralston, George Bosener, John Eldredge, Eric Stanley, Margaret Irving, Brandon TH’nan arid Elspeth Dudgeon. ■ '“Ever Since Eve,” a new romantic comedy co-starring Marion Davies and Robert Montgomery, will be released shortly in New Zealand. John Barrymore’s recent good conduct will be rewarded with renewed star billing in “The Yellow Nightingale,” with Gladys Swarthout and John Boles.

Boy Actor’s Return. Beautiful. lake-studded Maine woods are the setting for opening sequences of Bobby Breen’s latest musical starring vehicle, “Make a Wish,” which also ‘headlines Basil Rathbone and Marion Claire, in the order named. It opens at the State Theatre to-day. The cast includes Henry Armetta. Ralph Forbes, Leon Errol, Donald Meek, Herbert Rawlinson and Leonid Kinskey, ns well as 160 .youngsters seen as Bobby’s companions at a boys’ summer camp. Theatregoers will in this picture have an opportunity to see a “new” Basil Rathbone, since he essays the first truly romantic role in his career on the screen. Not only is Bobby heard in solos, but he also sings with tlie St. Luke’s Choristers, an organisation of 68 boy vocalists. Marion Claire, N.B.C. star, who makes her screen debut, is also heard in song. The story of “Make a Wish” finds Bobby at the boys’ camp where he makes the acquaintance of Rathbone, a composer of operettas who is staying at his nearby lodge. Through Bobby,' the musician acquires a very personal interest in the lad’s young mother, former singing star of the stage, much to the annoyance of her _ fiance. The "situation reaches a minor climax when Rathbone urges her to play the leading role in his new operetta. From this point the story moves to a surprising finish. On the same programme will be screened the first of the 1938 Walt Disney’s coloured cartoons entitled, “Pluto’s Quinpuplets.

Maritime Highlight. A section of the Liverpool waterfront as it appeared in the 40’s lives again, and like lost ghosts out of a port that Was, winds hips from the world over are poking their noses over the dockside to watch the busy waterfront scene. The magic was conjured out of the past as a set dor _ “Souls at Sea,” pieturisation of a piece of maritime history that was an international “cause celebre.” Tlie film stars are Gary Cooper, George Raft and Frances Dee and it opens soon at the Regent Theatre. The waterside you will see in the picture covers a huge dock, nine hundred feet long by two hundred and fifty feet wide ( at the .Los Angeles Ship Yards. “Okl” buildings of the style of one hundred years ago line narrow streets set back from the bulkhead, and the dock in front of them is littered with casks, coils of rope, barrels marked for strange ports, hits of tackle and running gear, with the sprits and booms of the windjammer forming an arcade above. Claude Rains and lan Hunter have been added to the cast of_ “Adventures of Itohin Hood,” as Prince John and Richard the Lionhearted respectively.

Two young representatives of famous stage families have been put under contract and are playing in “Our Fighting Navy.” They are nineteen-year-old Hazel Terry, daughter of Dennis NeilsonTerry and Mary Glynne, and Richard Ainley, son of Henry Ainley. Both show exceptional promise of following up the fame of their parents in the new medium of the films. Sir Cedric Hardwick© is to play in a medical biography. The subject is Dr. William Norton, discoverer of anaesthetics. The Marx Brothers will play in “Room Service” for a fee of £50,000. They, will also make two more comedies. Rosalind Russell is being officially promoted to stardoom. She will have equal Prominence with Myrna Loy in “The Four Marys.” Johnny Weissmuller gets a real speaking part in “Hell on Wheels.” The story is about a transport war and Tarzan will play an ordinary college graduate.

Irish Song Vehicle. Singing is not only Phil Regan’s artistic vocation, but his hobby as .well. He began it when lie was a hoy. When hardly out of his ’teens his public singing in New York Citylaunched him on a national broadcasting career, which made his voice known and loved by millions. He was still a young man when Hollywood snatched him from the air channels to put his voice into singing screen roles. He is still such a musicminded young Irishman that he recently terminated a long-term screen contract because he felt he could obtain more and better singing roles, free-lancing. “Laughing Irish Eyes,” starring Regan with a new hit Irish comedian, Walter C. Kelly, vaudeville veteran, and Evelyn Knapp, will present golden-voiced Phil in the first of his enlarged singing screen roles at the Koey Theatre oil- Saturday next. In the" idyllic setting of Ireland's green hills and lovely country lanes, Regan is presented as an athletic young blacksmith who vocalises as he pounds his anvil. Kelly, American prize-fight promoter and liis daughter, pick Regan for their choice —but both for different reasons. Such old Irish favourites, seldom heard on the screen as “Londonderry Air,” “Bless You, Darlin’, Mother,” and “All My Life,” not forgetting the theme song, “Laughing Irish Eyes,” are sung by Regan, and poured into the heart of the spirited and adorable Irish lass. Thrills of the Air. The test pilots, unsung her oes of aviation, are held up for well-deserving pats on the back and recognition or their valorous deeds in a film that is scehduled to open on Saturday at tlie Mayfair Theatre. It is the drama, “Devil’s Squadron,” and it stars the square-jawed Richard Dix. Dick Grace, one of the world’s foremost aviators, who has come into the limelight for his hazardous stunting and crashing of ’planes for the movies, wrote the story Grace, a test pilot himself, is in an ideal position to appreciate the men who are the first to fly new ’planes, who try them out so that if they have any structural defects tlie flying daredevils wil be the first to come crashing to earth in them. Test pilots do not take ’planes up for a gentle, level ride and then land easily. It is necessary for them to put the ’planes through the most difficult death-defy-ing stunts—tail spins, rolls, power dives, etc. —so that every part of the ’plane is tested to the utmost. Featured with Dix in “Devil’s Squadron” are Karen Morley. Lloyd Nolan, Billy Burrud, Shirley Ross, Henry Mollison, Gene Morgan, and Gordon Jones. Most of the players are either licensed or student pilots in real life.

Esther Muir, Groucho’s blonde in “A Day at the Races,” has been* added to the cast of the Grace Moore picture, “I’ll Take Romance.” Phyllis-Welch, one of Burgess Meredith’s two leading ladies in “High Tor” on the stage, has signed a contract.

In “Merry-Go-Round of 1938,” Alice Brady and Louise Fazenda will sing a comedy duet called “A Masher is a Bad Bad, Boy.” Alfred Lunt recently made a test with Norma Shearer for “Idiot’s Delight.” Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne played it on the stage. “Baby Broadway Melody of 1938,” a musical film with an all-juvenile I cast, burlesquing its grown-up prototype, is planned. Herbert Marshall will star with Barbara Stanwyck, Glenda Farrell, and Eric Blore in “Love Like That.” A Hollywood comnany will produce a picture based on the life of the composer George Gershwin. His brother, Ira, will provide the script. Alice Faye, Tyrone Power and Don Ameche are the stars in “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.” Jeanette MacDonald’s third starring picture will be called “Girl of the Golden Heart.” Nelson Eddy costars. Mae West’s next starring picture is tentatively titled “Sapphire Sal.” Clara Bow, one-time “It” girl of the movies, and her husband, Rex Bell, film cowboy, have opened a restaurant in Hollywood. After unsuccessful bids from Hollywood/a British company has secured the rights to produce the Gilbert and Sullivan operas in England. The first film will be “The Yeoman of the Guard.” Madeleine Carroll loves Francis Lederer, Misclia Auer,loves Madeleine Carroll, and Francis Lederer abhors Mischa Auer in the new romantic comedy, “It’s All Yours,” for early New Zealand release. Further additions to the cast of “I’ll Take Romance,” starring Grace Moore, with Melvyn Douglas playing opposite, were made recently when Greta Meyer and Franklin Pangborn were signed for the picture. After weeks of hunting, for proper location, the director has found an ideal site close to Sacramento where “The Adventures of Robin Hood” will be filmed. Since the film is being done in new technicolour, practically 70 per cent, of the picture will be filmed outdoors. Errol Flynn has been assigned the chief role. Evelyn Brent has been given an important part supporting Anna May Wong in “East of Shanghai.’_ Sally Filers has been signed to play in “Condemned Women,” a story of the effect of prison life on women convicts. Janet Gaynor’s next picture will be written fry Jacques Deval, who wrote the scenario of “Cafe jM^tropole.” Dark and virile John Lodge, former leading man to Marlene Dietrich, has returned to England to play the leading role in “Bank Holiday.” Men, women and children were knocked down, and doors and windows wero broken when a crowd of 10,000 persons hysterically welcomed the Mexican film actress, Lupe Velez,, on - her first visit to Mexico City for 11 years. One of her feet/was slightly injured and her clothing was torn as she stepped off the train. Police vigorously cleared a path, and then transported her to her hotel in the sidecar of a. patrolman’s motor cycle. A Hollywood company has bought “Madame Pompadour,” the musical comedy in which Evelyn Laye starred on the London stage over 12 years ago. It will he a vehicle for either Jeanette MacDonald or Ilona Massey. Anna ,Q. Nilsson, famous star of silent days, is planning another screen come-back—this time in a series of short films. Swedish-born, Miss Nilsson. who is now 44, was at the height of her popularity when a fall from a horse seriously injured her in . 1928. A long illness followed, and Miss Nilsson was not seen on the screen again until 1933, when she appeared with Paul Muni in “The World Changes.” Miss Nilsson afterwards played one or two small roles in other films, and is now to make a sustained attempt to return by playing in a series of short films. These will be produced under the general title of “Behind the Headlines,” and will he similar to the “Crime Doesn’t Pay” series.

Anti-Crime Film. You’ve got to be hard to look hard, is Bruce (Jabot’s discovery, and the handsome actor who has turned from leading-man roles to 'sinister characterisations is living up to liis rule. Cabot, who made his debut in a menace role in “Let ’Em Have It,” and who turns in a masterful portrayal in the thrilling anti-crime picture, “Show Them No Mercy!” which comes to the Meteor Theatre to-day, is keeping hard by strenuous physical exercise. “Exercise, tough physical condition, helps out the realism of my playing,” Cabot explains. “Make-up alone can’t do it, because no matter how skilfully it is used it leaves an impression of softness.” In “Show Them No Mercy!” Cabot’s role is that of a born killer, a criminal without mercy or any potentiality for good. His part is an important one in this picture" which reveals tlie new underworld terror, lor it is Cabot’s open break with Romero, brains of the gang, which leads to their eventual apprehension. Warren Hymer, Edward Brophy and Herbert Rawlinson are importantly'cast in supporting roles. Newspaper Romance. The romantic comedy drama, “That’s My Story,” which opens at tlie Kosy Theatre on Saturday, describes the adventures of a reporter who prides himself on his nose for news until he finds) a hornet’s nest of trouble. The narrative brings to the screen the fierce rivalries of reporters, as well as the humorous situations into which 60me of their assignments thrust them. The picture details the efforts _of newspapermen to interview a beautiful torch singer, accused of killing a millionaire playboy. The sheriff, hating all newspapers and reporters, keeps them away from the bird in the gilded calaboose. Then an ambitious young cub reporter, William Lundigan, gets himself arrested.. Once inside the gaol, he mistakes another woman for the fatal warbler. Instead, she is a girl reporter after the same story. The lady

scribe, Claudia Morgan, tells him a faked story, which he sends his newspaper. The editor fires him. Then Bernadene Hayes, the torch singer, whose ideas are wilder than her music, but whose trigger finger is terribly accurate, compels the reporters to go with her when she escapes. The sheriff is hot on their trail. To keep his goose from being cooked, or desiring some sauce for the gander, and a story of his paper, Lnndiga.n disarms the lady with a fatal aim. Then comes the climax.

Tyrone Power may lie teamed with Simone Simon in “Jo and Josqtte.” The title of Sonja Henie’s third film, witli Don . Ameche, has been changed to “Hot and Happy.” Paul Muni is said to have accepted an offer to appear at the famous Moscow Art Theatre on his way round the world.

Luli Deste has been released from her contract after story arguments. She is now free-lancing in Hollywood. Bing Crosby has just been made a •doctor of music at Gonzaga University. Crosby says he can neither read nor write a note.

Spring Byington has a big part in “Jezebel,” a Civil War story starring Bette Davis. Both the background and the main character are very similar to., those of “Gone with the Wind.” .

Miss Tallulah Bankhead made her Broadway debut as a Shakespearean actress when she appeared in. the leading part <in “Antony and Cleopatra” at New York. The critics were almost unanimously of the opinion that Miss Bankhead’s inexperi-

ence' in this sphere had proved herx undoing. Dick Foran, hitherto seen chiefly in musical Western films, is undergoing a series of tests for the role of “The Red Shadoiv” in a technicolour production of “The Desert Song.” Foran, who has been carefully groomed for bigger and better roles, possesses an excellent singing voice. . It is reported that a Hollywood com : pany is trying to persuade Yehudi Menuhin, the 21-year-old violin virtuoso, to star-in its new version of “Symphony of Six Million.” That is the Fannie Hurst story in which Ricardo Cortez made such a success five years ago. Miss Janet Johnson (who is not unknown in New Zealand) has been cast tor the part- of a woman reporter trying to sift a murder plot, in Gordon Harker’s comedy-thriller, “Blondes for Danger.” After a tour of New Zealand, Miss Johnson had the good fortune to meet in Australia Miles Hander, British actor and director, who was making films there, and who gave her a test.

Popular Star. Nino Martini insists lie was born under a lucky star. The world famous tenor, who is starring in “The Gay Desperado,” the comedy at the Mayfair Theatre, on Saturday, lirst saw the light in Verona, Italy, and his playground was the woods and gardens surrounding the ( legendary tomb of Shakespeare’s immortal ltomeo and Juliet, of which liis father was custodian. As a small boy he sang in the choir of his village church. The choirmaster discovered his beautiful .voice and, interested the iamous opera singefs,iGiovanni Zenatello and his wife Maria, who took the lad under their wing. After three years as their protege and apprentice, Martini made his operatic debut as the Duke in “Rigoletto.” He proved a, sensation and soon | made a triumphant concert tour of Europe. Returning to Italy, Martini was accorded an audition before Toscanini at La Scala, but prior engagements for concert recitals prevented 'liis joining the company. At one of his ensuing Paris recitals in 1929 he was heard by a production chief and signed to a film contract. He was starred in a series of five short pictures and. with his close tnend, Maurice Chevalie;, was featured in “Paramount on Parade.” Since then he has achieved deserved fame.' Fine Singing. Lawrence Tibbett, gtaruuu.sJy singing three new songs headed for the nation’s hit list;: brilliantly cast against a background of riotous comedy provided by Gregory Ratolf and Arthur Treacher and a jpiugh-house romance with Wendy Barrie, arrives to-day at the Meteor Theatre in his newest and greatest musical-comedy romance, “Under Your Spell.” The new songs give a lilt and a swing to the picture that is new to the screen. '"'Curler Your Spell,’' 1 “My Little Mule Waggou” and “Amigo” are titles certain to grace every orchestra’s request list. In a role very closely paralleling real life, the world-famous baritone is cast as a popular singer, kept so busy by

liis vigoTdTLs manager,. Gregory TLitoff, that his every moment is filled with a continual round of engagements, endorsements and publicity stunts’. Manager Raiioff gets away with murder (of the English language), but .finally his protege has enough <ef the salesmanship and flees rout "West tip re* sume his, fotmer (occupation as 'ji onw,bov. Accompanying. Tibbett , to ; the wide open spaces is Arthur Treacher, wildly comic as a coldly formal English man-servant who loses his reserve <»n a Western reservation aud turns cowboy. Pursuing Tibbett to the wide open spaces is Wendy Barrie, as a valdly. formal .society girl who loses her: heart on a mountain top and turns roman* tic. -■

Lee Tracy is looking for a play Lit do on Broadway this season. He has not appeared there since his hit In “The Front Page” in 1928. Gertrude Michael is due to sail for England to play in “The Card.” Carl Lacmmle, jnnr., plans to put Peter Lorre in the famous Lon Chaney part in the re-make of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Robert Taylor is suggested for the part played by Norman Kerry.

Ginger Rogers is reading a. script from Louis Blomfield’s story; “And It All Came True.”' lf she likes it she will make it. “The Return of Limbo. a well known Saturday Evening Post story, lias been purchased for a new Kay Francis picture. A new screen team winch should prove highly attractive to theatregoers is Shirley Temple and Souja Henie. It seems most probable that they will be sister's in the Swiss Alps, but m

any case,' the new team should prove entertaining, as Sonja Henie’s charm is not unlike Shirley’s, only it is less precocious. For ten days Robert Donat and Marlene Dietrich worked on a set of unusual interest for “Knight Without Armour.” On one of the largest stages the art directors consti acted a replica of a section of Russian forest.' Vivien Leigh’s reward for her fine performance in the latest Elizabethan release, “Fire Over England,” is to co-star with Conrad Veidt in her next picture “Dark Journey.” Elisabeth Bergner will be seen dancing the rumba in sequences of the film “Dreaming Lips.” The famous “400” Club, fashionable London night club, was reconstructed in., detail, in the studio. Danielle Darrieux, foremost screen idol of Europe, not only is a noted singer, actress and beauty, but she is a gifted linguist and has learned to speak English in. less than six months. She is now in Hollywood for tier starring role in Universal’s musical, “The Rage of Paris.”