THE SHADOW WORLD

Southland Times, Issue 21101, 5 June 1930, Page 15

THE SHADOW WORLD

(By

Columbine.)

CIVIC PICTURES.

Saturday: Zane Grey’s “The Lone Star Ranger” (George O’Brien, Sue Carol). Early Attractions.

"The Girl from Havana” (Paul Page, Lola Lane, Kenneth Thompson) ; “Why Leave Home” (Sue Carol, David Rollins, Jed Prouty, Nick Stuart).

It is interesting to note that the Civic opens as a talkie theatre on Saturday with a Fox-Movietone feature as the chief attraction, and the promise of more releases from this company to follow. “The Black Watch,” “In Old Arizona,” “Through Different Eyes” and “Words and Music” -are the only Fox-Movietone full-length productions I can remember seeing in this city, but they in themselves must be sufficient to convince local theatre-goers • of the calibre of this company’s work, which at present is breaking all records .with John McCormick’s first film, “Song of My Heart.” Of “The Lone-Star Ranger,” which marks the welcome return of I ox-Movietone after a somewhat puzzling absence, one critic has said: “The Western has come into its own again in no uncertain manner following a temporary decline due to the advent of talking pictures. This is not to be wondered at, for those city “shut ins” nothing is more enjoyable than to be transported to the wide open spaces and be wafted a breath of the clear atmosphere of the West per medium of the talkies. The outdoor romance of to-day can be 100 per cent, more thrilling than the old silent film when talking and sound background are used with the intelligence here displayed. May we have many more bigger and better Westerns of the calibre of the “Lone Star Ranger.” From one of the prolific Zane Grey’s most popular novels it has been twice screened r.s a silent film—first with Wm. Farnum, then with Tom Mix. George O’Brien was the perfect choice on the Fox star list for the role as he is the typical rugged, beautifully developed, outdoor “he man” of Zane Grey fame. George is so fine that if the producers know their business he should be kept in talking Westerns by Fox, who developed a wonderful box office star in Tom Mix., Sue Carol is a cute little heroine and is always pert and delightful. Superlatives alone can be used of the scenery which is magnificent and aweinspiring, huge water-worn cliffs towering above the "Lone Star Ranger” who in the distance looks like an ant crawling along at the base. The photography is worthy of the subject. The story is thrilling, the action fast, and the acting good, Lee Shumway, Walter McGrail and Warren Hymer being some of the better known in the cast the last named being particularly good in a humorous role.” This should be an interesting test of the acoustic properties of Invercargill's newest talkie theatre.

“Murder Will Out,” is a mystery melodrama with Jack Mulhall, Lila Lee and Noah Beery.

■ “Hunting Tigers in India” is «the motion-picture record of the Vernay-Faun-thorpe expedition to India made by Commander George M. Dyott and, his company.

When the four Marx Brothers appear at the Paramount Long Island Studios to make the screen version of “Animal Crackers”, they will be directed by VictorHeerman, who has just finished supervising Clara Bow’s new film.

A female Raffles is Bebe Daniels as the main character in “Alias French Gertie,” a romantic drama released by Radio. The film is an' adaptation of the play, “The Chatterbox,” by Bayard Veiller, and the cast includes Ben Lyon and John Ince.

William Powell alternates his roles between -those of the underworld and the parts of sleuths. His newest characterization will be that of a crook in “Shadow of the Law” (Paramount) which Louis Gasnier and Max Marcm will direct.

The Ziegfeld-Goldwyn creation, to- be more familiarly known as “Whoopee,”' in which Eddie Cantor will appear, is reported planned as a “super-production,” “super” in this instance totalling somewhere in the neighbourhood of 1,500,000 dollars.-

“He Knew Women” is the film title of the Theatre Guild production, “The Second Man,” by S. N. Behrman. Alice Joyce and Lowell Sherman head the cast. The tale concerns a young novelist who is loved by two women and finds himself forced to wed one who tells him a falsehood.

Buster Keaton’s new comedy, “Free and Easy,” (M.-G.-M.) has a Hollywood studio background in which a variety of film people are seen, including Anita Page, Trixie Friganza, Robert Montgomery, Fred Niblo, Gwen Lee, Lionel Barrymore, William Haines, Dorothy Sebastian and others.

Joseph Schildkraut is the leading player in ‘*Cock o’ the Walk” in which he plays the role of a cabaret violinist who combines his talents to win the susceptible women who come to the place. Myrna Loy acts the leading part opposite h'im. The locale of the picture is in one of the fashionable South American resorts.

Forsaking the Swedish accent of .“Anna Christie” for Italian dialect, and garbed in crinolines in place of sweaters and oilskins, Greta Garbo has started work on her second talking picture, “Romance” an adaptation of the famous stage play. Clarence Brown is directing and Gavin Gordon, New York stage star, plays opposite Miss Garbo as the young minister who seeks to save her soul but succumbs to her exotic lure. Lewis Stone and Florence Lake c.re in the cast.

Olive Borden, one of Hollywood’s mostsought free lance players, has been cast for the feminine menace role in “The Social Lion,” Jack Oakie’s initial starring talkie for Paramount. Her role will be that of a society siren and she will match her charms against those of Mary Brian, Oakie’s leading woman in the film. Skeets Gallagher and Charles Seflon head the supporting cast. “The Sap from Syracuse” will be Oakie’s second starring film, directed by Edward Satherland.

A writer to The London Morning Post wants to know why no film has yet been made in England- based on the game of cricket. “Here is a game,” he says, “which is perhaps identified with England and the English more- closely than any other, yet our film producers, who have been implored to make a film introducing at least a cricket atmosphere, having steadily declined to doso.” The correspondent continues to urge upon British producers consideration of the game in a village or country house with the tents,-banks, humour of the players and spectators and the attendant colour. He calls English producers to task and repeats that they hurry before Hollywood adopts the,idea. As a matter of fact, he says, a match is being staged in one of the films (he refers to “Raffles,” in which Ronald Colman is starred) and the world at large, he continues, may shortly see a cricketer, as the result of America’s taking • to the sport, clad in white plus fours, shouting “Atta Baby!” to the Broadway blonde who, disguised as a man, has just won a test match by a home run! By the way, it is interesting to note that R. C. Sherriffs (who wrote “Journey’s End”) is at present engaged on a play "about cricket.”'

. THE REGENT. To-night: "On With the Show.” Entirely in natural colours (Betty Compson, Sally O’Neill, Sam Hardy, Arthur Lake); Frank Crumit “One Man Glee Club”; Chief Canpolican (Indian Baritone). Next Change: “Burning Up” (Richard Arlen, Mary Brian); “Untamed” (Joan Crawford). It was Warner Bros, who made the first talkie. Now they have again revolutionized the motion picture industry with “On With the Show,” whose big success means just one thing—that in another two years, there won’t be a solitary photoplay in black and white photography. For “On With the Show” is the first all-talking, all-colour picture to be made, and there is not a scene in it photographed in the old-fashion-ed way. An entirely new process is used, in which the colour is said to have nothing of the eye-offending rawness of earlier attempts at reproducing natural effects, and this process is said to photograph shades in their exact values. The theatre set used in “On With the Show” is said to be one of the biggest ever built for a motion picture. The story written by a New York advertising man (Humphrey Pearson) who had long been interested in the theatre, is concerned with happenings at the tryout of a musical comedy before it is presented on Broadway, and it takes in all parts of the theatre and includes the sets for the action of the musical comedy, ‘The Phantom Lover,” which occurs on a southern plantation and on the Mississippi River. Heading the enormous cast of twentyone stage and screen stars, and a beauty ballet of one hundred selected girls, are Betty Compson (whose first big success in silent films was in “The Miracle Man,” and who came into the front rank of talking pictures with her very fine performance in “Street Girl”), Arthur Lake (juvenile from Broadway who came to the fore in Booth Tarkington’s “Seventeen” series), Sally O’Neill, Joe E. Brown (of the enormous mouth, the bright particular star of the musical comedy, “Twinkle, Twinkle”), Louise Fazenda (always one of the finest comedians of the silent screen, who has proved herself a further asset to the talking screen in several comedies made by Paramount, as well as the soubrette in “The Desert Song”), William Bakewcll (who played the part of the prince with Douglas Fairbanks in “The Iron Mask”), Sam Hardy (one of America’s best known comedians, creator of “Get Rich Wallingford,’ and also played the lead opposite Lenore Ulric in “Kiki” which ran for three years), the Fairbanks Twins (dancers from vaudeville), the Four Cowans (Harmony Quartet of coloured singers), Lee Moran (already well-known in silent films), Wheeler Oakman, Ethel Waters (famous coloured singer of “blues” songs), Otto Hoffman and Thomas Jefferson. Larry Ceballos forsook Broadwry temporarily to stage all the theatrical effects, choruses and ensembles for "On With the Show,” which Robert Lord adapted. Alan Crosland was the director of this film, which is showing at the Regent for an extended season.

Claudette Colbert, who has become a fullfledged cinema player, stopped at Hollywood bn her way around the world to make a picture, “Manslaughter,” which is being directed by George Abbott (Paramount).

Anita Stewart’s role in the »lent film of Peter B. Kynfi’s story, “Jlever the Twain Shall Meet,” (made some years ago by First National) will be played for M.-G.-M. byRaquel Torres. It will be directed by Lionel Barrymore.

“The Devil’s Holiday,” Paramount, starring Nancy Carroll, is completed. This was written and directed by Edmund Goulding, who was also responsible for Gloria Swanson’s “The Trespasser.” The cast includes James Kirkwood, Hobart Bosworth, Phillips Holmes and Morgan Farley.

Esther Ralston in person, with her original cycle of songs and dances, proves versatile,' and a big vaudeville “draw” in America. One reason for her screen popularity is revealed in her clever characterization of a shop and dance hall girl. Miss Ralston also sings and dances “The Boardwalk,” a new rhythm of her own creation.

THE MAJESTIC.

Dennis King, the.-singing Englishman, who deserted the stage temporarily to make Paramount’s sensational success, “The Vagabond King,” has just opened on the London stage in “The Three Musketeers,” where he seems to have caught critical approval so well that he is acting as his own beet advance agent for the premiere of the film in London.

Lon Chaney, the man of many faces, will be henceforth known as “he of many voices,” for it is said that he will record his first -talking film “The Unholy Three,” for M.-G.-M., in more than one tongue. Lila Lee will have the chief feminine role in the character actor’s first talker, as the feminine accomplice of the sinister Dr Echo. Richard Carle and Ivan Linow are others already cast. ENTERTAINMENT DE LUXE. What is undoubtedly the best of the front-stage back-stage talking pictures opened an extended season at the Regent yesterday. That is the First National-Warner picture “On With ’the Show,” which comes as the screen’s first all-talking all-colour production. The continuity between the actual musical comedy that is being staged and the action behind the scenes is particularly well balanced, and with the exceptions of Sally O’Neill, whose prominence on the screen I have never been able to understand, and Arthur Lake, who plays the “dud” juvenile lead with more naturalness than artistry, the cast is exceptionally well chosen, with Miss Betty Compson giving a particularly fine performance. I should say that if there are any people who saw “Street Girl" without discovering what a really fine actress Miss Compson is, her current performance will destroy any lingering doubts. Miss Louise Fazenda, who for years was the only female comedian on the screen of any degree of intelligence, has found a greater medium in the talking screen, and is irresistibly funny, with a perfectly characteristic voice. The men in the cast are particularly strong—Wheeler Oakman, as Durant, gives the finest impersonation of drunkenness I have seen on the screen; Thomas Jefferson, (son of the original Rip Van Winkle) as Dud, Sam Hardy as the harassed producer, Lee Moran (who really looks as if he could enter into warm competition with Mr Sandy Sutherland!), Purnell Pratt as Sam Bloom, and Harry Gribbon as the detective, are five other stage recruits who help to make “On With The Show” such an outstanding achievement. The costuming and setting is considerably enhanced by the addition of colour, which at no times is obtrusive, and has completely., lost the glare noticeable in previous colour films. Probably the strongest feature of the whole show is the dancing, the Four Cowans (the negro dancers), Joe E. Brown (who was not allowed sufficient comedy work, unfortunately) and the Fairbanks Twins lending more than a little assistance to the very satisfying chorus. This is a bright show, a gay'show, and, what is more, gives the truest picture of what actually goes on behind the scenes of a big production that I have seen on the screen.

MOTION PICTURE PLAYS & PEOPLE

Now Showing: “Tanned Legs” (Ann Pennington, Arthur Lake) ; Mickey The Mouse Cartoon, Paramount Sound

News. Saturday: "Shanghai Lady” (Mary Nolan,

James Murray). Coming Attractions: "The Vagabond Lover” (Rudy Vallee) ; “One Hysterical Night” (Reginald Denny).

Radio’s picture, “Tanned Legs,” at present showing at the Majestic, sports all that is the very latest and smartest in male and female beach attire, the chief wearer of these being, of course, that charming Ann Pennington, the dancer (who made her first screen hit in ‘The Gold Diggers of Broadway”). On Saturday Mary Nolan (the girl who has recently been ejected from Hollywood because of too much temperament!) appears in her first starring role for Universal in “The Shanghai Lady,” from an original play by John Colton (author of the celebrated play, “Rain”’ in which Jeanne Eagels played in New York for five years). Much of the action of this film takes place in the “teashop” of Madame Polly Voo in Shanghai—such “teashops,” common throughout the Far East, are the gathering places for drifters and adventurers from the four corners of the earth, where they are welcomed and entertained by girls of all nationalities who have also drifted there. Typical of such drifters are Cassie Cook (Mary Nolan) and "Badlands” McKinney (James Murray). Amongst early releases at the Majestic is “Paris,” the screen version of Irene Bordoni’s latest stage success, made by First National and Vitaphone, which not only brings this French favourite to the screen for the first time, but also makes the initial appearance on the talking screen of Jack Buchanan as her leadings man. Buchanan is the masculine idol of the British musical comedy stage. He has also been twice starred in New York in Chariot’s Revue. He was chosen to play opposite Miss Bordoni because the role is that of an English musical favourite and Buchanan is the outstanding star in that field. The cast includes, besides the two headliners, Louise Closser Hale, (who also played in the stage version of “Paris,”) Jason Robards (of stage and screen reputation), Zasu Pitts, (screen character actress), and Margaret Fielding. Another coming First National and Vitaphone production to the Majestic is “Her Private Life,” in which Billie Dove plays the role of Lady Helen Hadden, an extravagant, stylish and popular .Englishwoman, presiding over her country castle. Walter Pidgeon (a recruit from the stage) plays opposite the star, and others in the cast are Montagu Love, Thelma Todd, Roland Young (seen in “The Unholy Night”), Brandon Hurst and Zasu Pitts. And amongst a big list of Paramount pictures coming to the Majestic is “Seven Day’s Leave” (Gary Cooper and Beryl Mercer in an adaptation of Sir James Barrie’s play, “The Old Lady Shows Her Medals”).

John Gilbert, having experienced what is generally termed a setback .in his last film, “One Romantic Night,” will next be seen in “Way for a Sailor,” in which he was ■scheduled to a-mear some time ago. This picture, it is said, will present Mr Gilbert in an entirely new light.

AV. C. Fields, who appeared in manymusical comedies and some silent films, has been engaged by Radio Pictures to appear in a series of two-reel films to Ke known as “headliners.” Mi- Fields appeared in the silent picture, “That Royle Girl,” “The Old Army Game” and others.

Philip Barry’s play, “Holiday,” which Pat he will produce shortly, will include Edward Everett Horton in the role played on the stage by Donald Ogden Stewart. Ann Harding will play the leading role and others in the cast will include Mary Astor, William Holden and Monroe Owsley.

“The Furies,” the play- by Zoe Akins, has been converted into a talking picture. Lois Wilson and H. B. Warner are in the main roles, assisted by Theodore Von Eltz, Natalie Moorhead and Jane Winton. The story concerns a womans relations with four men, to each of whom she is bound in some ivay. There is a murder and a mystery.

“Paramount on Parade,” the revue in which many of the Paramount feature players are to be seen, has been completed. There are a number of sequences satirizing the popular murder case stories, the French theme yarns and other like stories. Elsie Janis directed this picture, which includes, among others, Maurice Chevalier and Clara Bow.

William Powell appears as Philo Vance once again in “The Benson Murder Case, the film version of the S. 8. Van Dine story now completed. In this thriller there are five- suspected murderers, but only one murder. Anthony Benson, a prominent Wall Street broker, meets his fate while the sleuth Vance is about and there is a lively time. May Beatty has her first talkie part in this—a sinall part, it seems.

Yearly awards by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences being in order for the best motion picture exhibited during the year ended last July, the palm was bestowed on “The Broadway Melody.” The award for the finest photography for the year was presented to Claude De Vinna, camera man, for his work on “White Shadows in the South Seas.” while Cedric Gibbons, in charge of art work at the M-G-M studio, received the art director’s prize for his scenic effects and costuming in “The Bridge of San Luis Rey.”

The newest addition to a news reel, recently made voluable, is the Coloratura process, which brings tinted pictures to the news films. Pathe has added this innovation after a year and a half of experimentation. The —cret of the new process, colour having been impractical previously because of the speed needed for developing news pictures, is in the film rather than the camera. According to Terry Ramsaye, editor of Pathe News, the secret, like Einstein’s theory, is known to very few. With the process, a scene in colour may be projected on a screen but three hours after it has been photographed. This is approximately the same time needed for the black-and-white process. Its first use was last month when a camera man made scenes of the Mardi Gras at New Orleans.

“With Byrd at, the South Pole,” Paramount’s camera record of Rear-Admiral Byrd’s expedition to the Antarctic, is scheduled for release in America during June. The Australian and New Zealand release is expected to follow shortly afterwards. The nineteen miles of film, obtained by Paramount cameramen, Rucker and Vander Veer) has arrived at New York, and is now undergoing cutting and editing, at the Long Island studios of the company. The film was rushed bp special aeroplane from the Panama Canal to New York, having been transferred from the ss. Tamaroa, which transported the negative from New Zealand. “With Byrd at the South Pole’’ is to be enhanced with a special synchronized monologue explanation of the events depicted in the production. An enlightening prologue will be made by Rear-Admiral Byrd, upon his arrival in America, which will also be incorporated into the film.