Films and the Studios

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 980, 24 May 1930, Page 25

Films and the Studios

IN THE OUTDOORS An outdoor department for the purpose of filming audible pictures in their natural locations throughout the world has been launched by the Fox Film Corporation. Eleven productions have been scheduled to be made and over £500,000 has been budgeted to the new department. Productions already planned will be filmed in the pampas regions of the Argentine, the African veld, the tropics and the mountains and deserts of the Western United States. The first of this group will be the film version of Zane Grey’s “Last of the Duanes,” with George O’Brien in the leading role. MARY AGAIN Mary Pickford will be seen shortly in “Forever Yours,” an alltalkie in which she will take her place once more as the sole star. Apparently she and Douglas Fairbanks are content to have made one co-starring film, for they do not contemplate repeating their venture in “The Taming of the Shrew.” The story of “Forever Yours” is being completed. “The theme is the loyalty of woman’s love, from the days of youth through the changing fortunes of middle age into placid old age. “ELSTREE CALLING ” “Elstree Calling,” the English talking film revue now at the Alhambra, not only has some very bright things in it—Cicely Courtneidge at her delightful best, singing and dancing—but it has been cleverly put together, comments a London reviewer. I could not help comparing it with a similar entertainment which the Palladium offered last week. In the music hall, just as in the film, a compere preceded the turns with a humorous introductory speech. “Elstree Calling” stands the comparison well.

BRITISH FILMS A contract has been concluded between British International Pictures, one of the largest producing organisations in England, and Union Theatres, Limited, of Sydney, for the exhibition of British pictures for a period of years, and with Australasian Films for the distribution of those pictures throughout the Commonwealth. In making that announcement recently, the managing director of Union Theatres, Limited, Mr. Stuart F. Doyle, said: “Study of the situation in England certainly inclines one to the opinion that talkies have shed their shackles there, and are slowly but surely bringing screen initiative to Britain.”