DISNEY’S GENIUS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 33, 9 February 1939, Page 5

DISNEY’S GENIUS

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS.”

MASTERPIECE FOR PLAZA With “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” Wait Disney, the genius of the pencil, has done what was thought not possible; he has produced a very beautiful and appealing picture without one star, to be seen next Monday at the Plaza Theatre. There are no names except Disney's to remember, though Disney would protest that his staff of animators, imitators, art directors, and collaborators were equally entitled to credit for the film’s success, for only by their combined work over something like two years and their thousands upon thousands of drawings was this story of the Brothers Grimm re-told so exquisitely. The Grimm stories are all simple framework for imagination to build upon. No two people imagine just alike, but no one is going to find fault with the way that Disney and his staff of artists have imagined. The picture is dainty, for Snow White is dainty; colourful, for she and her prince lover are colourful; quaint, because dwarfs are always quaint; harsh and terrible, because the jealous stepmother is a thoroughly nasty person, stopping at nothing in the black arts; and always there is the Grimm woodland and enchanting castle background. It is a complete break away from motion picture convention and a complete return to fireside readings of Snow White, of maybe many years ago. with the vast advantage over the book or the reader that music is added. There is not a croon in the hour and a half; the songs are as simple as “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” but they mean something. “The Wishing Well” (with a visible echo, which is something that animators can do) and the dwarfs’ marching song, “Hi. Ho. Off to Work we Go,” are two of the best. The woodland birds and animals, hoppers and stumbiers (the tortoise that is always late) are brought to live in delightful fantasy. For a minute or so one notices the “animation” of the figures, but then the theme takes hold in the delight of the gorgeousness of the colour and the artistic balance of every scene. It must have been great fun making this film, once the lines had been set

down, for there is no end of whimsy with some almost frightening thrill; as well, but it is greater fun to see it

The first of the Langdon and Hardy pictures will be “Zenobia’s Infledeiity,” H. C. Brunner’s humorous story about an elephant and a doctor, the latter losing caste with his patients -ough his ministrations to an elemt who gets burned in a circus . This film and all the others featuring the new team will be different from the broad slapstickcomedies associated with Laurel and Hardy. Each picture will be a fulllength feature, budgeted as a major production with supporting casts of strong players. » » » * Goldwyn Saves £50,000. A film title was changed from "The Lady and the Cowboy” to “The Cowboy and the Lady,” and Producer Samuel Goldwyn said the change would add £50,000 to the profits. Goldwyn altered the title when threatened with a lawsuit by the heirs of Clyde Fitch, who wrote a stage production by that name. Fitch’s heirs said that the title was still essentially the same, so Goldwyn made a peaceful settlement. Gary Cooper plays the cowboy, and Merle Oberon is the lady. The picture will be released shortly.

Conrad Veldt To Star. Production at Alexander Korda's Denham Studios started on the second Columbia British Quota picture, "The Spy in Black,” with Conrad Veldt as star, is announced by J. A. MeCon-| vilic, general foreign manager cf Columbia Pictures. Vivien Leigh, who has been Conrad Veldt’s former partner, plays the feminine lead in the picture, which is directed by Michael Powell. Screen play by Roland Pertwee. Columbia's first British Quota picture, entitled “QPlanes,” has just been completed. London “Flops.” It is stated by “Cavalcade” that of the 55 productions staged in the London theatres between September. 1937. and March, 1938. thirty-three flopped. It is further stated that since that date, however, several notable hits had established themselves. Record money-loser was the Drury Lane stage spectacle, “The Sun Never Sets,” which lost its backers £30.000 during its four weeks' run. Next biggest loser was the coliseum ice-show. “The Engadine Express,” which lost £15,000 in its three weeks' season. The Savoy musical show . “No Sky So Blue” flopped to the tune of £12,000 after a run of five weeks. Another loser was the Saville Theatre show, “Follies of 1938.” which tallied a modest £6OOO. Another piece that failed to attract business was the musical play “Maritza.” Withdrawn after a sensational opening was the Cochran show, “Happy Returns.” despite the appearance in the case of Beatrice Lillie and Flanagan and Allen. Other casualties included “Plan for a Hostess,” which took £l2OO at the St. Martin’s Theatre for some weeks: ‘The Island,” which had a good run at the Comedy Theatre before dying a natural death after making money for its backers; and “Give Me Yesterday," which was withdrawn after four days only at the Comedy.