UNUSUAL PICTURE
“PRISON WITHOUT BARS” The vivid atmosphere ot reality created in "Prison Without Bars,” coming on Tuesday next to the Plaza Theatre, is one notable feature of a picture that is in almost every way unusual. The whole action takes place within the confines of a women's prison and, by contrasting older brutal methods of treatment with modern reformative methods, provides a striking case for prison reform. At the same time the picture is by no means solely an instrument of propaganda. The rule that a good dramatic production must always be entertaining is not forgotten, and, aga.nst this prison background, the love story of two women—one a prisoner and the other the prison superintendent, is told. The man is the prison doctor, and if the story has a hero he is it. Whether his behaviour as a lover can be considered good or baa will depend largely on ma’vldual point of view. The stars are Corinne Luchaire, Barry K. Barnes, and Edna Best.
Harry Langdon’s Return. Harry Langdon, baby-faced comedian of the silent screen, has been signed by Hal Roach to a starring contract to team with Oliver Hardy in a series of feature films. Langdon for some time was working as a writer on the Roach lot, but recently returned to acting in one of the supporting roles in "There Goes My Heart.” The first of the new Lang-don-Hardy pictures will be “It’s Spring Again,” adapted by Walter DeLeon from H. C. Bunner’s story "Zenobia's Infidelity.” Alice Brady will play one of the featured roles; Gordon Douglas will direct, with Edward Sutherland as associate producer.
Sidney Toler Selected. After a search of several months, 20th Century-Fox has found the actor to carry on the famous "Charlie 1 Chan” role, played so long and successfully by the late Warner Oland. The new Charlie Chan will be Sidney Toler, a distinguished stage and screen actor. Toler was not one ot the hundreds interviewed and tested originally for, the role. It was while his most recent, picture was being screened for editing that the executive producer Sol. W. Wurtzel was struck bv Toler's resemblance to the Charlie ’Chan created by Warner Oland. After subsequent screen testing, Darryl F. Zanuck agreed with Wurtzel's opinion and Toler was signed. He will make ins first appearance as “Chan” in "Charlie Chan in Honolulu.”
Elephant Crash. Douglas Fairbanks, jun., and Victor McLaglen narrowly escaped possibly serious injuries recently when a fear crazed elephant, frightened by a mountain thunderstorm, broke her chains ran amuck and collided with Fairbanks’ car containing, the two actors nearly throwing them from the machine, crumpling a fender, and denting the side of the car. The elephant one of four taken on location at the foot of Mount Whitney for RKO Radio’s “Gunga Din,” became terrified when a sudden thunderstorm broke bolted from her stall, and ran headlong into Fairbanks’ car, in which the two had just driven up. Joe Metclaf, the elephant’s trainer, succeeded in quieting the frightened beast, guarded against a repetition of the near accident by stuffing the elephant’s ears with cotton to shut out the sound of the thunder. Both Fairbanks and McLaglen escaped with only a bad shaking.
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Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 39, 16 February 1939, Page 3
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532UNUSUAL PICTURE Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 39, 16 February 1939, Page 3
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