Big Films For Early Release In N.Z.

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 15, 20 October 1933, Page 12

Big Films For

Early Release In N.Z.

INETEEN-THIRTY-THREE will go down in cinema history as a year of notable experiments. The industry was forced to realise that business methods had to be brought to bear on an entertainment medium that had been lavishly unbusinesslike in the past; British films have made immense strides during the year; American producers have opened English units and are, for the most part, more than satisfied with the results; the Fairbanks, father and son, havé forsaken Hollywood and are now in the midst of preparations for production in England; American stars have been enticed across the herring-pond (although in the ease of some-Gloria° Swanson, for instance-the resulting pictures have not been to the stars’ likings) ; Fox made a

brave gesture with "Cavaleade,"- a picture that has swept the world and proved successful beyond the company’s wildest dreams; musical pictures have come .back in a big way. There-have been some’ splendid pictures during the yearand there have been some mighty poor ones. But we are not coneerned at the moment with the pictures that are gone-good or bad -but with ‘the really outstanding pictures that. New Zealand can expect to see, within the next few months, ° The "Radio « Record" °

made a tour this week of the big film exchanges-and ‘here's the result:of the expedition. In the forefront of the really big talkies to be released shortly would appear to be "Don Quixote," starring the famous Chaliapine; "Dinner at Wight," with a huge cast of well-known stars; "Kiss Me Again," a-really beautiful technicolour talkie; "Tell Me To-night," a British picture with Jan Kiepura; and "The Emperor Jones," an adaption of Eugene O’Neill’s famous play and starring the negro singer and actor, Paul:Robeson. . a The London Press was tremendously enthusiastic about "Don Quixote." Even the dignified "Times" gave it lavish praise, particularly stressing the triumph that the picture represented for Chaliapine. This United Artists’ film was made in Wngland and its theme, of course, turns easily on the adventures of Cervantes’ tragically humorous hero. The settings are glorious and the smaller parts are filled by such capable stars as George Robey, Oscar. Asche (remembered in New Zealand for his spectacular "*Ohu Chin Chow’), Sidney: Hox and’ Miles Mander.

"Dinner at Hight," made by M.-G.-M., is one of that company’s big efforts of this year, and it is doing big business in both America and England. The film has been privately screened in New Zealand and much is expected of it when it is released. It has an all-star cast, including Marie Dressler, Jean Harlow, Wallace Beery and Clark Gable, and it is expected to far surpass any records established by "Grand Hotel," a picture which gave the words, "ll star cast," a definite meaning. Already released in New Zealand, Warner Brothers’ "Kiss Me Again" reintroduces the all-technicolour film of which "Viennese Nights" and "The Song of the Flame" were such notable examples. It is set in the gay and colourful Paris that we really know. does not exist-but we love it none the less. It is a glorious whirl of colourful gowns, splendid uniforms, songs, beautiful girls and movement, Technicolour has definitely improved in the last few years -there couldn’t possibly be a word of complaint about the wonderful effects in "Kiss Me Again." . A British picture which can boast. of having beaten "Cavalcade’s" Melbourne record of 14 weeks is "Tell Me To-night," starring the singer, Jan Kiepura, who was. last seen in New Zealand with Betty Stockfield in "City of Song." This new talkie boasts some wonderful effects and the singing is said to:rival anything so far heard in the cinema. "Tell Me To-night" is now in its fifth month in Sydney. . a : The world’s greatest negro actor, Paul Robeson, has been secured by United Artists for the title role in the talkie

verson or Hugene O’Neill’s "The Emperor: Jones." Robeson created a sensation in, London when he play.ed in "Othello," and his: voice is well) known to gramophone. and radio fans in the Dominion. To be released in three New Zea- . land .centres_ this week is a picture that is classed as the last word in thrillers — "King ‘Kong." The story concerns a huge gorilla, 50ft. high, that. gets loose in modern New York and finally meets death in a plunge ‘from-one of that city’s. tallest sky- ‘ serapers. The photography is nothing: short of

amazing-King Kong sitting atop the Mmpire State Building, picking up motor-cars and tossing.them. about like ninepins, throwing thousands. of people into the utmost panic. Tf you like this sort of picture, you’ re in for. an evening ‘Of _ big thrills. Another thriller of a more subtle nature. ‘is ‘Warner Brothers’ "The Mystery of the Wax Museum." ‘The pic- ’ ture opens in London with a’ Russian sculptor who has scored a- notable success, and later moves to New York. Mysterious murders ‘are setting the city alight, but through it all the sculptor goes on with his work of creating a group of wax figures for a museum he intends ‘to open.. Lionel Atwill plays the part of the Russian. Marlene Dietrich will make a reappearance in New Zealand in a month or two:in "The Song of Songs," one of Paramount's big 1933 specials. This beautiful star, whose acting made "Shanghai Express" the outstanding picture of last year, plays the part of a German peasant girl. A love‘affair with a young sculptor in Berlin, a marriage with an unpleasant baron and a period as a singer in a notorious

German night club gives La Dietrich plenty of scope in which to display her dramatic ability. In some ways the picture is reminiscent of "The Blue Angel," a German picture which first brought this star to the notice of the public and gave her her first big chance in America. "The Blue Angel" was banned by the censor in this country. Although it has been screened in Auckland, where it enjoyed’ a remarkably successful season, George Arliss’s latest talkie, "The Working Man," has not been generally released in the Dominion. It is a new Arliss who comes pefore the public in this picture-an Arliss who kicks up his heels, wears wrinkled clothes, takes part in a drunken orgy and appears barefooted!’ Bette Davis, who made her talkie debut in another Arliss film, "The Man Who Played God," has a part in this new picture. "The Good Companions," a British picture made by Fox from J. B. Priestley’s famous book, has been spoken of by English critics as the finest British picture yet made, The honours would appear to go to Edmund Gwenn. (who played such a splendid part in "The Skin Game") for his interpretation of the part of Jess Oakroyd, that delightful York-

shireman. "The Good Companions" is a hefty book with a fair measure of incident. Something had to be sacrificed in the picture, but the choice of the directors has been wise and there are few theatre-goers who will be able to find fault with the inclusions or omissions. Jessie Matthews, star of the "Man from Toronto," plays a leading part. Two more British pictures, both entirely different in type, and yet both immensely successful in Europe, are Paramount’s "Lord of the Manor" and B.D.F’s "The Little Damozel." The former stars Fred Kerr (who died a month or so ago), and Betty Stockfield, and concerns 2 family seat and the conservative, hot-headed, not-very-intelligent lord of the manor. It is a case of "the old order changet ;? and the nose-in-air Boveys are forced to treat some down-and-outs as their guests. The whole picture is deliciously amusing with just. that Dnglish sense of comedy and incongruity that makes this type of picture extremely -popular in this country. "The Little Damozel" introduces to New Zealanders @ new star, Anna Neagle. ‘The director was Herbert Wilcox (Continued on page 19.)

BIG FILMS FOR EARLY RELEASE

Beery Has Never Set Eyes On Greta Garbo!

(Continued from page 13.) and he has made a splendid job of a picture which goes from a giddy night club to the banks of the Thames on & summer’s afternoon. The Little Damozel herself is an amazing creature, with a depth of character unsuspected by most of the night club’s habitues. Cicely Courtneidge is also expected shortly in a Britisn film entitled "Sol-

diers of the King," which is described as a rollicking comedy. Ann Harding (whose finest picture in the opinion of this critic was a film that the star considered her worst--"Holiday") is co-starred with William Powell in a brilliant R.K.O. release, ‘Double Harness." An American critic says of this film: "'Double Harness’ has four grand, reliable legs to stand on-Ann Harding, Powell, John Cromwell (the director), and Jane Murfin’s adaptation-and it stands proudly and strongly." Ann Warding has been waiting for a good picture for a long time-it would ap-

pear as if she has got it at last in this new talkie. M.G.M. has three big pictures lined up for early release-"Tugboat Annie" (reviewed in the "Radio Record" a few weeks ago), starring Marie Dressler and Wallace Beery, "Broadway = to Hollywood," with Alice Brady (re member her In the good old days?) Frank Morgan, Madg Eyans, and Eddie Quillan, ana "Anotber Lan guage," with Helen Hayes and Roberi Montgomery. It is interesting to note that Wallace Beery told a London newspaperman the other day that he considered "Tughoat Annie" the best picture he had ever made-and he also mentioned that, «though he playetl with Greta Garbo in "Grand Hotel," he had never set eyes on the star in his life! A year ago the film industry was fairly firmly eonvineed that pictures of the "super spectacle" type were a dead as the dodo. ‘To-day the producerare beginning to realise they wer wrong. Musical pictures are comin. pack with a rush, and the ones we hav seen in New Zealand in the last fev months have been far beyond the stand ard of those made in the early days % the talkies. "Forty Second Street. "Moonlight and Pretzels," "Melod) Cruise," and "Say It With Musie," ar all indicative of the good work that is being put into musical talkies to-day One of the big features of the summe} months should be Warner Brothers big show, "Gold Diggers of 1933"-a talkie that is supposed to be really gsuper-super!