George Arliss As Samuel Pepys?

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 16, 26 October 1934, Page 14

George Arliss As Samuel Pepys?

Famous Actor May Play Part of Stuart Diarist for Gaumont-British-America Buys Several Big British Films — "Barretts of Wimpole ~ Street," With Norma Shearer, to be Shown Soon.

"HE Roxy and Radio City Musie Hall -two of the largest and most important cinemas of New York--are to show no fewer. than fourteen British films during the coming season. This ‘triumph for the British industry is the outcome of an agréement which has just been made between. theatres and. Mr. Mark Ostrer, chairman. of the Gau-mont-British Corporation. GaumontBritish films of world-market calibre will in future be given a simultaneous ;world premier in London and on Broad- . way. A further agreement with the Fox Film Corporation provides for the distribution of the films over all parts of the United States. The British organisation in New York will be concerned solely with selling them. " TEW SUSS" will be given a triple | world premiere this month at Radio City Musie Hall, New York (under the title "Power’"), the London Tivoli, and lin Toronto. At the same time, "Chu ‘Chin Chow" will be presented at the ‘Roxy in New York. Other films which have already been seen in London and are now to be presented in New York are "Hvergreen." Man of Aran,’ and "Little Friend." In connection with "Man of Aran," the company of islanders are to be in New York for the first night. The Jack Hulbert films, which have hitherto been regarded as comedies primarily for domestic consumption, are also to be given their chance in America under the new scheme. "Evensong," to be shown this month ‘in London, is to be given in America ‘later, and for the George Arliss film, "Tron Duke," a triple world premiere will be giyen in London, Paris, and ‘New York, , "THE screen version made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer of that great play. success "The Barretts of .Wimym»le Street," will have its world premiere at the Empire, Leicester Square, shortly. In this Norma Shearer will appear as Elizabeth Barrett, Charles Laughton as her father (the part which Cedric Hardwicke "created" in the play), Fredric March as Browning, and Maureen O’Sullivan as one of Hlizabeth’s sisters. Miss O’Sullivan, by the way, recently returned to Hollywood after a holiday in her native Ireland to start work on the film of "David Copperfield," in which she will play Dora to the David of Frank Lawton, with Charles ITaughton as Micawber. Another important premiere took place at the London. Empire at a "midnight matinee’ recently, when the film of "Treasure Island’ was shown to an_ audience of specially-invited guests. Stars of this notable occasion included Wallace Beery as Long John Silver, Jackie Cooper as Jim Hawkins, Lionel Barrymore aS Billy Bones, Lewis Stone as Captain Smollett, and Nigel Bruce as Squire ‘Trelawny..

ALTHOUGH Mr, George Arliss has been at work for a short time at the Gaumont-British studios at Shepherd’s Bush, London, on the filming of his first

British talking picture,. "The Iron Duke," preparations are already being made for the next two talking pictures in which Mr. Arliss is to star for Gau-mont-British next year, and one complete story has been written. When "The Iron Duke" is finished, Mr. Arliss will go to Hollywood to star in "Cardinal Richelieu," and is expected back in London in May. Meanwhile Mr. Leslie Gordon has written a story of the life of Samuel Pepys expressly for Mr. Arliss. This drama does not deal with the "curious fellow’ who recorded the gossip of his day. but with the ‘Pepys described in Admiralty records as "a man of extraordinary knowledge, of great talent, and the most indefatigable industry." "THD only difficulty is that Mr. Arliss . has not yet agreed to the subject, not because he is opposed to it, but because he is busy with "The Iron Duke," and he insists on concentrating on one thing at one time. Mr. Michael | Balcon, director of production at Shepherd’s Bush, is very enthusiastic regarding a film of Pepys, and hopes Mr. Arliss will receive the suggestion fayourably as: soon as he has time to’ examine it, since many months of research and preparation will be entailed in the production of such a subject,

S Cathleen Mann (her maiden name), Lady Queensbury designed all the costumes for "Chu Chin Chow." She is the daughter of Harrington Mann, the artist, and has_ herself achieved distinction with the brush, chiefly as a portrait painter. She de-voted-a great deal of time to research before completing her costume sketches. Types as varied as George Robey, Anna May Wong and Fritz Kortner demanded a lot of study. She made a splendid success of an exacting undertaking, and the originality of her designs will certainly do much to enhance the prestige of British production. WHEN Myrna Loy, taking the part of the fascinating spy in "Stamboul Quest," a war-time picture, threw out of the bathroom door her scanties and what-nots with secret messages iuscribed thereon, picture-goers were more or less surprised, because eryen spies in. those days would hardly be daring enough to wear scanties. Apparently the directors of this thrilling picture, which was showing at ‘the De Luxe Theatre, Wellington last week. knew that clothes make the woman as well as the man when they presented Myrna in the gorgeous modern creations for most of the scenes. Withont these, dressed in a 1914 fashion dress, at the beginning, Myrna looked quite ordinary. The Majestic was. also showing a. film which concerned the . 1914 days, but the fashions in this were not avoided, much of the fun being derived from the hats. One of them was like an inverted flower pot with the flowers growing out of the wrong: end. Nearly a decade later are beautiful wedding scenes, with modern frocking. Both these pictures are "different" and will live long in the memories of those who wére fortunate in seeing them.