What Was The Best Film Of 1934?

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 26, 4 January 1935, Page 17

What Was The Best Film Of 1934?

Guinea Prize in Special "Radio Record" Competition’ — Gilbert and Sullivan Operas For Filming? — High Praise For "The Tron Duke" — Lavish Sets in "Jew Suss."

E "Radio Record’s" film ballot is attracting a considerable amount of attention throughout New Zealand. and already entries are pouring. into the office. Many fine films were produced during 1934, and from casual! examination of the entries so far received, it seems that voting will be fairly evenly divided between some of the outstanding: presentations. The coupon is published again. on this page to-day, and will be publishes for the last time next week; entries should be addressed :- The Film Editor, *N.Z. Radio Record," G.P.O. Box 1680, Wellington. . Voting in the competition closes ou Wednesday, January 16, 1935, and the results will be announced as soon as possible after that date, though it is obvious that the work of checking the entries will be considerable. . The person whose coupon most closely resembles the popular vote will be awarded a prize of ONE GUINEA. APVICE has been received from Hngland that the world premiere of George Arliss’s first British film; "The Iron Duke," which has been made by the Gaumont-British company from 4a story. based on the life of the Duke of Wellington, was a great success. It is stated that no previous premiere of a British film has attracted such unanimous applause as "The Iron Duke," which is already breaking box office records in England. . This is the first of three pictures which George Arliss is scheduled to make for Gaumont-Bri-tish, though no titles have as yet been announced for his next. production, NOTHER musical film is announcea by the most famous makers of this type of screen entertainment-Warner Brothers. This is "Happiness Ahead," starring Dick Powell and Josephine Hutchison Also announced is a film starring Mr. and Mrs, Al Jolson (Rub; . Keeler). . N=2GOTIATIONS are progressing ‘between Pioneer Pictures, the firm which made the colour picture film "Ta Cucaracha," which has been very highly praised on the other side of the world,- and Rupert D’Oyly Carte, for the making of some of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas in full colour. ATIONAL STUDIOS, LTD., have purchased a 22-acre site near Sydney, and are planning to erect an up to-date studio, including two sound stages and all the necessary workrooms. Gaumont-British sound equipment is to be used. "J2W SUSS," which has Conrad Veidt in the name part, demgnded many magnificent settings and no expense has been spared in their creation. A set representing the garden and exterior of the Hirsau house, 2

hunting lodge in the woods, where someé of the film’s most. dramatic. incidenis take place, called for a lavish display of flowers in a forma’ garden with turf lawns, trees and shrubs and mossy panks. Actually, 26,000 flowering plants-tulips, crocuses, foxgloves, karebells, lily-of-the-valley and many more-together with spreading beech and fir trees and many shrubs and bushes were brought into the studio and "planted." Six thousand -square feet of turf.were laid and the whote effect was far more glorious than the mind of any Dutch gardener could conceive. For another scene the cameras were taken to Hertfordshire, where, at Hemel Hampstead, Messrs. Brock, the world-famous pyrotechnicians, * have _ their works. The scene to be shot represented the great accession of the first King of Wurttemburg, and Brock’s technicians worked for three days pre- ' paring for the scene. An enormous set piece was built comprising 4500 fire works units and 600 feet of quickmatch. "When portfires were applied at dusk and the great structure burst into full brilliance, the faces of Frank Vesper and Benita .Hume in perfect similitude blazed cut, 50 feet high and 40 feet wide in coloured flame, To whatever heights of fame these two great artists may rise, they will: cerYainly never see themselves in bigger "lights," nor will the extinction of those "lights" ever again be covered by a 60 feet high rain of golden fire. Among other remarkable realistic scenes are the market square at Stuttgart and the ghetto at Frankfort. Ip |

the latter, gabled wooden houses lean over the narrow cobbled streets and a vivid impression is given of the constricted, unhealthy conditions under which the Jewish inkabitants lived i: Frankfort 200 years ago.. A feature 2f this set is a perfect replica of a schos?room of the synagogue. DAVID BUTLER has been assigned to direct Shirley Temple in ‘The _ Little Colonel," her next starring picture, Which is now in production. Butler has just completed Shirley’s latest production, "Bright Byes,’ and was so successful with the baby starlet that .he was given his new assignment as a reward. MA4® WEST, one of Paramount’s stars, is being hailed in Hollywood as the greatest individual attraction of any feminine star in motion pictures, as the result of a national theatre poll conducted by the ‘Hollywood Reporter," an outstanding trade publication. Joan Crawford followed Mae in the box-office ranking, while Norma Shearer was third, Kay Francis fourth and Janet Gaynor fifth. The other five of the ten members in "Wilkerson’s Box Office Blue Book" are in order-Jean Harlow, Claudette Colbert, Shirley Temple, Ann Harding and Margaret Sullavan. HAVING completed selection of the principals for "One More Spring." Winfield Sheehan is about to put that production in work as his first since returning from THurope. The cast, headed by Janet Gaynor and Warner Baxter, now includes Walter Woolf. Jane Darwell, Henry B. Walthall and J. M. Kerrigan, : — _ meet" g* 7 ag