When the Stars Crack Their Whips—and Studios Have to Toe the Line

Radio Record, 31 July 1936, Page 25

When the Stars Crack

Their Whips—and Studios Have to

Toe the Line

"THERE ‘is nothing like a few black eyes and bits of flying fur to keep the pot boiling merrily -especially in the films. When -you see a charming picture of Lulu Blank, the world-famous film star, \ainiling happily up into the face of ‘Vilas P. Slinger, Hollywood’s greateat producer, how much more interesting would it be if you knew that she: had just had a ding-dong battle — wifih him-and he was hating her like poison for that extra thousand dollars a week he’d been forced to give her! And there have been quite’. a few. pistols. brandished in. Hollyswood in the past few weeks. Jimmy Cagney has dropped .a cool 130,00%) dollars in salary since he . took has affairs to court. Katharine Hepburn is annoying R.K.O., and thie ‘Australian find, Errol Flynn, who.has so far managed his studio itlealings with unvarying eanniness}, hints darkly at another. revolution. "Do a Walk-out." , WHEN &rrol Flynn began. work on "Captain Blood," the -film

that shot him into stardom, he was getting 150 dollars a week. With several hundred thousand dollars spent on the film he threatened to "do a walk-out" if his pay wasn’t increased. It was raised to 400 dollars a week. After the triumphant New York opening of the film, he made his position so clear that his salary was again raised, this time to 1200 dollars. Now he. is talking of leaving Hollywood for ever, which is interpreted, by those who know Flynn, to mean that Warner Brothers will again have to open the safe. And as he is one of the big stars of the 1937 schedule-"The Sea Hawk," "Another Dawn" and "Adventures of Robin Hood" are planned for him-it is likely that his demands will ‘be met. A Cool Million. . "EL OTEL IMPERIAL," the film that has already cost Paramount a million dollars, is likely to be scrapped and a completely new version made. Marlene Dietrich is again cast in the leading role, despite the fact ‘that she walked -out on the production last year. Hinst Lubitsch, one ‘of’ Hollywood's

most brilliant directors, hag returned ‘to Paramount and is likely to direct "Hotel Imperial,’ which will eventually go forth to a waiting world as "T Loved a Soldier.’ And, incidentally, the new film will probably bring the expenditure on "Hotel Imperial" up to 1,600,000 dollars ! "Jazz Singer." L JOLSON, too, has been having his troubles. As we mentioned on these pages a few weeks ago, Warner Brothers are to celebrate the tenth anniversary of sound with a new version of "The ‘Jazz Singer." In all probability Jolson will be starred,-as he was in the original production, but this has not been definitely settled. Jolson would like to make it an intimate picture leaning toward the dramatic, while Warners favour a big spectacular production that will quite outdo any previous Jolson production. In the meantime the wrangle goes on. Constance Bennet; is also having fun.. She has returned from Bngland to Hollywood to fulfi] the contract she has to make one picture for Twentieth Century-Fox. But that company, not regarding her as the box office attraction she once was, hopes she will elect to cancel her contract under the "story ‘approval" clause. Dietrich Again. , SI like talking about Dietrich. you may be interested to know that

her first Technicolor film, "Garden of Allah," will be completed this month. Advice from Hollywood indicates that the "rushes". of some of the scenes show that this film is the most pleasing colour job yet. Using a recentlydeveloped make-up, complexions are more life-like and the tints of the costumes are soft and unobtrusive. And, most important of all, Marlene has hever appeared more lovely than she does in colour. .. Another big feature of the picture is. the appearance of Tilly Losch-her dagger dance will command lots of attention, For 1987. METRO- -GOLDWYN-MAYER has an interesting schedule planned for the coming year. Its highlight, probably, will be "Romeo and Juliet," with Norma Shearer and Leslie Howard, but we find oursélves looking forward with equal interest to "The Good Earth," With Paul Muni and Luise Rainer; to "Goodbye Mr. Chips," with Charles Laughton; to the film editions of Kipling’s "Kim" (with Freddie Bartholomew), to "Captains Courageous," and to "Pitcairn Island," the sequel to "Mutiny on the Bounty." Some of the other promises Metro has made are "Prisoner of Zenda," with William Powell and Myrna Loy;.the Sigmund

Romberg operetta, "Maytime," with Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy; "Beloved," based on the novel "Marie Walewska," with Greta Garbo and Charles Boyer; "Pride-and -Prejudice" and Stefan Zweig’s "Marie Antoinette," both with Miss Shearer; "Mr. and Mrs. Washington," by Rupert Hughes; "Parnell," with Clark Gable and Joan. Crawford; John Van Druten’s "The Distaff Side," Manuel Komroff’s "Two Thieves," the Kaufman-Hart musical, "Merrily We Roll Along," and the Ber-lin-Hart song and dance show, "As Thousands Cheer,". New Stories WARNERS are almost as ‘fortunate . in their choice of stories. They are expecting, and (confidentially) with reason, great things. of ."The Green Pastures," which is awaiting a release date.. "Anthony Adverse," another that has been completed, must be regarded as an important contribution. Hlsewhere-and these are merely pro-mises-are the film versions of such recent plays as "Three Men on a Horse," with Frank. McHugh; Dodie Smith’s "Call It,a Day’ and "A Slight Case of Murder," perhaps. with Edward. G. Robinson. .-Warners also-.are planning a Technicolor edition of ‘Desert Song" and have screen rights. to. the

London musical show "White Horse Inn." "Cain and Mabel" (CLARK GABLE is now engaged in, or has completed, his first Warner picture, "Catin and Mabel,’ based on the H. C. Witwer stories and costarring Marion Davies. Then you will find, prominently mentioned in the company’s brochure, Sabatini’s "The Sea Hawk" and "Adventures of Robin Hood," both with Errol Flynw; Mark Twain’s "The Prince and the Pauper"; Lloyd C. Douglas’s ‘The Green Light," with Leslie Howard, and a series of biographical films, ranging from the Max MReinhardt-directed ‘"Danton," through "Joan of Arc," with Claudette Colbert, and "Panama Canal," to "The Life of Beethoven," with Edward G. Robinson, which every one, including Warners and Mr. Robinson, is doubtful about. "Half-pint Size" HETHER you like grand opera or otherwise when you hear it delivered from the vocal chords of Bobby Breen, star of RKO’s "Let’s Sing Again," you will find reason to cheer. Bobby is a half-pint size nine-year-old youngster who blazed into American radio fame with a voice that is truly phenomenal. Opera and popular stuff fall alike in remarkable beauty from his throat, and there’s no wonder why audiences abroad have gone for him in a big way. He is an intelligent actor

with an emotional nature. He possesses a voice of power, range and definite musical quality, and he sings with ease and charm. What of Shakespejare? "ROMEO AND JULIET," the film upon which Metrt>-Goldwyn-Mayer have concentraj-ed their energies for a year, and japon which

they are said to have spent £500,000, is likely to prove the most significant picture of the year. ‘The question Whether Shakespeare can be made 2 success on the screen will probably be decided in the minds of producers by the reception given to the picture. About one-third of the original dialogue has been retained. Scenes which have been cut entirely are mainly those in which Friar Lawrence explains the business of the letter sent to Mantua; instead, one sees the events actually happening. He Didn’t Die! DRACULA didn’t die after all! That was the sensational discovery round which "Dracula’s Daughter" is written, a Universal picture privately screened in Wellington the other day. But Professor von Helsing soon rids the world of this dangerous vampire by driving a stake through his heart. However, his daughter, the Countess Marya Zaleska, a beautiful young woman, is left to carry on her father’s work, that of destroying human lives

by the customary method which leaves no clue-two small marks on the good old jugular. Otto Kruger, as the eminent Dr: Jeffrey Garth, of London, is very polished, and Gloria Holden as the beautiful countess, gets through a very difficult part commendably. "Dra‘cula’s Daughter" may be regarded as the sequel to "Dracula," and is every pit as thrilling, even to the dramatic unfolding at the castle in Transylvania, About "Schnozzle." "SQCHNOZZLE" DURANTD, probably the world’s most famous film and vaudeville star, has just concluded a most successful season of personal appearances in‘ London and Dublin, and, at the present time, is on board the Queen Mary homeward bound for Hol-

lywood. Said the famous Jimmy to a London reporter: "There used to be a vaudeville in America, There used to be a Palace in New York. It was an honour to play at that Palace. But now it’s all pictures. If you go to Balimore you play in a picture-house. If you -go .to Cleveland you play in a picture-house. ‘Turns’ and ‘acts’ put in among the

pictures. They’re non-stop shows, -never stop for a moment from the time they open in the morning until they close at night. You may have to do your act five or six times in a day. I don’t like it-it’s what you might call disheartening-to be just turned on like something mechanical, between one picture and the next, as though you was another picture."

A "New" Lawrence. "THE most coveted film part of recent years has been assigned by London Iilms to a young stage actor, Walter Hudd, who will play Colonel Lawrence in "Revolt in the Desert." His resemblance to the late Colonel Lawrence is truly remarkable; his height, build and colouring are identical. "He has blue eyes and a particularly strong screen personality. "Sweet Aloes." QINCH Diana Wynyard went "thumbs down" on talkies, saying that the camera didn’t do justice to the Wynyard profile, she couldn’t be induced to appear in the screen version of "Sweet Aloes," the play in which she was such a brilliant London success. But Warner Brothers have found a star of equal calibre for the part-Kay Francis. Patric Knowles, the young [English actor, has one of the leading roles in "Sweet Aloes," which is now being filmed at First National’s West Coast studios. This is Knowles’s second part in an American picture, as he has just finished work in "The Charge of the

Light Brigade," starring Hrrol Flynn. His portrayal in that film was of a young British officer, brother of the hero. In "Sweet Aloes" he shares headline honours in support of Miss Francis, with George Brent. Easy to Look At. OW it appears that famous picture actresses, newspaper women, stenographers, hairdressers and ladies’ maids all have at least one thing in common-a weakness for Hrrol Flynn. Stage One at Warner Brothers has been jammed with all the gasping femmes who can beg or sneak their way in-and it’s all on account of Hrrol looking so elegant in hig full-dress uniform for "The Charge of the Light Brigade," which ‘is in the eutting-room. Berener’s Films. HULIZABETH BERGNER and her director-husband, Paul Ozinner, have been signed to a five-year contract by Samuel Goldwyn on behalf of United Artists. The combination will make three pictures for Korda at Denham. The first of the trio will be Sir James Barrie’s "The Boy David"; the second, George Bernard Shaw’s "St. Joan’; and the third, Jack London’s "Little Lady of the Big House." Second Place. ALTHOUGH Greta Garbo probably gets a bigger salary than any

other person in the world, Hngland’s own Gracie Fields runs her pretty close. Miss Fields can demand-and gets£50,000 for every picture she makes; and she usually makes three or four a year. In addition to this, she is appearing regularly in vaudeville and earning huge royalties from the sale of her gramophone records. Who'd be the Prime Minister or Mr. Anthony Eden when you can pick up hundreds of thousands on the stage? Here’s An Idea! MBERICA’S knights of the road have found themselves a new kind of passport-photos. of the screen great. The other day, while shooting exteriors for "Never Gonna Dance" Fred Astaire Was approached by a tramp who asked him for four autographed pictures. "Why four?’ asked Fred. . "They'll take me as far as Kansas City," was the reply, "I can sell ’em on the way." He got the pictures. De Mille’s Latest ‘THE sixty-second feature -motion picture produced and directed by Cecil. B. de Mille will be titled "This Breed of Men." . His decision termin‘ates many weeks of discussion by the De Mille staff, during which more than 100 possible titles. were discussed. It was originally intended to call the film "Buffalo Bill."