Two New Zealanders, And A Big And Well-Known Cast, In "Rangle River," Australian Film

Radio Record, 4 September 1936, Page 25

Two New Zealanders, And A Big And Well--Known Cast, In "Rangle River," Australian Film

"BOXING DAY will see the premiere of ‘Rangle River’ in New Zealand-and 1 think you'll be a little surprised," said Mr. Cecil Mason, general manager of Columbia Pictures, at present in Wellington, when discussing with me _ his firm’s first Australian talkie venture. "The film is shaping splendidly, and, with Clarence Badger at the helm-he's made more. than a dozen Zane Grey films in America-

there’s no reason why it shouldn’t gain world recognition. And, incidentally, it’s one of the first Australian pictures to be guaran- ' teed a world market. With Zane Grey as the author, Clarence Badger as the director, and Victory Jory as the star, it has a definite entertainment value likely to ap- \ peal to all classes and all coun"tries." Wellington Girl TWO New Zealanders are getting a lot of publicity out of "Rangle River’-Georgina Stirling, a Wellington girl, daughter of H. H. Stirling, once famous as general manager of New Zealand Railways and the highest-salaried Government officer in the country, and Hori Thomas, of Pahiatua, who acts as a "stand in" for Victor Jory. Miss Stirling plays second lead in the film. The Jeading lady is Margaret Dare, an Aus tralian, who is regarded by Clarence . Badger as a definite "Find." This girl should go a long way and, if Columbia's

American: principals approve of an performance put up by the two girls in , "Rangle River" there’s a ~ possibility that Georgie Stirling and Margaret Dare may find themselves with their feet firmly planted on the Hollywood ladder. Interesting Cast | "RANGLE RIVER" has a cast full of interest. It Includes, too, Robert Coote, son of Bert Coote, famous English comedian. Robert Coote was brought to Australia by J. C. Williamson, Limited, earlier in the year to play one of the leading roles in "Anything Goes " the Cole Porter -musical comedy. George Bryant, veteran of a hundred musical shows in Australia, is also prominently cast. The villain is Cecil Perry-another well-known name. Rita Pauncefort, whose name is not unknown to New Zealand theatregoers, has a good part. Rita, by the -way, has the distinction. of having . appeared before the preset Kingdn # command performance of "Sally" in Johannesburg.

Columbia Week "(jOLUMBIA Week, which starts on Boxing Day, will be outstanding for two reasons," continued Mr. Mason. "It will make the premiere. as I have already said, of ‘Rangle River,’ and. it will also see the New Zealand: release of ‘Lost Horizon,’ the film on which Columbia has spent twice as much as on any other production. Ronald Colman is the star, and the picture has so far cost £400,000. At the moment we're feeling rather happy. ‘Mr. Deeds Goes to Town’ has won several awards in America, Grace Moore’s latest, ‘The King Steps Out,’ is doing phenomenal business everywhere, [rene Dunne is making.a film for us, "‘Theodora Goes Wild,’ and Grace Moore is to

make a further film in the very near future." "Borrowed" J[NCIDENTALLY Mr. Mason told me ‘an interesting story in connection with "It Happened One Night," one of the most successful films ever made. Columbia borrowed Clark Gable from M.-G.-M. and Claudette Colbert from Paramount. But when Columbia was ready to start shooting "It Happened One Night," M.-G.-M. wanted Gable for ‘another picture at the same time, so

‘ Gable’s portions of "It Happened One Night" were shot on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. And the picture has since become one of. the biggest money-spinners to come out of Hollywood! And, while on the subject of Columbia, the company is to make four big British productions costing not less than £80,000 each. Knew Rhodes ‘N honoured guest of the management of the State Theatre in Christchurch the other night, for the opening of the film "Rhodes of Africa," was Mr. H. Stiles, of Christchurch, who many times met Cecil Rhodes in Africa. Mr. Stiles is one of the original thirtytwo settlers who went to Bulawayo and is probably the only one now living. His first contact with Rhodes was on . the border of the Orange Free State, but his most vivid recollection concerns the building of the railroad to Bulawayo when the work was held up at the 3hashe. River. . Here Mr. Stiles, who ‘was in charge of the telegraph, received a tragic message from Rhodes, announcing the suicide of Barnato, the explorer’s friend. Film Music Recognised HH first piece of motion picture . music to be featured in a recognised symphony programme is the suite

written specially as background music for the H. G. Wells film, "Things To Come," released through United Artists. .The suite was presented at a promenade concert at Queen’s Hall, in London. The composition is by Arthur Bliss, who also acted as conductor, and is in seven moyements-a prelude, ballet; for children, idyll, march, attack, desolation and finale. It serves as musical atmosphere for those sequences in the film’ which depict the wrecking of the world through a devastating war and the beginnings of reconstruction. Woman Producer Miss FRANCES MARION, the distinguished writer-producer of Hollywood, has arrived in Bngland to write the script of the new London film production, "Knight Without Armour," which will star Marlene Dietrich and Robert Donat. Miss Marion will also be associate producer on this picture.

"Knight Without Armour" will be the first British picture to be specially written by this distinguished writer, whose last assignment before leaving Hollywood was on the script of "Camille,’ Greta Garbo’s new picture, which . is now in production. About Spies — EN are prompted by patriotism alone to become secret service agents, but women enter the Intelligence Department solely through love of excitement, adventure and money. This is the declaration of Walter ' Thiele, one of Germany’s leading spies during the World War. The former German spy, who is appearing in support of Herbert Marshall in Paramount’s "Til We Meet Again," adds: "Don’t misunderstand me. Women did some of thé most important work during the war. But, frankly, it was the everpresent atmosphere of romance, mys-

tery, intrigue and wealth that brought women into the death-dealing business of espionage." Oe Seenario Published J UST published is the scenariv-or rather the "film treatment"’-of H. G. Wells’s "The Man Who Could Work Miracles." Wells has made his treatment a series of suggestions to the producers, coupled with the dialogue of the characters, and the combination makes easy reading as well as stimulating interest in the film. The prologue introduces superhuman characters who confer upon a shop assistant the gift of working miracles. His use and misuse of the gift creates all kinds of strange happenings, and the treatment closes with the bar parlour of the inn in which the actual story starts. Roland Young is the star of the London Films production, which has been produced by Alexander Korda. Ra Hould in Films. Or interest to all New Zealanders is the news that Paramount. Pictures have exercised their first six months option on the contract held by Ra Hould, the twelve-year-old Dunedin lad, who seems destined to become one of the screen’s leading juvenile players. The fact that Paramount is keen to retain and build wp Ra Hould is évidenced by the option being exercised one month ahead of time. During his first six months in Hollywood, Ra has undergone a great deal of strenuous

training and the time is approaching when he will be awarded his first role. As yet the picture in which he will make his bow has’ not been announced, but it is understood a production is now in preparation which will give him an excellent opportunity to display a talents. .

" Loftiest Peak Of Imbecility .

Opinions On Crooning oe CORRESPONDENT from Waikino reminds us that the definition of crooning, given in Chambers’ Twentieth Century Dictionary, is "to utter a low, monotonous, inarticulate sound like a baby."" A_ well-known Liverpool musician, Dr. J. E. Wallace, talking at a meeting in England the other day, said: "‘Crooning is the loftiest peak of imbecility. It is the last resort of nonsingers, wherein fortune now lies. It is gushing, sentimentalised slithering and wobbling!"

Star Roster ARAMOUNT Week, now being celebrated throughout the country, reminds one that ‘the name of Lasky, though it is now submerged under the better-known Paramount trade mark, is still a force in pictures. Paramount has always gone in for star-building, and at present there are eighty playerg actually under contract, headed b Marlene Dietrich, Gary. Cooper, Claudette Colbert, Carole Lombard, Bing

Crosby, Mae West, Herbert Marshall, Madeleine Carroll, W. C. Fields, Irene Dunne, George Raft and Gladys Swarthout. "Lost Horizon" (COLUMBIA PICTURHS are staking their entire reputation on "Lost Horizon," the Frank-Capra film which has already been a year in the making -with a costs schedule which is topping the £400,000 mark. Ronald Colman is the star of this, which is, it is claimed, one of the few pictures which has not been shot to any schedulethose in charge having given the people concerned with the production a free hand. Twins. MARE TWAIN’S famous story "The Prince and the Pauper". will be produced on the screen by Warner Brothers-Firs; National, and the parts of the two boys (the aforesaid prince and pauper), who identically resemble each other, will be played by the Mauch twins, Billy and Bobby. Billy is the talented youngster who has played "Anthony Adverse" in boyhood in the forthcoming picture of that name, and who has also worked in Kay Francis’s picture, "The White Angel." His brother Bobby is also an accomplished actor; and they are so much alike that few save their parents can tell them

apart. "The Prince and the Pauper" will be put into preduction in the very near future, In the Khyber. (TALBOT MUNDY’S celebrated novel, "King of the Khyber Rifles," reaches its first stage toward film realisation at the Fox studio with the signing of Boris Ingster and Milton

Sperling as screen-play writers. The scenarists will have as collaborator Lt. the Honorable Jock Baird, who spent four years in the Khyber Pasg as an officer of the Gordon Highlanders, The story, destined for early film. produc- . tion, is uncast, although the siudio is checking on the availability of a tentative slate of important actors and actresses,

Eagerly Awaited CQBRISTORUROH is looking forward to its first glimpse, on September 11, of "Onder Two Flags," to be presented at Mayfair. This-all theatre advertisements taken for granted-is regarded by overseas critics as probably the "greatest thing ever." After all, the stars are Ronald Colman, Claudette Colbert, Victor McLaglen and Rosalind Russell, as well as 42 other featured players, a cast of 10,000, and Daryll I’, Zanuck as producer. No wonder everybody’s talking about it. Auckland and Wellington have the first screening on September 4, and Christchurch is eagerly awaiting its turn. "Beau Geste." "BEAU GESTH," one of the outstanding artistic and financial successes of the silent picture era, will te filmed in natural colour as one of the most important forthcoming pro- | duetions to be released by Paramount Pictures, who made the. original masterpiece and who incidentally. are eelehrating their silver jubilee this year. William IeBaron, production chief, will personally supervise this picture, which will be the first of. four technicolotr productions. Gary Cooper will probably have the leading role in a east that will include several other prominent stars.