Length Without Strength

Radio Record, 27 May 1938, Page 27

Length Without Strength

A Treatise On The Sepia Blues ;

of "The Firefly,’ Jeanette MacDonald's new song carnival for M.-G:-M., which inspire me to address the following open letter to the film producers of Hollywood :- é v VHERE are two special aspects 2, "2 Dear Movie Men,- a Sis

Don’t you think you’ve a tendency to make pictures too long these days? Is it patriotic? I mean, if you made some films only half their present length we wouldn’t notice the difference, and al] those yuuable chemicals which now eo on to celluloid would be saved and could probably be used instead for making bombs and

poison gas, Seriously, though, in the past few years, pictures have been getting longer and longer, until sometimes when I go to the theatre at aight I wonder if I'll get home in time for breakfast. And except in a few cases I don’t see what has bee gained. The exceptional cases I would mention are ‘Emile Zola," "The Good Earth," "Marie Walewska," and perhaps "The Lost Horizon,’ which deserved their long-running times of be- { tween one and three-quarter hours and two hours and a quarter, because their subjects could stand it. But Vm hanged if I think that's the case with "The Virefly." his insect’s flight now lasts for 129 minutes (originally it was even longer), but it would have been more entertaining to watch if ils wings had been clipped. Oh, ves, I know, "The Great

Zicgteld" ran for three hours, but do you all haye to try and break that reeord? ‘These long-distance-running eontests Which you now seem to be conducting are often more in the nature of endurance tests for the poor spectators. And doesn’t experience show that the ideal avernge Jength for a film is 7500 feet (or one hour and 20 minutes)? I read somewhere that it has been scientifically proyed that it is physically impossible to hold the aitention beyond that length without putting some strain on the eyes and nerves, What Does It Mean? ELL, so much for running-time; but then there's this question of stunting with different tones in photography, which crops up again in "The Firefly.’ There’s been a lot of it going on lately, and T don’t like. it. Dear Movie Men, if you can’t afford to give us technicolour, that’s all right with us. Give us black and white instead. We're used to it. But I can’t see what useful purpose is served by all this messing about with different tonal values. There was that pale pink inflammation in the May-day scenes ~ of "Maytime." for no apparent reason that I could see some parts of "Heidi of the Alps" were in black and white,

and others broke out into sepia hues. And now we have something called "‘sepia platinum photography" which bedecks various moments of "The Firefly," more or less at random. It wasn’t so bad in "Ali Baba Goes To Town," where sepia photography was re- . served for the dream sequences, ‘and thereby heightened somewhat the effect of contrast. And it didn’t worry me much either in "The Bad Man of Brimstone," which is an allbrown production. But what’s the meaning of the indiscriminate splashes of sepia and platinum in "The Firefly’? Dramatically, this chopping and changing with tonal values is surely all wrong. There might, admittedly, be occasions when it would heighten the mood of 2 scene-but usually it has just the opposite effect. Every time the screen changes colour, if destroys illusion and wrenches one’s interest away from the story. It always takes my poor mind a few seconds to get used to the change. So, please, Dear Movie Men, all or noth: ing! Spies In Spain HAT’S off my chest, anyway. And perhaps it’s been a bit unkind making "The Firefly" a chopping-block for two general grievances. Tn spite of the fact that the plot of "The Firefly’ has had to be stretched so thin that it snaps in places, and in spite of the colour-stunting (otherwise the photography is brilliant), this musical-romance appealed to me more than "Maytime." If that seems a trifle in-

definite, let me say that, being u romantie son] with a bias toward history, I enjoyed "The lirefly’ most for its picturesque setting in Spain at the time when the Duke of Wellington was setting the country free from the tyrant’s yoke. In view of what’s happening now in Spain, it’s ironie to consider that he had all his trouble for nothing. Jeanette MaeDonald is The Firefly, a singing spy ot pure Castilian blood, who patriotically wheedles military secrets from the officers of Napoleon’s invading armies by performing in a cafe. But she herself falls for the charms of an impudent young man with a fine tenor voice, a wave in his hair and (sometimes) an open-neck shirt. This is Don Diego-just a Peninsular playboy to look at, but in reality a spy of Napoleon. These two sing together, enjoy a light-hearted romantic time together-and all the while there is the usual fierce tug-of-war between Patriotic Duty and True Love going on in their hearts. UTY wins the first round, and the heroine-foiled hy her lover in her attempt to save the King of Spain from Napoleon's clutches-retires diseonsolate. At this point the story seems to come to a full stop, and I was just reaching for my hat, and comforting (Contd. on next page.)

Jeanette MacDonald Sings Through The War (Old Style)

myself with the assurance that the lovers would be reunited when the war was over, when the film got going again, In a way, I wasn’t sorry it did, because most of the action, the spectacle and the suspense is in the last part. Five years having passed, and Wellington having come to the rescue and symbolically blown up an enormous number of fortresses (their names are very conveniently caryed on them in huge block capitals so you won't mistake Talavera for Salamanca, and

so on), the Firefly again decides to fly out of the fire into the frying pan and uncover more Seérets behind the French lines, Musical Victory THIS causes the Battle of VittoriaOr so obe gathers. The heroine, having been unmasked, watches it between the bars of her French prison window. While the opposing armies drop high-explosive shells all around her, Miss MacDonald sings for her lover, her voice rising dolefully but triumphantly above the clamour of battle, Such devotion to music is suit-

ably rewarded by a British victory, re‘lease from jail, and reunion with Don Diego, This Don Diego being a French spy, he has to wear disguise most of the picture; and he keeps his secret so well that he never looks like anybody else but that very self-confident young American named Allan Jones. If this seems a quaint disguise for a Napoleonic spy to assume, let me hasten to add that it really is Mr. Jones all the tiie. Mr. Jones’s acting is distinguished by some yery fine singing. In the case of Miss MacDonald there is some vivacious Spanish dancing as well, Donkey’s Serenade PUTTING aside the vast amount of padding, one can discover much good entertainment in "The Firefly." Most of the musie by Rudolph Friml is first-rate, and it is done full justice by the heautifully-denticulated voices of Miss MacDonald and Mr. Jones. Charming in the extreme is the "Donkey’s Serenade". sequence, in which a melodious number is enhanced by adroit direction, The plot doesn’t call for such an imposing supporting east as is usually encountered in M.-G.-M. pictures, but Warren William, Billy Gilbert. and George Zucco are all worth watching. ("The Firefly,’ .-G.-M. directed by Robert Z, Leonard. Starring Jeanette MacDonald, Allan Jones. First release: Wellington, June 3. Lupin Returns -G-M have done a good deed by resurrecting Arsene Lupin, the jewel-thieving genius who amused and excited us Way back in 1932. Then it was John Barrymore (or was it Lionel? Perhaps both) who broke the law and won our hearts: now it is Melvyn Doug-

las. He starg in "Arsene Lupin Returns," a romantic mystery nearly as polished and sparkling as the emerald which causes all the trouble in the Story. You see, when Arsene Lupin disappeared in the person of Barrymore and became transformed into Douglas, he really meant to go straight, raise pigs and chickeng on his French estate, and eventually marry Virginia Bruce. But when somebody started writing his name on pieces of paper and dropping them around for the police to pick up. and when on top of all this an emerald was stolen and someone was murdered -well, obviously Arsene Lupin had to come out of retirement to protect his copyright. Most Involved THINK I’m probably as good as any neighbour when it comes to unrayvelling the delightful complications of Miss Dorothy Sayers or Mr. Ellery Queen, but in this case the comings and goings of M. Lupin, che switching of the real emerald with the fake one, and all the other tricks of expert jewelwere just a trifle too involved for my thievery were just a trifle too involved for my liking. However, whenever the detection became too difficult, it was pleasant to re- jax and just enjoy the acting of Melvyn Douglas (who is so polite and charming that, if I had any emeralds, I’d like him to steal them) and Warren William, who is the superior ex-G-man on

----- -- the trail, and Virginia Bruce, John Halliday. George Zueeco and particularly E, BE. Clive and Nat Pendleton. Messrs. Clive and Pendleton are Arsene’s former henchmen who turn up in France like bloodhounds as soon as there’s a whiff of Lupin in the air. Amusing People ILL these characters talk and hehave most divertingly. The ealm way in which the crook and the deteetive bandy epigrams in the tensest situations is really extraordinary, but then not many crooks have had such a good education as Arsene Lupin. Although most of the characters are French and most of the action takes place in France, everybody is considerate

Lhad SOUAUSQQEDERREDDOCRDPERUURERERERULERODCQESEODERSOQEETERERDESETOECTSGEE USED ELEOSEEE KAY TO RETIRE Five Husbands-No More Films ACCORDING to a New York correspondent, when Kay Francis marries her fifth husband in September the film studios will see her no more. She is said to have announced this herself. Husband Number Five will be Baron Eric Barnekow, aviation expert. The wedding bells are scheduled to ring immediately Miss Francis‘’s seven years’ contract with Warner Brothers ends, FT USDECCSUUETRDALDEUSNEEQDERSEOCESU CEES LEED EELES EEE EET hes VUEEEQUDDTERALTSEQEGUUEDEDEGSUDL ESTED DGLERERECEASUOEESOSADESTEREEERTTQEPETUSSREEREST a

enough to speak with a faint but easily recognisable American accent. See this picture if you like the type. It is one of the most entertaining exercises in the higher criminality that Hollywood has turned out for months, "Arsene Lupin Returns." M-G-M. Directed by George Fitzmaurice. Starring Melvyn Douglas, Warren William, Virginia Bruce. First re lease, Wellington, May 27. Thoroughbreds VVERYBODY who counts at all is a thoroughbred, and everybody keeps their ching up and their upper lips tre

ARR RERERRERSAR RAL AAD DADA A DAA De cea mendously stiff, in M.-G.-M.’s "Thorbreds Don’t Cry." Quite frankly, my first natural inclination would be te dismiss this racing melodrama With a eynical horse-laugh, were it not for the fact that it is an Important Picture. From our point of view, it’s particu larly important. When Freddie Bartholomew, like a P. G. Wodehouse character, wag having trouble with his aunt, M.-G.-M. gave his role in ‘Thoroughbreds" to New Zealand’s own Ronnie Sinclair (ne Ra Hould)-and that’s certainly something not to he sneered at. Not only does it make this an Important Picture, but it will also very Ukely make it "big at the box-office"---so perhaps I’d better be careful what I say. However, I am going to say that f don’t think America is doing right by Master Ronnie. Here New Zealaud gets its first big chance to be cinematically frmous, and blow me if all the Americin papers T’ye seen don’t refer fo

our Ronnie as an Australian or a Tasmanian, And instead of letting him develop a personality of hig own, the stu dio has gone out of its way to make him a pale reflection of Freddie B. (note the "trailer" of the show-and, incidentally, that Freddie’s voice is preaking). The comparison with the more experienced young actor can’t help heing unfavourable. But that’s not all. Gross Libel \ HILE there is nothing inherently the matter with Ronnie’s acting-~ except that he badly needs a hair-cut-was it fair to him (or New Zealand) to make him the instrument for the grossest libel on the English schoolboy ever perpetrated by Hollywood? Shades of Little Eric! Master Roger Calverton (the character played by Ronnie) is sententious in speech, effeminate in manner and @ prig to boot. Oh, yery much a prig to boot. My own boot just itched to do it-though ordinarily I despise this method of inculeating manliness. Its Own Back? ET you may excuse such a barbarian impulse if I quote a few of the pompous platitudes which drip from Roger’s young lips, as follows:-"I say, how spifficating’; "I shall proceed to take boxing instruction immediately and

challenge you at the earliest convenience"; "Wnlesg you treat the Pookah gently- the Pookah being the horse-"l shall crack you over the knuckles with my whip’; "I hope you know exactly what I think of you and your kind"; and "It’s going to be rather hard Pookah, to keep our chins up." Do schoolboys-even English pnblic school boys-talk like that? Perhaps it were kindest to believe that Hollywood is just getting some of its own back for the libellong nonsens> about American children and American speech frequently found in British pietures. One could excuse that. Much Is Good Wuat I mustn’t overlook, though, is that many people may not look upon "Thoroughbreds" as being a libel at all. They may regard this ineffable young prig as being just too, too sweet and manly. Good luck to them-they’! like this picture, all of it. Let me say that I did enjoy some of it very much. In his way, C. Aubrey Smith is almost as true-blue British as Master Roger-but he can get away with: it. He’s Sir Peter Calverton, who takes his thoroughbred grandson and his thoroughbred racehorse (the Pookah) to America to retrieve the family fortunes, and there encounters dirty work involving Master Mickey Rooney, a 100 per cent. American

jockey, But Master Rooney turns trumps in the end, and so does the Pookal, so things aren’t so bad for Master Roger, even though Sir Peter has died of heart-failure about halfway through the story. America Wins HERE’S a tremendous gusto about the narration of this picture that is rather disarming, and the racing scenes can be thoroughly enjoyed for the excitement they provide-they seldom fail, do they? And Mickey Rooney gives a gem of a performance as a tough American "tomayto" (that’s his own expression, and apparently means all that is manly-anyway it’s the English visitor’s chief ambition to be a "tomayto," too), It may be libellous to assume that Mickey Rooney, and Judy Garland (excellent in too small a part) are any more representative of young America than Ronnie Sinclair is supposed to be representative ‘of English: boyhoodbut they gave me the impression that they are. And at the risk of seeming deucedly unpatriotic, I’ll say that I much prefer tomaytoes to quinces. {"Thoroughreds Don’t Cry," M-G-M, directed by Alfred Green, starring Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Ronald Sinelair. Firs, re& lease, Auckland, June 3.] First Salesman HE screen has seen many remarkable portraits of characters taken from the past. Few of these historic personalities, however, enjoyed a life more significant and romantic than the Mareo Polo so few people seem to know, whom Samuel Goldwyn has chosen as the hero of "The Adventures of Marco Polo," his adventurous romance which stars Gary Cooper and Sigrid Gurie, a newcomer. Marco Polo’s journey to the thirteenth century court of the great Kuilai Khan in Kambalu, Peiping, had as its object the extension of private commerce and the development of new trade opportunities for the Polo Bro-

upthers, Mareo’s father and uncle, who were important merchants in the city of Venice. Thus, as the world’s first travelling salesman, Marco set out for distant Cathay--a three years’ Journey through deserts and mountains, beset every mile or so by brigands and perils unknown to western civilisation. Marco was then 21, skilled in the use of arms, an excellent horseman and athlete, fearless and persevering in the pursuit of trouble, trade and amours, The young Polo served Kublai Khan for 1% continuous years-years of excitement and tremendous danger. Critics Praise "Chicago" HE New York Press critics unanimously hailed the 20th CenturyFox production, "In Old Chicago,’’ as a spectacular triumph. The following is from the "Daily News": "All the elements that go into the making of great screen entertainment were apparent when the 20th Century-Fox production of ‘In Old Chicago’ had its premier in New York. It took nearly two years to make ‘In Old Chicago’ and the cost of the production ran into millions of dollars. But, as the absorbing story and the thrilling spectacle emerged from the screen, it was realised that it was well worth the tremendous effort expended on it in time and money. ... The story leading up to the burning of the city of Chicago on the night of October 9, 1871, is a powerful tale based on the novel by Edwin Busch entitled, ‘We, the O’Learys.’ The legend that Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lamp in the barn behind the cottage on De Koven Street is used to ignite the spark that sets the city aflame and to bring the picture to its sensationally melodramatie climax. . ° "Alice Brady is magnificent. giving the performance of her life in the role of the hard-working, outspoken Molly O’Leary. Alice Faye proves that she is as fine a dramatic actress as she is an entertainer of song and dance, when, as the glamorous Belle, she sweeps across the sereen in the gaudy clothes and stage costumes of the period. "Tyrone Power handles the slightly heavy role of Dion with ease and conviction, .. ."