THE HONGKONG. TELEGRAPH. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1932.
CINEMA "SHOTS" AND "SEQUENCES”
DIETRICH SINGS IN
LATEST FILM
"THE BLONDE VENUS” SHOWS STAR'S GREAT ARTISTRY
VON STERNBERG PRODUCTION
SHOWS TO SEE
TO-DAY.
King's: "Dance Team." Queen's: "Chances." Central: "Homicide Squad." Oriental: "Night World." Taiping: "The Rainbow Trail." Majestic: "Palmy Days." Star: "Transgression."
SUNDAY.
Queen's: "Downstairs."
Central: "Bring 'em Back Alive" King's: "The Blonde Venus." Star: "Sunshine Sunic."
mRNA
CHINESE CAMERAMAN
NOTES AND COMMENTS BY “CELLULOID” E
VER since Hongkong saw that all was not well. with tha Marlene Dietrich, unde Sternberg genfun when he made the not BG Joseph von Sternberg's direc-lm. While his work is
blatant and does not reek of tion, do "Dishonored" last year. Sternberg as much n his other admirers of the German couple silents and sound films, It is have been looking forward to adequate enough, from the film- their next. The anxiety has goer's chair, to save the production been increased by the banning in from entirely becoming dreadfully China of "Shangha! Express" slow and uninteresting.
The makers of "The Blonde but at last curiosity will be ap peased by "The Blonde Venus."Venus" appear to have traded too of Dietrich 1932 Paramount production much on the names
and Sternberg and featured them due at the King's on Saturday. In a story, which, even if it is as sordid and murky as the others, and
ledgments is flashed for a equally as romantic, is perhaps just faw brief minutes on the screen aufficiently threadbare to grate on prior to the start of a film, few the nerves and try the patience of
a
Distinctive Work in "Dance Team" WHEN the list of acknow-
the most constant film-goor. cinemagoers are interested enough
Thousands of filma have been based to detach their minds from the la. on the plot of the woman who uses troductory music or other neigh. | the age-old method of extracting
money from another man in order bouring attractions to care
two
of hidden
Jittle re-
PRETTY
Marion Nixon, Fox star, in seasonal garb, offers best Christ-
mas wisher in appropriate surroundings.
JOHN GILBERT CHANGES
PLAYS BAD MAN AT QUEEN'S
JUNGLE THRILL WILD ANIMAL FILM AT CENTRAL
EDEEMING feature of "Dring
R
'em Back Alive," the Central
to send her husband abroad for a straws about the army cure, She sinks lower and lower stars: the men, and women, who are in the Bocial scale, and when suicide
shine their light appears to be the only way out, the resigned to
replaces, or is reputed to story flashes guddenly the art oneath the bure wards. "photo-UE at the Queen's on Sunday, lacca, on Sunday is that. It "Downstairs" is the puzzle place "Congorilin" as the jungle where she is the queen of the nightgraphy, by," etc. A
picture for 1932. Jahn Gilbert aim to end jungle films. When clubs.
"Sternberg has used quick flash-grettable, perhaps, is this apathy, seems to have set out to make him- "Chang" began the cycle that outs and flashes-in to carry the for technicians have their distinc- self as thoroughly offensive as possent studies rushing their expedi- Why he should wish to tions into the darkest jungles to thread of the trite story, which, but tions just as much as the most sibic.
the jump oft
Bridge fer his slick methods, would de- |
heat one another in turning out manner is complete mystery productions with no other appeal Hu is
naturally handsome than the somewhat sordid side of |
with 11 dashing wild animal fighta, it was said that suitable for lightly the craze would be the most
tie theme.
is also
manner
man,
Ik
in this
velop into a dreadfully uninterest-glamorous stars whose names are: ing narrative, made all the more flashed in big lights. inconvincing by its highly roman- And there in more than Sally Young
Alongside Dietrich is Herbert Eilers and James Duan to Interest romantle heroes. For the past ephemeral of Hollywood's history: "THE Blonde Venus," In other
"Dance year by has been climbing back yet so capricious is public opinion, words, Marlene Dietrich, Marshall, the English star of "The Hongkong audiences in
from the oblivion into which that jungle films have come and whose much talked-of Gilm is the Calendar" and "Secrets of a Secret Team." current King's attraction, badly-trained voice drove him soon gone, and now comes "Bring 'em Christmas attraction at the King's. {ary" and Cary Grant, playing even
the cameraman for the after the start of talking pictures. | Back Alive," a recent production. a bigger part than in "This is the for The artistry of the German ac-Night" There
Wong Now he deliberately plays a repul just to show that the public is not James Dickie production was
xive role, with such embroideries yet tired. tress is even more prominent in this 'Moore, who is held in good res Bowe, who. A the
name of inspired unpleasantness that than either "Dishonored" or traint, and the rest are just supers,
For those who revel in gigantici Chinese, one of he automatically condemns himself pythons, wild elephants, ferecious Morocco," and the supporters of but Dietrich is the film and in in suggests is as the respective merits of Dietrich practically ever foot.
the most distinctive of Hollywood's to Siberia again.
tigers and yawhing lions, "Bring It's not as if he had been forced Fem Back Alive," should be enter and Garbo will be well provided | A new side of Dietrich as pre-photographers. or bis exact with fresh material on which to 'sented in "The Blonde Venus" in
into his part by superior powera. Į talning ́ from its opening to its build their arguments, but those her ability as a songster, a glimpse biography there is nothing definite, On the contrary, the story of the end,
Frank Buck opens his film with a who have been waiting for some of which was given in "Morocco." for Hollywood's press sheets are film is written by Gilbert himself!
Arrival In more of the unique technique that Her voice is not so husky as in that also silent on their technicians, but In the role of a nasty little acoun- brief account of his
drel, who bluckmails his employer, Malaya and his final preparations Sternberg put into "Dishonored" film and fits in well with the jazzy. Howe's work has an unmistakeable seduces his friend's wife, and robs for his expedition. will come away with a vague feeling rhythm of the numbers.
mark, which even the ordinary an old lady of her savings, he The film in general has a lack of on belching, hiccupping, purpose and dealgn, and while the story of "Dance Team" cannot hide, insists
snuffling, and manicuring his nose existence of a few admirable Transatlantic" was onc of the and cars to such a nauseating de-jacenes does not redeem it, animal¦
will give it full first films In which Howe showed gree that one begins to wonder if picture lovera
he has gone mad. The only theory | marks, his individuality: he had his that I can advance is that is repre- material on which to work in the sents reaction from a long course photographed. Paul -Lukas has taken his moustache off, and looks engine room of an ocean liner, and of matinee-idol roles.
Apart from its unpleasant pas- uncommonly like John Barrymore: the fantastic shots he made of sages, the picture is splendidly pro- he, too, is in a strangely different
the huge, part, plunging pistons and strep iron duced. The scenes in
but acquits himself baronial kitchen are. beautifully cellently; lairwayz gave "Transatlantic" n more tense atmosphere.
AFTER having played matinee idols for so long, John Gilbert plays a character role in "Downstairs,” a story that he wrote himself, atart.
ing on Sunday at the Queen's
He followed this up with "The Spider and his treatment of shadows was mainly responsible for the cerie atmosphere necessary for the production. "Amateur Daddy," mostly open air shota. saw him in something new, and "Dance Team" is quite different again.
Howe revels in plots that will enable him to use his knowledge
shadows, and he has put his distinctive stamp on many of the sequences of "Dance Team." His Rext im here should be "Surrun- der," a grim war story with War- nor Baxter, with a macabre set- ting that should be his element.
"Dance Team," incidentally, while presenting a somewhat timeworn plot, is a merry thing with James Dunn and Sally Eilers playing exactly the same parts as they did in "Bad Girl." It is full of American wisecracks, but everything is kept in check and even its obvious ending does not |
-*י!
detract much from its entertain- JOYFUL scenes likes this run throughout the latest British musical
ment.
FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS
romance, "Love on the Spot,” beginning at the Queen's on December
23.
The Cover-Up!
HONGKONG
PENINSULA HOTEL:
HONGKONG HOTEL: REPULSE BAY HOTEL:
PEAK HOTEL
and
SHANGHAI
ASTOR HOUSE: PALACE HOTELİ
HOTELS
LIMITED,
In association with the Grand Hotel
Des Wagons Lits, Peking,
200
ROOMS
BACH, WITH BATH
HEABGNABLE
DAILY
AND MONTHLY RATE
A
first class
Hotel
METROPOLE Hotel
SHANGHAI
SHANGHAI'S NEWEST AND MOST MODERN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL HOTEL
GRILL ROOM
SPECIALLY VENTILATED WITH AIN-CLEANSING AND COOLING
EQUIPMENT.
DOUBLE DAILL AND REFRI- GERATED #HOWCASE ENABLING CUSTOMERS TO MAKE THEIR OWN SELECTION
POPULAR PRICES
Penang
The Scenic Gem of Malaya
Modern throughout and beautifully Situated
Runnymede Hotel
Malaya's Premier Hotel
Food and Wines especially good.
AFTER-DINNER DANCE
Every Thursday & Saturday-Orchestra Dally.
CABLES "RUNNYMEDE" RUNNYMEDE HOTEL, LTD. · George Goldsack. Managar.
LAST 2 DAYS
OF
SALE
EVERYTHING required for SMOKERS
BE SURE NOT
TO MISS
TABAQUERIA FILIPINA
26, Queen's Road C.
Hongkong,
18, Hankow Road.
Kowloon.
By Blosser
DAINTY ARTICLES SUITABLE
FOR
XMAS PRESENTS Prices ranging from 50 cents upwards
at
Messrs. KOMOR & KOMOR
ART & CURIO EXPERTS
Chater Road,
York Bldg.
Just arrived a choice collection of
OLD RUGS & CARPETS.
UST WHEN OSCAR WAS READY TO BRING FORTH HIS INVENTION,
HE DISCOVERED
THAT IT WOULDN'T GO
THROUGH THE
DOOR OF HIS WORK
SHOP.....
THE ONLY THING I CAN DO NOW IS TO TRY AN' UPSET THE SHED AN' GET MY OS-CAR OUT. BEFORE ANYBODY comes ALONG. WHAT
A BONE HEAD
I AM!!
PANA
OSCAR
FL120-0
INVENT
WHAT ARE YOU TRYIN” TO DO,OSSIE...... WRECK YOUR WORK SHOP
GEC! I CANT TELL
HIM OF TH' BLUNDER
I MADE...HE'D THINK
I WAS A DUMB
INVENTOR 1
IT'S THIS WAY, "FRECKLES: ANYTHING SO GREAT AS THIS INVENTION
OF MINE OUGHTA BE UNVEILED. LIKE STATUES AN' STUFF......... SO I'M DOIN' IT BY UPSETTİN", TH' SHED! SERT
IT'D BE A LOT EASIER TO JUST BRING IT OUT,
WOULDN'T
IT?
NO! I THOUGHT "OF DOIN' IT THIS WAY, BEFORE -- I STARTED T WORK OH
IT... HEAVE
HO!
Page 5Page 6