THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1933.
CINEMA “SHOTS” AND “SEQUENCES" Whiteaways
"SMILIN' THROUGH" THE
YOU CAN SEE THESE TO-DAY.
Queen's:-"Smilin' Through"
King's: The Warelor's Husband" Central: "Out All Night" Majestle:"Penalty of Fame" Oriental:-"Tell Me To-Night" Star: "Strange Interlude"
WEDNESDRAY.
King's: Down To Earth" Oriental:"Annabelle's Affairs"
THURSDAY.
King's-"Down To Earth" Central: "A Woman Commands"
FFICE flappers have,
un
FILM IS DEVOID OF
REAL CINEMATIC QUALITIES
some sort of expression to the more aesthetic principles of the cinema with some symbolic tou- ches and angled photography. THE pleture is practically with- out relief. The settings con- vey little atmosphere and with
the majority of shots taken at normal level, only a suggestion of panning and a single travel- and
Odoubtedly, elsewhere, and ling shot, rhythm is slow
certainly will in Hongkong, rave often disjointed. In short the about Smilin' Through, the cinema is completely. subordinated M.G.M. "super-feature" at the to acting material, unfortunately Queen's Theatre. This picture, a common feature with American
in fact, was made for those and British filma.
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FLAPPERS'
Smilin' Through
"SMILIN' THROUGH”—A delightful study of Norma Shaarer
so the appears in the M.G.M. production of "Smilin' Through" now showing at the Queen's Theatre.
A REVIEW OF THE LOCAL CINEMA
BY "CELLULOID"
house full of gilded guests, who get drunk on Pike's champagne and regard their host with lofty scorn. Finally, after a desperate struggle to koop his head above Avater, Pike, along with numerous others, crashes financially. He hears the news while his wife is giving a gorgeous costume ball.' Then he collects his guests round him and preaches his sermon.
IT
•
is not a polite sermon, for he does not select his descriptions of them and their behaviour with any especial care. He first says what comes into his head-things like "swing" and "blood-stickers, and other verbal jewols equally appilcable and equally unpolish- ed. In order to drive home the lesson we see the family living afterwards in happy and honest poverty. Tho picture proves that there is more Joy for a family liv- ing in three rooms on £100 a year than in a mansion with 20 aer- vants and six motor-cars, about £260,000 must be true or they would - not dare to show it on the screen.
*
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THE part of Pike, who ad- ministers sour trutha in humorous phraseology, suits Will Rogers like a glove. His wooden, smileless face is especially adap- tod for such a situation. What the sermon lacks in subtlety it makes up in force.
C.
thousands of film fans whose WHEN it comes to the neting. I reactions to be cinema are only raise quickened by saccharine sex Shearer,
Norma Frederic scenes. I have searched in vain Leslie Howard for making
March and for anything of real merit in this they have of parts not film. The galaxy of "stars" suitable to them. Leslie Howard promised something, but not should never have been cast as even that was fulfilled, and as John Carteret, the aging baronet the whole qualities of the pic- who, until with an hour of his ture are centred on the players, death allows a life hatred the natural result follows.
stand in the way of his niece's happiness. The whole study is artificial, emphasised by Howard's THE plcture contains one charne- make-up which is not sufficiently ter study and even that be good to prevent the disillusionment comes boring. For the rest super- that the player is Sidney, Howard, aclality, unimaginative direction, a good looking young fellow who and extraordinarily poor editing has scored several screen succes- are the features. Smilin' Through ses in light romantic parts. is another example of Hollywood's Dialogue, some of it good, much persistency in screening stage of it trite, floods the. Alm, pre- plays which have practically no venting action and stuntin rhythm, Almic qualities and are quite
one could expect. In the women warriors doing men's work, IDEAS penetrate slowly into the film ill-suited for the cinema. The NORMA Shearer is forced into final analysis one is forced again such as piling, driving and road chief impression left after seeing
succession of emotional to the conclusion in that it is mending is increased by a succes- they have penetrated they are apt to Industry of this country, but once the picture is that men and women seenes which eventually get the unsuitable material for the screen, sion of flash shots which are so take firm, root. A few years ago are continually falling into each better of her and leave her gas-
well edited as to fall into rhythm Leteunne in the Observer, we had no
even a few months ago-writes other's arm. Beyond this, and the ping, half crying and melo-drama- THE Warrior's Husband, a
Fox with the sound of the sledge real time of England and the English A. scene of Frederic March's visit ile." Frederic March who is far
picture which concludes ita hammera falling on the piles. to his old home after returning happier in fantastic and psychol- run at the King's Theatre to-day,
countryside. Then English audiences a war-wounded soldier, which is ogical studies, as for example is delightful entertainment. Its BUT the main appeal of the America demanded them, and seeing began to clamour for them. Even notable for the lighting effects Jekyll and Hyde and The Royal chief aim is to amuse through and March's acting, one attempts Family of Broadway is as cheerful its situations, absurd studies and situations. On the whole these cameramen to take back-projection plcture is in the laughable how slow we were to move, sent over in vain to recall single shot and resourceful as ever, but is neat dialogue. It does this and are handled efficiently, although shots of England for use in American
scene of outstanding merit, given little opportunity to dia- a little bit more. It has certain occasionaly one feels that greater ims. The direction by Sidney Franklin play his ability as a dramatic cinemantic attributes. Excellent emphasis could have been made is far below his usual work. actor. O. P. Heggie ulone standa photography Is mude even more through Confined as he is to a succession as something natural and real. attractive by some elever cutting, Ernest Truex runs away with the
construction. TO-DAY aur film companies have of love scenes, he allows the
and there are some fine architec- acting honours despite the pre- proposition. English
realised that England is a selling players to dominate the camera. POSSIBLY the producers made tural and lighting effects. The sence of Elissa Landi, Marjorie dog racing, dirt-truck racing, football,
Institutions I would have expected him to give as good a job of this picture humour of scene of the Amazon Rambeau and David Manners, the
There is plenty of subtlety about cropping up In-English-pictures- pubare constantly the film all of which is given its And, perhaps more significantly, the fullest effect by the players and English "short" has begun to appene director Walter Lang.
in earnest. Our biggest producing companies are preparing to make a It looks
though Universal ren job of putting their country on
the screen. lave found another ideal comedy team. Certainly Zasu Fitts and Slim Summerville work was encouraging, to find the short well together, and in their latest
Gaumont-British film of Windsor production Out All Night, are just Castle included in the programme of. na romantically ridiculous as in the gala performance
given on their earlier They Had To Get Wednesday for the Press and Dele- of the Economic Conference. Married. After her entry into The Windsor illm is a straw showing light comedy roles, consequent which way the wind blows. It marks upon the introduction of the the definite entry into the non-fiction talking picture, it is difficult to field of the company best equipped imagine Zaau Pitts as one of the to develop It. mast polished dramatic actress-
or
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GREAT SUMMER
SALE
A SALE
THAT IS
A SALE
SPECIAL BARGAINS
FOR
NEXT WEEK
IN ALL DEPARTMENTS
Latest advices from London inform us that manufacturers' prices are rising considerably and that all future purchases will cost us more.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SALE
AND
BUY NOW
SPECIAL BARGAINS
Over 1,000.
Ladies'
Cotton and Art Silk Knickers and Vests. All Sizes. Usual Prices $1.95 to $2.50.
TO
BE
CLEARED AT
$1.00 EACH.
2,000 Yds.
TOOTAL'S "BUNTY" VQILES. Usual Price $1.25.
TO
All this Season's designs.
BE
CLEARED AT
65
Cts.
yard.
100 Pairs Men's English made Oxford uppers with stout hide sole. Sizes 42 to 10.
-SPECIAL-
SALE
PRICE
$9.50 PAIR.
75 Pairs
Shoes, Black or Brown calf Good shape and smart fitting.
THE "DEEBEE” BRAND
Men's White Canvas Tennis or Sports Shoe with Crepe. Rubber sole. All sizes,
SPECIAL
SALE
PRICE
$1.50
PAIR.
3,200 Yds.
Attractive designs in fadeless Cretonnes.. In numerous designs.
་ ་
Good colourings
31 ins, wide Usual Price $2.95 yard. .SPECIAL
SALE
es of screendom as she truly was MICHAEL Balcon, the production in the Silent' days of 1927. 1 chief of Gaumont British, is quite has frank in his profession of faith in Actually the talking screen made her a comedienne. Even to these short pictures. "We have felt day Zasu scarcely does anything for a long time", he says, "the need funny, but her doleful voice Ig for improvement in the parts of a admirably suited to comedy parts "All-ups," and also the demand of
programme generally regarded and her laughs are the result not audiences for pictures of their own only of the humour of the lines country and their own traditional she speaks, but her peculiar form monuments. We have recently made of delivery. Anyway her Intest co- several experimental films of this starring production. with Slim kind, such as "Canterbury and Summerville is quite a success, Shakespeare's Country." Now wo and Sam Taylor, who you will re- have instituted a Shorts department
JASPE CLOTH. Douglas at Shepherd's Bush, which I hope will member
serve a twofold purpose-to improve Fairbanks and Mary Picford the quality of short films generally. Taming of the Shrew, gets in some and at the same time put England on clever directing.
the screen. The policy of Gaumont British has always been to give us
handled
•
DOWN to earth, which starts a much care, to the small jobs as the run at the King's Theatre to- big ones, and there will be no second- morrow. though teclinically. arato work put into these one-reol pic- comedy, la really'a moving sermon engineers and musical staff are at turos. Our crack technicians-sound addressed to the American public the disposal of the Shorts unit, and on the text that the road to the our crack camera-men are sont out on country's financial salvation runs location whenever they are between through the gateway of economy, productions-an arrangement which and is one that in a more modified serves two
purposes, to give the form would be worthy of the camera-man a rest from floor produc. attention of the Australian people. tion and get him outside for a bit, and to give the short flni a chance to be handled by really... first-class
THE sermon is preached. by Will men.
1 Rogers as Piko Peters, a self- made millionaire, who foresocs, the DCERS have sometimes "an"
coming of the financial crash, but
way of talking before
is unable to make his family_ro- the event, but Mishasi: Balcon, who cognise its imminence. Piko has was never given to bragging, hau a wife who is emitten with an-waited until he has something con 'ambition to become a leader of crete to show for his new policy society and housekeeps at the before making any Announcement rate of about $100,000 your, about it. Short Alms of Oxford, while Pike's personal expenses are Cambridge, Rye, Winchester, Ludlow about $100 for the same period. York, The New Forest, Sandwich,
Chester, and the Cotswolds, He also has a son, Ross, in fine ready finished. Defore, the end of Ind. Whose andeavours to live this month at least a dozen more without boring himself more than Gaumont British Miniatures should be in strictly necessary cost his fa- roady for showing.There is a pici ther as much as the housekeeping. ture of the interior of Windsor Castle, Naturally Mesa Pike and Ross re- shot in the Blate Aparimente just as drá Piko am an unreasonable old the Court had left them, that is likely
1,000 Yards
PRICE
$1.50 YARD.
Absolutely fadeless.
All colours. inches wide. Usual Price $1.75 yard.
SPECIAL
SALE
PRICE
30 Pairs only
Nice lacy
SALE
NET
$1.25 YARD.
CURTAINS
48
• ACK $7.95 and $9.50 pair.
Full Size..
PRICES $3.95 $4.95
72 Dozen
COLOURED TURKISH BATH OR FACE TOWELS and hard wearing. Size 20 by 40 inches.
95 cts, each.
Absorbent Usual Price
SPECIAL
SALE
PRICE
50
Chỉ
EACH.
BETTER VALUES DON'T EXIST.