1932-09-23 — Page 3

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1932,

L

THE BLIGHT ON

FILMS.

Timidity And Mass Production.

TOO MUCH TALK.

Films, some people will tell you, are getting steadily worse. I have! seen this week's new offerings, and almost am I persuaded. It would be unreasonable to expect every Alm to be a masterpiece; after all, even the best of stage producers, in good times, thinks he is doing pretty well if he picks one winner in three.

But last week I attended the pre- viewing of eleven films.

There

was not one that came within measurable distance of being first-

Telegraph.

THE CHINA MAIL

TALKIE TALKS

by Diane

WYNNE GIBSON CONVINCES IN

DRAMA AT KING'S

WEISMULLER IDEALLY CAST AS

"TARZAN."

'Million Dollar Legs"

A Screaming Farce.

Joan Crawford

who marries for money, but when it is Adrienne' Ames I am not sur- prised at his falling. What a grand class, and only three that were In "The Strange Case of Clara, George Jean Nathana, Cedric Bel cast. Cary Grant, who looks like reasonably entertaining, writes Deane" the new star, Wynne Gibson frages, Norbert Lusks, St. John being a favourite, Alison Skipworth, Campbell Dixon in The Dally plays convincingly and beautifully Eryines etc., we would not be here. who is now rewarded with, big

the part of the sacrificing mother. Therefore, it is hardly fair to ex Why? What is wrong with this Still, from my point of view, I pre-press strong opinions with nasty parts-a good old trouper, Walter picture business? There must be fer her in roles like "Two Kinds of adjectives.

Byron, Rita a Roy. All helped by something wrong with It, or hard-Women." Cora Sue Collins as the working and intelligent men and child when young is extraordin- So, much fairer to the theatres, magnificent mounting, splendid act- which provide us with our onlying, which makes for a grand show most directors, contrary to the arlly effective. I wonder what popular belief, do work hard, and methods were used to make that amusement (at least it is mine) in the best Hollywood manner- some of them have a good deal of parting so emotional? Frances Dee that we give the outline of the plot, advised. (King's). ability--couldn't possibly expend as the child grown up is her usual, the cast and leave the rest to the

and achieve so little.

a certain

Coming to the King's

I nor anyone else says. I have March, Adrianne Allen, Sylvia

so much time, energy, and money, natural, lovely self. Ducey Digges, public. If they like

Pat O'Brien, Russell Gleason and artiste, they will go, no matter what Lack Of Courage.

others make this worth-while enter- Consult a dozen experts, and tainment. The play is strong dramaj they will give you a dozen different and reminiscent of so many other answers. Most of them blame the plays. but the Gibson girl is con- depression. The head of Fox vincing, and the child can teach her Films. Mr. Sydney Kent, in a re- elders something about acting.

markable outburst of candour, (King's).

said the other day that business

was as good as the pictures, which

must mean that most pictures are

very bad indeed.

Tarzan."

By all means see. "Tarzan" but

I ask again, Why? How can so for Heaven's sake do not go in a many Anuncial, technical, and literary, mountains labour and

critical mood. The story is fallacy, the hero and heroine look so spick

bring forth auch dull performing and span, that one wonders if he mice? I think know the answer, has a continual supply of Wardonias. and it may be summed up in just

**somewhere, and if there is a beauty three words-lack of courage.

Everybody in the business is specialist in some tree for Madam, when she refuses to return to Lon-

afraid of somebody or of some don and prefers housekeeping in thing. Writers from whom thej original inspiration must apring) tree-tops with the Ape man. Also, are afraid of producers and direc-do you feel that Director Van Dyke has used all the left-overs from tors. Directors are afraid of pro-

“Trader Horn." As I said before." dacers. Producers are afraid of their shareholders. And the stars the story does not matter, nor the fact that Maureen O'Sullivan, Neil

stara

Besale Love

Sydney in Merrily we go to Hell" Remember It as the story "I take thee Joan"7—then Lyda Roberti, (Shanghai Carlton Cafe singer) with Jack Oakle. and W. C. Fields in "Million Dollar Legs"—not a legi show, but a screaming farce about the Olympic Games. (King's).

HOLLYWOOD GOSSIP.

Rumours from Here and There.

Gavin Gordon is acting on the London stage. Also Anne Harding's ex-husband, Harry Bannister, (about) the most amateurish I have seen on the screen) will try his luck in a London theatre, too: Lovely Anne in now living the most secluded life, as her new manager who was acting are afraid of everybody, and, most Hamilton, Aubrey Smith, etc. must

In like capacity for Greta Garbo, of all of their public. The execu

advises Anne what to do and what tives they have enriched can and be raging at playing such secondary seen audiences in Singapore, Shang-not to do for a buge salary. will break them, public opinion is roles. They should be glad just to hai. and here treat "Mata Hari," Strange to say that the day King fickle, newer

be part of the huge success this which M.G.M. claimed are fighting

as super, Vidor's ex-wife Florence, present- tooth and nail to pull them down film bas scored throughout the merely as a joke. Nathan laughs at ed her husband Jascha Heifetz with Too Much Team Work. world. Johnny Weismuller was the "Grand Hotel," but that won't stop a son and heir, Eleanor Boardman The result of it all the inevit-wisest choice of M.G.M.

us seeing it. I adored. “This is the filed divorce proceedings. She will able result is mediocrity.

What a magnificent specimen of Night," Lusk slated it. What I have custody of both their little Alexander the Great had had to call a committee meeting before every battle, how much of the world would he have conquered? What sort of a play would "Ham- let" have been if Shakespeare had .written it with the aid of five play- wrights, two continuity writers, and four foreign-born dialogue writers, all reporting twice daily to Louis B. Mayer, Sam Goldwyn, and Winfeld Sheehan, and prepar ing a new "treatment" twice a week to suit the stars available?

If

It is surely not an accident that most of the significant filme made to-day are the work of one able man-Rene Clair, or G. W. Pabst, or whoever he may be left by his employers to do his job in reason- able freedom as long as does it well.

And Too Much Talk.

Maureen O'Sullivan

manhood, although the tailors would

like, my-neighbour criticises, so for girls. the future, I will confine my write lings to suggestions and letting my

Joan Crawford and her husband reader find out for himself. There Europe. He still sports the small Doug. Junr, are travelling in is only one way to do that Go and moustache, and so does, Clark Gable.

see.

"Devil's Lottery.”

This actor, la now to be starred, tohich means a magnificent home in Beverly Hilla

Billie Burke and John Barrymore

Curiosity provokes an English will be in "Bill of Divorcement." publisher to invite winners of the Calcutta Sweep to be his guests. Rumour still persists that Che- Together under one roof in "Devil's valler obtained his divorce to marry Lottery," we have Elissa Landi, a someone else, but no one can guess woman of questionable reputation, whether It is Genevieve Tobin or her, crooked, lover, an idealistic Jeannette Macdonald. young American visitor, Victor

McLaglen as a prize fighter, and Chaplin will re-issue. "The,, Gold | Beryl Mercer, his Cockney mother. Rush" with sound effects. Things happen in a thoroughly

Katherine Cornell,now acknow- amazing and entertaining fashion ledged the greatest actress on the not retire on what he buys from An old friend of mine, who used to American stage, flatly refuses pie~] be a favourite at the London ture contracts, and all her reasons Another and potent factor in the them. He is grand to look at, acts

Lyceum Halliwell Hobbes to my decline of the film is, undoubtedly most naturally, can swing from too much talk. The old advantage bough to bough like a circus artist, mind, is the best in the picture. A good ones. of silent films, that they could be and most certainly extols the values Mis Landi possesses intelligence In Charles Laughton, Paramo enjoyed by all classes and all ages of swimming We are treated to a beauty and distinction. Melagen considers they have, the and all nations, has been thrown super circus. Every kind of is always himself, but a une actor. Ecter actor on the

animal, panther and lon fights with Beryl Mercer shows of as usual This Englishmanho

away.

The perfect picture, as Mr. Fair the hero, strange friendships with Paul Cavanagh, I like--Barbars Broadway, will be on banks pointed out, should be intel- apes and elephants, jungle thrills Weeks, Alexander Kirkland and picture shortly- ligible to anybody, whether he and naive romance, perfectly gor Ralph Morgan make this certainly saw him with understands the dialogue or not.geous photography, expert direction worth seeing, as there is, at least, (her best fim, to And probably not more than 20 and a star who counts. Go with originality in the plot. (King's),

per cent of it should have talk.

*** Formulae Films," V

your tongue in your cheek, take all the children you know, and you

What filma need, above all, is a will thoroughly enjoy "Tarzan"

new type of producer. There are (Queen's).

too many £2,000 and £3,000 a week men sitting in offices for the pur-

write, directors how to direct, and

Star'a Attractions.

Pictures coming ["Saflor" Behave"--sald

Monte Blus. In!

"Splinters In The Navy.”

Coming to the Queen's another

Bros

not

End

pose of telling writers how to

brokers how to manipulate the British pict market. The industry to-day can. Navy,

not afford the luxury of a £3,200 can't say if

week business man, who is willing|02-

to let Miss Garbo go because he

"thinks she isn't worth £1,750:

new blood

it is

growing.

tome

the Devil and the De him to Emil Jannings est characterisations.

great

more

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ETHEREAL FILM

CTRESSES

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tion some of the

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out to be.