1932-12-23 — Page 23

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." Talping: "The Rainbow Trail." Majestic: "Palmy Days." Star: "Transgression."

SUNDAY.

Queen's: "Downstairs." Central: "Bring 'em Back Alive" King's: "The Blonde Venus," Star: "Sunshine Susle."

NOTES AND COMMENTS BY "CELLULOID” | VER since Hongkong saw that alf was not well with the Marlene Dietrich, under Sternberg genius when he made the Joseph von Sternberg's direc-film. While his work is not no tion, do "Dishonored" last year, Sternberg as much as

not reck blatant and does

his other admirers of the German couple

allents and sound films, Ita CHINESE CAMERAMAN have been looking forward to loquate enough, from their next. The anxiety as our's chair, to save the production been increased by the banning in from entirely becoming dreadfully China of "Shanghai Express" slow and uninteresting. but at last curiosity will be ap- peased by "The Blonde Venus, 11 1932 Paramount production due at the King's on Saturday,

"THE Blonde Venus" in

the film-

Distinctive Work in "Dance Team"

Tho makers of "The Blonde Venus" appear to have traded too af Dietrich much on the names

THEN the list of acknow- and Sternberg and featured them in a story, which, even if it is as sordid and murky as the others, and ledgments" is flashed for a eqnlty s romantic, is perhaps just few brief minutes o11 nficiently threadbare rate on prior to the start of a film, 'few the nerves and try the patience of

WHE

the screen PRETTY Marion Nixon, Fox stay, in sexional garb, offers beat Christ-

the most constant film-goer, cinemagoers are interested enough

Thousands of films have been trased to detach their minds from the in- 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 luring attractions to care

clubs.

two i

light

A little re-

mas wishes in appropriate surroundings.

JOHN GILBERT.

CHANGES

JUNGLE THRILL

WILD ANIMAL FILM

AT CENTRAL

EDERMING feature of "Bring fern Back Alive," the Central

velop into a dreadfully uninterest-glamorous stars whose names arei canner is complete mystery-productions with no other appeal

Herbert,

A

the

to send her husband abroad for a straws about the army of hidden

PLAYS BAD MAN cure. She sinks lower and lower stars: the men, and women, who are in the social scale, and when suicide.

to shine their

AT QUEEN'S appears to be the only way out, the resignedl story flashes suddenly to Paris beneath the bare words "photo-UR at the Queen's on Sunday, attraction on Sunday is that it replaces, or is reputed to FC- where she is the queen of the nightgraphy by." etc.

"Downstairs" is the puzzle place "Congorilla" is the jungle parture Tor

1902. John Gilbert Elm to end jungle films, When "Sternberg has used quick flash-rable, perhaps, is this apathy seems to have set out to make him- "Chang" began the cycle that muts and flashes-in to carry the for technicians have their distinc-self as thoroughly offensive us possent studios rushing their expedi thread of the trite story, which, but tiens just as much as

Why he should wish to ions into the darkest jungles to the most #ible. for his slick methods, would de-¦

Jump all the Bridge in this beat one another in turning out

ing narrative, made all the more hashed in big lights.

The ig naturally handsome than the somewhat sordid side of menovinenue by its highly roman-

nan, with dashing wild animal fights, it was said that And there is more than Sally your tie theme.

manner suitable for lightly the trazo would be the most Eilers and James Dunn to interest romantic heroes. For Alongside Dietrich s Jther |

pat: ephemeral of Hollywood's history: words, Mariene Dietrich, Marshall, the Baglish star of "The Hongkong audiences in "Dance year he has been climbing, back yet so capricious is public opinion, whose much talked of film 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

From the oblivion into which that jungle films have como Christmas attraction at the King's ¦ try" and Cary Grant, playing even

a bigger

the after the start of talking pictures. Back Alive." a recent production, The artistry of the German ac- Nick art than in "This is the for the cameraman

There is also Dickie production Wik James tre is even more prominent in this Moore, who is held in good res Howe.

Wong Now, he deliberately plays a repul- just to show that the public is not

sive role, with such embroideries yet tired. who, 18 the thush either "Dishonored" or traint, and the rest are just supers,

Eof inspired unpleasantness that For those who revel in gigantic Morocco," and the supporters of but Dietrich is the film and is ingpests is Chinese, one of he automatically condemns himself pythons, wild elephants, ferecious the respective merits of Dietrich practically ever foot.

the most distinctive of Hollywood's to Siberia again..

tigers and yawning loss, "Bring and Garbo will be well provided, A new side of Dietrich as pre-photographers.

hin

It's not as if he had been forced'em Back Alive," should be enter Of with fresh material on which to sented in "The Blonde Venus" is biography there in nothing definite. On the contrary, the story of the end.

into his part by superior powers. tnining from its opening to its build their arguments, but those her ability as a songster, a glimpse who have been waiting for Home of which was given in "Morocco." for Hollywood's prens sheets are film is written by Gilbert himself! Frank Buck opens his film with a more of the Laique technique that Her voice is not an husky as in that also silent on their technicians, but the role of a hasty little scoun- brief account of his arrival In Sternberg put into "Dishonored" film and fits in well with the jazzy Howe's work has an unmistakeable seduces his friend's wife, and rabs for his expedition.

drel, who blackmails his employer. Malaya and his final preparations will come away with a vague feeling rhythin of the numbers,

FTER having played matinee idols for so long, John Gilbert plays a character role in "Downstairs," a story that he wrote himself, start.

ing on Sunday at the Queen's.

AN

for

ERIC

cxact

and

mark, which even the ordinary.un old lady of her savings, he The film in general has a lack of insists on belching, hiccupping, purpose and design, and while the Istory of "Dance Team" cannot hide.

smuthling, and manicuring his nose existence of a few admirable "Transatlantic" was one of the and ears to such a nauseating de seenos does not redeem it, animal first films in which Howe showed gree that one berius to wonder if picture lovers will give it full

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 rents a reaction from a long course photographed. Panl Lukas has engine room of an ocean liner, and of matinee idol roles.

taken his moustache off, and Inoks Apart from its unpleasant pas-corimonly like John Barrymore: the fantastic shots he made of sages, the picture is splendidly pro- he, too, is in a strangely different plunging pistons and Aleep iron duced. The scenes in the huge, | part, but acquits himself

baronial kitchen stairways gave "Transatlantic" a

are beautifully ellently.

mure tense atmosphere.

'of

He followed this up with "The Spider" and his treatment shadows was mainly responsible for the eerie atmosphere necessary for the production. "Amateur Daddy," mostly open air shots. saw him in something new, and "Dance Team" is quite different again.

Hove revels in plots that will enable him to use his knowledge of shadows, and he has put his distinctive stamp on many of the sequences of "Dance Team." His next film here should be "Surren- der," a rim war story with War- ner Baxter, with a macabre set- ting that should by his element.

"Dance Teamy,"

incidentally, while presenting FE somewhat timeword plot, is a merry thing] with James Duna and Sally Eilers ninying exactly the same parts as They did in "Bad Girl." It is full of American wisecracks, but "verything is kept in check and even its obvious ending does not

HONGKONG

PENINSULA HOTEL:

HONGKONG HOTEL: REPULSE BAY HOTEL:

PEAK HOTEL

and

SHANGHAI

ASTOR HOUSE: PALACE HOTEL

HOTELS

LIMITED.

In association with the Grand Hotel Das Wagons Lits, Poking.

200 ROOMS

EACH WITH BATH

REASONABLE DAILY AHO MONTHLY HATER

first class

Hotel

METROPOLE Hotel

SHANGHAI

SHANGHAI'S NEWEST AND MOST. MODERN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL HOTEL

GRILL ROOM

SPECIALLY VENTILATED WITH AIR CLEANSING AND COOLING EQUIPMENT

DOUBLE GRILL AND REFRI- GERATED GHOWCASE ENABLING CUSTOMERS TO MAKE THEIR OWN SELECTION

POPULAR PRICES

Penang

The Scenic Gem of Malaya

Runnymede

Modern throughout and beautifully

Situated

Hotel

Malaya's Premier Hotel

Food and Wines especially good.

AFTER-DINNER DANCE

Every Thursday & Saturday-Orchestra Daily.

CABLES RUNNYMEDE** RUNNYMEDE HOTEL, LTD. George Goldsack, Manager.

ex-

LAST 2 DAYS

detract much from its entertain- JOYFUL scenes likes this ran throughout the latest British, musical

ment.

FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS

Lito, Love on the Spat," herinning at the Queen's on Dscamber

25.

The Cover-Up!

OF

SALE

EVERYTHING REQUIRED FOR SMOKERS

BE SURE NOT

TO MISS

TABAQUERIA FILIPINA

26. Queen's Road 'C.

Hongkong.

18, Hankow Road.

Kowloon.

By Boxer

DAINTY ARTICLES SUITABLE

FOR

XMAS PRESENTS Prices ranging from 50 cents upwards

at

Messrs. KOMOR & KOMOR

ART & CURIO EXPERTS York Bldg.

Chater Road.

Just arrived a choice collection of

OLD RUGS & CARPETS-

JUST WHEN

OSCAR VAS 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 AH' GET MY OS-CAR OUT. BEFORE ANYBODY COMES ALONS..... WHAT

A BONG HEAD

ちり

:

I AM!

WHAT ARE YOU TRYIN' "O DO,05GB... WRECK

Your VoAK SHOP-

GE! I CANT 194

HIAN DI BP BLUINGIA

1 MAPKA DOR

I WAS A HUALA

BINDERP

Attentuple sit punk}

* Di BTER 19 ANHE FOLHA 192

AFP MINERAL AK4 DAY

TEBIH ALRE PADMA DABİNE

4 MIAMI PA