1933-06-23 — Page 17

CINEMA

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 1933.

SHOTS

"ROME EXPRESS" THE EIPTOME OF MODERN BRITISH SCREEN

CRAFTSMANSHIP

REFLECTIONS ON THE CINEMATIC ASPECT OF “TELL ME TO-NIGHT"

ANOTHER ZANE GREY NOVEL ON THE

"ROME Express" comes

to the King's Theatre on Sunday, and I can, as- sure my readers, that this, the epitome of English screen craftsmanship in its present day form, is one of the most enjoyable and satis- fying films we have seen since Al Jolson made possi- ble a new industry and left us weeping with his sloppy, but sanguine references to Sonny Boy.

THE

Conrad Voidt and Donald Calthrop as they appear in a sceno in "Rome Express".

SCEEN

picture. True, the story has both point and, action, but its excite ments cannot make up for the film's basic lack of inspiration and its refusal to use anything more subtle than the manoeuvres of me- lodrama for the revelation of character.

*

No Pareto Rome aboard from Paris to Rome aboard

AND "SEQUENCES

bled under the direction of rail- way exports. The only "shots" takon outside the studios were those employed in creating the illusion of speed. Camoramen Journeyed on, the real Rome Ex- press and filmed the countryside na it acurriód past the windows of thetrain. The pictures were afterwards "back-projected" in the studios on to ground glass screens, placed at an angle to the train ""sota." Therefore, whan the cameras Almed the action in the 'tralo, they also photographed the

racing landscapo as á pássenger. would see it. from his sent. The studio reconstruction of the P.L.M. terminus, the Gare de Lyon, could not of courso be ballt to-the exact dimonsions of the great Parisian station, large though the studios arc., The missing portions were reproduced in a beautiful scale

Esther Ralston and Hugh Will juma ies scape from “Rome Ex press the great British film coming

to the King's on Sunday.

35

funnel, whistle and the railway lines were all expressing the joyous Frelief of Jan Klopura “At lost I am free from Non-stop Clara". This was some of the highest form of expressionistic "elnomatography. I have seen for a long time, and com- pared very favourably with Lubitsch's imaginative work' in Love Parade and Mamoulian's Love Me To-Night:

FILM REVIEW BY “CELLULOID"

statka udru

YOU CAN SEE THESE. TO-DAY.

King's.

"Fast, Workers"..Quicon's. "Golden West" "Loose Ankles”. "Passport to Holi

Central, Oriental.

"Trouble" "Bad Girl" AND THESE ON SUNDAY.- "The Wiser Sex' Queen's. ""Rome Express" "..King's.

"A Woman Between"

Central.

THE directorial work was always bold, but never heavy, Anatol Litwak, without losing sight of the fact that the picture was'a 'musical romance with Jan Klepura as the contral figure to be exploited, did not lose his sense of perspective and characters and situations were given adequate treatment, whether strong and paves the way for the modal, suspended at an angle to

more apie incidents, but the love a special camera, in front of

they were the romantic sequences scenes do not take precedence and

and which, at another anglo, was a the the sound machine to aid It. To between Kiepura

Magda are confined in a true perspective. quality mirror. Some of the many, sound has only stifled the Schneider or the more dramatte In ignoring truo cinema for some- quicksilver on the mirror was then expression of the camera and pro- incident of Kiepura ainging grand, what sensational handling somo...

manipulation the express train which gives the removed to an exact outline, te vented the free

the machinations of the producers, film its name is packed with inci- permit the studio "set" to be flm which it enjoyed in pre-talkle days, opera to free himself from a Court may join. mo in rather deploring

of house. One tho

Litwak'a ed simultaneously with the reflect-This is largely true when

best but in accepting the film as it is, dent and sensation. The twelve ed model in the untouched portion camera is concerned with record- achievements was. to keep the one must give due credit to the away, lovers, a cranky philan- of the mirror. The work was so ing dialogue, for the camera has picture free from anti-climax. actors and technicians for the man- thropist and his wretched little carefully done that set and mirror to adapt itself to a strange type Virulent scenes with Kiepura sing ner in which they "put it across." ing glided naturally into sequences actually, reflect in true form the If not purposely, the film does secretary, a French police chief, model matched perfectly and abso a furtive crook, an American film lutely correctly, as to proportion

featuring Sonnie Hale and his in-thrill of the hunt. It has its fect such as music, or symbols, her romance. The smoothness of does fail to achieve the utmost from spinster, a "sporty", Englishman, and a sinister thief and his ac-

the camera to day enjoys a helpmate the film was one of its big delights. the cinematic viewpoint, is which can make it into a "thing complice are variously Involved

thoroughly good entertainment in in a mystery (of which the French

its superficial treatment. police chief takes charge) centr-

leading characters—a pair of 'run-

of narrative.

❤

atar and her manager, an elderly perspective, in the resultant ple-RUT when working with sound ef-anities or to Magda Schneider and inspiring moments and even if it

ture, which reproduces all the noise, bustle and din of a great railway station.

is also

оп

of beauty". The least, acnnative person attending the Contral Thea-

HE charm about this picturoj is that it has so, many aven- ues of approach leaving one feel. ing that what one loses on the roundabouts one gains on the

a stolen Van Dyck E acting, with few exceptions, tre this week surely could not help transference of a Zane Grey novel from the written word to a high level. but feel and appreciate the amaz-the projected film means, in these swings. If you want to get the gone to auch little imaginative pur-ing around utmost out of the swings centre pose. The opening of the film portrait. Murder is done, roputa Cedric Hardwicke, Conrad Veldt, ing oxpressionistic effect of the days of sound effects a continual

promises much, The. camera tious are nearly ruined, and tho

Eliot Makeham, and Donald photography when combined with burst of rifle shots, cat-calls from your interest on the consummate picks out the passengers as they course of lives is changed before Calthrop all earn places at the top the singing of Jan Kiepura. This tribes of Red Indians, the thunder acting of the most brilliant ar-board the train boldly and re-the train reaches Rome.

Gordon was particularly emphasised in of stampeding herds and a lot of ray of "stars" the British solutely, and, even

The reconstruction of a Con- of the all-star cast, studios have yet assembled. But guard has blown his horn and the tinental train journey is, in the cker, though very amusing, is his rendering of "O Sol Mio" dialogue, coloured, to make it of inclined to burlesque his part, Camera and voice combined to tellpropriate to early 19th century. if you feel disposed to taking aftrain has set out on its journey form It takes even if this form and Esther Ralston's very starry a story and the harmonious blend-Such was the general impression

from Paris to Rome, we know leaves something to be desired, risk with the roundabouts, then enough, thanks partly to the splendidly accomplished. Genuine (and very beautiful) film star ising of the two created most plea-left with me yesterday when view close attention to Walter Forde's felicity of Mr. Walter Forde's and spurious scenes are so cun- handling of some of the scenes direction and partly to the intel-ningly put together that it is

ligence of the casting, of the group practically impossible to will meet the need.

*

THERE is everywhere in this T

long and ambitious flm evid- ence of careful and conscientious

before the

detect

of passengers with whom wo are the real from the unreal. The concerned and want to know a good illusion is complete. deal more. Alas! a journey which might have told us, which might

have been the medium for a sensi-THE giant locomotive, belching

interpretation or

and sleeping cars, guard's van and so on, never of course, left the studios, where they were assem

sourceful technique, and obvious dualities, becomes little more than expenditure of time and money, a brilliantly contrived background and the pity in that much of it has for a "crook" story about a stolen

ADDRESS QUEEN'S ROAD

WEST.

THEATRE

TO-DAY ONLY

2.30 P.M., 7.30 P.M. & 9.30 P.M.

LEN MANTELL & REX STORY

present

BOOKING

OFFICE

TEL.

30171.

"THE HOLLYWOOD HI-LIGHTS"

HE HOLLYWOODE LIGHTS!

ON THE 'SCREEN

"THE CAT CREEPS"

A Univõrsal Sound Picture.

DOUBLE ÄTTRACTION.

י .

Prices as Usual.

-ON THE STAGE-

(1)

THE BOULEVARDEARS:-

Music, Song, Dance,

(2) TELLMAN The Mystery Man. (3)

DOC. FOSTER The Juggling Joster. (4)

MANTELL'S MANIKINS Famous Puppet Show..

(5)

REX STORY & ROSE LEE Comicalities. (6) A MINIATURE REVUE Introducing

PEGGY CHANN

ESTHER VALEY

BETTY BENN

ISABEL OBRIEN

PATSY SHANNON

FINALE.

NEXT CHANGE FROM TO-MORROW.

Another Now Double Attraction..

ON THE STAGE

A NEW COMPLETE

PROGRAMME

4

THE HOLLYWOOD

HI-LIGHTS

Dancor. .Singar. Violinist. Novelty Dancor..

ON THE SCREEN

IRON MAN

with

Planist,

LEW AYRES, JEAN HARLOW

Universal Sound Picture,

also a little outside the true'sant scusations..

ing the Fox saga of early American ploncer days Golden West, which started a three day run at the King's Theatre.

UNFORTUNATELY the

one

thing which could have saved this picture from being merely "another Western" was completely

the lacking. If

director and cameraman could have forgotten for a moment the necessity of illustrating intensive (and ad- mittedly thrilling) fights between railroad makers and Indians, and concentrated * little more on giving.us some of those magnif- cent scenic photographs which mada The Covered Waggon" such John Gilbert, wid Kobert Armstrong in a scene from the romance

drama "Fast Workers" a current attraction at the Queen's Theatre, an outstanding picture, Golden Wost would have contained some picture. In her case, at least, it triplo alliance between camera-rent merit. As it is the film tears tremendous pace, is not the artist's fault. The, man, sound recorder and cut-through at a story makes her behave in an un-ter in two other scenes had similar treating with fine grandeur believable way and provides her effects. The pulsating rhythm ob-hardships of those early settlers, with a manager who really belongs tained during the rain journey was yet somehow just failing to achieve

a-masterpiece of technical ingonui-Its objective." ty. Quick cuts from cleverly ang.

in-farce-

*

the

is

These net other motor we track and wheels of the train com- BUT has the redeeming feature

THESE and minor weaked shots of the engine to the rail

bined to make a 'veritable' poetry of refusing to sacrifice its to faulty links in the narrative. of motion. One felt that the main theme for that of sex. The Coincidence is stretched to break-wheels, the smoke, the engine romance Interest of course ing point, and the. finale is a matter of convenience rather than conviction. Within a few mo- ments the characters sort out the elaborate entanglements they have got themselves into, arriving, at decisions which are not explained.

NOT since the Love Parade shat-

tered all records in, Hongkong, have local cinema patrona been moved to such n unanimous pitch of enthusiasm as that which hailed Tell Me To-Night released during the week-end and the early part of this week. And you will any. quite rightly, that we have not! far to look to find a reason for this mass reaction of unnlloyed delight. Appealing music, clover actors, advanced directorial technique and superb photography. Yes, these were all the obvious. essentinia. Nevertheless I felt when viewing this picture for the second time that one could probe a little doop- er and discover a far more im- portant aspect.

I do not mind confessing that

ever alace wo saw Charllo Chaplin's City Lights, I have been waiting for a production which would contributo in vindicating Chaplin's bollef in the power of cohesive use of camera, bound and direction over dialogus. Tell. Me To-night went a long way in mak- Ing that contribution. Chaplin, of course, used distorted instruments to convey his ideas, wherons Tell Mo To-Night adopted pure music, But the principle remained pretty much the same. Dialogue was cut to the minimum and replaced with a combination of music and wonder-. ful camera manipulation. The eff- ect was one of sheer beauty.

ONE of the chlof duties of the

cinema camera has always hean to orcato "atmosphere". In the silent days the camera worked practically, unaided in this quest, relying purely on its imaginative set-ups, expressive angled, andṛns4. slatod, in some measure by tho {"propa." To-day, the camera has

A RIOT FROM START TO FINISHT

Madame Racketeer... Back Again With a New Case of Gig gle-Water

An

Laugh Soup!

HLADY'S

Chovemen

1. LADY'S: PROFESSION

·ALISON SKIPWORTH. ROLAND YOUNG SARI MARITZA

QUEEN'S

COMING SHORTLY.

KING'S THEATRE

The Only Air-Conditioned Theatre in Hongkong

STARTS SUNDAY, 25th JUNE.

BOOK EARLY,

THE BIGGEST STAR CAST assembled in any one picture!

Esther Ralston · Conrad Veidt Harold Huth • Joan Barry • Gordon Harker Cedric Hardwicke Hugh Williams Frank Vosper.

•Donald Colthrop

A GAUMONT-British PICTURE Directed by WALTER FORDE:

(Belitiant film which sets up wer

standards.!!! Kema Expreu, the first picture

but by the naw Caumont-British Studios at Shepherd's Bush, hão attained:2

of excallance

definita chullunge to Hollywood

B