1933-08-15 — Page 16

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1933.

CINEMA "SHOTS" AND "SEQUENCES" Whiteaways

"SMILIN' THROUGH" THE FLAPPERS'

YOU CAN SEE THESE TO-DAY.

Queen's:-"Smilin' Through" King's: "The Warrior's Husband" Central: "Out All Night": Alajentic:"Penalty of Fame" Oriental:—“Tell Me To-Night” Star: "Birange Interlude"

WEDNESDAY. King'A:-"Down To Earth" Oriental:-"Annabelle's Affairn“,

THURSDAY.

King':-"Down To Earth” Central:"A Woman Commands"

OFFICE flappers have,

FILM IS DEVOID OF

REAL CINEMATIC QUALITIES

tmore aesthelle principles of the elnema with some symbolic tou- ches and angled photography.

E picture 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- un- ling shot, rhythm is slow and the

doubtedly, clsewhere, and often disjointed. In short certainly will in Hongkong, rave cinema is completely subordinated about Smilin' Through, the to acting material, unfortunately M.G.M. "super-feature" at the a common feature with American Queen's Theatre. This picture, and British films.

•

what

in fact, was made for those thousands of film fans whose WHEN it comes to the acting, I raise my hat to Norma reactions to be cinema are only Shearer, Frederic March and quickened by saccharine sex Leslie Howard for making scenes. I have searched in vain they have of parts not at all for anything of real merit in this suitable to them. Lesile Howard film. The galaxy of "sturs" should never have been cast na promised something, but not John Carteret, the aging baronel an hour of hus even that was fulfilled, and as who, until, with

life hatred to the whole qualities of the pic- death allows a ture are centred on the players, stand in the way of his niece's the natural result follows." happiness. The whole study is artificial, emphasised by Howard's THE picture contains one charac- make-up which is not suficiently be- Hood to prevent the disillusionment ter study and even that comes boring. For the rest super. that the player is Sidney Howard, Befality, unimaginative direction, a good looking young fellow who and extraordinarily poor editing has scored several screen succes- in light romantic parts, are the features. Smilin' Through ses

action and stunting

is another example of Hollywood's.. Dialogue, some of it good, much persistency In screening stage of it trite, floods the film, pre- plays which have practically no venting Almic qualities and are quite rhythm. ill-auited for the cinema. The

Smilin

Through

"SMILIN" THROUGH"—A delightful study of Norman Shearer as tho 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 champagno and regard their host with lofty scorn. Finally, after a desperate struggle to keep his head above Awater, Piko, along with numerous other 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 nny especial care. He first says what comes. Into his head-things like "swing" and "blood-suckers," and other verbal jewels equally applicable and equally unpolish- ed. In order to drive home the lesson we see the family living aftorwards in happy and honest poverty. The picture proves that there is more joy for n family ly- ing in three rooms on £100 a year than in a mansion with 20 ser- vants and alx motor-enra, on about £250,000

annum. It must be true or they would not dare to show it on the screen.

*

LE

per

Pike, THE part of

who ad- ministers sour truths in humorous phraseology, suits Will Rogers like a glove. His wooden, amileless face is especially adap- ted for such a situation. What the sermon lacks in subtlety It. makes up in force.

as one could expect. In the women warriors doing men's work, IDEAS penetrate slowly into the film

Industry of this country, but once chief impression left after seeing NORMA Shearer is forced into final analysis one is forced agalu such as piling, driving and road

of emotional to the conclusion la that it is mending is increased by a succes- they have penetrated they are apt to the picture is that men and women

or

根 Huccession

*

•

*

are continually falling into each scenes which eventually get the unsuitable material for the screen, sion of flash shots which are so take firm root. A few years ago

well edited as to fall into rhythm even a few months ago-writes C. A. other's arms. Boyond this, and the better of her and leave her gas- scene of Frederic March's vialt ping, half crying and melo-drama- THE Warrior's Husband, Fox with the sound of the sledge Letunne in the Observer, we had no real fins of England and the English its hammers falling on the piles. to his old home after returning tle. Frederic March who is far picture which concludes

countryaldo. Then English audiences began to clamour for them. Even a war-wounded soldier, which is happier in fantastic and psychol run at the King's Theatre to-day, 48 for example is delightful entertainment. Ite notable for the lighting effects ogical studies, and March's acting, one attempts Jekyll and Hyde and The Royal chick aint is to sartuinen BUT the main appeal of the America demanded them, and seeing picture is in the laughable how slow we were to move, sent over a single shot. Family of Broadway is ns cheerful its situations, absurd studies and situatione. On the whole these cameramen to take back-projection in vain to recall

acene of outstanding merit. and resourceful as ever, but is neat dialogue. It does this and are handled efficiently, although shots of England for use in Anierlean

films. opportunity to dis- a little bit more. It has certain occasionaly one feels that greater The direction by Sidney Franklin given little

attributes. Excellent emphasis could huve been made ik far below his usual work. play his ability as a dramatic cinematic

better construction, TO-DAY our film companies have. Confined as he is to a succession ictor. O; P. Heggie along.stande photography is made even more through

the us something natural and real. attractive by some clever cutting, Ernest Truex runs away with the realised that England is a selling of love scenes, he allows

and there are some fine architec- acting honoura despite the pre- proposition. English Institutions- players to dominate the camera. I would have expected him to give POSSIBLY the producers made tural and lighting effects. The sence of Elisan Landi, Marjorie dog racing, dirt-track racing, football,

as good a job of this picture humour of scene of the Amazon Rambenu and

village David Manners, the

pub-are constantly Home sort of expression to

There is plenty of subtlety about cropping up in English pictures. the flim all of which is given its And, perhaps more significantly, the fullest effect by the players and English "short" has begun to appear in earnest. Our biggest producing director Walter Lang.

companies are preparing to make a rual job of putting their country, on

the

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IT looks

as though Universal the servos. bave found another ident Comedy. team. Certainly Zusu

Pitts and Slim Summerville work I 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 performance given on as romantically ridiculous as in the gala

Wednoaday for the Press and Dele. their earlier They Had To Get

gates of the Economic Conference. Married. After her entry into The Windsor fim le a straw showing light comedy roles, consequent which way the wind blows. It marks the introduction of the the definite entry into the non-fétion talking picture, it is difficult to field of the company best equipped imagine Zasu Pitts as one of the to develop it. most polished dramatic actress-

upon

es of sereendem, as she truly was MICHAEL Balcon, the production

*

4.

in the 'Silent' days of 1927, M* chief of Gaumont British, is quite Actually the talking screen has frank in his profession of faith in made her a conledienne. Even to these short pictures. "We have felt day Zas scarcely doca anything for a long time", he says, "the need funny, but her doleful voice is for improvement in the parts of a

programme generally regarded admirably suited to comedy parts.nl-ups," and also the demand of and her laughs are the result-not nullences for pictures of their own only of the humour of the lines country and their awn traditional she speaks, but her peculiar form nonuments. We have recently

nindo of delivery. Anyway her intest co- several experimental films of this "Canterbury" and starring production with Slim kind, much Summerville is quite a success, Shakespeare's Country" Now. wa Instituted a Shorts department and Sam Taylor, who you will re at Shepherd's Bush, which I hope will member handled Douglas

twofold Nervo a

purpose to Fairbanks and Mary Picford's the quality of short films generally, Improve Taming of the Shrew, gets in some and at the same time put England on

the clover directing.

acreen. The policy of Gaumont British has always been to give as DOWN to earth, which starts a much care to the amall jobs as the ran at the King's Theatro to- big ones, and there will be no second- morrow. though technically a rate work put into these one-reel pic- comedy, is really a moving sermon tures. Our crack technicians-sound engineers and musical staff-aro at 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 sent out on country's financial salvation runs. location whenever they are between through the gateway of economy, productions-an arrangement which and la one that in a more modified nerves two purposes, to give form would be worthy of the camera-man a rest from floor produc attention of the Australian people. tion and get him outalde for a bit, and to give the short filmt a chance to be handled by really first-class sermon is prenched by Will men.!! Rogors as Pike Poters, a self- made millionaire, who foresees the coming of the financial crash, but PRODUCERS have sometimes an optimistic way of talking before la unable to make his family re- the event, but, Michael Balcon who cognise its imminonce. Pika has was never given to bragging, han n: wife who is smitten with an walted 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 a year, about it: Short Aims of Oxford, while Pike's paresnal expenses are Cambridge, R70 Winchester Iadlow, about $100 for the same period. York The Now Forest Sandwich, He also has a sou, Ross; nine Chaterand the Colewolds, are al- ready finished.. Before, the end of lady whose enddavours to live this month at least dozen more. without boring, hudself more than Gaumont Brilish Miniatures should be is strictis, nocehsary cost his fa ready for showing. There is a pic ther no much as the housekeeping, ture of the interior of Windsor Castle, Naturally Mr. Pike and Toss ro shot to the Sixto Apartments just as kard Pike as su unreasonable old the Court had left them, that is likely. to cause miner, sensation with the moderation.. His wife keeps the Burda Asse

THE

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'100 Pairs

Men's English made Oxford uppers with stout hide sole. Sizes 42 to 10.

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WHITEAWAY, JANLANER COLLE