1936-05-16 — Page 8

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAFIŁ SATURDAY, MAY, 18, 1988, 7

ENTERTAINMENT

"FIRST NIGHT" DISCOVERS

When Donat Worked On

The China Coast

SEVERAL important British films have

been booked by United Artists with the -King's Theatre.

One is "Sanders of the River," to be released for your consumption next Thurs- day.

Goes West!!

Another is "Ghost (release date unsettled), featuring Robert- Donat, sensation of "Private Lives of Henry" and "Count of Monte Cristo."

Then any there's a story of local interent

. behind the lines of every film star.

Most of them have visited Hongkong at one time or another.

So yesterday I set out to discover what I could find of local interest in the life of the young English Pole who has become the real screen sensation of 1935-36.

When I tell you screen-flappers that I've unearthed the fact that Donat has visited Hong- kong several times during the present decade you'll weep tears of anguish. You might even disbelieve me.

Neverthelem, it's true. Robert Donat, a lato ao ne 1933, visited Hongkong on at least six occasions.

He didn't come here as a famous

itar.

Nor was his arrival heralded

in screaming headlines.

He came ne an employee of the Dellar Line. For at least six months,

?

Robert Donat and Eugene Palette in a

"The Ghost Goes West"

#cene

from

New Ballroom Will Cater For V.B.P. Of Hongkong

By "FIRST NIGHT"

This evening a significant event occurs in the history of Hongkong's entertainment world.

The Colony's newest and most important Cabaret- Ballroom will be opened to public patronage at 9 p.m.

It is a

It may revolutionise night life in the Colony. The Management is out to cater for the V.B.P. Cabaret, but it is a Cabaret of distinction. What the big, stylish places mean to Shanghai, the Cathay Is attempting to mean to Hongkong,

If, as there seems every reason to believe, the venture is suc- cessful, the Cathay will probably be only the first of many such night clubs,

The Cathay occupies the entiresome idea of the size of the par- top floor of the King's Theatre.quet floor specially laid down for Take the seats out of the stalls of dancera.

the cinema house and you have There is no doubt but that the Dance Orchestra imported by the Management of the new social rea dezvous comprises the best set.of avncopaters ever engaged to cater to Hongkong dancers.

Two events worth booking to- night.

Hollywood, London TO-NIGHT

Producers Plan Big Invasion

Earl Whaley is the leader. Ifis boya-the Californiansare Ameri- can aegroes, who know more about Hongkong's favourite radio syncopation and "hot" Jazz than any stars, Doreen Ma and George other race in the world.

You've got to hear these boys to Bond, will provide something novel

They don't limit themselves to play- night

Some of dinnering musical instruments, many Saturday

them are excellent singers, one or Two players, who know mare two others can put a lot of "famous" dances at Gloucester Hotel, about syncopated plano playing film stars in the shade at tap-dancing. than anyone else in Hongkong,

The Cathay is elaborately, yet lighting effects are something novel Hongkong.

Every Hongkong newspaper has made a great sing-for local dance-goers in first of know what real dance music is like. song about the impendling large-scale invasion of Britain

by Hollywood film stars.

It's left to this page to tell you about the impending provide music on two Grand tastefully arranged, and Donat was Chief Wirtens Operator large-scale invasion of Hongkong by both British and

mard the President loover.

He chucked in the job when he was role onnosite affered the leading Norma Shearer in "Smiling Thru". He was about to necept, when Ale xander Kurda, also an English Pole, cabled an offer from London to an near

In "Private Life of Henry". the tempting Holly Donal refused

to Landon, and wood offer, went created a furore throneh his role in Britain's most remarkable picture to date.

Since then follywood has made niany Lempting offers, but he has

thom all. refused

Henceforth, for Robert Donat. British pictures Ile says he sees the writing on the - wall.

"Ghost Goes West". another re markable Korda picture, in already coming East. United Artists ex- pect a print within six weeks, release date will then depend upon the King's Theatre,

American producers.

Hongkong has been receiving a lot of publicity lately in film circles. No one can gainsay that it is the most scenic part of the Far East. From the producer's point of view it is also the cheap- ext. To take film into Shanghai or any other part of China costs real money. It is admitted into Hongkong duty free.

That, I think, is the principal ren- son why Hongkong will shortly be invaded by three camera units-two from Hollywood and one from Dritain. Principal of these will be a coni- plete Technicolor unit which is com- Pioneer to Hongkong under ing Pictures' banner (they made "Becky Sharp) to make a biographical film Gordon. of the life of "Chinese Most Englishmen know him General Gordon of Khartoum the most adventurous part of his life occurred in China, where he led the British and other forces which quelled

25

But

the famous Taiping rebellion,

•

planos.

for

Craze for syncopated piano Jazz Tea dances and the usual Hong- has already wept Continent and keng evening dunce will be held in States, just permeating to Far the new rendezvous. East. Hongkong Is one of first Oriental centres to try it.

+

*

Event No. 2 is K.C.C. Presenta (lon and Social function, at which humo risis Jack "Philharmonic" Grenham, J. J. Ferguson and I. Simpson will provide entertain-

Outdoor Асенев will be shot in Ilongkong, and the British army may be naked to assist by lending troops to enact the role of Gordon's army ment.

Britain is sending out the secondl unit. It, however, will not limit its to longicong, although part in the theme.

"Henry the Eighth" Alexander Korda is producing this fim. It will, In effect, ba another "Birth of a Na tion." But it will be the birth of a nation whose history goes back into the centuries long before Christianity -China

this Colony will play an important GIVE H.K.

AUDIENCES

A FAIR SPIN

Conrad Veldt will have the princi. TN the whole of Hongkong,

YOU WILL BE DELIGHTED-WITH-4 a broken-down European

B. V. D.

"Sea Satin"

SWIMMING COSTUMES

B.V.D.

hindi

"Sea Satin"

LATEST-SMARTEST-CUTEST

also "RUFF-NECK” SWEATERS

MANNISH LE BEAU

SLACKS”

D'ÁGUILAR, STREET

general who comes to China, trains

a Chinese army and becopies a war lord.

there can be only one per-

Eon satisfied with the censor-

heques Feyder, a French director, ship methods existing in

will do the actual shots.

Production has already commenced

in Hallywood on the thirt picture of Hongkong-the censor him-

the triology on China. It is Douglas self.

Fairbanks

blography, based on the life of the

"Marco Polo", another The system is manifestly famous-explorer-adventurer. Again, unfair to everyone else con- outdoor scenes will be shot in Hong

cerned-to the exhibitor, kong.

It is safe to say that Hongkong, who loses patronage that is hard unless public indignation against the present censorship methods has its to get and, finally, to the effect, will see only "Marco Polo." cinemaddict, who pays to obtain Korda's film of Chian's eternal war; entertainment, and is often pre- and Pioneer Films' "Life of 'Chinese' Gordon" will almost certainly be sented with a garbled arrange- ment which no one can under- stand.

banned.

“SEE YOU

AGAIN IN

12 MONTHS"

The

uncensored

screen

to

version

If Hongkong's censors MUST censor, they should do so properly. India

unfair criminate slashing is everybody, and it would be far better from everybody's point of view (ex- cept, perhaps, the distributor's) if the film were banned altogether.

A pieture at the Queen's. Theatre --CHARLIE CHAPLIN this week was an excellent example. "See you again in twelve It was titled "Without Regret" and months," was the cheerful fare- was based on the play "Interference," well waved by Charlie Chaplin as commenced in a street in Hongkong, Gage (Elissa showing Jennifer he departed for Shanghai.

Lack of time prevented longer stay Landi) saying farewell to her brother. In Hongkong. Even so, Shanghal before leaving for Shanghai-by rail (io). The train departs from Kow- part of itinerary was wipesi out so that famous star and guests could re- loon, and some two or so days later is held up by bandita. Jennifer in main here for four days.

Chaplin must be back in United rescued by an airman, Steven Para- dine (Kent Taylar), and they return States before end of June when six to Hongkong, where they are mar- months permit isssued by U.S. Inni- gration Department to fumous Bri- ried. (The marriage certificate says It was in "Hongkong, China," but tish alien expires.

Maybe he'll return with Doug. maskee that.) In Hongkong's cen- Fairbanks who, next

to

divorced wife Mary Plekford, greatest friend...

sored version there is a brief flash latter's of Jennifer in a Hongkong street and is his the next minute she is in London, gazing at the marriage certificate. Consequently, cinemaddiets who did nol know the plot before Hongkong's censors wielded their scissors were left completely mystified and for them the rest of the film was a mean- ingless Jumble.

Magicians Secrets Did Not Die

Everybody In Hongkong know that bandita periodically hold up trains in the Interior of China, and all the scissor-clipping by Hongkong censors would have no more effect on the evil than would a rifle shot fired into a cloud above Shing Mun dam. The censorship in the case served no purpose than to make a lot of people This week a quiet, young man wish they had gone to bed instead passed through Hongkong with- of to the pictures.

CARTER'S SON IN HONGKONG

out mention in the local news be sensible, let it be complete. That If censorship in Hongkong cannot is the only alternative. It is not fair

papers,

His name is Lawrence Carter. Hls to the people who pay anything up father, who died suddenly of a heart to $1.70 for their seats to be ditched attack a few months ago, was Carter out of their entertainment without the Great, one of the world's most warning by a pair of scissors. famous magicians.

Complete banning of pictures may Before he died, Carter the Great not pleana tha distributors, but it taught his son most of the magical would at least provide a surely to feats he performed before packed audiences that the pictures they are audiences at the King's Theatro in going to see are entertainment and Hongkong last year.

scramble of meaningless The son proved an apt pupil. To nothings.

the secrets of all the day he knows tricks and illusions that took his unul, in time, their origin: Is. lost. father years to acquire.

Carter the Great will live in the person of his son. It is an old Mogle, Circle custom. Secrets are handed! down from generation to generation

not D

Next tikib Hongkong sees Carter the Great it will not be the jovial old man wo know so well in pre-. vious years. It will be his quici and rather studious sun.

It's too aununery just now to im

port artistes for cabaret numbers. But I've heard it whispered from an authoritative source that the Cathay Management will make an extra bid for your patronage next winter by importing top-notch talent From the States and Europe.

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