Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

Every Tuesday NATIVES USE MAKE-UP NOW The Hollywood style influence has pene- trated into Africa. Recently Otto Brower received a letter from Al Kline, one of the "white huntei-s" who assisted 20th Century-Fox in securing the 100,000 feet of film on Stanley's trail for "Stanley and Living- stone." "You fellows," Kline wrote, "have started a new make-up style among the Masais—they're painting their faces white now instead of red." When the tribesmen appeared for work in the film in Africa Brower discovered that their traditional make-up was red, which would not photograph in sufficient contrast for pancm-oraatic film. Finally, after many objections from the local medicine men, Brower had the make-up done over in white. The white make-up was sold to (he blacks on the claim that it was really much handsomer, and, anyway, was much better medicine. Now, accordng to Kline, all the blacks are making up in white—and red is definitely out among the Masais as a facial decoration. STAND-IN—FOR WATER Even water has a "stand-in" in Holly- wood. During the filming of Columbia's " North of Shanghai," James Craig, featured with Betty Furness, had to wash his hands in one scene The scene happened to be taken outdoors on a bitterly cold morning. Ice formed in the basin Craig used. Icy water was out of season in the film's locale—midsummer China—so non-freez- ing alcohol was substituted. PLANE USED IN SEARCH FOR IDEAL SET LOCATION A chartered plane streaked from Holly- wood to Arizona recently on a seven-day survey to determine the best sites for the production of "Arizona," sweeping romantic saga of America's last western frontier by Clarence Budington Kelland. Wesley Ruggles, who will produce and direct the picture on an epochal scale headed the party. With him was the staff of aides and advisers in charge of pre- parations for the impressive production. The principal sit€ to be located by the flying scouts is for the reconstiTiction of the old adobe pueblo of Tucson, a com- pletely walled town of 1859. The building of this will take five or six weeks and employ hundreds of technicians and labourers. Nearby vnU be established a city that can house 2,500 during the ensuing production. The romantic role of Arizona's first white woman the feminine lead, will be played by Jean Arthur. NIGHT SCENES For some reason, actors now seem to look forward to starting their pictures at night. Whereas night scenes before have never been over popular with players who have to work during the day-time, too, the senti- ment now seems to be that if there are night sequences to be shot, it is better to get them out of the way at the beginning of the picture. And there is a certain unusual quality to working under night conditions that makes such work more attractive, at least for a time. "Lucky Night." co-starring Myrna Loy and Robert Taylor, started production on a Friday night. "These Glamour Girls" started with a night scene of Lew Ayres, Tom Brown and Owen Davis being thrown out of a dance hall. Wallace Beery got his night scenes for '■ Thunder Afloat " out of the way during the first week of production. A BOY'S CINEMA Edward G. Robinson started work in Metro-Goldwyn-Maver's "Blackmail," in the eerie light of the darkening western sky. MOUNTIES " TO CO-OPERATE ON NEXT DeMlLLE FILM The filming of Cecil B. DeMille's first all-Technicolor production, "Royal Cana- dian Mounted," will have the official co- operation of Canada's world-famous police force. That assurance was brought to DeMille by Associate Producer William H. Pine when he arrived in Hollywood after a sixteen-day trip to Canada. Pine talked to officials of tne organisation in Ottawa, Ontario, and in Regina, Saskatchewan, western headquarters for the "Mounties." He also surveyed possible location sites for the picture near Banff, Alberta, and farther north. DeMille plans a trip to Canada himself within the next few weeks. Later he will send a large location troupe to film spec- tacular outdoor scenes for the picture. JOAN BECOMES A WAITRESS Joan Blondell, an actress ever since she can remember, has learned two lessons which will last her a lifetime, according to her own rather emphatic admission. The first, which she regarded as most important, was in the realm of human psychology. The second was in the prac- tical technique of a waitress. Miss Blondell visited Hollywood res- taurants to prepare for her role in the Columbia comedy, " Good Girls Go To Paris," in which she is co-starred with Melvyn Douglas. But her very real curiosity, her intense eagerness to learn all she could about their work, delighted the girls who wait on tables, but their attitude towards her gave the star cause for wonder. "Here I was, trying to find out what a waitress does, thinks, and says," Miss Blondell obsei-ved, "and before 1 knew it, I was telling them all about motion pic- tures. Human nature's funny, isn't it? We all think the other persori knows all about our own work, while theirs remains a fascinating mystery." The star discovered that waitresses are trained for their profession just as screen players. She found out that they must also serve an apprenticeship and prove their capabilities before winning a posi- tion. In addition to mastering the art of balancing trays, remembering orders and being diplomatic when the customer must be assured that he is always right, Joan discovered the meaning of the phrases used by waitresses in translating orders to the cook. She was told that, in this idiom, onions are known as "violets"; that if a man orders shoestring potatoes, the cook will prepare potatoes " without the shoes "; if a particular customer wants his bacon crisp, the cook is told to "cremate" it; if roast pork is on the menu, it becomes '■ overland trout " by the time the order reaches the kitchen; and French fried potatoes are somewhat fearfully desig- nated as "slow suicide." In the comedy, Miss Blondell plays the role of a waitress whose consuming heart's desire is to go to Paris—the nicest and easiest way. The cast of " Good Girls Go To Paris." which is directed by Alexander Hall, in- cludes Walter Conndllv, Isabel Jeans. Joan Perry, Alan Curtis, Alexander D'Arcy, Stanley Brown, and many others in sup- porting roles. GOOD FOR YOU, BRENDA ! Brenda Joyce risked her beautv to work in a sequence with two eagles, the most dangerous of all birds when around the cameras. 23 The eagles perched on her shoulders and bare arms for a scene in "The Rains Came," for 20th Century-Fox. The sequence showed Miss Joyce rowing through a flood to save George Brent while the homeless birds flapped around her. Tamed bv Curly Twiford, animal ex- pert for Hollywood, the eagles worked loose for the first time in movies. When- ever eagles have been used previously in pictures, it has been necessary to tie them with invisible strings to perches, to keep them from escaping. Twiford found his two birds on the California desert when they were fledg- lings, and for the last fourteen months has been training them to fly from his arm to wherever he points. Completely tame, they return to him at a whistle. Before he started the scene, he cx- Dlalned to Miss Joyce that everything would be all right as long as she wasn't nervous. If she trembled, the eagles would sense her fear and might attack her. She went through five "takes" without a quiver. THE CIRCUS OF THE FUTURE A glimpse of the circus of the future. If the circus lives that long. Is to be found on Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Sixty Acres. Rejecting the usual stock shots of cir- cuses from the studio library. Producer Mei-vyn LeRoy has created a complete but different circus for the Marx Brothers' "A Day At The Circus." This circus has been streamlined with comfort for the patrons first in mind. The main tent is circular, with one centre pole and a seating capacity of two thou- sand. It is chromium-trimmed and neon- lighted. Thousands of yards of pleated canopy drape down from the top of the THE WEBLEY SERVICE AIR RIFLE I NO LICK.NSi:: UhlH llil.i^ I'O I'U HCII A ^'■ OR USE AT UUMK -^ WRITE FOR -DESCRIPTIVE r O L O E R Rabbii :an be deitroired bj this ;x<remelx accurate and poweriut Air Rift« (deal tor Tarjet Practice. IBRE 22or\7? With Leafsitjht and f^psiqht %V£aLEY & SCOTT Ld. 197. WEAMAN STREET. BIRMINGHAH. t HAVE YOU A RED NOSE^ Send a .stamp, and you will hnrn how to rid yoiirKelf of Mich 0 terrible afnirtion free ul rh.-ir^'e, Adflrrs.t m confi- dcncr—T. J. TEMPLE. Specialist, " Commerce House." 72. OKforcl Street. LONDON. W.l. (Esl 38 liriir.i > THE CRAZY PECAN NUT Tliis aniusioe novelty will amaze your friendf. Based on a scientific fact, it provides endless fun. thrills, mystery and laugliter. By careful manipulation you can. with the crazy Pecan Nut, m.ake your friends indignant. blnsU or even furiously angry I Com- plete with full instruc- tions. The MYSTERIOUS FLOATING COIN Try it on your friends— Hoat one on a glass of water, then let them try and it will float no longer I You can have endless fun by keepinf? your friends guessing as to how it is done—they will be simply bewildered. Complete with full instructions. k<J EACH POST FREE f irom Devi. II.. Wctlily Productions. 27a, /'arrinfldon Street, London. E.C.4. October Utb, 1939.