The Bioscope (Jul-Sep 1931)

28 THE BIOSCOPE August 26, 1931 BRITISH STUDIOS TO-DAY Gaumont-British Museum— Universal to Produce at Elstree— “ The Red Dog” at Welwyn —“Hitch’s” Hitch Over— Connie Ediss with Robey Gainsborough’s reconstruction of a corner of the British Museum for “ Michael and Mary.” Edna Best, on the seat, awaits her husband, Herbert Marshall, who is just being polished up by the make-up man British Museum, Islington The Gainsborough Studios were away back in the year 1900 all last week. Victor Saville was shooting the early scenes of “ Michael and Mary,” and, amongst other things, reconstructing the London of the Boer War. One of the most successful sets was a replica of the gallery in the British Museum. A still of this set was shown to one of the Museum officials, together with a photograph of the actual gallery on which it was modelled — he was unable to tell which was which ! This week the modern sequences are being shot, and Elizabeth Allan and Frank Lawton have joined the Marshalls. Saville hopes to finish the picture within the next few days and then, if Renate Muller has fully recovered from her serious illness, to continue his interrupted production of the German musical comedy “ Sunshine Susie.” “Ghost Train” Big Success Jeffrey Bernerd, of W. & F., tells me that he has to-day had a private view of “ The Ghost Train,” the new Gainsborough production directed by Walter Forde, which, he says, is one of the finest British pictures he has seen and will score a sensational success. We shall all be looking forward to the trade show, after which we will tell Mr. Bernerd whether we agree with him or otherwise. Blattner Studio for Universal British? J. V. Bryson, of Universal, paid a surprise visit to the British & Dominion, and I believe at least one other Elstree studio, last Saturday. He appeared to be deeply interested in the work of every department there and wore the look characteristic of the " reconnoitrer.” I imagine that when " Uncle” Carl Laemmle arrives here in a short while he will have placed before him a pretty shrewd idea of what studio facilities England has to offer. It is, of course, definitely decided that Universal svill produce in this country, and just at the moment with several major American companies on the look-out for suitable British studios, there is not too much space to be bought — cheaply ! I shall not be surprised if Universal finally decides to utilise the old Ideal place, now known as the Blattner Studio, which stands opposite to the British International lot at Elstree. A new British company has been registered as Mutual Films Ltd., to arrange the production of Universal’s quota pictures. V al Valentine's “The Red Dog ” ” The Red Dog,” a screen farce on original lines, by Val Valentine, will take the floor at Welwyn Studios this week, under the direction of the author. A strong comedy cast has been selected for this film, of which the first members to be announced are Betty Amann, Amy Veness, who played the motherin-law in B. I. P.’s " My Wife’s Family,” Jay Laurier, the well-known comedian, who has been playing in " Hobson’s Choice,” and Kenneth Kove, who has recently been playing in “ Out of the Blue ” with Gene Gerrard. “Rich and Strange ” Misadventures Production, which was unavoidably held up owing to illness of Henry Kendall, has recommenced on ” Rich and Strange,” which Alfred Hitchcock is directing for B.I.P. The final sequences of this picture were in sight when Kendall, who had been engaged in non-stop filming at Elstree for some months, succumbed to a serious form of blood poisoning and was rushed to a nursing home, where he underwent three operations in as many days. Fully recovered, he has returned to Elstree , but further difficulties have cropped up for Hitchcock, occasioned by the other engagements of his cast. Joan Barry, meanwhile, was obliged to take up her part in " A Child in Their Midst,” and’ Percy Marmont, in response to a telegram to Margate, where he was playing, left at the conclusion of an evening show, travelled to town, played his scenes at Elstree on Sunday and rejoined his company at Folkestone overnight. It is anticipated that despite the delay and difficulties which have beset him, Hitchcock will successfully complete ” Rich and Strange ” this week. That Submarine Film An interesting visitor to the British International Studios at Elstree yesterday (Tuesday) was Chief Petty Officer Willis, leader of the heroes of the Poseidon, the ill-fated submarine. The principal reason for his visit was to watch Walter Summers directing shots of the submarine film which is now being made for British International. I will not say that this submarine film is to be a reconstruction of the Poseidon disaster : that statement would be permissible only were the film an American one. The British Admiralty being what it is, I can merely say that this is a submarine film in which disaster overtakes the submerged craft and the hero victims either perish or escape by using the Davis life-saving apparatus. Connie Ediss With Fogwell Reginald Fogwell’s " Bindle ” series, featuring George Robey, the first of which, " The Temperance Fete,” is nearing completion at Isleworth, has absorbed another well-known West End comedy artist, Connie Ediss, who has assumed the role of "Mrs. Hearty ” opposite Gibb McLaughlin. Another notable addition to the cast is Humberston Wright. Ascot at Islington The Ascot Totalisator was rebuilt at the Islington studios for the GainsboroughBritish Lion production of “ The Calendar,” the whole of Sunday being occupied by T. Hayes Hunter in shooting this sequence, which has been delayed by bad weather. Edna Best, Anne Grey, Herbert Marshall, Gordon Harker, Alfred Drayton, Leslie Perrins and Nigel Bruce, together with a large crowd of fashionably dressed “ extras,” were kept busy throughout the day putting the finishing touches to this Edgar Wallace racing thriller. To-day when (it is hoped) the Royal enclosure sequence with Gordon Harker is filmed, the production will have been completed. Cochran’s Ladies at Twickenham At Twickenham studios the other day I watched Leslie Hiscott directing a party of Cochran’s Young Ladies from the Trocadero, who were giving a rhythmic demonstration of human elasticity in a night club scene for " Murder at Covent Garden,” his latest thriller for W. & F. release. It is still highly improper to make a British film of this kind without a highly proper night club or cabaret scene, so the Twickenham unit was doing its best to meet the case. A weird-looking set had been built, the girls entering by a stairway, in descending which they exercised their sinuous attributes to the limit, the same time chanting a song titled " Ali Babi,” composed, by the way, by Noel Gay, who wrote " All the King’s Horses.” Binnie Barnes put over a fine speciality