Canadian Film Weekly (Apr 16, 1947)

Page 8 Canadian FILM WEEKLY. April 16, 1947 Metro Program Star-Studded the filming of top musicals. Expanded plans for production in England have been completed with Ben Goetz, in charge of MGM< British studios. Five stages now are ready for operation in England and indications are that. “Young Bess’ will be first to go before cameras there and “The Secret Garden” starring Margaret O’Brien. The continued emphasis which MGM is placing on important literary works for its future releases is seen in its recent purchases of stories on the best-seller lists, and in the pictures now in production and preparation. Three current best-sellers are included in the year’s program, “The Hucksters,”’ by Frederic Wakeman, which stars Clark Gable and Deborah Kerr, Sholem Asch’s “East River,” with Gene Kelly and June Allyson, and J. P. Marquand’s “B. F.’s Daughter” -which will have Katharine Hepburn in the title role. Sinclair Lewis’ “Cass Timberlane” is scheduled to star Spencer Tracy and Lana Turner. According to plans for the year, announced by Mayer, both the second and third year winners of the MGM annual novel contest will be filmed in 1947. These are ‘Before the Sun Goes Down,” by Elizabeth Metzger Howard and the third year winner, “Return to Night,” the absorbing novel by the English writer Mary Renault. The first winner of the company’s prize novel contest, ‘‘Green Dolphin Street,” by Elizabeth Goudge, and starring Lana Turner, Van Heflin, Donna Reed, and Richard Hart, is now being edited for release to theatres this year, Another of John P. Marquand’s novels, also on the best-selling list, is on ‘the new schedule, “So Little Time” to be filmed with an all-star cast. “Speak to Me of Love,’’ adapted from Marjorie Sharp’s novel, “The Nutmeg Tree,” to co-star Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon. “Three O’Clock Dinner,” by Josephine Pickney, starring Lana Turner. Also to be filmed during the coming months are: “Homecoming of Ulysses,’ by Sidney Kingsley, starring Clark Gable. “Angel’s Flight,” by Edward Hoestius, the English novelist, also will star Clark Gable. ‘Red Danube,” important novel of present-day Vienna by Bruce Marshall, to be filmed with an all-star cast. “Lust for Life,’ Irving Stone's fictional biography of Van Gogh, Parade of Stars, Stories, Producers, Writers and Directors Best Yet : (Continued from Page 1) the artist, starring Spencer Tracy. “Robinson Crusoe,” the Defoe classic, to be filmed in Technicolor. “The Kissing Bandit,” starring Kathryn Grayson and Frank Sinatra. “Big Jim,” Beery. “Daddy Is a Wolf,” starring Walter Pidgeon, Jane Powell, Lauritz Melchior and Xavier Cugat. “Brothers of the East Side,’ will star Margaret O’Brien, Van Heflin, Karin Booth and Danny Thomas. “Killer McCoy,” Mickey Rooney. “If Winter Comes,” the A. S. M. Hutchinson novel of ideals and injustice. “Chimes of Bruges,” a European classic by Georges Rodenbach, starring Greer Garson. “The Fortunes of Richard Mahoney,” a story of the gold fields by the Australian novelist, Henry Handel Richardson. This will star Greer Garson and Gregory Peck. “Wamily for Jock,’ a new unpublished novel by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, the author of “The Yearling.” This will be filmed late in the year co-starring Claude Jarman, Jr., the “Jody” of “The Yearling” and Lassie, MGM's dog star. — “Coquette,” adapted from the famous stage play, starring Lana Turner. “Move Over, This Is Love,’ an original story to star Robert Taylor. “Three Musketeers,’ from the famous novel, with Robert Walker heading an all-star cast. “The Life of Monty Stratton,” with Van Johnson playing the role of the heroic ball-player. “Bedevilled,” sensational murder mystery, starring Robert Taylor. “The House Above the River,” starring Katharine Hepburn. ‘International Venus,” starring Esther Williams. starring Wallace starring “Brothers Karamazov,” from the great dramatic classic, starring Spencer Tracy, Robert Taylor and Van Heflin. “Tod Sloan,” in which Mickey Rooney will portray the famous jockey. “On an Island With You,” to be filmed in Technicolor with Esther Williams, Peter Lawford, Cyd Charisse and Xavier Cugat. “Life of Her Own,” powerful story of a criminal attorney who sacrifices his reputation to save a life and his daughter’s happiness, starring William Powell. Several important musical properties will also be brought to the screen by the company during the year. Included is “Annie Get Your Gun” the current sensational Broadway success, just acquired. To be filmed with an all-star cast headed by Judy Garland, the production will feature Irving Berlin music. Another Irving Berlin musical will be “Easter Parade,” a lavish production to be based on his nostalgic song of that title. All the film’s music and songs will be written by the famous composer and its cast will include Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Red Skelton. Already in production is the musical adaptation of the S. N. Behrman play, “The Pirate.’”’ The picture is to be highlighted with music by Cole Porter and a cast headed by Miss Garland, Gene Kelly and Walter Slezak. ‘Good News,” one of the alltime Broadway musical hits by Larry Schwab and Buddy De Sylva, recently went before the cameras starring June Allyson and Peter Lawford. Also on its musical schedule is “The Good Old Summertime,” a story of the early days of baseball, co-starring Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. “The Story of Rodgers and Hart” will be filmed upon an important musical scale with an all-star cast.. "The Sainted Sisters’ Diana Lynn recently was selected to share with Betty Hutton the tile roles of “The Sainted Sisters,” in which Mitchell Leisen will direct the two stars for the first time. John Lund and Sterling Hayden will appear in th male leads. . Final Title Chosen “Little Miss Broadway” has been selected as the final release title for the Columbia feature formerly identified as “Broadway Baby.” The cast is headed by Jean Porter, John Shelton, Ruth Donnelly and Jerry Wald and his orchestra, a “Cabbages and Kings” wil] star Gene Kelly and June Allyson, “Reunion in Vienna’ wil] be filmed as an operetta with Kathryn Grayson starred. Serving as the producers of the year’s schedule of pictures will be Pandro S. Berman, Jack Curamings, Sidney Franklin, Arthur Freed, Leon Gordon, George Haight, Arthur Hornblow, Jr,, Edwin Knopf, Sam Marx, Robert Lord, Joe Pasternak, Nat Perrin, Harry Rapf, Everett Riskin, Robert Sisk, Carey Wilson, William Wright and Sam Zimbalist. In addition to the feature schedule the company has laid out an ambitious program of short subjects. In all, 48 will be produced during the year. On the list will be sixteen cartoons in color; ten Pete Smith Specialties; six John Nesbitt Passing Parade speciallties; twelve FitzPatrick Traveltalks and four two-reel dramas. Under its present policy of transferring to the screen the cream of the literary material, Mayer reported that the company holds direct contracts with, or options for, stories now being written by many of the world’s foremost contemporary novelists and playwrights. Among these are: Louis Bromfield, John P. Marquand, Clemence Dane, Sidney Kingsley, Samson Raphaelson, S. N. Behrman, Richard Llewellyn, Paul Osborne, Ferenc Molnar, Robert Nathan, Paul Green, John Balderston and Donald Ogden Stewart. For its expanding policy MGM now has at its command the greatest roster of stars in its history. There are 28 on this list. They comprise: June Allyson, Lucille Ball, Lionel Barrymore, Wallace Beery, Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Greer Garson, Kathryn Grayson, Katharine Hepburn, Van Johnson, Gene Kelly, Deborah Kerr, Lassie, Myrna Loy, George Murphy, Margaret O’Brien, Gregory Peck, Walter Pidgeon, William Powell, Mickey Rooney, Frank Sinatra, Red Skelton, Ann Sothern, Robert Taylor, Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Robert Walker and Esther Williams. The MGM directors who will pilot these stories. to the screen are Harry Beaumont, Clarence Brown, Eddie Buzzell, Jack Conway, George Cukor, Robert 2. Leonard, Mervyn Le Roy, David Miller, Vincente Minnelli, Roy Rowland, Victor Saville, Geors® Sidney, S. Sylvan Simon, Norman Taurog, Richard: Thorpe, Charles Walters, Richard Whorf and Fred Wilcox,