The Film Daily (1931)

Friday, March 13, 1931 Timely Topics A Digest of Current Opinion — €)— Prime Problem In Screen Dramas 'T'HE effort to prevent drama from "dragging" as its story is unfolded to an audience, is the prime problem which confronts the picture industry today. It is a sign of these days in which speed is the watchword that people are impatient of detail and urge the story on to its conclusion as quickly as possible. The trend of literature has been in response to that demand, as witness the popularity of the modern style of writing which has relegated Dickens, Thackery, Scott and the once-popular Victorians to the background. On with the story; more and more action is the demand. In these days when the cinema is attempting to adapt novels and plays to its medium, the problem of condensing into the most compact form possible is not the easiest to handle by any means. The process of selection is a delicate one, and the writer and director is often puzzled by what to omit and what to emphasize. One dare not neglect the foundations of plot or characterization, yet the process of "planting" these with the audience requires deft and imaginative touches if extended and prolix scenes and dialogue are to be dispensed with. — Richard Wallace Government census for 1930 shows Hollywood with a population of 153,294 permanent residents. ft • • • THE GUY who makes "Cimarron" simmer, and even boil over, as far as we are personally concerned, was the guest speaker at the A.M. P. A. luncheon at the Dixie you remember him the li'l Jewish gent in a characterization that is so finely drawn and individualistic that it stands out from the common ruck George E. Stone George told how he had wanted to play such a type ever since he's been in pictures but they always made a gangster outa him till finally it got to be a habit and every time he wanted to blow his nose he would absentmindedly pull his handkerchief outa his hip pocket and point it at his companion and yell: "Stick 'em up!" this was very embarrassing to George, and annoying to his friends, as you can imagine so George useter practice nights in front of his mirror, drawing his handkerchief and blowing his nose, and one time when he was rehearsing a scene in a gangster pix, he drew a gun from his hip pocket and blew his nose in it and almost blew his head off so naturally George was much relieved when he graduated from gangster types to the next step up— Hebrew characterizations we're not insinuating that Hebrews are just one step above gangsters we're talking technically in the trade right now please don't misunderstand us, and quit interrupting as we were saying, George got his Big Chance and made good he knows the Jewish types in all phases for he was born and raised in Poland and recalls the time of the dreaded Pogroms he sez it was the custom in those days when the merry villagers had consumed all the vodka and there were no more wimmin, for some one to ask: "Wotta we gonna do now?" and some gink would say: "Aw, let's go out and kill a few Jews." so George was raised in this playful atmosphere, and for self-protection made himself look tough and dirty so he looked just like the Poles, and they let him alone that's how he became a natural gangster type he's a great li'l guy, modest and sincere and made a strong impress on the hardboiled p.a's who are naturally skeptical of all actors and then there was Earl Allvine, the cameraman who was with the Fox news expedition that circled the globe Earl proved a model after-luncheon speaker he covered the entire universe in a few minutes of well chosen epigrammatic sentences describing the highlights of the important world centers in a few descriptive words a visitor at the luncheon was Frank Harris, special representative of Harold (Lloyd Frank probably holds the record for long-distance representation of one film celeb he has been with Harold since he started he has sold every one of the comedian's pix since the time he made his first single-reeler, "Lonesome Luke," for Hal Roach ♦ * * * • • • MICKEY MOUSE today ranks as the most universally popular screen star throughout the world the French call him Michel Souris the Japs love him as Miki Kuchi over the flowing steins the Germans sing the praises of Michael Maus the Spaniards toast him over the wine glasses as Miguel Ratonocito current issues of big mags like the "American," "Times" and "Theater Guild" carry learned articles about him a scenario conference for a Mickey Mouse cartoon is as big and noisy as that over any feature production with this difference the star never goes temperamental but he's always present at these conferences corked up in a bottle of India Ink Howard Lichey has been chosen to direct the transcontinental tour of the Arkayo theaters for Beth and Betty Dodge, international stage stars Howard for the first time will exploit a headline vaude act with national tie-ups with manufacturers of ladies' apparel Short Shots from New York Studios "•■ HARRY N. BLAIR ^^ T. LAWRENCE BAKER formerly ^ of I'hotocolor, who recently deserted the film ranks for the field of aviation, writes us that being "up in the air doesn't feel at all strange after several hectic years in the moom pitcher business." Speaking of being up in the air, Charles Glett of Audio Cinema, accompanied by Nick Rogalli and Joe Freeman, cameramen, spent several hours on top of the Chanin building, the other day, taking some extra fine 'shots of the Manhattan skyline, for use in an Industrial picture. A severe attack of laryngitis has put Casey Robinson, Vitaphone writer director, to bed. Robinson, although the mildest of men, makes a specialty of underworld stories, having authored "The Nightingale" and "Mardi Gras" for Vitaphone and 'The Last Parade" for Columbia. Among the "old-timers" recently seen on Broadway are Walter Miller, Guy Coombs, Claire Whitney, Kate Bruce and Wray Physioc, all looking as good as new. « « « » » » Chorus girls of the big, buxom type which flourished in the "Gay Nineties" were selected by Vitaphone's casting department for "The Dandy and the Belle," recently completed at Warner Bros. Brooklyn plant. Frank McGlynn, Jr.. Mary Murray, Pauline Dee and Harold Moffat head the cast. MANY HAPPY KI1IIMS & Best wishes and congratulation! are extended by THE FILM DAILT to the following member! of the Industry, who are celebrating their birthday! : March 13 Charles A. Buckley Orvil P. Kaley Paul Fix Henry Roquemore