The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1936)

Thirty-two The INTERNATIONAL PHOTO G R A P H E R By Robert » Tobey ^ CINEMACARONI (With sauce for those who like it.) HOLLYWOOD HONEYMOON (A novel novel of a thousand and our nights in a daze ) By R. THRITIS Synopsis of preceding chapters, for you dopes who can't remember anything overnight. Lili Liverblossom, long on beauty but sold short m the engine-room, is a famous screen star on the wane. She has for her Public Relations Counsel the trigger-witted Perriwether Murgle, young and handsome pressagent extraordinary. In the line of duty Perri is carried off to the eyrie of a huge Bald Eagle named Willy Nilly. Here in the Eagle's lair Willy Nilly's wife, Nelly Nilly, makes googly eyes at Perri, and it's getting pretty hot for our little friends. Meanwhile Bill, a writer, has just sent a ghost over to Lili's apartment, t.ili has figured out, reith her Einsteinlike brain, that a ghost can help her find her lost Perri. As we raise the field-glasses to our eyes. J. Hi has fust been making friends with tne ghost and preparing to leave in search of Perri. Note it's yotti turn at the pecpsight. CHAPTER XV. Over the Hills and Far Away "And now to the rescue!" cried Lili. "The Rescue?" repeated the ghost inquiringly, v/ith a touch of interest in his voice. "What is it, a new Night Club?" "Certainly not!" snapped Lili. "It's a Boy Scout deed. Didn't Bill tell you what he made you up for?" "He didn't even tell me he made me up," said the ghost. "He just sent me over here in a hurry. I thought maybe it was Hallowe'en." "Giblets!" exclaimed Lili. "Then I'd better tell you the story." And she told him the story. "... and Perri is probably a prisoner by now in an eagle's lair," she sobbed in conclusion. "What you need is an eagle's ghost, lady," said the ghost -with a sigh. "And a couple of handkerchiefs," he added hollowly as Lili's tears dripped into an old straw hat she had placed on the floor to catch them. "Do you mean you can't help me?" asked Lili pitifully, looking up, her big blue eyes dark with sorrow. "Oh, I guess we can find some way of rescuing your boy-friend," the ghost answered. "My press-agent," corrected Lili. "Don't quibble," said the ghost. "I can't help it," said Lili. "I itch." "Grab hold of me," commanded the ghost, "and we'll be off." "Do you mean you're going to carry me?" asked Lili. "Certainly," said the ghost. "Did you think we were going by bus?" "How fast do you generally go?" asked Lili ^ dubiously, stepping forward hesitantly. "I can be anywhere in a second," said the ghost. "But I can't go that fast if I'm taking you. You'd melt. So I'll just sort of mosey along. Come on, hang onto me." Diffidently Lili clasped her arms around the ghost's waist. They went right on through and she found she was merely hugging herself. She put her arms around him again, with the same result. "My, but you're flimsy," said Lili exasperatedly. "What do I do now?" "I guess I'll have to grab hold of yon," said the ghost and, suiting action to words, he picked her up in his arms as if she were a feather and immediately began to rise in the air and float off across the city. In no time at all he -was up to sixty or seventy miles an hour. To Lili the sensation was that of being transported on a eloud or an infinitely soft oillow. The moon had just come up over the Hollywood hills, and the stars were sparkling and flashing in the cold crystalline air above the city. "Looka here." said Lili, "If you're going to romp on it like this, you'd better take me back for my fur coat. I haven't got my red flannels on, you know, partner." (How zvill the ghost take the wise-cracking Lili? And where! Will they reach Perri in time? And what of Lili's career? Any fool can ask questions like those So I guess any fool ran answer them. See next month's installment of this super-serial.) Mad Hattie says that stenographers with weak eyes must find it very trying, typing on onionskin paper. DAILY INCONGRUITY A man walked up to an office boy on the Columbia lot and borrowed a dime from him to buy a magazine. The boy turned to a fellow-worker when the man was out of earshot. "That's the writer," said he, "who is "working on the story, "Millions To Spend!" KNEECAP REVIEWS l I have my thumb in my month) "PI I lili IBBETSON." with Ann Hardin,, and Gary Cooper. Here is a picture so superbly eon structed that it brings an ache to the heart. Hazing nothing but praise for the picture. I am pained to wager it will not he a box office hit. I fear it is a little too fine for the average public taste and comprehension, but hope i am wrong, /'raise falls equally on all heads in this production. Ann Harding will never look more divine than she does in "Peter Ibbetsoii." Judged by this picture alone. Miss Harding would be the most beautiful woman on the American screen. The subtle direction of Henry Hathaway was a thing of beauty. Great credit must go to the one or ones who evolved the interesting, beautiful, and thoroughly satisfactory method of handling the dream transition sequences. Ann Harding's acting is as impeccable as her appearance, and al though Gary (o per's touch is not quite so masterful, on the whole his part is well bandied. John HalliJay. Virginia Weidler, Douglas Dumbrille, and Dickie Moore play their small parts well. II you doubt that the screen can adequately eonvey an idea with a truly haunting and ethereal beauty, see "Peter Ibbetson" and unreel in objection. "DR. SOCRATES." Interesting chiefly because it puts Paul Muni into a type of role that he has not handled before. Some say he is pretty bad in the role of the brilliant medical student turned country doctor for personal reasons and embroiled in gangland didoes for reasons beyond his control. Some say he is excellent. I'll take vanilla. Ann Dvorak should have stayed home when they called her for this production. She is poorly photographed and has a part that is quite thankless. The film is fast moving, and especially is interesting if you like anti-gangster films. "THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII." This is mostly Preston Foster, and if his fan-mail from love-lorn ladies doesn't jump a thousand fold after this epic I'll pop my gum. It's a he-man tale of bloodletting among the Old Romans, and don't see it unless you have a strong stomach. Practically all of the then means of sudden death are graphicaly illustrated. Basil Rathbone portrays Pontius Pilate with a master's touch, and Gloria Shea does well with a casting crumb thrown her way. "I LIVE MY LIFE." Since Joan Crawford can practically write her own ticket, I don't see why she chose a story that made her out such a heel in general. She is nevertheless a lovely and desirable little heel, and manages to make you long to be in Brian Aherne's shoes even if she is addicted to nasty feminine wiles and the New Deal platform involving furniture demolition. Aherne improves each shining hour in this, his first juicy part. "ANNA KAREN IN A." Garb,, climbs :„, I again. Threatened seriously with extinction, II,. Garbo legend is thoroughly alive once more. No one can stop the great Garbo. She gives a ; fill performance here, as the tragic Tolstoy lu whose great love transcends the bonds of man and motherhood. Fredric March ably supports hei Drinking ceremonial sequence opening the / is uotab'c. Whole thing is slightly heavy fart •■he general public. Photography excellent. IS MY FACE RED DEPT. One of the better known columnists did himself proud in a recent day's work. Said columnist wrote, "The making of a Technicolor picture is not quite so simple as it is cracked up to be . . . " // you'll pardon the interruption. I didn't knoa a color picture was cracked up to be a simple thing to make. But to go on. " 'THE TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE' is on a location that is SO cold the noses of the cast are continually red and frost bitten and, as red photographs black, the effect should be too startling." The italics are mine. Tsk. tsk. What a weird color process. The same renowned scribe, on the same day (it must have been Blue Monday) states that he is advised that when color pictures predominate the industry, blondes will fade from the Hollywood spotlight, because in color they photograph BLAH. A new color, no doubt; this BLAH. Better than Brownette. But seriously, consider this statement just aftet the production of "Becky Sharp"; come, come. HOLLYWOODCUTS, by the Shovel Boys (They dish the dirt). * * * No matter what they find out for the benefit of the headlines, two facts about Thelma Todd are undisputed — she was superbly beautiful, and she was a beguiling and witty actress. * • * The Rochelle Hudson Harry Richman crush is wearing off already. For a while they were seen everywhere together. It was only natural that a sweet youngster like Rochelle should be intrigued by the worldliness of a man like Richman. * * * Lionel Stande: wanted to get paid when he was asked to work in a newsreel. Heigh ho. * * * The morals case against Dave Allen of Central Casting and Gloria Marsh, alias Turner, was thrown out of court because two of the chief prosecution witnesses were accused of horse-stealing. Tut, tut! Mrs. Astor's horse, no doubt. * * * At the Pain". Springs Dog Show held last month Jeanette MacDonald's two pedigreed dogs won three prizes. Jeanette drew a few rounds of applause herself. ADVANCE FASHION NOTE A writer who is NOT noted for remarkable penmanship wrote the line, "She was wearing a bracelet set with emeralds and diamonds." In the first typed script it came out. "She was wearing a bracelet \ct with emeralds and drain ends."' Pardon me while I dust off a batch of slightly used New Year's Resolutions. Water, pic, no'