The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1936)

Thirty-two The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER November, 1936 GINEMACABO (With sauce for those who like it.) _ By Robert Tobey HOLLYWOOD HONEYMOON or The Loves of Lili Liverblossom By R. THRITIS XOTE: Censorship reared its ugly head just as we were coming to some of the most interesting chapters of our talc of movie intrigue. With a strict ban on the printing of Chapters XXIV, XXV and XXVI, your editors worked feverishly to find a way out of the strangling grasp of the censor octopus, and the results of their efforts are presented herewith. We have succeeded in haz-ing the next three chapters of this exciting story translated into German, and we present the next chapter in that language in order to elude the censors, as no censor is able to understand two languages. If you don't understand German yourself, an interpreter will be supplied on request. Gesundheit .' Chapter XXVII BREAKFAST FOR ONE FOR TWO As the ghost slipped noiselessly through the door of Lili's bedroom closet, Perri, alone in the room now -with La Liverblossom, turned grimly toward the famous star. "I don't think it's very good policy," he said, "to have a ghost alone with you in your bedroom." "That's a lot of crepe," answered Lili. "He has to sleep somewhere, and after the help he's been to us, we can't turn him out now. You're not going to be jealous of a ghost, are you?" she finished haughtily. Then, penitent, she added, "You're much handsomer than Potty, you know." Perri walked over to where she was sitting and kissed her on the edge of the bed. "Now, go home like a good boy," pleaded Lili. "I'm perfectly safe. The ghost can't do a thing to me," she said in her S5,000-a-week contralto. There was a note of regret in it. As the door of her apartment clicked shut on Perriwether Murgle, Lili stretched luxuriously back on the special over-size pillows on her special bed. Sleep came late upon Lili Liverblossom that night — late, and reluctantly. The sun was well up when Lili awoke the next morning. This was mostly because it was 10:30 A.M. Lili stretched her slender arms and rubbed the sleep from her lovely eyes. Her dark brown silk pajamas were in disarray, and had fallen away from her swanlike throat and the warm, bare, creamy shoulders above her milky arms. Cream is always on top. Lili looked around the room, and was amazed to see breakfast waiting beside her bed. The table was her own, but beyond that nothing ■was familiar to her. The silver service she had never seen before — neither had a silversmith. Each piece of cutlery said "C. R." on the handle. Although you could hardly hear it. "Giblets!" exclaimed Lili. "Where'd this come from? I must have ordered breakfast in my .sleep." "I got it for you," answered a slow, sepulchral voice coming from behind Lili, between her bed and the wall, where there wasn't any space. Lili looked in the direction of the voice. There was nothing there. The skin on the back of her neck began to crawl, but it was too tired to go far. "Come, come, Potty," said Lili, trying to be brave, but her voice sounded thin and far away. "Come now, Potty, I know your voice. Where are you?" "Right here," said the voice, from the very spot 'where her eyes were focused. "I'm hard to see in daylight, that's all. I knew you were about to -wake up, so I got some breakfast for you." "How did you ever know exactly what I wanted to eat?" exclaimed Lili in amazement, looking over the orange juice, oatmeal, baked apple, ham and egas, potatoes, griddle cakes and coffee, her usual breakfast. "I didn't," replied Potty. "It came that way." "You mean it came up here by itself?" asked Lili, to whom anything ■was possible after •what she'd been dreaming. "No. That was the way it was when the waiter had it." "The waiter," repeated Lili after him, vaguely. "Exactly," said Potty. "I took it away from him. The poor fellow jumped ten feet when he saw his tray sailing through the air apparently on its own." The ghost chuckled a sepulchral, reminiscent chuckle. Lili by this time had set the baked apple in front of her, and was staring thoughtfully at it. To her astonishment the apple stared right back at her, with its one eye where the core had been, all encrusted -with sugar as if it had been asleep. "You look half-baked," said Lili bitterly, as she bit deeply with her spoon. Cut to the core, the apple gave in. There was an ominous knock at the door. (Who is knocking at her door, and what will the fair maiden do, with a ghost within and godnosewhat without f Stick with us, and you'll find out. J KNEECAP REVIEWS (Xo space left on my thumbnails) "DODSWORTH," directed by William Wyler, and with a superb cast headed by Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton, Mary Astor, Paul Lukas and David Niven. This Samuel Goldwyn presentation of the Sinclair Lewis novel holds promise of being a box-office smash, and in addition is an artistic triumph — a combination too seldom wed in the motion picture industry. Walter Huston gives the greatest performance of his career — it is one of the most genuine characterizations ever to be immortalized on celluloid. His very fibre is the fibre of the soul of Dodsworth, eminent and forthright American automobile manufacturer. Ruth Chatterton, as his wife who is ever in fear of advancing old age, lets you see into the very soul of a shallow, selfish neurotic willing to cast everything to the winds to stay the hands of Time for a little while. Mary Astor, "with none too fat a role, steps into a highlight of her career. In a part that could easily have been made sappy, she fashions a person of -winning comprehension and sympathy. It was interesting to observe, on the occasion of the "Dodsworth" preview, that Miss Astor received more applause than anyone else in the cast — applause that lasted all through her first scene. The rest of the cast deserves equal commendation. Each part is meticulously delineated and fits into the whole like a fine piece of mosaic. Paul Lukas, David Niven, Gregory Gaye, Maria Ouspenskaya, Spring Byington, Harlan Briggs, Kathryn Marlowe, and John Payne are among these players. Splendid direction by William Wyler is, of course, a tremendous factor in unity of tempo and performance. Photography by Rudolph Mate and mounting of the picture are in keeping with the high quality of the production. Sets and locales were constructed or selected •with consummate artistry. "GIRLS' DORMITORY," starring Ruth Chatterton and Herbert Marshall, both of which are pronounced Simone Simon. This story of one man's problem — the story of his choice between the girl he loves and the women he should have — is partly a sympathetic and understanding tale of the problems in a girls' school, but mostly an unashamed and tender love story. It suffered from severe treatment during parturition — the distortion attendent on its forced change from a vehicle for Chatterton and Marshall to a builderupper for Simone — and from sporadic minor outbursts of mediocre cutting. These detract little from its qeneral splendid qualities. The little Simone is a fresh and saucy addition to our screen ingenues. Ruth Chatterton and "Bart" Marshall deliver the fine performances of which they are sinqularly capable. There are noteworthy contributions by J. Edward Bromberg, Constance Collier, and Dixie Dunbar. Direction by Irvinq Cummings, while not the best of which this director is capable, is understanding and commendable. Camera work by Merritt Garstad is good. "THE MAGNIFICENT BRCTE." starring the magnificent brute. Victor McLaglcn. If you want large doses of brute strength, steel-mill sweat and laughter, and Love-in-thc-Raw as much as it can be without sex rearing its ugly head — step right up, here it is. Though a little too melodramatic for your reviewer' s tastes, it has plenty of merit once the slow start is digested. As soon as McLaglcn enters the picture, it moves right along. Binnie Barnes and Jean Dixon, while struggling manfully, nevertheless cannot quite drop themselves to the level of the parts they have to play. William Hall, a bit crusty in his first big part. gives rare promise. Billy Burrud does "well with a hero<rorshipping youngster role. Direction is by John BIystone and photography by Merritt Gerstad. "THE GIRL ON THE FRONT PAGE." This may or may not have that authentic newspaper touch — let the rags fight that out among themselves — but it's one swell story. With no pretentions as to top class, this ranks -with the biggies. Its interest lies not so much in the story is in the charm of the telling, so suffice it tc that Edmund Lowe and Gloria Stuart are as good as they're cracked up to be as the hardboiled city editor who won't work for any ' female" — and his unwitting boss. A as-; -.; blackmailing servants headed by Reginald Ower. provide the menace and the abundant comedy. Harry Beaumont has directed with a sptouch, and photography by Milton Krasr * "THE" GAY DESPERADO." Here is a four-star, top-notch. Class A-l piece of entertainment. Starting off with an excellent and refreshingly different story, it holds its merit down through direction, cast, photography, and all phases of production. Leo Carillo, playing the part of a Mexican Robin Hood who comes under the in. fluence of American gangster methods and slang, walks away with the picture under his arm. He makes his farcical role abound with real comedy and action. Nino Martini, presumably the star of the piece, is much better than in his previous film effort, but still has a hot potato in his mouth when he tries to deliver punchy dialogue. Time should take care of that. Ida Lupino is quite lovely as the gal whom all the furse is about. Harold Huber in the part of Carillo's bandit lieutenant merits a cheer (where's he been?) Mischa Auer has never had a better part and rates a laugh for every appearance. I know where's he's been — hidden out in a hundred minor roles, waiting for someone to realize his talents. James Blakely does well with a thankless part. Rouben Mamoulien has wrung the utmost from his cast with his superb direction. Photography by Lucien Andriot was on a par with the merit of the production — superb. COOKERY DEPT. OUT OF THE FIRE Richard Tucker and 'wife. HOLLYWOODCUTS, by The Shovel Boys (they dig the dirt) * * * So that the name of Anita | Stewart shall never die .there is now an Anita Stewart Photo Publishing Company run by the ' lovely Anita and her husband, George Converse. They print snapshot albums of your favorite :zr.i and sell 'em all over the country. * * * If | you think Robert Taylor isn't popular, just ask George Converse. They sell more albums con ; taining Bob Taylor pictures than any of the others. * * * And just in case you think Hollywood is immune to the star craze, Georgtell you that Woolworth's store sold 2,630 Bob Taylor albumns in one month — more than any . where else in the country. * * * Clark Gable is still holding his own, and Fred MacMurray is well in the money in the Popularity Stakes. The marriage last month of Evangeline Russell and Commodore J. Stuart Blackton unite '■ of the pioneer families of filmdom. The bride's father is John Lowell, quondam cowboy star, ■ and her mother L. Case Russell, famous as a writer and first woman motion picture director, i The Rev. Xeal Dodd officiated at the wedding, and among the bridesmaids were Jane Novak, Minta Durfee Arbuckle, Agnes Ayres, and Violet Donnelly Russel. * * * A bunch of mo-vie celebs chartered a bus for a dual-purpose trip to Po ■ mona — to see the County Fair and to have publicity pictures made. Among those on the trip were Glenda Farrcll. Charles Quigley, Inez Court , ney, Tom Brown, Barbara Pepper, Eadie Adams, Victor Killian, Douglas Fowley, Jacqueline Wells. and Mr. and Mrs. Donald Woods. The weather was so bad that practically no pictures -were made. Anyway, Tom Brown and Barbara Pepper struct up an acquaintance, so maybe the trip ivasn't OU lost. * * * Buck Jones and his wife and Victor McLaglcn watching Jack Palmet do amazing card tricks 6v the hour. And can he do 'cm! Ask Cesar Romero -what he did with his forty-one trout. Then run, do not walk, to the nearest exit. * * * The Racquet Club in Palm Springs opened last month and is twice as big this year. Tennis is the thing, all right. * * * The Pacific Southwest Tennis Tournaments drew a bigger number of the movie elite this year than ever before. * * * Clark Gable and Carole Lombard were in attendance practically every day. • * • Connie Bennett entertained the Maharajah and Maharanee of Indore, both tennis enthusiasts. * * * Tennis is the only sport that brings out Fred Astaire, Myrna Loy, or Ginger Rogers. All three were there this year. • • * Willie Wyler alternated entertaining June Travis and Simone Simon in his box — and tne day of the finals brought both! * * #A°a Bob Taylor attended two days. Alone. * * *