Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

ay 16, 1931 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 63 THE SPIRIT OF ENDEAVOR To bring out to its Los Angeles Invention not only the branch man';|ers but also its entire army of saleslen. Radio Pictures must have had a ijighty good reason. And so there was. The idea was to show a studio to lese continental voyagers ; and Radio „iis a studio worth showing. ' When I first saw "Cimarron" I 'mid envision through the picture the '|udio that brought it into being. Here, Lainly, was evidence of about the aest and most complete coordination if studio activity in all picture annals, ■/riting, direction, supervision, phoHgraphy, costuming, sets, makeup, bund recording — it was clear that in k'ery effort those concerned had put brth with rare cooperation the very est that was in them. And there you have the distinctive iharacter of Radio Pictures produc|ion. c| Its spirit of endeavor ! I asked a man who works there, -f)icking him at random, how he felt kbout the studio. He has been eight |!;ears in Hollywood. JOSEPH I. SCHNITZER President of Radio Pictures. By WILLIAM A. JOHNSTON Holds Coordination of Studio Activity Is Responsible for Such Films as ''Cimarron" His words fairly bubbled forth. "I'll tell you," he said. "Ask most any director, writer, player, technician in Hollywood, and they'll tell you they'd like to work for Radio. "They like the spirit of the place. You can get anything you want from any department — -the best they have and can give. Everyone's up on their toes, to deliver. Morale, cooperation, enthusiasm rule the place — in short, a tremendously efificient staf¥ of willing workers." Well, that's a good deal to say ; and it means a good deal. It is spirit that makes pictures. And, just so, the deterrents of good pictures are : smugness, discontent, jealousy, disruptive politics. So many elements go into picture making that there must exist the best of cooperation to achieve that mysterious "X" that marks the perfect mixture of the recipe. Radio deserves a lot of credit for the building of its production organization. In January, 1929, Radio Pictures was just an idea. Within two years Radio has not only built up a remarkable morale, kept its wheels go ing efficiently, but also expanded its plant with an expenditure of $6,000,000. Joseph I. Schnitzer has had years of experience in what exchanges and theatres want. And this valuable experience rests upon a solid foundation of sterling good judgment and keen enterprise. William Le Baron, besides his production experience, knows authors, plays, books, stories. And Radio, wisely goes in strong for its writer organization. The ambitious spirit of the place is typified in the announcement for 193132. Last year the pretentious pictures were styled Titans. This year this lusty young major company dares to say it will offer all Titans — 36 of them ! I gather that the highlights will be : A mighty effort to rival, even to outdo "Cimarron," putting Richard Dix, Irene Dunne and the entire "Cimarron" cast, director Wesley Ruggles, writer Howard Estabrook into another empire building story based upon the stirring gold rush days of the Black Hills of South Dakota; Dix and Dunne again, in a widely different picture, with Spain as the Radio Will Release 36 Features During '31-32 Radio Pictures will make 36 attractions, each designated as a Titan, during the season of 1931-32, according to an announcement by Joseph I. Schnitzer, president. This is a departure from previous merchandising by the company which has hitherto adhered to the plan of "breaking down" its productions into various classifications, states Schnitzer. Further, he says that each of the 36 will stand on its merits as a feature attraction. ■ WILLIAM LE BARON Vice-president in charge of production. These productions will be filmed according to a schedule which will enable Schnitzer and William LeBaron, production head, to throw into their making the full benefit of a contract list of directors, authors, stars, featured players and producing and technical staffs. "Glamor and romance, colorful locale, high adventure, and above all dashing and stirring movie action, in love stories replete with heart interest and emotion, providing vehicles for an impi-essive array of big stars, are the elements which will rule the production values of a number of Radio Pictures, many of which are to be filmed on a scale approximating grandeur," according to the company announcement. "Stark realism has been made taiioo, in the earnest conviction of Radio's leaders tliat the public is now swinging back to the world of romance, glamor and illusion. "Bird of Paradise" "One of the leading attractions scheduled will be 'Bird of Paradise,' long rated as an important piece of show property. The author-producer of this Hawaiian romance of the stage was Richard Walton Tully. Dolores Del Rio is slated to play the unhappy Luana who cast herself into the flaming volcano in a last mad moment of tribal ecstacy. Three With Del Rio "Two more productions are scheduled for Del Rio. One, 'The Dove,' a stage success by Willard Mack and produced by David Belasco, will place the Mexican star in a tale of love and adventure south of the Rio Grande. "Another will be 'The Last Virtue' by the novelist, I. A. R. Wylie. Dix-Dunne in Two "Two productions will bear the starring imprint of the Richard Dix-Irene Dunne combination which met success in 'Cimarron.' These are 'Marcheta' and 'Frontier.' 'Marcheta,' authored by Victor Schertzinger and Louis Stevens, and to be directed by Schertzinger, will bring a romance of Old Spain to the talking screen, wherein Dix will portray the role {Continued on next page} background, and the story based upon the romantic, best selling song of "Marcheta" by Victor Schertzinger; Dolores Del Rio in "The Dove"; an Ina Claire special; another RugglesEstabrook opus based upon the evolution of the modern youth, product of these days of non-restraint and unrest ; the Wheeler Woolsey comedy features; sophisticated pictures with Lily Damita and others of the same type, with the individuality and direction of Lowell Sherman ; the Rex Beach story pictures. Radio scored heavily the past year with its famous 300 day and date national campaigns of advertising in the newspapers. This same splendid stimulus will, in all probability, be put back of the outstanding pictures of 1931-32. Here are the brains and names upon which Radio will rely largely for its new Titanic effort : Directors Wesley Ruggles George Archainbaud Lowell Sherman Richard Boleslavsky Melville Brown Fred Niblo (Continued on page 69) DAVID SARNOFF President of Radio Corporation. HIRAivi . vN President of Radio Keith Orpheum.