Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1939)

70 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 15, 1939 IN THE BRITISH STUDIOS by AUBREY FLANAGAN in London On Location in Jungle Count and Countess Keller, producers of the World Window series of color shorts, are now on location in the Indian jungle. A complete unit of technicians, cameras and cars left Bombay for a 20,000 trip early in February. The Kellers seek to capture the thrills of the jungle aind a tiger hunt and the splendor and pomp of palaces and temples. John\ Hanau, director and editor, has gone north, for it has been necessary to purchase an extra car to carry the additional equipment. Already five automobiles form the caravan, with sound studio and engineering shop included. Personnel include Hans Nieter, director of the company, and Jack Cardiff, chief cameraman. Distribution will be through United Artists. Joins Korda Harold Boxall, for some time production manager for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios, has joined Alexander Korda as general manager of Alexander Korda Productions, Ltd. Mr. Boxall was previously associated with Paramount British, Gainsborough Pictures and Gaumont British. At Ealing With the completion of work upon "Young Men's Fancy," directed by Robert Stevenson, production launches forth at the Ealing Studios on a new Jimmy O'Dea comedy "Cheer, Boys, Cheer," which Walter Forde is to direct from a story by Ian Dalrymple. Collaborating with Dalrymple are Roger McDougall and Allan Mclvmnon, authors of the now classic "This Man Is News." "Cheer, Boys, Cheer" is a comedy woven around the struggles of a small brewery against a huge combine. Animal Feature "Zoo in Spring," an animal feature directed by Widgey Newman and dealing with the return to activity of hibernating animals in the zoo, has been completed by AIP, Ltd. AIP has just finished, also, "Derby Secrets" Number 6, the 15th annual edition, under the title "As Usual— The Winner." Another "Riley' ^ Oswald Mitchell, responsible for the local "Old Mother Riley" successes, is due to make another one, "Old Mother Riley, M. P." Meanwhile, at the Walton on Thames Studios, he will produce a variety film for Butcher's Film Service, and for this has engaged numerous leading vaudeville and musichall acts. BRITISH COMEDY AT NEW YORK FAIR A comedy film with an unusual history and produced by a London doctor is one of those to be shown in the British Pavilion at the New York World's Fair. It is Dr. Richard Massingham's "Tell Me If It Hurts". This comedy will be the only British amateur film to be represented at the Fair. Dr. Massingham financed and produced the film, wrote the script, directed and photographed it, and planned the sound track. The film has been shown in London's West End and has had an enthusiastic press. Adaptation Leslie Banks in "The Cross Roads," a new Associated British production at Elstree, plays the role of a war-wounded man suffering from loss of memory, who is mistaken for a wealthy business man, whereas in fact he is a cheap crook. The film is an adaptation of the French production "Carrefour," and is being produced by Walter Mycroft and directed by Thomas Bentley. In charge of the camera is Gunther Krampf. Two other pictures are on the floor at the AB studio at Elstree, "Just William," from a Richmal Crompton story, and "Poison Pen," adapted from Richard Llewellyn's play. The "Poison Pen" cast includes Flora Robson, Geoffrey Toone and Peter Murray Hill. Paul Stein directs. Itemized Sydney Howard, noted North Country comedian, has been assigned by Robert T. Kane of Twentieth Century-Fox to play opposite Gracie Fields in the new comedy of shipbuilding "Shipyard Sally." He will have the role of Gracie's screen uncle. Monty Banks will direct. Pinewood Studios has closed down for a minimum of three months. Closure is due to the fact that there are not a sufficient number of British pictures to warrant the studios keeping open. * * * Walter Greenwood, author of the stage success, "Love on the Dole," is to write the film treatment of his novel, "His Worship, the Mayor," for production at the Ealing Studios by Michael Balcon. Ralph Keene will be associated with Greenwood in his work. "His Worship, the Mayor," a satire upon local government in an English provincial town, tells the story of two families, one rising to wealth and the other sinking to poverty. Picks Sound City Sound City, part of which is to be turned into a zoo, has been selected by Mario Zampi, producer of "French Without Tears," as the studio wherein he will make this film for Paramount. Anthony Asquith is to direct. Zampi has been in Paris engaging French artists for various roles. He will use the English version of the play, the action of which takes place mainly in France and not, as in the French version, mainly in England. Price of Coal A few months ago a new type of film was released by Paramount in Britain titled "Inside Goods." It included an actuality study of the life of an R. A. F. cadet, and a statement pf the case for and against fox-hunting. The film was devoted exclusively to af¥airs in the British Isles, and was shown in more than 1,500 cinemas in Britain. Encouraged by the success of the film, Paramount have now made, and will show shortly, "Inside Goods" Number 2, which again concerns itself with topics of domestic interest. One sequence deals with the price of coal and considers not only the economic price of the market, but also the price paid in travail and toil by the miner and his kith. Another sequence concerns itself with dress as it affects the modern woman. Travels A film unit which aims to tour the world and make a natural color record of its travels, is leaving Britain under the banner of Stapley Expeditions, of London. They will be away 12 months and will travel 20,000 miles through 15 countries in two motor cars. One of these has been equipped to operate as a mobile unit. The expedition aims to make 12 pictures, some of which will be documentary, some nature studies, and some travelogues. Countries through which the unit will travel include Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Turkey, each of which will be the subject of an individual film. Afghanistan is to be the subject of a study; Australia will form the background for two films to be produced on a coast-to-coast tour from Perth to Brisbane. The United States will be seen, this time, through the eyes of an English cameraman and an English director. The New York World's Fair will be included in the subjects covered. Advertising Films Advertising films have been exhibited in 4,300 of the 5,309 motion picture theatres in Great Britain and Ireland, Harold B. Saward of Saward, Baker & Co., Ltd., told the Regent Advertising Club in London. He added that there was room for considerable improvement in the advertising product.