Drums (United Artists) (1938)

Type-Casting Keeps Massey In Upper Social Brackets Popular Actor Is Constantly Cast As Royalty Or Leader Of Men (Biographical Feature) Over every successful actor there broods a bothersome bugaboo. ‘‘Type-casting” is the name of this menacing shadow, and Raymond Massey is no exception to the rule. In the case of the tall and talented Canadian, however, “typing” has proved a definite advantage. For it has kept him definitely in the upper social brackets of the cinema. He is constantly finding himself called upon to portray kings, princes and a flattering variety of leaders of | PLAYS PRINCE men. In “Drums,” Alexander Korda’s exciting technicolor drama, which recites the adventures of a British garrison in India’s northwest frontiemati the. see eee: ‘hheatre Oneness ces * Massey plays the role of Ghul Khan, a prince who rebels against British rule and calls his followers to revolt. The picture, which features Massey with Sabu, Valerie Hobson and Desmond Tester, was directed by Zoltan Korda on actual location in India, for release through United Artists. COMMUTES ACROSS ATLANTIC Another of the actor’s recent portrayals was that of John Cabal, the idealistic leader of men in “Things to Come.” And perhaps no two roles could so aptly indicate Massey’s versatility as these—in one of which he plays the peace-loving dreamer of the future and in the other the power-greedy potentate of the East. Between these two assignments, he played King Phillip of Spain in “Fire Over England” and the French Administrator in “The Hurricane,” and New York theatregoers remember his fine performance of “Hamlet.” Born in Toronto, Canada, Massey was taking postgraduate work at Oxford when the World War broke out. He enlisted with the Canadian Field Artillery and was wounded in action in France. He made his stage debut in Everyman’s Theatre in London as Jack in Eugene O’Neill’s “In the Zone,” one of the playlets in the Nobel prize winner’s early group, known collectively as “Moon of the Carribees.” Massey is a popular star of stage and screen in both America and England and his services are so sought after he practically spends his life commuting across the Atlantic to keep up with himself. Polo Pointers Roger Livesey had to learn the fine art of chasing a ball from the saddle for the thrilling polo sequence which is a feature of “Drums,” Alexander Korda’s stirring technicolor production of mutiny on India’s North West Frontier, currently unreeling on the Screen.Of LN Cy ssc cegor ve opp et ae Theatre, with Sabu, Raymond Massey, Desmond Tester and Valerie Hobson also in featured roles. Livesey is seen as a member of the British Army team, playing against a team. composed of Indian princes, and some of the world’s most magnificent polo ponies were used in the scenes. Incidentally, the: picture reveals the little-known fact that polo, generally regarded as a sport invented on the British Isles, was really introduced to the English after their army took up posts in India, where it had been played for some thousand years. One of the oldest, if not the very oldest sport in the world, polo has been traced back as far as the Sixth Century B.C. in Persia. The Persians used horses, however, and it was not until polo was introduced to India that ponies were used, largely because the hill men had no horses. “Drums” is released through United Artists. Raymond Massey 9A—One Col. Star Head (Mat. .15; Cut .380) Playing Hookey Was the Making Of Tester Lad (Biographical Feature) Serious-minded parents won’t like us for letting this get out, but it was playing hookey that proved the making of freckle-faced Desmond Tester. For if the youngster hadn’t balked at going to school one bright May morning, and insisted upon tagging along to a rehearsal with an actress sister, he wouldn’t be sharing featured honors today with such distinguished cinema names as Sabu, Raymond Massey, and Valerie Hobson in Alexander Korda’s technicolor film, “Drums,” at the........ Theatre. The producer took one look at the jovial face of the ten-year-old truant and instantly offered him the part of Robin in “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” VARIETY OF ROLES Desmond accepted as a lark, but remained to look at acting as a serious business — and a business that he likes very much indeed. Desmond was born in Ealing, England, and until that memorable Mav morning, lived the typical uneventful life of an English schoolboy. He has since been deluged by a variety of stage roles, a variety that would be the envy of a veteran character actor in a repertory company. On the radio, he was heard as “Oliver Twist” and as the French Dauphin in “Mystery of the Temple.” He made his film debut as Midshipman Gossett in ‘Midshipman Easy” and has appeared as King Edward VI in “Nine Days a Queen” and in featured roles in “The Hidden Power” and “NonStop to New York.” In “Drums,” his latest film, he plays a Scottish drummer boy. The film is a screen version of the A. E. W. Mason story, which Zoltan Korda directed for release through United Artists. Khyber Invaded By Film Camera ““Drums”’ Sa Shot In Historic Gateway to India (Advance Feature) The most romantic spot in the East, the historic and legendary Khyber Pass, withstood its latest and strangest invasion without a whimper. This time the invaders were no shrieking barbarian horde, armed with scimitars, but as peaceable a band of folk as ever you saw. And, instead of scimitars, they carried cameras. To keep you in suspense no longer, the Khyber’s eighth invasion in recorded history — (the list begins with Alexander of Macedonia in 327 B. C. and ends with the Turk, Nadir Shah, in 1738-39) —was made by Zoltan Korda, Film Director, who braved the treacherous spot to film scenes for his famous brother Alexander’s technicolor production, “Drums,” which brings Sabu, Raymond Massey, Roger Livesey, Desmond Tester and Valerie Hobson to the. gee se ae Theatre ON Sa6 ee ee: Ci soek , through United Artists release, FASCINATING SPOT The fascination of the narrow roadway of the Khyber, for centuries the principal gateway to the plains of India, grips the traveller as he enters the forbidding portals a mile or» two north of Jamrud, where there is a British fortress. Endless processions have filed through the valleys of the Pass— armies, traders; the pomp and panoply and the caravans of the merchants carrying on their commerce between Bokhara, Afghanistan and Peshawar. The method of travel through the Khyber has not changed one whit since the days of antiquity. There is a continual procession of men, camels and donkeys moving up and down the road, the men all armed to the teeth. Even to this day no one dares go abroad in this wild land unarmed. MAGNIFICENT VIEW Near Ali Musjid the upper roadway affords a magnificent view of caravans passing on the camel road below. The lower road runs through a tremendous chasm slashed bodily in the living rock by force of uncounted centuries of rain and floods, with cliffs sheer on either side. A few miles on is the pumping station which supplies water for the entire region. On the right the Kabul railway runs along an enormous embankment faced with brick. A few years ago, the whole of that embankment was carried away by a tremendous rush of flood water. The open valley is dotted with villages. And the Khyber Pass winds up and down over the most tortuous and wildly beautiful terrain in the world until it emerges on the border of Afghanistan. Straight From India The magnificent costumes worn by Sabu as the little Indian Prince in “Drums,” Alexander Korda’s stirring technicolor film now showINGSAb-WNe: seuss cok. ee: Theatre, were specially made for him in India. Perhaps the most handsome of his garments is a velvet bolero jacket, intricately embroidered with heavy gold thread. And his turbans oe a breath-taking symphony of color. When the film, which features the sensational child star of “Elephant Boy” fame with Raymond Massey, Roger Livesey, Desmond Tester and Valerie Hobson, was completed, the gorgeous costumes were presented to Sabu. “Drums” was directed by Zoltan Korda and is released through United Artists. Pass’ Handling “Natives” Proves Full Course in Diplomacy So Zoltan Korda Discovers on Film Expeditions to India and Africa (Current Feature) If Zoltan Korda ever decides to give up directing films for his producer-brother, Alexander, he will find several careers open to him, but the one for which he would best qualify would undoubtedly be “Special Advisor to His Majesty’s Empire on Native Diplomacy.” Great Britain might well do worse than engage him to fill this Pooh-Bah position, for the younger Korda, during his many months spent filming scenes in out Stirring Action And Adventure In Korda’s “Drums” (Prepared Review) If you like fast and furious action, high adventure and flaming intrigue on a far-flung frontier, Alexander Korda’s technicolor drama, “Drums,” will thrill you as it thrilled last night’s audience at theta ee es Theatre. Sabu, the little Indian lad of “Elephant Boy” fame, follows up that sensational screen debut with an even finer performance in “Drums,” a tale of mutiny in the Valerie Hobson and Roger Livesey 6A—One Col. Scene (Mat. .15; Cut .30) mountains of India, and Raymond Massey, Roger Livesey, Desmand Tester and Valerie Hobson also score in featured roles. “Drums” casts Sabu as Azim, a young Indian prince who, by his bravery and loyalty, foils the diabolical schemes of his uncle, the power-mad Prince Ghul (Raymond Massey), who has murdered Azim’s father, the Khan of Tokot, and plans to murder Azim, snatch his throne, unite the various tribes of the hills and drive the British out of his empire. Azim strikes up a warm friendship with Captain Carruthers, sent to Tokot to stem the uprisings Prince Ghul is fomenting, and also with a little Scottish drummer boy in the regiment, who teaches him a private drum signal for use in time of danger. Through this, Azim is finally able to do a deed of great heroism, when Prince Ghul entertains Carruthers and 50 of his men at a dinner on the last night of a five-day ceremonial feast, as the diabolical climax of which he intends to mow down his guests with machine gun bullets. Azim’s signal brings reinforcements in the nick of time, and results in the death of Prince Ghul and wins the boy his rightful place on the throne. “Drums” boasts the most thrilling technicolor effects the screen has ever shown, actually obtained in India’s treacherous Khyber Pass. The production was directed by the brilliant Zoltan Korda and is released through United Artists. It’s magnificent entertainment—you must see it. of-the-way corners of India and Africa has met and overcome on his own as many delicate and inflammatory situations as does the entire staff of the British Foreign Office on an off day. Velvet-gloved handling of temperamental natives has become a routine to Zoltan Korda, prefaced by the simple matter of reaching the far off portion of the Empire designated for his film making. This is invariably accompanied by varied sufferings—attacks by blood-thirsty insects, battles with the eternally extreme elements and encounters with the more novel forms of flora and fauna. WINS OVER NATIVES Once having arrived, he proceeds to introduce himself to the native population with all the winning wiles of a baby-kissing politician and to accustom them to the idea of co-operating with a motion picture camera, once so universally hated by our unsophisticated brothers as a “devil machine.” But major problems crop up when, in his course of winning friends and influencing natives, Mr. Korda begins to make actors out of his utterly green (or, to be more accurate, coffee-colored) human material. Changing natives into thespians does not consist only of teaching them to grimace, move and speak their lines upon order in the civilized tradition. It is here that all the Korda ingenuity is called into play —he has often to out-diplomat the redoubtable Mr. Chamberlain. For example, his latest filming expedition took him to the Northwest Frontier of India where he shot scenes for “Drums,” a tale of high intrigue in the Khyber Pass, in which Sabu, of “Elephant Boy” fame, Raymond Massey, Roger Livesey, Desmond Tester and Valerie Hobson are currently appearing at these es Le Theatre. In “Drums” numbers of Indians were used to play savage tribesmen and native troops. It was only after all his preliminary work had been done that Korda discovered he was faced with a problem as old as Mother India herself and twice as indomitable—the caste system. CASTE CAUSES WOE Although to the eye of an uninitiated Westerner a Brahmin may look like a Vaisya and a Sudra resemble a Pariah, still, to each other they are of totally different walks of life—encircled by invisible walls of caste—and all must obey their fast rules of behavior. Rubbing elbows and consorting freely together, even for a cause as worthy as the British film industry did not impress Korda’s Indian actors. The Caste system. was mightier than the desire for fame and gold and, bowing to the inevitable, Korda conducted himself accordingly. Acting upon the advice of his Indian Emily Post, Korda saw that caste lines were meticulously drawn through acting assignments, living quarters and even kitchens so that none might be offended. Then the filming began. Yet another. crisis arose during the shooting of an attack in which some five hundred Indians were supposed to die exceedingly dead on the field of honor, But to Mr. Korda’s extreme puzzlement, the majority of his native actors did not even fall down, much less appear deceased. After some parleying through interpreters the reason was discovered— it was simply a case of cupidity. The natives feared that, by allowing themselves to be thoroughly “killed” before the cameras, they would automatically end their working assignments and never again be able to act. A little super-realism on their part that was soon dispelled by an | application of some Korda diplo| macy. —eF