Showmen's Trade Review (1939)

July 8, 1939 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 19 A Convincing Story Irving Cummings.. veteran director and actor, is explaining a screen fight in the old days to Alice Faye on the 20th Century-Fox Technicolor set of "Hollywood Cavalcade". Judging from Alice's face, Director Cummings is telling a convincing story. This picture will recreate on the screen the development of the silent film from 1913 to 1927. Cagney and O'Brien Teamed Warner Bros, will co-star James Cagney and Pat O'Brien in "Two Sons", an original screen story by John Fante. Brenda Marshall, now appearing opposite Joel McCrea in "Career Man", will be the leading woman in the picture, which will be directed by Michael Curtiz. The newly purchased vehicle is a dramatic story of the lives of two brothers whose tangled destinies cause one to win renown, while the other becomes a notorious criminal. Sigrid Curie Gets "Rio" Lead "Rio", slated for Danielle Darrieux, is scheduled to go before the cameras this month with Sigrid Gurie replacing the absent French star. Production will be in the topbudget class and Universal has lined up an all-star supporting cast including Victor McLaglen, Basil Rathbone, Robert Cummings and Leo Carrillo. John Brahm will direct. "Hunchback" Set for Early Start Producer Pandro S. Berman and Director William Dieterle are perfecting plans for "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" to go before the cameras early this month, with Charles Laughton in the title role. Maureen O'Hara, young Irish actress, and Edmund O'Brien, New York stage favorite, have been signed to play the romantic leads in the Victor Hugo classic. Mae West at Universal Universal's deal with Mae West is for three pictures, the first an old-fashioned western in which she will be co-starred with W. C. Fields, with Eddie Cline directing. It is due to go before the cameras in August under the production wing of Lester Cowan, who will also probably handle the other two, which will star Mae West alone. Paramount to Bring "Old Siwash" Stories by Ceo. Fitch to Screen "Old Siwash", mythical midwest college, based on the stories by George Fitch, will be brought to the screen by Paramount under the title of "College Days." Don Hartman is adapting the stories for the screen. Ranking with the most famous American fiction ever written, the "Siwash" stories enjoyed tremendous popularity shortly after the turn of the century. Betty Field, currently before the cameras in "Seventeen", has been set for one of the important roles in the production which will be directed by Ted Reed. Starting date will be announced shortly. "Stranger" to Resume July 10 20th Century-Fox' "Here I Am a Stranger", will resume production on July 10, when Richard Greene is slated to return. Shooting was shut down a month ago when Greene suffered a fractured leg. Nancy Kelly, Richard Dix and Gladys George continue in their featured roles. Roy Del Ruth will handle the direction in place of William Seiter, who is on loan to RKO. Getting the Lowdown Producer-Director Gregory La Cava, Ginger Rogers and Walter Connolly discuss a special scene being filmed for "My Fifth Avenue Girl", RKO picture in which they appear with James Ellison and Tim Holt. Milland Returns for "Untamed" Ray Milland, who recently was co-starred with Ellen Drew in Paramount's British production of "French Without Tears", arrived from England for his role in "Untamed". The film goes into production this week with Patricia Morison and Akim Tamiroff playing the other top roles. George Archainbaud will direct under the production supervision of Paul Jones. Young In "Northwest Passage" Robert Young, who has just finished in "Miracles for Sale", will go to work immediately with his casting in MGM's "Northwest Passage" with Spencer Tracy. Director King Vidor and Producer Hunt Stromberg left for location at Fayette Lake, Idaho, with Tracy, Young, Walter Brennan and associate director Norman Foster. Six hundred extras have, been hired at the site for scenes which are to start next week. WANDERING ARCUND with the "Oldtimer" Is it possible that Carl Laemmle, Sr. plans to re-enter the production field again? Uncle Carl has just purchased "Victoria Cross", an original story by Herbert Peters, which we understand he will produce shortly. Here's a wish that you do, Uncle Carl, from one of your first employees. Looks like Universal is trying to grab the heavyweight championship of the film industry, with Mae West and W. C. Fields set to co-star in a forthcoming production. Why not make it a "Colossal" by signing Edward Arnold and Wallace Beery. Over to RKO to greet Charles Laughton, just arrived for the top role in "Hunchback of Notre Dame". Between bending the elbow, putting on the feed-bag and being introduced to Charlie, six times to be exact, we made a big discovery. We now know what the "well-dressed" man wears for afternoon tea. A great big "hand" to Louis Hayward for his dual role in Edward Small's "The Man in the Iron Mask" and to Joseph Schildkraut for his "Fouquet" . . . both top-rank performances for anybody's dough . . . and a MUST-SEE picture for everybody looking for entertainment. Sam Wood has just made his third move in 24 years in the picture industry. 10 years at Paramount, 14 years at MGM and now signed by Samuel Goldwyn. We would like to see Mr. Goldwyn break the other two records. What a break for the employees of Leon Schlesinger's cartoon plant. The gang is off on their annual vacation, and don't have to report until July 17, with an extra week's pay thrown in for good measure. Schlesinger has completed his 1938-39 program. Eating Again as Usual Between mouthfuls of Sol Lesser's good food, J. A. "Buck" Lewis, STR's "Oldtimer", tries to find out all about dummies . . . . and in this case Jerry, zvho is appearing in "Everything's On Ice", Irene Dare starrer , to be released by RKO. This photo was snapped at a luncheon tendered the press by Lesser.