Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Thursday 26 May 1938, page 24


FILM NEWS OF THE WEEK.

ROSALIND KENNERDALE as the French prima donna, and her maid, CLAUDETTE GUBBAY; LLOYD HUGHES and JUNE MUNRO, who plays the role of his young sister, in scenes from Cinesound's production of "The Broken

Melody," to be released at the Embassy Theatre after "Dinner at the Ritz."

DIANA DU CANE sings Alfred Hills specially-composed music in the

operatic scene in Cinesound's "The Broken Melody," to follow "Dinner at the Ritz," at the Embassy Theatre. The film is based on the novel by Frederick Thwaites, and the last reel is almost entirely music, giving the film the flavour of an operetta. The title of he film gives the name to the opera

supposed to have been written by the hero, John Ainsworth.

CINESOUND'S NEW

PRODUCTION.

To Begin in 10 Days.

"BROKEN MELODY" FOR

EMBASSY THEATRE.

Mr. Ken G. Hall, Producer-Director of Cinesound Films, said yes-terday that he would begin work on his fourteenth film on Monday week. The film is as yet untitled, but it will feature Bert Bailey in a city story about Dad and Dave, in which the former becomes the

proprietor of a smart frock shop.

AT CINESOUND studios yesterday, Mr. Hall, with Mr. Bailey and Mr. Frank Harvey, continued their work on the script, and Mr. Hall said that Miss Shirley Ann Richards would play the leading feminine role.

During the next few weeks Mr. Hall's twelfth and thirteenth films, "The Broken

GEORGE WALLACE, as a stage hand, accidentally stumbles, into ALEC

KELLAWAY'S act in a scene from "Let George Do It," a Cinesound pro-

duction which will be released shortly.

Melody" and "Let George Do It," will be released at city theatres; the former will follow "Dinner at the Ritz." which will open at the Embassy Theatre to-morrow.

Mr. Hall said he was not superstitious about the number thirteen, and added that he hoped it would prove his lucky number with "Let George Do lt.",

"BUT when we begin work on the

new film, I will have to be care-ful about green, because Bert Bailey has all the theatrical hatred of the colour," said Mr. Hall. "When we were producing the first of the Dad and Dave films. Dave wore a green vest, and Mr. Bailey blamed everything that went wrong on the set to that

vest."

Now that the English market is temporarily closed, Mr. Hall said that Cinesound intended to concentrate on making films which he was sure would appeal to the local market.

"Sneak Preview."

"WE followed the American idea of

a 'sneak preview' for 'The Broken

Melody,' at Double Bay on Saturday night," said Mr. Hall, "and the applause which greeted the film when it finished at 11.50 p.m. was a happy augury for its success. The film is a romantic musical show, for which Alfred Hill lias composed special music. The last reel of the film, which is based on the novel by Frederick Thwaites, is almost entirely devoted to original music.

"Let George Do It.' on the other hand, is slapstick comedy, which we hope will have a wide appeal to the Australian sense of

humour."

"The Broken Melody."

THE CAST of "The Broken Melody"

includes Diana du Cane and Rosa-

lind Kennerdale, both of whom have shown more promise in thise one picture than most of the actresses who have passed through the studio, according to Mr. Hall.

Tile story concerns a John Ainsworth, who is sent down from the University following n night-club scandal, and Ann Brady, a night-club singer. Ainsworth, unable to secure a job during the depression, turns to his music and his violin; Ann gets her chance to sing in his opera when the prima donna quarrels with the deputy conductor.

"Let George Do It."

GEORGE WALLACE, Joe Vali, Alec

Kelleway, and Gwen Munro are featured in "Let George Do It." Wallace plays the part of a handy man at a theatrical boarding house, who works at night as a stage hand. Wandering on to the stage at the wrong moment, he accident-ally becomes involved in the act and is sacked. He is hoaxed into the belief that he was heir to a fortune ; hires gangsters to kill him on condition that they do it when he least expects it; signs awav his possessions and discovers that he really has inherited the money. Kidnapping and a speedboat chase

DIANA DU CANE and LLOYD

HUGHES in a scene from "The Broken Melody," which will follow "Dinner at the Ritz" at the Embassy

Theatre.

follow befoie the tangle is finally uravelled.

Mr Hall says that he prefers to produce drama instead of comedy. "It is so much cleaner," he said. "There is no mess of pies and so forth to be swept from the studio, as there is after slapstick."

Australian World Star?

ASKED if he thought he would ever discover a world star in Austialla Mi Hall said that "it would be a miracle, but it could happen. After all, Melba was an Australian," he added. "In Hollywood with the whole world to draw upon there are many featured players, but only a few stars. And in the long run, although the director helps, it is the public who really decides who

will be a star.

"In America there is a definite tendency to cultivate personality, and I think that the subject could be taught here in the schools. In the studios we get applications from blondes and brunettes and every shade in between; most of them are pretty, but that essential quality of personality is missing. Most of the girls too are not well groomed and I tell them that they should look after their heair, their faces, their frocks.

"And here is a story:

A Lecture Heeded.

"ABOUT six months or so a girl

came to see mee; she was just one

of the many who wanted to get into films. She may have had the natural ability -I don't know; but her appearance was against her. So I delivered my little lecture and told her to do something about herself.

"The other day I received a 'phone call from a girl who asked did I remember having seen her and could she come to interview me again. I could not even remember her when she sat opposite me at my desk, and then she told me that she had taken my lecture to heart. She had groomed hersefl out of all recognition of the Miss Ross who had called some months previously. She is now an understudy in Fay Compton's company, and we have given her a small part in the next

film.

And I suppose that one of these days the great Australian star will come to us in just

some similar fashion."

ALso in the next film will be Billy Ray, an Englishman, who has been for 10 or 12 years in America, and has appeared on the Tivoli circuit in Austialla He is said to bear a resemblance to Gene Raymond.