Hugh Walpole, English novelist whose books sell in this country in sufficient quantities to make him one of England’s larger income tax payers, has condescended to write for the screen, according to an announcement issued from the offices of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Walpole will collaborate in the screen story which is being written for M.G.M.’s version of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield.”
Although some of Walpole’s novels and short stories have been sold to movie companies, this will be the first time the august Britisher has promised to write directly for screen purposes. David O. Selznick, formerly of R.K.O. but now of M.G.M., is responsible for acquisition of Walpole’s services. During the past three weeks Selznick, Director George Cukor and scenarist Howard Easterbrook have been in England collecting data and studying backgrounds on the native hearth for “David Copperfield.” If present plans go through, Walpole will return to America with Selznick and his party and travel straight to Culver City.
Walpole is vice-president of the Dickens Fellowship of Great Britain and is considered one of the more rabid members of the Chickens cult.
NEWS REEL AND, OF COURSE, WAR SHIPS
The boys who make news reels certainly had a Field Day, or at least their own idea of one, last week. The arrival of the war fleet gave them a chance to grind out countless feet of films showing the vessels from every conceivable angle. At the Embassy Theatre this week you may see the result of this orgy. I for one think it all pretty dull. Why battleships are considered “ipso facto” spot news has always puzzled me. Seeing these over-publicized dreadnoughts is like counting sheep. After you’ve counted and seen one, the others look exactly the same.
However, there are some other interesting shots. The Indianapolis 500-mile auto race is thrilling to watch, especially the spills that these death-defiers take. Then there is the reception accorded Condos and Rossi after their air flight from Paris, and scenes from the Intercollegiate Track Championships, which make good camera fodder. Not satisfied with showing the U. S. fleet arriving in New York waters, the news reel people added a short called “Navies of the World,” which points out the comparison between the naval strength of the various world powers. There is also a short travelogue on Tunisia, which is not bad.
NOTES ON THE THEATRE AND CINEMA
The Ziegfeld Follies closes next Saturday night. It has been running since January 4. The shutdown is temporary, as it is planned to reopen the production in Chicago late in August…
“Dodsworth,” the dramatization of the Sinclair Lewis novel, will take a seven-week vacation starting on June 30. It will start all over again on August 20. During the lay-off Walter Huston, star of the piece, will indulge in a revival of “Othello.”
Molly Picon’s first show of the season will be based on a comedy by Ossip Dymow which is scheduled to open in September at the Second Avenue Theatre…
Tomorrow night at the Forrest Theatre a musical called “Caviar” will have its premier.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
