Cinema: The New Pictures: Oct. 1, 1934

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Chu Chin Chow (Gaumont-British). In the last two years the cinema industry in Britain has expanded almost as rapidly as it did in the U. S. before Depression. Douglas Fairbanks (whose Private Life of Don Juan had its London première last month), Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Gregory Ratoff, are a few of the Hollywood celebrities who are making pictures in England. Last week John Barrymore signed a contract with London Film Productions, Ltd. to act in an adaptation of a Shakespeare play, directed by Alexander Korda (The Private Life of Henry VIII). Most potent of British producing companies. which are currently paying 25% higher salaries than Hollywood, is Gaumont-British. Last week this concern announced its plans to invade the U. S. market by supplementing its distribution contracts with Fox with its own sales staff in 31 U. S. cities. And Gaumont-British Picture Corporation, Ltd. was reported to be negotiating the purchase of Manhattan's huge Roxy Theatre, now in the hands of receivers. At the Roxy last week opened the first of eight Gaumont-British features to be presented to U. S. audiences in the next two months.

Unlike most importations, Gaumont-British's version of the comic operetta which ran at His Majesty's Theatre in London from 1915 to 1920, in Manhattan from 1917 to 1919, is at least intelligible to U. S. cinemaddicts. Its actors muffle their accents, sing with no more affectation than U. S. musicomedy performers. Prepared without either the gross exaggerations of a DeMille or the onyx convolutions of a Busby Berkeley, Chu Chin Chow is elaborate without being absurd. It relates the story of Ali Baba (George Robey) and the 40 thieves, exhibits the misfortunes which overtake the head thief Abu Hasan (Fritz Kortner) when he inflicts unjust punishment on his favorite dancing girl (Anna May Wong). Interspersed with songs, dances, oriental feasts and samples of British comic opera jocosity, it requires almost two hours for the thieves to reach their bath of boiling oil. U. S. cinemaddicts may find the photography in Chu Chin Chow inferior to most recent Hollywood musicomedies, its narrative method stodgy, but are likely to approve the decor, Frederic Norton's music, the acting of the only performer in the cast whose name is familiar to them. Anna May Wong wriggles her eyebrows ably when placed on the slave auction-block, writhes in splendid style when compelled to turn the winch that opens the door of the robbers' cave.

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