January 30, 1932

From Luella O. Parsons
A FREE LADY WILL BE NEXT CONTSTANCE BENNETT TALKIE
Los Angeles, Jan. 29
A refractory (good word) wisdom tooth has laid Constance Bennett low. I suppose one ought to be glad to be young enough to be cutting wisdom teeth, but a mean tooth is unpleasant at any age. While Constance has been recuperating at her Beverly Hills home, she has read and approved A Free Lady by Cecil Stranger as her next picture.
Constance and her bridegroom, the Marquis de la Falaise, sail for Europe in May on a belated Honeymoon.



FOX TO STAR ELISSA LANDI IN WOMAN IN ROOM THIRTEEN
Los Angeles, Jan. 30
Much whispering in current film circles and frequent guesses as to what will happen now that Edward R. Tinker, president of the Fox company, and Richard Rowland, chief advisor, have reached town.
Neither one seems inclined to give out information, but we did learn unofficially, that Elissa Landi is to be given a chance to make new screen friends.
That famous stage play and exciting melodrama, The Woman in Room Thirteen, is to star her. Henry King, well versed in directing drama has been named by Fox potentates as Miss Landi’s director. I suppose that little airplane jaunt Henry and Frank Borzage promised themselves is postponed. The picture, according to all we hear, goes into production immediately.

Snapshots of Hollywood: Dorothy Burgess, with many orchids, at the opening of Mata Hari with Clarence Brown, who is now her “steady company.” Norma Shearer, wearing her hair in a severe fashion that only a woman as pretty as Norma could stand. Irving Thalberg backing out when they tried to photograph them at the theater. Jack Warner in top hat and red carnation representing what the well dressed man should wear. Alec Francis commenting on all the platinum blondes present.




FILM ACTOR WILL PAY SPEEDING FINE IN INSTALLMENTS
Maybe it’s the depression.
Anyway, Duncan Renaldo, Hollywood motion picture actor, is paying his Atwater speeding fine in installments.
Renaldo, who was arrested near Atwater several weeks ago and whose trial was postponed several times, was scheduled to appear before Justice W.H. Osborne at Atwater Thursday.
Instead, Renaldo telephoned the judge,
“I can’t appear in court to-day,” Renaldo told Judge Osborne. “What will the fine be if I plead guilty by telephone?”
“Thirty dollars,” the judge answered.
“Can I pay $15 now and the balance in a month?” Renaldo asked.
Judge Osborne granted the request. The next day a money order for $15 was received.



MARIAN NIXON MAKES GOOD
Come-backs are always interesting but seldom does one find a case which parallels that of Marian Nixon.
After two years of almost idleness, Marian now is staging a real come-back – and much to her own satisfaction she is doing it in the same studio that once kicked her out.
Back in the pre-talkie days Marian was a near-star on the Fox lot. Her salary ran well into four-figures at each new picture in which she appeared. She seemed to be “in” so solidly that nothing could sidetrack her.
Something did, however. Something called a microphone.

LILY DAMITA CAST
“He Met a French Girl,” a new type of screen musical romance with an European background is to be produced at Paramount’s Hollywood studios with a cast headed by Lily Damita, now appearing with Maurice Chevalier in the French version of “One Hour with You.” Cary Grant, leading man of numerous Broadway musicals, and Charlie Ruggles. Frank Tuttle will direct.

PICTURE NEARLY COMPLETE
Only a few more days will see the completion of “Love on a Budget” at the Warner Bros. studios in Hollywood, according to advices from the Coast. Loretta Young and Winnie Lightner will be headlined in this film, which is based on a story by Maude Fulton.

UNITED ARTISTS GETS 3 OF TEN
United Artists again take the lead this year in the poll of the ten best films as conducted by Film Daily, the motion picture paper. Three of the ten best bear the aegis of U.A. producers, the pictures being “Street Scene,” “The Front Page,” and “City Lights.”
Which means that, although United Artists distributed only two percent of the Hollywood output in 1930-31, the company registered thirty per cent among the winners. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer also placed three among the winners, but M-G-M produced four times as many pictures as did U.A.

GAY BANDIT TITLE CHANGED
“The Gay Caballero” will be the title of George O’Brien’s new Fox Picture when it reaches the screen shortly. It was formerly called “The Gay Bandit.” Victor McLaglen, Conchita Montenegro and Linda Watkins are featured.
Another Fox picture whose title undergoes a change is the forthcoming Louis Joseph Vance story with Thomas Meighan, Linda Watkins and Charlotte Greenwood in the leads. It will be billed as “Cheaters at Play,” instead of “First Cabin.”



NEW ARLISS FILM OUTRANKS OTHERS
“The Man Who Played God” – one immediately thinks of that as a George Arliss picture. The English actor is about the only man in Hollywood who would fit into a film with such a title. Since he made his first appearance on the screen in “Disraeli,” Arliss has been free from bad pictures. To be sure, some have been better than others. His latest, “The Man Who “Played God” easily ranks with his best efforts.

SCARFACE TITLE CHANGED
“Scarface” the daring expose of gangster activities, which Howard Hughes has transcribed into film form from the novel of Armitage Trail, will be released under the title of “Shame of the Nation.”

POWELL FAST AND CLEVER IN “HIGH PRESSURE”
Talented Actor Is Well Supported in Film on Stock-Selling Campaign
Excerpted from Wood Soanes:
The debonair and dreamy eyed William Powell, who has fallen into a habit, in recent pictures, of playing roles as if he were walking in his sleep, awoke with a start on the screen at the State theater yesterday, and gave a most energetic performance of an enthusiastic promoter in “High Pressure.”
There is nothing somnolent about the new Powell, and it was a welcome relief to watch him pounding around the celluloid turf as Gar Evans, the genial and irresponsible scoundrel, who dominates the action in a story that bears a direct resemblance to “Get Rich Quick Wallingford.”

Double Bill at Century
Lew Cody, Irene Delroy, James Hall and Natalie Moorhead in “Divorce Among Friends,” and John Bowers, Blanche Mehaffey, and Robert Ellis in “Mounted Fury” are the all-talking attractions which will open a two-day engagement at the Century Theater tomorrow.

Movie tag lines:

Electrifying Thrills and Romance!
A grand picture with a smashing story – a story with a history of bestsellerdom back of it!
Brought to you for the first time on the talking screen, this thrilling drama that fairly staggers your wildest imagination.
DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE
A Paramount production featuring popular
FREDERIC MARCH
Miriam Hopkins, Rose Hobart


CONWAY TEARLE
Favorite of millions rises again to new heights via the talking screen in this emotional portrayal of a daring girl’s love affair in Monte Carlo.
CAPTIVATION
Modern, adventurous drama among the sophisticated, with
Betty Stockfield