The Cinema
[STAR-GAZING.]
AT the Empire Theatre, where The Hollywood Revue is being shown, it is possible to gaze from 12 a.m. to 12 p.m. almost continuously upon a regular galaxy of stars. Stars of such magnitude as Marion Davies, Norma Shearer, John Gilbert, Buster Keaton, shine perhaps most brightly, but the com- pany in which we find them is of almost equal brilliance. Each star as it shoots into the limelight to do its turn is intro- duced to the audience. There is much " gagging " around these introductions, and a perpetual clamouring among the cast for the greatest and most startling publicity. All this is part of the fun, but I could not help wondering sometimes whether I was not watching some cinema artists' advertising convention. In fact, I got a little bored with the compliments and insults which were fired from star to star.
But The Hollywood Revue is obviously a very successful mechanical entertainment. It has variety, comedy—some- times wit—sob-stuff (in not too large doses), and above all perpetual movement. It is this last quality which more than anything 'else holds the attention of the audience, and which merits our admiration. There is a pleasant informality in the way in which one turn changes into another, some " catchy " tunes and some dangerous dancing. It is all very gay, irrele- vant and distracting. As I have said, it is this sort of enter- tainment which is most suitable and capable of success in the talking film medium.
The most outstanding criticism of The Hollywood Revue seems to me to be that there is an entire absence of beauty in it, even the beautiful stars seem to be so far away that their heauty has for the most part to be left to the imagination. And this is difficult to avoid when the whole stage with its chorus and setting is shown on the comparatively small screen, or else we are given a close-up of the star against whatever background may happen to be there—generally the stairs at the back of the stage. There seemed to be no design in the construction of this revue ; there was no picture which pleased one's eye ; the only pattern which seemed to me at all satisfying was that made by the drilling white legs of the chorus. If more thought were given to the background and setting of the performers, an entertainment of this kind would be more pleasing to the senses.
CELIA SIMPSON.
Previous page
