... by John Montgomery CASTING has started for The Password is Courage, which Andrew and Virginia Stone will produce and direct on location for MGM and Boreham Wood. Production begins February 12 on this true story about the courage of a prisoner of war in Germany. The atones are casting tne picture mcni- selves. The report that Connie Francis will arrive in April for a Metro musical is ...

... A spiring drama SONNING Charley's Aunt THE ANCIENT spires ot academic Oxford set against an imprinted frieze of the city initially create a far stronger impression of the aristocratic atmosphere in this Mill at Sonning production than the entrances of its two main characters and this saving grace by designer John Elvery allows us to temporarily find some solace until the momen tum of the ...

... . THE HAPPY ENDING. (Gaumont-British.) A silent version of Ian Hay's story was made some years ago, the director being, so far as we remember. George Cooper, and the star Fay Compton. it was an exceedingly good film. As so often happens nowadays, the story in the new picture suffers somewhat from tho lure of apectacle and elaboration, it lias been directed by an American, Millard Webb, ...

... . PAINTED PICTURES (Fox, British). It is said that the Fox Film Company are going to make pictures in England. If that be so, we shall probably be freed from the quota stuff that it, together with other firms, has been putting out. Painted Pictures is a good example of the unintelligent sort of thing that goes out as British, and compares badly with even tho most ordinary American films ...

... . WANTED. (Producers Distributing- Company. All-Talking:.) Originality on the screen is in itself somewhat of a novelty. Unfortunately, immediately a producer or scenarist strikes a new idea it gives inspiration to his brethern who proceed to flood the world with what might at least be called colourable imitations of the original. Within the last few months we have seen this in the rush ...

... . THE SHOW OF SHOWS (Warner). The current attraction at the Tivoli is probably the biggest of the semi-revue pictures that have yet been screened in this country. The cast includes close on a hundred well-known film personalities in America, including some British players. These are supported by a battalion of picked Hollywood beauties. The whole is somewhat oyer- weighted. A complete ...

... Cut and Come Again. I see that tho Ideal Co. advertises that it has cut down half a dozen of its past-issued five-reelers into smartly moving two-reelers, and claims thereby to have brilliantly improved them. This may well be so. I can recall that one of the lot now advertised as being so trreated Her Greatest Performance, with Kllen Terry in the cast, seemed to tne unduly spun out in its ...

... BLACKPOOL PREMIERE FOUR HOURS TO KILL On Monday, at the Grand. Blackpool. Bernard Delfont presented the American play by Norman Krasna entitled. Entwined in this drama are three stories, ali taking place in the luxurious lounge of a 45rd- street theatre in New York. The play opens as the audience are passing .hrough to take their scats Here ;n the crush are Joseph Taft. a plain-clothes ...

... Charley's Aunt CHESTER SUE WILSON, artistic director at the Gateway, Chester, made a wise choice in Brandon Thomas' farce Charley's Aunt as the opening production for the autumn season. Wilson obtains a superb response from her company with Malcolm McKee in full cry as Jack Chesney, the instigator or perhaps perpetrator of the central theme, with able support ftom Iwan Thomas (Charley ...

... Rock Circus, 30 minutes, French subtitles THIS was a rock concert in a circus setting in the studio. Performances and music were good and the de signer particularly caught the eye. He used motor bikes and an Ameri can car with lighting and effects that were very imaginative. Producer and director had worked out a very good balance of material for what could have otherwise been a non-televisual ...

... Italy Celentano; fear of triumph, 51 minutes ADRIAN CELENTANO is said to be the biggest show business talent at the moment in Italy. In this rather pretentious pop-documentary we were frequently cut from one of his very successful outdoor concerts to him in his dressing room waiting to ko on and then to his discussion with a television reporter about his fear of such big crowds as he attracts. ...

... Bulgaria Elixir for All, 31 minutes A STRAIGHTFORWARD opera compilation with next to no linking and done in the studio in front of an audience, this had no place in a light entertainment festival. We asked how it had come to be admitted, but the chairman of the organisers said that he had referred it back to the originating company who said that it was what they wanted to enter and it had ...