Stars

Wednesday, January 27th., Cadogan Square, London.

We have a sun-bath installed now in the bathroom. It is self-contained except for the flex - cost £25. I am taking a bath daily, but I detect no results so far. Seems like a fashionable gadget to me. Dorothy's idea - she says that 'everyone' has them in America. I would have thought there was enough sun in America already, at least in the South. I still have the chest cold that I've had now for a fortnight and I don't feel at all well. Nevertheless I am giving the thing a fair show.

"Piccadilly" is opening to the public unexpectedly (owing to the failure of somebody's revue) at the Carlton tomorrow. The film is very good so far as it goes, but very little of the comedy has survived and the story does not really end, it only breaks off. Much of it however is first-rate Dupont. Anna Wong is marvellous. Gilda Grey not so good. If I had lived at Elstree for three months I could have got a far better film out of Dupont. Most of last Saturday I was at Elstree revising the titles of "Piccadilly". They would have been terrible, for they had altered back a lot of titles already revised by me, if I had not been firm. I got my way over every title. I shall go to the performance tomorow. I didn't want to go but there was such a fiendish outcry at Elstree when I said I shouldn't go, that I gave in. Also Anna Wong will be there, so it is worth the trip to see her again.

I saw the German filmed "City of Pleasure" last night. The Blackpool fun-fair scenes etc. are excellent, and the whole production has an impressive scale. But every shred of humour has been removed and the book was full of humour. Also the story has been completely removed from the city of pleasure. As filmed it might have occurred anywhere, so the title becomes ridiculous. This show depressed me overall. There is just so much more that could be got from motion pictures approached in the right way. If I were forty I would have a proper go!

The newspapers say that I was 'the star' at the celebration of ten years of Playfair's management at the Lyric on Sunday night. I truly was. Funny! I wasn't a bit nervous about singing, though it was my first appearance on any stage. It has always puzzled me that my stammer disappears when I sing. Sometimes, when it is really bad and I just can't get the word out, I sing it. Disconcerts some people but always works. 

I spent three hours at the Savoy Grill last Thursday arguing with 'the greatest English producer', Alfred Hitchcock, about my second film-story. He wanted to alter it but I wouldn't agree and I won't. Thorpe, the manager of British International Pictures, took my side. At the end I was very hoarse. I should have sung more!