PICTURE FILMS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 218, 25 June 1943, Page 5

PICTURE FILMS.

ST. JAMES THEATRE. Finally to-night at 7.30 p.m. double feature programme “Submarine Raider,” with John Howard and Marguerite Chapman. Second feature “Bad Man of Missouri,” starring Dennis Morgan and Jane Wyman. Plus latest airmail news.

Commencing to-morrow' afternoon at 2 p.m. and again at 8 p.m., Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon in “Mrs Miniver,” w r ith Teresa Wright- and Reginald Owen. A companion piece, to “Mr Chips” was found by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for Greer Garson in “Mrs Miniver,” Jan Struthcr’s novel, the touchingly human story of an average .English woman of the middle classes facing the horrors of warfare on the home front. The picture, teaming Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon, tells of the quiet heroic courage and abiding faith of a people under air attacks and raids. Airs Miniver and her husband Clem, live in a quiet village. Their son is at Oxford 1 . He joins the R.A.F., becomes engaged to the village belle. There are air alarms; episodes in air shelters. Clem joins the older men, going in, ramshackle boats to aid in the rescue at Dunkirk. Life goes cn among the villagers a,s nearly normally as possible. Finally an air laid wrecks the village, kills many —but with calm courage and faith the villagers continue to “carry on” as they listen, to their vicar in the shell-torn church. Greer Carson’s role is appealing and inspiring. Pidgeon typifies the sturdiness of the average Britisher. Dame May Whitty. as the village noblewoman, presents a whimsical and at times earnest characterisation, Teresa Wright and Richard Ney carry the young love interest, and Reginald Owen, Henry Travers and Christopher Severn lend authenticity, ns does ffonrv Wilcoxon as the vicar.