CURRENT FILMS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 67, Issue 47, 5 December 1946, Page 3

CURRENT FILMS

ST. JAMES THEATRE One of the most original and out-of-the-ordinary comedy-dramas to reach the screen is “That’s the Spirit,” which will be one of the attracions at the St. James Theatre to-night and tomorrow. Jack Oakie and Peggy Ryan are the stars and the supporting cast includes June Vincent, Arthur Treacher, Gene Lockart, Buster Keaton, Andy Devine and Johnny Coy. “That’s the Spirit” deals largely with the experiences of a vaudeville magician who passes from the mortal scene soon after marriage and finds himself in heaven. How his spirit eventually returns to earth and regulates the affairs of his daughter and his former wife, is ingeniously contrived. Oakie appears as the vaudeville performer. Miss Vincent is seen as his wife while Peggy Ryan has the daughter role. Mr Treacher’s part is that of the butler in a gloomy house where Lockhart is seen as the pious, domineering head of the family. Johnny Coy performs brilliantly as a variety hoofer. Andy Devine plays a theatrical manager and Buster Keaton provides novelty and humour as heaven’s complaint department’s chief. Several very tuneful songs are blended naturally into the plot. The associate feature is “Girl in the Case,” a merry mystery starring Edmund Lowe and Janis Carter. The seriol will also be screened at theevening sessions.