AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 306, 28 December 1939, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

"THE FIGHTING GRINGO." ROXY—TIVOLI. Wade Barton George O'Brien. Nita Lupita Tovar. Don Ali.so Lucio Villegas. Ben Wallace AVilliam ltoyle. Ranee Potter Glen Strange. Also: "OVERLAND EXPRESS," with Buck Jones ahd Marjorie Reynolds. An exciting tale of adventure and gunplay in south-west Texas o£ 60 years ago, not far from the Mexican border, was brought to the screen at the Roxy and Tivoli Theatres jointly yesterday i.n "The Fighting Gringo,'' starring George O'Brien. This story of fast-moving action reveals O'Brien at hit? two-fisted, hard-riding best. It is a departure from the usual type of O Brien pictures, and the unusual ending will surprise all who see it. O'Brien portrays the leader of a band of vagabonds who make their living by hiring out their guns, acting as guards and convoys to stagecoach ami express companies or to private individuals. In the Texas town of San Carlos, near the Mexican border, the men are engaged to apprehend an aged Spanish Don who is wanted for the murder of the town's local hanker. Working on the "lvunch" that the Don is innocent, O'Brien discovers evidence to substantiate his belief when he learns that the banker had served an eviction notice on tlie Spaniard, after bribing the Government surveyors to make a false survey of the Don's rancho. a grant of land given his ancestors by Spain. How O'Brien proves his belief through clever deductions and the ingenious playing of one suspect against another, and the bringing to justice of the real murderer, add the final note of excitement to an actionpacked story. Lupita Tovar, petite and attractive Mexican actress, furnishes the romantic interest as the Don's daughter. '"Overland Express," set in the 1860's, tells the dramatic story of the Pony Express and its incessant conflicts against bandits and Indian warriors. Buck Jones lives up to fullest expectations of fighting, riding and shooting. REGENT THEATRE. Deanna Durbin brings all her freshness and youthful lack of "glamour" as Hollywood understands it, to the screen once more in "First Love," the Regent's holiday attraction. For the first time, her producers. .Joe l'asternak and Henry Koster, have given Miss Durbin :i romantic interest in a film. Her first cinema kiss is bestowed on her by handsome young Robert Stack. With every eligible young actor in Hollywood envying hie lot, the young man was decidedly ill at ease. The fact that there were a good score or more of technicians, actors and sideline watchers on the set certainly did not aid matters so far as Stack was concerned. He made a tentative move towards the expectant Deanna, hesitated, blushed furiously, then brushed bis lips apologetically across her hair. The director would not have it, not unnaturally. The miserable Robert made another essay, hardly more successful than the first, but [lie did at any rate reach the girl's cheek. The director took him aside and told him a few things which may not all have been connected with waste of the firm's money in time. So Robert tried again—and gave the startled Deanna the perfect masculine embrace. And the diiector needed no reST. JAMES' THEATRE. Rollert Donat makes another notfah in his long list of film triumphs with his perf»i m a nee as the schoolmaster who goes from eager youth to philosophical old age in the film version of James Hilton's famous novel, "Good-bye, Mr. Chips." Donat, who is undoubtedly in the top flight of English act'ors, will be remembered by every film patron for his magnificent portrayal as the doctor in "The Citadel," picturisation of A. J. Cronin's popular novel. He has not yet, in fact, turned in a poor performance—in a career that has covered all types of emofional roles. The only guimble riiat can be found with Donat's career is that he does not appear often enough. Between his making of "Knight Without Armour" (with Marlene Dietrich) and "The Citadel" there was a gap of two years or so, much of whioh was explained by an attack of asChma. However, it was freely stated by London Press commentators that Donat was using his asthma as a shield to protect him against having to accept roles which he did not think would help him. Like Charles Laughton and George Arliss, he ; s most careful about what' parts he shall play. One result is tlhat he appears in too few films—and possibly too much in each film This has been said to be the case in "Good-bye, Mr. Chips.' EMBASSY THEATRE. The music used in the Embassy's current film "The Wizard of Oz," a ,technicolour translation of Frank L. Baum's famous story, is remarkable in many ways. "The Wizard of Oz" is unique in that it is the first motion picture to have a continuous musical accompaniment from beginning to end. Every range of musical expression is covered- There are clanging and rumblings of the loudest magnitude for the dramatic moments, while the mysterious scenes liavg a background of tremolo effects. Because the songs continue the unfoldment of the plot they have been likened to the work of Gilbert and Sullivan. There is no doubt that they have the same delightful vivacity in music and lyrics. The music for the six featured songs in the film was written by Harold Arlen, connposer of such popular melodies as the famous "Stormy Weather." The lyrics came from the pen of E. Y. Harburg. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. One of the most popular shows ever to have been presented locally by Messrs. J. C. Williamson is their "Switzerland Ice Ballet," now enjoying a most successful season at His Majesty's Theatre. With Megan Taylor, world champion, at the top of the bill, and the brilliant trick skater, Phil Taylor, and the London comedian, Eddie Marcel, supporting her, the show presents a varied holiday entertainment that is proving to the taste of Aucklanders and visitors alike. The company includes many attractive skating girls (known by the publicity men, at least, as " "skaterinas"), and in all travels about 70 persons. Because this was the first time that an ice-ballet company has come to New Zealand on tour, the procedure of freezing the stage and preparing the ice has proved most interesting to many local people. Giant York-Shipley engines are installed beneath the stage to pump brine through a vast array of pipes lying on a wooden frame, six inches high, which almost covers the stage. On these pipes was laid two and a half tons of crushed ice. Water was hosed on and frozen. Workmen smashed protruding lumps with hammers, wooden blocks and a hand-plough, then liosed again. More smashing and hosing until the ice was built up the requisite height above the innumerable pipes. Polished, it was ready for skating. CIVIC THEATRE. Hollywood may buy, of course, for fabulous prices, rights to best-6elling books; it may make an occasional "hit" film out of an unknown story; it may convert some half-forgotten story .by a dead author into the year's best "epic"—but sooner or later Hollywood will turn back to the stage for its inspirations. Stage plays are still, always have been, the principal source of supply for Hollywood's pictures. The Civic Theatre's present attraction, "Golden Boy," is one of the most successful plays of the past two years so far as Broadway was concerned. It was produced, but with nothing like such sensational success, in London. The story of a musician who endeavours to rehabilitate ' himself by turning prize-fighter, "Golden Boy" provides fine melodrama calculated to hold the interest of every patron until the show is over. A newcomer to the screen has the film's top spot. This is William Holden, who was taken from the Broadway show itself for the-role, in preference to any of the established stars of Hollywood. Barbara Stanwyck, who lately made a great success of her important role in Cecil B. de I Mille's "Union Pacific," has the feminine lead in "Golden Boy."

CENTURY THEATRE. Shirley Temiple, remembering how Ohing Ching, her pet Pekingese, was given a rede in "Just Around the Corner," and knowing that she was scheduled to ride a pony in "Susannah of the Mounties," the current picture at the Century Theatre, sent a letter to associate producer Kenneth Macgowan offering Roanie, her own pony, for the role. She pointed out that besides being very comfortable and safe, ■ and accustomed to her riding, Roanie'a services could be acquired for a nominal fee. Macgowan agreed to use the pony, paying 10 dollars a day for its use. This money Shirley sent to her pet charity, the Milk Fund. "Susannah of the Mounties" is an action-filled melodrama built round the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway and its opposition by wild Indians. PLAZA THEATRE. First of all Britain's cinematic efforts to propagandise itself in this war, "The Lion Has Wings" will be presented at the Plaza Theatre on Monday, at the close of the season of "Fifth Avenue Girl," an amusing musical comedy in which Ginger Rogers keeps up the high standard of comedy she set not long ago in the farce, "Bachelor Mother." There is more, however, in "The Lion Has Wings" than propaganda. According to such London critics as Paul Holt of the "Express." John Milford of "Film Pictorial." Connery Chappell and others, it is one of the year's best melodramas. Entertaining from beginning to eud, it tells the story of Britain's amazing effort to overhaul her rivals in the matter of aerial power, of a successful race to develop her resources and produce an invincible air armada. The film ends with an up-to-the-minute climax, if reports are true—the wonderful raid on the Kiel (.'anal the Sunday after war was declared. Two of England's most popular players were starred by Alexander Korda in this ambitions and significant film. They were Ralph Richardson (remember "The Man Who Could Work Miracles," "Things to Come," etc?) and Merle Oberon, whose brunette loveliness may serve to offset some of the film's sheer drama.