AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 282, 27 November 1940, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

"MILLIONAIRES IN PRISON." ROXY-TIVOLZ. Nick Burton Lee Tracy Helen Hewitt Linda Hayes Bruce Vander Raymond Walburn James Brent Morgan Conway Dr. Collins Truman Bradley Mar Thomas Virginia Vale Director:, Ray McCarey. R.K.O. Also: "WINTER CARNIVAL." with Ann Sheridan. "Millionaires in Prison," now showing at the Roxy and Tivoli Theatres, is an unusual prison drama. There is 110 brutality, no dramatic gaol escapes, none of the dreary drabness that lias formerly, for the most part, characterised prison films. In this story, every thrill is highlighted with a laugli. i'ive millionaires have been sent to prison for various crooked activities. Continuing these activities in gaol they finally ■meet a certain long-termer (Lee Tracy) who wields a powerful influence over the rest of the prisoners. While apparently agreeing to help them with their crooked deals among the prisoners, this man really takes steps to protect his fellows and turns the tables on the millionaires. Through his assistance in getting four prisoners to act as guinea pigs for a successful scientific experiment, tne balance of his sentence is remitted, and he is at last able to rejoin a girl (Virginia Vale), who hag been loyally awaiting his release. Associate attraction at both theatres is Walter Wa tiger's spectacular story of sport on the ice, "Winter Carnival." America's number one "oomph" girl, Ann Sheridan, takes leading role in a merry, fast-moving story of college days. Richard Carlson has the male lead, while other featured players are Helen Parrish, Robert Armstrong, James Corner, Marsha Hunt and Alan Baldwin. REGENT. No patriotic soul can fail to be stirred by "Convoy," the moving production of the Navy's wartime activity, which is showing to capacity houses at the Regent Theatre. As a naval drama it pays a magnificent tribute to the ships and men that still keep England mistress of the seas and the chief defender of democracy. Notable are the scenes depicting the fight between the British ship Apollo and the German raider Deutschland, the dramatic highlight of the story, that seems, like so many other scenes, almost real. The acting is good. Clive Brook as Captain Armitage, presumably a typical naval officer, more concerned with his duty than his wife, and .Tohn Clements as the young officer whose views are to the contrary, both turn in excellent characterisations, while Edward Chapman as an obstinate skipper of a tramp ship could not have been bettered in the role. Judy Campbell, a newcomer, has the female lead, but romance is not emphasised in the production. To sum- up—thrilling entertainment. MAJESTIC. The sixth of the popular "Blondie" series. "Blondie Has Servant Trouble" is to constitute half of the new Majestic double-feature programme to be shown for the first time next Friday. In this number, the family, inclusive of the dog, are sent to occupy an estate in litigation, discover on arrival that it has something of a reputation as a haunted house, and, upon trying to live in it, that the two servants on the premise* are not those who are supposed to be Following a number of mysterious and startling incidents, it is revealed that the butler is a demented magician, not above murder, but not especially adroit in the execution thereof. Sufficient material, in fact, for another first-class "Blondie" production. Penny Singleton as "Blondie" remains lovely but dumb. Associate attraction will be "Castle on the Hudson," a virile drama of prison life, which ends in tragedy. The film develops the story of a New York youngster who is sent to Sing Sing for felony. Released on his honour while his sweetheart is supposedly dying, he is suspected of a murder which she committed, and goes on trial for his life. John Garfield has the leading role. CENTURY. Columbia's character study. "The Lady in Question," which is to be seen at the Century Theatre on Friday, is the tale of a shopkooper in peacetime France who serves on a jury in the trial of a young woman accused of murder and is moved by her plight to take her into his employment and his home, following her acquittal. How coincidence and misunderstanding combine to complicate his existence and bring his family to the verge of dissolution before his wife's perception of his motives bring about a happy ending is told with deliberation and artistry in a film that steers clear of cliches throughout. Brian Ahernc's performance of the shopkeeper role is said to be one of the ranking character studies of the season. Rita Hayworth, Irene Rich, Glenn Ford and Curt Bois have also been receiving plaudits for their performances in the film. This film, by all reports, is an achievement in the artistic side of film production and as such deserves the whole-hearted support of the public. PATRIOTIC CONCERT. To aid the Fighting Forces Fund for all patriotic purposes, a concert is to be held in the Town Hall to-morrow night at eight o'clock. A varied programme of songs, music and humour has been arranged and the IYA studio orchestra is to assist during the evening. Prominent local artists who are taking part include Mr. Gordon Fagan, Mr. Robert Simmers, Mrs. Harold Owers, Miss Rosamund Caradus and Miss Irma Squirrel. A number of valuable articles are to be auctioned during the interval. VOGUE. I%e first "request" programme at the new Vogue Theatre, Karangahape Road, is to b« "Hollywood Cavalcade," Hollywood's i technicolour comedy about itself. Also screening is M.G-M.'s "Kid From Texas."

PLAZA. Ronald Ooknan in the pink and Ginger Rogers surpassing henself in tilie field of humour supply 05 minutes of irresistible comedy in "Lucky Partners," soon to be seen at rhe Plaza Theatre. The screen play by Allan Scott and John Van Druten is sewn with situations which pile complication upon complication, dialogue twist upon twist, which gain charm and potency with the minutes and culminate in a court loom sequence packed with surprises. It is a script of the kind that goes along without words whin action, gesture or facial expression suffices to carry the point, and it is in these stretches, which are many, that tihe principals demonstrate the capacity of their talents. Harry Davenport's performance, as the judge, is particularly outstanding. (Johnan plays a nat Ted artist hiding out from his public, who meets a girl addicted to sweepstakes, shares a ticket with her on her bunch, first extracting a promise that in case they win she will accompany him on a trip, brother and sister fashion, before marrying her fiancee. How all this works ou*T makes excellent screen entertainment. EMBASSY. Throughout its entire length "Night Train To Munich," now showing at the Embassy Theatre, contains a skilful mixture of romance, comedy and drama. Yet, despite the fact that details of the inner working of the Hitler regime contribute their quota of drama, the most melodramatic scenes of aM occur in the comparatively peaceful settings of the GermanSwiss frontier. It is here that Rex Harrison, a British Secret Service man, posing as a German officer, rescues Margaret Lookwood and other members of the cast by transporting them across a chasm in a mountain cable railway. Other featured players in the film are Paul von Hernried, the unforgettable German master in "Good-bye, Mr. Chips," James Harcourt', Felix Aylmer, Kenneth Kent, Austin Trevor, Roland ("French Without Tears") Quiver and Raymond Huntley. Carol Heed, who drected, is one of the "white hopes" of the British film industry who strikes the nail of unorthodoxy clean on the head every time. In this latest triumph he dhows that he possesses the touch whioh ensures a good script 'becoming an outstanding picture. ST. JAMES'. Picturisation of Kenneth Roberts' "North-West Passage," the current attraction at the St. James' Theatre has proved itself to be well worthy of its source. The novel has been ranked with "Gone With the Wind" and "Anthony Adverse;" the picture also must be ranked as among the best of the year. Those who have loved the book need have no hesitation in seeing the film. Nothing of importance has been left out; no important details glossed over to bring the production more in line with what many directors seem to consider the acme of motion picture entertainment —sickly romance against an indoor background. This yarn, on the contrary, is of the outdoors — photography, incidentally, being in Technicolour —and the swashbuckling Tracy, who is Major Rogers, although a new Tracy, is still the same character actor. Robert Young further displays his versatility in a new type of role as Langdon Towne. while Walter Brennan gives a typically sound performance. STATE. Now showing at the State Theatre Symonds Street, is Twentieth CenturyFox's powerful film. "The Rains Came." The film, which has been successfully adapted from Louis Bromfield's novel, has Myrna Lqy, Tyrone Power and George Brent in leading roles.