STRIKING FILMS COMING

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21239, 10 August 1934, Page 22

STRIKING FILMS COMING

PROGRAMMES FOR PLAZA AND THEATRE ROYAL DRAMA, COMEDY, AND SPECTACLE Several special feature films will be screened at the Plaza Theatre and the Theatre Royal in the next few weeks. British International Pictures' "Red Wagon."' "Polookn," a new Jimmy Durante comedy, Warner Brothers' magnificent spctaclc, "Fashions of 193-i," and a special revival of several of the most popular of Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies and Mickey Mouse cartoons will be included in the entertaining programmes at, these theatres.

"Red Wacon," which will open at the Plaza Theatre to-morrow, is one of the most ambitious British films yet made. It is reputed to have cost more than 11 30,000 to produce, and besides the principal stars has a cast of 2000 extras. The leading cast has 25 members, headed by Charles Bickford, Greta Nissen, Raquel Torres, Anthony Bushell, and Don Alvarado. The story of "Red Wagon" is based on the novel of circus and gipsy life of the same name by Lady Eleanor Smith. It is the story of Joe Prince, a child of the circus orphaned in his infancy, who after years of struggle achieves his great ambition, and becomes a circus owner. Then, deserted by his gipsy wife, he faces ruin, only to be saved by the help of one of his own employees, the beautiful tiger tamer, Zara. The circus scenes in the film called for the exclusive use of Chapman's circus and menagerie for a period of several weeks, during which time more than 50 regular circus hands lived in their caravans inside the British International Studios, in addition to 40 true Romany gipsies, many of whom had never slept in an ordinary bed. Two complete "big tops" were used, and the animals employed in the picture included six lions, five tigers, three elephants, 20 horses, 10 ponies, six llamas, five zebras, and many monkeys, mules, donkeys, and performing dogs. "Nana," the magnificent film at present being shown at the Theatre Royal, will conclude its season next Thursday night, and on Friday "Palooka," the new Jimmy Durante farce, will be screened. Besides Durante there are in the film Lupe Velez, Stuart Erwin, Theima Todd, Marjorie Rambeau, and Robert Armstrong. Durante plays the part of a boxing promoter, who lures Joe Palooka, the rather "simple" son of a former champion, away from his mother, and tries to turn him into a fighter. Lupe Velez is theanight-club entertainer who completes the work of leading the youth happily astray.

In deference to the enormous popularity of Walt Disney, the entire Jlrst half of the programme at the Theatre Royal during the .screening of "Paloo'ku" will be occupied by a revival of silly symphonies and Mickey Mouse cartoons. Five selected examples of Disney's brilliant art will be shown, including Mickey Mouse in "Mail Pilot" and "Klondike Kid," and the Silly Symphonies, "Santa's Workshop," "Babes in the wood," and "Old King Cole." Of the Silly Symphonies, "Santa's Workshop" is one of the most famous of all Disney's creations. There are delicious touches of humour and fantasy in it, such as are rarely seen on the screen. In "Babes in the Wood" the Disney version of the story of the two children lost in the wood and found by the witch there is a delightful musical accompaniment, while in "Old King Cole" the inhabitants of fairy-tale land appear on the screen, among them "Mary, Mary, Quite Con- * trary," "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater,"

"Jack Spratt and his Wife," "The I Three Blind Mice," and "Hickory, 1 Dickory, Dock." •. Spectacular entertainment is con- ' tained in Warner Brothers' new nov- ', city film "Fashions of 1934," which wiil open at the Plaza at the conclusion of the "Red Wagon" season. Not k only is it a gorgeous fashion display, but it is also a lively and amusing coniI edy romance. William Powell, Bette i Davis, Frank Mcllugh, Verree Teas- [ dale, and Reginald Owen are some of > the stars. Powell plays the part of an American dress designer in Paris, who steals i and pirates the designs of famous ! Parisian modistes, the ingenious and , exciting story serving as a framework " for many spectacular fashion-parade J scenes and dance numbers. The . photography, particularly in the dance 1 scenes, is beautifully done, and the settings, smart and modern, are strik- , in? and up to date.