CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21285, 3 October 1934, Page 3

CITY THEATRES

CIVIC "LILY OF KILLARNEY" A truly charming picture is "Lily of Killarney," at present showing at the Civic All-British Theatre. Besides being a treat for music-lovers, it blends sprightly humour with tense melodrama. It is a film that brings back the early healthy spirit of the, screen in a play of real life, love, and laughter. Seldom before has such a satisfactory cast been assembled. Each member is suited to his role, and has the talent to enact it. A more charming colleen than Gina Malo could hardly be imagined. John Garrick, who will be remembered by all theatre-goers as Reginald Dandy in the "Rose Marie" Company, gives an excellent portrayal of Sir Patrick Creegan, and Stanley Holloway as Father O'Flynn is outstanding. The singing of 10 Irish national airs, which include "Killarney," "Father O'Flynn," "Believe Me if All Those Endearing Young Charms:," "Little Irish Gig," "Ireland in Spring," "Dear Little Shamrock," is a special feature of this production, and they arc interwoven into what is a most delightful romance, by good singers, assisted by a male choir of 50 voices. Four splen .id supports precede the main feature. Box plans are open at the theatre from 10 a.m. daily. THEATRE ROYAL

"ADVICE TO THE LOVELORN" AND "BLOOD MONEY" It can be safely said of "Advice to the Lovelorn" that Lee Tracy has never made a belter picture, and that there have been very few better comedies within recent years. If there have been any better at al.. The story is clever, and the whole conception of the film is the stuff of which really first-class comedy is made. It is most broad-minded, but the broad-minded parts are handled with the American deftness that leaves no possible criticism. Unlike many newspaper stories, it presents a very fair picture of the working of a modern American newspaper. The plot is ingenious, but the theme of the picture is the downfall of an ambitious reporter. He is Toby Prentiss, rilled with faith in himself, but rather inclined to be unreliable. He is ambitious, but after having made an unforgivable mistake in his work, he is put in charge of the column, previously run by a most sentimental spinster, in which advice is Riven to young things for whom the course of love has begun to run brokenly. It is a terrible blow to the pride of the ambitious young man, but naturally he survives, and eventually makes a huge success of the distasteful job. Lee Tracy is a comedian of abounding energy, and he dominates the picture, but throughout his work is so good that there is no feeling of recrimination against him for this. The action of the film is fast, and there is hardly a moment that is not highly amusing. Even the very necessary moments of warm romance are not without their humour. Sally Biane gives an excellent performance. The second picture is "Blood Money," with George Bancroft. The story is a study of a new side of the doubtful semi-underworld activities that flourish in the United States, and is intensely interesting to those of us who know little about these odd corners in American social organisation. Bancroft gives an outstandingly good performance, but quite as good is Frances Dec, who gives an exceptionally i.ble characterisation of a society girl, a kleptomaniac. The part was not an ensy one to play, and was very much the best this actress has ever done.

LIBERTY "RED ENSIGN" AND "YOU'RE TELLING ME" The Liberty Theatre has an excellent programme to offer this week. The programme is divided between two tine pictures, one a British story, and the other an American comedy. The British iilm is "Red Ensign," which is built about a topical story of the struggle of British shipping in the face of subsidised foreign opposition. The film does Leslie Banks, the leading character, great credit. He plays the part of an ambitious shipbuilder who has evolved a design that makes running costs low enough to compete with subsidised shipping. Carol Goodlier is a splendid heroine. The other picture on the Liberty programme is "You're Telling Me," a hilarious comedy starring W. C. Fields, whose particular style of swift humour has made him thousands of friends. The story is a most amusing record of the doings of Sam Bisbee, a man who hates work, but who is sustained in his faith in himself as a genius. Have you anything to sell —Do you wish to buy? If so, a small advertisement in the classified section of "The Press" will be all you need. 12 words Is, three insertions 2s 6d. —8

f'lm, particularly the performance of a symphony at the Queen's Hall by the entire London Symphony Orchestra of 115 players. Any film in which Marie Dressier appears needs no recommendation to cinema audiences, and "Prosperity," the second feature at the Crystal Palace, shows her in a characteristic part. She is the commanding and successful business woman, whose broad humour and good-heartedness endear her to everyone but her rivals, who know only the iron in her. There is some amusing by-play at a wedding, showing Marie Dressier at her best. With her are Polly Moran, Anita Page, and Norman Foster. GRAND "HER FIRST MATE" Slim Summerville and Zasu Pitts give one of their best performances in "Her First Mate." the rollicking comedy which began a return season at the Grand Theatre on Saturday. "Her First Mate" is a story of marital adventures. Slim had set his heart on realising his ambition of becoming a sea captain—a deep-sea captain—and so his wealthy wife buy? him a ferry boat in San Francisco harbour—and then the fun begins. Unknown to each other, both Zasu and Slim each buy a ship, Slim purchasing a full-rigged sailer, and one of the funniest sections of the film deals with the voyage that follow"

PLAZA

"SONG OF THE PLOUGH" "On Secret Service," a thrilling spy drama, with Carl Diehl and Greta Nissen in the leading parts, continues its most successful season at the Plaza. <& picture of unique attraction will be screened at the Plaza Theatre on Saturday. "Song of the Plough" has had no predecessor that is in any way comparable. Universal praise has been given to the amazing beauty of its scenes of the English countryside, the unusual and interesting nature of its story, and the splendid acting of a very fine cast Those whose taste and discernment make them appreciate a really artistic production will find the greatest pleasure in this picture. "Song of the Plough," when shown in England, was hailed with enthusiasm by the public and the press alike. The critic of the "Morning Post" wrote: " 'Song of the Plough' has really excellent photographic values. The scenes of rural England and the surroundings of an English farmyard are not only lovely, but superbly 'shot.' Neither Germany nor America could have produced better work. Its young director, John Baxter, has obviously a quite unique sense of pictorial beauty." Heading the cast is Stewart Rome, as Farmer Freeland. Stewart Rome made his film debut in 1913 in "Justice," with the Hepworth Company, for whom he played many outstanding roles. He has added experience for the part he plays in "Song of the Plough" in the period he spent sheep farming in Australia. Supporting him are Rosalind Fuller, who in 1932 played Ophelia to John Barrymore's Hamlec; Allan Jeayes, who has been seen in "The Ghost Train" and "The Impassive Footman"; Kennth Cove, "The Perfect Fool" as he is known, who ha.s appeared in "Mischief" and "Out of the Blue"; and Hay Petrie, who has made a great name for himself by his performances at the Old Vic. The cast is an outstandingly strong and well-balanced one. The story deals with a dramatic event in the life of Farmer Freeland, who, with the task of supporting himself, his widowed daughter, and his little granddaughter, is faced in bad times with the necessity of raising money to pay his tithes. He decides to sell some of his livestock in the endeavour to raise the money, but they realise only a fraction of what he expects. Among his few remaining and greatly cherished possessions is his sheep-dog Glen, which his unscrupulous and hated neighbour, Joe Saxby, wishes to buy in order to win the sheep-dog trials, which are shortly to be held. Freeland, although sorelytempted to sell, eventually refuses. The trials form a thrilling climax to a very fine story.

CRYSTAL PALACE "THE CONSTANT NYMPH" AND "PROSPERITY" Not often »does a lilm capture the imagination so strongly as "The Constant Nymph." The story of Margaret Kennedy's popular novel has already been treated as a play and as a silent film, but the present production sets new standards, and in particular has 1o be commended as one of the few films based on books that is at all faithful to its original.

The acting throughout is distinguished. It has a "lift," a grace, and a happy humanity that is in the best British tradition. Aherne as Dodd makes a convincing musician, and there is a happy-go-lucky playfulness about him that prevents the part from being sentimentally dull. The Tessa of Victoria Hopper is a winsome and yet a strong character, combining the moods of the schoolgirl w'th the depth of feeling of the woman. The photography throughout is excellent, and the composition of the settings is well contrived to give the right emphasis. The music is a notable feature of the

REGENT

"SUCH WOMEN ARE | DANGEROUS" "Such Women Are Dangerous" is the story of a young novelist who was unfortunate enough to have 9,000,000 women for his readers and admirers. As his books returned him 40 cents a copy in royalties, he very naturally kept on writing what the 9,000,000 wanted and enjoying life on the proceeds. When the picture opens we are shown him at work, dictating the dreamy stuff that these legions of women so greatly admire. So far, and for a good way further, "Such Women Are Dangerous" is a light, rather cynical comedy about the trials of an author beset by women. Then it develops into a solemn court-room drama. Shawn, the author, is accused of murder under suspicious circumstances, brought before the grand jury and finally saved only by the fortuitous discovery of a letter. But his stay in gaol gives him time for a little critical introspection. He emerges much stronger in character, and we see him at the end writing a book of literary quality regardless of the 9,000,000. Warner Baxter has the part of the excessively -engaging novelist. Me is a sood actor, and in one or two scene:; of the film an extremely good comedian. Rosemary Ames appears as his very beautiful and frank secretary.

"TARZAN AND HIS MATE" Once again Tarzan, in the person of the physically powerful and amazingly athletic Johnny Weissmuller, comes to the screen. A sequel to the "Tarzan the Ape Man" of 1932, also with Weissmuller, "Tarzan and His Mate" is reported to be far and away superior to its predecessor. The romance of the jungle man and his western white girl is there more strongly than ever, with Maureen O'Sullivan once again the mate of Tarzan. Neil Hamilton and Paul Cavanagh are the menace to Tarzan's happiness with his mate in the jungle. It is fiction of the purest dye, just as the original Edgar Rice Burroughs stories were also pure fiction. With almost amazing effect have been conducted Tarzan's rescue of his mate from a fighting crocodile, from a tearing lioness, from a maddened rhinoceros, doing successful battle with only a knife for a weapon. Box plans are open at the D.I.C.

"THE THIN MAN"

"The Thin Man," the film version of a novel selected by Sinclair Lewis and Alexandra Woollcott as the best mystery novel of the year, will shortly be screened at the Regent. There is a degree of humour in this picture unusual in mystery dramas. The cast is a particularly strong one, headed by William Powell and Myrna Loy.

MAJESTIC

"SADIE M'KEE" Joan Crawford's peculiar personality is given full scope in "Sadie McKee," Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's film version of Vina Delmar's well-known novel, which came to the Majestic Theatre on Saturday, and the large following he has among theatre audiences will be thoroughly satisfied with this presentation of it. "Sadie McKee" is an intricate drama, an intensely interesting one, and it gives Joan Crawford equally as many opportunities as the famous "Grand Hotel" or "Dancing Lady" did. She makes the met of them, and for those who arc attracted by her pictures there is something as rich as ever in store. Franchot Tone plays opposite Joan Crawford, as the attorney, Gene Raymond is the crooner, who gets lost in New York, and Edward Arnold makes a really flawless drunken millionaire. The supporting progamme includes "Air Fright," a short comedy, a Gaumont Mirror, and a Fox Australian news, Willi pictures of the fifth cricket test.

"MURDER AT THE VANITIES" Something entirely new in musical reviews is promised with Earl Carroll's "Murder at the Vanities." It is really two shows in one—a gay, beautiful, tuneful spectacle, and a tense mystery story that is good enough to feature on its own. The combination of these two elements gives a well-nigh perfect entertainment. "Through these portals pass the most beautiful girls, in the world" are the words above the stage entrance of Earl Carroll's Vanities, and this statement would be difficult to disprove. With eleven of Earl Carroll's beauties, Carl Brisson, noted Continental and English stage star, Victor McLaglen, Jack Oakie, Kitty Carlisle and Duke Ellington, and his famous orchestra, "Murder at the Vanities" tells of the premiere of a brand new musical show. The two stars, Brisson and Miss Carlisle, late in arriving, bring news that they are to be married. Gertrude Michael, jealous, vows to get even with Brisson. Later when the wardrobe mistress meets Brisson, it is evident she is his mother. No one knows this but Miss Michael. Once a famous opera star, his mother is wanted in Vienna for murder. The jealous girl knows this, too. To prevent further trouble from her, a hired detective is detailed to watch ', her. Then, while the orchestra is gaiiy playing and the girls are dancing and singing to a throng of firstnighters, the sinister hand of a murder moves back-stage. Two crimes are committed. Detective McLaglen is called and the manner in which he solves the unique situation while the musical show goes on is both thrilling and entertaining. Gorgeous, girls, tuneful song hits, and a really excellent mystery story make "Murder at the Vanities," commencing next Saturday at the Majestic, one of the most entertaining pictures of the year. Box plans are at the D.I.C. MICKEY MOUSE The annual Mickey Mouse birthday party will be held at, the Majestic Theatre at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 13. Birthday cake will be distributed, and all of Mickey's friends, including Minnie and Pluto, together with many well-known children's screen favourites, will be there. Seats can be reserved at the D.I.C. at a cost of sixpence.

TIVOLI

"THE RIGHT TO ROMANCE" Picture-goers who have come to think that among American actresses Ann Harding stands first will find their opinion confirmed by her work in "The Right to Romance." She appears as Margaret Simmons, a plastic surgeon at the head of her profession in New York, but increasingly disturbed by the feeling that her devotion to it has shut romance out of her life and that youth, beauty, and happiness will perish in the atmosphere of the consulting room and the hospital. She throws aside her work, and in the holiday air of California "Peggy Simmons knows herself again, gay, careless, charming, irresistible. So 800 Preble finds her. Their love-affair rushes on to marriage; but it is not long before the disparity between them appears. Bob has been captivated, but he is too unstable to be won: and he swings easily back to the pretty Lee Joyce, whom he had dropped for Peggy. This is a sore enough disillusion: but Peggy is more grimly tested when Bob and Lee crash in an aeroplane and it is her skill alone that can restore her beauty to the injured girl. In this, almost every speech has some turn in it of her quite individual expressive art; and she has carried physical expressiveness further than almost any rival. As Helmuth Heppling Nils Asther does very well; Robert Young acts with great spirit, but never quite convinces one that Peggy would be swept away by him; Sari Maritza as Lee Joyce has little to do but looks bewitching.

"MORNING GLORY' s Regarded as one of the greatest ot contemporary screen actresses. Katharine Hepburn gives a magnificent performance in "Morning Glory," which will be shown at the Tivofi Theatre this month.