CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21399, 15 February 1935, Page 8

CITY THEATRES

PLAZA "THE COUNT"OF MONTE CRISTO" A remarkable picture with an even more remarkable cast-:"The Count of Monte Cristo"—has now entered its second week at the Plaza Theatre, and in it Dumas's immortal story .is faithfully and convincingly brought to the talking screen. The directors have shown an almost uncanny skill ,in translating a novel of such length and complexity as "The Count of Monte Cristo" to the screen, and the picture brings back vividly to the observer all the genius of the famous writer. Two of the actors are outstanding—as Edmond Dantes, Robert Donat, the London stage star, gives a perfect characterisation, while. O. P. Heggie. as the Abbe Faria, is exceptionally good. Elissa Landi makes a charming heroine, and every member of the supporting cast does full justice to his part. Edmond Dantes, an unwitting victim of a plot against the King of France, is sentenced to solitary confinement in the prison at Chateau dlf by a rival for the affection of his sweetheart, Mercedes. There are three concerned in his unfair condemnation—Mondego, De Villefort, and Danglars. Dantes endures terrible privations in the dungeon, remaining there for 20 years. The prison scenes ar.> full of great sadness, and the meeting between Dantes and another prisoner. Abbe Faria, touches the sympathy of the audience. Together they plan to escape, and spend years laboriously chipping away stone to make a tunnel down to the sea. The Abbe dies, but leaves in Dantes's hands a plan to immense wealth on the island of Monte Cristo. Escaping by daring methods, Dantes discovers the wealth, and sets about wrecking the lives of those who secured his banishment.

CIVIC "NELL GWYN" Beginning with good broad humour and rising to excellent dramatic heights, "Nell Gwyn," now being shown at the Civic All-British Theatre, is an excellent blend of the most appealing elements of screen entertainment. The plot, based on the immortal story of the pretty orange girl's historic love affair with the merry monarch, King Charles 11., brings back to vivid reality one of the most picturesque and romantic periods in English history. Sir Cedric Hardwicke's study of Charles 11. is restrained and wholly convincing. Indeed, it is as fine a regal study as has ever been seen. Anna Neagle has never before had a part like "Sweet Nell of Old Drury." In this role she is an attractive little cockney, with a quick cockney wit, and her portrayal of this fascinating role, together with the magnificent dances, shows her to be one of the most talented and versatile actresses on the screen to-day. "Nell Gwyn" is a film that will further enhance the already high reputation of British films. Four excellent supports precede the main feature. Box plans are now open at the Civic Theatre, where seats may be reserved at no extra cost.

CRYSTAL PALACE "DAMES" What attracts people most to a talking picture—a good story, good music, or pretty women? It is a problem that Warner Brothers, heroes of the musical extravaganza, have apparently heen asking themselves, and they haverput forward their solution in calling their latest film "Dames," and making its chief attraction the music of the story. In fact interest is mainly in the men of the film, the girls, with the assistance of the photographers* wonderful ingenuity, making a clever background. The result is a film very attractive for its good comedy, much more so than any of its predecessors, yet still containing a fair measure of good ballet numbers and several new and attractive, song-hits. "Dames" is thoroughly good entertainment—there is not a dull moment. The cast includes most of the players who have already won themselves popularity in Warner Brothers' earlier "extravaganzas." Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, and Joan Blondell are all starred, and together with them is a truly wonderful comedy team in Zasu Pitts Guy Kibbee, and Hugh Herbert. Dick Powell as radiant as ever, is the scapegoat out-of-work nephew and "blighted" branch of the family tree of Ezra Ounce, played by Hugh Herbert, an American multimillionaire and founder of the Ounce Foundation for the Elevation of American Morals. Uncle Ezra's morals and millions cannot prevent his nephew from running a musical comedy show in one of New York's leading theatres. The "show" brings in the catchy songhits, chief of which are the theme song "Dames," "I Only Have Eyes for You," and "The Girl at the Ironing Board," the last an outstanding success, sung by Joan Blondell, the everpresent chorus girl who extracts a large sum from an innocent old man. Ruby Keeler's dancing has already received high praise. Here she is as good as ever. Guy Kibbee is outstanding among the comedians. He is the poor victim of circumstances, who is hoping to get 10 of Uncle Ezra's millions. Zasu Pitts, always in trouble, is as pathetic as ever as his wife.

REGENT "NOW AND FOR EVER" "Grand Canary," starring Warner Baxter and Madge Evans, will conclude its season at the Regent Theatre tonight. Katharine Hepburn, Mae West, and Clark Gable all rose to an amazing degree of film lame in a comparatively short time, but they have all surely been outstripped by the youthful Shirley Temple. This little actress' latest picture, "Now and For Ever," will be shown at the Regent Theatre to-mor-row. After her rise to popularity through such films as "Stand Up and Cheer," "Baby, Take a Bow," and "Little Miss Marker," this clever child has revealed a surprising maturity and endeared herself to every theatre-goer who has seen her. In "Now and For Ever" she appears with such wellknown players as Gary Cooper and Carole Lombard, but as in her previous pictures she holds the undivided attention of the audience from first to last. The beginning of the story shows Cooper and Carole Lombard as two daring but charming criminals, who are forced to flee to another city with the police close on their trail. However, for the sake of their young child they decide to break away from their former habits, but they find that this is more difficult than they expected, and the complications which ensue form the basis of a highly entertaining production. Both Cooper and Carole Lombard captivate the audience with their likeable qualities, which they cannot conceal under their callous exteriors, and their performances are excellent. Box plans are now open at the D.I.C.

MAJESTIC "THE CAT'S-PAW" "Crime Without Passion" and "The Mystery of Mr X" will be shown finally to-night at the Majestic TheIn the entertaining comedy, "The Cats-Paw," which will head the new programme at the Majestic Theatre to-morrow, Harold Lloyd ascends to the higher level of orthodox comedy, without foregoing any of those inimitable characteristics which have placed him in the first rank of screen comedians. Taking the role of the sly and inoffensive Ezekiel Cobb, he appears as the son of a missionary in China who has received a liberal education in the classics —both Chinese and European—and has become thoroughly steeped in the philosophy of a Chinese savant, Ling Po. He returns to his home town, Stockport, where the local politics are marked by corruption and vice, and where his Chinese philosophy and habits make him grotesquely out of place. He is still that sly, timid young man, always doing and saying the wrong thing, and quoting Chinese proverbs to meet the most impossible situations, but he is also the centre of an interesting and highly amusing story. He is persuaded to offer his services as mayor, simßly because the rival faction is convinced that he will not be elected, but, somehow, his child-like simplicity arouses the public sympathy. Inspired by a charming cigarette-seller, Petunia Pratt, a part convincingly taken by Una Merkel, he determines to clean the city and exterminate the "organisation" at the heads of affairs. Cobb's utter simplicity and ignorance of American • politics lead him to revert to Chinese methods for the suppression of crime in the city. A strong supporting cast includes George Barbier, Nat Pendleton, and Grace Bradley. George Barbier as Jake Mayo, Cobb's sponsor in the election, gives an exceedingly clever portrayal, while Nat Pendleton as the frightened "gangster" is also very good. Box plans are now open at the D.I.C.

LIBERTY "SING AND LIKE IT" AND "KEEP 'EM ROLLING" "His Greatest Gamble" and "Vanity Street" will be screened finally tonight at the Liberty Theatre. "Sing and Like It," a hilarious comedy, starring Zasu Pitts and Edward Everett Horton, and "Keep 'Em Rolling," a drama in which the leading roles are taken by Frances Dee and Walter Huston, will comprise the fine new double-feature programme at the Liberty Theatre to-morrow. "Sing and Like It" is one of the funniest comedies to come from Hollywood, for in it the woeful Zasu Pitts is seen as a would-be prima donna. She is supported by such able players as Edward Everett Horton, the laconic Ned Sparks. Nat Pendleton, and Pert Kelton. The plot concerns the efforts of the "Kidnapping King" of gangsterland to boost to stardom Zasu Pitts, who has touched his heart with her singing of a plaintive "mother" song. The film is good fun all the way through, and the principals make the most of the many opportunities for uproarious comedy the plot affords. How a horse conquers a soldier's rebellious spirit is shown in "Keep 'Em* Rolling," an adaptation of the "Saturday Evening Post" story, "Rodney," by Leonard Nason. Walter Huston and Frances Dee are the featured players, and others in the cast are Minna Gombell, Frank Conroy, Robert Shayne, Ralph Remley and G. Pat Collins. "Keep 'Em Rolling" reveals intimate glimpses of a soldier's life, and authenticity is given to the picture by reason of the fact that most of it was made at Fort Myer, Virginia, the home of the Third Cavalry and Sixteenth Field Artillery, whose officers and men took part in the production. "Keep 'Em Rolling" contains more drama, comedy, romance and pathos than the original story. Box plans are now open at the D.I.C.

TIVOLI "OUTCAST LADY" "The Pursuit of Happiness," starring Charles Ruggles, will be shown finally to-night at the Tivoli Theatre. Constance Bennett and Herbert Marshall are co-starred for the first time in "Outcast Lady," which will head the new programme at the Tivoli Theatvc to-morrow. "Outcast Lady" is a screen adaptation of "The Green Hat," the novel which set all England talking a few years ago and made the name of Michael Alien famous. It is a modern story and enshrines in somewhat lighter style that strangely universal appeal to compassion which made "East Lynne" famous both as a stage play and story. In the title role the vivid personality of Constance Bennett dominates the cast, enriches the action, and captures the sympathy of the audience as completely as anything accomplished by G*orge Arliss in his historic masculine roles. It is a study in pathos, characterised by the delicate surety of touch for the shading of sentiment and simplicity in which the English stage excels. In the character of Iris March, reckless of self in her loyalty to family and friends, she sets and suffers for a standard of honour as a "gallant gentleman" which compels the puzzled admiration of her intimate friends, but wrecks her happiness. It is a fascinating story of a feminine Don Quixote of the twentieth century. The complicated emotions evoked by the experiences through which" Iris March passes give Constance Bennett fine opportunity for sympathetic acting, and the picture is. said to be a triumph for her. Box plans are now open at the D.I.C.

GRAND "SUNSET PASS" "Sailor's Luck" will be screened finally to-night at the Grand Theatre. Randolph Scott, Tom Keene, Kathleen Burke, Noah Beery, Harry Carey, and Kent Taylor piay the leading roles in "Sunset Pass," the Zane Grey drama which will begin a return season at the Grand Theatre to-morrow. The story, which is packed with exciting incidents, centres round a cattlemen's association deputy who finds that the man he is tracking down is the brother of the girl he loves. Keene plays the role of the deputy; Scott the man he is seeking; and Kathleen Burke the latter's sister. One of the highlights of this stirring drama is a raging prairie fire, and the subsequent stampede of a great herd of terrified cattle. Hard riding and thrilling gun fights are also features of the production. The supports will include Chapter 9 of the serial, "Gordon of Ghost City." Box plans are now open at the D.I.C.