CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21686, 21 January 1936, Page 7

CITY THEATRES

REGENT "BROADWAY MELODY OF 1936" A film which is remarkable in many ways is "Broadway Melody of 1936," the current attraction at the Regent Theatre. In the first place the traditional slenderness of the musical comedy story has been entirely disregarded and all the brilliant dance spectacles and choruses have been woven into a tale that might have been quite entertaining without them. In doing this, of course, the director ran the risk of making some rough joints, but such was his skill that he moulded the whole film into a graceful and artistic piece of work. This is one of the many triumphs of the

picture. Another is that the producers ( took a whole bunch of artists new to \ films and tried them out in one of the year's most elaborate productions. The success which has greeted the film in many countries is a fitting reward for their courage. "Broadway Melody of 1936" tells an old story with tremendous pace, rhythm, and enthusiasm. Roy del Ruth has directed so expertly that the film never flags for a moment. The star is Eleanor Powell, who has been described as one of the major film discoveries in the last year and a very serious rival as a tap dancer to Fred Astaire. If she can compete with his invention, use of ballet, and perfect body, hand, and arm movement there would seem to be no screen heights I to which she cannot climb. She is also a graceful ordinary dancer and a brilliant mimic. CIVIC COMEDY AND MUSIC ' "Are You a Mason?" and "In Town To-night," two deservedly popular films, are having a very welcome return season at the Civic Theatre this week. "Are You a Mason?" is British Dominions Films' adaptation of the famous stage success of 30 years ago, which has never declined in popularity. A distinguished cast has been assembled, headed by Sonnie Hale and Robertson Hare, as a young husband and his henpecked father-in-law, whc pretend to become masons in order to please their respective wives. Hilarious best describes the situation when the two husbands meet, each believing the other to be a member of a masonic lodge. The supporting cast includes Dave Burnaby, Lewis Shaw, Gwyneth Lloyd, Joyce Kirby, and Bertha Belmore. The second film, "In Town To-night," in which Dave Appolon and his band are the featured artists, is a novel film revue with an astonishing cast of talent from the English stage, screen, and radio. No small part of the enjoyment is due to the faultless recording and the fine photography. Stanley Hollowayf Jack Barty, Arthur

Prince, Melissa Mason, Olive Groves, Norah Williams, the team of Wilson, Keppel and Betty, and the Kneller Hall Band are among the many celebrities' who contribute towards making "In Town To-night" outstanding among British musical films.

"COME OUT OF THE PANTRY" An attraction coming to the Civic All-British Theatre on Saturday next, which is of special interest to picture-goers, is the musical comedy, "Come out of the Pantry," for it features the popular Jack Buchanan. His delightful personality, his purity of English speech, his versatility in sing-

ing, dancing, and acting, have made him the screen's most popular star, and in "Come Out of the Pantry," patrons can look forward to seeing undoubtedly his best acting. Supporting him in an outstanding cast are Fay Wray, Kate Cutler, Ronald Squire, Marie O'Neil, and Ethel Stewart. Box plans open to-day at the theatre at 10 a.m. CRYSTAL PALACE "THE PAY OFF" It is not often that a motion picture producer succeeds in incorporating in one film such genuine elements of drama, romance, and comedy as has Robert Florey in "The Pay Off." This film, which heads the programme at the Crystal Palace this week, is excellent entertainment. A fast-moving story of newspaper work in New York, the picture gives an illuminating insight into the big-money sports business of the United States, which has become for many shrewd and unscrupulous persons as profitable a racket" as boot-legging. The story concerns Joe McCoy •James Dunn), a happy-go-lucky sports writer on a big newspaper, who has earned an enviable reputation as an enemy of anything not "on the square." Maxine (Claire Dodd), his -Wife, is a beautiful but entirely selfish woman, who would rather see him making money hy "playing ball" £or the sports racketeers. While her bus-! band is covering big sports fixtures in ' another part of the country she becomes infatuated with Marty Bleuler, night club proprietor and racketeer, one of the chief losers through McCoy s clean sports campaign. McCoy

returns to find that his wife is not u 7*,. 01 l f , riendl y terms with Bleuler, but that she is deeply indebted to him for gambling losses at his night club. There 1S an interesting programme of

TIVOLI "BONNIE SCOTLAND" Scotland and the kilt have provided many laughs for comedians, and it was to be expected that Laurel and Hardy should some day become McLaurel and McHardy, as they do in "Bonnie Scotland," which is now showing at

the Tivoli Theatre. The change of name, however, does not mean a change of character, or a loss of their own inimitable kind of humour. Laurel is still wondering, useless, and talkative, and Hardy still hides his inefficiency by a blustering pomposity. The l B merelv provides them with an c-^ d K I S^ e of fun ' for it; is the sight of these two playing about like

overgrown children—in a way that many other comedians attempt without achieving anything like the same side-splitting situation—that makes the film. GRAND "THE GREAT DEFENDER" "The Great Defender," a stirring

drama featuring Matheson Lang, and Happy,' a musical comedy starring Stanley Lupino, are the main atfactions rat the Grand Theatre. Matheson Lang has few peers 2&h & n d l a^ tic , actor - and in The Great Defender" he has a role that enables him to give of his best m a sterling character study. Margaret Bannerman, Arthur Margetson, a "^r S>am , Ll vesey are also in the cast. Happy is a delightful musical med £ that will appeal to many per-

sons. The story concerns the adventures of an inventor who despairs of his invention ever being a success.

STATE "TOP HAT" For -the fourth time in a musical romance Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are starred together. The film in which they are appearing is "Top Hat," which is now showing for a fourth week at the State Theatre. The outstanding merit of this film is unquestionable. To„ produce a film that will please everyone is impossible, but it is possible to produce a film that will have a very strong appeal to the great majority of theatregoers, and "Top Hat," can be recommended as a film that has been extremefy popular. The credit for its suc-

cess -belongs chiefly to that brilliant team, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, who have the leading pails. . f "THE GUVNOR" The accusation has been brought against George Arliss that, instead of adapting himself to the characters he portrays, he suits them to his own personality. For this reason, it has been said, George Arliss is not really to be considered a great character

actor. Be that as it may, there is no doubt that he is a great film star. The welcome which his new film, "The Guy'nor," which will be shown soon at the State Theatre, has received where it has been shown is proof of the popularity of his acting. With Mr Arliss is featured Viola Keats, as the owner of an iron foundry, which is the object of a plot deeply laid by two cunning crooks. Pat Knowles, as the wholly-honest stepson of one of these financial experts, is in love with Viola, a pretty, attractive little thing. A somewhat simple soul, Pat is used as a tool by his cunning father. Meantime, George Arliss's pal, cleverly played by Gene Gerrard, discovers that his fellow-nomad's real name is the same as that of a famous millionaire stock-broker, and he turns the coincidence to advantage. He is one of those happy-go-lucky individuals to whom anything is better than effort, but by the time "The Guv'nor" has been playing the part of the great financier for half a day, Gene finds it takes just all his energy to allay suspicion, let alone extricate himself and his fellow-masquerader. MAYFAIR "THANKS A MILLION" Perhaps the greatest recommendation for a musical film is that it should be considered suitable for broadcasting. "Thanks a Million," which is now showing at the Mayfair Theatre, was broadcast by station 3ZM. And so prolific is the film m new musical numbers that there can be no doubt that it would make an excellent programme. There must be disadvantages about only hearing the songs and dialogue, however, since there are many comedy scenes which are splendidly acted. Indeed, the story is one 'of the freshest pieces of humour that have been shown for some time. A State election in America gives the opportunity for the action. A bibulous, stupid old fellow is the candidate, chosen in desperation by one party. His general incompetence and his habit of being drunk when he is to address electors make him the laughing stock of the people and the weeping-stock of his party. It seems that the party must be defeated because of its candidate. But the manager of a touring entertainment show suggests that the election should be contested in a new way. The audiences of the hopeless candidate should

first be soothed by music and danc- | ing. After that they would be prepared to bear with any campaign speeches. The scheme goes wrong, however. The candidate drinks only the more, and even when he is sober, he is still met with disapproval. Soon it becomes evident that the people are no longer interested in election matters. They want music. So it occurs to the committee of the political party that they would prefer to give votes to a singer than to a politician. Dick Powell, who plays the part of a crooner, is persuaded to stand as the governor. Then the opposition, seeing the worth of music, hires Paul Whiteman's band. After that there is yet more scope for music and for comedy. The production of the film is excellent. The story is never lost, in spite of the abundance of songs. The exposure at the end of the perfidy of [ all politicians is most delightful, and the way their discomfiture is brought about is a fitting end to their schemings. AVON "THE DARK ANGEL" The first of the United Artists' films for 1936, "The Dark Angel" now showing for a second week at the Avon Theatre., has an exceptionally brilliant cast, headed by four players, who are very popular, Fredric March, Merle Oberon, Herbert Marshall, and John Halliday. © If ever there was a film that gave fuli measure of emotional situations it is this one. There have been many stories of thwarted lovers, cf

lovers who have been kept apart by other people, by economic circumstances, or by their own misunderstanding—really determined misunderstanding—but "The Dark Angel" must be eminent among films of frustration. "THE LAST OUTPOST" COMING Cary Grant, Claude Rains, of "The Invisible Man" fame, Gertrude Michael, Kathleen Burke and Colin Tapley head the cast of the Paramount film, "The Last Outpost," which will come to the Avon Theatre soon. It is a story of a handful of men who control the destinies of millions of people in the fierce, mysterious deserts and jungles of Arabia. Filmed by the same company that made "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer," this film tells of a triangular romance between two officers and a nurse in a hospital behind the firing lines. Fast friends, inseparable, the two men go through many dangers together. Grant's life is saved by his brother officer, who in turn, because of the girl, goes through a tremendous hardship to kill him. How these two friends are reunited is told in an exciting climax. The firm was directed by Charlie Barton.

LIBERTY | "BRIGHT EYES" There are two kinds of sentimentality. Without trying to analyse either, or to explain their existence, it can

be said that one is what even the most diligent reader of popular novels would call "slushy"; the other would move the heart of the hardest cynic. "Bnghteyes," the film featuring the small girl actress, Shirley Temple, which is now showing at the Liberty Theatre, is unashamedly sentimental, but its sentimentality is of the better sort. "Police Car 17," the supporting feature, stars Tim McCoy. McCoy is well known for his characterisations in roles that call for plenty of action, and in Police Car 17" he has every chance<-to_give.of Jus-best,

THEATRE ROYAL "HARD-ROCK HARRIGAN" AND "SPRING TONIC" The two pictures at the Theatre Royal this week are "Spring Tonic" and "Hard-Rock Harrigan." They are of an entirely different nature, but both are among the best of their class. The first isjnainly comedy, the second drama, but it has its moments of comedy and romance. Between them they offer a good evening's entertainment. Lew Ayres and Claire Trevor, supported by the inimitable Zasu Pitts, take the leading roles in "Spring and they form an efficient trio. The story concerns a very conventional young man who is about to marry a young woman to whom a very conventional life does not appeal. George O'Brien plays the title role in "Hard-Rock Harrigan." "HOP-ALONG CASSIDY" Cattle-rustling is the basis of the thrilling action in "Hop-Along Cassidy," the Paramount film of the popular book by Clarence E. Mulford, which will start at the Theatre Royal on Friday. Underlying this, however, is the theme of loyal friendship between the mature hero, Cassidy, and a hot-headed young cowboy, named Johnny Nelson, which gives the story an unusual interest, as well as paving the way for other films in the "HopAlong Cassidy" series. The magnificent photography is another feature which puts this production well above the average level of Western pictures, while the performances of all the cast are very competent. William Boyd is excellently suited to the title role, and he receives strong support from Jimmy Ellison, Paula Stone, Kenneth Thompson, and George Hayes. MAJESTIC BORIS KARLOFF AGAIN Boris Karloff has come into great demand with the average amusement seeker, and this has resulted in the film directors producing many thrillers with him as the principal star. With such a demand for stories which are "bloodcurdling" enough for his inimitable variety of acting, these directors have been hard put to secure suitable plots. However, for "The Raven," which is now at the Majestic, they have delved into the past to secure ideas from that king of mystery-writers, Edgar Allan Poe. Unfortunately most of Poe's stories are not very long and have not sufficient material to provide a full-length picture. The directors have therefore taken from several of his greatest plots the ingenious torture weapons invented by his abnormal brain. With these they have combined many terrifying modern appliances which to the American mind make for even greater terror. Karloff perhaps /owes his suitability to act in pure thrillers to his terrifying face. Those who saw the "Black Room" will be well aware of the awe. his presence introduced into the film. * PLAZA A BOYS' CLASSIC Blue seas, cut-throat privateers, roistering sailors, and sufficient hand-to-hand combats to last a wrestling enthusiast for a lifetime are a few of the ingredients of the film version of Captain Marryat's famous adventure story, "Midshipman Easy," which is now showing at the Plaza Theatre. This is a film which boys of all ages will enjoy. The story of the film follows Marryat's classic with remarkable fidelity. Hughie Green, as a likeable if somewhat over-eager Easy; Roger Livesey. as an excellent naval captain; and Harry Tate, as an hilarious Bos'n Biggs are by n6 means the only fine actors of-a long cast, which includes some notable minor characterisations, especially those of the negro Mesty. ipd <fi„ bandit DortJSilvio.