Cinema Reviews

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21708, 15 February 1936, Page 3

Cinema Reviews

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r B i S HOP .MISBEHAVES’

Er ‘ kan air about this picture ■ that the general run of has in the past been too XlwmGM haslets jh smooth ac-almrd-won perfection. The «rnostiy familiar Jbutthere of feeling behind the mImeUewness of atmosphere the run of events. And „od comedy must, a balance thWoersons and the events. a character who has a credible figure by the be? 1 -®? Kdmund Gwenn. Generally f a beheyolent old fc* **Mklng- like a jelly with pon■'t gjEShumour. But there are * mfSS his hobby of criminology his private life. He is a®£ortble. though his good humdeparts from him. Here fames id? ambition; he finds himiWolved in real mystery. **Usnr-there‘the picture becomes an ■ ■mixture, and it is meant extraordinary mixture. The j&IJSffSe W- With a 5.11 a WiSf is explained by his tremendous of detective stories. All the ffifwhich that literature has made Mmfflar are used by him in has atSfto frustrate the. doings of sevLimehouse criminals. this the mood of the lost The bishop is a hero, or if ever he is. then lucky hero that he appears, tfJtrkeot always an excited old man, Sftivs!suggestion that he is perhaps Stag only to show off before Mi admiring sister.. The deterannaSn ffKs is cleverly shown to.be kind' of resolve which is expected f*Jy cd the • detectives who are found Ltween the covers of a book. Wen at "the end little credit can ybe gfven to the bishop. The S,‘which was arranged in desperatim by a’’ law-abiding girl (Maureen frSuffivan), is particularly naive. Everything about it is naive, most of affibtahbp. Yet when all is over, it can only be felt that he deserves hia.^wn,-almost pontifical remark; "Bather neat, don’t you think? The- supporting programme has many Interests, 1 not least of which, .is- a .filmof American football which explains many of the obscurities; of that game.

MAJESTIC

“MISS PACIFIC FLEET”

j£h BlondelLjUlenda Farrell. Hugh Herbert, ’ Jenkins have earned a reputation as a team of capable; comedians. This reputation is welllmainWtiedl in their latest picture, S Pacific fFleet," a pleasing cffl&dy of a beauty contest in which saflAs are involved, which is now showing at the Majestic Theatre. As fe to be expected in a film of this kind? there are several scenes in; which the comedy reaches a peak. Of these, probably the most amusing is, one m which Kewpie (Allen Jenkins) and a friend thaSe a pafirty of kidnappers who have abducted the person whom thev believe to be the~leading candidate ih the contest. - The -men attexrfpt to'make their escape by water, but are closely followed by the naval men. More the chase is ended the pursuers pass through aperies of adventures £om which it seems that they will i' •’erescape'dliye. A ludicrous fight Li which Jenkins battles for 5000 votes aLor the contest' also provides :mm& imimisemeuLv Jenkins .is the middleOf fthe natjy. but bis fighter ia». serious Hchaffenged. He rafficfc hoypever, and 8 gains the votes for the lady of his I choice. I '/ f Thvo chorus girls* (Miss Farrell and Ms»Blondell)are seen in the opening sedges of the picture’endeavouring to earn;.enough money in* an amusement panr at a naval base to return to New Y<fk- where they* have positions awkitlng' them. Their chances are poor, hjpvever, when Jenkins, by his skftl-at hoop-la, ruins their, business. Ati their, wits’ ends the two girls despair .of ever returning to their native city. v Their only hope seems to be to rettiove Jenkins and raise sufficient credit to reopen Itheir stall. But when they attempt .to get rid of the prize fighter their affairs become even more taqgted, for Miss Blondell ends in gaol, with the option of a term of imprisonment >?or a 1 heavy fine. After exercisfag- a little ingenuity Miss Farrell is able to free her friend from prison, btfiiheir troubles are not over, for the two girls axe still faced with the responfibflity of raising the. amount of tte fine and.of paying a large bill for board To secure the money it is decided to enter Miss Blondell as a candidate for the Miss Pacific Fleet beauty contest-, Her chances of securing the; first Prizesappear very rosy, but when she loses 5000 votes through her affection for? Sergeant Tom - Foster (Warren Hull) it would appear that she has no Possibility of winning. But in spite of a last-minute disappearance which threatens her with < disqualification all ends; happily. Memories of the old silent films are recalled by one' of the supporting featurfeji, which .shows some comical extract? from old films. These' extracts interesting contrast with the raaipfilm, arid the commentary adds witch to. the enjoyment of the film, inere ase other enjoyable shorts on this section of the programme, which jentea-.a& an excellent introduction to the main .picture.

CIVIC

-'v' i - ■’ “SHE SHALL HAVE MUSIC”

Because of the success which has the first week’s screening of Wie Shatt Have Music,” at the Civic »the management has decided to extend ‘ the season for a further Week: °? W highest praised producreleased from the British She Shall Have Music” exall expectations. Not only is an hour and a half of real s"?yt n ® n t, but it is also a milestone .Bfhish film industry. nature musical comedies are WMthing of a paradox. The grand Jazz music and elaborate tab--Iffland large numbers. Yet mSeF Wives best among small comthe most fruitful source of "Ski is personal whimsy. In •' Have Music” the difficulty overcome by the use ? substantial plot, which a a more intimate ele- . mm and to introduce a *1 Gsvn-j companionable character?. tunes, irreproachably . Jack Hylton’s band, are the for some of the prettiest beensSS spectacular scenes to have in British studios. Many ? ranging from the d-m™!, or old Vienna to modern tap «h«Br*w r€ “Eluded, and talent is < unsuspected persons.; f iutp.vthc. story is a romance C }? de an d Brian Law- ' Vetv:m of whom are new stars. A ? CSdTrw* .Performance is given by knovm BT^f9 ier ‘ .Many, other well- ;■ arc in. the cast, but it I where all are ex- ? wn sphere, t 0 single ?S,l P rai se. It is to be V She Shall' Have Music” : orerun ner of.many others programme is of a

"'"STATE .

“THE* GAY DECEPTION”

-/'''.l¥"•■: . An unbelievably rich. " handsome, royal prince, pretending,to be, nobody, and a young and beautiful. girl enjoying a pnad and merry fling on her first and ■ last 1 five - thousand - dollars, provided the delightful situation on which “The Gay Deception,” which opened a season at the State Theatre last-night,,.is based, and it is a situation in which Frances Dee and Francis Lederer. revel. It is one of those brilliant comedies whicli leaves as its main impression a feeling of unbounded mirllv for when one person deceives another it is often melo-. drama, "but when two persons deceive each other, as these two do,' it can be only splendid * comedy. It all starts when Frances Dee, • a sweet young secretary who has longed all her life to be in the gay- eity whirl, wins a sweepstake prize and decides to spend if on one delirious burst of pleasure. Only the best hotel in New York is good enough, but, although she is taken for an heiress, she fails to find the colourful life she had, anticipated., Her greatest annoyance is a bellboy who criticises her hats and tells her how ’lovely she is, and just as often as l she has him discharged she finds him back again, until she commences to take more than passing- interest in him. Even when he appears in the royal regalia to escort her to the charity--ball she does not realise that he is a prince, and when, through some curious misunderstanding, he is arrested as an impostor, the girl finds herself -fighting for his release because she is in love with him. Through one brilliant high-comedy scene after another “The Gay Deception’ moves to its final curtain, find r ranees Dee admits that she does love r rancis Lederer, even if he is a prince and not the poor boy she hoped he was. • - ■ ■ ■ r • The greater part of the supporting programme- is another comedy “Whls-< penng Smith ' Speaks,” a -story of a young man. George O’Brien, whose as s° sheltered him from birth wl he sickens of signing letters without knowledge of their contente, and walks out to find the w prld for himself. .He, succeeds in his mfi« h n f d h i»»self walking 35 miles of a railroad track for a nit. XS® fa? %SSSR '" lh “ BMelte, r S lves an impression of Mik! Am f n ~ p* .the lightest and breeziest ph ’

MAYFAIR

“ THE PASSING OF THE THIRD FLOOR BACK”

The picture version of Jerome K Jerome's play; ‘‘The Passing of the • Third Floor Back,” has hot been preceded by a flood of advance publicity. Undoes hot need that to recommend it.' The play has been famous for more than 25 years, and the* picture version. IjAdiich was shown at the Mayfair for.. the first time yesterday, is isrtoiif twjgiye it a Slider appeal.; The pm is doubly attractive. There are Jhose wilb see because E-iy are ;famijtlar with ithe’ play ahd ilise its ffierit; there are others, hot owing the. play, who will see the picture because it has an actor of the highest ability—Conrad Veldt-in the leading role; Neither ‘class Is likely to be disappointed, f^/the story has hot suffered from being transferred to the talking screen, and Veidt interprets most effectively a difficult role. Those who are familiar with the story, however. will realise that one man’s talents cannot make the picture a success, but the director has not attempted to build with only one actor; It is in the strength of the characterisations of all the supporting players as much as anything that the, film is noteworthy. , The story . has , been revised and brought up to date, but that does, not pflect the .essentials. The modern setting, indeed, has made it the more effective, lor it shows'that the limitations and imperfections of human nature, remain unaltered while customs and methods of living are changing. Veidt is the stranger who comes.to a Bloomsbury boardinghouse, to exercise a tremendous influence for good among people living in unhappy surroundings of their qwn making, into this afmosphtve of unpleasantness comes the Stranger quietly, and with gentle in-, sistence brings to the curiously assorted people of the boardinghouse- a realisation of the warmth and beauty of an unselfish life. He takes them out of the everyday surroundings , that niake them carping ahd fretful, gently so that most of them do not, realise what part; the .stranger is fulfilling, and so that their tension and their cross-purposes ' are forgotten. And then he disappears as quietly as he came. There is humour and excitement with all this, and the story is well knit. It is hard to say who is the more able of the supporting players, but some take more prominent parts. Among these are Bene Ray, as the little slavey who realises the true goodness of the Stranger, and Frank Cellier, vas the blatant jerry -builder, whose evil influences are combated. It is an, outstanding picture, produced with taste' and restraint.

CRYSTAL PALACE

«BOYB ‘.WILL- BE BOYS” "

H there is still a tendency to com-, pare British and American pictures to the discredit of the former, “Boys Will Be Boys,” which yesterday began.'a season' - at the Crystal Palace Theatre, is a sound argument in favour of the contention that there are British productions which have a value an entertainment no less than that of the best films the industry in Hollywood can offer. * One may go further, and confidently argue that the comedies that come from the English studios are, on the whole, the more successful. Frequently they come without undue publicity, but- with few exceptions they are rich in laughter. 1 Such a one is the present feature at. the Crystal Palace. Will Hay, one of the most successful of English comedians, has the leading role, and those who some months ago saw him as the magistrate in “Those Were 1 the Days,” will be’ able to appreciate just what a success he makes of his present characterisation of a headmaster whose position has been secured with the help of forged testimonials. To be able to get this position in such a dubious manner suggests.that. the school is an unusual one; and it is so without any doubt. Most of the pupils seem, to be potential criminals, and the manner in which their headmaster is converted from his abhorrence of gambling to active participation, is delightfully done. Similarly, Hay’s portrayal when he meets a pupil who knows more about the lesson than he does, cannot fail to cause laughter. These are only some of the humorous incidents with which the picture is richly studded. The versatile Gordon Harker has a role for which it is hard to imagine a more suitable choice—that of the bid gaol-bird, whose ’skill as a forger is responsible for Hay’s successful application for the headmaster’s position. Jack Hulbert is seen at his best in “Jack Ahoy!” which is the other feature on the programme. In tact, m “Jack Ahoy!” it is difficult to find a scene in which the comedian is not the dominating figure. In one scene he is in a submarine find is chased by pirates in an armoured motor-launch. When the submarine rises to the surface and tips the occupants of the launch into the water much amusement is caused. Hulbert sings a tuneful number,.“My Hat’s on the Side of My Head,” and also dances a delightful hornpipe, which should bring any “house” down.

PLAZA

“TWO FOR TO-NIGHT”

‘‘Two For To-night,” the picture which , began a season at the Plaza Theatre yesterday, is notable for the magnificent s'nging of B ng Crosby and for its excellent comedy. Unlike some pictures which are made only so that a man or a woman may sing, it does not suffer from long dull periods between the songs. When Bing Crosby is not singing, something entertaining is always .happening, and it is generally happening in some novel and funny manner. For this reason, and because of Bing Crosby’s voice and acting, “Two For To-night” must, be placed h'gh on the list of musical films. Although he has the most prominent part, it is by no means a "one-man” picture, for all the other members of the cast show more than average ability, giving the film, a wide appeal. The story has no great depth, having been'written to give Crosby opportunities of using his voice, but it is nevertheless well connected and runs very smoothly.’ Crosby, in : his inimitable Way/ sings five tuneful songs. It is alrpost, impossible to. pick out one as Having greater merit than the others, but it will be more than surprising if all of them -do not rapidly become fmpular favourites.. For those who enoy Bing Crosby’s .type of voice, which means nearly eyeryone, the singing alone well repays a visit to the theatre. Those -who do not enjoy the singing will find ample entertainment in the rest of the picture Everyone has probably cherished a secret' desire to squirt the contents of a syphon of sofia-water .into, the face of someone else, and there is vicarious satisfaction in seeing that happen. To see a whole roomful of peopie doing it is . a joyous sight, not easily to be forgotten. That, however, is only one of the many hilarious moments ot "Two For TO-nlght." There is an Hungarian butler whose expression is a comedy in itself, and whose peculiar English is a masterpiece. There is an erratic producer who also contributes largely to the general merriment. The story concerns a young man who has a song to’ sell. Like many young men in that position he is handicapped by lack of money, add hp has to report to strange methods to make the buyers of songs listen to him. His first effort is a failure because the prospective buyer turns out to be stone deaf. The second is more successful, but complications dccur because the producer thinks it is a play, not a song, that is for sale,; To satisfy him a play has to be written, and, on the advice of the butler, it is written from life. All this leads to a first-class comedy with the addition of ,3 Bing Crosby kinging, and the result is a thoroughly enjoyable picture.

TIVOLI

‘♦PRIVATE WORLDS”

The ingenuity of film scenario writers seems inexhaustible. “Private Worlds,” now at the Tivoli, is a drama with a mental hospital as a background. The film even goes as far as showing mental patients in a riot. It has been described as; a psychological love drama, and certainly fives up to the description. There is a queer mixture of psychology and love. Mad men and mad women are used indiscrimiriately to point the way to allegedly sane participants In a very ordinary romance; - The exceptionally fine acting of Claudette Colbert and Charles Boyer

lifts the picture above the ordinary. Claudette Colbert assumes the cold role of a doctor in this mental asylum. She:is a capable doctor. Her tact in handling the ■ peculiar type of case which, the institution caters for makes her perhaps, the most important link in the organisation which runs it. So long as she maintains a firm guiding hand bn the intricate machinery of organisation the hospital, is. a success. She secures emotional stimulation of a sort in memories of an old love affair, living’ a kind of vicarious love-life. Then comes the advent of a new superintendent, Monet. He is a Frenchman With old ideas. She is an expert with new ideas. The superintendent temporarily is able to exert his authority, but the change in regime leads to riot in the asylum. The scene is realistic—‘realistic enough to be horrible... Claudette Colbert uses her unusual influence to' stop the riot. ' Of course, she,falls in 1-pve with the new superintendent. The old romantic memory .‘fades, reasserts itself, and thep dies. The superintendent 'wins this peculiar psychological struggle. For a film of this type there is an arresting list of talented stars. Claudette Colbert naturally heads the list. Buf there aremssisting her such people as Boyer, whose rise to film fame has certainly been, meteoric, Joel McCrea, Helen Vinson, and Joan Bennett. They all have serious characterisations which offer peculiar difficulties. They all do well. The supporting programme contains one of those extremely funny “Krazy Cats” cartoon-comedies which are always worth seeing. There is also an interesting news reel and one of those informative talking-reporter shorts, about-Holly wood.

AVON

“BARBARY COAST”

It is a long time since Christchurch picture audiences have seen a film so unusual, in its - subject and treatment as “Barbary Coast,” which began a season at the Avon Theatre yesterday. The film is a tale of the gold rush about San Francisco in 1849, and it is so convincingly done that one could almost believe oneself transported to that primitive town that was early San Francisco. But the merit of “Barbary Coast” lies not only in its subject and treatment. There is some outstanding photography, of harbour scenes in a thick fog and the , acting is uniformly good. The film opens with the Flying Cloud,'a ship tunning between New York and San Francisco about 1849, nosing her way through a thick fog in San Francisco Bay. Among her gold-crazed passengers are two interesting Rutledge and Colonel Cobb. Mary makes no secret ■of her desire to amass gold; and Cobb,a journalist of high ideals, sets out to bring law and order to a town , which has never known them. The film goes on to portray in a very ■ interesting way how. Mary Rutledge and Cobb go their separate ways to gchieye their ideals. Mary makes herself a slave to

the inhuman proprietor of a gambling den, and when she is, ruined and seemingly without a future, she finds a hell in an irresistible love for a young miner. If is through the efforts of Cobb’s newspaper, the “Clarion,” that law and order are finally brought to San Francisco. and. incidentally, that Mary Rutledge’s problem is solved. The film goes on to a conclusion in’ keeping with the rest of the film. “Barbary Coast” is essentially a picture of action, and there is, not a dull moment in it, Miriam Hopkins plays the part of Mary Rutledge, a difficult role, and does it well. Edward G. Robinson gives a very fine character study in the part of Chemalis, the owner, of the gambling saloon, and Joel McCrea is. vigorous and convincing as James Carmichael, the young miner, ' The period atmosphere of the film: is well sustained, and the photography in • parts Is outstanding. A shot which deserves special mention is that of a man hunt in a thick fog on San Francisco harbour. It must have been difficult indeed to get the necessary “slant” here to harmonise with the immediately preceding part of the film. Other pictures on the programme include one showing a series of views from an aeroplane on a. trip across the United States, a newsreel, and a clever Walt Disney cartoon in technicolour called “Mickey’s Fire Brigade.”

LIBERTY

“IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT” AND “MY WOMAN” Two popular stars, Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable, are featured in “It Happened One Night," which is now showing at the Liberty Theatre. Right from the time when she meets Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert is treated to the most amazing and at times hilarious adventures one could wish to meet on a bus travelling to New York. Helen Twelvetrees, Victor Jory, Wallace Ford, Claire Dodd, and Warren Hymer have the important roles in Columbia’s “My Woman,” which is the second attraction. Victor Schertzinger, the director, also a musical composer, has written a musical score for the picture, including songs which Miss Twelvetrees sings. In locale, the choice is unique. Most of the action transpires in a big. radio broadcasting station; and a trip through the station, with its multitude of audition and operating. rooms, is interest: ing in itself.

GRAND

“MURDER IN TRINIDAD” AND “HOLD THAT GIRL” ‘ i “Murder in Trinidad,” adapted from the best-selling, novel by Jdhn Vandercook, is now showing , at the Grand Theatre. • The picture - introduces : a unique : background. The world-, famous Caroni swamp in Trinidad, treacherous with quicksand, infested with man-eating crocodiles, an inaccessible to civilised man, provides an atmosphere ; that. intensifies an already exciting • story. The story concerns a London detective who is called to Port- of Spain by the authorities to attempt ,to stop the flood of Brazilian diamonds that is pouring into the” world's market via Trinidad. The detective is portrayed by Nigel, Bruce. Douglas Walton plays the role of - the young man who aids the detective, and supplies t the romantic interest opposite charming Heather Angel; The other film is “Hold that Girl,” starring James Dunn and Claire' Tre-