CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21775, 6 May 1936, Page 7

CITY THEATRES

REGENT

"ANNA KARENINA"

A story so intensely dramatic as ft ? iv Karemna " is seWom seen on Tol,?nl kl £ g SCreen - The nov eL by Leo ,«2S? y £ as a P re dominatirig note of melancholy and fatalism, witoout any f n Si on , t0 false \ t Ts a great love story, true, but its strength is in its intense tragedy and it is remembered for that. To devSn ° £ the >*&e version of the same name, which is SGCOnd Week at the Regent

"NEXT TIME WE LOVE"

„ N «rt Time We Love," starring Margaret Sullavan, is the offering which begins a season at the Regent Theatre on Friday. Based on the novel by Ursula Parrott, the film has been produced by Universal as a modern romantic drama with settings in New York Russia, Siberia, China, Rome, and Switzerland. The story concerns a young couple, impulsively married, who try to pursue individual careers. The husband's wanderings round the world, the wife's longing, the love of another man for the wife, and the tempestuous conflict of emotions against a background, of threatening world upheaval—all combine to make the narrative a stirring recital. There is a play within a play, portraying Margaret Sullavan as the star of a hit on Broadway. The dialogue, preserving the rich qualities of the novel, has been given new treatment "by the director, Edward iH. Griffith. The cast includes, besides Miss Sullavan, James Stewart,, who has appeared in "Rose Marie"; Ray Milland, Grant Mitchell, Anna Demetrio, and Robert McWade.

MAJESTIC

"IF YOU COULD ONLY COOK"

"If You Could Only Cook," a film which is having a season at the Majestic Theatre, is a comedy-drama introducing a new team, Herbert Marshall and Jean Arthur. So happy is the combination of these two, that any future film in which they team is likely to be well received.

"SONG OF THE SADDLE"

The second of First National's series of new western dramas with music, "Song of the Saddle," comes to the Majestic Theatre on Friday, with Dick Forgan, the "singing cowboy," again in the leading role. The picture is said to be a thrilling melodrama, with a romance and comedy relief in addition to the music. The story and screen play by William Jacobs evolve about the murder of a western pioneer by a band of cutthroats who masquerade as respectable citizens, and with the plot to trap the slayers. Madam Karnos, whose monkey circus will be a special attraction at the Majestic Theatre for the week beginning on Friday, is one of the most interesting personalities in the "show game" in Australia. For 27 years a leading light in Australian vaudeville, she turned her attention to animaltraining when the talkie films restricted the opportunities open to those in her profession, and she has been very successful in training monkeys, dogs, squirrels, kangaroos, wallabies, and even mice and rats. She also enjoys the distinction of being the only woman in Australia to operate aPunoh and Judy show. Madam Karnos declares that the secret of success in the training of animals is kindness. She says that they are just like children, and require just as much humouring and attention. A good example of this is afforded by the "baby" of the clever group of monkeys, which will provide entertainment at the Majestic Theatre. This animal is a rhesus, a particularly vicious breed. Its mother died at the birth of the baby, which literally had to be brought up by hand. It is bathed daily, powdered, fitted out with baby's clothes, and fed from a baby's feeding bottle. It will not go to sleep without its dummy. Zoo authorities all over the world have been interested in this feat of rearing a baby monkey "by hand." Rarely does a baby monkey live when its mother dies. Animal experts are interested to discover whether, this treatment will have the effect of softening the animal's naturally vicious characteristics, but Madam Karnos does not believe that such will be the case. "Skinny," one of the most accomplished motor drivers among her troupe, is 23 years old, and Madam Karnos says that he can recognise his own vehicle out of 100 miniature motorcars of a similar kind.

TIVOLI

"TOO TOUGH TO KILL"

Titles are sometimes misleading, but not so in the case of "Too Tough to Kill," the Columbia film which heads the current programme at the Tivoli Theatre. Action was packed into every foot of the picture, and the hero survived numerous thrilling adventures.

"ONE-WAY TICKET"

The familiar behind-prison-walls theme undergoes an engrossing and novel treatment in Columbia's film version of Ethel Turner's popular novel, "One-Way Ticket," which will be shown at the Tivoli Theatre on Friday. For what is probably the first time on the screen the camera delves into the story of the daughter of a prison guard, with many amusing glimpses of life within the homes of prison officials Miss Turner is reputed to have written the story in an autobiographical vein, drawing upon her experiences for many of the Intriguing incidents in the life of her heroine, played on the screen by Peggy Conklin, well-known New . York stage actress.

CIVIC

«i DREAM TOO MUCH"

"I Dream Too Much," which is being shown at the Civic Theatre, is a film which must be classed as one of the outstanding productions of the year Exceptional interest attached to the screening of "I Dream Too Much " in that the renowned operatic singer, Lily Pons, made in it her first screen appearance. She has made a notable success. As was expected, her glorious voice completely captivated the audience, and in addition she showed herself a most accomplished moving picture actress. In I Dream Too Much" she gave evidence of a charming personality, to which was allied great vivaciousness and versatility. In appearance she is a young, slim girl—so small that one is left wondering how such a smaU body can produce a voice of such great power and % a ntc g an?iSly predict for "I Dream Too Much" a very successful season at the Civic Theatre.

AVON

"STRIKE ME PINK"

. In "Strike Me Pink," which is havHJ? a second week at the Avon .theatre, Eddie Cantor repeats the type of entertainment he gave us in 'Roman Scandals."

"THE GHOST GOES WEST"

A young man may be well-behaved, but if he has a ghostly ancestor who is his double, and who has flirtatious habits, he is apt to find life complicated but never dull. This is one angle on the comedy theme of "The Ghost Goes West," the London Film production released by United Artists, which will start on Friday at the Avon Theatre. In this film, three well-known men collaborate to produce what critics and public overseas are unanimous in hailing as the successful comedy of the year. Robert Donat, actor, Rene Clair, noted French director, and Alexander Korda, producer, are the trio to whom the credit is due.

A leading English critic writes:— "Rene Clair's first British film is something in the nature of a triumph. Not only does the tellinr of the story exploit to the full its sometimes ironic and always brilliant comedy, but the film is also masterly in construction, acting, and technical qualities, such as sound and photography. Artistry and widespread popular appeal go hand in hand."

PLAZA

DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME

An hour of the bizarre and terrifying, followed by an hour of diverting domestic comedy, is a brief summary of the double-feature programme which is having a season at the Plaza Theatre. The two films are "Terror Aboard" and "Her Master's Voice"; they are poles apart in type, but they share one quality—they both make excellent entertainment.

"THE MILKY WAY"

It is a long time since Harold Lloyd has been seen on the screen, but during that time he has been busy preparing a comedy which would be better than all its predecessors, even his triumphs of the days of the silent film. "The Milky Way" is the title of his new picture, which will start on Friday at the Plaza Theatre. Laughter strews the path of the spectacled comedian in his timid progress from the uneventful life of a milkman to the exciting career of a middle-weight boxing champion. Snared by the champion's manager, he is carried through a series of "framed" contests that eventually make him challenger for the world title. It would be spoiling the fun to say what happens when the trembling Harold Lloyd, spectacles and all, is shoved into the ring for the big event. In addition to the star, brilliant comedy performances are given by Adolphe Menjou, William Gargan, Lionel Stander, Veree Teasdale, George Barbier, and Helen Mack.

CRYSTAL PALACE

"NEVADA"

In the days of the old "silent" films the spectacular melodrama of riotous cowboy life and the everlasting struggle with cattle rustlers was a much favoured form of entertainment. That these "action films," as they are aptly called by American producers, have lost little of their popularity is effectively shown by the enthusiasm of audiences at the Crystal Palace Theatre, where Zane Grey's newest melodrama, "Nevada," will be shown finally to-night.

"WEDNESDAY'S CHILD" AND "OLD MAN RHYTHM"

"Wednesday's Child," which will be shown at the Crystal Palace Theatre to-morrow, deals with the hardships of children rendered homeless t>y their parents' divorce. FrankitThomas, star of the original Broadway production, also has the title role in the film, and Edward Arnold and Karen Morley are his screen parents. A gay young college man who becomes so tangled up romantically that his staid father has to abandon business an' enrol as a freshman to straighten matters out, stirs up some entirely new comedy as the chief character of RKO Radio's musical film, "Old Man Rhythm." Charles (Buddy) Rogers plays the freshman, and George Barbier the father.

LIBERTY

"STAR OF MIDNIGHT"

"Star of Midnight," which is having a season at the Liberty Theatre, is a picture that gives William Powell every opportunity to provide the suave, sophisticated acting which has gained him an exceedingly high reputation. He makes an admirable amateur detective, solving a baffling murder mystery with the same indifferent nonchalance that he showed in "The Thin Man," when he set a new style for this type of character.

The other feature. "I'll Love You Always," deals with the problem of marriage during the depth of the depression.

MAYFAIR

"THE GREAT IMPERSONATION"

"The Great Impersonation," a film from the novel by E. Phillips Oppenheim, which is having a season at the Mayfair Theatre, uses a thrilling story about international spies to attack munitions manufacturers who seek deliberately to make wars.

"SILLY BILLIES"

A story of the thrilling days of 1849, when gold rushes, hold-ups, and "quack" doctors were common occurrences, a new note in comedy settings, and a famed team of humorists, Wheeler and Woolsey, combine to form excellent entertainment in a novel comedy, "Silly Billies," which will be shown at the Mayfair Theatre on Friday. A stage-coach hold-up. an Indian attack on a waggon-train, a cavalry rescue, the abandonment of whole communities as the people set out for the California Golconda, all are faithfully recorded as part of the dramatic background against which these two clowns perform some of the funniest antics of their careers.

STATE

"FOLLOW THE FLEET"

"Ginger" Rogers and Fred Astaire, the two famous dancmg and musical stars of the screen, do not belie the high reputation they have already won in "Follow the Fleet," which is having a fourth week at the State Theatre.

"YOUR UNCLE DUDLEY"

With all the whimsey, pathos, and .genuine comedy at his command, Edward Everett Horton gives an excellent portrait of the hero of a small country town in "Your Uncle Dudley," the ramantic comedy coming to the State Theatre on Friday. Starred in the title role, Horton plays the part of a man who has a pathetic weakness for silver loving-cups and banquets. Lois Wilson, who has persisted in loving him for many years, hopes for a change in his character; a change which comes about when Horton's sister demands that he return money lent him years before, and when friends turn deaf ears to his pleas for a "touch." In addition to Miss Wilson, the cast of "Your Uncle Dudley" features John McGuire, Rosina Lawrence, Alan Dinehart, and Marjorie Gateson,

GRAND

"WE'RE RICH AGAIN" AND "KING KONG"

A strikingly original and modern version of the Cinderella story, with hilarious trimmings, is the current attraction at the Grand Theatre. "We're Rich Again," the chief attraction, tells of a modern Cinderella, a poor country girl, naive arid delightful, who steps into aristocratic surroundings, wins the "prince," and proves to be a good fairy in straightening out the affairs of others who are supposed to be much wiser than she.

Kong, immense prehistoric ape, is the menace in the fantastic RKO-Radio picture "King Kong," featuring Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot.