CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21806, 11 June 1936, Page 8

CITY THEATRES

PLAZA “THESE THREE” For the merit of its acting alone. “These Three,” which will close today at the Plaza Theatre, is entitled to rank as one of the outstanding pictures to have come from the American film, studios during recent years. “CHEER UP” A delightful musical comedy, several new song “hits,” spectacular dancing, and a talented cast, “Cherr Up,” which will begin a season at the Plaza Theatre to-morrow, is excellent entertainment The leading part in the story is taken by Stanley Lupino, who, during the years he has been starring in talking pictures, has earned a right to a place in the front rank of screen comedians. He excels in comedy of the more virile kind, coming as ho does from a great acrobatic and dancing family. No one who enjoys a humorous film should miss seeing this uproarious comedy. Lupino scored tremendous triumphs in “Sleepless Nights,” “You Made Me Love You,” and “ Happy,” but in “Cheer Up” he is at his best AVON “QUEEN OF HEARTS” Gracie Fields is back again. "Queen of Hearts” in which she makes her reappearance at the Avon, is one of her best, and possibly her greatest achievement. Measured as her films are bj* the dividend of fun and music they return, it is a sound investment. Her amazing personality, overcoming as it does her lack of the approved style of feminine beauty, carries her forward on a great wave of merriment and song to another great triumph. Those few sceptics who have not yet seen and heard her and still imagine their good taste and “fi’m sense” will be offended if they do, must come this time, and be won over.

Gracie retains her own name in this film. She is Gracie Perkins the coffee-stall girl from Brixton, who by chance, by false pretence, and by force of that “personality in a million,” breaks her away into the blaze of the footlights. After the film has begun a little unconvincingly and with a little slapstick comedy, this music, improving as the film progresses, covers up any minor faults.

THEATRE ROYAL DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME May Robson, one of the most popular of the character actresses of the old school, gives another of her fine performances in "Three Kids and a Queen,” which, together with “Ace of Spades,” will close at the Theatre Royal to-night. Miss Robson has the part of the richest woman in the world, a crabbed old lady who tyrannises over her relatives and her friends. May Robson is the outstanding actress in the film and has no rival, although -a promising new child actor, Billy Burrud, plays his part very well.

CRYSTAL PALACE “THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1936” A striking commentary on maladministration of justice in the United States of America is afforded in Cecil B de Mille’s latest production. “This Day and Age,” which will close to-night at the_ Crystal Palace Theatre. “This Day and Age” is an ambitious film which fully deserves the reputation which preceded it from America. Ttm other feature, “Broadway Thru’ a Keyhole,” concerns the rivalry between a famous singer and a gangster for the love of a night club star. “The Big Broadcast of 1936,” which will be shown to-mor-row at the Crystal Palace Theatre, is tuneful and varied, as the name suggests. The plot is ingeniously diverting, and allows opportunities for the many different talents of wellknown people of the stage, radio, and screen.

The story is a record of the vicissitudes of two radio entertainers who become game for a young countess. Jack Oakie and Henry Wadsworth are seen as operators of their own broadcasting station. Their decision to compete in an international radio contest leads them into trouble. The countess, magnificently romantic, is played by Lydia Roberts. She kidnaps Oakie and Wadsworth, puts them on to her yacht, and takes them to her Cuban island estate. There, she has more leisure to decide which she shall marry. There are the attempts to escape from her, which become both thrilling and comical. The picture is prodigal of music. Song numbers are:—“l Wished on the Moon,” “It’s the Animal in Me,” “Why Stars Come out at Night,” “Why Dream?” “Miss Brown to You,” and “Double Trouble.”

Prominently featured in this film are Richard Tdttber and the Viennese Boys’ Choir.

STATE ' “FIRST A GIRL” A picture which moves brightly along by the sheer force of personality of the performers, is “First ■ a Girl.” which is having a season at the State Theatre. Jessie Matthews, who will long be remembered for her excellent performances in “The Good Companions” and “Evergreen,” takes the leading role, and she is very ab • supported by her husband, Sonnie Hale. The story is slender enough, but pleasantly melodious songs and bright chorus numbers whisk the play along at merry pace, making the film very amusing and capital entertainment. Jessie Matthews is seen as a would-be actress who is offered an opportunity to make good by deputising for a female impersonator who has broken down on the eve of his appearance in the first engagement he has received for many months. In thus impersonating the impersonator, Jessie Matthews finds that her troubles begin when she is off-stage, and the untangung of the complications xn which she finds herself provides some hilarious situations.

REGENT “RENDEZVOUS” The extended season of “Magnificent Obsession” will close at the Regent Theatre to-night. “Rendezvous." a dramatic story of the American Cryptographic Bureau as told by the man who organised and headed it throughout the World War. will open to-morrow. Based upon Major Herbert O. Yardley’s sensational best-seller book, “The American Black Chamber,” it is crammed with the intimate revelations of the secret counter-espionage department, where foreign diplomatic or enemy communications were secretly “tapped,” decoded, and deciphered for official information. Through this tale of codes and ciphers, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have woven a romance with William Powell, as the chief cryptographer, and Rosalind Russell. Powell, aided by his experience in former famous mystery screen plays—sUSh as “The Thin Man,” “Evelyn Prentice,” and “Manhattan Melodrama”—contributes one of his finest screen performances. Rosalind Russell, in her role as Joel Carter, the daughter of the Assistant Secretary of War, has achieved the Hollywood miracle of appearing in nine pictures during her nine months as a screen actress and of rising from a comparatively unknown “bit” player to leading woman in less than a year. Binnie Barnes, the cheerful comedienne from London, appears as Olivia, the alluring spy, who. almost upsets all of Powell’s secret work. Lionel Atwill, after a long siege as a “screen heavy,” steps out of his usual screen villainy to play the role of Brennan, British attache to the Black Chamber. . Others in the cast include Samuel Hinds, Cesar Romero, who made such a decided “hit” in "Richelieu,” as the Russian attache, Nickolojeff. Sterling Holloway as the amusing taxi driver, Charles Grapewin. as head of the chemical department, Henry Stephenson, and Charles Trowbridge, as the Secretary of War. MAJESTIC “HERE COMES THE BAND** The latest Boris Karloff thriller, “The Walking Dead,” will end a season at the Majestic Theatre to-night. A new and refreshing type of musical comedy and thriller, “Here Comes the Band,” will be the big feature on the new programme at the Majestic to-morrow. Musical films have stood the test on their own. but they are improved out of all sight when an element of suspense is introduced. Ted Lewis and his well-known orchestra supply the music, the numbers includ:ng, “Headin’ Home,” “Roll Along. Prairie Moon,” “Tender is the Night,” and “You’re My Thrill.” Virginia Bruce and Ted Healy, excellent stars in films of this type, have the leads. They rush in and out of scrapes at lightning speed, all the time keeping up a barrage of nonsensical conversation. Nat Pendleton and Donald Cook are also featured. Spectacular ballets, the bright music, comedy, romance, and excitement all blend excellently, and ensure the success of this film. LIBERTY “REGISTERED NURSE” "The White Parade,” starring Loretta Young, will be shown for the last time at the Liberty Theatre *o-day. A double attraction will be offered for the coming week, one of the pictures being “Break of Hearts,” which was shown so successfully in Christchurch last year, and the other is “Registered Nurse,” starring Bebe Daniels. Lyle Talbot, and John Halliday. The latter picture tells of broken happiness mended in a hospital. After an unhappy married life Sylvia Benton (Bebe Daniels) returns to her former profession of nursing. Two of the doctors at the hospital which she enters fall in love with her. One asks her to marry him, but she is in love with the other. The former is a brain specialist, and thinks that an operation may save the life 'of Bebe Daniels’ former husband, who has been badly injured in a motor smash. A quarrel with the other doctor follows, but Miss Daniels then finds that it is really the brain specialist whom she loves, and the suicide of her husband makes the path clear for their romance. Katharine Hepburn, with all her glory, is the star of the second feature, “Break of Hearts.” This is a story of a struggling young composer and an eminent symphony orchestra conductor, and their efforts to cling to a love which is put to a severe test. The central characterisations of Miss Hepburn’s new picture- permit the logical introduction of symphonic music into the story. Charles Boyer, as the conductor, is shown leading an 85piece orchestra in excerpts from Tschaikowsky’s fifth symphony, Bach’s toccata and fugue, and the prelude to Wagner’s “The Meistersingers.” In no picture since she began appearing on the films has Miss Hepburn been given such an opportunity to show her powers in a romantic story. As the young composer who marries the maestro, she combines all the genius that brought her fame in her previous films with a new beauty and warmth of interpretation that is irresistible.

TIVOLI “THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII” The brilliant acting and the fine voice of Ruth Chatterton are a sufficient guarantee of entertainment in any picture, but when an excellent romantic plot and a strong supporting cast are added, as in “Lady of Secrets.” which will close at the Tivoli Theatre to-night, there is no doubt that the screen is offering its best. “The Private Life of Henry VIII.” will begin a return season at the Tivoli Theatre to-morrow. Thanks to the acting genius of Charles Laughton it is the most varied, vivid, and amusing character sketch the “talkies” have yet revealed—a portrait to cherish. With its laughably pathetic story, “Henry VIII.” gives a new aspect of the amorous activities of bluff King Hal, for, although history books treat him as rather a scoundrel, and grudgingly admit that he was a great king, the picture shows Henry as a man whose life was ruled by love, or perhaps the want of it. It would be difficult to find an actor more suited to the role than Charles Laughton. In the first place he has the robust dimensions and hearty manner which earned the cognomen, bluff, for King Hal. His make-up is a triumph; in fact, he is almost indistinguishable from the haughty monarch who graces Holbein’s famous canvas.

GRAND “GOOD-NIGHT VIENNA”, A colourful story of love, life, and laughter in romantic Vienna is unfolded in “Good-night Vienna," which is having a return season at the Grand Theatre. Jack Buchanan is cast as a young army officer who becomes the victim of Imperial matchmaking. The film has a well balanced plot and carries an appeal which penetrates far beyond that of the average story of temporarily-shattered romance. George Geo and Betty Astell set a merry pace in “Cleaning Up." the other attraction.

MAtfAm “CHARLIE CHAN’S SECRfeT” The particular secret from which Charlie Chan’s latest film at the Mayfair Theatre which will close to-night, takes its name is rather difficult to discover—there are so many truths hidden from America’s ace detectives which seem to reveal themselves to him. “IT HAD TO HAPPEN” An excellent love comedy, *Tt Had to Happen,” will begin a season at the Mayfair Theatre to-morrow. Manhattan Is the scene of this picture, and George Raft is first introduced as he piles out of the steerage of a steamer with his friend, Leo Carrillo. In the mix-up on the boat he catches a glimpse of the alluring Rosalind Russell, a tempting heiress, and mentally resolves to fight bis way up to her level. The picture traces his rapid rise to the top as a political overlord. Then, when Alan Dinehart, Miss Russell’s husband, is involved in a bank scandal, and appeal's to him for aid. Raft suddenly finds the lady of his dreams within reach. Under pressure, Dinehart makes restitution for the funds embezzled, and flees to Cuba, while the matter blows over. Left on their own. Miss Russell and Raft find tremendous attraction in each other’s company. Dinehart returns, and plots Raft’s downfall through a frame-up, and in a taut dramatic climax. Miss Russel! learns to conquer her ingrained snobbery and to come to the aid of the man who loves her. Roy Del Ruth, who directed “It Had to Happen,” manages to maintain all the drama, humour, and romance of the Rupert Hughes’ tale in its/ transfer to tiie screen. CIVIC “THIS IS THE LIFE,” AND “NAVY WIFE” “Here’s to Romance” and “Music is Magic,” the features which will close on Friday night at the Civic Theatre, have this much in common—they are tales of success in the lace of difficulties, in the first picture of an opera singer, in the second of a variety entertainer. A story with a decidedly unusual twist, “This is the Life,” which will begin a season on Saturday, gives Jane Withers an adequate vehicle for her# manifold talents. The film is the story of a sensational child vaudeville performer whose life is made unbearable by two grasping, selfish guardians, parts splendidly portrayed by Gordon Westcott and Gloria Roy. A dramatic story studded with patches of bright comedy, and revealing for the first time life in the medical and nursing corps of the United States Navy, “Navy Wife,” is the other feature on the programme. Ralph Bellamy, one of the screen’s most popular young actors, has the romantic lean opposite Miss Trevor. Others prominently cast are Warren Hymer, Ben Lyon; Jane Darwell, George Irving, and Kathleen Burke.