CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21939, 13 November 1936, Page 4

CITY THEATRES

“MARY OF SCOTLAND” DRAMATIC FILM BEGINS TO-DAY SEASON AT STATE THEATRE “Mary of Scotland.” a spectacular photoplay dramatising Mary Stuart, whose glamorous and tragic career is one of the richest chapters m the turbulent sixteenth century, will open to-day at the State Theatre as the product of an unusual array of J 81 ®"” Katharine Hepburn and Frednc March co-star as the hapless Scottish beauty and her lover, the isan Botbwell—roles that give full scope to the brilliance which won for them academy awards in respectively Mor ing Glory” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr H Nor are the stars of this production alone in having had the, highest criti cal recognition of their brilliance. T story is drawn from the stage hit by Maxwell Anderson. It was directed by John Ford, whose work on The Informer” won the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences directorial award for 1935, It was adapted to the screen by Dudl y Nichols, winner of the 1935 Academy adaptation award for his screen play for “The Informer." Florence Eldridge appears as EUzabeth; Moroni Olsen as Knox, Douglaa Walton as Mary’s second policy-spouse. Lord Darnley; lan Keith as her powergreedy half-brother, Moray; John Carradine as the Italian advisor, Rizzio, whose fantastic murder turned her distaste for Darnley to hate; and Alan Mowbray as Elizabeth s ambassador, Throckmorton; they head the notable cast of 40 principals. Others who have important roles are Ralph Forbes, Robert Barrat, Gavm Muir, William Stack, Frieda Inescort, and Donald Crisp. The story is presented against settings which were the product oi months of research and in costumes cte- °- CIVIC FINE COLMAN FILM TO-DAY TO-DAY “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo,” Twentieth Century’s romantic comedy, starring Ronald Colman, which will begin to-day at the Civic, has an unusual plot. _ It tells of an impoverished Russian Prince who gambles his savings and those of his friends at Monte Carlo and wins 10,000,000 francs, breaking the bank. He divides half of his winnings among his friends and then uses the rest to pursue Joan Bennett with whom he has fallen in love. Although hired to lure him back to the gambling tables, she falls in love with her intended victim. , , .. She and her companion in deceit, Colin Clive, lead Colman a merry chase through the gay centres of Europe to Interlaken. Switzerland. It is here that Miss Bennett falls in love with her victim. She tries to save Colman, but Clive manages to get him back to Monte Carlo. Colman loses his winnings, but wins Miss Bennett, much to the satisfaction of both pnncipals and the audience. Much of the film’s excellence is undoubtedly due to the able direction of Stephen Roberts.

CRYSTAL PALACE

“STAR FOR A NIGHT”

Laughter, thrills, and romance combine in the entrancing story of "Star for a Night.” Twentieth Cen-tury-Fox picture opening to-day at the Crystal Palace Theatre with Claire Trevor, Jane Darwell, Arline Judge, Evelyn Venable. J. Edward Bromberg, Dean Jagger, Alan Dinehart. and Joyce Compton. The film tells an unusual story of how chorus girls turn a musical show topsy-turvy. Claire Trevor has the part of a chorus girl, whose mother, after recovering her sight, expects to see Claire as the star of the show. How this is achieved makes an astonishing climax. A fine comedy, “The First Baby,” is the second feature. The stars, who provide romance and humour, are Johnny Downs, Shirley Deane, and Dixie Dunbar. There is a large supporting cast The story deals with the troubles of a married couple after they have their first baby. Johnny Downs, as the husband, finds conditions intolerable, and attempts to set up an apartment of his won. How the two are reunited makes a delightful story. MAYFAIR “POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL” Charming personality undoubtedly won the hearts of film followers the world over when first little Shirley Temple came to the screen, but it is this attractive asset along with her brilliant talent to entertain every class of audience that has carried the child to the top rank of popularity she holds to-day. In each successive film she seems to develop a new factor in her many and varied capabilities, so that one finds her in her newest picture “Poor Little Rich Girl,” which is at the Mayfair Theatre, imitating the flairs of other screen notabilities, principally -the crooning of Bing Crosby. It is a picture of many songs, giving the diminutive actress ample opportunity to amuse. In “Poor Little Rich Girl,” Shirley has set a mark which she will have difficulty in reaching in her future productions. The attendances at the Mayfair have broken all records for the popular theatre.

AVON

“THE THREE MAXIMS” A film offering a full measure of excitement and romance, “The Three Maxims,’’ will begin at the Avon Theatre to-day. Dealing with Maxim’s famous circus, the story offers ample scope for the entertainment provided in the ring, and at the same time there is an interesting theme. Anna Neagle is Pat, a beautiful highspirited Irish girl who is the unwitting cause of trouble between the other two members of the famous Maxim trio. These are Toni (Tullio Carminati) who for once steps out of his silk-hat immaculately-dressed roles and appears as a trapeze artist, and Mac (Leslie Banks), a rough, morose Scotsman, whose love for Pat is not returned. The famous trio, at first perhaps seems a difficult combination, particularly in such an unusual setting, but so skilfully have they been handled, instead of getting in the way of the story, they are carried with it to a crashing climax of a duel between the two men during their sensational traEeze act high in the air, above a spellound audience.

The story opens with the misadventures of this happy -go-lucky troupe beibre they get their big chance In Paris, and follows on full of racy dialogue sttd high-spirited iACidaft^

OTHER THEATRES

“Show-boat" is in its second week at the Regent Theatre Irene Dunne is cast as the singer Mag* nolia on a river show boat. Opposite her plays Allen Jones and in the cast of this musical romance are Paul Robeson and Helen Morgaj . , “Cardinal Richelieu,” an historical drama, will begin to-day at the Tivoli ■Theatre. George Arliss has the leading role, and Maureen O’Sullivan ana Cesar Romero sustain the romantic interest. “Earthworm Tractors.” a comedy starring Joe E. Brown, will begin today at the Majestic Theatre. The supporting players are Carol Hughes and June Travis in the feminine roles. “Freckles,” with Virginia Weidler and Tom Brown, and “Chasing Yesterdays.” with Anne Shirley and O. P. Heggie, are the two full-length features on the new programme at tne Liberty. To-day’s new programme at the Grand Theatre includes two full-length features, “Gambling Ship,” with Cary Grant, and “You’re Telling Me,’ a comedy starring W. C. Fie A _ serial, “The Roaring West," with Buck Jones, will begin. “Heart of the West,” with William Boyd, and “Everything is Rhythm, with Harry Roy and Princess Pearl, are showing at the Theatre Royal. “Early to Bed.” with Charlie Ruggles, and “Honours Easy, with Greta Nissen, will begin to-day. The current film at the_ Plasa Theatre Is “A Star Pell from Heaven, featuring Joseph Schmidt, Florine McKinney, Billy Milton, and Judy Kelly. To-day “Ourselves Alone will begin. The title is a translation of “Sinn Feinn.”