Cinema Reviews

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21940, 14 November 1936, Page 3

Cinema Reviews

STATE

“MARY OP SCOTLAND” ScEte • Queen of SSSoJfJf*K?? admir ably to the dramatist As opposed succe^Si^S who won Political SoSr^o 1 * ! 1< ? W Process of comafcted^Ti.,^ d “togue. Mary Stuart her Q if? P lsively . and violently; and well d«fL£sl themselves into a J®”® 8 - with periods of uneventful inertia between. Thus, many hav» , luisw’tK OVeli f ts ’ and biographers nave busied themselves with the affairs _S“ een * Schiller wrote cam? 8 .®tuart. John Drinkwater S„°ut with “Mary Stuart.” and Wthin the last two years London has Gordon Daviot’s “Queen of Scots," J ork Maxwell Anderson’s Mary of Scotland.” The last-mentioned play, with Helen Hayes in the title role, enjoyed a particularly long run: and this drama it is which the Hollywood studios nave chosen to bring to the screen and which is showing at the State Theatre now. In passing across from footnghts- to photography, plays often undergo slight changes. Maxwell Anderson’s work has been changed; but it is not difficult to reconcile the film “Mary of Scotland” with a piece of dramatic writing which has been widely hailed as one of the finest products of one of America’s foremost contemporary dramatists. It is fairly •generally conceded that an author may alter historical fact in order to heighten the emotional tension of his narrative, or to bind it into something more compact and symmetrical. “Mary of Scotland” turns from history in more than ope place, as in its portrayal of Both Well. but it loses little by it. Bothwell actually was a very detestable character. He never loved Mary, except perhaps for a few days, as he had loved countless women. For him she was merely a means of attaining the crown. But Mary was in love with Bothwell. Knowing that he looked on her with indifference, and that marriage would bring no true union, she yet strove toward that marriage with an unscrupulousness which involved her in crime after crime; scandal after scandal. Evidently, the director of

this film, who is, by .the way, John Ford, who directed “The Informer,” saw possibilities for making Bothwell a greater screen character than he could ever have been if historical fact had been followed. Accordingly, he has made certain alterations, but ini doing so he has lost sight of none of the dramatic possibilities of his material The cast of the film includes Katharine Hepburn (Mary Stuart). Fredric March (Bothwell). Florence Eldridgg (Elizabeth), and Douglas Walton (Damley) . A high standard of acting and direction makes this film one which can be thoroughly enjoyed from end to end. CIVIC RONALD COLMAN IN FINE ROMANTIC COMEDY “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo,” a romantic comedy of the first order, began a .season at the Civic Theatre last evening. With Ronald Colman at his best in the leading rote, the film makes fine entertainment,' and was well received by a large audience. Ronald Colman’s debonair personality lends itself particularly well to his part, and a strong suppprtr do* maintains the performance fit a high level. „ Colman plays the part of the impoverished nobleman who turns a few francs into millions at the casino in Monte Carlo. His cool manner of acting, carefree alike in winning or losing, doubles the. value of a good story and makes the film ope of his best. In the brilliant halls of the casino and in the Alps of Switzerland he has 1 a fine background for his performance. The story is also not without its drama, and this at some stages works the audience into a state of suspense which is cleverly relieved with Colman’s cool humour. ~ , As the Russian nobleman who has been driving taxis for years. Colman enters the casino at Monte Carlo, takes a specially reserved seat, and proceeds to break the bank. Pile upon pile of francs is pushed across the table to him, and within an hour he has become a millionaire. He leaves immediately, declaring that the whole affair was a miracle that could never happen again, and that he would never return. The casino authorities at once set about bringing him back, by fair means or foul. Part of the plan was for a girl in their employ to entice him to return. This part is played by Joan Bennett, who makes convincing work of it. She not only entices Colman back but falls in love with him . and thereby introduces complications. Colman returns to the gambling - tables and loses all. He returns to his taxi, and then by the merest chance meets her again. The tense moments during Colman s gambling exploits at Monte Carlo, combined with the strange humour of many of the situations, hold the interest throughout the story, and the romance is not overdone... Supporting Colman and Miss Bennett is Colin Clive, who makes, a convincing rogue as the brother of Miss Bennett and who is engaged in helping her to entice Colman back to the casirto. The film owes much of its success to the skilful direction of Stephen Roberts. The supporting programme is a good one, containing some interesting newsreels. OTHER THEATRES The new programme at the Plaza Theatre is headed by “Ourselves Alone ” a film of the troubled times in Ireland. The title is a translation of the words “Sinn Feinn.” A Charlie Ruggles comedy entitled “Fairly to Bed” is the principal feature of this week’s programme at the Theatre Royal. “Honours Easy, with Greta Nissen. is the second film. “Show-boat” is now in its third week at the Regent Theatre. Irene Dunne is cast as the ginger Magnolia on a river show boat. Opposite her plays Allen Jones and in the cast of this musical romance are Paul Robeson and Helen Morga . , “Cardinal Richelieu, an historical drama, is now showing at Tivol) Theatre. George. Arlxss has ttie leading rote and Maureen OSulliyan and Cesar Romero sustain the romantic Tractors," a comedy Joe E. Brown, is now showmeat the Majestic Theatre. The supporting players are Carol Hughes and Tune Travis in the feminine foies with Virginia Weidler and Tom Brown, davs” with Anne Shirley and O. PHeggie are the two full-length featureson the new programme ■at the programme at the Grand Theatre includes two full-length Stores “Gambling Ship,” with Cary and “You’re Telling Me, a G Sarrinfi W, C. Fields. A new serial. “The Roaring West,” with Buck Jones is also screened.

AVON

“THE THREE MAXIMS” The excitement and glamour of circus life are well reproduced in “The Three Maxims.” the film which commenced . a season yesterday at the Avon Theatre. It is a British production of a theme that is seldom handled, but the difficulties that faced the producer have been so neatly disposed of as to make a well-connected and entertaining story, full of tense moments and rich in humour. There is jealousy, hatred, and romance in the story, and it has all been brought out by the acting of three very fine artists—Tullio Carminati, Leslie Banks, and Anna Neagle. The three vie for the honours in acting, and it is hard to say with assurance which of the trio is best. But for the excellence of the acting, it is sure, the picture would not be more than average entertainment. story is gripping, but there are time's when the action must necessarily be restrained and the really tense moments come at the end of the picture. Most of the work of the actors up to that period is to build up an atmosphere; and they do it really well. Banks has the hardest work to do and achieves remarkable success in his part. Those who saw him in “Sanders of the River” will realise how capable he is, but he shows unsuspected talents in “The Three Maxims” for dramatic acting. , The story is one of a troupe of trapeze artists who rise from the obscurity of country circuses to the stardom of Paris. They are staunch comrades until they arrive in Paris, where Banks finds that Miss Neagle is not in love with him, but with Carminati, the third of the troupe. From here the director has made the actors build up a gripping climax. Tortured by jealousy. Banks decides to kill his rival during the troupe’s trapeze act, and gives an inkling of his intention when they are practising. But on that occasion the net saves Carminati. On the opening night of the act, however, there is no net, and the climax is almost too tense for enjoyment. It is at this period that the director has used his ability to the best advantage, and it is difficult to conceive a more vigorous conclusion. Both Carminati and Anna Neagle are too well known for any comment on their acting to be necessary. Of Carminati it may be said, however, that he has a role entirely different from those which he has taken more recently, and he is no less effective. The supporting programme includes a gazette showing Lovelock winning the 1500 metres at the Olympic Games, and another showing Wotan’s victory in the Melbourne Cup. CRYSTAL PALACE “STAR FOR A NIGHT” AND “THE FIRST BABY” The main film of an excellent doublefeature programme at the Crystal Palace is “Star for a Night.” The play is an absorbing mixture of comedy and drama, clearly defined. The story opens in Austria, where the mother, who is blind, leaves to visit her grown-up children in New York. When she arrives in America, her family are dismayed. They have continually written to her, telling her of the high place each had gained in his -particular vocation. This is wholly untrue—one is a taxi-driver and another a chorus girl—but the “white-lying” had been done with the best of motives. There is a perfect orgy of “whitelying” when the mother arrives. All the drawbacks of a cheap New York apartment are explained away satisfactorily, until the time when the mother will probably regain her sight by an operation. The family hastily borrow a better home, and the operation is successful. Further complications arise when the mother wishes to see one of her daughters—the chorus girl—playing her alleged starring part, but by various subterfuges the real star is satisfactorily got out of the way. One of the most enjoyable scenes is the revue in which the chorus girl daugnter takes the leading part. Jane Darwell plays her matron’s part with understanding. Claire Trevor acts pleasingly, but perhaps the best of all is little Arline Judge, who adds a good measure of brightness and vitality to the picture. The other film, “The First Baby, introduces two young actors —Johnny Downs and Shirley Deane —and gives them a good send-off for successful acting careers. The story deals with the humour and drama in the first one or two years of married life of a typical young couple. MAYFAIR “POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL” BEGINS SECOND WEEK 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 enthusiastic audiences saw at the beginning of its second week at the Mayfair Theatre yesterday, 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 her cleverest style, and her singing and dancing are but side issues to her childish clowning. . . . , At the outset in the new picture she is the daughter of a wealthy idolising father, . living a pampered existence amidst everything she desires, with the exception of playmates. Fairy stories hold a particular interest for her, and one fanciful adventure leads her to see the world for herself when her nurse is injured in an accident while escorting the child to school. She meets an Italian organ-grinder, whom she fancies as a character from one of her story books, and telling him she has run away from an orphanage, she finds a temporary home with his family.

A young couple in the same apartment finding it trying to obtain a radio engagement, observe a novelty in training the child for their act, which they eventually sell to a soap concern, the only competitor of the child’s father. How the entertainment brings about more than a business merger leads to a happy finale. Moreover. the staging of these scenes introduces some captivating songs by little Shirley.

Claude Gillingwater, as a grouchy enemy of her father, and Henry Armetta as the street entertainer, are the principal players supporting Alice Faye, Gloria Stuart, and Jack Haley,