Cinema Reviews

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21975, 26 December 1936, Page 8

Cinema Reviews

AVON “THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN” Having taken the lead in some of the year's best light films, Gary Cooper now appears at the Avon in “The General Died at Dawn." a tensely dramatic -■lory in which he plays the strongman part in most convincing style. The film is a good tonic at this season nC the year, providing as it docs a scries of breath-taking situations, full rt action from the first moment. The name of the picture is a fair enough indication of the good story it is. It remains only to mention that the general who died at dawn was a Chinese war lord, and the rest can be readily imagined. Gary Cooper dominates the film as the American, O'Hara, who has pitted himself against the Chinese war lord. General Vang, and works to win freedom from tyranny for the peasants of Yang's province. He is closely challenged for acting honours by Akim Tamircff. who, as General Yang, not enly looks and speaks, but is Chinese for all the purposes of the screen. Tamiroff is called upon to act where Cooper may remain his usual debonair self, and Tamirofl succeeds with a genius that is one of the finest points of a fine film. The feminine lead is taken by Madeleine Carroll, as the daughter of a swindler who tries to decamp with gun-running funds and is killed in the attempt. Miss Carroll has another of those somewhat sad and certainly very trying and difficult roles to play, but she appears to like them and this time again she wins through with colours flying. Many Chinese and an American or two complete the cast. The theme of the story is handled villi remarkable skill. It begins with action, then slows down to produce a state of suspense and mystery, thus making a good setting for the swift and amazing drama that packs the last few scenes. O’Hara, having been charged with the care of the gun-run-ning funds, loses them, and with them his own liberty to Yang. The money and principal characters pass through a hectic series of chang- . ing fortunes until there comes the final and highly dramatic scene in which the dying Yang orders the death of everyone on his junk as it lies of! Shanghai. As the dawn breaks he reprieves O’Hara and the girl, together with their political ally, Wu, to tell the tale of his glorious end. Then all his staff shoot themselves and die with him in absolute loyalty to their leader. There is an interesting and wellVaried supporting programme. MAYFAIR “IN THE SOUP” > A good dose of folly is often one of the best ingredients for entertainment, and the particular brand of it purveyed by Ralph Lynn has made him one of the most popular English comedians. The “silly ass” part has long been a feature of English comedy, and it is exploited to the full in “In the Soup,” which began its season at the Mayfair Theatre last evening. The film is no mere repetition of the well-known tricks of Ralph Lynn. It keeps the audience convulsed with laughter and intrigued by the novelty of its situations. From the opening, when he appears as a struggling lawyer who is more skilled in waiting for a legacy than in the practice of his profession, the film promises well. Lynn, as the ineffectual but amiable Horace, at last receives a brief, but bungles even this opportunity. He wanders into the wrong court, and with his defence in an action about a motor-car learnt by heart, delivers an impassioned speech in the middle of somebody else’s breach of promise action. All kinds of unexpected humour arise from this situa-1 tion. 1 Returning to his chambers in despair, Horace discovers that his uncle and guardian, whom at all costs he wishes to avoid, has returned from India. He is in the middle of a hopeless muddle of debt, and is trying to . escape from it by sub-letting an expensive fiat which, in keeping with his careless extravagance, he has taken. His wife also is trying to let the flat, and both find tenants. The tenants arrive together and decide to have "dinner together, and Horace and his wife are compelled to play the part of footman and housekeeper. This produces further complications, for although they know nothing about cooking, they have to provide a meal. .Ralph Lynn plunges from folly to folly in his endeavours to cook, with the gas cut off and no means of heating other than an electric iron and a .radiator. A sleeping draught is mixed in the soup, and people fall asleep in various compromising situations. The ending is happy, but arrived at only after a great deal of turmoil. The supports include a further instalment of an interesting series on “How to Play Tennis,” in which the ' technique of Miss Dorothy Round, is illustrated. The use of slow motion analyses of the various shots makes : the series particularly useful. Other ■ items include a film of the “House of Windsor,” a British newsreel of topical events, a cartoon, and some entertaining novelties. CRYSTAL PALACE - “THE BORDER PATROLMAN” The swaggering and popular Georgs O'Brien and the charming Polly Ann Young, a sister of the better-known Loretta, head the cast of “The Border . Patrolman,” which opened its Christmas season at the Crystal Palace last evening. The big audience saw one of the best pictures of its type that has been seen in Christchurch for some time. The film is full of action from start to finish. O’Brien’s easy competence and Polly Ann’s dashing charm captivated the audience. It is the story of a patrolman on the United States border and the activities of a gang smuggling stolen goods across the border fence. But it is even more the story of the efforts of O'Brien the patrolman to control the headstrong actions of a spoilt girl. Polly Ann is the granddaughter and ward ol a millionaire who has let her have all her own way, with rather striking results. O'Brien, who loses one job trying to prevent the young lady from smoking in a prohibited area, gets another in the service of the grandfather, who employs him to put a curb on the actions of his ward. Roy Masori. as leader of the gang of thieves, makes a good villainous villain. He attempts to marry Polly Ann for her fortune, and very nearly succeeds. However. O’Brien is on hand when he is needed and brings off the necessary swift action just when it is sorely needed. He, of course, marries the lady himself. The direction of the picture has been capably done by David Howard, and the photography is good, some of the scenes in the wild mountain country being very fine. This is an entertaining picture. The supporting film, "A Son Comes Home.” is not quite so good, but it is nevertheless interesting and at times reaches a high level. Mary Boland, Julie Hayden, and Donald Woods have the chief coles, and do their work well. The film has movement and variety and some thrilling moments. New decorations have been added to the stage and orchestra In this theatre. The motif of the decorations is the piping of the “Great God Pan.”

STATE “LADIES IN LOVE” An unusual theme extremely well produced is “Ladies in Love,” which began a season at the State Theatre j last evening. There is no story in the j usual sense of the term, but there is j an interesting study of the contrasting experiences of three girls who set out together to achieve their individual ideas of happiness. One wants a business of her own, another wants a rich husband, and the third wants only a heme with husband and children to look alter. They all obtain, their wishes, but only at the cost of happiness except for the last. Four actresses share the leading roles. Constance Bennett. Janet Gaynor, and Loretta Young, and the new star. Simone Simon, also has an important part. The first three have pooled their resources when the film opens and taken a modern apartment, where they plan for the working out of their wishes. Janet Gaynor is employed by a young doctor to help on his laboratory work, Loretta Young is a chorus girl, and Constance Bennett is a model for a gown shop. The chorus girl falls in love with a wealthy young aristocrat, and is heart-broken when she hears that he is about to be married. The shop girl is engaged on a round of pleasure with a mining engineer from South America, on the understanding that there will be no tears and no “good-byes,” and the pretty helper is in love with her doctor. but when the chance comes to work for a famous magician she leaves his employ. Simone Simon comes into the play as an appealing but very determined young lady, who is in love with the mining engineer, who docs not realise that she has grown to womanhood. Between her and the shop girl there comes intense rivalry for the love of the engineer whom the girl has told that she does not believe in love—that all she wants is someone to be happy with for the moment. The four girls. trusting m their charms to make their romantic dreams come true, provide an intresting study. To two of them comes heartbreak, and to the others happiness, but all of them succeed in realising in their I original ideas of happiness. The settings of the film are very fine, being mostly in modern Budapest, and there is also a lavish display of gowns. The male roles are taken by Don Amcche as the doctor, Paul Lukas as the mining engineer, and Tyrone Power as the aristocrat. Although subordinate, their parts are played with the restraint and expertness of direction that characterises the whole production. NEW PROGRAMME CIVIC “IT’S LOVE AGAIN” Whimsical, effervescent, Jessie Matthews has made many appealing pictures before, but she reaches new heights in “It’s Love Again.” This film, although in some parts ludicrous, is clean, bright fun all through, and makes an excellent Christmas attraction for the Civic Theatre, beginning to-day, Jessie Matthews is very ably supported by Robert Young and Sonnie Hale. The story is set in extravagant locales, intermitting between' hectic Fleet street and the lavish cabarets of Mayfair. Jessie was never seen to better advantage; she is easy to look upon and easy to listen to, while Robert Young is her ideal romantic opposite, with Sonnie Hale playing the fool in his inimitable way. The story concerns Elaine, an aspiring dancer, who, having failed to impress a very eccentric producer, is intrigued by the publicity given to a certain Mrs Smythe-Smythe, a great traveller, big-game huntress, and Indian celebrity, about whose allure and mystery the papers are making much to-do. Elaine haughtily decides to impersonate the absent lady, and, dressing for the part, successfully makes a sensational appearance. Unfortunately for the intrepid little lady, there is no such person as Mrs Smythe-Smythe. She just doesn’t exist. Peter, a young newspaper .“gossip-writer," has invented the celebrated traveller to make a worthwhile story for his column. The acting of Jessie Matthews. Robert Young, and Sonnie Hale is a joyous feature of the show. The music is tuneful, to say the least, the dancing is marvellous, and the settings belter than even Hollywood has given us. “It’s Love Again,” directed by Victor Saville, is an A 1 production passed with honours, and bearing the hallmark “the shew that is different.” OTHER THEATRES “San Francisco,” starring Clark Gable and Jeannette Mac Donald, is now showing at the Regent. Also on the programme is "Audioscopics.” “Counterfeit,” starring Chester Morris, a story of the T men, is the current feature at the Majestic Theatre. “Showboat,” with Paul Robeson, Irene Dunne, and Alan Jones, is the film now showing at the Tivoli Theatre. This week's double programme at the Liberty consists of “The 39 Steps” and “Justice of the Range.” “The Great Hotel Murder” and Edgar Wallace’s “The Green Pack” are showing at the Grand Theatre this week. “Accused,” starring Dolores del Rio and Douglas Fairbanks, jun., is the film showing this week at the Plaza Theatre. This week’s programme at the Theatre Royal includes W. C. Fields in “Poppy," and Myrna Loy in “Wings in the Dark.”