Untitled

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22186, 1 September 1937, Page 4

STATE

"HIS AFFAIR'!

In "His Affair," which is coming to the State on Friday both Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck find the most important story either has ever had, a dramatic account of a love supremely courageous and unashamed endangering the nation's highes. places and gambling life itself for a higher stake. And for Victor McLaglen, who heads the strong supporting cast, it marks the strongest role he has had since his powerful characterisation in "The Informer." The strong supporting cast includes Sidney Blackmer, John Carradine, Alan Dinehart. Douglas Fowley, Robert McWade, Frank Conroy, and Sig Rumann. Darryl F. Zanuck, vice-president in charge of production at Twentieth Century-Fox, chose William A. Seiter to direct the original screen play by Allen Rivkin and Lamar Trotti. Kenneth Macgowan was associate producer, and Mack Gordon and Harry Revel wrote the music and lyrics for the three atmospheric songs in the film. The exciting events of "His Affair" take place at the turn of the century, when the stability of the nation is threatened by an unprecedented series of sensational bank robberies in the Middle West. In a desperate move, President William McKinley calls upon a young lieutenant, Robert Taylor, who has had a brilliant record under Admiral Dewey. Sworn to secrecy, Taylor is instructed to disgrace himself in the navy, to be discharged, and eventually to And his way to the bank robbers. Information turned up is to be forwarded to the President in a specially marked envelope which will immediately be brought to him unopened. No one, not even Admiral Dewey or the head of the Secret Service, is told of the plan. In a mid-western city known as a criminal centre, Taylor meets a cafe owner, Victor McLaglen; his righthand man, Brian Donlevy, and the singing and dancing star of the show, Barbara Stanwyck. Hearing that the men have come into large sums of money through mysterious channels, Taylor notes that their absence from the cafe coincides with a bank robbery in another city. Pressing his attentions on Barbara, ) to gain entree to the gang, Taylor falls deeply in love with her, but goes through with his plan. Events mount thrillingly to a dramatic climax which finds Taylor apparently doomed to hanging when, captured with the gang during a bank robbery in which a Secret Service man is killed, he learns that the one man who could clear him, ! President McKinley, has just been assassinated. "Swing High, Swing Low" "Swing High, Swing Low," a bright romance, with musical leanings, is assured of a successful season at the State Theatre. A very finished performance is given by the romantic couple, Carole Lombard and Fred Mac Murray, who perhaps have never before been so happily cast. "Swing High, Swing Low," has all the ingredients of first-class entertainment, alternating between love and laughter, set all the time against a delightfully romantic background.

MAYFAIR

"CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OLYMPICS"

Warner Oland plays Charlie Chan for the fifteenth consecutive time in "Charlie Chan at the Olympics," which is coming to s the Mayfair on Friday. The philosophical Chinese detective, the screen's most popular series character, takes the longest odds of his career in solving this puzzle of murder and international spies. With much of its action taking place at the Olympic Games, the film has an unusual background. Some of the shots show races in which J. E. Lovelock, the New Zealand runner, and Jesse Owens, the American, competed. Pitted against the most appalling odds of his career, Charlie sets a new world's record for thrills before a stadium jammed with cheering sport fans. He defies the murderous threat* of a death-dealing ring of international soies who strike terror into the Olympic sports arena, and who strike at Chan himself through his "number one" son (Keye Luke) in their bold efforts to seize a secret radio-control device from the government. To save his son, Chan follows the fleeing thieves to Europe, overtaking their ship, which is also carrying teams to the Olympic Games, by transAtlantic Zeppelin. Katharine de Mille and C. Henry Gordon, as the canny leaders of the espionage group, provide the philosophical sleuth with the most baffling technicalities he has ever encountered. Cleverly substituting a radio direc-tion-indicator for the secret apparatus, Chan plants his bait where the spies will have trouble getting it, and consequently do. Tuning in on the direction-indicator, Chan and the police have no difficulty in discovering the hiding-place of the gang, but this, however, turns out to be only the beginning of the excitement, which culminates in the most stirring climax of the thrilling Chan series. "Wee Willie Winkie" The strange, appealing contrast of the virile, ugly, ruggedly likeable Victor McLaglen with the daintiness of Shirley Temple; the seasoned qualities of the staunch screen veteran Aubrey Smith; the action, comedy, romance, and the skilfully conceived infiltration of the atmosphere Rudyard Kipling so masterfully created in his stories—these are among the many strong impressions which must be formed by an audience seeing the film "Wee Willie Winkie," which is continuing for this week at the Mayfair Theatre.

CIVIC

"WINGS OF THE MORNING"

The greatest film that has ever come from England, and in many respects greater than anything produced in America, "Wings of the Morning," which is having <ts first release in the southern hemisphere at the Civic Theatre, places a simple love story against a perfect backscreen of pastel shades and delightful panoramas. England boasts that this, her first film in colour, was absolutely her own production, and with the exception of the charming French actress. Annabella, this is quite true. Of Annabella it can be said that her beauty rivals that of the scenery of which the film is so full. The colour work is something entirely different from the usual production and remarkable for its fidelity.

CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS, LIMITED

The in citable Gracie Fields heads a strong cast in the screen comedy, "The Show Goes On," at the Regent Theatre. Cyril Ritchards plays opposite her. xwo films, "Keep Your Seats, Please!", with George Formby and Florence B mond, and "Trouble in Morocco." with Jack Holt, are at the Majestic Theatre. The first is a comedy and '*ie second foreign legion story. Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor form the strong romantic team oi "Camille," a story of intense human interest, characterised by fine acting. The film is at the Tivoli Theatre. 'The child star. Jane Withers, takes th' leading role in "Ginger," one of two films at the Liberty Theatre. An outdoor story of the Canadian mounted

PLAZA

"THE GO-GETTER"

That irascible but lovable old seafaring character created by Peter B. Kyne—Cappy Ricks—comes to life on the screen in "The Go-Getter," which opens at the Plaza on Friday. Charles Winninger, well remembered as the Cap'n Andy of both stage and screen versions of "Show Boat," plays Cappy in this delightful film. Winninger is not the "go-getter" of the story. That part is played by the tall, handsome Irish star, George Brent, who is in love with Cappy's daughter, portrayed by the lovely Anita Louise. "Elephant Boy" To see such a film as "Elephant Boy," which has been transferred to the Plaza for a third week, is a rare experience. It is a great deal more than a film about elephants in India. It is remarkable for the acting of the boy Sabu, who played this part, and for the brilliance of its presentation of elephants.

REX THEATRE

The British comedy hit, "In The Soup," is being shown to-night, tomorrow, and on Friday at the Rex Theatre, Riccarton. Ralph Lynn has the leading role.

police, "O'Malley of the Mounted." with George O'Brien, is the second. Thrills and act'on are combined in the two films. "Car 89." with Fred Mac Murray, and "The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes," with Arthur Wontner which are at the Grand Theatre.