CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22418, 3 June 1938, Page 3

CITY THEATRES

PLAZA “PARTNERS OF THE PLAINS” AND “SCANDAL STREET” The Hopalong Cassidy series of pictures is one case where familiarity .does not appear to breed contempt. “Partners of the Plains,” beginning at the Plaza to-day, is the fifteenth episode of Hopalong’s adventures, with William Boyd again portraying the redoubtable cowboy. . .. It is a picture to be enjoyed if you like well-made, fast-moving Western stories. And “Partners of the Plains” does possess one feature which distinguishes it somewhat from its predecessors —this time Hopalong finds romance for himself. Usually he acts a gallant knight-errant of the prairies on somebody else’s behalf, and discreetly withdraws while a younger hero enjoys the spoils of victory. Here, however, he meets romance unexpectedly in the person of Gwen Gaze, an English visitor to an Arizonian ranch. Beautiful but spoiled, she begins by disliking Hopalong, but after he has battled with outlaws and saved her from a forest fire we leave him with a fiancee on his hands for his sixteenth appearance. Being a lover does not impair William Boyd’s efficiency as a hard-riding, hard-shooting cowboy, and “Partners of the Plains” contains as much excitement of the familiar kind as anyone can reasonably expect. “Scandal Street,” the second feature, is an entertaining story revolving round the predicament of a girl (Louise Campbell) in a small town who is harassed by the behaviour of gossiping women. The real star _of the picture is little Virginia Weidler, a child with a fearsome imagination. Lew Ayres, who officially heads the cast, only comes into the story at the beginning and the end. CRYSTAL PALACE “CRASHING HOLLYWOOD” AND “CITY GIRL” A romance between Lee Tracy and Joan Woodbury shares equal interest with a novel crime theme in "Crashing Hollywood,” the RKO Radio com-edy-drama which begins to-day at the Crystal Palace with “City Girl.” Tracy is seen as a scenario writer and Joan Woodbury appears as an aspiring actress. Complications develop when Tracy unknowingly forms a collaborating partnership with a former convict and writes the story of a famous bank robbery so authentically that Joan Woodbury becomes convinced that he must have been a participant in the crime. Matters are not straightened out until the president of the bank and the actual hold-up men descend on the studio to find out just how much Tracy does know about the robbery. A large cast of popular favourites is seen with the stars, and the featured players include Paul Guilfoyle, Bradley Page, and Lee Patrick. Phyllis Brooks in the title role of ‘City Girl’ ! gives her film fans an opportunity rarely offered. In this 20th Century-Fox production she appears in a difficult part which shows her as a blonde wanted for murder and escape from gaol, who join;; forces with a racketeer. Through an accident she undergoes a facial reconstruction and further to conceal her identity she becomes a brunette, helping the forces of the law to fight crime. The capable actress in this performance presents two entirely different types and characters. AVON

«MARKED WOMAN ” “Marked Woman,” now at the Avon, is a picture of gangsters and racketeers, but it is a different gangster picture. In it there are no melodramatic gun duels, no sawn-off shotguns, and none of the impossible motor-car chases so beloved of the usual gangster ‘ picture. Bette Davis is the star. The story concerns the activities of five night-club hostesses who become entangled in the affairs of Johnny Vanning (Eduardo Cianelli). Vanning turns their club into a gambling den and the lower his own actions become the lower he forces his 4iostesses till they are completely outside the protection of the law. Bette Davis’s schoolgirl sister comes to visit her, and she, too, is caught in the web of vice. She is murdered by Vanning, who tries to hush it up, but Bette Davis hears of it. A rising young lawyer (Humphrey Bogart) is told all she knows by Miss Davis, and she is beaten almost to death for it. Emmy Lou, a part played by Lola Lane, escapes from Vanning, and by their united efforts Vanning is trapped. The only love interest in the film is an attraction between Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart, which can be nothing more than friendship. The rest of the picture is hard and ruthless, but it is superbly acted. The chief racketeer in this picture is played by Eduardo Cianelli. and the special prosecutor who puts the finger of the law on the racketeer and his whole gang is played by Humphrey Bogart, who can be a hero as well as a villain. The night club girls are Bette Davis, Isabel Jewell, Jane Bryan. Rosalind Marquis, Lola Lane, and Mayo Methot. Led by Bette Davis they take their lives in their hands when the prosecutor induces them to expose the boss’s methods. CIVIC “SAILING ALONG” Jessie Matthews, the British dancing star, and Jack Whiting, the Broadway singer and dancer, are joined in the lead of “Sailing Along,” which has proved so popular in the Civic's gala opening programme that its season is being extended. Jessie Matthews plays a dance-struck barge girl of the river Thames, who wins her big chance through an eccentric millionaire. She has one of those squabbling, but happy romances with the son of her adopted father, and this is complicated by her meeting with the actor-producer with whom she works. The songs are satisfactorily tuneful, and the tap duos, by Jessie Matthews and Jack Whiting are a delight. The honours for the supporting cast are divided among Noel Madison as the press agent, Alastair Sim as the artist, and Athene Seyler as the elderly spinster, MAYFAIR “IN OLD CHICAGO” Don Ameche, in a vivid dramatic role, heads the cast, with Tyrone Power and Alice Fay in the romantic roles, in Darryl F. Zanuck's production of “In Old Chicago,” the 20th CenturyFox film opening to-day at the Mayfair. The cast of the film includes a number of stars, such as, Brian Donlevy, Phyllis Brooks, Tom Brown, Sidney Blackmer, Alice Brady, Andy Devine, Berton Churchill, June Storey, and Paul Hurst. “In Old Chicago,” a reviewer wrote, it is safe to predict, will make film history. No picturegoer who wants to feel himself abreast of the great production triumphs of Hollywood should miss it; but it has an appeal for every-

one, particularly for those who would like to refresh the dimming memories they must have of the roysterous but spacious, and often charming days of the late years of the last century. ' CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS, LIMITED The new programme at the Regent to-day is Deanna Durbin, starred ih “Mad About Music,” with Herbert Marshall and Gail Patrick. Gordon Harker is starred in “The Frog.” Edgar Wallace’s exciting story which will begin to-day at * the Majestic. The new programme at the Tivoli is headed by “Lost Horizon,” starring Ronald Colman with Edward Everett Horton. Shirley Temple and Victor McLaglen are starred in “Wee Willie Winkie,” which will begin at the Liberty to-day. The second feature is a Jones family story, “Back to Nature.” “The Country Beyond,” starring Rochelle Hudson and Kent Taylor, jvill begin at the Grand to-day, with O’Malley of the Mounted.” Chapter 2 of “Wild West Days” will also be shown.