CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22768, 21 July 1939, Page 7

CITY THEATRES

AVON “DRAMATIC SCHOOL” The vivacious Viennese star, Luise Rainer, steals all hearts in her latest —and it is rumoured, her last—picture, “Dramatic School,” which is to have an extended season at the Avon. The young Australian actor, Alan Marshall, gives a great performance as the Marquis Andre d’Abbencourt. Many will remember him from his recent picture, “Night Must Fall.’ Paulette Goddard shows herself again ah actress of great ability in her clever interpretation of Nana, a fellow student of Luise Rainer at the dramatic school. Lana Turner, Anne Rutherford, Gale Sondergaard. and Henry Stephenson are also included in the cast. The story itself is simple, yet fascinating, and deals with the laughs and tears of those who seek footlight fame. These girls at the school of dramatic art dream and think of nothing else. Among them is one, Louise Mauban, played by Luise Rainer, who, like all the rest, is convinced that she is destined to be a great star. Her purse, however, is not as big as her ambitions, and she is forced to work in a factory at night in order to earn enough money to pay for her day classes at the dramatic school. Luise Rainer has many dramatic opportunities: in the scene in which she plays the poor student vainly attempting to play Juliet according to the instructions of Gale Sondergaard, in the scene in which she is confronted by the man she has named as Iter lover, and in that where she imagines for herself yet another dream-lover, she proves her power. CRYSTAL PALACE

NEW DOUBLE PROGRAMME “The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt,” starring Warren William and Ida Lupino, will be the new attraction at the Crystal Palace to-day, with the new Jack Holt film, “Whispering Enemies.” Warren William is cast as the Lone Wolf, Michael Lanyard, the dashing rogue known to the police as the reformed leader of a spy ring who becomes a spy again to declare war on the new leader, Ralph Morgan. Gunmen try to force Lanyard’s hands when Spiro (Ralph Morgan) offers him money to steal secret plans from the War Department. Ida Lupino is cast as a debutante who wants to marry the world-famous rogue. Ralph Morgan, Rita Hayworth, and Virginia Weidler are others in the cast of the new film. “Whispering Enemies” shows Jack Holt smashing the rumour racket which is said to be becoming one of America’s greatest evils. It is an exposure of a national scandal syndicate Said to be a highlight in Holt’s long succession of screen hits, the new film is set in a metropolis, with the star presented as an aggressive manufacturer suddenly ruined when a competing company initiates a whispering campaign against his products. Penniless and embittered, Holt seeks revenge. He goes after the rival firm with the same vicious tactics. His success in the campaign leads him to expand* and become a scandalmonger ready to riiin the reputation of any firm or any individual for a price. There is fast-moving, action-packed drama in this story of revenge and repentence,

• ‘PLAZA “KING OF ALCATRAZ” AND “PRIDE OF THE WEST” Gail Patrick and Lloyd Nolan have leading roles, in the thriller coming to the Plaza to-day, “King of Alcatraz,’’ the drama ‘of a crime • king who escaped from Alcatraz prison. The story is of two radio operators, Grayson and Mac Arthur, who constantly fight when they are ashore off their steamers. As a ’ punishment for a fight, the owner of the line assigns + hem both to the same ship. Once on board the two men meet Dale Borden, ship’s nurse, whom Ray Grayson once knew. The passenger list of the ship, 14 persons in all, consists of tough-looking men, but at the last minute ah old woman hobbles on board, escorted by a hardlooking blonde nurse. A week out at sea, the old lady proves to be the disguised Steve Murkil, notorious Public Enemy, who has . escaped from A,lcatraz.

Modern piracy sets the theme for this thrilling new adventure-romance, which has a cast including such screen favourites as J. Carrol Naish, Harry Carey, and Porter Hall. The story deals with a daring prison escape engineered by a notorious criminal and his subsequent piracy of a steamer, on which he plans to make his get-away to Central America, where he hopes to lose himself. Robert Florey directed. “Pride of the West,” a Hopalong Cassidy action drama, with William Boyd, George Hayes, Charlotte Field, and Billy King, is the accompanying feature. This is a rushing Western drama from the story by Clarence E. Mulford. The sixth chapter of “The Lone Ranger” will be shown with this programme.

STATE “THE NEAREST THING TO HEAVEN” “The Nearest Thing to Heaven,” originally called “Love Affair,” is probably the best reviewed film of the year. It stars Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer, and will begin today at the State. Leo McCarey, the director, who made “The Awful Truth,” made this RKO Radio film, which has been praised by noted critics in England and America in terms that are generally reserved for that “ideal film” that is always somewhere in the future. The early sequences of the film are on board an ocean liner between Naples and New ) York. In their respective roles of a lovely woman of the world and a Continental heartbreaker, Miss Dunne and Boyer meet for the first time on shipboard, and soon demonstrate their talents at coquetry.

CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS, LIMITED

The notable film, ‘‘Boys’ Town,” in which Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney have leading parts, is now at the Regent. “Burn ’Em Up O’Connor,” starring Dennis O’Keefe,, and “I Am a Criminal,” with John Carroll and Kay Linaker, will begin at the Majestic to-day. The current attraction at the Tivoli is “Sweethearts,” with Jeanette MacDonald and -Nelson Eddy. “Calling All Stars,” which features Larry Adler and Ambrose and his Orchestra, and “Back to Nature,” a Jones Family film, will begin at the Grand to-day.

MAYFAIR

“THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLtfS” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” one of literature’s most spine-chilling mystery stories and perhaps the greatest of all Sherlock Holmes’ astounding adventures, has been made into an outstanding talking film. Tall, spare, hawklike Basil Rathbone, in the perfect-fitting role of the greatest detective, is featured with Richard Greene and Wendy Barrie in the Twentieth Century-Fox production which will be presented at the Mayfair to-day. In this great story the master of a thousand mysteries pits hk cunning against the giant unearthly beast that roams the fog-shrouded English moor with blazing eyes and bared fangs, terrorising the countryside, striking horror into the hearts of two young lovers anc. leaving a trail so terrifying that only Sherlock Holmes dare follow. ' _ Nigel Bruce plays the famous Dr. Watson, the great detective’s constant companion, Boswell, and amazed observer. Included in the cast ars Lionel Atwill, John Carradine, Barlowe Borland, Beryl Mercer, Morton Lowry, and Ralph Forbes. To thousands of people all over the world Sherlock Holmes is no creature of Sir Arthur’s imagination, but a real, active detective, who, for all they know, is still solving the insoluble. Doyle ascribed this popular delusion to Holmes’ numerous stage impersonators—one actor, the famous William Gillette, appeared as Sherlock over a period of 30 years in more than 1200 performances!

LIBERTY “RETURN OF THE CISCO KID” “The Cisco Kid had escaped capture because he could shoot five-sixths of a second sooner than any other man . . Thus O. Henry described his romantic bandit, whom Warner Baxter brings to the screen of the Liberty Theatre to-day in 20th Century-Fox’s “The Return of the Cisco Kid.” He dons again the sombrero and sil-ver-mounted guns of the famous O. Henry desperado he so thrillingly brought to life in “In Old Arizona” and the result is as hilarious and thrillpacked as that first triumph. In support of the star, Lynn Bari, Cesar Romero, Henry Hull, Kane Richmond, C. Henry Gordon, and Robert Barrat are featured in the cast. Thlfe Cisco Kid, O. Henry’s 'lovable desperado, has been very much alive since he was first" brought to “life” in “In Old Arizona.” Ten years ago, in the first all-talking outdoor picture, Baxter created the character’for the screen and won the Academy Award. Since then the film has never lost its popularity. It is a real favourite in the Argentine, in Arabic countries, and in other -sections of the world where the adventuresome life is the dally one. According to studio reports, “In Old Arizona” still brings in a respectable annual income, its rer cord being eclipsed only by “The Birth of a Nation,” produced in 1915 and still grossing 25,000 dollars annually.