CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22824, 25 September 1939, Page 2

CITY THEATRES

STATE

“WUTHERING HEIGHTS”

“Wutherlng Heights,” now in its second week at the State Theatre, is an achievement ■of historical and dramatic value in cinema-making. Merle Oberon as Cathy, Laurence Olmer as Heathcliff, David Niven as Edgar Linton, Flora Robson as Ellen Dean, Hugh Williams as Hindley, and Geraldine Fitzgerald as Isabella, have performed their parts as only good actors, convinced of the significance and importance of those parts, could play them. “Wuthering Heights” takes the audience through the memory of the nurse; Ellen Dean, 40 years back in the story of “Wuthering Heights,” the bleak, frightening house on the v Yorkshire Moors. It takes the audience through the comparatively happy days of the childhood of Cathy and Heathcliff and Hindley to the ’ dark days of their later lives; it shows how the shadow of Heathcliff’s dark passion and his desire for revenge falls first on. a house and then on human beings, and at last on a whole countryside. MAYFAIR DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME A double-feature programme that is more than ordinarily generous is offered at the M .yfair Theatre now, where Gordon Harker and John Lodge are starred in “Lightning Conductor," and John Lodge and Margaret Lockwood appear together in ‘Hank Holiday.” Both are particularly bright and pleasant, even though three are deaths in each. The one .is a thrilling story of international crooks in London, and the other is a dramatic story of two people whose lives took extraordinary turns on a bank holiday, when everyone else was happy and gay in the sunshine, and the city streets were deserted. LIBERTY DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME One of the finest return programmesever to come to Christchurch is now showing at the Liberty Theatre. The outstanding double-feature programme consists of “Sixty Glorious Years,” with Anna Neagle and Anton Walbrook, and “Mother Carey’s Chickens,” starring Anne Shirley,' Ruby Keeler, and Virginia Weidler. Opening with the accession to the throne of Queen Victoria, “Sixty Glorious Years” deals with one of the great-, est periods in British history. In its previous showing, “Mother Carey’s Chickens” captured the imagination of everyone who saw it. It is a very human story of a very human family. It is plain, homely sentiment; it does not descend to sentimentality: and it has the touches of humour and pathos that are the fundamentals of happy living. The film is based on one of Louisa Alcott’s famous novels. CRYSTAL PALACE DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME A double-feature programme of a specially good quality is now showing at the Crystal Palace, where a new Gene Autry film. _ “The Old Barn Dance,” is coupled with a film that is something altogether new in musical shows, -“Minstrel Boy,” starring Fred Conyngham and Chili Bouchier. In both are some good songs. The story of “The Old Barn Dance” tells of a gang of swindlers who trap farmers into financial difficulties by selling tractors to them on the instalment system, and then foreclosing on them. “Minstrel Boy” is a film that should do a great' deal to uplift the reputation of English producers of musical shows. It was directed by Sydney Morgan, and is presented by Butcher’s Film Service. Chili Bouchier. Fred Conyngham, and Lucille Lisle are the stars. It is an excellent production, in the best style of musical shows, it has a coherent story, and there are some good songs written for it, as well as some old favourites. CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS, LIMITED “The Great Waltz,” with Miliza Korjus, Luise Rainer, and Fernand Gravet, is now showing at the Regent. “Heart of the North,” starring Gloria Dickson, Allen Jenkins, Gale Page, and Patric Knowles, is at the Majestic. “The Girl Downstairs,” - with Franchot Tone and Franciska Gaal, is the attraction at the Tivoli. “The Return of Sophie Dang,” starring Gertrude Michael and Ray Milland, and “Turn Off, the Moon,” with Charlie Ruggles, Eleanore Whitney, and Kenny Baker, are at the Grand. The St. James’ Theatre has Will Hay in, “Oh, Mr Porter,” and John Barrymore in “Bulldog Drummond’s , Peril.” J>. C. WILLIAMSON PICTURE CORPORATION, LTD, “Out West With the Hardys,” an American family-life picture, starring Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Cecilia Parker, ’ Fay Hplden, and Virginia Weidler, is the nqw attraction at the Avon. “Bulldog Drummond’s Sacret Police,” starring John Howard, Heather Angel. H. B. Warner, and Reginald Denny, and “Persons in Hiding,” with J. Carol Naish and Patricia Morrison, head the new programme at the Plaza.