Cinema Reviews

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22877, 25 November 1939, Page 4

Cinema Reviews

CRYSTAL PALACE

“SWIFT VENGEANCE” AND “THE GIRL AND THE GAMBLER” A double-feature programme that will please all members of the family began a season at the Crystal Palace yesterday. The first film on the programme is “Swift Vengeance,” a tale of the adventures of a police dog and his master in tracking down criminals. Virginia Weidler adds laughter to this film, as well as a special appeal to children. The second picture is a Mexican romance starring Leo Carrillo and Steffi Duna. With Carrillo’s genius for comedy and Steffi Duna’s dancing and beauty, "The Girl and the Gambler” has much to recommend it. Ace is the handsome police dog owned by Clem Maitland, a comparelive newcomer to the police force. He fully believes in the dog’s cleverness, and would take him on every job; but the police commissioner does not agree with him, and forbids the young policeman to take the dog with him on raids. In his turn Clem (Tim Holt) forbids Nicey. the little girl next door, who admires Clem and the police force in general, to follow him when he goes on a dangerous job. “You stay-and watch Ace.” he instructs her. Virginia Weidler’s joy can be imagined when Ace follows his master and she. obeying orders, must follow to keep an eye on him. ,It is a very exciting finish, with Clem and his dog in positions of pride. And the daughter of the chief of police is more enthusiastic than anyone else about Clem s successes. The film has not one dull moment. , ... 4 There are no dull moments, either, in “The Girl and the Gambler,” m which a bandit with a very big price on his head takes a bet with one of his men that he will go to town and win the most beautiful girl there, bringing her home without bribe, without telling her who he really is, and without kidnapping her. The bandit is El Rayo, very good with a gun, but getting on in years. His conceit is too much for the beautiful Dolores, who dances in the entertainment house, and besides she is greatly interested ip Johnny Powell, who is in charge of the gambling table. Johnny Powell is very much interested in Dolores, too: but the manager of the entertainment house would rather entertain the magnificent personage that El Rayo appears to be than the humble young man mom the gambling house. Trouble about getting back across the Mexican border, about some cheating with loaded dice, and about Johnny s arrest on a charge of murder when he kills one of the bandit’s men in a brawl play at last into El Rayo’s hands, and he goes off with Dolores to take her to what he describes as his castle in the hills. There is much more to the story than this, however; but to tell it would spoil the film. There is fast action before the satisfactory ending, in which Leo Carrillo is seen standing proudly saying “What a great man 1 Iteffi Duna’s dancing is very graceful. and the music is suitably Spanish to accompany her light variations of famous dances.

MAYFAIR

“SHIPYARD SALLY” Gracie Fields and Sydney Howard Bre a brilliant comedy team heading a brilliant cast in “Shipyard Sally,” which is now in its second week at the Mayfair. All of Gracie Fields s pictures for two or three years now have been enormous successes in Christchurch, where they seem, _. to strike a particularly happy note with theatre audiences, and everyone knows that a Gracie Fields film can always be relied on for some grand, clean fun and a story that will hold the attention. England’s most popular film actress is at her greatest this time against a thrilling background in Scotland’s shipyards. She has with her, besides the ever-popular Sydney Howard, Morton Selten, now aged 80, Norma Varden, Oliver Wakefield, Tucker McGuire, and others. Gracie sings, and the audience understands why the exhibitors’ PpU voted her the most popular British screen star. Her songs range from the swinging rhythm of “I Got the Jitterbugs” to the lilting medody of "Danny Boy.” She sings, too, “Wish Me Duck as You Wave Me Good-bye,” the song ■which has taken the place of “Tipperary,” with the modern British troops. At the end of the picture she gives a fine rendering of “Dand of Hope and Glory.” The story of “Shipyard Sally” opens on Clydebank, where workmen are laced with ruin. Sally Fitzgerald, Gracie Fields, and her father, “The Major,” Sydney Howard, run a pub near the shipyards, but there is no money to be made. The men sign a petition, which Gracie takes to Dondon for them, appealing for • the resumption of work on the ships. Sally knows that Dord Randall (Morton Selten) is the head of the shipbuilding committee in Dondon, so she sets about to see him. She and her father are refused an audience with the old peer. Never daunted, Sally poses as an American swing singer, who was supposed to attend Dord Randall’s big party, but could not because of an acute attack of laryngitis. Various complications follow which prevent Sally from discussing the Clydeside conditions, and the workmen’s petition with Dord Randall. Sally’s lather makes plenty of trouble for them both, but the fun is at its height when the real American singer, who is on the Riviera, reads in the newspapers that she appeared at a Dondon party the night before and was a great success. Just before Sally presents the Clydeside workers' petition to the peer, the infuriated singer appears, and upsets Sally’s plans. The story moves on to a happy ending, and on her return to Clydebank, Sally is acclaimed a heroine by the workers. The film is produced by 20th Century Productions for 20th CenturyFox release, and directed by Monty Banks.

CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS, LIMITED

“Jamaica Inn,” with Charles Laughton, Maureen O’Hara, Leslie Banks, Emlyn Williams, and Robert Newton Is the Regent’s present outstanding at traction. “King of Chinatown,” with Anna May Wong and Akim Tamiroff, is the main feature at the Majestic. “The Sun Never Sets,” with Douglas Fairbanks, jun., Basil Rathbone, and C. Aubrey Smith, is now at the Tivoli.

“The Great O’Malley,” with Pat O’Brien and Humphrey Bogart, and “Here Comes Carter,” with Ross Alexander and Glenda Farrell, are at the Grand. At the St. James’ are “The Green - Light,” starring Errol Flynn and Anita Louise, and "Coconut Grove,” with Fred. McMurray and the Yacht Club Boys.

REX THEATRE

British film, “Stolen Life,” with Elisabeth Bergner and Michael Redgrave, and the air film, “Flight to Fame,” with Charles Farrell and Jacqueline Wells, forms the entertaining programme to be shown at the Rex Theatre. Riccarton, to-night, and on Monday and Tuesday nights.

LIBERTY

ATTRACTIVE DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME So popular has been the season of the thrilling romantic drama, “The Man in the Iron Mask,” that this film has now been transferred to the Liberty Theatre for an extended season. Also screening is a bright English comedy, “Paradise for Two.” The two films are rich in all the elements of good film entertainment, and the clever blending of comedy and drama go to make a well-balanced double feature programme. The stars of “The Man in the Iron Mask” are Louis Hayward and Joan Bennett, and these two players, who appear together for the first time m this major production, give fine performances of the principal characters in the immortal Dumas classic. Spectacle is given the film by lavish portrayals of the extravagances of the court of France, while fast-moving adventure marks the career of the hero of the story. The theme concerns Louis Kiv oi France and, more especially, his twin brother Phillippe. The latter is whisked away at his birth to the province of Gascony to avoid the contingency of there being two heirs to the throne of France, Royal advisers feeling that this position would be used by enemies of France to cause division among the people. Young Phillippe is brought up in the finest traditions of France by D’Artagnan of the famous Musketeers, played by Warren William in swashbuckling style. Hayward plays the dual role of the twin brothers, and Joan Bennett takes the part of the lovely Maria Theresa of Spain. When the extorting King Louis is faced with his brother, he takes the drastic precaution against exposure of imprisoning him in an iron mask, and Phillippe’s amazing escape and the subsequent freeing of France from tyranny through the agency of the Musketeers provide the exciting climax to the film. The adventures which befall an eccentric young man, who dances in a bank and banks in a theatre, when his name has been linked in romance with that of a pretty chorus' girl after a motor collision, give ample scope for comedy in “Paradise for Two,” the associate feature. Jack Hulbert and Patricia Ellis, the popular light comedy actress from American films, are the leading players. The inimitable Jack is at first horrified at the rumours about his connexion with the singer, but the fascination of the young lady soon intrigues him, and the two combine to give theatre-goers one of the gayest entertainments to come from English studios. Hulbert is seen in his usual repertoire of dancing, singing, and fun-making; and Miss Ellis sings with a chorus of 60 beautiful girls. Four new song hits introduced in the film are “Paradise for Two,” “Kiss Me Goodnight,” “When You Hear Music,” and “March in Springtime.”

STATE

“SECOND FIDDLE” For a combination of talent in almost every moving-picture respect, “Second Fiddle,” which opened last evening at the State Theatre, would be very hard to equal. The story is a fairly simple, yet' convincing background to a splendid collection of music, singing, dancing, and the incomparable skating of Sonja Henie. . In the music department, there is Irving Berlin, who is in charge of the exceedingly liberal lacing of songs and music. The' singing is in the hands of Rudy Vallee, as to the male part, and Mary Healy as to the female part; and as Berlin’s music for the show ranges from “hot” to sentimental they have every opportunity of showing what they can do. Opposite Sonja Henie Tyrone Power is cast in about the most successful of the light parts he has so far undertaken. A not inconsiderable portion of the picture is in the hands of Edna May Oliver, of whom it can without reservation be said that she has never made a picture that was anything but outstandingly good. Sonja Henie is. of course, at her best as a skater, and it must have been something of a struggle for the director to arrange for a suitable quantity of this to be incorporated in the film, but he has succeeded admirably. Her work in this film is most moving, particularly in a scene in which she takes the ice toward the end. and achieves something that is very like ballet. In the story, Sonja Henie is a' backwoods school teacher who suddenly finds herself a movie star selected out of the blue for the part m a famous film for which a heroine has been sought the world over. She is piloted through her initiation, and is beholden for not a little of her success to her hustling press agent, Jimmy Sutton, who is portrayed by Tyrone Power. It is a new Power in “Second Fiddle, a debonair fellow and in his line a man of action rather than of dalliance, and it is a very attractive Power. He, of course, falls in love with the new star, but the course of this emotion never for movie purposes having been known to run smoothly, he has a lot of trouble before everything ends hap■pily. Mr Power sings in this film, no small accomplishment for an actor who has never before appeared as a •finger, apd his singing is most effective. His whole performance-hangs together superlatively well, a tribute to his powers, as the part, that of the hero in a musical romance, is one which might easily have been made completely mawkish and unconvincing. Rudy Vallee has a voice that perhaps everyone who owns a radio, even if he has never been to the pictures, has heard. He also has great ability as an actor, and the part that he takes is ideal for his powers in both directions. Edna May Oliver is at her very best in the character of the whimsical old aunt of the new star. It is one of the best performances of this really fine actress. Mary Healy has the sort of voice that one imagines Irving Berlin would have designed, had he had the chance, specially to suit the songs she is required to sing in the film, and apart from her singing, she gives a sterling performance. The film as a whole is about the best puttogether and decorated musical to come to Christchurch for a long time, and the capacity audience which saw the opening last night left no doubt of its enjoyment of this fine picture.

PLAZA

two NOTABLE THRILLERS

Two extraordinary thrillers are being shown together at the Plaza Theatre now. It will indeed be th_- special thrill week that it is advertised to be, because each of the films is quite different from the ordinary run of thrillers. ‘■The Mystery of the White Room is a hospital story in which Bruce Cabot, Helen Mack, and Mabel Todd are the chief performers, and “S.O.S. Tidal Wave” is a story of political racketeers a-id a popular television news commentator, in which Talph Byrd and Kay Sutton are the leading players, with Frank Jenks as a supporting CO ”The a Mystery of the White Room” is not like most hospital and doctor-nurse films; one is spared the more unpleasant aspects of the operating theatre, and compensated with several murders. The situation is set right for a good murder because in the hospital are several people, doctors and nurses, who might very .veil have wanted to kill the chief surgeon. So when he is dead, and all the people o were m the operating theatre at the time are set on to by a not very clever detective sergeant, there is a good opportunity f one of the uspects (Bruce Cabot) to undertake the task of clearing himself and convicting the culprit. There are two doctors, Cabot and another, who had a motive to kill the surgeon while he was operating. A third was standing nearest the murdered man. There are two nurses, both very goodlooking, and the one (Helen Mack) is attached to Bruce Cabot while the other is attached to the second suspect doctor. So the evidence is alt very well tied up with motives, prejudices. and other contaminating influences. The plot is complicated; the comic janitor of the hospital becomes fuddled and describes the place as “home sweet homicide.” _ Everything clears up in the ena. though, and after each member of the audience has had his suspicions shifted about from one person to the other the right one is picked upon and duly carried off. . . . ■ ”S O.S. Tidal Wave is an amazing film. It ends in a thrilling scene showing New York being destroyed by earthquake and tidal wave. A ternfied voice is announcing over television radio the details of the sc.ne that is being televised. The whole of Manhattan Island is split in two. Liners are cast against the skyscrapeis. Meanwhile the iarge population of another city where an election is being heid goes mad wvtti panic and tries to desert the city when television receiver screens show what is happening on the coast and -n New York. ihe election is interrupted by the panic. The question is, how did the crooked electioneers manage to arrange for the convenient tidal wave to p the election 9 To see the film will reveal it all.

AVON “MIDNIGHT” “Midnight,” which is now into its second week at the Avon Theatre, is a picture that no one should miss. Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche are the stars of this fast-moving American comedy. It is a sophisticated comedy, moving with the utmost speed, but perhaps the greatest test of its merit is that it succeeds as a sophisticated comedy without having recourse to one scene of even faint doubtfulness. Too often a film of this sort depends for its appeal on daring, but “Midnight” is too good a comedy to need that. The story is laid in Paris, in the most luxurious part of Paris, and there is a curiously authentic French flavour about the plot, the story, and the direction. The humour is spread lightly, but in supremely satisfying quantities, and the touch of real drama introduced every so often serves most artistically to set off the main theme. Claudette Colbert is probably the greatest exponent on the 'screen at present in this type of film, and gives a performance <t'hat will be remembered for a long time. Her handling of the part of Eve Peabody, a gold digging third-rate cabaret singer, is artistic in the extreme, and will add to her already shining reputation as a comedy actress.

The male part is taken by Don Ameche, who can handle a part requiring as sure and light a touch .as Claudette Colbert requires for hers. His end of the comedy is as well sustained as is Claudette Colbert’s, and together they make up an outstanding team. The theme is the old one of the gold-digger, with her prey almost in her grasp, torn between what she considers is the sensible thing to do, and what her heart dictates that she should do. Heart wins, as it should, but before that happens there is a glorious story of intrigue and mix-up that makes one of the best of comedies. The film is full of stars. An important part, that of the Parisian husband who -uses the cabaret singer to wean from his wife the affections of her admirer, is taken by John Barrymore, whose performance is as polished as one has come to expect from a member of that famous family. His part is pure comedy, and it is handled with the deftness that it requires to make it one of the principal parts in the film. Francis Lederer has the somewhat unenviable task of portraying the superlatively gallant lover of first, the wife, and then the cabaret singer, but he is a great enough actor to make this part, so frequently mishandled, into a splendid success. Mary Astor, of whom perhaps too little is seen, gives a most polished performance. These are the main names on the bill, but there is not a part, however, minor, which is not used to the best advantage, and which does not bring something valuable to the story. “Midnight” is a light story, but it is so full of good lines and excellent situations, that it turns into an exceedingly refreshing entertainment.

A part of the programme which was very warmly received was a screening of Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, by the same orchestra that played “Tannhauser” recently. The short features are all excellent, particularly some news films showing the progress of the war through the eyes of the German propaganda films.