Cinema Reviews

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22883, 2 December 1939, Page 3

Cinema Reviews

liberty double-feature programme a programme that should attract larse audiences is the new double feature one at the Liberty; •‘The Nearest Ining to Heaven" and "Almost a Gentleman" are the two tilms shown. -The Nearest Thing to Heaven ” one or the most delightful comedy-ro-mances to be produced for the screen, h e can a feturn season at the Liberty ' Theatre yesterday. It might truthfully be described as the nearest thing to ceifection in romantic films. Overseas it has been proclaimed an outstanding success, and with Christchurch audiences it has already proved most popular From the beauty and balance of tne scenes and the many delightful settings it is obvious that considerable ‘ thought has been given to the production of the film. Irene Dunne has made herself universally popular by her inimitable actin'* in many light-hearted, romantic rofes. With Charles Boyer in “The Nearest Thing to Heaven,” she is again outstanding. Her voice has lost none of its rich appeal, and in the cleverly varied dialogue in this film there is ample opportunity for her to be seen at her best. Charles Boyer handles both dramatic and humorous scenes masterfully. . The title of the film is Irene Dunne s description of the top floor of the tallest building in the world—the Empire State building, New York. Standing bn the deck of the liner on which her romance with Boyer began, she agrees to meet him on the top of the tallest building in six months from the time they part- Then a personal radiogram to Boyer is blown through a porthole to Miss Dunne, and at Madeira where the ship calls for several hours, all is changed. Boyer’s grandmother—a part which Maria Ouspenskaya plays magnificently —entertains them at her • beautiful home above the harbour. As the course of the ship changes so do they change the course of their lives. Both of them realise that when they leave the ship at New York it will be as though they are entering a different world in which Boyer is engaged to another woman. They make their vow to meet again in six months, and while Boyer is working hard to become . a • successful artist. Irene finds work in another town. At nearly 5 o’clock on the day appointed, Irene, looking upwards to the top floor of the Empire State building, is knocked down, and goes to hospital. Up at the meeting place Boyer grows hourly less patient, and more puzzled, until finally he goes on his way. The scenes which lead to their final meeting and the explanation of the failure to keep their appointment are so well produced that there is not a moment when the most hardened picturegoer could become disinterested. , .' The associate feature now showing at the Liberty is “Almost a Gentleman,” a-small-town feud film starring James Ellison. Helen Wood, and the wonder dog, Ace. The theme of the film is the story of Dan Preston and his fight with Robert Mabrey over the beautiful mongrel dog that Dan had saved from destruction. There are some exciting moments, including a climax in' a courtroom, before the dog is finally safe the feud settled. MAYFAIR “SHIPYARD SALLY” For the last few years, all of Grade Fields’s pictures have been unqualified successes with Christchurch theatre audiences, with whom they seem to strike a particularly happy pote. Her latest film, “Shipyard Sally,” in which she appears with Sydney Howard, has maintained the popularity of her films, opened for a third week at the Mayfair Theatre yesterday In this, film Grade Fields, and Sydney Howard are a brilliant comedy team heading a brilliant cast. Everyone knows that Grade Fields can always be relied on for some grand, clean tun, and a story that will hold the attention. , The film, which is produced by 20th Century Productions for 20th Cen-tury-Fox release, and directed by Monty Banks, shows England’s most popular film actress at her greatest against a thrilling background in Scotland’s shipyards. Besides the principals. Morton Selten, now aged 80. ..Norma Varden, Oliver Wakefield. Tucker McGuire, and others appear in the film. It is not long before the audience understands why the exhibitors’ poll , voted Grade the most popular Brit- ' ish screen star. Her songs range from the swinging rhythm of “I Got the ■ Jitterbugs” to the lilting melody of “Danny Boy.” She sings, too, “Wish Me Luck 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 “Land of Hope and Glory.” The story of “Shipyard Sally” opens on Clydebank, where workmen are faced with ruin. Sally Fitzgerald, Grade Fields, and her father, “The • Major,” Sydney Howard, run a pub hear the shipyards, but there is no money to be made. The men sign a petition, which Gracie takes to London for them, appealing for the resumption of work on the ships. Sally knows that Lord Randall (Morton SSlten) is the head of the shipbuilding committee in London, so she sets 'about to see him. She and . her father • are refused an audience with the old peer. Never daunted, Sally poseg as an American swing singer, who was supposed to attend Lord 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 work-, men’s petition with Lord Randall. Sally’s father 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 London 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. CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS. LIMITED ift ■ -The highly-successful “Jamaica Inn,” *fth Charles Laughton, Maureen Uttara, Leslie Banks. Emlyn Williams, and Robert - Newton, will continue at the Regent this week. “Sergeant Madden,” starring Wallace Beery, heads the new programme at Majestic. Tom Brown, Alan Curbs, and Laraine Day are also in the film. v “The Great Waltz,” with Miliza ■™wjus, Fernand Gravet, and Louise Gainer is now showing at the Tivoli. the Grand Theatre fire T *he Last Train from Madrid,” with Ayres and Dorothy Lamour, and tttalywood Boulevard,” with John Robert Cummings, and “bbsha Hunt. -feather Your Nest,” starring / Formby, and “Sinners in Para•S*.’ with John Boles and Madge . vans * is now at the St. James’. ! f REX THEATRE I sW?Three Smart Girls Grow Up,” f- vL 3 ?® 3 Durbin’s latest picture, will Shown at the Rex Theatre. Hiccar-to-night and on Monday and . Tuesday nights. Helen Parrish, Nan jwey, Charles Winninger, and Robert iJjUtnmings are in the supporting cast. JPje Lone Wolf Spy Hunt,” with WarWilliam and Ida Lupino, is the ■ fscond attraction. mStr' ' •

CRYSTAL PALACE TWO INTERESTING FILMS Two excellent films are placed side by side to make an especially good double-feature programme at the Crystal Palace. The chief one, “Blind Alley,” is a breathless drama, and the other, “Outside These Walls,” is a scathing story of bad prison administration. The' players, in “Blind Alley” include Chester Morris, Ralph Bellamy, and Ann Dvorak, and “Outside These Walls” has Michael Whalen, Dolores Costello, and Virginia Weidler at the head of its cast. “Blind Alley” .must be one of the most amazing pictures that has been to Christchurch in years. Without anything in the way of a complicated plot it will sustain an audience in a silent tense state of excitement for its whole length, merely by the hypnotic effect of its superb dialogue. Briefly, the situation is this. A killer has escaped from gaol and he commandeers a house, full of people, to bids in. The host is a psychiatrist, and h 6 watches the killer’s mind at work while he is waiting for an accomplice to come and take him away, The accomplice never comes, and the houseful of people has all night to spend in a nerve-wracking situation. The film is really an absorbing study in the play of minds between Chester Morris, who gives a wonderful performance as the insane killer and Ralph Bellamy, his mental conqueror. Dramatic unities of time place and story have been observed in this remarkable film which must take its place beside “The Informer” as an outstanding production of a play on the screen. One of its most vivid features is a weird photographic effect used in filming the dream to which the killer’s mental troubles can be traced. Directed by' Charles Vidor, the film is never morbid, and none of the deaths is seen. The direction as well as the acting is excellent. “Outside These Walls” is an interesting film, too. Michael Whalen is its chief character, a convict of good character who has edited his prison paper during his seven years’ term and earned a reputation in journalistic circles “outside” as well. On leaving, he is determined not ,to be ashamed of his past, believing that a man’s character is determined by what he is. not what he has done. The world will not let this be, though, and his special enemy is the political party which monopolises the press in the city. What gives him strength to take up the fight by starting another newspaper is his love for his daughter (Virginia Weidler) whom he has retrieved for himself from the clutches of the aunt who would rather teach her to hate her father, now a man of the utmost integrity. The film is a moving one, and there are interesting aspects of the story as well as exciting action. STATE “SECOND FIDDLE” The recognition which was accorded “Second Fiddle” at the State Theatre during its first week has resulted in its season being extended for another week at that theatre. The film, as a whole, is the best arranged and decorated musical to come to Christchurch, and the very large audiences which have been seeing it leave no doubt, of their enjoyment of this fine picture. For a combination of talent in almost every respect, “Second Fiddle” would be very hard to equal. A highlight is the splendid collection of music, singing, dancing, and the incomparable skating of Sonja Henie. This ,star , 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 succeeded admirably. Her work in this film is most moving, particularly in a scene in which she takes the ice towards the end. and, achieves something that is very like ballet. In the music department, there is Irving Berlin, who is in charge of the exceedingly liberal lacing of songs and music. The - singing Js in the hands of Rudy Vallee, as to the male p rt, and Mary Healy as to the female part; a.-d 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. The story tells how Sonja- Heme, a h- ckwoods school teacher, suddenly finds herself a movie star selected out of the blue for the part in a famous fii i 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 fellov, 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 neve, for movie purposes having been known to run smoothly, he has a lot of trouble before everything ends happily. Mr Power sings in this film, no small accomplishment for an actor who has never before appeared as a singer, and 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 ch..nce, specially to suit the songs she is required to sing in the film, and apart from her singing, she gives a sterling performance.

AVON “SECRETS OF AN ACTRESS” An entertaining story of life on Broadway is presented in the latest picture at the Avon Theatre, “Secrets of an Actress,” the main players in which are Kay Francis, George Brent, and lan Hunter. This romantic drama is well acted, as is to be expected with such a combination of leading players, and, the story, with plenty of amusing moments in spite of the dramatic background, is told without any waste of time. The main characters of the story are an actress (Kay Francis), the backer of the play she has written (lan Hunter), and his partner (George Brent). Both are in love with her, but one is married. Incidentally, the part of the second woman, although it is small and of no great importance to the story, is taken by Gloria Dickson, a comparative newcomer to the screen who does her work extremely well. Although the theme is familiar enough, there are various novel touches in the presentation of the story to give it the freshness that is essential to make it interesting throughout, and the embellishments of racy dialogue, surprising developments, and spectacular mounting that American producers incorporate so neatly into,their pictures give this an added attraction. Nor is it easy to anticipate the story. The audience is kept in doubt until almost the last moment as to the outcome of the story, and although the progress of a ‘‘triangle” romance may seem to have in it some of the elements of boredom, it Is noteworthy that there is nothing tedious in the progress of the romance in this picture. Not a little is • attributable to the sincere and competent acting ui the main characters and to lan Hunter in particular. He is a thoroughly satisfying actor. Nor should the work of William Keighley as director be under-estimated. It would have been easy for the story to have become tiresome, but it has been given an emotional variety that prevents the audience from becoming jaded. It is always easy to find an abundance of entertainment in supporting programmes, and that which introduces “Secrets of an Actress” is of a high standard. Included in it are a newsreel, a comedy, a coloured cartoon, and a travelogue.

PLAZA DOUBLE-FEATURE Two favourite stars, the one a villain, the other a hero, are in films on the double-feature programme at the Plaza Theatre now, J. Carrol Naish (King of Alcatraz) and William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy). Naish, with his fascinating accent and flashing .eyes, is the leader of an organisation that runs a racket to swindle crooks, selling transport across the border. In the other film Boyd is his same self, and the story, by. Clarence Mulford, is all that one would expect. “Illegal Traffic,” the film in which Naish acts, together with the lovely Mary Carlisle and Robert Preston, has a most exciting story, with a theme that provides plenty of action. Naish’s organisation specialises in transporting jewel thieves and others with large sums of “hot” money into Canada by various means, aeroplane, ambulance, and so on. One of the drivers, though,, is a traitor to the crooked organisation. He is a detective. After a short time he is dead. Another driver who takes over his work is Robert Preston, whom they trust. Preston’s ingenious engineering of situations soon reveals to the audience, but not to his employers, that he, too, is a detective. When the audience can watch the course of Preston’s plans to trap Naish from within his own organisation, the film becomes too thrilling to describe, and no one can resist being gripped by the fast-moving drama that ends with the most exciting finish ever filmed. William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy) and George Hayes (“Windy") have a mission to fulfill “In Old Mexico,” and there are desperate and clever criminals against them. They must catch “The. Fox,” a criminal from the United States. They live with Don Carlos Gonzales on his ranch while seeking out the dangerous fugitive On the ranch also is a girl who might be the sister of the man Boyd wants So when his host’s son is killed out on the desert, Boyd gets to work in a subtle way, deceiving even his assistants and his host, Gonzales. When Boyd and the woman have spent every day sitting round the house together for a week, the others become restive, and decide to take the bolder course of going out to look for the murderer, which Bovd refuses to do. It is their action which very nearly spoils Boyd’s last coup, and the finish is thus made more exciting than it might have been otherwise.