CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23003, 24 April 1940, Page 3

CITY THEATRES

MAYFAIR « OVER THE MOON ” “Over the Moon,” starring Merle Oberon and Rex Harrison, will be the next attraction at the Mayfair. Rex Harrison already has a host of admirers for his part as the likeable, crusading, young reporter in the recent success, “Storm in a Teacup.” Effervescing with brilliant dialogue, snappy situations, and happy entertainment, “Over the Moon” is excellent light comedy. This masterpiece of Alexander Korda’s, which was delayed for six months owing to the outbreak of the war, carries Merle Oberon, one of the loveliest of Britain’s stars across a kaleidoscope of action in Venice, St. Moritz, and Monte Carlo. Though the story is light in conception is has an interest that holds the audience from first to last. It deals with the adventures of a young woman who finds herself a multimillionairess and is surrounded by a bevy of fortune-hunters and parasites Her own choice is a young doctor, who objects to being one of the han-gers-on, but is prepared to be caught on his own terms. The story, written specially for the star by Robert Sherwood, author of “The Ghost Goes West” and one of America’s most successful and talented dramatists, provides Miss Oberon with a role in direct contrast to the heavy drama of “Wuthering Heights ” She is cast as a rather kittenish counterpart to “Mr Deeds,” as a North country girl who inherits an enormous fortune and slips Into a life of gaiety, forgetting her local doctor sweetheart. Her activities at the Monte Carlo gaming tables, the smart night clubs of London, the cafes of Paris, and the gay casinos and golden sands of the Riviera are front page news while her mad gambol lasts. Then comes disillusionment and she remembers her former sweetheart. By a ruse she persuades him to go with her to Italy, and with the help of a series of mythical troubles she convinces him just in time to get married.. Together they find happiness. • In the’ fourth of “The Saint” pictures, “The Saint’s Double Trouble," which is at present showing at Lhe Mayfair, George Sanders once again portrays the Saint, and gives an excellent characterisation of that debonnair criminal. Helene Whitney is the leading woman player, and Jonathan Hale and Bela Lugosi give meritorious performances. Also on the programme are “Officer Duck,” the latest Donald Duck cartoon in technicolour, and a newsreel of the funeral of the Prime Minister. CRYSTAL PALACE DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME

Dealing in exciting fashion with the daring exploits of a young peace officer’s efforts to bring law and order to a frontier town under the dominant rule of an outlaw sheriff, “The Marshal of Mesa City,” which will begin at the Crystal Palace on Friday, presents George O’Brien in a dramatic and action-packed film. The story is laid in Arizona of the eighties, and is a saga of the courageous federal marshals who ended the riotous and bloody rule of frontier desperadoes whose sneering disregard for law was told with roaring six-shooters. There is gunplay in the picture and action, as was the case during the period upon which the production was based, but thrills depend less on shooting than upon suspense and twists of plot. O’Brien, as a retired marshal, is en route to his ranch in the south-eastern part of the state. He visits the small frontier community of Mesa City, and is pressed into service. as marshal when the town’s marshal is killed by an outlaw. “Meet Doctor Christian,” the first in a projected new series of films starring Jean Hersholt, will also be on the programme. It has an outstanding cast featuring Dorothy Lovett. Robert Baldwin, Enid Bennett, and Paul Harvey. The new film drama concerns the humanitarian ideals of a small-town doctor and the obstacles he encounters when trying to benefit his fellow citizens. What happens when a great city goes into darkness at the sound of an airraid warning? The thieves and criminals have their chance while the police have to do double or treble their ordinary work. In such circumstances the Charlie Chan film now at the Crystal Palace opens very dramatically. PLAZA DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME COMING John Howard, as the noted amateur sleuth. Bulldog Drummond; Heather Angel, as the lovely Phyllis Clavering, who is making • a final desperate attempt to marry him; H. B. Warner, Reginald Denny, E. E. Clive, Elizabeth Patterson in familiar supporting roles, and Eduardo Ciannelli are the top members of the cast of the new Paramount thriller. “Bulldog Drummond’s Bride,” which will open next Friday at the Plaza. The story gets under way when Drummond, against the wishs of his fiancee and of Scotland Yard, attempts to track down the daring perpetrator of a bank robbery. A picture which combines the elements of comedy and mystery as they are seldom found together in a motion picture will be presented with this programme. It is Paramount’s “Death of a Champion.” “The Witness Vanishes” and “Mutiny on the Blackhawk” are at present showing. STATE « U-BOAT 29 »» Modern sea warfare has been a background for many exciting dramas, but none more thrilling or with a more absorbing story than “U-Boat 29,” which is now showing at the State Theatre. All the drama of the espionage behind great naval actions, and the breathtaking excitement of encounters between powerful ships and submarines have been brought to the screen in this excellent film. Superb acting photographed with great skill, and a fastmoving story of the Great War make this picture one that will be remembered. CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS. LIMITED “Lady of the Tropics,” starring Hedy Lamarr and Robert Taylor, is at the Regent. “The Angels Wash Their Faces,” starring the “Dead End” Kids, is at the Majestic. “Good-bye Mr Chips,” starring Robert Donat, is being shown at the Tivoli “The Devil Doll,” starring Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O’Sullivan, -and “Sweet Aloes,” with Kay Francis and George Brent, are at the St. James’. “Think Fast, Mr Moto,” starring Peter Lorre, and “Good-bye Broadway." with Alice Brady and Charles Wlnninger in the lead, are at the Grand.

AVON “ON BORROWED TIME ” COMING Celebrating his thirtieth anniversary in motion pictures with one of the outstanding characterisations of his career, Lionel Barrymore will be seen at the Avon in the next change of programme in the film from last season’s great Broadway stage success, “On Borrowed Time.” As the lovable, old, outspoken Gramp, Barrymore marks a new milestone in his amazing record. It is Gramp who desperately fights death in order to prevent the young grandson he loves from falling into the hands of a scheming and unscrupulous aunt. That is the simple outline of the story, which is full of warm humour. An exceptional cast surrounds Barrymore. In the role of the mysterious stranger, Mr Brink, personification of Death, is Sir Cedric Hardwicke, noted British stage and screen personality. The role of Pud falls to eight-year-old Bobs Watson, most talked-of youngster of the year. Beulah Bondi is the devoted granny, Eily Malyon the hypocritical Aunt Demetria, Una Merkel the warmly human maid, Marcia. Also in featured roles are Nat Pendleton as the asylum guard, Henry Travers the Grandpa Vanderhof in the stage version of “You Can’t Take It With You,” as Dr. Evans, Grant Mitchell as Pilbeam the lawyer, Charles Waldron as the Rev. Murdock, lan Wolfe as Charlie Wentworth, church organist, Phillip Terry as the young law clerk, James Burke as the sheriff, and Truman Bradley as James Northrup. “Man’s' Castle,” starring Spencer Tracy and Loretta Young, is now showing. LIBERTY “ETERNALLY YOURS” A fast-moving comedy about a magician and his wife is to be seen at the Liberty in “Eternally Yours," starring David Niven and Loretta Young. “Let us Live” is the associate feature in the programme; this is a dramatic story of a miscarriage of justice starring Maureen O’Sullivan and Henry Fonda. “Eternally Yours” presents Hugn Herbert and Billie Burke as the magician’s assistant and the wife’s interfering aunt. CENTURY “ THE SAINT STRIKES BACK ” “The Saint Strikes Back,” a brilliantly clever mystery story of unusual type, is at the Century Theatre, St. Albans. REX THEATRE Douglas Fairbanks and Basil Rathbone are starred in “The Sun Never Sets,” and Dick Powell. Pat O’Brien, and Priscilla Lane in "Cowboy From Brooklyn.” These two films will be shown at the Rex Theatre, Riccarton to-night and on Friday, commencing each evening at 7.30.