CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23043, 11 June 1940, Page 10

CITY THEATRES

MAYFAIR FRANK CAPRA PICTURE COMING Frank Capra, director of “It Happened One Night,” and “Mr Deeds Goes to Town,” was the director also of “Mr Smith Goes to Washington,” the next attraction for the Mayfair. Critics and filmgoers who have seen this new drama enjoyed it more than “You Can’t Take It With You.” Appropriately, three of the bright personalities who appeared in “You Can’t Take It With You,” are reunited in “Mr Smith Goes to Washington.” They are Jean Arthur, James Stewart, and Edward Arnold, the first two co-starred in the romantic leads, and Arnold as part of a distinguished supporting cast which includes such players as Thomas Mitchell, Claude' Rains. Guy Kibbee, Ruth Donnelly, Eugene Pallette, Beulah Bondi, and Astrid Allwyn, to name only a few. “For Freedom,” a story of the beginning of the war told through a series of news reels, is now in its second week at the Mayfair. In spite of the absence of trained actors—Will Fyft'e is the only well-known player—- “ For Freedom” turns out to be a wellproduced and well-acted film in which men and women whose names are known to millions, and others whose names have never been heard of, take part in the action. Members of the crews of the ships of the British Navy engaged in the fight with the Admiral Graf Spec take part, their voices are heard and their actions are reconstructed just as at the time of the battle. STATE “‘EVERYTHING HAPPENS AT NIGHT” Comedy and drama combine to make “Everything Happens at Night,” which is at the State Theatre, one of the most entertaining films screened iaChristchurch for a long time. One of the most remarkable features is the performance of Sonja Henie. In her previous productions she has had to rely almost entirely on her skating to bring her popularity. In “Everything Happens at Night” there is only one skating sequence, and the star gives a. really splendid performance. Another of the popular March of Time series is included in the first half of tile programme. AVON « GULLIVER’S TRAVELS ” The famous satire by Jonathan Swift, “Gulliver’s Travels,” has made a splendid colour cartoon which is now in its second week at the Avon. This film departs very little from the original story and retains all the charm that children have found in it for generations. Gulliver, Princess Glory, Prince David, and the Kings are pleasing, but the cartoon creation of “Gabby, the town crier,” and of the spies of Bombo provide a preponderant share of the comedy. CRYSTAL PALACE DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME The Crystal Palace once again brings good fare to theatregoers. Gordon Harker. as Scotland Yard’s most unorthodox detective, ably assisted by Alastair Sim as Sergeant Bingham, is the star in the. main feature, “Inspector Hornleigh on Holiday.” The other picture is “Too Busy to Work,” a humorous film in the ever-popular Jones family series. Inspector Hornleigh and Sergeant Bingham take a holiday. A retired naval officer from the same boardinghouse is found dead at the bottom of a cliff, and, although a verdict of accident is returned, the inspector, taking up his professional duties once again, sets out to uncover the activities of a' gang of criminals. PLAZA DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME A very bright double-feature programme, calculated to please all kinds of picture-goers, is presented at the Plaza this week. In consists of the latest Torchy Blane picture, “Torchy Blane Runs for Mayor,” starring Glenda Farrell and Barton Mac Dane, and a wild comedy concerning the racket surrounding the boxing ring; this is “The Kid from Kokomo,” with a cast of well-known and popular players. LIBERTY TWO COMEDIES Two very good comedies, one Concerning love and the other concerning roguery, are to be seen this week at the Liberty. “Raffles,” starring David Niven and Olivia de Havilland, is the story of a rogue; “The Divorce of Lady X” is the story of a daring young woman, and stars Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier. In “Raffles,” David Niven carries the whole action of the film along at a steady and pleasantly firivolous pace. “The Divorce of Lady X” is in technicolour and contains one of the most amusing court scenes ever filmed. CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS, LIMITED At the Regent, “Rulers of the Sea,” starring Douglas Fairbanks, jun., and Margaret Lockwood, is showing. “The Little Accident’! is now at the Majestic, starring Hugh Herbert. “The Beachcomber,” starring Charles Laughton, is at the Tivoli. ‘‘All’s Button Afloat,” starring .The Crazy Gang, and “Born Reckless.” are at the Grand. Spencer Tracy, and Luise Rainer m “Big City,” and the Jones Family in “A Trip to Paris,” are at the St. James’. CENTURY THEATRE Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea and Akim Tamiroff are starred in, “Union Pacific,” the current attraction at ■ the Century Theatre, St. Albans.