CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23086, 31 July 1940, Page 5

CITY THEATRES

STATE « SWANEE ‘RIVER ” COMING The singing romance, "Swanee River," coming soon to the State, stars Don Ameche as Stephen C. Foster, the handsome composer; Andrea Leeds and A 1 Jolson are in the leading roles. Filmed in technicolour, the lovely old settings of the story are endowed with striking realism and rare charm. The life of Stephen C. Foster, the great American sone writer, was composed of the very elements which make for thrilling motion picture ma-terial-struggle, success, love, and happiness—then suffering, poverty, loneliness, and disillusion.

The great love of his life was lovely Jane McDowell, who became his wife and the mother of his daughter Marion. Jane, who is played by Andrea Leeds in the film, was the inspiration for the famous “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair.” As the story is retold in the screen play by John Taintor Foote and Philip Dunne, she never forgot Foster and he never ceased to love her, even in those last unhappy years when he was forgotten by the world that would never stop singing his songs. For in his brief 38 years Foster tasted the heady wine of success and died a broken man who had found his last' refuge in a shabby Bowery rooming house —with a pitiful handful of coins and a scribbled note for a new song, "Dear friends and gentle hearts,” his sole worldly possessions. To-day memorials stand in his honour from Florida (which has made his “Swanee River" its state song) to New York; and his “The Old Folks at Home” is not only America’s No. 1 folk tune but the most widely sung song in the world. "Rebecca” is the present programme. - CRYSTAL PALACE BRIGHT DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME Bright and varied entertainment will be shown in the new double feature programme which will begin on Friday at the Crystal Palace First of the films is a clever and bright story. "Music in My Heart,” the stars of which are Tony Martin, Rita Hayworth, Alan Mowbray, and the always popular Eric Blore. Rochelle Hudson is the star of the sfecond attraction, "Convicted Woman,” a stirring drama of prison life. ' It is not often that Christchurch theatregoers are able to see films of French production. "Double Crime in the Maginot Line,” which is now showing at the Crystal Palace, is unusual, in that it retains all the distinction of its foreign production, and yet is able to grip the imagination of an Englishspeaking public. “The Marines Fly High.” Richard Dix. Chester Morris, and Lucille Ball, is quite a different type of film. It has adventure and humour of the lighter kind. It tells of the activities of the marines of the United States in settling disputes and rebellions in some of the smaller dependencies. AVON “STRONGER THAN DESIRE” COMING Virginia Bruce and Walter Pidgeon in their second appearance as a romantic team score again in “Stronger Than Desire.” melodramatic romance of New York society, coming on Friday to the Avon. The story is a combination of happy married life, legal intrigue, a blackmail plot growing out of a flirtation, and a murder mystery with a photographic clue that provides something new in the unravelling of crime puzzles. Pidgeon plays a prosperous lawyer whose wife suspects him of a flirtation and retaliates with one of her own. to discover that she has been playing into the hands of a blackmailer who threatens to compromise her. In a struggle over her letters he strikes her. She instinctively picks up a revolver on his desk, shoots him, and flees. From then on the story moves on to a gripping climax. The latest of the Hardy family films, “Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever,’ is now in its third week at the Avon. Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Cecilia Parker, and Ann Rutherford are in the cast. ' PLAZA DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME Fine entertainment will be provided in the new programme at the Plaza. There are two full-length pictures, “Hell’s Kitchen” • and “Sabotage.” “Hell’s Kitchen” is acted by a cast of young people, one of whom is paroled ■ by the court for eight years. Deter- : mined to go straight, he evinces a ■ personal interest in an institution. • "Hell’s Kitchen,” where the inmates : are unfortunate lads who have offended the -laws in many ways. However. the institution is supervised by one “Krispan,” whose cruelty leads to the death of one of the lads. The boys revolt,. and try “Krispan" for murder. They are about to avenge their comrade when the reformed lad intervenes. It is well-acted, and of gripping interest throughout. The “Dead End Kids” are the stars. “Forgotten Woman” and “Nancy Drew, Trouble Shooter,” are on the present programme. CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS, LIMITED “Ninotchka,” starring Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas, and Ina Claire is in its second week at the Regent. At the Tivoli, “Merrily We Live,” starring Brian Aherne. Constance Bennett and Billie Burke, is showing. “The Circus,” starring the famous Marx Brothers, is continuing at the Majestic. Will Hay in “Oh! Mr Porter,” and Walter Connolly in “Penitentiary,” are the stars of the new programme at the , Grand.- : Robert Taylor and Jean Harlow in “The Man ■in Possession” and Bill 1 Boyd in “Partners of the Plains” are 1 at the St. James,

MAYFAIR “DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK” COMING When Walter D. Edmonds, who was raised in the traditions of New York State’s beautiful Mohawk Valley, wrote his biggest of best-sellers, "Drums Along the Mohawk" (coming on Friday to the Mayfair), it was immediately recognised ..by Darryl F. Zanuck as one of the finest screen possibilities he had ever encountered. Accordingly the book was purchased by 20th Cen-tury-Fox who proceeded to give it top importance on the schedule. This is evidenced by the names associated with Zanuck’s production of "Drums Along the Mohawk.” John Ford was made director. Claudette Colbert was starred with Henry Fonda, whose family hails from the Mohawk

Valley. Other names in the cast guaranteeing excellent entertainment are Edna May Oliver, Eddie Collins, John Carradine, and Dorris Bawdon. | ’ A new colour process is used in the • film "Isle of Destiny,” showing at the ' Mayfair this week. William Gargan, : Walter Ford, June Lang, and Gilbert Roland have the leading roles. There ; is also a Donald Duck Walt Disney ; coloured cartoon. I 1 LIBERTY 1 > “ DAY-TIME WIFE ” ’ At the Liberty, "Day-time- Wife” is r showing with "All at Sea.” Tyrone i Power and Linda Darnell are the stars : of the comedy “Day-time Wife.” < Mrs Jane Norton (Linda Darnell) de- > termines to find out what it is that ; secretaries have and wives haven’t, : when her husband, Ken (Tyrone Power), repeatedly pleads business appointments after office hours. In “All at Sea” Sandy Powell plays the part of an A.B. who gets himself into numbers of difficult situations and gets himself out of them by saving the British Navy in scenes full of humorous surprises. CENTURY THEATRE “The Story of Irene and Vernon ’ Castle” and “Git Along Little Dogie” | comprise the attractive new pro- - gramme now at the Century Theatre, - St. Albans. 5 REX, RICCARTON Two special attractions will be screened at the Rex Theatre, Riccarton, to-night, to-morrow, and Friday. They are Richard Arlen, Andy Devine, and Noah Beery in “Mutiny on the Black Hawk,” and Warner Baxter and a big cast in “Return of the Cisco Kid.” This is fine entertainment for the whole family.