CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23087, 1 August 1940, Page 3

CITY THEATRES

STATE “ SWANEE RIYER ” COMING The singing romance. "Swanee River,’’ coming to the State to-morrow, 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 song writer, was composed of the very elements which make for thrilling motion picture material —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 Jus 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 Fosfcr 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. 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 to-mor-row 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. PLAZA DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME Fine entertainment will be provided in to-morrow’s 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. Determined to go straight, he shows 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. , "Forgotten Woman and “Nancy Drew, Trouble Shooter,” are on the present programme. CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS, LIMITED Deanna Durbin is starred in “It’s a Date," beginning to-morrow at the Regent, “Ninotchka,” with Greta Garbo, is now showing. Lan Hay's “The Middle Watch," starring Jack Buchanan, begins to-mor-row at the Majestic. “The Circus,” starring the Marx Brothers, is now showing. At the Tivoli, “The Outsider,” starring George Sanders and Mary Maguire, begins to-morrow. “Merrily We Live” is now showing. Will Hay in “Oh! Mr Porter,” and Walter Connolly in “Penitentiary,” are the stars of the new programme at the Grand. TT , Robert Taylor and Jean Harlow in “The Man in Possession” and Bill Boyd in "Partners of the Plains” are at the St. James. CENTURY THEATRE “The Story of Irene and Vernon Castle” and “Git Along Little Dogie” comprise the attractive new programme now at the Century Theatre, St. Albans.

CRYSTAL PALACE “MUSIC IN MY HEART” COMING A handsome young tenor, temporarily a man without a country, and a lovely young woman, temporarily a bride-to-be without a groom, meet by chance to initiate one of the most sparkling romantic musical comedies of the motion picture season. It is "Music in My Heart,” with Tony Martin and Rita Hayworth in stellar roles. This carefree new comedy, which opens to-morrow at the Crystal Palace, has been hailed wherever it is shown. A happy wedding of romance, laughter, and music, the film’s cast also includes such well-known stars as Edith Fellows, Andre Kostelanetz and his famous orchestra, Alan Mowbray, Eric Blore, and George Tobias. Martin, who sings six grand new tunes in “Music in My Heart,” retyrns to the screen after an absence of more than a year. More popular than ever, due to his sensational radio and stage appearances, the talented tenor is said to be handsomer than ever, and in better voice. The songs, written especially for him by Chet Forrest and Bob Wright, include “No Other Love,” "Punchinello.” “Prelude to Love,” “It’s a Blue World,” “I’ve Got Music in My Heart,” and “Oh, What a Lovely Dream,” The songs range from swing ballad to novelty. “Convicted Woman,” Columbia’s thrilling drama of life in a woman's prison, will be the second feature. The predominantly female cast is headed by Rochelle Hudson, Frieda Inescort, June Lang, and Lola Lane, while Glenn Ford plays the only important masculine role. Nick Grinde directed the film, which tells of the heartbreak and hate caused by corrupt prison administration, and the resulting revolt by the inmates. Others in the cast include Lorna Gray, Linda Winters, Iris Meredith,-and Beatrice Blinn. “Double Crime in the Maginot Lin*” and “The Marines Fly High” are now showing. 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. LIBERTY « DAY-TIME WIFE ” At the Liberty, “Day-time Wife” is showing with “All at Sea.” Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell are the stars

of the comedy “Day-time Wife." Mrs Jane Norton (Linda Darnell) determines to find out whart 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,