CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23177, 14 November 1940, Page 3

CITY THEATRES

STATE “LILLIAN RUSSELL” Alice Faye. Don Ameche, and Henry Fonda are the stars in “Lillian Russell,” the next attraction for the State. This musical comedy was directed by Irving Cummings, a stage actor who was the real Lillian Russell’s last leading man, ' Lillian Russell was famous for her singing voice as well as her splendid acting and great beauty, and Alice Faye sings many of the songs Lillian popularised. Among these are “After

The Ball is Over,” “Rosie. You Are My Posie,” “My Evening Star,” "The Band Played On” ("Strawberry Blond”), and many others. Don Ameche has the role of Lillian’s composer-husband, who struggled to write her greatest stage success. It is Amechc’s third composer role and his acting again is outstanding as it was in “Alexander’s Ragtime Band’ and “Swance River.” Henry Fonda is cast as Moore, the newspaperman who fell in love with Lillian when they were both young, but failed to tell her about it. Fresh from his triumph in “The Grapes of Wrath,” Fonda gives another stirring portrayal in a highly dramatic role. “Turnabout,” based on Thorne Smith's story, is now showing. PLAZA DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME The screen’s most famous horroractors. Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, • will be seen next Friday at the Plaza in “Black Friday,” a film that is said to be among the most thrilling e\;er produced. Karloff is a surgeon who performs a daring operation, in which he transplants part of the brain of a criminal into the brain of a mild college professor, who then is led unconsciously into a life of ruthless crime. Announced as a blend of rdmance and comedy, with colourful dance revues. Universal’s musical film, “Ma, He’s Making Eyes at Me.” is the associate feature. “Cheer, Boys. Cheer,” and “Gambling on the High Seas,” are now showing. AVON “FRENCH WITHOUT TEARS” The Avon has “French Without Tears," an excellent light comedy, as its race week feature. The film is now in its third week and is drawing appreciative audiences with its flippant theme concerning the flirtations of young men in France. Witty dialogue, a plot which is an achievement, and a succession of changing situations—mainly unexpected—are matched by the acting of a cast without a weak member. To the sparkle and romance of the story Ellen Drew and Ray Milland add the principal share, five others lending a flawless support being Janice Darcey, Guy Middleton, Jim Gerald, Roland Culver, and David Tree. LIBERTY “THE AMAZING MR WILLIAMS” The Liberty's race-week double-fea-ture programme includes a crime thriller, “Babies for Sale.” starring Rochelle Hudson and Glenn Ford, and "The Amazing Mr Williams," a detective comedy, with Joan Blondell and Melvyn Douglas. Joan Blondell always makes an exceptionally charming secretary of the dumb kind, and this time she is m love with number one detective of the city’s police force. CENTURY, ST. ALBANS “Algiers,” with Charles Boyer and Sigrid Curie, is being screened at the Century Theatre, St. Albans. With it is “Magnificent Fraud.” starring Akim Tamiroff. The new film opening next Friday is "Swanee River.”

MAYFAIR “TOM BROWN’S SCHOOLDAYS” COMING “Tom Brown’s Schooldays,” described as the “best-loved book of three generations,” makes an appealing film, which begins at the Mayfair tomorrow. The' stars are Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Josephine Hutchinson, Freddie Bartholomew, Jimmy Lydon, and Polly Moran. The-role of Tom Brown is portrayed by sixteen-year-old Jimmy Lydon, sensational screen discovery, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, the brilliant character player, is cast as Dr. Arnold, the martinet schoolmaster who believed in building a strong empire by building the characters of the future citizens. Directed by Robert Stevenson for RKO Radio, "Tom Brown’s Schooldays” also features Josephine Hutchinson, Ernest Cossart, Gale Storm, and Hughie Green. Produced for RKO Radio by Gene Towne and _ Graham Baker, _ “Tom Brown’s Schooldays” interweaves the gripping development of several Rugby students, with the impressive career of the man- who instituted a series of scholastic reforms 100 years ago which are the basis of present-day education. Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Freddie Bartholomew, Jimmy Lydon. Josephine Hutchinson, and Billy Halop are importantly featured. A most powerful, down-to-earth drama, enriched by the drawling wit of a courageous family, is Darryl F. Zanuck’s version of “The Grapes of Wrath,” now showing at the Mayfair. CRYSTAL PALACE DOUBLE-FEATURE BILL A rollicking, romantic comedy, revolving round the hilarious adventures of a serious-minded young doctor and a flighty, madcap heiress who frantically pursues him, "Cross Country Romance,” which will open at the Crystal Palace to-morrow, presents Gene Raymond and Wendy Barrie as a new romantic team. The sparkling story opens in New York, where Wendy Barrie, as an impetuous heiress, is preparing for her wedding to a fortune-hunt-ing nincompoop, a union devised by the rich girl’s giddy mother, played by Hcdda Hopper. But at the last minute the wi;uld-be bride impulsively decides to run away before the ceremony commences. and she seeks refuge in a strange trailer. Gene Raymond, as a young doctor on his way to China to accept a medical research job, is using this trailer on a cross country trip to San Francisco. Unaware that he has a beautiful stowaway on board, he heads West in the hope of. catching a certain boat before it leaves for the Orient. With Virginia Vale again playing opposite him, George O’Brien has the part of a shrewd Government agent on the frontier of,the Old West in his latest Radio vehicle. “Stage To Chino,” the supporting film. The noted outdoor star is cast as a postal inspector checking on the activities of the stagecoach lines that carry the rfjnail to the more remote Western towns. An abortive hold-up of a stage arouses the inspector’s suspicions. “The Spider” and “Girl In 313” are now showing. CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS, LIMITED

“The Road to Singapore,” with Dorothy Lamour and Bing Crosby, is at the Regent. Mickey Rooney in “Young Tom Edison,” starts to-morrow. "Dad Rudd. M.P..'' with Bert Bailey and Fred McDonald, is at the Majestic. “I Take This Woman,” with Spencer Tracy and Hedy Lamarr, is at the Tivoli. “Theodora Goes Wild,” starring Irene Dunne, and "Kidnapped" begin to-day at the Theatre Royal. “Between Two Women” (Franchot Tone. Virginia Bruce, and Maureen O’Sullivan), and “Hawaiian Buckaroo.” arc at the Grand. “Everybody Sing,” with Judy Garland and Allan Jones, and “Code of the Streets.” are at the St. James.