CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23818, 11 December 1942, Page 3

CITY THEATRES

♦ AVON

“REAP THE WILD WIND”

One of the most spectacular films ever produced, “Reap the Wild Wind,” presented in technicolour by Cecil B. de Mille, will be shown at the Avon soon. It is adapted from the Thelma Strabel story of the same name which was published as a serial in the "Saturday Evening Post.”

The brilliant cast is headed by Ray Milland, Paulette Goddard. John Wayne, Raymond Massey, and Susan Hayward, who play stirring roles in this story of reckless men. beautiful women, and those who would ruthlessly destroy for their own profit. Savage reefs, roaring hurricanes, and the storm-riding salvage masters, who reap their harvest from the wild wind, make a thrilling saga of the sea. “Reap the Wild Wind” is a film that will be long remembered by Christchu”c;. audiences.

MAYFAIR

“TO THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI”

The stirring story of life in the United Stales Marines told in “To the Shores of Tripoli,” is showing at the Mayfair Theatre. Striking technicolour gives life to activities of this colourful corps of American fighters. The romantic interest is supplied by John Payne and Maureen O'Hara, who are supported by Randolph Scott, but throughout the film may be seen excerpts as nearly as possible portraying the ectual training and methods of operations of this famous band of fighters. The film will have added attraction for the part played by the Marines in the recent fighting in the Solomons. “To the Shores of Tripoli" had long seasons in Wellington and Auckland.

STATE

“THE LADY IS WILLING”

Marlene Dietrich returns to the screen in what has been hailed as one of the gayest films of the season, “The Lady is Willing.” Fred MacMtnray is (he co-slar and Mitchell Lciscn is the producer-director. This comedy is said to reveal a new Dietrich, who plays her first role strictly for laughs. Described as being all heart and no head, Marlene kidnaps an abandoned baby. This, to her way of thinking, automatically makes her a mother, but she soon realises that a more lawful method of procedure would have been better, and that she will have to marry in order to adopt the child legally. She promptly proposes to a young doctor (Fred Mac Murray) and persuades him to marry her. From then on the story brings out a feast of laughs and merriment before the final romantic scenes bring this bright story to a close.

CRYSTAL PALACE

“COTTAGE TO LET”

“Cottage to Let” is the exciting drama of a fifth columnist organisation who plan to kidnap the inventor of a particularly accurate bomb sight and take him to Berlin to work for Germany. With their headquarters concealed as a fake domestic agency in Glasgow, with their spies planted in the inventor’s household, they achieve the kidnapping, tut fail to get the inventor away in a seaplane from a loch because of the last-minute intervention by an unsuspected M.1.5 agent and the clever amateur detective work of an evacuee boy. The grimly thrilling climax is staged in the topical surroundings of a village Spitfire fund bazaar. Leslie Banks is the inventor, with Michael Wilding as his assistant, who is in love with Banks’s daughter, Carla Lehmann. John Mills is a spy, posing as an R.A.F. pilot, who bales out into the local loch and is nursed by the girl at the village cottage hospital. George Cole repeats his stage role as the inquisitive evacuee who helps save the day. Jeanne de Casalis has a typical Billie Burke role as Banks’s wife, grande dame of the village. Alastair Sim has a mysterious role as the tenant of the cottage of (he title, but who is actually an M.1.5 agent. Catherine Lacy loads the fifth columnists. Wally Patch plays the policeman-butler, Muriel Aked is the village billeting officer, and Hay Petrie is the local doctor. Frank Cellier has a prominent role as a Cabinet Minister. “A Gentleman At Heart.” with Cesar Romero and Carole Landis, is the supporting film.

SHORTS THIS WEEK

AVON—“Men of Washington,” a March of Time; "How to take a Vacation." Robert Benchley comedy; “Meet the Champs,” Grantland Rice Sportlight; "The Quiz Kids No. 1,” novelty: and Avon News Service.

STATE "Fox Australian News”; “Tom Thumb’s

Brother.” a coloured rhapsody: “What’s the Matador?” a comedy; and “Fighting Allies,” British Ministry of Information film

MAYFAlß—Newsreel Shots of Supplies being Rushed to New Guinea. “The Will to Win,” an Australian Government Short, “borders of the Sea,” a Newsreel Cameraman short dealing with Barrier Reef and “Uncle Joey” (Terry Toon Cartoon). International News, Fox Australian News.

LlßEßTY—“Suspicion” and “They Met in Argentina.” CRYSTAL—“Cottage to Let” and “A Gentleman at Heart.” PLAZA—“Tough As They Come” and “Fly By Night.”

CENTURY —“How Green Was My Valley.”

LIBERTY

“SUSPICION”

Joan Fontaine, the star of “Rebecca." will be seen as star of Alfred Hitchcock's drama. “Suspicion," at the Liberty to-day. The actress won an academy award for her performance in the film.

Presenting a vivid and unforgettable story of a woman whose troubled mind leads her to suspect that her husband is a murderer. “Suspicion” stars Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine in what is said to be one of the most gripping and unusual romantic dramas ever seen on the screen.

Grant enacts the role of a reckless young wastrel, Johnnie Aysgarth, and Miss Fontaine that of Lina McLaidlaw. quiet and imaginative daughter of a wealthy retired general. Fascinated by Johnnie’s charm, Lina succumbs to his whirlwind wooing and elopes with him —only to learn that he has not a shilling and that he has been living on borrowed money for years. At her horrified protests. Johnnie indulgently agrees to go to work. Lina is happy, but not for long. Soon she learns that Johnnie has been at the races instead of working, that he has pawned her wedding present from her father, that he has been discharged for apparent embezzlement. With all this, she still loves him and accepts his excuses and his devotion. But when she hears of the mysterious death of Thwaite. his best friend, suspicion is planted in her. This suspicion is the theme of the film. “We Met in Argentina,” starring Maureen O’Hara and James Ellison, is the supporting film. PLAZA “SOUTH OF PANAMA” Those who enjoy comedy as well as a good action film will find a great 'fteal of pleasure in^SouthoTPaa^a^

starring Roger Pryor and Virginia Vale, due at the Plaza soon. Laughs are provided by Sam McDaniel, brother of the Academy award winner. Hattie McDaniel.

“South of Panama” is the story of enemy agent activity in the vicinity of the Panama Canal. In the film, Roger Pryor plays an adventuring newspaper reporter, who stumbles on the spy ring, and proceeds to clean it up. Opposite him is Virginia Vale in the dual role of Jan Martin and Dolores, a cafe entertainer. Others in the case are Lionel Royce, Lucien Prival. and Warren Jackson. “Frisco Lil,” with Irene Hervey Kent Taylor, Minor Watson, and Jerome Cowan, will be the supporting film, and “Don Winslow of the Navy” is the name of the thrilling new serial.

CENTURY

“HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY” A great film made from a great novel was one critic's description of "How Green Was My Valley,” now showing at the Century. The story traces the threads of life over a period of years of the Morgan family, who are never conquered by the turbulence that stole the greenness from their valley. Walter Pidgeon as the minister, Maureen O'Hara as the lovely Morgan daughter. Anna Lee, Donald Crisp, and Roddy McDowell make a brilliant cast.