CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23858, 29 January 1943, Page 3

CITY THEATRES

AVON “SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS” Joel McCrea, well Known as the rugged, handsome star of many outdoor films, is showing a new side of his versatile talents that is delighting his followers. The husky star has leaped into a favourite new position as a comedian through his hilarious role in “Sullivan’s Travels,” the new Paramount comedy written and directed by Preston Sturges, which opens to-day at the Avon Theatre, co-starring Veronica Lake, in the new picture, McCrea has the role of John L. Sullivan, a simple director of Hollywood comedies who suddenly becomes seriou and wants to direct epic human dramas. The only trouble is, he has always had everything he’s wanted and knows nothing about being poor. To remedy that lack, he dresses as a hobo, and deliberately goes out lookini for hard times. In the course of hj; peregrinations he meets a beautiful actress, temporarily disappointed, and together they go out looking for material for the drama. But Sullivan finds that people want to laugh and be happy—so he returns to Hollywood to resume making comedies, to do his bit towards making people laugh. STATE “WEEK-END IN HAVANA” Tropical magic, catchy Cuban rhythms, warm blooded senoritas, dark eyed romeos, are neatly combined in the story of “Week-end in Havana,” a musical film to be shown again this week at the State. With Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda, John Payne, and Cesar Romero in the starring roles, the film is set in the city of Havana with all its beauty shown in natural technicolour. Alice portrays a New York salesgirl, who has saved carefully for several years in order to treat herself to a Havana vacation. When her ship is caught on a reef, she refuses to sign a release to the shipping company until she has had—and enjoyed—her Havana vacation. The company’s representative, John Payne, postpones his wedding to make sure she has a grand time. In a magnificent Havana night club, the exotic Carmen Miranda. who has captured the admiration of American film audiences in her previous screen appearances with her unusual songs and dances, does a spectacular new number with 200 feminine dancers—“ The Nango.” Mack Gordon and Harry Warren have written five new tunes for “Week-End in Havana.” They are, “When I Love I Love,” “The Man With the Lollypop Song,” “A Week-End in Havana,” “Tropical Magic,” and “The Nango.” “Romance and Rhumba” was written by Gordon and James V. Monaco. The featured cast of “Week-End in Havana” includes Cobina Wright, jun., George Barbier, Sheldon Leonard, Leonid Kinskey. Chris-Pin Martin, and Billy Gilbert. It was directed by Walter Lang from the screen play by Karl Tunberg and Darrell Ware, and produced by William le Baron. “Week-End in Havana” was the film shown at a preview to raise funds recently for the Australian Austerity Campaign, and the amount raised was the sum of £3,776,590, MAYFAIR . “ TEXAS ” A thundering epic of heroic adventure, Columbia’s “Texas” has been enthusiastically hailed as “all the great action pictures , . . rolled into one.” Willianu Holden, Claire Trevor, and Glenn Ford are starred in the sus-pense-crammed new film, savage saga of lawless frontiers, of gun-smoking thrills, and hoof-thundering action. “Texas” will be shown this week at the Mayfair. A motion picture said to move with the speed of a bullet, “Texas” describes that historic period ib America’s development when the Kansas Pacific Railroad finally reached Abilene, Kansas, and Texas cattlemen battled their way through 1000 miles of bandit-ridden country to deliver to the railhead their beef on the hoof. "Texas” describes, as well, the stirring struggles of reckless men and fearless women who carve life, love, and fortune out of the newly-won frontier. William Holden and Glenn Ford are seen as adventurers, trigger-quick to defend freedom and defy injustice; Miss Trevor is seen as the fighting, vixenish daughter of the plains, who finds difficulty choosing between the two. Others in the cast include George Bancroft, Edgar Buchanan, Don Beddoe, Williard Robertson, and Addison Richards. CRYSTAL PALACE “BAD MEN OF THE HILLS” Two thrilling outdoor films will be shown at the Crystal Palace this week. The feature is “Bad Men of the Hills,” starring the popular team, Charles Starrett and Russell Hayden, two top-ranking cowboy heroes. This is a smashing drama of the days when the west was really wild, and offers comedy and songs as well as action for entertainment. “Down Rio Grande Way,” which was screened some time ago at the Crystal Palace, is said to be surpassed by the new StarrettHayden film. Bill Elliott and Tex Ritter, in “Prairie Gun Smoke,” fill the supporting half of this exciting programme. These favourite action stars have made yet another hit'for Columbia Pictures in their two-gun blast of thrills and songs.

supplying hilarious moments with their acrobatic version of swing. William Gargan, Guy Kibbee, and Dickie Moore are some of the supporting stars. Merle Oberon and Rex Harrison are the stars in the supporting film, “Over the Moon.”

PLAZA “UNSEEN ENEMY” Robust action and spine-tingling suspense are the high-lights in Universal’s new spy drama, "Unseen Enemy,” to be shown at the Plaza. In the light of current events, filmgoers will thrill to the exciting adventures undertaken for the picture’s up-to-the-minute story by such favourites as Leo Carrillo, Andy Devine, Irene Hervey, and Don Terry, cast headliners. Miss Hervey ably handles a significant role which includes a subdued romantic assignment opposite Terry. Terry portrays a young Canadian intelligence man whose task is to destroy, by means of a clever impersonation, a nefarious scheme to launch a sea raider to prey on American shipping. Perpetrators of the crime are aided to a degree by Carrillo, who portrays an Italian-American victimised by Nazi and Jap. agents. “Misbehaving Husbands,” starring Harry Langdon and Betty Blythe, will be shown with "Unseen Enemy.”