CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25245, 25 July 1947, Page 9

CITY THEATRES

MAYFAIR

“GREEN FOR DANGER” Starring Sally Gray, Rosamund John, Trevor Howard, and Alastair Sim, the new film which will open at the Mayfair Theatre to-day, “Green For Danger,” is the latest production to be released by Individual Pictures. This company was responsible for such films as “The Rake’s Progress,” and “I See a Dark Stranger.” “Green For Danger” is a murder-mystery picture with an emergency war-time hospital as its setting. A man who is injured during a flying-bomb attack- dies under an operation, and it is suspected that he was murdered. Before the police can be informed, the nurse, who is in possession of evidence, is stabbed to death. Alastair Sim plays the part of the eccentric Scotland Yard detec-tive-inspector who covers the case, and who finds that all the principal players in the film have excellent motives for murdering the two people. He stages a mod. operation with all the suspects in attendance, and the film becomes more exciting in consequence. All the main players in this film have notable screen performances to their credit—two of them, Rosamund John and Trevor Howard, having appeared together in “The Way To the Stars.” STATE “TO-MORROW IS FOREVER” Claudette Colbert, Orson Welles, and George Brent, three famous screen stars, appear in the film, “To-morrow is Forever,” which will continue its season at the State Theatre to-day. Based on a story by Gwen Bristow, which later became a best-selling novel, the film tells the tale of the lives of two men who both married the same woman. The film is set before, during, and after the 1918 war period, and Welles, who plays the difficult role of the first husband who is believed killed, takes the principal part in it. Claudette Colbert, supposedly widowed, marries George Brent, her war-time employer. Welles returns, under an alias, and facially disfigured by the war. and lives as the friend of his former wife and her husband, resolving many of their difficulties, and the difficulties of their young son (played by Richard Long). The music for “Tomorrow is Forever” was composed by Max Steiner, three times the winner of the Academy award for music, and composer-conductor of the music which accompanied “Gone With the Wind.” Irving Pichel directed the picture, and the producer was David Lewis.

ST. JAMES’

“SMOOTH AS SILK” Universal Pictures* new film, “Smooth As Silk,” opens to-day at the St. James’ Theatre, starring Kent Taylor and Virginia Grey. The film tells the story of a competent New York lawyer who wins every case he accepts, until his fiancee rejects him in favour of another man. John Litel plays the part of the stage producer who, with his blandishments and promises of stage success to Virginia Grey, coaxes her away from her lawyer friend, with disastrous results. Murder and action are included in this film, which was directed by Howard Welsch. The supporting film this week is “What A Man!” a gay comedy with a cast headed by Johnny Downs, one of Hollywood’s promising juvenile actors. Playing opposite Downs is Wanda McKay, the star of “Thrilling Night” Heading the supporting cast are Robert Kent, Etta McDaniels (as the negro maid), and Harry Holman. Everything,. from unwanted boarders to murder, is included in this film, which was produced by B. A. Sarecky, and directed by William Beaudine. LIBERTY “I KNOW WHERE PM GOING” A glimpse into a little-known part of the world, the islands of the Hebrides, off Scotland, is offered in the new G.B.D. film, “I Know Where I’m Going,” which will be showing at the Liberty Theatre from to-day. Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesey are starred together in this film, which tells the story of an English girl who comes to the islands to marry a rich man, and of the reactions of the islanders to the newcomer. A family curse, strange and almost barbaric Highland customs, Gaelic songs and dancing, and the legend attaching to a dangerous whirlpool are woven into the story. The big supporting cast includes Walter Hudd, George Carney, and lan Sadler. The supporting picture is “Time Flies,” a fanciful comedy which stars Tommy Handley, who needs no introduction in New Zealand. Handley plays the part of an unscrupulous financier who, through becoming involved with science, finds himself transported back to the Elizabethan era. Evelyn Dall and Felix Aylmer support Handley. CRYSTAL PALACE “13 RUE MADELEINE” With James Cagney as the star, and Louis de Rochemont as the director, the new film which will open a; the Crystal Palace Theatre to-day, “13 Rue Madeleine,” is a film full of suspense and unusual incident. The popular Annabella plays the main female lead in this film, which is an account of espionage and counter-espionage activity in London and in the French countryside. All the ingredients of an action film, murder, assault, forgery, and other criminal enterprises are included in this film, most of which was shot in French-Canadian towns, and in Boston. Cagney takes the role of an instructor or teacher in the elements of spying in “13 Rue Madeleine,” and Annabella plays the refugee who wishes to become a spy. Richard Conte, as the Nazi agent sent to discover vital information, plays an unsympathetic part, while Frank Latimore has his first dramatic role as an unfortunate counter-espionage school recruit. Walter Abel, Melville Cooper, and Sam Jaffe are members of the subsidiary cast. The film was directed by Henry Hathaway.

PLAZA “MISSISSIPPI” The Paramount picture, “Mississippi,” starring Bing Crosby and Joan Bennett, will open its Christchurch season to-day at the Plaza Theatre. The film includes comedy and music, with a setting in the south of North America. There are numerous old and favourite songs to be heard in this picturp, such as “It’s Easy to Remember,” “Swanee River,” and “Soon,” and Bing Crosby takes'the lead musically as well as actually, adding another laurel to his already formidable list. Supporting members of the cast are W. C. Fields, Gail Patrick, Queenie Smith, John Milan, and the Cabin Kids. The storv is adapted from one by the American novelist, Booth Tarkington, and the scenario is taken from the “Dixie” country. “Mississippi” was directed by Edward i Sutherland and had record runs in this country some years ago, «

MAJESTIC “MY REPUTATION” Based on the Clare Jayne popular novel, Warner Brothers’ latest film, “My Reputation,” will open its season at the Majestic Theatre to-day, starring Barbara Stanwyck in a dramatic role as the widowed young mother who tries to choose between happiness and convention. The film also presents George Brent, Lucille Watson, Warner Anderson, John Ridgely, and Eve Arden in the supporting roles. In this film, Barbara Stanwyck falls in love after her widowhood, only to discover herself no longer acceptable to the suburban society in which she lives. Miss Stanwyck, as the young mother of the film, decides to cast off her widow’s garb in favour of more becoming clothes, and to give the best opportunities to her two young sons. This decision fails to find favour with the parochial community among which she Jives, and, against her mother’s wishes she takes a holiday in the mountains where she meets George Brent. The film tells the story of ner fight to remove the stigma attaching to her alliance with Brent, and of her struggles to win back the regard of her two sons who have been alienated from her by malicious gossip. CENTURY “ THE MAN IN GREY” Lady Eleanor Smith’s novel, “The Man In Grey” will appear as a film at rhe Century Theatre, to-day. The main parts are taken by the famous British team of actors, James Mason, Phyllis Calvert, Margaret Lockwood, and Stewart Granger. The story is one of a sadistic aristocrat and his retiring wife, and the attempts of an itinerant highwayman and traveller (Stewart Granger), to wrest the wife from the unwholesome attentions of the husband. Margaret Lockwood plays an unsympathetic role as the spiteful Iriend of Phyllis Calvert. The film is set in the nineteenth century. EMPIRE “NIGHT IN PARADISE” .Merle Oberon and Turhan Bey are starred together in the new film, “Night In Paradise,” which opens its season at the Empire Theatre to-day. The story is of King Croesus of Greece and of his attachment to a Persian Princess who elopes with Aesop. The film is in technicolour. The supporting film is “Cluny Brown,” starring Charles Boyer and Jennifer Jones, and is a comedy depicting the affairs of a young English girl-plumber, whose adventures lead her from trouble to trouble.