CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25305, 3 October 1947, Page 9

CITY THEATRES

LIBERTY

“MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET” Maureen O’Hara, as Doris Walker a department store executive, and John Payne, a young lawyer, provide the romantic interest in the film, “Miracle on 34th Street,” a 20th Century Fox film now at the Liberty Theatre. These two famous players were co-starred in the popular film, “Sentimental Journey,” which was shown in Christchurch some time ago. Edmund Gwenn, one of the screen’s - finest character actors, appears in this film as Kris Krlngle, a kindly, bearded old man who is convinced that he is Santa Claus. The film centres on the acting ability of Gwenn. who plays a difficult role most convincingly. The background of this story is a New York department store, and the story was filmed inside one of the great shops in that city. The film was well received in America. Supporting members of the cast include a junior, Natalie Wood, who plays the cynical child with a realistic view; Gene. Lockhart, the harassed judge; Porter HalL the neurotic psychologist; William Frawley, as the wily politician; Jerome •Cowan as the attorney; and Philip Tonge. as the store buyer. The supporting film is “Rhythm Roundup,” a Western musical starring Ken Curtis.

CRYSTAL PALACE “THE BRASHER DOUBLOON” Adapted from one of the novels of Raymond Chandler, the mystery drama. “The Brasher Doublboii,” will open its Christchurch season at the Crystal Palace Theatre to-day. film provides a new role for the popular George Montgomery and presents a newcomer to the screen, Nancy Guild. “The Brasher Doubloon” is a Twentieth Century Fox production. In this picture, Montgomery appears as the cynical Philip Marlowe, the typical private detective of screen stories, and Miss Guild is as a psychopathic, neurotic girl, unlike her role as the self-assured young woman in “Somewhere In The Night.” This fastmoving film starts when Marlowe is called in by a family in order to recover a rare and valuable coin stolen from its collection. He agrees to take the case, but discovers that the com (the doubloon) is a medium for the exchange of blackmail information. Before long several murders are committed and he finds himself suspected by the police. With the pressure of the police on Marlowe and Marlowe’s own romantic interest in the neurotic Miss Guild, the story is brought to an interesting climax of action and thrills. Some of the supporting cast are Conrad Janis, Roy Roberts, Fritz Kortner, Florence Bates, and Marvin Miller. The screen play for “The Brasher Dcubloon” was written by Dorothy Haimah, from an adaptation by Leonard Fraskins. AVON .<IGHT AND DAY”_ The story of the famous American song-writer and composer, Cole Porter, ip film form, will be shown today, and for the coYhing week, at the /.von Theatre. Thq film of Porter’s life, a Warner Brothers’ special production, is called “Night and Day,” after one of the more famouk of Cole Porter’s melodies, and perhaps one of the most popular. The role of Cole Porter in this film biography is taken by Cary Grant, and the production is in technicolour. Alexis Smith holds the principal female place in “Night and Day.” and is supported by Monty Woolley, the shprt,; .amusing, bearded actor who will be remembered as the eccentric, : ill-tempered star in “The Man Who Came to Dinner.” Others included ir the large cast are Ginny Sims,. Jane Wyman, Mary Martin, and Eve Arden. Many of Cole Porter’s sones are featured in this film, and the story is one that will appeal to all cinemagoers. Warner Brothers’ studios have established a world-wide reputation for the merF of its productions, and this film lives up to the reputation. MAYFAIR “CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA” For more thaX two years, and since its memorable premiere at the Odeon Theatre, Marble Arch, London, in the presence jf Queen Mary, the Gabriel Pascal production, “Caesar and Cleopatra.” has continued as the record box-office attraction in Britain. It is now being shown at the Mayfair Theatre, Christchurch. Everything about this picture is on a tremendous scale, from the awesome sets in technicolour to the many thousands of extras who make up the mob scenes. More than 100 well-known artists appear in the named ’•oles, and the cast' is headed by Claude Rains. Vivien Leigh, and Stewart Granger. The story is based on a minor military expedition which Caesar made into Egypt and which eventually led to the meeting of Caesar and Cleopatra. The story is taken from the Bernard Shaw play of the same name. Settings of unusual magnificence, such as the Pharos lighthouse set, the thronged grandeur of the Memphis market place, and the Egyptian court scenes, are features of the film. Among the supporting actors and actresses are . lora Robson, Francis L. Sullivan. Michael Rennie, James McKechnie, Stanley Holloway, Leo Genn, Felix Aylmer. Valentine Dyall, and Charles Deane. During the film, Vivien Leigh has no less than nine changes of costume, and each is a faithful reproduction of the rich and highly elaborate raiment which history shows was the habit of ancient Egypt. Many New Zealand servicemen who were on leave in London at the time of the production of “Caesar and Cleopatra” donned the garb of Roman or Egyptian soldiery and took part in some of the group scenes in this film. ■ MAJESTIC “TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY” An unusually powerful cast appears in the huge technicolour musical production <J Till The Clouds Roll By,” which will open its Christchurch season at the Majestic Theatre to-day. “Till The Clouds Roll By” is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film which tells, mostly through his popular and lasting music, the life stofy of Jerome Kern, the American song-writer and composer. Members of the cast are Van Johnson, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, June Allyson, Robert Van Heflin, Kathryn Grayson, Dinah Shore, Lucille Bremer, Lena Horne; Angela Lansbury, and Tony Martin. In the musical sequences no less than 23 different Jerome Kern tunes and melodies are heard, including such such numbers as “Why,” “Sunny,” “Look For the Silver Lining,” “Smoke Gets tn YouY Eyes,” “All the Things You Are,” “They Did’nt Believe Me,” “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man.” and the unforgettable “Ol’ Man River.” The production sequences of this film are particularly outstanding, among the most impressive being the “Show Boat” sequence, and the finale in which' some of the stars listed , above are seated on top of a series of classic columns, from which they each sing one of Kern’s melodies, accompanied by a mixed choir and a symphony orchestra of 100 pieces. CENTURY “BECAUSE OF HIM” A comedy picture, starring Deanna Durbin, Charles Laughton, and Franchot Tone, “Because Of Him,” will open at the Century Theatre today, and will run during the week-end. Based on an amusing back-stage story, this film stars Laughton in one of his few comedy roles. Tone plays the part of a playwright who becomes attracted to Deanna Durbin, the waitress who has ambitions of becoming a famous star. Miss Durbin appears in a number of musical sequences. Donald Meek and Helen Broderick are members of the supporting cast.

ST. JAMES’

“THE SPIDER WOMAN STRIKES BACK” Gale Sondergaard, who introduced the unusual Spider Woman series to the screen, in the Sherlock Holmes film of that name a short while ago, continues and builds up her characterisation of the role in the new thriller, “The Spider Woman Strikes Back,” which will open at the St. James’ Theatre to-day. Gale Sondergaard is starred in the title role in “The Spider Woman Strikes Back,” and she plays the part of Zenobia Dollard, a woman who presents a spurious veneer of gentility and generosity to the world in her everyday life, but, who, in privacy, hatches weird plots of murder and theft. In the main supporting roles are Brenda Joyce and Kirby Grant. A strange element in this film is a number of flesh-eating plants. The film was directed by Arthur Lubin from an original screen play by Eric Taylor. Howard Welsch was the producer. An amusing story combined with good music is told in the Universal picture, “Cuban Pete,” which is the supporting film at the St. James’ Theatre this week. This film marks the post-war screen debut of Desi Arnaz, rhumba band leader, who prefers to entertain the inhabitants of a plantation near Havana to going to the United States for fame and fortune. The film shows the efforts of a woman to cajole Arnaz into leaving Cuba for New York. Tliere is plenty of South American music in this film, which features, as ,well as Arnaz’s band, the King Sisters &nd Ethel Smith (electric organist). EMPIRE “CENTENNIAL SUMMER” Jerome Kern’s musical romance, “Centennial Summer,” which will open to-day at the Empire Theatre, t Is the amusing story which centres on the festive occasions . which mark an American centennial fair and exposition. Jeanne Crain, Cornel Wilde, and Linda Darnell are starred in “Centennial Summer,” which is, for the most part, a musical picture. Medical research in the little-known Sumatra jungles is the background for the supporting picture. “Strange Conquest” which stars Jane Wyatt as a woman doctor engaged in research work. In this “beyond civilisation” production, Jane Wyatt is supported by Lowell Gilmore and Julie Bishop.

STATE “SISTER KENNY” “Sister Kenny,” the R.K.O. Radio picture which will open to-day at the State Theatre, is a warm and entertaining account of the Australian nurse of that name who discovered a new method of treating infantile paralysis. The film is notable for Miss Rosalind Russell’s excellent performance in the title role and for the, uniform efficiency of the cast. Alexander Knox as a Scottish doctor plays a very different part from his study of President Wilson. It is generally considered that this film offers Rosalind Russell the best role she has had for 10 years. Her performance is especially good in the latter half of the picture when she ages from an attractive Australian back-blocks nurse, aged 22 years, to a middle-aged woman nearly 60. Her study of an outspoken fighter, who walks, talks, and behaves with all the forthright characteristics of an indomitable spinster, would be difficult to surpass. Dean Jagger plays the part of the man Sister jjtenny is forced to reject in favour of a mission in life. Members of the supporting cast are Philip Merivale, Beulah Bondi, and Charles Dingle. The film was produced and directed by Dudley Nichols, and the screen play was by Dudley Nichols, Alexander Knox, and Mary McCarthy. The film runs for one hour 56 minutes.

PLAZA “THE COCKEYED MIRACLE” Based on the theory that a man is privileged to settle the affairs of his family before going to heaven, the comedy film “The Cockeyed Miracle.” which opens its season at the Plaza

Theatre to-day, stars Frank Morgan as the late Sam Griggs who has .died without being certain that his widow will be properly looked after He refuses to be escorted to heaven until his entanglements are straightened out, and he and Keenan Wynne supply most of the humour in their roles as astral spirits. Audrey Totter gnd Richard Quine are the lovers who require a rainstorm and a barn in order to bring about a proposal of marriage, and Marshall Thompson is portrayed as Morgan's son—a would-be shipbuilder.