CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25447, 19 March 1948, Page 9

CITY THEATRES

ST. JAMES’ “HATTER’S CASTLE” saSenam? on A a ' 8 , novel b ? *he atft. o’, Ha Uer’s Castle" will oaen r e B S h a 4 nctab& la e y ffi"?e 1 t adi t ng r’ ol6 " Ne downfall IO3 Mi5 Ut v leSsness . ca uses his Marv hiafT-i ? err ’ s •his daughter, cast a notable thl’xrt competent artists and the nlot— “to 18 ages is well constructed. , 6 empire “THE CORN IS GREEN” Walt? “tL terd-workrng miners in zi’Y® 8 ’ the Corn-is Green will onen tac^with 1 tO b da ?- Coming in coS in? thl ®» s , cho ,°l mistress and being influenced by her, at the expense friends 7s P John° n j n l ? e eyes his rP thJ’ John D , all Playing the role y°™g. .coalminer with hidden paS™, £ m K < L Varil S a intrigues and passions he begins that hard course darLiesS Il nf 1 th 1 /r le ? d t from the Of nsf^a of th® ?°al-shalts to the spires as an f eiamJ? eh ? d v im and us ing him as an example of what can be done in talent?in a th°e n flpM et f e D r Vis shows her Loe 18 in , e neld of acting. The storv sised 3 n Th aI w rt i u“• not sisea. The Welsh singing is oerhans the film* a^ aC£ive ? in 6le feature oi 't. J ll ®, associate attraction is Ttin^ t a?? ke U to Heart,” starring Richard Greene and Patricia Medina/

MAJESTIC “FRIEDA” ? alit l 5 . Studios production, wXk d »V fh ,lu »r ■ W P continue this ~t hS Majestic Theatre, has a c,J st of well-known English Dlav«*r« ■ a Sw «dish actress, k- 1 fn® title-role. The story concerns an Englishman, Robert Dawson (played by David Farrar), who marries a German gin responsible for his escape from a prisoner-of-war camp and brings her back to England. He mar- •?,' " er » not because he is in love with her, but in order to obtain for fter t_ a British passport. When she reaches England the girl (Frieda), is treated witii hostility by her husband s family and the local townsfolk, but gradually comes to be accepted &A except Aunt Eleanor (Flora Robson). She is befriendsd by Judy 'Qiynis Johns), who is also in love with Robert, but her happiness is temporarily shattered by the arrival of her brother (played by Albert Lieven), who soon reveals his Nazi character. In desperation Frieda tries to commit suicide, but is saved by Robert, who at last realises that she is his true love.

MAYFAIR “JASBY” Starring Margaret Lockwood with Patricia Roc ana Dennis Price, J. Arthur Rank’s. Technicolour film, “Jassy," will continue at the Mayfair, today. Margaret Lockwood is the daughter of a gipsy who marries to recover for a friend his ancestral seat. In the book Jassy was hanged for a murder she did not commit, but in the film she is Used, found guilty, but not hanged, as her dumb servant finds her voice in the dock and confesses to the crime herself. As the lawyer says, the recovery of her voice at so convenient a point .(except for 1 the dumb girl) is surely a miracle. Miss Lockwood has much the sama role as the “Wicked Lady,” but in a slightly different way. This film' should appeal to the theatre-goers of Christchurch more than the two previous features which depicted the more evil side of life in a realistic and first-class way. STATE “THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES” Samuel Goldwyn's production. "The Best Years of Our Lives,” winner oi nine academy awards, will continue at the State to-day. It stars Myrna Loy, Fredric March. Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo Hoagy Carmichael Ca&y O’Donnell, ant? Harola Russell. The film tells the story of the varied emotions arising when three former servicemen meet once again the women in their lives There is Al Stephenson, a banker (previously a sergeant In the Pacific campaign), who must relearn diplomacy; Fred Terry, a milk-bar attendant determined not to return to his Ola Job (he was a captain in the Army Air Force); and Homer, who cannot believe that his flnancee can love him with both his hands missing. CENTURY “dragonwyck” Bringing to the screen *H the strange emotion and Intensity that made Anya Seton’s novel one of the most widely discussed books of the day and starring Gene Tierney, “Dragonwyck” will open at the Century to-day, A romantie drama set against the background of ttie turbulent anti-rent rebellion period of the early United States’ nineteenth century the film unfolds the story of a secret love that brought with it rapture and terror in a most unusual plot. In the role of Gene’s stern and stubborn Bible-quoting father is Walter Huston. Vincent Price is the aristocratic egomaniac Nicholas Van Ryan, whose psychopathic obsession Dragonwyck in mystery and t® r nrecipitating the dramatic situation Ihat bring the film .to an exeiting climax. The supporting cast are a strong team of actors whose merits have S bcen discovered in many other films. CRYSTAL PALACE “MOTHER WORE TIGHTB” Starring Betty GraW®. « J he role the Twentieth Century-Fox film, "Mother Wore Tights, opens at *® Crystal Palace to-day. A wannly himan story of the marital adventures of a talented hard-working dance team (Miss Grable and Dan Dailey) and their fight to combine a successful career with the raising of two chilcttln by Mona Yreeman and Connie Marshall), the h , a ® ge&red to sot a new pace in motion picture spectacle and melody. There are six new tunes, it is pn marily devoted to unfolding the private dramas and joys of the Hurt It is this change of focus that marks the film as being somewhat unii<nial for it does not deal with backstage intrigues but with the intimate livfs of ttiecharacters It is when the curtain falls that the dramas and_joys begin. The films dance sequences ISK. staged by Seymour Felix and were designed by Orry-Kelly.

LIBERTY “SUEZ” The zobah-hah, the devil-wind of Egypt feared wherever caravans travel’ the desert, roars across the screen in all its terror in the film "Suez,” which will open at the Liberty to-day. Starring Tyrone Power, Annabella, and Loretta Young, it tells the story of Ferdinand de Lesseps and the great canal which has become the vein of the world—the Suez canal. Considerable pains were taken by Twentieth Century-Fox to produce the right atmosphere and settings with even more research into the customs and building materials used in those days. A canal 100 feet long and 150 feet wide was dug by stage crews in the American desert near Yuma, Arizona, for scenes in the film. Other dramatic sequences were filmed on a 20-acre desert constructed on an abandoned golf course. In general the producers appear to have spared no pains or expense. The associate feature is “Take It or Leave It.” AVON “LIFE WITH FATHER” All the humour and charm which have figured so prominently in Clarence Day’s long-run comedy “lafe With Father” on the stage are faithfully transferred and expanded in the screen version which will open at the Avon to-day. Filmed in Technicolour the play is notable for the performances of the two stars, William Powell and Irene Dunne. The fads and foibles of the 80’s m depicted in the story of the Day household, replete with eccentric father, loving mother, and four red-headed sons. There is romance, pathos, and drama, the baptismal service (father confesses that he has never been baptised) being of great interest and attraction. The film play gives more opportunities for humour than would be possible on the stage. The Technicolour is of high quality. PLAZA “A FIRE HAS BEEN ARRANGED” Few comedy teams enjoy the popularity achieved by the British pair, Flanagan and Allen, whose eheerful fooling is as popular on the screen as over the air. Their latest picture “A Fire Has Been Arranged” will open at the plaza Theatre to-day. It gives full scope for their unusual ability to extract fun from the most remarkable situations.' There is distinguished support for the stars, including Alistair Sim (a fine character actor) and the Buddy Bradley Girls.