STATE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 190, 8 May 1937, Page 16

STATE THEATRE

“Sally of the Regiment” A spectacular anil amusing eomedydrama of army life, "Sally of the Regiment.” is the main attraction at the State Theatre. Tlie film, which wa - produced by G 'uniont-British with the assistance of the British War Office, has an excellent cast of popular English players, headed by Anna Lee, Wallace Ford. John Mills, Grace Bradley, ami Frank Collier. More than 10,000 British troops took part in 1 the picture. The British soldier is seen on the parade ground, nt the regimental concert, taking part iu boxing, being reviewed by the King, embarking for the East, and plunging into battle. There are spectacular scenes depicting a clash of British troops with Orental bandits, tanks and armoured cars swooping on 1. rdes of brigands, the blowing up of a great bridge 300 feet in the air. ami the tiring of an Eastern city. As" Sally.” Anna Leo gives a ’.'ivneinus performance that fulfils all the promise she has shown iu the past. Wallace Ford, who returned to England for the first time in many years to play the leading male role .n "Sally of the Regiment,” keeps the audience in a state of high glee. John Mills, who will be remembered for his fine performance in “Journey’s End,” adds another successful screen appearance as Lance-Corporal Bert Dawson. Frank Collier scores as a blustering sergeant-major. The story centres around Jimmy Tracey, a "tough guy,” fleeing from murder suspicion in New York, and joining the British A.x.v under an assumed name to escape detection. Here he meets the ser-geant-major's daughter, Sally, and falls in love with her. lie has a rival, however, in Bert, the Annee-corporal, and the competition between the two men for | Sally's favours, provides some of the most amusing scenes in the film. Jimmy's past comes back to him forcibly when the girl friend he left in New York, and who knows his secret, reappears. Tense drama and laughable situations follow. The supporting programme is of a high standard. REX THEATRE , The boastful Inspector Osear Piper and the acid-tongued Ilildegarde Withers, who between them have solved four puzzling screen mysteries in the past two years, encounter the most baffling problem of all in "The Plot Thickens,” onf of two films now at the Rex Theatre. Portrayed bj’ James Gleason and ZaSu Pitts, the screen sleuths find themselves involved in a complicated double murder and jewel robbery, with an ingenious plot that keeps them —and the audience -—guessing until the very end. Drama from the headlines and thrills from life are the elements that compose “Girl Overboard !” with Gloria Stuart and ’Walter Pidgeon in the leading roles, which is the second feature. Based on a tire disaster which occurs at sea, “Girl Overboard-” reveals the pandemonium which reigns aboard a blazing ship. Playing one of the most sympathetic roles of her career, lovely Gloria Stuart portrays a girl who is unjustly accused of murder and whose only proof of innocence—the confession of the real killer —is destroyed in the burning vessel. Walter Pidgeon enacts the role of the District Attorney who finds himself torn between love and duty when it becomes his task to bring the accused girl to justice. Billy Burrud, the youngster who won fame for his work in "The Magnificent Brute,” gains new laurels in the principal supporting role.