ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 129, 25 February 1938, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

“Dead End” In Second Week At St. James Life in a city street, paved with riches and poverty, romance and .heartaches, is vividly portrayed in “Dead End," which is continuing for a second week at the St. James Theatre. Sylvia Sidney and Joel McCrea are starred in this powerful human story based on the stage hit by Sidney Kingsley, which set records in its Broadway run. Miss Sidney has her greatest role as Drina, the girl who valiantly fought a losing battle to keep her little brother Tommy from the gangster's fate ahead of him. McCrea is seen as Dave, the poor architect she loved, who dreamed of tearing down all the tenements in the world, and who loved the beautiful Kay, played by'Wendy Barrie, who had found a way out of the slums into luxury. Humphrey Bogart plays “Baby Face Martin,” the killer, drawn back from his gangland haunts to the slum where he was reared by an irresistible yearning to see his mother and his boyhood sweetheart, Francey, once more —who faced the cold steel of the G-men’s bullets, all to find that liis mother hated the very sight of him and that Francey had taken life the easiest way. Claire Trevor plays Francey, and Allen Jenkins is seen as Hunk, “Baby Face’s” henchman. Billy Halop, Gabriel Dell, Bobby Jordan, Huntz Hall, Leo Grocey, and Bernard Punsley, the Dead End hide from the original New York stage cast, are seen again in their unforgettable characterisations.

“The Life Of Emile Zola” ® At Regent

The name of Emile Zola is to France what Shakespeare’s ie to England. And now, for the first time, Zola reaches the films. With Paul Jluni in the name part, “The Life of Emile Zola,” an immense production by Warner Bros., will begin at the Regent Theatre to-day. “The Life of Emile Zola’’ is a truly great picture, and many observers believe it to be even greater than “Pasteur.” It runs through the entire career, of Zola. First he is seen as a struggling young writer, sometimes obliged to pawn even his shirt for bread. Then he meets the girl of ’the streets, “Nana” (played by Erin O’Brien-Moore) whose life he depicts in a novel that earns him enormous sums and lifts him to international fame. But most of the story has to do with Zola’s courageous defence of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, the army officer, who was sent to Devil’s Island. The picture shows Zola writing his bitter attack on the army clique, called “I Accuse,” which was prjnted in the newspaper of Georges Clemenceau, who later was to become the “Tiger of France” in the Great War. Paul Muni’s portrayal of Emile Zola is a magnificent piece of work—better if possible than his characterisation of Louis Pasteur, the scientist, Captain Dreyfus is splendidly played by Joseph Schildkraut, who was, incidentally, a boyhood chum of Muni’s in their native Vienna.

“Love Under Fire” Begins At

State Theatre

By ability, by personality, by beauty, by value to the screen, Loretta Young has held her high place among cinema stars, secure. Co-starred, with Don Ameche in the 20th Century-Fox sparkling, romantic adventure, “Love Under Fire,” which comes to the State to-day. Loretta cannot _ yet reconcile herself to certain things that go with stardom. She does not particularly care for the loss of contact and friendly relationships' between herself and her co-workers. Nor does she care for the “sewing circle complex” which surrounds all stars with a pattern of gossip. She is outspoken in her beliefs, courageously having her say about things. That is one of the indices to her character—her straightforward honesty. She is gayer, more captivating than' ever in “Love Under Fire,” ideally teamed with handsome Don Ameche. The cast includes' Borrah Minevitch and his gang, Frances Drake, John Carradine, Walter Catlett and Sig Rum-ann. The supports include a film of the recent sinking of the launch Rodney in Sydney Harbour.

“Parnell” Continues At Majestic

Clark Gable and Myrna Loy attain new heights of artistry together in “Parnell,” a drama suggested by the career of Charles Stewart Parnell, “Uncrowned King of Ireland,” showing for a further week at the Majestic. Although it is primarily a narrative of Ireland, “Parnell” is actually international in its scope, for if is the account of a courageous man who surrendered fame and fortune and power for the woman he loved. John Stahl, one of the screen’s most distinguished directors, followed history with a careful eye and reproduced the colour and the beauty of the people and their times with rare skill and power. Gable, as Parnell, plays the most impressive role of his career. \ * Plaza Theatre Screening “Victoria The Great” ' “Victoria the Great,”, the lavishlyproduced drama of the revered British Queen, which opens to-day at the Plaza Theatre, rejoices in an atmosphere as colourful as it is real. Much of the story centres on the younger days of the Queen, showing her - courtship, her . love for Prince Albert, with Victoria doing the proposing by virtue of Royal right, their marriage, and the long period of twenty-seven years of wedded bliss ■which followed. Many important and leading'events of Victoria’s reign form dramatic highlights in the film, such as the fateful occasion when she interfered to prevent the Prime Minister,. Lord Palmerston, from sending what. virtually amounted to an ultimatum to tlie American 'Government, when the two countries became embroiled in an argument

as to the legality of an /American cruiser having stopped an English mail-boat to remove two Southerners as prisoners. Other great national events are set forth that thrill the spectators, but it is the romance between Victoria aud Albert that must he listed as the very core aud most powerful appeal of the picture. It is from a story delved out of old records, books, and her Majesty’s own diary that Herbert Wilcox constructed the framework of the filin. Anna Neagle, favourite of the English screen, plays the star role of Queen Victoria. Anton Wnlbrook, celebrated dramatic actor, is bracketed with her as Prince Albert. 11. B. Warner fills the important role of Lord -Melbourne. “Vogues Of 1938” At New Paramount “Walter Wanger’s Vogues of 1938,” filmed in the advanced technicolour, will begin to-day at the New Paramount Theatre. Its fast-moving story of Sam and Bella Spewack was written specially for the screen. Its grand stars, Warner Baxter, Joan Bennett and Helen Vincent, are perfectly cast. Its cornice, Mischa Auer and Alan Mowbray, provide countless Hilarious situations, its cast boasts the most photographed girls in the world, and its story takes one on a dusk-to-dawn tour of New York’s smartest night clubs to be entertained by the foremost artists in that field. , j “The Hurricane” And “Wedding Group” At King’s “The Hurricane,” which heads the new programme at the King’s Theatre, has Dorothy Lamour and Jon Hall heading a great cast, which includes Mary Astor, C. Aubrey SliTTui, Thomas Mitchell, Raymond Massey, John Carradine, and Jerome Cowan. “The Hurricane,” with its tender romance, its powerful drama, its -picturesque setting, and its amazing spectacle clamffx, is a story ready-cut for the screen. On the low island of Manukura, GOO miles from Tahiti, two native sweethearts, Terangi and Marama, are wed. Their brief happiness is shattered when Terangi returned to Tahiti on the trading schooner of which he is first mate, is imprisoned for striking a white man who insults him. After five years of unsuccessful attempts the boy escapes from Tahiti atid makes his way to his native island. Because of the implacable sense of duty of the French Administrator, however, he is forced to hide on a neighbouring island. The search for him is at its height when' a great hurricane begins to blow up. Unmindful of his own safety, the youth goes to Manukura to warn the inhabitants. The supporting feature, “Weddin;r'G;roup” is a tale oS-the Crimean War period, with the celebrated English actress, Fay Compton playing the part of Florence Nightingale. Bhrbara Greene is also starred. “Night Club Scandal” And “Texas Trail” At De Luxe The success of “Night Club Scandal,” which commences to-day at the De Luxe Theatre, is due mainly to two elements, a fine cast headed by John Barrymore, and a new twist in the narration of murder yarns. Barrymore contributes one of the most outstanding performances of his career, with his portrayal of a brilliant doctor who cold-bloodedly attempts to commit the “perfect crime" that is the dream of all criminals. Lynne Overman and Charles Bickford are respectively cast as an easy-going reporter and a dogged captain of detectives. Clarence E. Mulford's latest 'Western story, “Texas Trail,” is the associatefeature, starring the famous characters. “Hopnlong” Cassidy and “Windy” Hayes.