ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 65, 9 December 1938, Page 16

ENTERTAINMENTS

Claudette Colbert In “Tovarich” Begins At Majestic

Long awaited because of IGj sensational world-wide success as a stage ,pla), the lilin version of the comedy : :'J ova rich will begin today at the Majestic Theatre. Produced by Warner Bros, on an unusually lavish scale and having Claudette Colbert anil Charles Buyer as its stars, the picture is regarded as one of tiie funniest and most entertaining of the season’s releases. Those who saw the initial showings' iti Hollywood—and who a'so «aw the singe play—proclaim the film to be decidedly superior. The story finds .Miss Colbert as a grand duchess and Boyer, her husband, as a prince, both ol tiie old Russian nobility, almost starving in Paris, to which capital they have been driven by the Soviet revolution. 'lbis is des[iite the fact that they have deposited in a Paris bank some 40 billion francs. But their honour won't let them tone!) this money because it was given to them in trust by the Tsar, efforts are made by certain French-Russian interests to have the prince release the 40 billton to finance a counter-revolution which might restore the old nobility to control. He refuses, though he is promised plenty of money for himself and his wife. Finally the grand duchess and the prince, in order to eat, have to take jobs as maid and butler in rhe home of a rich Paris banker, the very one. in fact, in whose institution reposes the vast fortune, though, naturally, he does not know who they are. A dramatic situation arises when a Soviet cuminiNsar (played by Basil Rathbone) comes to Paris to try to get hold of the money and is a dinner guest at the banker’s home. It is necessary for the prince and the grand duchess to serve the dinner —and the commissar, of course, recognizes them. The working out of the various effort.) to get the 40 billions, and the final disposition of the money form a novel, humorous and oft-times thrilling plot. Among the notables in the cast are Anita Louise. Isabel Jeans, Montague Love. Melville Hooper, Gregory Gaye. Heather Thatcher, and Reine Itiano.

“That Certain Age” Continues At Regent Theatre ■ Deanna Durbin rises to new heights in "That Certain Age.” which is featured for tin' fourth week of an extended season at. the Regent Theatre. The picture is the fourth to come from this remarkable singing youngster who has made screen history ever since she first appeared in "Three Smart Girls" some two years ago. In “That Certain Age,” Deanna leads a cast which includes -Melvyn Douglas, Jackie Cooper, Irene Rich. John Halliday, Juanita Quigley. Jackie Searle. Charles Coleman, Nancy Carroll and Peggy Stewart. In musical richness, it contains the same musical treat which was such an integral part of the previous offerings. Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adan-,-son, who have written most of Deanna’s original songs for the screen, penned three numbers for the singing star. These are “My Own,” "Be a Good Scout” and ‘•You’re as Pretty as a Picture.” And. in addition, Deanna sings two classical selections, “Les Filles Des Cadiz,’.’ by Leo Delibes, and Gounod’s "Romeo and Juliet Waltz.’’ from the opera. “That Certain Age” presents Deanna as a fifteen-year-old girl undergoing her first pangs of schoolgirl romance when she falls romantically in love with a man many years her senior. The plot, is more comedy than any of the previous stories, but it has the same heart-interest and stirring emotional qualities which have distinguished all of her pictures.

‘Woman Against Woman’ Begins At St. James Theatre The. age-old triangle of a man and two women still finds novel and up-to-the-minute treatment in “Woman Against Woman,” which begins today at the St. James Theatre. In this instance the man, Herbert Marshall, is a husband, and the women. Virginia Bruce and Mary Astor, are his second and first wives respectively, with the first determined that his marriage to the second shall not be a success. In the hands of this trio the story takes on telling conviction, with -Marshall turning in a performance that, rivals that of his father role in “Mad About Music.” Miss Bruce is more charming than ever, and continues the steady dramatic advance she evidenced in "The First Hundred Years,” and Miss Astor gives a skilful interpretation of a m-ost unsympathetic role. A picturization of Margaret Culkin Banning’s national magazine story, “Enemy Territory,” the film presents a group of equally sparkling featured characterizations among them Janet Beecher as Marshall’s mother, Marjorie Ramheau as a senator's wife responsible for Marshall's first meeting with Miss Bruce. Juanita Quigley as the child who complicates the problems of the leading trio, ami also Zeflie Tilbury, Sarah Paddeu, Betty Ross Clarke, Dorothy Christy, Morgan Wallace and Joseph Creehan. Robert Sinclair, directing his first picture, has turned in a most workmanlike job. Shades of the Western heroes who starred in Hollywood’s first horse operas are seen in the film.

Jeanette MacDonald In “Majrtime” At Paramount Theatre

Topping even their triumphs in “Naughty Marietta” and “Rose Marie,” Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, the .screen’s favourite singing stars, appear in the revival reason of “Maytimv,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's lavish adaptation of the Rida Johnson Young operetta which will be presented at the Paramount Theatre today. The famous song hit of the original play, “Sweetheart. Will You Remember?” was retained for the film version, with the remainder of the music divided between the sentimental and operatic. Miss MacDonald two complete operatie arias and portions of others. Eddy lias three novelty songs, “Students’ Drinking Song.” “Vive L'Opera” and “Virginia Ham and Eggs.” All are done with ehorus, with the hist number sung through the streets of Paris with hundreds' of singers joining in nonsensical lyrics about ham and eggs to the tune of fan.Jliar operntie melodies. Together, the two stars sing au American folk song for the first time, the touching “Carry Me Baek to Old Virginny.” For the first time in film history, original opera was written for a picture. Herbert Stothai't composed as opera, “t'zaritza,” which fills one entire reel with a full operatic company assisting and a great New York opera house duplicated in detail.

“A Slight Case Of Murder” Now

At Grand Opera House

Everyone who knows “More 'L'han Somewhat." which swept all London into its engaging net a year or so ago, will appreciate the fact that when Damon Runyon writer a story it is- not like other stories. The film version of his latest story, “A Slight Case of Murder” is now screening at the Grand Opera House. The title itself is- evidence of his system of under-statement, for the slight ease of murder involves four bodies- in one room. But the point is that they are found by a onetime racketeer who has grown respectable since prohibition (with disastrous effects to his business-) but whose record is still not what if might be. “A Slight Case of Murder” is otic of those films which produces laughter hours after ir lias been screemxl. the sheer force of its humour is so great. It is- played by a east which is equal to its demands in every way." Edward G. Robinson, the "Little Caesar” of the screen, has the role of the reformed racketeer who has become ‘‘legitimate.” Ruth Donnelly -s his wife, and her successive jolts to her memory that s-he is now “high-toned” and her efforts to make her husband's benchmen play up to their new level are responsible for much of the humour Harold Huber. Edward Brophy and Allen .Jenkins (a triumph) are the chief members of the gang, always mingling their own business with that of their chief ami strangely im-ongruous as servants -.viler" once they were emplo.vi-d as- strong-arm men. There is rom.-inee. but it is left te Janc Bryan and Willard Parker, tin attractive pair.

“Mr. Moto Takes A Chance” Begins At State Theatre Facing a weird wilderness of mystic temples and nameless terrors, the famous "Saturday Evening Post” master of mystery meets his most sensational adventure as Peter Lorre brings to the screen the character created by J. l' ; .Marquand. "Mr. Moto Takes a Chance,” thrilling 20th Century-Fox mystery-ad-venture story begins today at the State Theatre with Rochelle Hudson, Robert Kent and J. Edward Bromberg featured in the supporting cast, is the latest in the series. The amazing Mr. Moto, mild-mannered, nimble-witted detective, fights poisoned blow-gun darts with hypnotism, jiu-jitsu, swords, burning oil. sorcery, machine guns and magic in a drama motivated by mystery, teeming with thrillsand alive with adventure. “A Romance in Flanders,” the drama of twenty years after, the associate feature utilizes the flash-back technique which lias long been one of the major advantages of the cinema over the stage. For the purposes of the story tiie action liegins twenty years after the Great Mar, but the events which lead up to the opening action took place during the war.

“I'll Give A Million” Comes To Plaza Theatre

“I’ll Give a Million,” which opens today at the Plaza Theatre, is one of the gayest, most hilarious romances to come from Hollywood. IVa.rner Baxter and Majorie Weaver are cast in the. romantic role ivul others included are Peter Lorre, Jfiiui Hersholt, John Carradine, J. Edward Bromberg. Lynn Bari, and Fritz Feld. Darryl F. Zanuek personally was in charge of production and assigned Walter Lang to direct, with Kenneth Macgowan jj,s associate producer. The screen play was by Boris Jngster and Milton Sperling from the story by Cesare Zayattini and Giaci Mondaini.

Double Feature Programme At

De Luxe Theatre

"Back in Circulation,’’ a Warner Bros.’ picturization of the magazine story. "Angel Shooter,” starring Pat O'Brien and Joan Biondell, which begins at the De Luxe Theatre today, is an engros'sing newspaper drama, presenting a behind-the-scenes view of the ethics of news gathering and the power of the Press over lives and reputations. The story revolves round the death, tindermysterious circumstances, of a millionaire. “The Devil's Saddle Legion." with the popular singing cowboy, Dick Foran, as chief legionaire, is the second attraction. “My Lucky Star” Continues At King’s Theatre When a personality such as Sonja Henio achieves overnight stardom with one picture—as did less than two years ago with ‘‘Girl in a —the temptation is strong on the part of Hollywood’s movie makejs to be satisfied with merely repeating the picture formula which won such sensational acclaim. This probably would have worked out all right in Sonja’s case—except for Sonja herself. Far from being satisfied with that first brilliant success, the miraculous skating star set. about to surpass it in every way —and did—with “Thin Ice’’ I ami “Happy Landing.” Sonja’s latest j triumph. “Sly Lucky Star,” which continues at the King’s Theatre, presents her in an entirely now setting, far removed from Switzerland’s alpine peaks and Norway’s remote . peasant villages. She is a radiant modern girl, having a modern good time on a co-ed campus. Sharing sljir honours with her is Richard Greene, handsome young British actor, who gave such a splendid account of himself in “Four Men and a Prayer.” In order to raise some money to pay alimony to free Richard from his wife, Sonja agrees to stage an ice carnival in a Fifth Avenue store. It is here that Sonja performs her magnificent “Alice in Wonderland” ice ballet one of the six big skating ensembles in the picture. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,’ Box plans for the King’s Theatre special Christmas attraction, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” will be opened at the theatre tomorrow. I’he film will begin its season on Friday, December 23. “Always Goodbye” Returns To Tudor Theatre “Alwaj> Goodbye/’ 2Olh (Jen t ury-Fo.x film which begins today at the Tudor Theatre, has a distinct appeal fur women. Barbara Stanwyck portrays the life of a young mother who has to decide, for the sake of giving her child a name, between the man who helped her in her diistress and the man she really loves. 'Though her role in “Always Goodbye” is primarily a glamorous one, the screen play by Kathryn Seola and Edith Skouras is a remarkable computation of beauty and forceful dramatic appeal. June Lang and Dick Baldwin are costarred in a gripping mystery thriller, “One NVikl Night,” which is the second I feature. I

Tenders are invited in today's issue for the const ruction of areoplanc hangars in ri-iitforced concrete.