ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 98, 19 January 1940, Page 14

ENTERTAINMENTS

King’s Theatre Britain’s first full-length propaganda film, Alexander Korda's "The Lion Has Wings,” today enters the second week ot a popular season at the King s Theatre. Well-known players such as Ralph Richardson. Merle Oberon, Flora Robson, ami Anthony Bushell are seen from time ’<> time, but fundamentally the picture is a documentary record. "The Lion Has M ings. ’ is typically English in its temperate and optimistic approach to the subject-matter. First there is the justification for Britain entering the present war. Iler peaceful outlook is vividly contrasted witli Germany’s martial preparations'. Britain is shown before the war. making efforts to clean up slums, to provide adequate hospital accommodation, to provide her people with tile leisure tor harmless sports; the Nazi point of view is represented by the iron discipline of goosestepping troops. The outbreak of war brings the actors on to theg. scene, and this is swiftly followed by a dramatic reconstruction of the Kiel Canal raid. Regent Theatre Mark Reed’s successful stage ,play, “Yes. My Darling Daughter,” has been made into a film by Warner Bros., and is this week being shown at the Regent Theatre. Priscilla Lane and Jeffrey Lynn are romantically teamed again, and some of the foremost practitioners of the art of light comedy are with them. In their quest for laughs they have the assistance of Roland. ‘Young, May Robson, Genevieve Tobin and. to lesser extent, Fay Bainter and lan Hunter. The plot of the stage play has befln closelv followed, but points of emphasis have been lightened here and there to escape any objections from censors. Yes, My Darling Daughter” remains, however, a lively satire on persons who profess to have advanced views on the subject of marriage. Tudor Theatre Despite its sober theme —espionage and sabotage in the air force of a great nation —and its sombre title “Clouds Over Europe.” today entering the second week of a season at the Tudor Theatre, is possessed of a delightful melody of perLaurence Olivier is seen as a debonair test-pilot who undertakes a dangerous flight. fully aware that it may be his last, in order to help to solve a mystery about aeroplane disappearances, and Ralpn Richardson, as the Scotland Yard man most interested in the solving of the mystery, gives a characterization as sincere as it is pleasing. He is. both whimsical and human, an average citizen who constantly loses his umbrella who likes to make stew, and who holds ms own butler in awe and contempt. . Blondie Bumstead is successful in regaining her husband’s job for him—not without hilarious incident —in Blondie Meets the Boss,” the associate attraction. Plaza Theatre The Darryl F. Zauuek production which today enters the third week of a season at the Plaza Theatre, "Stanley and Livingstone/’ introduces Henry M. btanley as he was in 1869, a reporter of bulldog tenacity who willingly risked bis neck to get his story, and follows him through' all the thrills and dangers of his great adventures, showing with great dramatic force the influence on his character and on his whole life of his meeting and subsequent friendship with Dr. David Livingstone, the missionary-explorer so intimately concerned with the history of Africa. Spencer Tracy, twice winner ot the award by- the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, plays Stanley, and Sir Cedric Hardwicke Dr. Livingstone. Walter Brennan is successful as the old Indian scout who accompanies Stanley : Charles Coburn is splendid as Lord Tyce, the pompous publisher of the "Globe,” London; Henry Hull brings James Gordon Beunett back to vivid life; and Henry Travers is convincing as the English consular agent whom Africa has aged before his time. The romantic interest is safe with Nancy Kelly, daughter of the consular agent, ami Richard Greene, fever-racked sou of Lord Tyce. Majestic Theatre Based on Janies Hilton’s best-selling novel of the same'name. "Goodbye. Mr. Chips” is being received with great enenthusiasm at the Majestic Theatre. "Goodbye, Mr. Chips” is the story of a kindly schoolmaster whose entire life is passed teaching —and learning—in a great school for'boys. His work, ideals, romance, marriage, the tragedy of his wife s death, his activities during the World War, are played over a period of 60 years during which he watches changing ' generations of boys grow up and send him their sons. Robert Donat brings deep understanding to the role of the schoolmaster. Chips, really becoming the character he is play-ing—-something rare on the screen these days. Greer Garson, as. Chips’s helpful and inspiring wife, does justice to a not very simple role, and Terry Kilburn, always as the young heir of the Colley family—he represents several generations —is as suitable to his part as he is appealing. State Theatre Never has Boris Karloff contributed a more vivid, more chilling portrayal than that of Dr. Savaard, the inhuman seienlist who is the central figure of "The .Man They Could Not Hang,” the main feature at the State Theatre. . The doctor has succeeded in perfecting a mechanical heart vyliich can restore lite to lite dead, but his experiments are interpreted as murder and he is hanged for the crime. Karloff realistically depicts the complete change in the scientist s mental attitude when he is restored to life through the medium of his own invention. Before his encounter with the law, Savaard was a humanitarian, an altruistic benefactor o* humanity; after his- restoration he is a merciless killer. Thilling action scenes result in "Konga, The Wild Stallion.” the associate feature, when the law of the range is invoked by an old rancher in defence ot his favourite horse. Fred Stone, Rochelle Hudson, and Richard Fiske head the east. -St. James Theatre Built around two naval fliers, played by George Brent and John Payne, sons of a pioneer naval flying officer who has died in the line of duty. ”Wings ot the Navy” will l.e shown at the St. James Theatre from today. Brent, the elder brother, is an instructor nt the navy S school for flyers in Pensacola when Payne, who is an ensign in the submarine service, decides to become a flier too, getting himself transferred to the Pensaeolti training school. Brent has designed a new type of plane which he hopes to get the navy million-’ lies to accept, but before he can pilot it himself in tests, he is plunged into u serious accident. Unknown to his brother. Payne resigns from the service and. as a civilian, arranges to make a daring te.-t dive in the plane Brent has invented. , When he completes the test suecesslml; | and the navy accepts the plane. Payne I reinstated in the naval air service. Payne's unselfish devotion, to the cause of liis brother also brings to ;l happy solmio v a i‘oin:iillie situation involving Olivia do I 1.-ivillmnl. At the outset. Olivia is Brent’s fiancee, hut when she mid Payne moot they Ijjll l°v“. ■ After Payne Inis risked liis life to prove ■ his brother’s plane practical. Brent courageously relinquishes her. Paramount Theatre A hiniely love story told amid tawdry, squiilor-lilled surroundings. Columbia s “Man's Castle" will be released al the . Paramount Theatre today. Spencer Tracy is a shiftless, homeless vagrant and Loretta Young a hungry, helpless waif whom he rescues from the streets and takes to his ramshackle tin shanty

in the riverside "dumps.’’ Irresponsibli' Tr:i<-,v soon becomes restless under the restraint of living so long in one pln'ee. mid lie tells the girl be does not love her mid plans io desert her. Loretta nnuimm-i-s flint she is about |o become a mother; but Traey only looks upon this as another mouth Io provide for. still film in his determination to desert. However, he will first steal some mmie.v for the expect.mt mother. The robbery fails, but the results of the failure straighten out the tangled romance. De Luxe Theatre A Warner Bros. production. "Boy Meets Girl" will bo iho main attraction at tin- De Luxe Theatre from today. The principals are James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, and Marie Wilson. “Women in the Wind.” with Kay Francis and William Gargan, is the associate attraction to he.