ST. JAMES THEATRE.

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 75, 30 March 1939, Page 7

ST. JAMES THEATRE.

"Escape From Yesterday."

A wilQ, roistering Cossack from the bleak plains of Russia who tries to transplant his mode of life to rural America ?nd rule his son's life by gangster methods forms the exciting central figure of Paramount's "Escape From Yesterc^y," which opens tomorrow at the fat. James Theatre, with Akim TamirofE heading a large cast of popular players. Hard-riding, hardliving, and hard-loving, Tamiroff is about to find happiness with his longlost son, when the United States gaols him at Leavenworth as punishment for his bold theft of cattle from Government farms. His titanic efforts to effect escape, aided by his son, who becomes an army man, for the purpose, form some of the most exciting sequences filmed in many a season. The picture winds up in a smashing climax, with the bewildered son forced to choose between his duty to his father and his honour as an officer of the army. Leif Erikson has the role of the son, and others in the cast include Frances Farmer, Lynne Overman, and Vladimir Sokoloff. Alfred E. Green, whose past work has included such hits as "The Golden Arrow," "Mr. Dodd Takes the Air," and "Thoroughbreds Don't Cry," was the picture's director. Named in honour of the famous Norseman who discovered North America a thousand years ago, Leif Erikson gives every appearance of a modern Viking. The six-foot-four Adonis was a crack athlete during tils days at the University of California, but gave up his college career to sing with Ted Fiorito's dance orchestra. Swinging .from night club to Shakespeare, Erikson joined Max Reinhardt's travelling company of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." J. M. Kerrigan, who plays an army officer, quit newspaper work in his native Ireland to join the famous Abbey Players. He played his first role —a non-speaking one—m "Riders of the Sea," in which he was cast as a sailor. He handled his first role with such skill that he became a regular member of the company. Going to America with Laurette Taylor during the war years, he supported her in various roles for three seasons. Kerrigan is a veteran of screen acting, having made his screen debut with Marion Davis in "Little Old New York" fifteen years ago.