CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 7, 8 July 1940, Page 10

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

t ST. JAMES THEATRE. , I The technical standard of film photo"s grap'hy has become so excellent that | remarkable effects are taken as a matI ! ter of course, but 'The Invisible Man . Returns," which is showing at the St. f James Theatre, will cause the same I 1 astonishment as "The Invisible Man" i some years ago. The star of the s'film. Vincent Price, cannot be critis ! cised. because he is not there in his s I best efforts. He has been sentenced - to death for the murder of his brother —which he did not commit —but d escapes by the use of a drug supplied t by his greatest friend, Dr. Griffin (John 1 I Sutton), which has the effect of making 2 I him invisible. There is a danger of i i madness if the antidote is not found. - j and it becomes a race between insanity and the finding of the real murderer. \ MAJESTIC THEATRE. \ The screen's most famous family re--3 turn to Wellington in their best film to date, "Judge Hardy and Son," which is the current attraction at the Majestic Theatre. Mickey Rooney as Andy j Hardy is, of course, the main attraction and, as usual, his love affairs are '. as numerous as they are unsuccessful, i Lewis Stone plays the role of Judge < Hardy, Fay Holden Mrs. Hardy, and ' Cecilia Parker the daughter of the . family. An aged couple in rather poor :. circumstances seek Judge Hardy's ad- , vice regarding their home which, I owing to mortgages, is to be taken from them. They have a daughter rather . well off from whom they are too proud .to get financial assistance. It is Judge ' Hardy's task and Andy Hardy's, too, ;to find the daughter without the parents knowing. ' j PARAMOUNT THEATRE. ; Gracie Fields, in "Keep Smiling," at •> the Paramount Theatre, is seen in a happy setting. Starting out as head , of a troupe to give a free show for charity, she ascertains that it is proposed to give only 10 per cent, to the real object of the show, and that the • greedy promoter is taking the rest. • The ensuing row, when Gracie speaks her mind, naturally leaves the troupe stranded, but Grade's father takes them to his farm. The humour here baffles description, especially in the contacts of the city-bred folk with the animals. '.'Follow the Fleet" supports ! the main picture. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott, and Harriet Hilliard are seen in remarkable tap dances, and are heard in many catchy songs in company with the boys of the American Navy.' REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. The catastrophe now sweeping Europe is brought to vivid actuality on the screen of the Regal Theatre, where Columbia's "U-Boat 29" presents a stirringly dramatic picture of a warsmitten England desperately battling enemy spies and submarines. Conrad Veidt, Valeric Hobson, and Sebastian Shaw are in the featured roles. All the charm, all the humour, all the pathos, all the simple, human quality of last year's memorable "Four Daughters" have been recaptured by Warner Bros, in "Daughters Courageous," the associate film. NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. Heralded as Deanna Durbin's most colourful motion picture, "It's a Date," which has its background in Hawaii, is showing at the Princess Theatre. The music, with Deanna singing four numbers, is again outstanding. Kay Francis, as Deanna's mother, a famous and glamorous actress, returns to high favour with an excellent performance and Walter Pidgeon, as romantic interest for both Deanna and Kay, has perhaps the most successful role of his career. "Honeymoon Deferred" is the associate feature. Edmund Lowe and Margaret Lindsay are starred. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLA.D BAY. Heralded as a sensational espionage and submarine, drama torn from today's" headlines, Columbia's "U-Boat 29" is showing at the Empire Theatre, i Conrad Veidt, Valeric Hobson, and Sebastian Shaw are featured Li the thrilling story of a plot and counterplot during an Anglo-German war. Depicting in hilarious fashion, the further hectic adventures of a Latin entertainer in New York, "Mexican Spitfire," starring Lupe Velez, is the second feature. TUDOR THEATRE. A fine psychological drama with" an intense human interest appeal, "Rebecca," has been transferred to the Tudor Theatre. The picture tells of the joys and tribulations of a young and unsophisticated second wife who is constantly fighting the shadow of the first wife. Rebecca, whose influence remains something real and a little terrible to the second Mrs. de Winter. Centring engrossingjy on the efforts of the doctor in River's End to convince the local residents of their need for a hospital, "Meet Dr. Christian" is the associate attraction. Jean Hersholt gives a particularly convincing performance as Dr. Christian. REX THEATRE. "Second Fiddle" and "China Clip-, per" conclude tonight at the Rex ' Theatre. "Give Me a Sailor" and "Prison j Farm" commence tomorrow. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE, WOBURN. "The Beachcomber," which is showing at the Prince Edward Theatre, signalises the outstanding character de- ( lineation in the distinguished career of : the English actor Charles Laughton. } The second attraction "Going Places." ■ is a highly hilarious farce with music, with Dick Powell and Anita Louise j neading the cast. 1 1 KING GEORGE THEATRE. LOWER HUTT. Mickey Rooney appears in "Babes in J Arms" at the King George Theatre. He ; sings, he dances, he gives imitations : at Clark Gable and Lionel Barrymore, i and he gives an acting performance in < a truly human story that parallels any < thing he has ever done in the dramatic 1 line. STATE THEATRE, PETONE. "Come On, George," showing at the \ State Theatre, is another George Form- > by success. The story concerns the a troubles and cares of a stable hand who, in all innocence, makes friends i with a particularly savage horse. He ' is encouraged in his delusion that the - j horse is as quiet as a lamb, but the £ real trouble starts when someone en- E lightens him. E GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. The sensational musical extravaganza "Talking Feet" is showing at the Grand Theatre. Mark Hambourg, who i toured New Zealand some years ago, « presents an unusual piano ensemble, ] William Heughan, also well known to J New Zealanders," presents "The Meet- "3 ing of the Clans," and is supported by t the Seaforth Highlanders Band. Novelty c is added by the clever work of the i Band of the Royal Marines. The f second feature is "The First Rebel." f PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. Pathos, comedy, and melodrama are contained in "Broadway Musketeers," ( showing at the Palace Theatre, with a ( cast of three leading women, Margaret i i Lindsay, Ann Sheridan, and Marie Wil- ' i son. Six-year-old Janet Chapman also ■ comes in.for her share of (he acting ■] | honours." Thrilling gun-fights, comedy, I and tender romance are interwoven in c i "The Marshal of Mesa City," George t ' O'Brien's new out-door movie, which ( |is the second feature. I

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

KING'S THEATRE. i- "Vigil in the Night," screen adaptat tion of A. J. Cronin's novel, heads the ■- programme at the King's Theatre. 1 Two sisters enter the nursing pro- • fession, but through an act of carer, lessness the younger nurse loses a [patient. Her sister, however, takes the - blame, and is dismissed from her post. " She eventually finds another job in | another hospital of a different type, 1; where funds are short, work is hard, v 1 and where most of the patients are J' drawn from the working classes of • Manchester. Here she builds up a new 1 reputation for herself and awakens | more than a professional interest in f the young medical superintendent of ■• the institution. PLAZA THEATRE. The stirring days when the Ameri.can States were righting for their independence are faithfully depicted in " "Drums Aiong the Mohawk," the Technicolor film which is now show- ; ing at the Plaza Theatre. Henry ' r Fonda and Claudette Colbert are the central figures. After early struggles ; and disappointments during the ' pioneering period of Mohawk Valley j come a few months of happiness, but 1 shrieking Indian hordes, with rifle ; and flaming torch, lay waste • the val- : ley. Once again the indomitable • settlers start out afresh, but in the , War of Independence the Indians, dei scend once more on the Mohawk, re- : suiting in the most desperate battle[of all. Included among the supports | ; is a graphic film of the evacuation of , Dunkirk, showing British naval vessels J in action. STATE THEATRE. An unusual and absorbing idea in t mystery films makes the 20th Centuryi Fox drama "The Man Who Wouldn't I Talk," which heads the bill at the ' State Theatre, splendid enter tain- • ment. From the outset of the film, 1 when a murder is committed,, the '■ audience and the police know at once • who committed the crime; the mystery ■ is the identity of the killer and . his ' motive. Confessing to the slaying, [ the murderer, who calls himself Joe ; Monday, refuses to speak another ; word even in his own defence. The ; result is a highly exciting story well I played by Lloyd Nolan, in the title role, Jean Rogers, Richard Clarke,Onslow Stevens, and Eric Blore. The Sherrington, metropolitan hotel for women, is the scene of vivid nights of drama in "Free, Blonde, and 21," the associate film. Lovely Lynn Bari heads the cast. DE LUXE THEATRE. Ann Sothern, whose first "Maisie" role brought her wide acclaim and many new admirers, gives an eyen better performance in the title role in "Congo Maisie," which is one of the main features at the De Luxe Theatre. The setting is in the Congo and the story is one of masterful drama, adventure, and thrills, relieved by delightful comedy of the type which marked Miss Sothern's original appearance in the part of Maisie. The associate feature is "Our Leading Citizen," starring Bob Burns, in a vivid story of modern life. Woven into the plot is a tender romance involving Susan Hayward and Joseph Allen, jun. Gene Lockhart and Charles Bickford also fill important roles in this unusual drama. TIVOLI THEATRE. "The Underpup" and "Courageous Dr., Christian" conclude tonight at the Tivoli Theatre. David Niven plays the title role and Olivia de Havilland provides the ro- • mantic interest in the new Samuel Goldwyn production, "Raffles," which 1 opens tomorow. "Raffles" is an exciting, and fast-moving mystery melodrama about the famous amateur cracksman, a society leader, who leads a secret life of crime. A strong supporting cast which includes Dudley Digges, Dame May Whitty, Lionel Pape, Douglas Walton, E. E. Clive, | Peter Godfrey, and Keith Hitchcock surrounds the principal players. The queer mind that finds an outlet for its repressions in writing scurrilous, unsigned letters has provided much material for headlines of late. Now it has reached the screen. In "Poison Pen," the associate film, one sees the havoc caused by such letters in a tranquil English village. Flora Robson heads the cast. RIVOLI THEATRE. "Poison Pen" and "The Strange Case of Dr. Meade" conclude tonight at the' Rivoli Theatre. The barren mountain ranges of India's north-western frontier are the rugged background against which unfolds the spectacular story of R.K.0.-Radio's "Gunga Din," picturisation of Rudyard Kipling's beloved ballad of the same name, which opens tomorrow at the Rivoli Theatre. With Cary Grant Victor McLaglen, and Douglas Fairbanks, jun., in the stellar roles, this epic of India is reminiscent of the period when England struggled to crush a revolt of outlawed thugs who had resumed their weird religious practices of murder and torture. Universal's new mystery film, "One Hour to Live," will be the associate film. The picture features Charles Bickford as the detective who fights crooks with their own tactics. OPERA HOUSE. "Beau Geste," feature attraction at the Opera House, is based on a book of the same name by P. C. Wren, and the screen adaptation loses little of the impelling story. Gary Cooper, Ray Milland. and Robert Preston fill the main roles. The story is centred round the adventures that befall the three Geste brothers when they decide to join the Foreign Legion in order to avoid suspicion over the theft of a valuable sapphire from their guardian. The picture forcibly illustrates the many hardships encountered in such an adventurous life. In many instances the brothers are obliged to fight together to counter the efforts of a dishonest sergeant to pin the theft of the jewel on any one of the three brothers. . ASCOT THEATRE. Two outstanding British productions are 'screening at the Ascot Theatre. Firstly, "On the Night of the Fire," with Ralph Richardson and Diana Wynyard, is a thrilling drama of life and love amid catastrophe. Secondly, "Sword of Honour," starring Geoffrey Toone and Sally Gray, is an impressive and spectacular film of loyalty and devotion to a great service. The supporting items of the programme are well chosen. ROXY THEATRE. "They Made Me a Criminal," showing at the Roxy Theatre, is a tense and exciting Warner Bros.' drama with a prize-ring background that co-stars John Garfield and the "Dead End" Kids. The romantic Argentine background of the new "Hppalong Cassidy" outdoor drama. "Law of the Pampas," which is the associate film, is enhanced by four new songs with a strong Latin flavour. VOGUE THEATRE, BROOKLYN. Myrna Loy, Tyrone Power, and George Brent bring the three leading characters of the great novel to life in Darryl F. Zanuck's production of "The Rains Came," by Louis Bromfield, which is showing at the Vogue Theatre. The Jones Family's latest 20th CenturyFox film "Quick Millions," is tKe associate film. Jed Prouty, Spring Byington, Ken Howell, George Ernest, June Carlson, Florence xloberts, and Billy Mahan are featured.

REGENT THEATRE. A bunch of grown-up men sitting at desks and learning their French, a tern* peramental French professor with a piquant brunette daughter, and a glamorous blonde interloper with designs on all men are the ingredients of "French Without Tears," which is showing at the Regent Theatre. "French Without Tears," based on Terrence Rattigan's famous play of the same name, was directed by Anthony Asquith, and he has produced distinctly palatable fare, flavoured intriguingly with a little French mustard. Ray Milland and Ellen Drew are the wellchosen principals for this show. Jim Gerald, a French comedian, plays a character role with Milland and his I co-star. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. Mary Maguire, the Australian screen star, plays the lead with George Sanders in the film version of Dorothy Brandon's stage play, "The Outsider," which is showing at the Capitol Theatre. This is a very unusual story. It sweeps aside all medical etiquette and takes a dramatic slant at the Harley Street medical fraternity. The associate feature is "Rio," with Basil Rathbone, Victor McLaglen, and other popular screen identities in-'*the cast.