CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 26, 30 July 1940, Page 10

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

ST. JAMES THEATRE

The story of a brother's sacrifice for i brother against a background of prison bars and gangster guns is the heme of "Invisible Bars," a vigorous. East-moving drama which is showing it the St. James Theatre. George | Raft plays the part of the brother, Dliff who, having served a gaol senence, is confronted with a succession )f disheartening setbacks as he at.empts to make good. He is resolved hat his brother Tim. played by Wiliam Holden shall not share his bitter i experience. ' To make life easy for rim and to remove any temptation, he loins up with a gang of gunmen and Tom his share in the proceeds of bank •obberies he helps Tim on his career. Che crisis conies when Tim is mvolved n a gangster getaway and Cliff makes he ultimate sacrifice to prevent his jrother from going to gaol. MAJESTIC THEATRE. A gay and turbulent romance with an unusual and intriguing plot . Renember" is continuing at the Majestic rheatre. "Remember" offers proof that no matter how many difficulties matrimony may entail, two people really in love' would go right back and do it all over again if they had the chance, and make the most of it. As the ambitious advertising executive of the piece who falls in love with his best friend's fiancee, Robert Taylor has rarely had a role offering him so many advantages. The fiancee is played by Greer Garson, and the' best friend is convincingly played by Lew Ayres. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. George Formby's elastic features wreathed in mirth literally reach out amongst the audience and pluck the gloom away in "Keep Fit" at the Paramount Theatre, while the twinkle in his eye forecasts the strangest situations in a first-rate comedy. Whether singing from a log in a rural setting to a pretty girl, burlesquing acrobatics with thrilling effect, shaving customers in a big department store, or presenting the cleverest of humour and hard work as the "Battling Barber in the ring, he satirises cherished British institutions and recognisable objectionable types of humanity with weird skill. The second feature, "Rhythm of the Saddle," presents Gene Autry and- Peggy Moran m a rodeo story, which is as hectically active as it is melodious. DE LUXE THEATRE. Lola Lane, James Craig, and Eduardo Ciannelli are starred in "Zanzibar," the main attraction at the De Luxe Theatre. The basis of the story is a little-known clause of the Treaty of Versailles which provides for the return to Britain of the skull of an African sultan which ha.s been removed from German East Africa. Miss Lane has the part of a young woman explorer commissioned by the British Government to find and restore it to the tribe that rightfully owns it. "Torchy Plays With Dynamite," the second attraction, is another of the "Torchy Blane" series with Jane Wyman in the role of the crime-solving girl reporter made famous by Glenda Farrell. Her fiance, Lieutenant Steve Mcßride, is now Allen Jenkins. TUDOR THEATRE. How David Fenwick, studious young miner, sacrifices his ambitions for pretty, shallow little Jenny Sunley and is then let down by her when she shows her preference for the unscrupulous, self-made Joe Gowlan, is memorably traced in "The Stars Loot Down," showing at the Tudor Theatre The remarkable and particularly strong cast of principals for this A. J. Cronir story is headed by Michael Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood. Latest in th( hilarious Jones Family series, "Younj as you Feel," is the other feature' length film presented. NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. •Myrna Loy, Tyrone Power, am George B?ent bring the three leadin; characters of the great novel to lif< in Darryl F. Zanuck's production o "The Rains Came," by Louis Bromfield which is showing at the Princes Theatre. Brenda Joyce heads a grea supporting cast in this powerful stor; of human emotions at the breakinj point while the angry forces of Natur ravaged the earth. Motion pictur fans who like their murder mysteric baffling have something to outgues them in "Society Lawyer," the associ ate film, featuring Walter Pidgeon, Vii ginia Bruce, and Leo Carrillo. REGENT THEATRE. "Disputed Passage," now showing a the Regent Theatre, is a brillian screen adaptation of Lloyd C. Douj; las's famous novel. It is the traditio; of a succession of most impressiv screen dramas, which include "Mas nificent Obsession," "Green Light," an "White Banners," and is well worth of them. Akim Tamiroff is admiral: ly cast as the embittered scientist D; Forster, and he gives a performanc equal to his best. The part of th young doctor is well taken by Joh Howard, who infuses into it a sincei ity well in keeping with the role. A the Chinese-American girl Lan-Yinj Dorothy Lamour is both surprising an impressive as a dramatic actress c considerable intensity. Excellent su] ports include the latest newsreels. DE LUXE THEATRE, LOWER HUTT. A new and refreshing comedy-drain is "Village Barn Dance," showing < the De Luxe Theatre. Edgar Wallace most thrilling story, "Dark Eyes i London," is the associate film, and i star is the screen's thrill wizard, Be Lugosi. KING GEORGE THEATRE, LOWE , HUTT. "Ninotchka," now showing at ti King George Theatre, gives Gre Garbo her first modern role in son years as a stern commissar from Soyi Russia who, sent to Paris on a missio blossoms out as a glamorous creatu and finds romance with a gay Freni count played by Melvyn Douglas. GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. "Bulldog Drummond's Bride" ai "The Magnificent Fraud" conclude the Grand Theatre tonight. Fast action, set off by the robbe: of a silver mine, is found in "Santa ] Marshal," latest of the "Hopaloi Cassidy" thrillers, which opens tome row. William Boyd, Russell Hayde and Marjorie Rambeau head the ca Paramount's new picture, "Pare Fixer," with William Henry, Anthoi Quinn, Virginia Dale, Richard Dennir and Lyle Talbot, is the second featui PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. "Girls on Probation" and "Bui Code" conclude tonight at the Pala Theatre. A reissue of the film success "I W a Spy," the great British picture i production of the true life story Martha McKenna, heads the bill i morrow. Conrad Veidt, Madelei Carroll, Herbert Marshall, and £ Gerald Du Maurier are starred. T second feature stars Arthur Trac< whose life story is embodied in t Belgrave production, "Follow Yc Star." STATE THEATRE, PETONE. "The Cat and the Canary" concli: tonight at the State Theatre. Janet Gaynor, Douglas Fairban jun.. and Paulette Goddard made th debut as an exciting new screen t in David O. Selznick's comedy : mance, "The Young in Heart," wh opens tomorrow. Roland Young, Bi] Burke, Henry Stephenson, Rich; Carlson, and Minnie Dupree head ■ supporting cast.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

KING'S THEATRE

Amongst the important -productions that have resulted from recent incur- ■ sions by the great studios into serious drama, a high place must be reserved for "My Son! My Son!" now in its second week at the King's Theatre. Firstly there is the picture's complete success as an entertainment; it holds ; one's interest completely from beginning to end. Secondly it is a remark- '• able example of what the talking ; screen medium, properly handled, can : do in the way of following the gradual : development and unfolding of charac- : ter. In this case it is a bad character, that of the son referred to in the title of the picture. Madeleine Carroll and Brian Aherne head the.cast. PLAZA THEATRE. Darryl F. Zanuck provides a merry domestic comedy based on a.hilarious idea in "He Married His Wife," which heads the bill at the Plaza Theatre. The story tells of an ex-husband who wants to find a husband for his wife so he can stop paying heavy alimony but who balks when she turns down the colourless prospect he digs up for her in favour of a dashing, romantic Romeo. The situations provide rollicking comedy. They are played to the hilt by the excellent cast, which includes Joel McCrea, Nancy Kelly, Roland Young, Mary Boland, and Cesar Romero. STATE THEATRE. "Curtain Call" and "You Can't Fool Your Wife" conclude tonight at the State Theatre. As the glamorous stage star, Clare Marley, who is the cause of friction between her two booking agents, Lawrence Bruce and Julian Ismay, friction which leads to the murder of Ismay and a brutal attack on Clare herself, Jean Gillie has a very difficult role to fill in "The Spider," which will be the main feature at the State Theatre from tomorrow. Apart from several tensely dramatic sequences, she also has to sing and dance in an elaborate theatre scene. The handsome Cesar Romero, who first played the Cisco Kid in the "Cisco Kid and the Lady," is again the colourful O. Henry outlaw—barking guns, flashing j eyes, romantic heart, and all —in "Viva Cisco Kid," the Twentieth CenturyFox production which will be the other feature. ROXY THEATRE. Anything in the way of more bright and breezy film entertainment than "Okay for Sound," a G3.D. attraction ' which is showing at the Roxy Theatre, it would be hard to imagine. Almost every comic artist of fame has been enlisted for this British production, including the Crazy Gang. Peter Dawson sings in his inimitable way. The associate feature, "Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love," portrays the hilarious adventures of a travelling •salesman and a runaway heiress in a story which blends music with a gay romance. ! REX THEATRE. ■ Joe E. Brown, in "The Gladiator," ' with June Travis, Robert Kent, and "Man Mountain" Dean, of wrestling fame, is showing at the Rex Theatfe. Departing from his customary charac- , terisations, the cavern-mouthed come- ; dian portrays the role of a scientific-ally-created superman. Don Terry, fea- [ tured player in "When G-Men Step In," the associate film, is seen as a racket ! chief desperately fighting against his I own brother, a G-Man, played by Rob- ' ert Paige. 1 _— \ OPERA HOUSE. ; As a saga of Maori chivalry, cour- * age, and endurance, "Rewi's Last - Stand," the Frontier Films production now screening at the Opera House, is outstanding and it must appeal to all New Zealanders whether or not they are familiar with the Dominion's historical background, particularly that 1 connected with the final overcoming o1 = Maori opposition and prejudice againsi 2 the pakeha. The picture is an allf New Zealand production and was twc [, and a half years in the making. Thai s the immense effort, acting ability, anc t technical capacity put into it have nol v gone for nothing is amply demong strated. Chief honours for acting gc e to the Maoris, particularly the beautif a e Ramai te Miha, who takes the exacting 55 role of Ariana, a half-caste girl who i; c torn between the impulses of triba i tradition and her love for the youn; . pakeha who has come into her life VOGUE THEATRE, BROOKLYN. Anna Neagle, the international filn star notable for her characterisation ir l; "Victoria the Great," makes her de :t but in her first Hollywood-producec '" picture, "Nurse Edith Cavell," a stir * ring drama of the famous war nurse.i , exploits, which is showing at th< Z Vogue Theatre. "On the Night o v the Fire" is the second feature. In thi , cast are Diana Wynyard, as heroine r Mary Claire, Romney Brent, Davi e Crowley, and Sara Allgood. The sup e ports include a newsreel and a "Marcl n of Time." t PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE, d WOBURN. )f The Dionne Quintuplets appear i ?- "Five of a Kind," showing at th< Prince Edward Theatre. The "quins sing, dance, make music, and troup like veterans in a modern story th? whirls in and out of New York Broadway. Vivid glimpses of Nevada ta best-known city in the days when : at was a wild and woolly mining cam ,' s are given in "Reno," associate film. if ts la KILBIRNIE KINEMA. The teaming of James Cagney and George Raft in "Each Dawn I Die," j? which is now showing at the Kinema, brings together the screen's two topmost players of authentic modern ] e "hard guys," and the result is a prison picture which achieves a brilliant pf reality. The associate feature is "Black Eyes," a tensely emotional story of a ' harmless deception that turned into a £ tragic dilemma. The featured players are Otto Kruger and Mary Maguire. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. id Tom Neal, Rita Johnson, and Berat nard Nedell in a drama of prison life, "They All Come Out," and Joe E. ry Brown with Mary Carlisle in "Beware Fe Spooks" conclude tonight at the Capitol rig Theatre >r- Tomorrow and on Thursday "The !n>! Women," with Norma Shearer, Joan st- Crawford and Rosalind Russell, and a )le cast of 135 women will be presented. ny This is a film which will be enjoyed !§• by any audience, re. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. let "For Freedom," devised and directed ice by Maurice Elvey and Castleton Knight, is showing at the Regal ras Theatre. The film magnificently com*e- memorates on the screen the greatest by British naval drama in history—the to- Battle of the River Plate. .It does more nelthan this—it shows British mechant3ir men going through hell in the fight ■he with the Graf Spee and the British ay, prisoners rescued from the Altmark. :he "Confession," starring Kay Francis >ur lan Hunter, and Basil Rathbone, is the associate film. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. ide "Brother Rat," the gay comedy, of life in a military school, which ran ks, on a Broadway stag"e for eighteen coneir secutive months and had three road rio companies successfully touring the ro- USA. at the same time, is now a picich ture, and is showing at the Empire [lie Theatre. Melodrama in the finest ard sense is exemplified by Columbia s the tense film, "Those High Grey WaUs, the associate feature.

RIVOLI THEATRE. "They Made Me a Criminal," Warner Bros, dramatic story of an innocent man who becomes a fugitive from the law, is showing at the Rivoli Theatre. John Garfield plays the main role. Supporting him are the "Dead End •> kids. Once again film-goers will thrill to the singing and music of the Sons of the Pioneers, five real cowboys who sing and play - an assortment of musical instruments , under the able direction of Bob Nolan, in Columbia's latest western thriller, "Call of the Rockies," the associate film. ASCOT THEATRE. A great family bill is being presented ] at the Ascot Theatre. It is headed by , "Alfs Button Afloat," with Flanagan and Allen and the Crazy Gang in the ; funniest comedy pantomime ever screened. "Inspector Hornleigh on - Holiday" is also showing, with Gordon ( Harker and Alastair Sim. The supporting items are topical and interesting, i