CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 27, 31 July 1940, Page 10

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

ST. JAMES THEATRE,

- The story of a brother's sacrifice for a brother against a background of prison bars and gangster guns is the theme of "Invisible Bars," a vigorous, fast-moving drama which is showing at the St. James Theatre. George Raft plays the part of the brother. Cliff, who, having served a gaol sentence, is confronted with a succession of disheartening setbacks as he attempts to make good. He is resolved that his brother Tim. played by William Holden shall not share his bitter experience. To make life easy for Tim and to remove any temptation, he joins up with a gang of gunmen, and from his share in the proceeds of bank robberies he helps Tim on his career. The crisis comes when Tim is involved in a gangster getaway and Cliff makes the ultimate sacrifice to prevent his brother from going to gaol.

MAJESTIC THEATRE

A gay and turbulent romance with an unusual and intriguing plot, "Remember" is drawing large audiences at the Majestic Theatre. "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 in 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 has 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 Blanc" 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 Look Down," showing at the Tudor Iheatre. The remarkable and particularly strong cast of principals for this A. J. Cronin story is headed by Michael Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood. Latest in the hilarious Jones Family series, "Young as you Feel," is the other featurelength film presented.

NEW PRINCESS THEATRE.

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 Princess Theatre. Brenda Joyce heads a great supporting cast in this powerful story of _ human emotions at the breaking point while the angry forces of Nature ravaged the earth. Motion picture fans who like their murder mysteries baffling have something to outguess them in "Society Lawyer," the associate film, featuring Walter Pidgeon, Virginia Bruce, and Leo Carrillo.

OPERA HOUSE,

As a saga of Maori chivalry courage, 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 connected with the final overcoming of Maori opposition and prejudice against the pakeha. The picture is an allNew Zealand production and was two and a half years in the making. That the immense effort, acting ability, and technical capacity put into it have not gone for nothing is amply demonstrated. Chief honours for acting go to the Maoris, particularly the beautiful Ramai te Miha, who takes the exacting role of Ariana, a half-caste girl who is torn between' the impulses of tribal tradition and her love for the young pakeha who has come into her life.

EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. "Brother Rat," the gay comedy, of life in a military school, which ran on a Broadway stage for eighteen consecutive months and had three road companies successfully touring the U.S.A. at the same time, is now a picture, and is showing at the Empire Theatre. Melodrama in the finest sense is exemplified by Columbia's tense film, "Those High Grey Walls," the associate feature.

PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE, WOBURN.

The Dionne Quintuplets appear in "Five of a Kind," showing at the Prince Edward Theatre. The "quins" sing, dance, make music, and troupe like veterans in a modern story that whirls in and out of New York's Broadway. Vivid glimpses of Nevada's best-known city in the days when it was a wild .and woolly mining camp are given in "Reno," associate film.

GRAND THEATRE, PETONE

Fast action, set off by the robbery of a silver mine, is found in "Santa Fe Marshal," latest of the "Hopalong Cassidy" thrillers, which is showing at the Grand Theatre. William Boyd, Russell Hay den, and Marjorie Rambeau head the cast. Paramount's new picture, "Parole Fixer," with William Henry, Anthony Quinn, Virginia Dale, Richard Denning, and I^yle Talbot, is the second feature.

PALACE THEATRE, PETONE,

A reissue of the film success "I Was a Spy," the great British picture reproduction of the true life story by Martha McKenna, heads the bill at the Palace Theatre. Conrad Veidt, Madeleine Carroll, Herbert Marshall, and Sir Gerald Dv Maurier are starred. The second feature stars Arthur Tracey, whose life story is embodied in the Belgrave production, "Follow Your Star."

STATE THEATRE, PETONE.

Janet Gaynor, Douglas Fairbanks, jun.. and Paulette Goddard made their debut as an exciting new screen trio in David O. Selznick's comedy romance, "The Young in Heart," which is showing at the State Theatre. Roland Young, Billie Burke, Henry Stephenson, Richard Carlson, and Minnie Dupree head the supporting cast.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

RIVOLI THEATRE

KING'S THEATRE.

PLAZA THEATRE

STATE THEATRE

ROXY THEATRE,

REX THEATRE,

REGENT THEATRE

ASCOT 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.

Amongst the important productions that have resulted from recent incursions 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 remarkable example of what the talking screen medium, properly handled, can do in the way of following the gradual development and unfolding of character. 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.

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.

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 tlie murder of Ismay and a brutal attack on Clare herself, Jean Gillie has a very difficult role to fill in "The Spider," which is the main feature at the State Theatre. 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 eyes, romantic heart, and all—in "Viva Cisco Kid," the Twentieth Century-Fox production which is the other feature.

Anything in the.way of more bright and breezy film entertainment than "Okay for Sound," a G.B.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.

Joe E. Brown, in "The Gladiator," with June Travis, Robert Kent, and "Man Mountain" Dean, of wrestling fame, is showing at the Rex Theatre. Departing from his customary characterisations, the cavern-mouthed comedian portrays the role of a scientific-ally-created superman. Don Terry; featured player in "When G-Men Step In," the associate film, is seen as a racket chief desperately fighting against his own brother, a G-Man, played by Robert Paige.

"Disputed Passage" concludes tonight at the Regent Theatre. "The Earl of Chicago," starring Robert Montgomery, opens tomorrow.

REGAL THEATRE, KARORI,

"For Freedom," devised and directed by Maurice Elvey and Castleton Knight, is showing at the Regal Theatre. The film magnificently commemorates on the screen the greatest British naval drama in history—the Battle of the River Plate. It does more than this —it shows British mechantmen going through hell in the fight with the Graf Spec and the British prisoners rescued from the Altmark. "Confession," starring Kay Francis, lan Hunter, and Basil Rathbone, is the associate film.

KILBIRNIE KINEMA,

The teaming of James Cagney and George Raft in "Each Dawn I Die," which is now showing at the Kinema, brings together the screen's two topmost players of authentic modern "hard guys," and the result" is a prison picture which achieves a brilliant 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 Magufre.

A great family bill is being presented at the Ascot Theatre. It is headed by "Alf's 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.

VOGUE THEATRE, BROOKLYN

Anna Neagle, the international film star notable for her characterisation in "Victoria the Great," makes her debut in her first Hollywood-produced picture, "Nurse Edith Cavell," a stirring drama of- the famous war nurse's exploits, which is showing at the Vogue Theatre. "On the Night of the Fire" is the second feature. In the cast are Diana Wynyard, as heroine, Mary Claire, Romney Brent, Dave Crowley, and Sara Allgood. The supports include a newsreel and a "March of Time."

CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR

There is a complete feminine cast in "The Women," which is showing at the Capitol Theatre. Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, and Rosalind Russell are starred. "The Women" is a picture which attracts women and appeals to all men.

BLOMFIELD'S BID FOR TITLE

Wellington wrestling enthusiasts have not seen a great deal this season of Sergeant-Major Lofty Blomfield, the New Zealand champion, but on Monday night at the Town Hall they will be able to see Blomfield in one of the most important engagements of his career. He will be matched with John Katan, the new Empire champion, and has expressed his determination to wrestle as he has never wrestled before in an effort to achieve what has long been his ambition —the winning of the Empire championship. Blomfield so far has not been able to score a win over Katan, who has been beaten on]y once in the course of his New Zealand tour, but the last match between champion and challenger resulted in a draw, with Blomfield very nearly snatching victory in the last few minutes. There is every indication that Blomfield is finding how Katan can be beaten and will put his experience to the test on Monday. It will certainly be a hard-fought match with any amount of thrills. Particulars are advertised.