THE PICTURES—NEW PROGRAMMES

Evening Star, Issue 20434, 15 March 1930, Page 13

THE PICTURES—NEW PROGRAMMES

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r omm Ffififi two mmm shells s«ro all-talking comedies on the one »rhgramn» mean a good night's amuse- * Sent, as was gained by the Octagon SWtre patrons yesterday at the initial presentation of the weekly ' change of fare. Bach picture is difmmat m its appeal, and each is most «tajoyabk>. . (jomfidy and thrills are combined in * Flying Fool,' which is not in the aaaal run of aviation pictures. As pTharo it has Bill Taylor, a war-time Sjse of the air who has two considerapoiM—himself, his younger brother—- , iujd who also prides himself on his muting way with the ladies. When be returns from the war he becomes J '» sfexnt %er under the nanie of "The , Plying Fool," and the wath he choose 3 to travel runs smooth. Everyway he rM he sees a brunette with whom immediately strikes up an acquaintance. Then one night his young toother develops symptoms of love Igpd speaks of his girl as the only fIU, going into rhapsodies about her. Kbs leads Bill to investigate the posiguyi, with the result that he himself JjUk ia love with the same girl, this fading the brothers into, many con- - "sequential clashes. •, -But .everything ,%om«i rightivin the end, ,and the picjkuna finishes as all good pictures should. ' . There are only three players who * jkake part during the full length of >jjfae pfeture. These, are William Boyd, pie dare-devil aviator, a role in which %$» is r given - plenty of scope -to show "*• jjgjbairjwjcan really do, Russell Gleason, 1 ftps yooiig brother, and Marie Prejspst, a cafe singer who is responsible 'lfer the," clashes; already mentioned., aDhere are iquite' x a number, of sensajnonal scenes in '!■:' The Flying Fool,' Scenes, of eourse,vin the air;, jjand be|sW plenty of.; comedy there is a decided dramatic touch towards the end. There is both an English; and. a /French atmosphere in 'Hold" Yonr Jlan,' the second comedy, w;hieh gives ... iaura La Plante one of her best roles 5. *o date. She is a little wife entering \ upon her second year of married life v in not quite the beet circumstances. £ She is not poor, but she and her hus- ;*,.„ .band do each other [thoroughly. To continue her artistic studies she journeys to Paris, leaving tier husband in the care of another jwoman who was at one time a sweett of ibis, :but,! before long she receives a cable * from her husband sayang that he is; going to divorce her bad marry the other woman. Whon they go to Psiris to obtain the/divorce jfche little;wife, meeis them at the boat and says'how, ! pleased she is to Tifear of [the divorce, because.she has met the most; adorable man in, France and she E ants" to marry him. But this is the rst length of twine in a web into iwhich her,, husband neatly falls, to be securely tied up forwer. In short, • ibhe wife is very successful in compelling ner husband to fall in love with her again. ' ' Supporting Miss 'La Plante are Scott Kolk and Mildred Van Dora. The former is the husband who finds he cannot resist his wife's ~,"charnis, no matter how much he trites, and the-. latter is the designing; woman who exjcourages him to divorce his wife so. tuat she may have him to herself.j£here are. isome. highly, amusing sequences which cannot, &elp but make any audience laugh heartily 'Hold. Your Man' may ; be described as a fiwtrate comedy which is both clever and clean. As there are two feature pictures gn the programme, little time is left ftr supports, but *ah interesting sound gaaette showing' events in three or four countries and a 'Fox Movietone News,' taken in New Zealand and - Resenting our Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) addressing a message to the world, are neatly wedged into : the bill. The Octagon should be a popular house of entertainment while all four nuns ese being shown. *J# RITA 1 SEcem week sf &mm -'Rio Rita' entered yesterday the second week of its season at the Regent Theatre. Entertainment of an - unusually high 7 standard is provided in this colourful talking picture. The • ! popular actress Bebe Daniels, who has ; proved very attractive in light comedy soles, is the. principal, and. she demonstrates her ability to fill a: role ;of a more serious nature. The many appealing songs in which the production f bounds oner ample 6Cope for Miss )aniels to display hex fine singing voice. Miss Daniels is ably assisted both in the rendering of duets and in her 'acting by Mr John Boles, who , mays the leading male role. The pic- ' for© has been filmed amid very elabor-

r «te settings, and no effort has been I spared m achieving the desired effect. ) Eme success in this direction surpasses | : eyen the original New York presenta- ' as" the limitations /imposed by vbs stage hare-not narrowed the scope "|| the producers. The film is replete wfaih every element which appeals to sjft average audience. There are r Sendid singing and dancing numHers, a prominent voin of comedy, -.('spectacular stage effects, and an entertaining plot, which is by no means 'the least attractive feature. Some splendid work by a competent , ojttorus, charming dance ensembles, jiome '"of which are the most ambitious yjet presented through the medium of screen, and the gorgeous costuming are other features of interest. Many of the more important scenes jhaTe been photographed in techniopkrar, and in this department also ~ wwi .directory have triumphed. The inpuntairis of Mexico, where the '' a notorious bandit sought fy both the Mexican and American police, has his retreat forms the background of the story. Here, too, §welis the lovely "Rio Rita," the idol of all the inhabitants of the small Battlement. How the captain of a • band of Texas' Rangers discovers the , Mentity of the mysterious bandit and '■■' mo his relationship with the Mexican |W is unfolded in a series of excitjlg incidents. •SUNNY SIDE UP' '- ■ ' -iIaMMMTC. 'MUSKM.' jtmrlmiT the- Empire ,Thaa*w» pro* »«mme & * Sunny 'Side "ftp,' a diusiSl play which is elaborate »n fed strong in humour. It is a William Fox production, in which there has obviouslv been no sparing ot .expanse for players, scenes, musical . eSete. or' atmospheric' background.

vivacious chum Bee Nichols, work and bach together in a poor, but selfrespecting quarter of New York City. Eric Swenson, a large-hearted grocer, of Scandinavian accent, _ rooms opposite in the same building, whilo m their occasional parties they are joined also by the cheerful Eddie ilafferty, ever on the alert for a new idea for a song. Into this lighthearted neighbourhood there comes by chance Jack Cromwell, the handsome son of a wealthy family. _ In a street argument over a motoring accident he is befriended by Eric and placed in the company of Molly. He hears the latter sing in a cheerful community street concert, and is so impressed by her voice and personality that he persuades the likeable quartet . to como at his expense for a hiloday in his fashionable suburb. A garden party and a charity water carnival provide elaborate scenes, some of which are filmed in colour and in which is featured a chorus of unusually large dimension. The setting for the recurring chorus, * Turn on the Heat,' is one of the most imposing which has been seen on the " singing " screen. * "While Molly carries off to perfection the fashionable role, her three friends are immensely funny, in the guise of servants. The climax to the story is a triangular situation embracing Jack and his fiancee and Molly, but the outcome is entirely satisfactory. In the leads Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, particularly the former, more than reproduce their earlier successes, and excellent also are Marjory White as the girl friend, Sharron Lyon, as the fiancee, El. Brendel, as the grocer, and Frank Richardson', as tihe would-be writer of songs. The musical hits included 'l'm a Dreamer,' 'Aren't We All?' and 'lf I Had a Talking Picture of You.' ,' Movietone short subjects are also showtk JfflYSTf RY TALKIE BTflM»'B HEW ATTRACTION Weird, mysterious, and interest-com-pelling, with an atmosphere of awe-, some plotting and clever faking of the occult (art pervading the numerous scenes, 'The Hole in the Wall,' which heads file new programme at the Strand Theatre, is an all-talking picture that is set in a grotesque and decidedly unusual environment. The production has an atmosphere that is weird in its entertainment. The plot and the scenes are so striking that the eyes axe forced to alert attentiveness by the uncanniness of it all. ' The Hole in the Wall' is an adaptation of a play presented on the Broadway stage some years ago. The story centres around a gang of criminals which employs the aid of a medium and other spiritualistic means to gain its own ends in. a gigantic crime ring. The weird and uncanny manifestations of spiritualism are heavily stressed in the film. The title of the picture refers to the tiny and uncertain cranny in the wall which separates the known world from the great.beyond. . There, is an entertaining supporting programme of shorter talkie subjects. Ktit® EDWARD THEATRE ' She's ja. Sheik ' is the title of the principal .attraction .at the King Edward Theatre. Bebe Daniels has the leading role, that of Zaida, who, in a frenzy of affection for Captain Colton, has h*im kidnapped, because he has become enamoured of a beautiful English-, woman named Fowler. She is on the point of winning when ICada, a desert renegade who • has caused much trouble, appears upon the scene. He is a man, of resource, and discovering that Colton is absent from duty without leave sends a message to his superior officer. The major, with his men, go to the place, and Kada plans to annihilate them, but Zaida warns the- major, pnd a deliverance is effected by a subterfuge. The finale is just what the spectator would desire to' see.

In support there is shown ‘ Sir Lumberjack,’ which is both interesting and exciting, and has Lofty Flynn as the hero of many and varied happenings.