PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 20610, 9 October 1930, Page 7

PICTURE THEATRES

REGEHT : Another ,war picture, ‘ This Mad World,’ adapted from the French play ‘ Terre Inhuniaine,’ is the chief feature on the current programme at the Regent Theatre. The theme of the story is the conflict between duty to country and personal love, transcending all barriers of, nationality and ■ clays. As a French spy Basil Rathbone is most convincing, the role giving him ample opportunities to demonstrate his dramatic talents. Kay Johnson, who ap- ' peared with outstanding success in 4 Dynamite,’ portrays the leading feminine character, that of Madame Victoria, wife of a German military officer. No scenes of warfare .arc shown, the picture dealing only with ; ’ the indirect effects of war on a number of individuals ' A ‘.Mickey the Mouse ’ cartoon and other sound novelties arc included in the fine selection of supporting pictures. PRINCESS i ‘ The Hottentot ’ will bo screened at ; the Princess Theatre for the last time to-night. The cast is headed by Edward Everett Horton, one of the few really great comedians of the day. The , feminine lead is played by Patsy Ruth Miller. Others in the all-star cast include many well-known players. The humour of ‘ The Hottentot ’ results from the various degrees of fright suffered by one S. J. Harrington, who is i presented to'the girl ho loves as an experienced and fearless horseman. Ho . knows that if the state of his nerves ’ • is revealed to her his chance of winning her goes, and he is finally forced to ride for the girl’s sake a fiendish race horse, Hottentot, in a great steeplechase. What happens to Harrington, before, during, and after the race, ■ creates a comedy of the first order. A splendid selection of Vitaphono > varieties is also presented. OCTAGON ‘ The Prince of Diamonds ’ at the Octagon Theatre is a thrilling story o. romance and adventure. It is a vivid drama of an English aristocrat who braves untold dangers to win the girl he loves and pay back a debt to the man he hates. London’s society circle and the “ fleshpots ” of the Far East form the colourful background to this tale of stark adventure. ‘ Fast Company,’ the second attraction, revolves around a series of base- ■, ball matches in America. A fair , sprinkling of comedy adds variety to the story. •‘ SUCH MEN ARE DANGEROUS.’ Presented by a superb cast, headed by Warner Baxter and Catherine Dale Owen, * Such Men Are Dangerous,’ Fox Movietone all-talking sophisticated drama, based on Elinor Glyn’s charming and fascinating story, opens at the i Octagon Theatre to-morrow. Baxter . handles a most difficult role in masterful style, giving polish to the best part he has eyer enjoyed in an all-talking picture, and that is saying a great deal when one recalls his ‘ Cisco Kid ’ of ‘ln Old Arizona.’ Miss Owen gives a convincing performance. Her work is brilliant throughout, and her beauty and charm add much to her characterisation of the bride who deserts her husband. The portrayal of the meddling sister is in the hands of Hedda Hopper, who in sophisticated roles has few equals in pictures., Claude Allister, in a “Lord Algy ” role, and Albert Conti, as tho sfiave secretary do their work well. Bela Lugosi, portrays the role of a plastic surgeon in his usual finished manner. 'Seldom has a picture received a more enthusiastic reception than that accorded ‘ Such Mon are Dangerous.’ It embraces all the elements that make a great play—suspense, thrills, highly dramatic situations, and just enough comedy to relievo the tension and almost audible heart beats. EMPIRE ‘ The Hungarian Rhapsody,’ which will be shown at the Empire Theatre for. the last time this evening, is an entertaining musical film. In the production Andor Heital, as the musician who breathes into his music all tho , poetry_ and feeling of his own nature, is. decidedly convincing. His perfect, mastery of the violin stamps him as a amongst a thousand. His playing is a treat rarely experienced, and the almost perfect reproduction which .characterises tho film enables all the beauty of this king among musical instruments to be appreciated to the full. Willy Fritsch, as a .gallant officer'of Hussars, makes a complete success of the part of the hero, who very nearly loses the woman ho really loves because he does not realise her worth. ' Good talking, singing, and sound supports are shown, while the usual delightful musical programme is provided by Monsieur De Rose and bis Orchestra. STRAND ‘Playing Around’ will ho finally screened at the Strand Theatre this evening. Though the title of the picture does not sound "very promising, it is-a tensely, dramatic story, which is admirably directed and presented by a clever cast of screen players. The picture takes its audience into its grip from the opening scene, and retains its interest until the highly' satisfactory finish i The bright background and the culture of setting help to emphasise the power of a dramatic story, the action of which, for the greater part, takes place, in the second-rate quarter of New York. A gangster, a girl, and her boy lover, an automobile, and a traffic policeman figure largely throughout the story. TO-MORROW’S TALKIE. .‘ The Flirting Widow ’■ comes to tho Strand Theatre to-morrow. Dorothy Mackaill scores decisively as Celia, the eldest daughter of Sir William Farraday, a headstrong aristocrat, who refuses to permit his youngest daughter to marry until Celia becomes a wife. As Celia is determined to remain an old maid and her attitude blocks the road to the younger girl, many complications arise when everybody concerned in-the cast is engaged in trying to find a way out of ,the difficulty. Real hearty fun of a most enjoyable character eventuates. It has an English atmosphere, and, although not a British production, all the characters are played by English actors with excellent speaking voices. Included in the cast are Basil Rathbone, Anthony Bushell, Leila Hyams, Emily Fitzroy, and Claud© Gillingwater. KING EDWARD For authenticity and genuine atmosphere, the Monte Carlo party staged as one of the important sequences for * The Racketeer,’ Patbe’s all-dialogue production starring,Robert Armstrong and featuring Carol Lombard, which is being presented at the King Edward Theatre, is the “ real Mackay,” as they say in the underworld. Howard Higgin, director of the picture, and Ralph Block, tho producer, enlisted the aid of on© of the biggest gamblers in the United States to make

tho set perfect. This gambler moved the roulette wheels, black jet tables, faro boxes, crap tables, and chnck-a-luck devices from one of his establishments to tho Pathe studios and manned them with his own croupiers so that every move would be strictly according to the well-known Mr Hoyle. On Saturday, tho King Edward will present Laura La Plante in ‘ Hold Your Man.’ ROXY ‘ The Thirteenth Chair ’ is the chief attraction at tho Roxy Theatre. Mysteries of India arc contrasted with the tricks of Occidental spiritist mediums in this play, many of which are exposed in tho dramatic sequences. The strange seance at which the amateur sleuth is killed, and in which spirit rapping, table lifting, artd other uncanny tricks are exposed, is ono of the highlights of the story, and another is the final seance, in which the dead man becomes accusoV and exposes the slayer, ‘ THE BLACK AVATCH.’ ‘ The Black Watch,’ which will open a return season at tho Roxy Theatre to-morrow, is the Fox Movietone adaptation of Talbolt Mtincly’s widely-read novel, ‘ King of the Khyber Rifles.’ Victor Ai'Laglen, the principal, is cast as a young English who is forced by duty to leave his obligations in England and leave his famous regiment. 1 The Black Watch,’ to undertake and carry to a successful conclusion the stifling of the incipient revolt. Disguised as a tribesman, he penetrates into the mountain fastnesses, and comes face to face with Yasmani, the mysterious and alluring girl who is swaying a powerful tribe.