PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 21078, 15 April 1932, Page 9

PICTURE THEATRES

■+■ EMPIRE One of the most glaring examples of the change in English officialdom’s attitude toward film makers is ‘ Splinters in the Navy,’ the knockabout nautical extravaganza starring Sydney Howard and the present attraction at the Empire Theatre. The producers, British Dominions Films, approached the high officials of the Admiralty and were surprised at the sympathetic reception. The outcome was that one of England’s biggest man-o’-wars was placed at the disposal of the director. All the gear was transported from shore to ship, and the ship’s company enjoyed its experience as “ atmosphere.” ‘ Splinters in the Navy ’ is easily the brightest comedy for many moons, and it is right that tho original “ Splinters ” should be eclipsed by its own successor and sequel. Frederic Bentley and Alf Goddard are also in the cast, besides, of course, Reg. Stone, Hal Jones, and the Splinters “Beauty Ballet.” During the filming of the naval scenes the director was naturally desirous of getting a genuine background of tho men who manned these giants. So with a fine spirit of co-operation the authorities agreed that such members of the crews that cared to volunteer could bo used in the making of the production. The result was that practically tho whole of one ship’s company was most enthusiastic about breaking into the movies, consequently the patrons of the Empire will know when watching this highly diverting comedy that every person sporting a blue jacket is synonymous with the lad who assists in defending outlying parts of the Empire. The men who participated required absolutely ho rehearsals, and were undoubtedly natural actors, who exhibited more than ordinary ability. The story:—Joe Crabbs and Bill Mivvilis are both able seamen and staunch pals, and when they discover that the “ old man the admiral—is about to be married they conceive the idea of holding a “ free-for-al) ” or a grand gala on board the ship. For the purpose of providing entertainment, Crabbs and Mivvins approach Lew Lake and arrange for the famous Splinters Concert Party to stage a show on tho quarterdeck in conjunction with the navy championship boxing bout. Joe and Bill have a little bit of bother in a dockside dance hall, in which Spike Higgins, heavy-weight boxing champion 'of the navy, rather belittles them in the eyes of their girl friends, llottie and Mabel. Bill gets tho bright idea of a challenge match between Joe and Spike, and by an ingenious arrangement of substitution Joe manages to knock Spike into another world and so claim the boxing crown and the everlasting admiration of hjs lady love. There are excellent supports, besides the usual organ interludes by Mr Paul T. Cullen, and an extended appearance of “ Tho Aerial Four.” REGENT Ronald Colman, whoso quizzical’smile in infectious, acts with his customary aplomb iu ‘The Unholy Garden,’ the racy adventure-romance written specially for the screen by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, co-authors of ‘ The Front Page.’ It began a season at the Regent Theatre to-day. ‘The Unholy Garden’ refers to an outpost at the edge of the Sahara, wastes, where renegades from the law hide safe from the police and extradition. Tho decayed splendour of a once magnificent resort gives sanctuary to a strange gathering of outcasts, awaiting forgetfulness or forgiveness. Civilisation offers each of them gaol, or worse. ‘The Unholy Garden’- is Samuel Goldwyn’s answer to the demand for Ronald Colman in a picture of action. For ‘ The Unholy Garden is action—as much action as his memorable ‘Beau Geste.’ Yet in ‘The Unholy Garden,’ as in all Colman pictures, the light romantic touch as still there. The English star is still a persuasive lover, touchingly gallant even as a philanderer. Goldwyn has given the picture his usual lavish production, with the rich colour of the Algerian desert oasis as an inspiration to scenic designers Wil’y Pogany and Captain Richard Day. Plodding camels, Bedouin horse traders, and Arab sword makers, miuaretted towers from which the faithful are called to prayer, and buttressed walls from which the proud tricolour flies, guarded by leatherskinned. Legionaires—these are details iu the picture’s magnificent landscape. Always fortunate in his leading ladies, Colman’s luck continues in the contrasting beauties of Estelle Taylor and Fay Wray. Miss Taylor is seen as. the wanton voluptuary of the story, ‘ the tomb of a lady,” the outlawed and decadent English aristocrat, the Hon. Mrs Mowbry, while Fay Wray is the granddaughter of the recluse and blind old embezzler, the Baron de Jonghe. Society and civilisation are to her merely pictures in the Paris papers that, come to her now and then. I 1 or the twenty yOars of her life have been spent in this abandoned resort, reading to and taking care of the thief. “The family,” this is the dozen odd outcasts, thieves, murderers, and others living at the hotel are plotting to kill tho baron, and perhaps his granddaughter, to find the plunder that they all believe is hidden somewhere about his fiat. to them, seems the only simple and direct way of making the baron or his daughter surrender their secret. Then Barry Hunt (Ronald Colman) appears. His plan is to work through tho daughter, Camille (Fay Wray). Living iu a zoo as she has done, he tells them, Camille will quickly respond to any decent attentions. They listen, and then agree to allow him to proceed. Barry is to win Camille’s “esteem,” affection or whatever it is, and through, her find out where the baron’s hidden plunder is Ho proceeds, but is constantly forestalled by the police spy, Mrs Mowbry (Estelle Taylor). The “crooks begin to distrust him asthey see his romantic affair developing. They plot among themselves, and then he proposes new plans that are intended to divide “the family” among itself. His attachment for Camille, he finds, is presenting complications. Matched against his own attachment for her is the love ho knows she has for him. Barry finds the money,_ but just as lie does one of the conspirators murders the baron. Camille quickly accuses Barry, who has no way of disproving it. Then “ the family ” descend on Barry, knowing that he has the money, determined to inflict the fate on him they had reserved for the baron. Just when the climax mounts to a white heat a new solution appears, and an ending that is as novel as exciting and as unexpected as could be expected from Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur brings the story to a breathless close. ST. JAMES Because it is a certainty to appeal strongly to all lovers of drama and fine acting- The Sin of Madelon Claudet,’ which started'at the St. James to-clay, can be recommended as an excellent picture. From an entertainment point

of view the film is good, and, although the story tells of an unmarried mother’s sacrifice in adopting a career of immorality to secure sufficient money to make the child a person of importance in the world, the subject has been treated with a delicate touch of definite human interest, assuring a maintenance of audience sympathy throughout. The picture’s success is a triumph for the art of Helen Hayes, whose personality is splendidly adaptable to screen drama, and whose examples of perfect make-up are interestingly effective. It is hard to realise that the withered old hag she presents at the end of the picture is actually the same person who had faded through successive periods from the winsome lass of the opening reels. She is cast as a Normandy girl, Madelou, who, caught in the whirlwind of innocent romance, is induced to share the garret of a young American art student in Paris. Marriage is promised, but when the boy takes a trip home he forgets her in favour of a social beauty moving in his own particular set. ’Madelon Dears him a son, and in desperation she is forced to accept the protection of a man whom she imagines to be a jewel connoisseur. She lives only for the sou, whom she leaves in the care of a young married couple. Her friend asks her to become Ins wife, arid it is fixed for the three of them to leave France for ever. During the celebration the police point to the man as an international jewel thief, but before being taken ho commits . suicide. She is arrested as an accomplice, and sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment. After serving the term her first desire is to see the boy again. Times have changed in the interim,. and the child is now in an institution. Madelon learns that ho has a desire to be a doctor, and, providing he is given the “ background ” and supplied with necessary funds, an adviser says the lad will probably make Ins mark in that profession. Accordingly she drops right out of the child’s ken. Becoming a street-woman, her earnings are devoted to the advancement of the child. Ho is led to believe the money comes from the estate of his allegedly deceased parents. His mother sinks to the depths of degradation, but finds happiness when her son takes lus place as a leader in his profession. OCTAGON • Stamboul,’ Paramount’s second British production, featuring Warwick Ward and Rosita Moreno, started today at the Octagon. It is a story of mystery and intrigue in romantic old Constantinople, and the good choice in the cast of players assures the film a successful season. The unusual setting forms a background which blends into tho Oriental theme in the story, and the polished acting depicting the life in diplomatic circles has completed a picture of arresting appeal. The plot concerns Colonel Andre De Sevigne, the newlyappointed military attache to the French Embassy at Stamboul, who meets and falls in love with the beautiful Maria, wife of the Baron yon Striok. Andre soon discovers that Karl Von Strick is a brutal bully, and at the same time is carrying op an intrigue with his cousin, the Countess Elsa Talven, whom he has installed in his house. Karl’s companion is Prince Cernuwicz, a drunken gambler, over whom he exercises control by paying his debts. Andre is befriended by the powerful Mehmed Pasha, marshal of the Turkish Army, who remembors that the i tenchman once saved his life. Subtle intrigues and complications follow, and all the time Karl is seeking to obtain sufficient evidence to divorce his wife and at the same .time, retain custody of his child. Andre and Maria meet at a ball and fall in > love with one another. The climax is skilfully brought about, and the audience is left in ignorance of the possible solution until the closing scenes. This picture is a good example of the high standard in tho filming and recording of British productions. The other film on the programme is ‘ Hot Curves.’ Big League baseball provides thrills, adventure, romance, and comedy for ‘ Hot Curves,’ the Tiffany all-talking picture. Its fun is irresistible in itself, with Benny Rubin and Pert Kelton keeping step with their particular comedy brand. Rex Lease is also worthy of the highest praise for bis portrayal of a baseball player and Benny’s best friend who is in love with the daughter of the trainer. Alice Day gives a delightful impersonation of tho girl. STRAND Warner Baxter, one of the most popular stars of the screen and a superb actor, is now at the Strand Theatre in ‘ Surrender.’ Baxter is said to rise to new dramatic heights in ‘ Surrender.’ He appears in the role of a French prisoner, in a German war camp, where he meets and falls in love with a beautiful Prussian girl of titled lineage. The beautiful and fascinating Leila Hyams enacts the role of tho girl who struggles between the fires of love and flames of hate and who eventually surrenders to romance. ‘ Surrender ’ is a drama of uncompromising truth depicting the conflict between a woman’s love tor a man and loyalty to her country. The girl is betrothed to the son of a retired Prussian general, but she falls in love with a French prisoner of war who has been detailed to work on the old generaljs crumbling estate. Her aristocratic blood urges her to many the noble son of a Reichendorf, but she finds herself in the valley of indecision, and her heartbreaking struggle with herself is unforgettable. While the period of 6 Surrender } is that of 1917 and 1918 and the setting is a desolate prison camp on the icy shores of the Baltic, the war itself is merely an unseen and unheard, but tremendously important, background for . the unusual . love between the principals. Out of the bitterness of conflict, the despair of a girl who sees her fiance off to a front from which she instinctively knows he will never return, and the baffled hopes and repressed emotions of half-starved prisoners, Director William K. Howard has woven a brilliant, absorbing, and intensely human drama, and one that preserves to a notable degree the power of Pierre Benoit’s ‘ Axelle,’ on which it is based. . . ' Supporting films include a special English comedy, ‘ Rodney Steps Out,’ and the latest Fox International and Australasian newsreels. KING EDWARD ‘ Tell England,’ the film version of tho famous book of the same name, is one of the pictures being shown at the King Edward Theatre. The leading parts are taken with considerable distinction by Carl Harbord, Tony Bruce, Fay Compton, and 0. M. Hallard. In the other picture, ‘This Modern. Age.’ Joan Crawford has a characteristic role as a care-free product of the present generation who refuses to take life seriously until she meets a young man who forces her to see that there are other things that count besides luxury and pleasure. Neil Hamilton . and Pauline Frederick also have prominent parts. ___________