THE PICTURES—NEW PROGRAMMES

Evening Star, Issue 21518, 16 September 1933, Page 10

THE PICTURES—NEW PROGRAMMES

THRILLING MYSTERY FILM EMPIRE SCREENS ’THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY' It may sound absurd to say there arc any new ideas for mystery writers to produce, but it is a fact that there are many unusual features about ‘ the Crime of the Century/ the thrilling murder mystery which was the main picture of the new programme screened at the Empire Theatre at yesterday s sessions. As a stpry ‘ The Crime of the Century ’ proved to be a great success, and none of the interest and mystery has been lost in transferring it to the screen. It is a murder-mystery-thnller in every sense. It opens with a thrill and a mystery, carries on throughout in the same tense strain, and finishes with yet another thrill, and, of course, the solution. But it strikes two entirely new notes in this class of film. First, an intended crime is confessed to the police before it is committed, and a second murder is carried out almost under their noses. Second, during the production there is an intermission of sixty seconds, during which the clues to the crime, and the persons who might have committed it, are flashed across the screen, thus offering the audience the opportunity of picking the murderer before the final solution is presented. The story centres around a prominent physician. Dr Emil Brandt, who walks into a police station in a state of agitation and pleads with the officers to lock him up so that he may not carry through bis plans for a perfect murder which he has evolved and expects to commit that night. The officers accompany him to his home, confident that nothing unusual will occur. It does, however, and in a startling and thrilling manner. Always hovering about, however, is a bright young newspaper reporter, who eventually straightens out the tangle, ns well as adding a few bright spots to the doings. Jean Hersholt, who is well remembered for several outstanding performances, plays the role of the harassed Dr Brandt, and a better actor for the part could not have been chosen. Wynne Gibson is seen to advantage as Mrs Brandt, and Frances Dee gives a fine performance as David Brandt, who joins forces with a newspaper reporter in an effort to prove her father’s innocence. The go-getting newspaper man is Stuart Irwin, who adds to his successes in such films as ‘ Make Me a Star ’ and ‘ The Big Broadcast.’ Others who play prominent parts are David Landau and Robert Elliott. The feature film is supported by a particularly interesting selection of '‘shorts,” including another budget of local topics in pictorial form. _ The New Zealand reel commences with views from the Chatham Cup Soccer match, played between Ponsonby and Millerton, all the movements depicted showing every evidence of clear photography. As a prelude to the forthcoming Antarctic expeditions a series of snapshots carry the audience back to the days of the last Byrd Antarctic expedition, the City of New York being seen in these waters. Some very fine photography is seen in a number of views taken on board warships stationed on the dominion’s coast, and the reel goes on to show the march past of the basketball teams who congregated in Gisborne for the New Zealand championship. Amongst the other topical material is a scene taken in Cornwall during a recent floral dance, as well as a glimpse of the M.C.C. team landing in Glasgow after going home from Australia via Canada. There is also a unique Labour demonstration in Hydo Park. The pictorial side mf the programme is com-' pleted with ‘ Hollywood On Parade ’ (introducing several well-known artists in a more informal way than usual), and an entertaining short film, ‘ The Fatal Glass of Beer,’ A well deserved round of applause greeted Mr Knight Barnett, who, at the Mighty Christie Unit Organ, revealed considerable skill in his playing of selections from the operas. His presentations constituted a great musical treat. ‘WHAT PRICE HOLLYWOOD?’ A DELIGHTFUL SATIRE ON FILMLAND A glamorous world has been built up around America’s film capital, but if the story that ‘What Price Hollywood?’ has to tell at the Grand Theatre this week is in any sense true, then the lot of those connected with the industry is not always a happy' one. They have their troubles, and the road to stardom is thorny, but they seem to enjoy what they call a “ big kick ” in lifo nevertheless. The thousands of girls who conform to the “ Film-struck Fanny ” tyoe, and see in their mirrors a petulant droop of the lip or a naively arched eyebrow that seems to indicate a potential Garbo, should sacrifice the price of a movie magazine and have a look at .* What Price Hollywood?’—it will do them good. But if they get any enjoyment out of swaying mythical millions when they are dispensing the roast and boiled in a restaurant, they had bettor stay away. “Some mute, inglorious Deitrich here may rest.” lamented somebody or other. True; but the task of persuading a director that the mute, inglorious one’s services are waiting to thrill the world is a thankless one at the best. And that was how Mary Evans, a waitress at the Brown Derby—the most popular eating house in the film colony —felt about things. She and her colleagues bartered for the chance to wait on a man who might “give them a break in pictures.” Of course, what she did with Director Maximilian Carey must not be taken as a guide to young women with similar movie proclivities. Firstly, she was a Constance Bennett, and that gave her a slight advantage as a waitress; secondly—and most important—he was in an advanced stage of inebriety—when a man orders six glasses of water and uses them to distribute gardenias to his friends his discrimination is not all that it should be. He gives her a “ break,” and after a few heart-burnings she makes good, with the help of the producer, Julius Saxe. But Carey, a cheerful drunkard, is slipping badly and is losing those qualities that made him a directing genius. While on a location trip Mary meets ’ Lonny Borden, a crack polo player, and they get married after tempestuous wooing. Carey is still slipping, and he finally loses his job. Prompted by gratitude, Mary strives to bring him back to the straight and narrow, much to the annoyance of Lonny, who is finding the calls on his wife’s time a little irksome; he does not like being called Mr Mary Evans, either. Ho goes to Reno and gets a divorce; it omits to state [the grounds, but apparently they

aren’t really needed. Mary continues to look after Carey—great thing, this gratitude—but ho goes on another drinking bout, and lias the bad grace to commit suicide in Mary’s drawing room. Hollywood’s eyebrows go up, and that means scandal. But there still remains the south of France, and there she flees with baby. Lonny arrives, though, confesses that he has never stopped loving her, and they settle down to a happy married life (three weeks is about the allotted span in Hollywood). Constance Bennett is charming as Mary Evans, and considering that she is only a waitress she makes quite a good job of her studio work. Lowell Sherman is cast as Carey, and on his shoulders rests practically all the comedy. Neil Hamilton plays the husband very effectively, and rides a horse rather well, too. It is a bright picture, on the whole, and certainly unusual. The acting throughout is excellent. The supporting films arc of the usual high standard, and form excellent entertainment. ‘ CHRISTOPHER STRONG ’ STRIKING DRAMA AT REGENT A gripping drama, brilliantly acted, sums up the screen version of Gilbert Frankau’s widely-read and popular novel, ‘ Christopher Strong,’ which opened at the Regent yesterday. _ The outstanding success of Katharine Hepburn in the'leading role adds rare distinction to a film which would command attention for its unusual theme alone. Miss Hepburn is a vital, vibrant figure, with a compelling, even electrifying, personality. Her remarkable rise to stardom was heralded by the marked ability with which she acted in her initial performance, ‘ A Bill of Divorcement.’ But this her second portrayal, will convince filmgoers that her emergence as a bril-liant-cinema personality is not merely a flash in the pan. At first one may not like her appearance, her sharp staccato movements and brusque tongue, but in the end one is compelled to admire her for her deep sincerity and for her very distinctiveness of type. She is fortunate too, in her supporting cast, Colin Clive, Helen Chandler, Billie Burke, Ralph Forbes, and Irene Browne, all have parts to which they arc admirably adapted. In ‘ Christopher Strong,’ Katharine Hepburn takes the part of Lady Cynthia, who qualifies for, and is judged to have the best claims for a prize offered at a. party to young ladies over twenty years of ago who have never had a. Jove affair. An obsession for aeroplanes and flying, to the exclusion of all else, seems to be tbc only reason for Lady Cynthia remaining heart-free for so long. At the same party Sir Christopher Strong (Colin Clive) is entered by his daughter (Helen Chandler) in a competition to find who has been the most faithful husband after five years of married life. Faithful for twenty years, Sir Christopher has an easy victory. The toasting and the meeting of the two prize-winners is the beginning of a romantic tragedy. Lady Cynthia and Sir Christopher become fascinated with each other, to the great misery of Sir Christopher’s loyal wife (Billie Burke). The art displayed by the two main actors in this irregular attachment, and the tragically dramatic climax leave nothing to be desired in the way of execution or production. Through it all is the magnetism of a woman who dares fate in more ways than one, and triumphs in death, as Katharine Hepburn does in her portrayal. It is a character study of far too high a quality to be missed. Nor does it lack effective support in the delineation of Sir Christopher Strong, the model husband, by Colin Clive. Ho is the typical reserved Englishman, not the screen caricature, and bus faithfulness to type only enhances tbc striking character with whom ho falls in love. Billie Burke, so well remembered for her stage appearances, and Ralph Forbes are effective in minor roles, the one sweethly pathetic, the other lending delightful touches of hilarity to a gripping theme. From the dramatic standpoint ‘ Christopher Strong ’ is the finest picture that has been seen at the Regent for a long time. An attractive supporting programme completes a really exceptional bill. BRIGHT PICTURE AT ST. JAMES NEW SCREEN STAR One can always rely on the St. James Theatre showing a trump hand each week. The change of programme did not in the least deviate from previous shows in the matter of quality; rather it served to demonstrate England’s ability to produce picture entertainments equal to those of the Americans. ‘ Her First Affair ’ is the name of the main film, which introduces a new screen actress in Ida Lnpino, another of the talented family of Lupinos. Miss Lnpino upholds the reputation of the long line of performers laying claim to the surname, which must now lie almost a household word. She is extremely attractive, and the story she helps to interpret is admirably suited to her typo of performance. In the picture she is cast as a very modern girl, who after reading love stories by Kerry Merton, tho idol of the.fair sex, sets about defying convention, and in this connection sho does it very thoroughly. Engaged to a young man, who does not pretend to bo anything but just an ordinary fellow, sho tells him of the way in which she worships tho author, but her jealous fiance cannot bo persuaded to see any virtues in “ that old fossil who writes trash.” So a bargain is struck that the two should pay a visit to the scribe, and if he does not come up to expectations, the girl must marry the man who loves her, ‘‘ and if ho is what you think, you will marry me just tho same,” adds that young man. Together they journey to the author’s country house, and after being chased into a pond by a bulldog, are found there by Merton and his wife. , Once in the house the reckless and adoring girl finds an excuse to stay, and openly she shows a marked infatuation for the author, even confiding in his wife that she has fallen in ‘‘love” with her husband. In this manner a rather awkward situation is created, but, of course, after a great deal of misunderstanding and argument things are satisfactorily straightened to the mutual delight of those concerned From tho beginning the picture strikes a happy note, and comedy is liberally bespattered throughout. In support of Miss Lnpino are George Curzon, as the young man who is worried at the prospect of losing his fiancee, Diana Napier, who is excellent as the wife of the author, Harry Tate, of record fame, who is a major spending most of his time squirming from tho clutches of A! 11 riel Aked, a not too bewitching spinster. The presentation is colourful from first to last, and due regard has been given to scenic and dressing effects. On the first part of the programme

is an entertaining British picture, ‘ A Night In Montmartre,’ in which an amateur criminologist successfully brings to justice the murder of a cafe proprietor. After making known his lirst deductions, by which he unwittingly incriminates his own son, the self-elected detective loses no time m finding a loop-hole for escape, and in the face of defeat he crowns his efforts with success by reconstructing the crime in such an ingenious manner that the guilty person is soon distinguished from three or four suspects. The plot is cleverly worked out, and holds the interest all through. One is kept guessing just how it will all end, and it is with feeling of satisfaction that one sees the manner in which the murderer is caught. OCTAGON’S ATTRACTIVE OFFERING ‘ 100 IN BUDAPEST ' NOVEL AND THRILLING For sheer melodramatic intensity the final scenes of ‘ Zoo in Budapest,’ screened to an appreciative audience at the Octagon Theatre last night, must be among the most powerful shown locally. They vibrato with concentrated energy. The spectator who is not drawn into the battle they depict and does not feel a litlo exhausted at the finish can conclude that he is quite immune to attack from this quarter. To particularise about these scenes would be to spoil, to some degree, their effect. ‘ Zoo in Budapest ’ has other virtues, however. The pulsating climax is but the culmination of an exceptionally original, compact, and compelling film play. The scene, as the title indicates, is the Budapest zoo, and the camera only once goes beyond the gates. The sotting and the portraits of the characters whom the play chiefly concerns are drawn with swift, efficient strokes. There is a good deal of sardonic humour in the opening passages, in which the tone the film is to maintain is rapidly established. For a time, as the camera roves through the crowded zoo, giving glimpses of a visitor here an official there, of an animal on one side of the bars and a keeper (perhaps an animal, too, beneath his skin) on the other, of a child and his nagging nurse, of a procession of prisoners from an orphans’ homo, the spectator wonders which of these oddly-assorted people is important to the drama or how they arc to be drawn together. Then, with one little incident and another, the draw-ing-together process begins. A child runs away into the zoo; a fugitive hides there. In a steady, oven crescendo the pace of the film quickens until, when tho climax is reached, the tempo is as rapid and compelling as that set by the quick boating of a tom-tom. The first of the praise must be awarded to the director, Howland V. Leo; for it is emphatically a director’s picture, and not one which belongs chiefly to tho writer of the story or to the players. Among the actors, 0. P. Baggie, as Dr Grunbaum, the director of the zoo, will probably remain longest in the memory. Tho transformation of this gentle, sensitive man into the firm dictator of the final scenes is finely managed, both by Mr Heggic himself and by tho producer, in placing beside tho director tho potty official, Garbosh (Murray Kinnell), whoso nervous, ineffective officiousness is a foil to the serene purposefulness of the old director. It is a pity that the film was not allowed to end with tho director's ringing voice still echoing! in the spectators’ ears. The final tidy-ing-up of tho affairs of two or three of the leading characters is an unfortunate anti-climax. Among the supporting pictures is an intriguing English comedy, ‘ A Taxi to Paradise,’ the story concerning the adventures of a young wife who, mistrusting the periodical “ business ” trips of her husband, allows herself tho companionship of an imaginative poet, who suggests she should dope with him to Italy. Complications arise and the ensuing adventures provide excellent comedy and entertainment. DOWN IN COTTON LAND STRAND'S ENTERTAINING PICTURE Tho programme at tho Strand Theatre this week is one that cannot fail to entertain. The main film is ‘ The Cabin in tho Cotton.’ From their beginning the cotton States of southern U.S.A. have rarely, if ever, until more recent years, been without internal disorder and lawlessness, which probably emanated from tho working conditions prevailing and tho inbred hatred of the man for his master. Around such events 1 Tho Cabin in the Cotton ’ has been built. The story, though, does not profess to be history, but takes advantage of it to create a background. In brief, it depicts tho lives of a nondescript family of cotton-pickers, who, though on starvation's borderline, contrive to give one of their children, Marvin Blake, an education. Their self-sacrifice, however, is repaid by Ids accepting service with their unscrupulous overseer, his job being to report cotton thieves. While assisting in a man-hunt against one of his own blood and witnessing tho terrible cruelties inflicted upon the unfortunate miscreant before his death, Blako comes to his senses and in a final court scene so effectually harangues the overseers of the estate that ho wins hack not only tho freedom of his people, but also his former place in their estimation. As Marvin Blake, Bichard Barlhelmess, remembered for his fine performances in many pictures, has been excellently cast in this film, while playing opposite him and rivals for his affections, arc Bette Davis and Dorothy .lordan. The producers, not to lose tho effect of a “ happy’ onding,” have left tho problem of his choice to the imagination of the audience. Included in the cast are also many notable character actors, who add realism to the story by their unaffected portrayals. Among these arc Bcrtou Churchill. Bardic Albright, and Tnlly Marshall. The supporting programme is very entertaining, tho newsreels being particularly’ interesting. OPERA AND LONSDALE Wn FINE VARIATION FOR KING EDWuSD “ My name,” says Clio Cho San to B. F. Pinkerton, “is what you say, flying butter ” ; and in response to Pinkerton’s astonished stare she places two fluttering hands together, imitating the motion of the butterfly. This little incident from tho dramatised version of tho opera, ‘Madame Butterfly,’ on tho screen at tho King Edward Theatre, provides a keynote for the rest. The director exhibits no littlewisdom and restraint in recognising that the original story of Clio tho San, could not be improved. The story has been transferred to tije present day in atmosphere and dialogue, and the padding that is necessary to

fill out the drama has been done with a judicious hand. The simple story is that of Cho Cho San, a little Japanese Geisha, who enters into a “ Japanese marriage ” with Lieutenant B. F. Pinkerton, of the United States navy. After a love idyll of a few months the fleet sails, and Cho Cho/San is left desolate. Before he leaves, in order to console her, he promises he will return "when the robins nest again.” For three years Cho Cho San waits and watches. Then the fleet returns, but meanwhile Pinkerton has found an American bride. The little Butterfly waits for his coming and learns the truth. Brokenhearted she takes a tragic remedy for her sorrow. , The story is very daintily and pathetically handled. The part of Cho Cho San is taken by Sylvia Sidney, who is born for the role. She is a gentle and unworldly little creature, who is utterly unable to understand any standard of loyalty or fidelity other than her own. She makes a very moving piece of screen work her part. A sparkling comedy of modern manners, with an original plot, is Women Who Play,’ which will also be shown. It is a screen version of Frederick Lonsdale’s brilliant stage success, ‘ Spring Cleaning,’ and Lonsdale’s scintillating wit has been preserved intact in the dialogue. A Lonsdale comedy is always a splendid vehicle for polished acting, and ‘ Women Who Play ’ has one of the most imposing casts ever assembled for a British pictuie, Mary Newcomb, Benita Hume, and Joan Barry are featured.