PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 21569, 15 November 1933, Page 5

PICTURE THEATRES

GRAND High spirited farce from beginning to end is seen in ‘ So This is Africa,’ which is attracting largo audiences to the Grand Theatre. It is probably the cleverest film yet produced by the popular comedy combination, Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey. They are cast as two penniless owners of a troupe of performing lions, who are engaged by Mrs Johnson-Martini to make an animal picture in Africa. The lions are lost on the way to Africa, but the expedition continues on its hilarious voyage without them. They enter the jungle armed with an amazing collection of baggage, including a St. Bernard dog to rescue the members of the expedition from any snow they- may find to get lost in, and an edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. One particularly humorous episode is that in which Wheeler dons hiking hoots when going to bed in case bo walks in his sleep. The party is pursued in turn by a tribe of Amazons, who wish to marry them, and a band of Tarzans. The comedians escape forcible marriage with the Amazons only by disguising themselves as members of the tribe. A feature of the production is the keen and biting satire on the making of jungle films. The cast in support of Wheeler and Woolsey includes llaquel Torres, Esther Muir, and Berton Churchill, EMPIRE Comedy of the type which has made British films so popular wherever they are shown is seen at its best in 1 Leave It To Me,’ the British International picture which is now at the Empire Theatre. The film is the screen adaptation of P. G. Wodehousc’s widely-read novel ‘ Leave It To Psmith,’ a story concerning Sebastian Help, a freehanded philanthropist who offers to pose as a poet in order to help a friend to raise enough money to marry. His hostess’s jewels arc stolen, and Help becomes involved in an hilarious series of embarrassing situations. Gene Gerrard gives a fine performance in the leading role and fully maintains flie high standard he set in ‘ My Wife’s Family.’ Molly Lament, who was seen with Gerrard in ‘ My Wife’s Family,’ gives a typical, bright portrayal as the leading lady. Gus M’Naughton, a clever comedian who has appeared in several recent English comedies, and George Gee are others in the cast. Gene Gerrard is an unusual type of Innmaker, and a better choice to portray Wodehouse’s character could not have been made. He blusters into' trouble and out again with amazing, facility, and altogether gives a first-class portrayal of what one would imagine Wodehouse meant. And he is well supported in his efforts to make fun. George Gee, one of England’s most versatile character actors, is this time a hardboiled American gangster, complete with life preserver, “ gut,’’ gum, and everything, and he also adds a phrase or two to the general amusing entertainment. Pretty Molly Lament is responsible for Gene’s more sentimental moments. ‘ Bound the Horn on a Windjammer ’ is a particularly enjoyable supporting item. STRAND With an outstanding cast and a fantastic theme, treated in a most entertaining manner, the Strand s cun cut attraction, “ It’s Great To Be Alive, provides a wealth of proyokmgly funny situations from the beginning to the end of the film. Apart from the hum■our of the picture it introduces a new and handsome singing star in Paul Roulien. He figures in the picture as Carlos Martin. Worshipped by women,

Carlos at length becomes engaged to Dorothy Wilton, daughter ot an eminent scientist. During..the time Carlos is trying to explain away his cheerful waywardness with her sex Dr Wilton is trying to find a way to check the awful scourge, masculitis, which is wiping out tire male sex in the Orient. When Dorothy finds. Carlos guilty lor the nth time, she breaks with him, and he, in despair, threatens to fly the Pacific, and in the face of her jeers docs so —and becomes lost. A warship is sent to secure him, but is forestalled by a daring gangstross in a seaplane. While she is attempting to sell him to the highest bidder the police break in, but Dorothy at length gets her man and holds him. The work of Gloria Stuart, Edna May Oliver, Herbert Mauldin,_ and Joan .March is valuable. The settings and the photography arc unique. ST. JAMES ‘ Tell Me To-night,’ now showing to crowded houses at the St. James Theatre, is the first of the international films made under the Ganmont-Ufa arrangement. The picture was filmed by the Gaumont British Corporation at the Ufa studio at Berlin, and was directed by Anatol Litwak, the Russian producer, who has since been engaged by the Gaumont-British company to make films in England. Jan Kiepura, wiio is starred, is a native of Warsaw, Poland, and made his debut at the Opera House in that city seven years ago in ‘ Faust.’ He lias since appeared in opera in Paris, Berlin, Buenos Aires, and Vienna, and is now under contract to the State Opera House at the latter city. Elis premieres there are invariably gala nights. Magda Schneider, who plays Matlnlcle, is a clever Continental actress, possessing something of the same charm as Renate Muller. .This is her first film, and it has established her reputation on the Continent. Ail the rest of the cast are English. and they are concerned solely with the comedy side of the film. Sonnie Hale is a most likeable confidence man; Athene Scyler, as the wife of the Mayor of Zern, Switzerland, has an amusing role, in which she sings a duet at the piano with Sonnie Hale, and Edmund Gwenn is fussily funny as the mayor. Betty Chester and Aubrey Mather complete a cast that is strong in all departments. In addition to the theme song, one of the, loveliest melodics heard for a long time, Jan Kiepura sings the ‘ Poet’s Song ’ from ‘ La Bolieme,’ ‘0 Sole Mio ’ (‘ Rigoletto ’), the drinking song from 1 La Traviata,’ and a lovely Italian lyric, ‘ La Danza.’ The new method of mixing comedy with classical music should be popular. On the same programme ‘ Our Fighting Navy ’ is screened. It is a very fine tribute to Britain’s sea monarchs. REGENT ‘A Farewell to Arms,’ at the Regent Theatre, is something quite out ot the ordinary and intriguing. It is a tribute to the lovers of 1917-18 or thereabouts who had the rare courage that was able to rise above not only the abnormal circumstances of the times, but even also above the dire penalties and regulations of martial law. Set in the picturesque surroundings of the Italian front of those days, and presented with subtle artistry, ‘ A Farewell to Arms ’ is an unusual creation, in which the magnetism of Helen Hayes, Gary Cooper, and Adolphe Menjou gives the effect of a'romance of almost pastoral charm and sweetness moving within an environment of general violence to a happy climax. The rout of cynicisms born of the abnormal times by forthright sincerity which left petty conventions—and sometimes the picture patrons—aghast, is contrived without any swashbuckling, and the characterisations by the. Hayes and Cooper leads demonstrate clearly the “it ” with which these two fortunate mortals sway so many admirers. ‘ A Farewell to Arms ’ is largely a triumph for them, in conjunction with Menjou and the director, Frank Borzage. In the supports, the newsreel contains items of unusual interest, very largely of a sporting nature. Under the title of ‘ Balance,’ Grantland Rice introduces some remarkable efforts in greasy pole walking, ski-jumping, wire-walking, high diving, and hand balancing by a dancing trio. A Pathe Gazette, a ‘ Screen Souvenir ’ comedy, and a songcartoon comedy complete a fine programme. OCTAGON Henry Kendall has one of those difficult dual roles in ‘ The Iron Stair,’ which is at present being shown at the Octagon Theatre. Kendall is cast as George Gale, a waster who endeavours to defraud another person of a sum of money. Owing to the remarkable likeness between this man and his brother, Geoffrey, the latter is suspectcdof having been responsible for cashing the forged cheque by means of which George had planned to enrich himself, and in tins manner tho ends of justice are for the time being defeated. It is when George’s mistress finds that her lover is planning to desert her and marry his cousin that the story takes an unexpected twist, and once again the likeness between the two brothers is responsible for some confusion, but at length the good name of Geoffrey is cicared, and the picture reaches a satisfactory ending. The healthy atmosphere of the West, with its romantic appeal, is caught in ‘ Cross Fire,’ in which Tom Keene is starred. KING EDWARD ‘ The Ghost Train,’ heading Ibo new programme at the King Edward Theatre, is one of the best British productions so far from an extortsinment point of view. The description, “a comedy thriller,” fits it exactly; the comedy is uproarious and the thrills spine-chilling. Jack Hnlbert plays the ‘ not-so-silly.. ass ” who is stranded with a. party of travellers in a station waiting room “ haunted ” by a ghostly train. Cicely Courtneidge, as a spinster with a monumental hat and a parrot, provides one of the funniest scenes in films when she drinks brandy “ because it is a medicine.” Ann Todd is attractive as the heroine, and Donald Calthrop gives an excellent character sketch. Another bright English comedy, entitled 1 Hotel Splendid,’ will bo the other feature, in which Jerry Verno is the principal.