PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 21632, 30 January 1934, Page 13

PICTURE THEATRES

GRAND Of the many types of entertainment that have found their way on to the screen, it is probable that musical comedy—when it is musical comedy ol the hotter sort —may be ranked as the most popular of all. 1 Soldiers of the King, which is being screened at the Grand Theatre, is decidedly the better sort of musical comedy. The two principal performers are Edward Everett Horton and Cicely Courtneidge, comedy artists who are indebted for their popularity to originality of style and versatility. ft might be expected from the title that the film would have a military flavour, but this is far from being tlie" case. The story around which the production has been built tells of the misfortunes, vicissitudes, and misadventure! of a troupe of strolling players, known on the halls as “ the Alarvelios.” They get their stage name from the song number, ‘ Soldiers of the King,’ which they present as their piece de resistance, and throughout the production, besides unfolding an absorbing tale, they present a programme of variety entertainment which cannot fail to please. Cicely Courtneidge attempts and makes a perfect success of that most difficult of all tasks, the presentable ' of a dual role. In the first instaheb as the traditional old theatrical diehard, head of the troupe, imperious, dominating, and brooking no opposition, despite a heavy burden of years, she captures the imagination of the audience in an instant. Then as the old leader’s successor, the young queen of the troupe, Cicely Courtneidge demonstrates not alone the vigour and conviction of her art, but also that extraordinary versatility and stage presence which enables an actress to slip at will from one characterisation to another no matter how far removed the one from the other may be. The film is undoubtedly Miss Courtneidge’s triumph, and if she has not in her past appearances won for herself a wide public, she should not want for enthusiastic admirers after the manner in which she acquits herself in ‘ Soldiers of the King.’ Vocally she is well equipped, and she adds to her dramatic talents a definite drollery and originality of humour which enable her to hold the attention of the house for every minute of the time she holds the stage. Edward Everett Horton proves an excellent foil for the principal. There is an outstanding supporting programme. EMPIRE Seldom do theatregoers have the opportunity of witnessing such a really refreshing comedy-drama as ‘ Peg o’ My Heart,’ at the Empire. The picturesque settings, excellent acting, and delightful melodies combine to make one of the most entertaining films recently screened in the city. Marion Davies in the title role has the part of an irrepressible Irish colleen who, suddenly becoming the heiress of £2,000,000, is forced to leave the simple rustic life of a fishing village and attempt to become a “ lady ” under the tuition of an (aristocratic 'English family. Although under the eccentricity of the relative’s will this family receives payment to the extent of £5,000 a year for her “ education” she is treated with snobbishness, and she longs to return to her father in Ireland, - but this is against the conditions of the bequest. She falls in love with the fiance of her guardian’s daughter, Ethel, and to save her from herself and protect the happiness of the man she loves, assumes the blame in a scandal. Having proved that money cannot buy happiness, she returns to her old home where the story ends happily for all concerned. In a part which could easily be overdone, Miss Davies acquits herself admirably, and refrains from overemphasising the sentimental aspect of the story. She invests the role with just the right amount of whimsical humour and vieacity. As her father, J. Farrell MacDonald gives undoubtedly one of his best performances to date, skilfully characterising the blunt old Irish fisherman, prepared to sacrifice his daughter so that she may benefit by the will. Onslow Stevens, cast as a young lawyer of promise, makes an admirable hero, his acting throughout being well-balanced and restrained. The supports are first-class, and popular organ selections are presented by Miss Iris Mason. ST. JAMES Lancashire folk may not be much for show and sentiment, but the grey skies, belching chimneys, and whirring machinery of that county breed sturdy characters, if the film ‘ Hindle Wakes ’ ■ at the St. J ames is true to life. One imagines that it is, for the tale has sincerity and strength. It is finely acted, too, which adds to its realism. The picture contains the very essence of Lancashire, which is very similar to the essence of the Five Towns, as distilled by Arnold Bennett in his novels. The camera has come to the aid of the author in depicting the grim environment of the mill towns; the camera shows the tall chimneys and the great looms, and its treatment of the carnival scenes at Blackpool is masterly. But the author has gone where the camera cannot follow—into the hearts and minds of the Lancashire people. The story of the mill owner’s daughter’s brief romance is a moving one. The only one of the cast whose name is familiar to Dunedin theatregoers is Sybil Thorndike, who appeared on the stage in Dunedin only a year ago. The part of Mrs Hawthorn, which she plays in the film, is ns big a contrast as could be imagined to that of the Maid of Orleans, which 'she played on the boards in Dunedin. She makes Mrs Hawthorn a formidable character,

thoroughly unpleasant, but thoroughly realistic. But the honours really go to Belle Chrystal, as the ruined Jenny. She is the Lancashire mill girl to the life, and a very attractive one. But where the cast is so uniformly good, it is hard to discriminate. The mill owner, and Jenny’s father, are also impressively life-like portrayals, and the mill owner’s son, who led a by no means unwilling Jenny from the path of virtue, is quite up to standard. Altogether, a very satisfying film. It is preceded by some good “ shorts.” REGENT One of the most intriguing stories ever translated to stage or screen is told in ‘ The Masquerader,’ the superb production which is having an extremely successful season at the Regent Theatre. 'Two of the most talented and popular stars of the day fill the leading roles, in five famous tale of John Chilcote, M.P., and the man who stepped into his political shoes and the love of his wife. They are Ronald Colman and Elissa Landi; and Column's performance has been acclaimed by many critics as the finest he has ever given. Impersonation of one man by another, as the bail's of a story, has never been more skilfully handled than in ‘The Masquerader,’ and the new film promises to eclipse in popularity the stage version made famous bv Guy Bates Post. Political turmoil, riot, and threat of revolution, and financial and Government crises taken from to-day’s headlines, are the stormclouds that drive one man from his position at the helm of State and the love of his wife to drugs and debauchery. Pride of family, patriotism, and love of adventure and fight summon his unknown young cousin, his exact double, to the rescue: but, while the latter is able to carry off successfully his pdsition in Parliament, there are extremely difficult complications in his relationship to the woman who is supposed to be his wife, and to the woman who is supposed to be his mistress. These two roles give Colman a chance to contrast drunkenness and sobriety, sanity, and fitness with debauchery and depravity. Unlike ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde ’ and other famous dual roles of the stage and screen, ‘ The Masquerader ’ offers Colman no important help in the way' of make-up. His is a triumph of pure acting, not of technical ingenuity. BCTAGON One of the most amusing comedies seen for a long time is ‘ Excess Baggage.’ The leading role is in the capable hands of Claude Allister, who has the assistance of Frank Pettingell, another fine comedian. The fun commences when two trunks become mixed up in transit and are sent to the wrong destinations, and when it is considered that one of them contains a man, supposed to be dead, who is mistaken for a ghost, it will be readily realised that the situations have great possibilities. The trouble really starts, however, when the colonel (Allister) hits the general .on the head with a bottle, and, thinking that he has killed him, bundles him into a trunk. As the story goes on the situation becomes more complicated, and all sorts of side issues are introduced, with the result that the audience is kept in a continuous roar of laughter from start to finish. Allister gives one of the finest performances of his career in this film as the slightly eccentric colonel, and the romantic lead is played by Viola Compton, a young actress of decided capabilities. The, second feature is a stirring Western drama, ‘ Scarlet River,’ in which Tom Keene has the leading role. Dealing with the old days of the West, this picture has a forceful tale to tell, and never at any time does it lack action. STRAND James Cagney, the forceful young actor who made such an impression by his work in ‘ Hard to Handle ’ and other films, has another dynamic role in ‘ The Mayor of Hell,’ which heads the programme now being screened at the Strand Theatre. He appears as a young man who, after, obtaining a position as an assistant on the staff of a boys’ reformatory, tries to introduce humane methods into the institution. How he is opposed by a domineering and iinscrnpulus superintendent, a part played with understanding by Dudley Digges, is the basis of a powerful story. Madge Evans, iylio will be remembered for her charming portrayal in ‘ Hell Below,’ has the leading feminine role, that of a nurse attached to the reform school, and other members of the cast are Allen Jenkins, who leavens the story with a touch of comedy; Arthur Byron, the warden of ‘ 20,000 Years in Sing Sing’; and Farina, the negro boy of ‘ You Said a Mouthful.’ The programme of short subjects forms an attractive prelude to the main picture, the outstanding being an amusing comedy in which the reappearance of “ Fatty ” Arbuckle is the feature. Included" in the first half are newsreels and a musical novejty. XING EDWARD Thundering thrills of naval battles, adventure undreamed of under the surface of the sea, and an intimate panorama of the sailors of the submarine fleet form the background for romance in ‘ Hell Below,’ in which Robert Montgomery, Walter Huston, Madge Evans, Jimmy Durante, Eugene Pallette, Robert Young, and a large supporting cast are appearing at the King Edward. There are thrills below the surface in depth bomb attacks, torpedo action, and action near the ocean’s bottom. The whole production has been staged with the usual finish and polish, and the varied settings, ranging from a carnival in an Italian seaport town to an Admiralty ball, have been produced with masterly touches.