PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 21633, 31 January 1934, Page 5

PICTURE THEATRES

EMPIRE Wistful sentiment, interspersed with a deft touch of humour and song, is the theme of ‘ Peg o’ My Heart,’ which iw still enjoying a successful season at the Empire. The play on which the film is based proved , extremely popular wherever it was produced. Marion Davies makes a likeable heroine, a young Irish girl, who is left £2,000,000 on condition that she never sees her father again and goes to England to be brought up with an aristocratic English family. . However, the restrictions of English society life prove irksome after the freedom of an Irish fisherman’s cottage, and the plot takes an unexpected turn. There is a strong supporting cast. A new leading man appears opposite the star in this production. He is Onslow Stevens, who scored a great hit 1 as the downtrodden author in ‘ Once in a Lifetime,’ who has 'been lauded as one of the most likely candidates for future screenstardom. Other players in ‘ Peg o’ My Heart ’ include J. Farrell MacDonald, Juliette Compton, Irene Browne, Tyrrell Davis, and Alan Mowbray, whilst a clever, little terrier also comes in for his shafe of praise. Technical assistants skilled in recreating native Irish' backgrounds were employed in reproducing the exterior and interior sets of the new film. A special accompanying musical score was prepared, and the picture also introduces two new songs, ‘ Sweetheart Darlin’ ’ and ‘ I’ll Remember.’ Excellent featurettes are screened, and the new organist (Miss Iris Mason) ,_ with popular and wellchosen selections, adds much to the enjoyment of this particularly good entertainment. G^AND Cicely Courtneidge, who will be remembered for her performances in ‘ The Ghost Train ’ and ‘ Jack’s the Boy,’ adds further to her - personal triumphs in ‘Soldiers of the King,’ the Gau-mont-British picture which will conclude its two-week season at the Grand Theatre to-morrow. The film presents an entertaining glimpse of English music-hall life, and deals with a trbupe of artists who endeavour to present the best in variety of entertainment. Unlike many of its. American predecessors, the film is not merely an excuse to pre•sent a series of vaudeville numbers, although several excellent songs and dances are introduced, but a logical' story dealing with the lives of the players. Edward Everett Horton heads a strong supporting. cast, and, as is so often the ease with this player, his performance / derives added merit and distinction from his association with a better player than himself. In the role of stage manager for a vaudeville troupe, he has plenty of opportunities of distinguishing himself, and he succeeds in making a striking impression in a part which works up to a most interesting and unexpected revelation at the end. The rest of the cast all do everything that is required of them, and combine with the principals to present an eminently satisfying ment. The players .include. many very accompljshied entertainers, and it is they who furnish the variety entertainment which is such anj important incidental to the production, j The supporting programme- is an outstanding one. ; ; ST. JAMES After giving a brief glimpse of the flashing looms and _ power-wheels of a great weaving mill, the story of "Hit.die Wakes,’ now showing at the St.. James Theatre, pnoyes ; to Blackf pool, where the mill.‘Hands .qf. Lancaj shire make holiday. Blackpool, that garish seaside resort, is for them a place of delightamid scenic railways with fearsome, curves and descents, and 1 cheap dance halls, the operatives quaff the cup of pleasure. Jenny Hawthorn quaffed it too deeply. The milbowner’s son was handsome, the mill-owr.er’s_ son was attractive; he made a proposition to Jenny, and Jennq took what the gods offered. Holidays are few and brief in Lancashire. The mill-owner was “ close.” the mill-owner was grasp-ing—-how else can one make a fortune in Lancashire, starting from - nothing? But he believed in justice before anything. His son, he swore, should wed Jenny. Thereby the mill-owner surrendered the dearest wish of his life, for his son was engaged to the daughter of another mill-owner, and the marriage would join the two greatest fortunes in ♦he town. But justice is justice. And Jenny’s mother was all for the marriage. Was it not a great match for her daughter? But Jenny thought differently. and thereby hangs the tale, which need not be pursued any further here. Dame Sybil Thorndike and Edmund Gwenn head a brilliant cast in this excellently acted drama. The ■ supporting films include ‘ This England ’ (scenic), ‘Danse Macabre’

(novelty), ‘ Zodiac ’ (horoscope of birthdays between June 20 and July 25), and ‘ Bowled People ’ _ (Ideal News). Of special interest to cricketers in the news is the appearance of Maurice Tate demonstrating with the bat and ball. . ■ ' REGENT A brilliantly-acted story of a relatively obscure man who steps into his double’s shoes at the time or a national crisis is realistically unfolded in ‘ The Masquerader,’ at the RegenL The picture stars Ronald Colman in a dual role, and contains incidents of high' dramatic intensity and of exceeding interest. The drama is well known on the English stage, and the film version holds the beholder’s close attention from beginning to end. The Government is congratulating r itself upon) maintaining peace when unemployment is rife, when a message reaches John Chilcote in the House that there has been a clash between the police and unemployed. He is the man in the Opposition who has the ability to bring about the downfall of the Government, but drugs and drink have undermined his constitution,. and he collapses as he opens his attack. Upon recovering, -he goes out into a fog, and meets his cousin and double. Chilcote realises his inability to fulfil his duty to his party, and prevails upon his cousin to take his place. John Loder takes Chilcote’s place in the House, delivers '> a crushing condemnation of the Government, and is hailed with delight. A reception awaits him at home, but he has failed to allow for deceiving John Chilcote’s wife (Elissa Landi) who, by the way was living away, but* had returned in the hope of saving her husband. So the masquerade goes on. The supporting items'’are excellent^ IGTACOK The English comedies recently screened at the Octagon Theatre have become deservedly popular, and * Excess Baggage,’ which _ is now showing, has proved no exception tp the rnle.’_ ‘ Excess Baggage ’ marks a new vehicle for Claude Allister, that superb, blankfaoed comedian _remembered for Iris work in ‘ Three Live Ghqsts ’ and ‘ Diamond Cut Diamond.’ The feminine interest is . supplied by. Viola Compton, with' Frank Pettingell assisting on the male side. Superb humour originates from this team of comedians, and many hilarious moments are promised to audiences at the Octagon Theatre. The story of ‘ Excess Baggage ’ is so preposterous that it defies, serious delineation, the artless, irresponsible fooling being up throughout. The principals get down to their work with a mock seriousness' that exaggerates the genial craziness of the entertainment, and good team work thrusts the picture into the first line of merit. A Western story, .entitled;. * Scarlet Riyer ’ 'and, starring Tcm Keene, ;is'also shown. . STRAND ‘ The Mayor of Hell,’ an arresting indictment of the reformative school systems in' America, is now at the Strand. In the institution portrayed in this film, “graft” is rampant, and the boy inmates are subjected to -almost unbelievable .Icruelty'. in .order, that:! thp..officials may profit at their expense. Held within barbed wire enclosures like wild animals, and .half starved; the boys .Sometimes rise in revolt, but any militant spirit is rapidly crushed out of them, as they are fully aware that there is no chance, of escape,' even if they manage to «cale the high walls. A brighter note is when a rising' young politician; assumes the supervision- of the institution, and he loses no time in endeavouring to reform the place. Then one sees how rhe boys, who were formerly half wild,i espond r to f the kinder; treatment they receive, and' develop into responsible, self-governing people. The leading role is' tt'ker. in forceful fashion by James Cagrey while the romantic' interest- : s supplied by ■ Madge Evans. The supporting. , programme includes a “ Fatty;’.’ Arhuckle comedy. KING EDWARD Romance and comedy are evenly balanced in ‘State Fair,’ which will be shown to-night at the King Edward Theatre, and stars supreme in each of the two fields comprise the cast.' Janet Gaynor,.Lew. Ayres, Sally Ellers, and Norman Foster carry the romance; Will Rogers. Frank Craven, Louise Dresser, and Victor dory, supply the.comedy. Two love affairs feature the Literary Guild prize novel by Phil. Stong upon which the picture is based. Miss Gaynor and Ayres are the' principals of one. Miss Filers and Foster are the sweethearts of the other. The comedy centres chiefly arouncl the characterisation of Will Rogers as a farmer who enters his prize ho'g, Blue Boy, for the grand championship at. the .State fair. Blue Boy, al 9001 h Hampshire boar, is said to contribute’ i a .considerable amount of: unconscious (comedy." A .