PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 21785, 30 July 1934, Page 2

PICTURE THEATRES

STATE As may he gathered from the title, ‘ Friday the 13th,’ at the State, deals with the misfortunes—that a Friday combined with unlucky 13 might bring. Six separate sets of characters are influenced by this - combination when a tragedy affects them all. Although this may sound a clumsy arrangement with which to provide a connected story, the action has been beautifully handled and the six threads are woven into a smooth pattern. No breaks in the continuity mar the production, and when one set of characters has been left for the time being there is no difficulty in again picking up their part in the story. The masterful direction of Victor Saville, director of ‘ I Was a Spy ’ and ‘ The Good Companions,’ is responsible for the success ■ of this part of the production. Jessie Matthews, vivacious and charming, heads the cast as Millie, the non-stop variety girl whose broken romance was mended in the tragedy; Edmund Gwenn is the business man whose fortunes were saved by it; Robertson Hare; the timid, henpecked husband, who got caught out for his “ moment ”; Eliot Maheham is the tragic little clerk; and Emlyn Williams is the “ .gentlemanly ” blackmailer. To differentiate -would he_ invidious, but possibly because of his spate of patter, Max Miller’s . performance was most liked. ‘ Friday the 13th ’ is ideal entertainment. It presents in turn comedy, powerful drama, tragedy, and moments that thrill, while through it all there’ is an intensely human note. The supporting programme is excellent. EMPIRE Hollywood outdoes itself in lavislmess in 1 Footlight Parade,’ at the Empire. Like the ’memorable ‘ Gold Diggers,’ it depends' on .the endless colour of the backstage to provide its theme. However, it deals with an aspect of backstage musical comedy that is quite apart from the hackneyed _ basis of ‘ 42nd Street ’ and 1 Gold Diggers.’ "It confines its angle of appeal to the producing side of a series of “ prologues ” staged as preliminary entertainments to cinema shows in American theatres, and centres round the adventures—comic, heroic, romantic, and even tragic —of a bustling “ idea man.” His task is to think up the construction and programmes. of the various companies he sends out as playing units, to overcome difficulties and engage players—m fact, he is the show, James Cagney plays the type to perfection. He keeps up his flow of activity, with amazing persistence, surmounting the greatesst obstacles with a praiseworthy doggedness that cannot • he defeated. His matrimonial difficulties, combined with the thrice-welcome fact that the final real and culminating romance does not throw hero and heroine into a clinch, infuse more than just mere entertainment into the production. They give it a breath of-human life and make the story, above all, plausible. Three of the musical numbers are perhaps the best group to have appeared in any one.film. Entitled ‘ Honeymoon Hotel,’ ‘ By a Waterfall,’ and ‘ Shanghai Lil,’ they all have catchy music and are perfectly rendered by such entertainers as Dick Powell and Ruby _ Keeler. The shorter films also are bright. REGENT A moving story of a woman’s life is shown in ‘The House on 56th Street,’ at the Regent. -In’"the tragic role of the Ziegfeld Follies’ chorus girl who marries a wealthy man. and attains happiness; only to be charged with a murder she did not commit and spend twenty years in prison, Kay Francis is splendid. Displaying amazing versatility, she appears in turn as a beautiful young chorus girl of 1905, the wife of an American aristocrat, a brokenhearted woman behind prison bars, and a card sharper. In the final scenes she appears as a croupier in a New York night club, doing her best to prevent her daughter, who thinks her mother died in prison, from becoming a gambler. The part of the daughter is taken by Margaret Lindsay, a beautiful actress whose work isjflawless. Gene Raymond appears as Kay Francis’s first husband, who is killed in the war. His rival in love is played by John Halliday, who gives a polished performance as the broken-hcared middle-aged man who takes his own life and unwittingly sends his lover to prison. • Ricardo Cortez is natural as the second husband, a genial and happy-go-lucky eard-shafper. Nella Walker and .William Boyd are also splendid in the respective roles of Mrs Van Tyle and Bonelli, the night club proprietor. With its fine acting and interesting plot, the film provides admirable entertainment. The supporting programme is of special merit. st. James The secret of ‘ Madame Spy’s ’ appeal lies in the authenticity of its Austrian and Russian settings, the sincerity. of its doting, and a kaleidoscopicquality in direction which makes a vivid challenge to the eye. Its bid for popular approval at the St. James i Theatre seems assured. The net result is a; closely-woven fabric of smart espionage in which suspense and drama dominate. The scene in which a hunted motor car conics into contact with cavalry and police motor cycles provides a thrilling and dramatic climax. Coincidence plays an important part in the unfolding of the story of ‘ Madame Spy,’ which is embellished with a number of highly-coloured incidents depicting the secret service agents at work. The tale is full of romance and intrigue, and finds full expression through the sterling acting of a large cast of players. Emotional as well as dramatic tension colours the situations. The production is an excellent example of its type, one which never loses its glamour. At the opening no time is lost’ in picking up the threads of the story, and immediately the narrative takes its intriguing and

exciting shape, gripping situations follow in rapid succession. The plight of the heroine is faithfully mirrored and gives a human background to the more stirring incidents, while the disillusionment of the husband is said to be an intriguing revelation of .masculine psychology. ‘ Madame Spy ’is a fascinating subject, good story, strong drama, appealing love interest, powerful thrills, and capable characterisation bv a popular cast headed by Fay W ray and Nils Asther. ICTAMN ‘ Sorrell and Son,’ in its second week at the Octagon, deals with tlje noble struggle of Captain Sorrell, M.C., who in a post-war world finds that his rank and decoration are a handicap rather than a claim to the right to success. His theme in life is the upbringing of his only son, Kit, after his wife has refused to share his misfortunes. A start at last as a menial porter in a second-rate hotel eventually brings fulfilment of ambition as the partner in a famous roadside inn, with Kit as a successful surgeon. Later comes the sad climax when Kit returns hurriedly from his honeymoon to Ills father’s deathbed to find that all he can dp to repay him is give him the long sleep he craves. The interpretation of Sorrell by H. B. Warner is one of the acting triumphs of recent years, with Jiis eloquent voice and his registration of the emotions of his part. TJie young Kit is played by Peter Penrose, whilst Hugh Williams takes the part of Kit in his later years, and reveals unusual talent. In a distinctly new role Winifred Shotter, as Molly Pentreatlv is as charming as over, and Margot Grahame as Sorrell’s ex-wife gives a highly-fin-ished performance. As Dr Orange, Donald Calthrop adds yet another character study to his many former triumphs, while Wally Patcli as Buck skilfully portrays the unpleasant traits of his sort. The part of Roland, charming and generous, is excellently done by Evelyn Roberts, and Louis Hey wood and Hope Davy as Duncan and Ethel, the screen lovers, are seen for all too short a time. Finally Arthur Chesney, as Mr Porteous, the genial schoolmaster, completes what is a perfect cast. Splendid' supports are screened. GRAHD Rosemary Ames, a charming new actress, takes the leading part in ‘ 1 Believed in You,’ at the Grand. She is seen as True Merrill, a romantic young girl, whose meeting with Jim Growl, a hot-headed Labour agitator, brings the first stage of her transition. In her innocence she is fired by his stories-of what he proposes to do for the downtrodden working men, and gradually pity for him is replaced by something akin to affection, and she agrees to join him in his campaign against the forces of Capitalism. They set out for his headquarters in Greenwich, and here the girl is thrown into the company of a motley assembly of Bohemians, who, in defiance of all convention, are living together under a species of communal rule. The girl adapts herself to her new surroundings, gradually fear and doubt of the unaccustomed conditions being overcome; but events take a dramatic turn when the household receives notice of eviction for non-payment of rent. The Bohemians hold a street auction of their effects, Michael Harrison, a wealthy man-about-town, while passing, is subjected to the abuse which characterises the agitator’s hatred for those in more substantial circumstances, and when True strikes him the whole party is arrested. Harrison follows them to the police station to. intercede on her behalf, and the girl is released on probation. A touch of stinging satire is introduced into the story when Harrison offers to provide the other Boheniians with money for six months in order to give them a chance, indicating, that for all their alleged sympathy frith the masses Growl and his friends are primarily concerned with their, own welfare and comfort. The story sweeps 011 to an intriguing and unusual climax. 1 Sleepers East.’ a novel murder drama starring Wynne Gibson, also is showing. STRAND ‘ The Last Round Up,’ at the Strand, is a Western in the best tradition of its type. It is based on ‘ The Border Legion,’ one of the best Zane Grey novels. Through the excitement and dash of the action there is a strong undercurrent of sadness, a deeper emotion which one does not look to find in films of this type, and it is most appropriately voiced in the singing of the melancholy cowboy song from which it takes its name. ‘The Last Round Up,’ one of the most popular of recent songs, is sung in this film in an effective setting, which succeeds in fully revealing its meaning. In a crowded barroom an ageing cowpuncher commences to sing the song, and the noise of the gamblers is silenced while its sentiment rouses unaccustomed thoughts in the players. The song is well sung, and the direction and characterisation of the whole scene is very skilful. The story is of the outlaw bands that roved the West in the early days of settlement, preying upon the cattle,ranches and upon the gold coaches. The cast is headed by Monte Blue, a favourite of the silent screen days, Randolph Scott, Fred Kohler, and Barbara Adams. There is an interesting supporting programme, including a film souvenir and a Charlie Chaplin comedy. It is doubtful if the audiences of years ago ever derived so much entertainment from these films as do the audiences of to-day. KING EDWARD As Durant, a society lawyer of Now York’s upper classes who is cast out by society, Warner Baxter gives one of the finest performances of his colourful career in ‘ Penthouse,’ at the King Edward. Myriia Loy, who in past appearances has been seen as an exotic adventuress with Oriental eyes, has at last come into their own in this production as one of the most beautiful and alluring women to grace the motion picture screen. As Gertie Waxted, the night club girl, she appears in one of the strongest, most appealing, and most worthy performances of her career. Filmed almost entirely in settings that represent the lavish penthouses atop New York’s skyscrapers, the picture captures the pulse of the roof-top life of the great metropolis. ‘ His Grace Gives Notice,’ a splendid British farce, also is shown.