NEW PICTURE PROGRAMMES

Evening Star, Issue 21820, 8 September 1934, Page 10

NEW PICTURE PROGRAMMES

SATIRE OH “ HEW ART " CHARLIE RUGGLES IN EMPIRE FARCE To make sure that no one takes it for a moment too seriously, much of the dialogue in ‘ Girl Without a Room, at the Empire, is in rhyme, and in keeping with the exaggerated portrayal of Bohemian life in the artists’ quarter of Paris. Most of the action takes place in a house of studios in “ The Street of the Three Angels,” a neighbourhood inhabited chiefly by artists and their models; carefree folk, fonder of drinking cheap champagne than of painting or posing, but, in theory, devoted to their “ new art.” which is so new that no one can understand it but themselves.

Among them comes a young artist from a small town in Tennessee. His arrival is hailed with delight by the inhabitants of the Street of the Three Angels. Not only can “no pay rent for his studio in advance—which makes the landlord think that the golden age has dawned—but he pays also for a room for “ the girl without a room,” Kay Loriug, who has failed in her ambition to become a writer. Champagne, bought, of course, by the newcomer, flows freely in The Street of the Three Angels, and, under the influence of alcohol and his friends’ “ new art ” theories, he paints the world as a ■whirling spiral of faces goggling through, the bottoms of champagne glasses. Hung upside down in an exhibition, this masterpiece gains first prize, but is thrown out when the offended artist insists on it being hung right way up. It leads, however, to the offer of a contract to supply patterns to a jigsaw puzzle syndicate, which means money, if not fame. . The whole story is a delightful farce ht the expense of the devotees of the “ new art ” and the of wild tales of the “ artists’ quarter.” The incident of a duel between one of the artists and a Russian refugee, whose daughter he has justly spanked, might almost have a parallel in real life. The best acting of the picture is done by Charlie Buggies, as the alcoholic leader of the “ new art ” school, but Charles Farrell, as the boy from Tennessee, handles an awkward role very welll Marguerite Churchill plays the part of “ the girl without a room ” sympathetically. , Among the supporting items on the programme are a British news reel, an hilarious Harry Langdon comedy, a Grantland Bice ‘ Sportlight,’ and a Popeye. the sailor, cartoon, ‘ Wild Elephinks.’ ANNA STEN’S DEBUT •HAHA' IS GREAT ENTERTAINMENT Worthy of all that has been written of it, ‘ Nana ’ was enthusiastically received by large audiences at the Regent Theatre yesterday. It has atmosphere, music, gaiety, and colour, and even jnore than all these, subtleties that delight. Anna Sten infuses her role with pinch depth, personality, and realism, and becomes an immediate sensation. f Nana ’ is entertainment of the popular pattern-solid, substantial, and gilt-edged, and with directing and actinf? that compel admiration; ■ To those who' have read jZola’s novel Sealing with the life of ,‘ Nana,’ one of the most notorious courtesans in Paris in the days of the decadent second empire, it must have come rather as a shock to discover that Samuel Goldwyn had decided to make the story into a film. They must have asked themselves. ‘‘Where are the censors?” and * How can he possibly get away with it? ” But get away with it be did, and the result of his efforts is one of the most amazing records of a woman’s life ever- presented on tho screen. Of course, there are parts' of the book that were impossible for screening,, but Samuel Goldwyn, with the ' aid of Dorothy Arzner, Hollywood’s only successful woman director, has, built his film story around the original story, rather than actually on it. However, his greatest achievement of all appears to have been his selection of that alluring Russian actress, Anna Step, for the title role in this great picture. Anna Sten, a curious mixture of moods and fancies, has the aloofness of Garbo, the personality, of Dietrich, and the charm of Mary Pickford. Anna Sten’s handling of the role of the girl who rose from the gutter to be the toast of is as fine ,a piece of acting as one could imagine. With all duo respect to the ability of English and American stars, one cannot help but realise that the role could not have been adequately taken by anyone but a foreigner. It calls for displays of temperament that depends so much on the “make up” in the foreigner, and the attempts of others, no matter how admirable of praiseworthy they may be, would seem to miss, all along the line. In brief, Anna Sten actually seems to live the part which she enacts. The original Nana, whose real name was Blanche IVAtigny, had little to commend her. She was thoroughly bad, ha.d a most extraordinarily hoarse voice an'd was celebrated for her particularly Tulgar rendering of the, at any time, vulgar can-can. Anna Sten, fortupately, gives her audience a much more likeable and purer Nana, and one that jrins a great deal of sympathy. The story opens in Paris in the days before the Franco-Prussian War, when jnoney was spent lavishly and the boulevards were bright and gay. On© sees Kana and two of her scarlet friends sharing the hardships of poverty. It is during a visit to a cafe that she receives the chance of a career on tho stage. There she attracts the attention of a grand 4 duke, and this, with careful fostering, procures for her security and success as a performer at a popular Parisian theatre. Success follows success, and in a short time she becomes admired and loved by all. One of her admirei's is a handsome young officer in the army, and in spite of her forced friendship with others utterly repulsive, she succeeds in retaining the love of this young man. At this stage the reputation she has unwillingly gained leads to her first unhappiness when the brother of her lover secures his transfer to Africa to preserve his family’s name. The brother in turn becomes enamoured, and Nana is compelled to accept _ his love as the only means of retaining her stage career. The story then works up to a vivid climax, which, even if it is not exactly correct, has the same tragic atmosphere that marked the closing hours of the unfortunate Nana’s life. The whole show has been produced with a great faithfulness to detail, and the audience is given many excellent glimpses of Parisian life in the ’seventies. The cast has been specially selected to support Anna Sten. Phillips Holmes is at his best in the role of the romantic voung lieutenant who falls in love witli Nana. Lionel Atwill is second only to the star in Ivis interpretation of the lieutenant's brother, who ialls a victim to Nana’s charms, and finally wrecks her romance with Jiis brother. • Map Clark and Muriel Kirkland are seen as two 'of Nana’s friends of the boule-

vard days, and Richard Bennett is prominently east.

The light hand and droll imagination of Walt Disney have produced the other important picture on the programme, a “ Silly Symphony,” ‘ The Grasshopper and the" Ants.’ It is a typical Disney production pointing a moral very neatly. Actually, the “ Silly Symphony ” must be the sort of thing that the average child dreams of in the way of entertainment. It is done in the manner of the best fairy tale, completely' fantastic, but beautiful enough to bold the interest of any but the most misanthropic adult. ‘With Williamson Beneath the Sea' and a newsreel complete a very attractive bill. EXCELLENT FARE AT ST. JAMES “YOU CAST BUY EVERYTHING'' ‘ You Can’t Buy Everything ’ is the title of the excellent feature heading a most attractive bill of fare at the St. James Theatre this week. May Bobson creates a character that becomes fascinating. At times she makes the personality of Hannah Bell, widow of an impecunious banker, heartily despicable for her flint-hearted, mercenary instincts; then again she absolutely endears herself to the audience by her intensity of mother love and beauty of sentiment. Her’s is an emotional interpretation, finer than which the screen has seldom seen. The story is that of a woman who harbours a grudge that becomes an obsession of her life, against the man she thinks jilted her on the morning of the day on which her marriage was to take place. For spite she marries a man for whom she has no affection, and she makes a desperate resolve to dedicate her life towards the ruin of the man she considers did her that irreparable wrong. She has a son, and Hannah Bell devotes all her natural shrewdness, her fast-mounting wealth._ and all the hate of her personality against her erstwhile fiance, while her amazing miserliness she bends to compiling a great fortune so that her sou will be the richest man in America. Her averice is shown in some very amusing episodes. As her young son, who is taken to the hospital with an injured leg, Tad Alexander, the young New Zealander who has made good at Hollywood, gives a most impressive performance. William Bakewell takes the role of the grown-up sou, and he faljs in love with the daughter of his mother’s former lover. The ageing mother’s attitude to this development is wonderfully portrayed. Lewis Stone gives a masterly interpretation as the girl’s father, and there is character acting by the company that reaches a very high standard. Mary Forbes is responsible for a most refined and dignified piece of acting as the friend of Hannah Bell, who in the end succeeds in winning her over to see how she has wronged her former lover. The production is characterised, by unusually clever lines, and there are immensely funny and deeply touching scenes. It is a triumph of characterisation. and one of the most powerful stories presented on the screen for a long time past. The supporting programme is up to the St. James’s usual high standard, and includes a most diverting comedy, entitled ‘ Crooks Tours,’ a novelty film ‘ Goofy Movies, No. I,’ and a. Metrotone News. The programme will be repeated to-night and during the week. BULLSEYE TO BUCHANAN OCTAGON'S JOLLY, CLEVER. COMEDY There is freshness and unforced jollity in nearly every moment of ‘That’s a Good Girl,’ the B.D.F. picture which began its' second week at the Octagon Theatre yesterday. The personality of the star, Jack Buchanan, weighs the balance down definitely on tho side of good, honest entertainment. From the technical point of view, it is an almost perfect liaison of the British stage musical-comedy tradition with the very different style of the cinema. British producers havd too often in the past imagined that a musical comedy transferred directly from the stage to the screen will .be as great a success in the latter medium as it was in the former. They have not realised that a stage show is separated from a film of the same subject by a gulf full of hazards. Jack Buchanan has, however, in this case tackled the job of making a movie out of his stage musicalcomedy success in a very a.ble manner, linking the two witn a workmanlike bridge of purely screen ideas, all of which contribute continuity, action, arid other filmic necessities. The story of ‘ That’s a Good Girl is hardly new. Its situations, which are designed to guide a hard-up man-about-town to the fortune that is waiting at the end of a labyrinth of comical complications and blunders, arc really stock ones. But a touch ol Buchananism here, and the neat use ol some bright ideas there, more than compensate for the lack of originality in the theme itself. . The song-and-dance technique winch Buchanan has had at his elegant fingertips for years, and the charming personality which has made him the matinee idol of the London stage, find full expression in several gay and tuneful songs and novel dances; and there are some brilliant touches ol nonsense, particularly in a grand opera scene in which Jack becomes an involuntary performer and does everything wrong. . ■ ... ... Elsie Randolph is an excellent foil for tho star, her performance when she impersonates a half-witted German girl and makes love to Buchanan being quite the equal of his. Vera Pearce, Garry Marsh, and Dorothy Hyson are all capable in the other roles. Splendid supports include t Bathe News, showing views of Boy o *, Ascot and the second test match, Highlights of the Melbourne Centenary, and ‘The New Highway. THRILL-PACKED chan mystery VOLCANO STUDY ALSO AT GRAND There is a new twist in ‘ Charlie Chan’s Courage,’ at the Grand, that makes it different from any other Charlio Chan picture. As soon gets into the story one knows that there is skullduggery afoot. Finally, aided by the enigmatic Chan, one sees the bloodstains where the supposed murder was committed. But where is the body of the slain man ? Any dyed-in-the-wool mystery lover knows that Charlie will find the solution of what appears to be a baffling mystery, but it is an intricate maze of plot and counter-plot that leads up to the startling climax. Varner Gland is even better than usual as the wily Chan. In order to track down his man, lie has to wear a disguise for the first time in his career in criminology.

In this picture he has tho assignment of delivering a 300,000c10l necklace of pearls to a man who lives in a magnificent. home far out in the desert. Chan’s aid is Donald. Woods, the engaging son of the jeweller who sold the pearls. Woods is suspicious of the supposed purchaser. Then Chan arrives disguised as a ragged Chinese cook, to investigate before delivering the pearls. Further to complicate matters, the lovely Drue Leyton arrives as the representative of a motion picture company scouting a location. Despite the danger, Woods and Miss Leyton become involved in a romance, fraught with exciting adventure. In a whirlwind surprise finish, Chan solves the mystery. One of the novel touches in the story is a Chinese parrot, whose screams of “Help! Murder!” give Chan an important due that helps him along toward his solution. ‘ Charlie Chan’s Courage ’ is based on Earl Derr Biggers’s novel ‘ The Chinese Parrot,’ and altogether it is one of the most unusual of the Charlie Chan pictures. Probably most persons who visit the Grand will enjoy the first half of the entertainment as much as, if not more than, the main picture, lb is headed by an astounding study of volcanic life throughout the world, the film being climaxed with some stupendous scenes of Krakatoa. This picture alone is worth the price of admission,-but there are also other particularly acceptable “ shorts,” including films of the bonspiel at Oturehua, the third cricket test at Manchester, the All Blacks’ ■first game in Sydney, the Australian and English tennis finals, and a newsreel. ‘ STINGAREE * AT THE STATE LIFE IN EARLY AUSTRALIA Not only because it presents a striking picture of life, in early Australia, but also because it contains many features that would make it .a great film, irrespective of the setting, ‘ Stingaree,’ which commenced its Dunedin season at the State Theatre yesterday, should have a big following during the current week. Although the players so suitably cast are American or English-gone-Hollywood, the atmosphere of the past century is so truly recreated that the audience was happy to sit back and enjoy this film for its breezy action anil faithful acting. Strange to say, those shots half-expected of Australian bush and back country scenes were not missed, for the producer built the picture round such a good story that the inclusion of scenic marvels would have been superfluous. Richard Dix, Irene Dunne, Mary Boland, Conway Tearle, and Tina O’Connor (of ‘ Cavalcade ’) are names which cannot be ignored. There are parts of the picture which will be long remembered for their sheer beauty of song, for the theme is about a .Cinderella songstress who is brought to fame by the audacity of an outlaw. _ Therein lie the essentials of 1 Stingaree ’ —the voice of Irene Dunne and the thrills provided by Dix in the title role. Dix is the feared ‘ Stingaree,’ a gentleman outlaw, who realises the possibilities in the untrained voice of Irene Dunne, who is the maid of Mary Boland, a rich squatter’s wife. This rotund comedienne refuses to recognise that any but herself a “ beautiful ” voice, and she gives plenty of opportunity for judging its “ quality ” by her affected outbursts of do-re-mi, and acrobatic scales. There is more fun than this, however, for the daring outlaw creates many amusing situations and others provide a flow of quiet humour. Conway Tearle is Sir Julian Kent, a famous musical entrepreneur, who takes care of the voice but not the heart of the heroine, and places her on the foremost stages of Europe. Throughout it all the singer remembers her love for the outlaw who first made her chance, and whom she has seen for on!y_ half an hour or so under rather exciting circumstances. The startling daring of the Stingaree’s method of watching her on the stage_ when she returns to Melbourne precipitates the climax. There is nothing tawdry about the picture, it being obvious that the producers have gone to infinite pains to secure accuracy in detail. Based on stories by E. W. Hornung, author of ‘ Raffles,’ a scenario sweeps smoothly and swiftly onwards to a fine

climax, leaving the audience with the feeling that they have seen and heard something unusual in the way ot motion picture entertainment. The supporting programme contains a particularly interesting Pathe newsreel, followed by a Patho review which presents a fine Nature study of a pet rabbit, and a quartet of Western singers in that plaintive cowboy melody • Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie. A glimpse into tho life history of tho moon, showing how it was supposed to have broken away from the earth many thousands of years ago, and how it is expected eventually to come closer and be broken up into particles that form an encircling ring, is sure to make an appeal to any type of audience. ‘ Sultan Popper,’ an amusing cartoon, and a musical back-stage farce complete the bill. COMEDY-DRAMA AT ITS BEST THRILLING NEWSPAPER FILM AT STRAND Distorted and exaggerated impressions of America’s reputation for gralt and crime have given many a producer ample scope for tense and thrilling melodrama, both good and bad, though admittedly at the sacrifice of a picture’s real worth. ‘ Picture Snatchers,’ which ■ was shown, to a packed house at the Strand Theatre last night, is a typo entirely different from its over-stressed predecessors, It is neither crime nor corruption that the picture presents, but an approach to both evils—yellow journalism. Full of action, with the background of American newspaper bustle sustained from beginning to end, and tho element of comedy a potent force, the film is sheer entertainment. As an ex-gangster who wants to go straight, James Cagney_ gives a striking performance. On his release from prison he obtains a job ns photographer on a sensational and cheap journal. His first assignment, the photographing of an insane fireman in his own home, establishes his position with his paper, which does not frown upon the methods used to obtain tho news pictures. Then comes the time when lie gains entrance to his old prison home to witness the electrocution of a woman. His newspaper is barred this privilege of attendance, but, due to the influence of an officer, with whose daughter the reporter is in love, he manages to be present in company with men from journals of better quality. The taking of photographs is strictly forbidden. Cganey, however, secretes a camera down his leg, and, taking advantage of his confreres’ preoccupation at the critical moment, manages to secure a picture of tho scene. The camera is discovered outside the prison, but the photographer regains it from its fallen position and makes his escape in a fast motor car, but not before a thrilling chase by both police and rival reporters. The paper publishes the picture, and the policeman who admitted him to the prison is dismissed. By giving him the credit for unearthing a notorious killer, however, Cagney regains the policeman’s position in the force, and the affection of -his daughter, magnificently played by Patricia Ellis, a newcomer to the screen. As the editor of the paper, Ralph Bellamy gives a convincing performance. The supporting roles are played by Alice White, Ralf Harolde, Robert Emmett O’Connor, and Robert Barrat. A varied and interesting bill of supports includes a splendid film dealing with the classical monumental statues of ancient Rome, a comedy, and a newsreel. POIGNANT ROMANCE •WHITE SISTER' AT GREEN ISLAND A new contribution to the list of imposing screen achievements is now being offered at the Green Island Cinema in ‘The White Sister,’ with Helen Hayes and Clark Gable in the. principal roles. In its poignant, fondling narrative, its beautiful direction, its effective camera work, and in the brilliant performances of its well-known stars, ibis picture stands out forcibly as an example ol the best in cinema art, F. Marion Crawford’s immortal story of the girl who enters a convent when she believes Ivcr lover to be dead only to

meet him again after she has taken hei holy vows, is too well known to beai repetition in these columns. Suffice it to say that the new talkie version of tho tale brings out its most forceful moments, describes the experiences of tho romantic Italian girl and her soldierlover in a series ot warm, sympathetic, human episodes and brings the narrative to a close in as heart-rending a climax as has been seen on the screen in some time.

Obviously it is the work of Miss Hayes, Gable, and an unusually com petent supporting cast which has much to do with making ‘ The White Sister ' the stirring, effective, romantic drama that it is. Miss Hayes brings all her skill to the role of Angela, heroine ot her present vehicle. When Miss Hayes takes it upon herself to make an audience laugh, it laughs: and when she wants them to cry, they cry. Gable, likewise, proves himself an admirable choice for the role of the soldier who finds religious vows an impregnable bai to his happiness. The always depend able Lewis Stone adds another fine portrayal to his long list of character roles as "the aristocratic father who forbids his daughter’s love; the picture is given humorous touches in the dry wit of the late Louise Glosser Hale, who plays the family servant; and the cast is well rounded out by May Robson, Edward Arnold, and Alan Edwards.