PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 21900, 11 December 1934, Page 6

PICTURE THEATRES

GRAND A strange adventure, on a luxury liner in tropic waters forms the theme of ' The Keyhole,’ which, together with a Joe E. Brown comedy, ‘ Elmer the Great,’ will be screened for the last time at the Grand to-night. Kay Francis, who achieved success in ‘ Cynara,’ ‘ One Way Passage,’ and ‘ Trouble in Paradise,’ and who is generally admitted to be one of the most beautiful American actresses, is given numerous opportunities for displaying very smart frocks. George Brent has been greatly sought as a leading man since his successful appearance with Ruth Chatterton in ‘ Tlio Crash,’ and ho proves in ‘The Keyhole’ that he is even better suited to playing opposite Kay Francis. ST. JAMES With all the action iaid against the background of a modern ■hospital, ‘ Men in White,’ at the St. James, is one of the most entertaining films to bo presented in Dunedin for a considerable time. J he main setting is an elaborately equipped modern hospital in which efficiency and austere beauty have been skilfully ’ combined. A considerable amount of the' pleasure of the picture is derived from following the camera along the hospital's enamel and steel wards and corridors, and visiting its spotless operating theatre and offices. The central figures in the drama are a young and promising surgeon (Clark Gable) and his fiancee (Alyrna. Loy), who resents his absorption in his work, Clark Gable proposes to study in Vienna and then return to America and take up a large practice. On the other hand, Myrna Loy wishes him to -sacrifice the possibilities of achieving fame and mould his profession so that they could see 'more of each other. In this dilemma of deciding between his work and the claims of his fiancee Gable turns to a young nurse in ,the hospital who is in love with him. The nurse dies, and the picture leaves him bidding farewell to Myrna Loy prior to going abroad on the condition that they may take up their old life at a future date. REGENT Although it is now in the second week of its. season at the Regent 1 The House of Rothschild’ continues to show nndiminished popularity. The theatre has been filled to capacity throughout the season, and the attendances constitute a record. This is an outstanding tribute to the genius of George Arliss, who has quickly risen to become the foremost character actor on the screen. Since his early success in ‘ Disraeli,’ Mr Arliss has always attempted to produce a better film than the previous one. This steady' improvement will be noted in ‘ The Millionaire,’ ‘ The Working Man,’ ‘ The Alan Who Played God.’ and ‘ Voltaire.’ However, he has set. himself a difficult task in future films as his portrayal in ‘The House of Rothschild ’ is practically flawless. The story tells of the meteoric rise of the Rothschild family, who' eventually became the most famous hankers in', Europe. It is set in the time pf the Napoleonic Wars, and all the figures in this important era are faithfully portrayed. The ■ film, however, is not a mere historical pageant for it is the in--tiraate and human side of these personages that is stressed. There is also a good supporting cast, which includes Boris Karloff, Helen Westlcy,' and Lor-, etta Young. EMPIRE ‘ One Afore River,’ the film version of the latm John Galsworthy’s last novel, which, heads the Empire’s current gala programme, has a brilliant, cast of players, most of whom are English. This fine production makes excellent entertainment. Although the picture was filmed in Hollywood, the gettings succeed remarkably welkin stimulating the English atmosphere. This success is all the more remarkable when tile wide variety of the scenes is considered. Especially noteworthy are the sets presenting Alelton. Alews, the English law courts, and a rural village with its ancient inn. and parish church. Diana Wynyard, as the. unhappy-heroine, gives her consistently sincere, restrained performance, hut the honours are stolen from her by Airs Patrick Campbell, who is delightfully natural and humorous. Jane Wyatt, the only American in the cast, makes her film debut a creditable one. Colin Clive, as Diana Wyn,yard’s brutal husband, and Frank Lawton, as her platonic lover, both prove capable players, but perhaps Lionel Atwill and C. Aubrey Smith, though • they have smaller parts, will be longer remembered for more natural performances. Good “ shorts ” complete an. enjoyable programme, a feature oi which is the playing of Air Howard Aloody on the Christie organ. STATE ‘ Alnsic Hall, the cm-rent attraction at the State, brings back to theatregoers the variety show in its most acceptable form. Linked up with an absorbing story told by a British cast are a number of vaudeville acts that represent the best entertainment of their type, and the film as a whole presents fare of an entirely novel kind. The characters with whom the audience is brought into touch are the members of the management and staff of a music hall, which has been catering for the London public for about twenty years, lu its day it had no rival, hut failure to progress with the times lias caused its popularity to fade, and eventually

the announcement is made that it must close. Then an appeal is made to an old showman, who was the first owner of the house, and he decides to make an effort to. save the theatre. The audience then sees the first performance in an entirely renovated house, the programme being, presented by specially selected artists. Of the success of the reopening there is not the slightest doubt. The iDebroy Somers Band presents concerted as well as novelty items, the “ Fisher Girls’ ” ballet is seen in brilliantly staged and executed ensembles, and there are individual performers whose work is just as attractive. MAYFAIR ‘ The Golden West.’ which together with ‘Beauty For Sale,’ concludes toinght at the Mayfair, features one of the best-known Western actors of tqday in George O’Brien, who is as much at home on a horse as ho is on the ground, and is never seen to better advantage than in a role that demands plenty of action with hard riding and hard shooting. Such a role he has in ‘ The Golden West,’ which is packed from start to finish with action of the most gripping kind, and he takes full advantage of every opportunity that offers. The producers have found space for a love story, which is so completely blended in the plot that the two combine perfectly into a most harmonious whole, thus ensuring the high standard of the entertainmentOCTAGON Janet Gayuor plays the part of a young society girl who lias always had money enough from her father, Walter Connolly, a rich automobile manufacturer, to do whatever she pleased, and who suddenly discovers that she has been everywhere and done everything in ‘ Servants’ Entrance ’ at the Octagon. In order to learn more about life, Miss Gaynor goes to an employment agency ami secures work as a kitchen maid,, in spite of the fact that she has no idea about cooking or housework. Ayres is the ehautfeur of the family with whom she finally finds work, and the two of them provide much lun for the audience with their amusing quarrels, which start when Janet tried to tell Lew something about

an automobile. Having invented a new type of motor boat, he is naturally resentful that a girl should attempt to tell him anything concerning a gasolene engine. The two principals give fine performances, combining romance with a touch of comedy here and there which makes ‘ Servants’ Entrance ’ an amusing and thoroughly enjoyable attraction .

STRAND George Bancroft is seen as Bill Bailey, a “ bail bondsman,” who is an important person in the town in which he operates, in ‘ Blood Money,’ at the Strand. His activities may be those sometimes indulged in by philanthropists, but tiie opposite motive is what inspires Bailey, who obtains securities from criminals, and, after going bail for them, uses this influence to make them work in his interests. The centre of the incident in this story is the appearance of a rich man’s daughter who is fascinated by the figures of the underworld, and in the course of her pere-

grinations among them she encounters many strange people engaged in strange activities which are sometimes comic and sometimes tragic. Bailey is fascinated by her, and the course of their association forms an interesting theme and attains a dramatic climax. In the story of the ‘ Crime on the Hill,’ the other feature, a village sqpiire is murdered. and Scotland Yard is called in to investigate, but the mystery instead of being solved immediately, begins to thicken, and there are abundant thrills before, most unexpectedly, the criminal is unmasked. Lewis Casson, Gus M'Naughton, and Hal Gordon are included in the cast.