PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 21905, 17 December 1934, Page 3

PICTURE THEATRES

GRAND ‘Jewel Robbery,’ which, together with ‘ They Call It Sin,’ comprises the Grand’s current programme, tells a romantic and fascinating story in which the interest is kept alve by unexpected situations and. by. clever quickfire dialogue. The action takes place in. gay and pleasure-loving Vienna, and most of the characters move in the highest social circles. William Powell, who goes by no other name in the story than ‘‘ The Robber,” belongs to the aristocracy of crime, a love of the beautiful as expressed in precious' .stones and trinkets of gold having submerged -all conventional ideas of indulging in his absorbing passion in the ordinary legitimate way. . . He is the embodiment of the suave, polished, efficient breaker of the jaw whose technique wins the admiration even of his victims. Kay Francis, the charming but giddy Baroness Teri, the wife of a rich banker who has her jewels and her heart stolen by the plausible villain-hero, makes an effective first appearance in the story. This is by no means 'her only contribution to the piquancy of the story. _ Fascinating gowns aid her in conveying the character of one of fortune’s farouritqs. 'Much of the rollicking humour is provided by Spencer Charters, as a special police agent, who obligingly, but unconsciously, assists .“ The Robber ” when engaged in denuding Vienna’s largest jewellery establishment by guarding two well-filled cases of valuables. ST. JAMES Bright and . entertaining romance is the -keynote of ‘ Thirty-day Princess,’ starring Sylvia Sydney and Carry Grant, at'the St. James. It is a delightful Ruritanian romance from the style inaugurated by the late Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins, or. as he was better known, “ Anthony Hope.” The difference is that the'mythical European monarch and his lovely daughter are- brought from the kingdom to the great world- outside instead _ of _ a stranger from that world making its presence felt in Ruritania. A lovely princess goes to America to aid in striking a loan for her poverty-stricken country, but on arrival has a disastrous attack of mumps.. A is found in an out-of-work chorus girl, but inevitable complications arise when this deception is found out, as it had to be. ' How the “ face ” of the principals, in the matter, to say nothing of their and their dollars, are saved provides an_ engrossing tale. Sylvia Sidney is said to be excellent in the dual part of the princess and the pseudo princess, while Cary Grant ’s cast /as the unconvinced newspaperman who nearly upsets the whole “applecart.” Lucien Littlefield, Edward Arnold, Henrv Stephenson. Edgar Norton, Ray “Walker, and Marguerite ‘Namara supply excellent support. \ —: : ~ EMPIRE .A, rapid-fire, gay, and amusing burlesque is ‘ Convention City,’ a Warner Bros.’-First National film at the Empire. Adolphe Menjou, Dick Powell, Guy Kibbee, Frank M‘Hugh, Joan Blondell, Patricia Ellis, , and _ Mary Astor play- the leading roles in this comedy, which reveals what happens at a business convention held at Atlantic City, the home of holidaymakers and beauty-contests. ’ ! The Honeywell Rubber Company is about to choose a new sales manager at a salary of £IO.OOO a year, and when Ted Kent, their Chicago representative, discovers that he and George Ellerbe are the final selection for the post many things begin to happen. Kent, having arranged that Ellerbe’s nagging wife shall rush, off home and leave her husband to enjoy himself, suddenly has an attack of conscience for fear that his rival will get into trouble, and the film reveals the amusing complications which come about through the efforts of the two men’ to straighten out the position which they have so light-heartedly entered upon. Many entertaining glimpses are of Convention City and what happens to visitors to that desirable spot. Joan Blondell is seen as a gold-digging chorus girl, Patj-icia Ellis provides romance- as the daughter of Honeywell, and the riotous behaviour of Frank-M'Hugh and its unexpected reward is a highlight of the film. ' STATE Strange adventures of love, its hopes, its great achievements, its disappointments, form the most unusual drama ‘ Of. Human Bondage,’ at the State. W. Somerset Maugham, author of the story, .invested his characters with a realness which makes an' audience feel for all of them. central figures are those of an aspiring, romantic medical student and a Cockney waitress. One of the features of the show is the acting of Bette Davis, who is the fount of inspiration for the student and the heartless shattercr of his dreams. For all her yam pish unfaithfulness she has her penitent moments T—when she is deserted in turn by an extra lover or so and by the husband whom she is fool enough to marry. The restrained act-, ing. of-Leslie Howard as the student is admirable. The character he portrays is mortal enough, but the common woman- cannot comprehend his virtuous motives, and thereby hangs a sorry tale. The scenes between these two are splen didly done, interpreting every shade of drama and. the waitress’s idea of melodrama/ There is humour in the picture ■ also. Solace for Howard’s wounded heart is found in Kay Johnson, whose love for him is unrequitted, as is Howard’s for Bette Davis. Hers is a tender, sympathetic,- and sincere role, well taken. The whole thing is cunningly written, leaving to the individual conscience and outlook the judgment upon these strange people who come and go on the screen with ■ such absorbing reality. OCTAGON -An outstanding musical comedy, ‘ 365 Nights in Hollywood,’ is the main attraction at the Octagon. The film is fast-moving and hilarious, and is full of tuneful _ music and clever dancing. The story is full of witty humour, and the entire production provides splendid entertainment. The leading players are James Dunn, who will be remembered for his portrayals in ‘ Jimmy and Sally ’ and ‘ Bad Girl,’ and the beautiful young actress Alice Faye. Other prominent - roles are • taken by the talented dancers Mitchell and Durante. Several catchy songs are introduced, including ‘ Yes to You ’ and ‘ You’re My Future Star.’ The story, which concerns the struggle of these two principals over a host of adverse circumstances, is carefully worked out in a manner which provides splendkj opportunity for singing, ballet work, and comic incident, as well as the more tense scenes of the drama. Alice Perkins, played by Alice Faye, coming from Peoria to Hollywood,, meets none other than two adagio icemen,

Percy and Clarence, who, however, prove to bo most human and determine that they shall get Alice her chance, if they, can. The two latter roles are in the hands of'Frank'‘Mitchell and Jack Durant, who provide hilarious amusement.

REGENT In the realms of fiction one could find no more stirring, no more powerful drama that ‘ The Great Defender.' the sensation-seething story of unfequitted love and the law courts, at the Regent. It is genuinely exciting screen entertainment, cleverly directed by Thomas Bentley, and brilliantly acted by Britain’s greatest dramatic star - . Matbeson Lang, in the title role. Lang, as Sir Douglas Rolls, K.C., “ The Great Defender,” they call him, lighting the biggest case of his brilliant career—fighting against the tremendous odds of strong crcumstantial evidence for the life of . a man -an artist, charged with the murder of his beautiful model. And Sir Douglas knew that his client’s alibi was a pack of lies. Why he accepted the case, and the story of his brilliant victory against seemingly insuperable difficulties, is delightfully told in a manner that provoked veritable avalanche of enthusiasm from the English Press, where 1 The Great Defender ’ was trade screened in London soon after its completion. The ‘ Cinematograph Weekly ’ said: “Strongly dramatic murder trial stoiy, well developed and finely acted—' atmosphere wholly convincing—the whole thing is so sincere that it is definitely holding throughout. Thomas Bentley has handled the picture neatly and effectively. The Old Bailey court sequences are easily the best that have been put on the screen, and are compelling in their realism and dramatic force.” ' These comments then, are a guarantee of entertainment delights —notes of praise that have now been endorsed by the press. Supporting Matheson Lang are such distinguished artists as Margaret Bannerman, Richard Bird, Arthur Margetson. Jeanne Stuart, Jimmy Godden, and Hal Gordon. STRAND ‘ Registered Nurse,’ the First National picture at the Strand, is _ a romantic drama of hospital life with on entirely new twist. Based on the story by Florence, Johns and Wilton Lackaye, jun., it deals with the love life -of the nurses and doctors in a great metropolitan hospital, rather than wiiih the more sombre or technical side of such an institution. Only two patients come prominently into thtf picture, and these supply the laughable incidents in a story that leans more to thrilling melodrama than to comedy. ■ One of these is a promoter of wrestling bouts, and the other the keeper of a boarding-house, each of whom is taken to the hospital against his will after having been battered up in a free-for-all fight. Bebe Daniels enacts the featured role, that of a beautiful woman who turns to nursing after her marital life has proved a failure. The romance of the picture centres about this nurse,, for while other nurses have love affairs Bebe is the one over whom the two leading surgeons of the institution become rivals. There is an excellent supporting programme. MAYFAIR Previous to her appearance in the picture ‘ I Was a Spy,’ which is screening at the Mayfair, Dorothy ■ Wieck won international fame as a result of her performance in a German production, ‘ Maedchen in Uniform.’ The story tells of a child abandoned at a convent, and raised by one of the sisters. As Sister Joanna. Miss Wieck has been longing for the motherhood denied her. She lavishes on the foundling all the love and affection she would haye given to a child of her own. Drama and heartbreak mount to a moving climax when tho child, grown to girlhood, meets a voung man outside the convent ’ and -leaves to marry him. A spiritual quality pervades the entire production, though the characters are sharply and individually etched. There are good supporting pictures dealing with worldwide events.