PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 22031, 17 May 1935, Page 3

PICTURE THEATRES

1 BENGAL LANCER ' CONTINUES AT REGENT Excitement is the spic© of life and variety is its essence. Both are present in such satisfactory quantities in ‘ The Lives of a Bengal Lancer,’ that it is small wonder that the Regent Theatre is running the picture for its second successive week. With the grey mountains of the Indian frontier as its background, the patterned romance of India for its colour, the life of the 41st Regiment of the Bengal Lancers for its story, this remarkable picture is Kipling’s India alive again for the youth of to-day. Two officers, M'Gregor (Gary Cooper), Forsythe (Franchot Tone), become involved in trouble when they champion the cause of young Stone (Richard Cromwell), who has just been sent out from Sandhurst, and is the son of the colonel of the regiment (Sir Guy Standing). This stem old martinet, “ Ramrod,” as MacGregor calls him, who puts everything aside for. duty, ignores the presence of his son, and when the latter is captured by Mahomet Khan, a hostile hill chieftain, will not endanger the safety of the regiment to rescue the boy. M'Gregor and Forsythe, staunch friends as over, set out on rescue bent to the hillside stronghold. There the three of them are tortured by the Arabolipal Indian prince, whose Oxford education merely seems to have stimulated his enthusiasm for refined tortures. Under the test the young subaltern’s nerve breaks, and. he discloses the regimental secret which launches a revolt of the tribesmen. The Bengal Lancers ride to the attack, a hopeless one, as they know. M'Gregor and the other two escape from their prison and rush to the ammunition store. M'Gregor is shot, but manages to fling a torch into the gunpowder. In the confusion and terror of > the explosions that follow the British cavalry makes a triumphant entry, and Stone regains his honour by making a gallant and successful effort to kill the Khan. The picture ends on the parade ground, where the Victoria Cross is awarded to the dead M'Gregor, whose courage saved the Lancers. HULBERT SEASON AT STATE EXTENDED ‘The Camels Are Coming, ’ a Gaumont British picture, starring Jack Hulbert, which is the present attraction at the State Theatre, where it has now commenced its second week, must rank as one of the best English farcecomedies yet produced. It is refreshing, clever, and interesting, and provides Hulbert with full scope'. Hulbert is in the role of Squadron-leader Campbell of a British ajrport base in Egypt. In an endeavour to stop the drug trafficking in Egypt (the Arabs convey their illicit cargo across the desert) the air force is utilised. The aeroplanes scout the desert and search caravans. The caravan engaged in the traffic is located by Hulbert, and how he is tricked after swooping down upon it is a clever piece of comedy. The happy-go-lucky squadron leader is hindered in his job by credulence, simple sympathies, and a keenness crossed by love. He brings derision and ridicule upon the air arm and its commander, as well as on himself, by arresting near the Sphinx and the Pyramids the girl (Anna Lee) with whom he has fallen in love. Finally made the means of conveying a parcel of drugs, to its destination, Hulbert forgets to deliver the parcel, which later becomes real evidence against an " archteologist ” who is the head of the gang. The climax of 'the comedy concerns the siege of a desert fort by Arabs and the defence of it by Hulbert, tho girl, and a dozen camels mounted by “ dummy ” riders. There is an excellent supporting programme, including a Fox news red, in which photographs of the Dunedin quadruplets are incorporated. GRAND In addition to pointing the moral that great riches do not necessarily make, for great happiness, the comedyromance, ‘ The Richest Girl in the World,’ which is now at the Grand Theatre, provides splendid entertainment. The title role is in. the accomplished hands of Miriam Hopkins, one of the screen’s most beautiful and bewitching players, and opposite her is the breezy Joel M'Crea. Other prominent members of a well-known cast are Reginald Denny, Beryl Mercer, and Henry Stephenson. The story is a familiar one and concerns an almost fabulously wealthy girl who seeks as an admirer a man for whom her wealth is not the chief attraction. To this end she adopts the subterfuge of changing positions with her maid, Sylvia Vernon (Fay Wray).- The principal flaw in the arrangement is that Sylvia is already married, and her husband quite naturally objects to her being used by her mistress in such a way. Matters become very complicated for a while, and there are endless amusing situations before everything is straightened out. The scenes, as well as the gowns, are on an unusually lavish scale. < A picture of an entirely different type is shown on the same programme. This is ‘ The Best Man Wins,’ in. which the action centres round two friends who are in love with the same woman. One is a member of the harbour patrol of the New York police, and the other is a diver who has been injured during salvage operations in which he had Saved the life of his rival. Such an accident in no ways dampens the ardour of his spirits, and he makes love with the same gusto as in former days. Owing to a misunderstanding he gams the impression that the girl no longer careg for him now that he is a ' onearmed man with little chance of making a livelihood as a diver. Determined to prove that his handicap in no way incapacitates him for his arduous calling, he refuses all offers of assistance from his friend, the police sergeant, and in desperation joins a gang which is engaged in the smuggling of precious stones by the ingenious method of throwing them overboard from steamers at the entrance to New York harbour and recovering them later through the aid of a deep sea diver. The rivalry of the two men for the affections of the one girl is Apparently ended when the driver becomes engaged to her almost against her better judgment. The officer of the law forces himself into the background, and tries to forget by greater attention to duty. He is specially engaged to track down the smugglers, and on exciting climax is unwound. ST. JAMES All who have read those delightfully ingenious dotectivo_ stories of G. K. Chesterton, in which that talented writer makes another Sherlock Holmes out of tl»s philosophic Father Brown, will be compelled to see the very interesting picture * Father Brown, Detective,’ now being screened at the St. James Theatre. The story relates the redemption of that clever international thief, Flambeau (Paul Lukas), by the ministrations of the shrewd little priest, Father Brown, who is ever so wise to human frailty, and has his own charming way of pointing out to the evildoer the way to salvation and happiness. Flambeau, having fallen in love with an unknown lady, promises her

the ten “Flying Stars” all priceless diamonds, four of which are set m a crucifix in Father Brown’s keeping, and six are in the strongroom of Sir Leopold Fischer. By a ruse ke secures the six, and in so doing finds his enamorata to be Evelyn, the daughter of Sir Leopold • but in his attempt to secure the crucifix ho encounters Father Brown (Walter Connolly), and thereby encounters a mind as shrewd as his own, who teaches the thief the way to higher things. The picture is beautifully acted by a competent cast, headed by Miss Gertrude Michael, a new and extremely attractive and clever screen star, laul Lukas, and Walter Connolly. Another interesting picture glimpses a day in the life of the famous Dionne quintuplets of Canada, at the hospital built in their honour, with a talk by .Dr Dafau, the man who brought them into the world. EMPIRE Real life characterisations seem to suit Wallace Beery just as much as the fictional characters he has brought to the screen. In * The Mighty Barjiura,’ which opened its Dunedin season this afternoon at the Empire Theatre, Beery is seen in his fourth real-life role—as Phineas T. Barnum, self-styled ‘‘ Prince of Humbugs,” showman and publicity-monger extraordinary, greatest exploiter of the extraordinary, of the unusual and the superlative the world has ever known. Theatre-goers have seen Wallace Beery, as King Richard Coeur de Lion in ‘ Robin Hood,’ as Chuck Conners of the gay ’nineties in ‘The Bowery,’ and more recently as the blustering Mexican bandit leader Pancho Villa in ‘ Viva! Villa I’' Now he recreates a character which appears to give him even greater opportunity for displaying his amazing versatility. Barnum was the first showman to appreciate the full value of publicity, wnether favourable or unfavourable. He was transformed from showman to impresario when he imported Jenny Lind, whose glorious voice made audiences forget that they were listening to classical music. ‘ The Mighty Barnum’ begins with- Barnum’s entry into the side-show business, and tells of his exploits and “ stunts” which eventually earned him the title of “the world’s greatest showman.” Appearing in support of the star are Adolphe Menjou, Rochelle Hudson, Janet Beecher, and Virginia Bruce. The Empire’s suporting films include a Walt Disney cartoon entitled ‘ Mickey Plays Papa ’ and an organlogue, ‘Old Irish Song.’ OCTAGON * Big Executive,’ exciting drama of the private life of a handsome young Wall Street king, opened its run to-day at the Octagon Theatre. Ricardo Cortez, Richard Bennett, Elizabeth Young, and Sharon Lynne are prominent in the large cast. ‘ Big Executive ’ is the story of a new-generation financier played by Ricardo Cortez, who skyrockets to fortune with his clever manipulations in the market. He has clear sailing until he attempts to swing a deal with a gruff, blustering old-school financial power, played by Richard Bennett. Complications ensue when Bennett discovers that Cortez is in love with his great-granddaughter, and he decides to break the impending match and Cortez at the same time. A dramatic series oi®events follows, in which the two powerful rivals are seen gathering their forces, each attempting to strip the other of power, glory, and wealth. The film reaches its conclusion in an exciting , and unusual climax. Making her screen debut in ‘ Big Executive ’ is Elizabeth Young, prominent New York society girl, who plays the role of the Commodore’s freat-granddaughter. ‘ Elmer and Isie ’ is the supporting picture, an engaging story based on the fallacy of the great masculine delusion that “ this is a man’s world, and woman’s place is in the kitchen.” Both George Bancroft and his boss, George Barbier, subscribe to this belief. But after Bancroft marries the engaging Frances Fuller he is slowly but surely bent to her fashion of doing things. Finally, she capitalises on an unfortunate incident to win the foreman’s job for Bancroft. The jealous Roscoe. Karns, however, discloses her part in Bancroft’s advance to the boss. He fires Bancroft because he won’t have a wife meddling in any of his men’s affairs. Miss Fuller knows, however, just how to deal with the difficulty in an amusing climax. STRAND Farcical situations and fast-mov-ing comedy abound in the thoroughly enjoyable picture, ‘, The Gay Bride,’ which is the first of two full-length productions which comprise the programme to have its initial screening at the Strand Theatre this afternoon. Included in a particularly strong cast are Carole Lombard, Chester Morris, and Zasu Pitts. The other picture is ‘ Paris Interlude,’ which opens with the landing of Lindbergh in Paris after his dramatic .flight across the Atlantic, a scene providing an excellent introduction. ‘ The story is then unfolded of Sam Colt, a reporter, whose proposal of marriage has been accepted by Julie Bell, but who. cannot resist the chance of returning to America with Lindbergh, and subsequently going to China to fly for a Chinese general. Julie is left stranded and penniless, but eventually succeeds in her work, and becomes a prominent fashion writer. She is befriended by Pa.t Wells, another journalist. Sam, whom Julie has not been able really to forget, returns on the eve of their wedding, broken down in health, and Julie abandons all else to help linn recover. When Sam learns the position he has the courage to make the sacrifice of his own feelings, ’ and leaves again for unknown places. The story is one with strong human interest, and the tenseness of the situations which arise need much humour by way of relief. This is present, and relief is also provided by many scenes of colour and light, such as that of the artists masquerade in the Quartier Latin. The acting is of a high order, as might be expected from the strong cast which appears. Madge Evans makes a very attractive heroine. Otto Kruger is excellent as the brilliant but erratic Sam, Robert Young is well cast as the faithful Pat, and Una Merkel is good as Cassie, Julie’s cynical friend. MAYFAIR i ‘Wonder Bar,’ a musical and dramatic spectacle, will he presented for the last time at the Mayfair Theatre to-night. The picture is based on the famous play that created a sensation in Europe and was staged before king and commoner in Continental capitals. There are six stars, headed by AJ Jolson, Kay Francis, and Ricardo Cortez. Jolson has his old stage role, which he enacts with all his old-time fire and enthusiasm as one of the world s greatest entertainers.