PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 22229, 6 January 1936, Page 3

PICTURE THEATRES

EMPIRE The most fearsome, fascinating creature ever introduced to the modern screen is the monster, a living creature built by the scientist, Frankenstein, from parts of dead bodies and brought into the world to pursue a terrible career of murder and destruction. This strange character appears again on the screen in the ‘ Bride of Frankenstein,’ which is being screened before thrilled Empire audiences, with Boris Karloff in his original role of the monster. Never has there been such a character so horrible and menacing as this grotesque creation of a fanatical scientist’s brain—a raging animal in the form of a man, bewildered by his surroundings, no less pitiful than he is dangerous. Karloff gives a masterful performance in the screen’s strangest role. For strangeness of characters and story, for sombre beauty of settings, and for thrilling action, the screen has never produced a picture to excel ‘The Bride of Frankenstein.’ The picture was filmed. in Hollywood, but tne story is laid in England, so the entire cast is British. Elsa Lancbester (Mrs .Charles Laughton) is seen as,the female monster, and other noted players in-the company are Colin Clive, Valerie Hobson, O. P. Reggie, and Una O’Connor, The picture was directed by James Whale. The supporting list is a comprehensive one, and includes a budget of overseas news and also a comedy. REGENT * Les Miserables ’ is a novel which lends itself admirably to film treatment, both because of the wide range of the action and the strong characterisation, which in the hands of capable .players gives opportunity for acting of the .first order. The film version, which, is. now showing at the Regent, can only be given the highest praise; it fulfils every expectation raised by the name of this famous novel, and adds to the fine interpretation of Victor Hugo’s book the additional merits of thoughtful and sympathetic individual acting and .film production and photography of a quality as good as any that has yet been seen. The cast .comprises, a. bracket of outstanding actors, any one of whom would be a, sufficient recommendation for a picture. The story ia too well known to need retelling. The screen brings out its most dramatic qualities and selects the incidents that must, convey the spirit of the book with care and skill. Nothing of the author’s powerful satire is lost, and the period of which he wrote is brought vividly _ to pictorial reality. In every way it is a film that does credit to its producers. The supporting programme contains a Walt Disney colour gem and a couple of other interesting features. A special attraction is the playing of _M. De Rose's orchestra during the interval and before the performance. STATE ■ The credit for the success of ‘ Top Hat,’ the current attraction at the State, belongs chiefly to that brilliant team, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, who have the leading parts. Astaire and Miss Rogers are so delightful in their dancing, and Astaire has such a bent for clever fooling, that they are always welcome. Certainly, if they can offer entertainment of such a?._ praiseworthy standard as they do in their present picture, they will command a leading place in the estimation of the public. The inclusion in the cast of Edward Everett Horton, as first-class comedian whose work- is always of a uniformly high standard, provides Astaire with a butt for his wit. Helen Broderick, Erik Rhodes, and Eric Blor® are the other more important E layers, and they are invaluable in elping to provide the comedy element. Sparkling repartee runs through the picture, making it almost embarrassingly rich with laughter. GRAND Those who thought that Shirley Temple would make only one successful picture, and those who thought that the charming little girl would become so spilled and affected because of her sudden fame as a star, were much mistaken. Since Shirley sang ‘ Love’s Young Dream ’ in ‘ The Little Colonel ’ many of her admirers have been impatiently waLing to hear her very pleasant voice again. Now they have thj opportunity, for Shirley sings very sweetly an evening song of stars in ‘ Our Little Girl,’ the picture at the Grand. A cast which maintains the general excellence of the film has been assembled. The players are . Lyle Talbot, Erin O’Brien-Moore, Jack Donohue, Poodles Hanneford, Gus Van, Margaret Armstrong, Rita Owin, Leonard Carey, J. Farrell MacDonald, and Jack Baxley. ST. JAMES ; An extraordinarily entertaining film is ' Shanghai,’ which is having great success at the St. James. Not only has the picture an intelligent and absorbing story, but its cast is exceptionally good. Charles Boyer, the brilliant young French actor who scored such a tremendous success in ‘ Private Worlds,’ heads the cast in a role which is said to fit him like a glove, and in which : he is able to display his undoubted talent to the greatest advantage. Great things were promised of this star when he made his first picture, and he has more than fulfilled those promises. He is hailed as an absolute artist, and on his ■ performance in ‘ Shanghai ’ his reputation and popularity should be firmly established. His partner in the romantic story is charming Loretta Young, Who needs little introduction or commendation. She has played with the screen’s greatest actors and invariably merits high praise. Warner Oland and Alison Skipworth take prominent roles in the supporting cast. The story concerns a man who dedicates bis life to winning control of a financial empire and then throws, away everything he has won for the sake of the woman he loves. As the film mounts to its climax the tension deepens in a number of thrilling scenes fraught with drama. There is an excellent supporting programme. STRAND The only true knowledge in life is experience. Megan Davis (Barbara Stanwyck), a New England girl, who goes to Shanghai, China, to marry her lover, Dr Strike (Gavin Gordon), and assist him in his work of converting the worshippers of Confucius to our Western Christianity, was made to realise that in the excellent picture, ‘ The Bitter Tea of General Yen,’ which heads the Strand’s programme. Megan Davis ventured forth to China to convert the heathen, but it was she who became the convert. The reasonings of Christianity which she had fostered from childhood gave way, but not without due heart conflict, to the lesson taught her by General Yen (Nils

Astlier), a powerful, sinister, and philosophical Chinese war lord. Dr Strike and Megan put off their wedding for two or three hours to go out and rescue some orphans whose lives are endangered. On their return, on the station, they become separated in the struggling masses. She is taken to General Yen’s stronghold. During the week she is captive there he tries to win her love. Each has the chance of converting the other—she with her Western Christianity, he with his Eastern philosophy. In support is a fast-moving feature, entitled ‘ Public Menace,’ in which Jean Arthur and George Murphy have the principal roles. MAYFAIR The double-feature programme at the Mayfair at the present time comprises two widely varying types of production. The first is ‘ Gold Diggers of 1935,’ First National’s latest musical film. Busby Berkeley, musical comedy genius, not only created and staged the numbers, but directed the entire picture. Dick Powell and Gloria Stuart have the romantic leads, with Frank M'Hugh and Dorothy Dare in a semicomic love affair, and Glenda Farrell having an affair with an eccentric millionaire. Alice Brady has the role of the rich widow who is bilked of a considerable fortune by a theatrical producer, a part played by Adolphe Menjou. Joseph Cawthorn is iu the role of a scenic artist, and the hotel manager is played by Grant Mitchell., The second feature is ‘ Menace,’ which fea- j tures Gertrude Michael and Paul Cavanagh in a thrilling and adventurous story. OCTAGON The world’s greatest living tenor, Richard Tauber, reaches the pinnacle of achievement in the latest B.LP. musical romance, ‘ Heart’s Desire, which is showing at the Octagon. This production is heralded as even greater than the popular ‘ Blossom Time, so Tauber lovers have a treat in store. Worlds apart from the usual type of screen entertainment, ‘ Heart’s Desire ’ is a beautiful human story set to lovely melodies exquisitely rendered by the great tenor. In a modern setting it traces'the career of Josef Steidler (Richard Tauber), a humble Viennese biergarten tenor who is persuaded by Frances Wilson (Leonora Corbett) to leave the simplicity of his surroundings to embark upon an important career on the London operatic stage. His introduction into the musical circles of the great city is overwhelmingly successful, and the whole course of his life is changed. Richard Tauber is supported by a fine cast, which includes his fiancee, the beautiful Diaua Napier,

Kathleen Kelly, and Leonora Corbett as the three women who are vitally interested in his career, and Paul Graetz, Carl Harhord, Frank Vosper, and George Garves in important roles.