PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 22515, 7 December 1936, Page 14

PICTURE THEATRES

GRAND ' She Shall Have Music.’ featuring Jack Hylton and his band, which is at the Grand, is an attraction of more than usual interest. This spectacular musical is by far the most lavish and ambitious production that Julius Hagen has ever produced at Twickenham Studios, and this, together with > the fact that it marks the screen debut of the world-famous Jack Hylton and his band, singles it out as one of the biggest screen events of the year. Julius Hagen has secured a fine selection of artists to support Jack Hylton in his first film, and, besides June Clyde, Brian Lawrence (the popular radio favourite), Felix Aylmer, and Edmund Breon. the cast includes Gwenn Farrar, Marjorie Brooks, and Claude Dampier (who gives a characteristically comic performance as Jack’s manager). WEDNESDAY’S NEW BILL. The cast with Fred. Stone and Jean Parker in RKO Audio's ‘ The Farmer in the Del).’ heading the new fare for the Grand on Wednesday, includes players who have made outstanding “ hits ”on screen and stage. Jean Parker, playing the ingenue lead, was seen in such successes as ‘ Little Women,’ in which she. played Beth, and recently gained much fame in' ‘ Sequoia ’ and ‘ The Ghost Goes West.' Esther Dale, as the lowa farm wife who is’ bitten by the Hollywood “ bug,” was starred in the title role of ‘ Carrie Nation ’ in the Broadway production. Others in the cast include Moroni Olsen and Spencer Charters. The second feature will be ‘ Fang and Claw,’ an exciting animal film. REGENT Based on the conquest of the Pacific Ocean by a world-famous American aviation company, ‘ China Clipper,’ the picture now at the Regent, is of fascinating interest to anyone'who is not totally ignorant of aviation, and many of its scenes, taken on the actual route from San Francisco to China, possess an especial significance for New Zealand in view of the project to link up the Dominion with the American transpacific network. Fired with the success of Lindberg’s transatlantic flight, Pat O’Brien sets out to conquer space and time by aviation also, but to do-it not once, but as a regular commercial service. ‘ China Clipper ’ tells how his efforts succeed, despite the’ manifold handicaps of public and official suspicion; lack of finance, and the vagaries of Nature. In the process of realising his ambit Jon of spanning the Pacific by a time-table flying-boat service, O’Brien, by ■ his ruthless driving, antagonises most of his associates. Dainty _ Beverley Roberts plays the part of'his wife, who is also forced to leave him, but the final fade-out finds them together again. ‘ China- Clipper ’ bears the mark of authenticity and depicts without any lurid exaggeration the difficulties of commercial aviation. ‘TILL WE MEET AGAIN.’ An absorbingly dramatic and exciting story is picturised in ‘ Till We Meet Again’ which opens a season on Friday at the Regent. The story depicts London just prior to the declaration of war. Gertrude Michael enacts the role of Elsa Duranyi, a yiennese actress playing in London, while Herbert Marshall is cast as Alan Barclay, an actor and Elsa’s lover. They arrange to marry, but the war ends their plans, and Elsa leaves for Germany, where she is a member of the German Intelligence Service. Alan, who speaks German fluently, becomes an English spy, and manages to reach Germany in. disguise. Some vivid war _scenes are shown, and an excellent picturisatiou of an efficient spying is seen. It is while.in the act of putting an end to some of the German schemes that Alan is suspected and brought before Elsa, who recognises him. How she risks her life to save him provides many exciting incidents. Lionel Atwill. who enacts the role of Ludwig, _ chief of the German Secret Service, gives a very convincing performance, ST. JAMES * Public Enemy’s Wife,’ _ Warner Bros.’ thriller of G-men activities, is now showing at the St. James. The picture is enacted by an exceptionally brilliant cast, which includes Pat O’Brien and Margaret Lindsay in the featured roles as lovers. O’Brien, the ace G-man, and Miss Lindsay in the title role; Robert Armstrong, another Gman; Cesar Romero, the arch villain and murderous head of the band' of desperate crooks; Dick Foran, rich playboy; Joseph King, Richard Purcell, Addison Richards, and others. The story tolls how Judith Roberts Maron (Margaret Lindsay) is released from prison after serving a sentence for complicity in a crime committed by a gang headed by her husband. Gene Maroe (Cesar Romero), whom she married unaware that ho was a criminal. Lee Laird (Pat O’Brien) and Gene Ferguson (Robert Armstrong), G-men, question her about another member of the gang, still at large. She knows nothing about the crime or the gang, but they are not entirely convinced. Maroc, in the same prison, asks to see his wife before she leaves. When she tells him that she plans to get a divorce, he threatens to kill any man that steps between them. From this point the drama is worked out in a skilful and convincing fashion. _ _ The supporting fare is most entertaining. EMPIRE Scenes of the earthquake and fire which swept the city in 1906 are vividly re-created in ‘ San Francisco,’ which is in its third week at the Empire. Falling bricks and mortar, the panicstricken people in the streets, deeds of heroism, and the ravages of fire are given prominence, and a most realistic atmosphere is created.. There _is a well-constructed story of the rivalry between two men for the hand of a singer who achieves some measure of fame. Jeanette MacDonald, who took the part of Marietta _ in ‘ Naughty Marietta,’ has the feminine lead, and she acts with assurance and sings a number of classical and modern songs. Clark Gable excels in his role of Blackie Norton, dance hall proprietor, whose views are changed with the earthquake; and Jack Holt acts well. Jessie Ralph and Spencer Tracy have supporting roles. The novel film. ‘Audioscopiks,’ is still being shown, JOE E. BROWN COMEDY. Millions of Americans have read of the hilarious exploits of Alexander Botts, the whimsical and egotistical tractor and comedy hero of the series of stories, ‘ Earthworm Tractors,’ written by William Hazlett Upson for the ‘ Saturday Evening Post.' Now Alexander Botts has been brought to life on the screen in the First National comedy, ‘ Earthworm Tractors,’ which is scheduled as the next attraction at the Empire, commencing on Friday. Botts, on_ the screen, is no other than the wide-mouthed come-

dian, Joe E. Brown. Joe is supported by a notable cast. He bas two leading women, June Travis and Carol Hughes, and such talented players as Guy Kibbee, Dick Foran, Gener Lockhart, Olin Howard, Joseph Crchaiij Sara Edwards, Charles Wilson, William Davidson, Irving Bacon, and Stuart Holmes, STRAND Colin Tapley is a member of the cast of ■ Too Many Parents,’ which is one of the two excellent features that constitute the Strand’s current programme. With Frances Farmer in the leading role, ‘ Too Many Parents ’ is a picture of modern marriage and its pitfalls. The supporting players include George Ernest,, Sherwood Bailey, Buster Phelps, Douglas Scott, and Billy Lee, all veteran screen performers, some of them graduates of the famous Our Gang comedy school. When family separation and divorce cast these children loose from home ties and throw them together in a military school, 'the veal story of Too Many Parents ’ begins. The youngsters, bravely fighting their own ways in the world, win the affection of the commandant of the institution and his pretty niece, Frances Farmer. One of the boys, ashamed to admit his father’s neglect, gets into serious trouble while trying to cover his father, and Miss Farmer is moved to recall the father to his parental duty. A romance results from this encounter and makes a happy home for one of the lads. Columbia’s ‘ Meet Nero Wolfe,’ starring Edward Arnold as the portly, coql-witted criminologist who lives quietly among his orchids and beer kegs and solves murder as a hobby, is the other picture. Lionel Stander is seen in the leading supporting role as Nero W'olfe’s chief aide and legman. Others in the cast are Victor Jory, Joan Perry, Nana Bryant, Russell Hardie, Dennie Moore, and John Qualen. MAYFAIR Shirley Temple appears in ‘ Captain January,’ which is the new feature at the Mayfair. The other attraction is ‘Mr Deeds Goes to Town.’ In her new film Shirley has the entirely ‘ ‘ different ” role of the lighthouse-keeper’s daughter. Star. The setting is the rocky Maine coast, where most of the fishermen and sailors are Star’s staunch friends. They teach her ballads of tho sea and stirring tap dances’which this clever little actress performs with the finish and charm that would do credit to an adult star. Chief among her humorous songs is ‘The Codfish Ball,’ which she sings and acts delightfully. Slim Summerville is seen as the weilmeaning, though often misguided, marine inspector, Captain January’s greatest _ friend, who has much advice to offer in the upbringing of Star. All goes merrily until the sour-faced truant inspector appears on the scene and demands that the child be given a school examination. The efforts of Captain January and Slim Summerville to coach her are thoroughly entertaining. STATE There are few people who have not taken a delight in mystery stories, and few can help following with bated breath the efforts of the detective to sort out the baffling mystery and bring the criminals to justice. Sophisticated though the filingoer may be, he i must find it difficult not to react to tho graphic incident of a really well-con-structed thriller, and when three murders form the base on which a splen-didly-told story is built, it is little wonder that the film version should have proved a success. ‘ The ex-Mrs Bradford,’ which is at the State, is one of the best mystery pictures to be shown in Dunedin' for some time. The thrilling element in the film is most intense, with a sound plot and a brilliant denouement. Yet the pleasing aspect of the story is in its excellent setting, the leavening of humour, and the warm humanity of the lighter interest. The casting is particularly good. William Powell, a well-liked and versatile actor, plays Dr Bradford, who joins his exwife (Jean Arthur) In an effort to disentangle a baffling series of murders. As Bradford finds clue after clue, the enthusiastic work of his wife destroys in exasperating fashion the ingenious logic which he is building up around them. At last, however, Mrs Bradford stumbles upon an idea.. The idea works and the mystery is solved. The “ helpfulness ” of the wife is the greatest source - of merriment and the action throughout is swift and exciting. Of its kind, the picture is easily one of William Powell’s best. OCTAGON To launch that genial prince of humour, Irvin S. Cobb; on a motion picture starring career ■ no more fitting vehicle could have been chosen than * Everybody’s Old Man,’ the Fox picture which heads the Octagon’s bill. The picture boasts such players as Rochelle Hudson, Johnny Downs, Norman Foster, Sara Hadeh, Donald Meek, Alan Dinehart, and Warren Hymer in the capable supporting cast. In a story that gives her the greatest opportunity for displaying her dramatic talent in her two years of screen stardom Shirley Temple is to be seen at the Octagon as the of 1 The Littlest Rebel,’ the other film. As the tiny Confederate who dances and sings her way into the hearts of both parties in the American, Civil War, Shirley Temple appears with a sterling supporting cast that includes John Boles, Jack Holt, Karen Morley, and Bill Robinson. The story of the picture, adapted from the ever-popular play, has many strong dramatic momentSj and it is in these scenes that America’s , favourite child actress demonstrates genuine dramatic ability.