PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 22620, 12 April 1937, Page 6

PICTURE THEATRES

EMPIRE “ It’s of no use trying to fit adjectives to ‘ The Great Ziegfeld,’ ” wrote a London, critic recently. “ There have been dozens of brilliant films before, but after previewing the 15,000 glittering feet of ‘ Ziegfeld ’ I am convinced that adjectives are unnecessary. If you miss this film you will never know what is really meant by the words ‘ screen entertainment.’ ”. ‘ The Great Ziegfeld,’ which is now at the Empire, is the greatest achievement of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the company which has already swept the screen with ‘ Naughty Marietta ’ ' and_ other memorable productions. In this new film glittering scenes from the most successful shows of the great Flprenz Ziegfeld, jun., follow each other in an almost breath-taking sequence.of wellconceived and brilliantly-executed ensembles. These, however, are not the only parts of the film which draw applause. There are acts in the shows which, by their own appeal, unaided by dazzle or sumptuous setting, actually succeed in drawing applause from a film audience, a difficult thing to accomplish in these days, in which the art of the talking picture is usually taken for granted and in silence. The story itself is a biography of the great showman of the twentieth century, whose name is a byword for taste and magnificence. Opening with his part in the great Chicago World’s Fair of 1894, when he had an even more imposing figure, the great Sandow, undisputed holder of the title of “ The World’s Strongest Man,’’ the story takes the audience with Ziegfeld on his career, which really culminated with the brilliant successes of the middle 1920’s and the stock market crashes which began the depression. One of the finest character studies in his career is given by William Powell in the title role. As his first wife, the talented Anna Held, Luise Rainer scores yet another success.

REGENT ‘ The Garden of Allah,’ at the Regent, reproduced as it is in natural colour, must be ranked as an outstanding picture. Not that the colour dominates the film, for both the desert settings in which the film abounds and the interiors are chosen with irreproachable taste. The colours for the most part are quiet, and it is rarely that bright contrasts are introduced. When they are they are unusually attractive, such as a rich blue desert sky over golden desert sands, their surface rippled by the wind. Against such a notably beautiful background is thrown a story somewhat deeper than the average screen story. The dominant issue is the love of a beautiful girl who is seeking peace in the desert after the loss of her cherished father, and a man unused to the ways of the world, an escapee from a Trappist monastery. A strange courtship, in which the woman does her best to allay the unrest in her lover’s soul, marriage, and a honeymoon in the desert lead up to a protracted climax, in which the man is revealed as one who has broken vows more sacred than those of marriage—a contract with the church. It is at this stage that Charles Boyer, the leading actor in the film, rises to great heights as he tells of the unrest be has suffered since he forsook the church for the world. Marlene Dietrich, too, plays her slightly less difficult part surely and sincerely.; Like many good plays,, the picture leaves the audience something to figure out for itself, for the decision of these two lovers is not one to be taken as the only possible one. ST. JAMES The eternal warfare between America’s police forces and its ever-active gangsters has-been the subject of many a good film, but never such an exciting one as Sworn Enemy, 1 ’ now at the St. James. Apart from the suspense aroused toward the close of the film, the picture has a ■ finesse : and balance which should enhance the reputation of its producer, Lucien Hubbard. Hank and Stever Sherman, brothers, whose efforts to better their positions in the world earn the audience’s approval in the opening scenes ; _ come across as thorough and as sinister a group of racketeers as one could imagine. In a most dramatically contrived scene one of the brothers and his benefactor are killed, crushed to death when a towering steel crane crashes through the roof of their motor car. Incident leads to incident as a scheme is gradually formed to “ crack ” the gangster chief’s safe for incriminating evidence. When finally the hunters ■ are trapped in a steam chamber, and the steam is turned on by the hunted, all seems to be lost.. Only a charge of dynamite could reverse the positions—and does, to the relief of the police inside the chamber, the joy of two young lovers, and the discomfiture of the criminals. Consistently good acting adds a touch of polish to an unusually gripping and well-thought-out tale, with Robert Young, Joseph Calleia, Lewis Stone, and a charming young actress, Florence Rice, in the leading roles. Nat Pendleton, whose task is to annihilate numerous doubtful characters inside and outside of a boxing ring, deserves special mention, and the remaining members of the cast are all finely in tune. BRIGHT COMEDY. A programme of commendable merit, comprising an amusing comedy, ‘ Keep Your Seats, Please,’ an entertaining array of short features, and specialtyacts presented on the stage by accomplished oversea entertainers, will be opened at the St. James on Friday, Trevor and Dawn, Continental adagio dancers, will appear with Esme Chalk, a delightful singer and tap-dancer, and George Dawson, a pianist, combine to present vaudeville entertainment of a high quality. George Formby is starred in ‘ Keep Your Seats, Please,’ and appearing with him are Florence Desmond. Gas M'Naughton, Harry Tate, and Margaret Moffatt. The film is said to be full of hilarious episodes, with doctors, prima donnas, tram conductors, and goats all doing their bit to provide laughter.

STATE With a “ What-ho ” and a “ Cheerio,” Jeeves, P. G. Wodehouse’s hilarious “ gentleman’s gent,” who knows all about women, fiction’s funniest character, comes to the screen for the first time in the new Twentieth Century-Pox picture, ‘ Thank You, Jeeves!’ now at the State. Droll Arthur Treacher plays the poker-faced valet, with Virginia Field the “ lady in distress,” and David Niven as the blundering,' butter-fingered Bertie Wooster. A typical Wodehouse tale, made funnier than ever by its transition to the screen, ‘ Thank You, Jeeves!’ is one of the most riotous of Jeeves’s adventures in extricating the inane Bertie from a peck of trouble and helping him win the lady of his heart. The picture opens in the apartment of Bertie Wooster, Wodehouse’s amiable crackpot, with Bertie banging away with great zeal and little rhythm at a set of drums, Jeeves is a pained critic

of his master’s new aberration. Jeeves gives notice; what with drumming, banjolele playing, and romancing in various knife-throwingcountries, Bertie’s escapades have frayed even the iron Jeeves’s nerves. As they talk, the doorbell rings and a beautiful young girl asks calmly for Mr Bertie Wooster.Neither Bertie nor Jeeves has ever seen the girl before, but Bertie welcomes her. over Jeeves’s stony disapproval. From the girl’s speech, Bertie gathers that she is an international adventuress, with the police hot on her trail. When she leaves Bertie and the despairing Jeeves follow. True to form, Bertie managed to garble everything, and it remains for the imperturbable Jeeves to straighten matters out, which he does in a wildly hilarious series of mad adventures.

OCTAGON ‘ King of Hockey ’ and * Along Came Love,’ this week’s new doublefeature presentation at the Octagon, is a programme which, because or its variety, must have a strong appeal. The game of ice hockey, described as the fastest sport in the world, is not one that comes within the ken of the average New Zealander. Its popularity in the United State and is stupendous, and after viewing ‘ King of Hockey ’ one can fully appreciate why this is so. The story concerns a young man (Dick 'Purcell), ■ who leaves college and enters commercial life. He soon finds that his choice of a career has not been a wise one, hnt his talent for the sport of ice hockey, brings him to the notice of the authorities of a famous league'team, and he is accordingly signed up. The supporting feature, 'Along Came Love,’ is;of a widely different type, and tells of the dreams and aspirations of a young girl employed in a large departmental store. She notices in the heavens the constellation Orion, and she decides that she has fallen in love with the heavenly inhabitant and is sure that she will some time meet his counterpart in real life. Her prediction comes true, and subsequent events are highly amusing.

STRAND Two pictures of outstanding interest are offered on the new programme at the Strand. The first is ‘Rainbows End,’ in which that most popular of Western actors, Hoot Gibson plays the leading part, with the very charming June Galq in support, and the other is a stirring mystery story entitled ‘ Murder by an Aristocrat. In the latter film, Lyle Talbot is at the head of a strong cast, with Marguerite Churchill and Claire Dodd in important roies. The murder mystery is undoubtedly; one of the most thrilling and fast-mov-ing screen plays presented for a long time. The suspense is maintained until the closing scenes, and it will he an astute member of the audience indeed who succeeds in discovering the assassin before the secret is revealed on the screen. * Rainbow’s End ’ is in a higher class than the ,'erage Western 1 drama—it is decidedly out of the “ horse opera ” class—not only because of the efficient acting and the absorbing story it tells, but _ of the excellent manner in which the film has been produced and the attention to detail which has so often been lacking in similar pictures. GRAND ‘ The Bride Walks Out,’ Barbara:. Stanwyck’s new starring vehicle at the Grand, is not only one of the year’s funniest romantic comedies, but. it offers its audiences a. personally conducted tour of New York City and its environs. Beginning with a traffic jam on Fifth Avenue, the plot carries the spectator to a realistically modern apartment, a big dress shop, several department stores, the marriage license bureau, a magistrate’s court, night court, a night club, a Coney Island boat, streets in the Fort George area, office buildings, a big_ Long Island estate, and a transatlantic steamship pier,Against these interesting locales unfolds the story of ‘ The Bride Walks Out.’ A young bride, Barbara Stanwyck, and her ambitions surveyor-sus-band, Gene Raymond, have their troubles complicated by the officious interference of a too-philanthropio “ play boy.” Ned Sparks and Helen Broderick participated in the comedy, and Leigh Jason directed the 1 production. RACKETEER MELODRAMA. ‘ Yellowstone,’ the Universal mystery; film which will be commenced on Wednesday at the Grand, proves that there is something new in film entertainment. The novel twist of its plot and the unexpected solution have a refreshing quality. Another element that adds greatly to its entertainment value _ is the splendour of the settings, which include the magnificent marvels of Yellowstone National Park. The story is fast in tempo, filled with suspense and interwoven with a romantic thread. Melodramatic in theme, the , tale vibrates with the conflict of bandits of yesteryear attempting to cope with modern racketeers. One of the oldtimers returns to Yellowstone searching for hidden loot he has buried some 20 years before. Quickly other members of the former gang, all hungry for the treasure, gather like vultures seeking preyThe ancient bandit is mysteriouslykilled. His daughter, in love with a forest ranger, finds suspicion pointing to her sweetheart. The mysterious cause of her father’s end, and the method in which the novel solution of the puzzle is developed, help to make a fascinating screen narrative. The cast includes - Henry Hunter as the forest ranger and Judith Barrett as his sweetheart. Other prominent players are Ralph Morgan, Alan Hale, Michael Loring, Andy Devine, Raymond Hatton, Monroe Owsley, Paul Fix, Paul Harvey, and Claude Allister. Gene Ray. mend and Ann Sothern are the featured players in ‘ Walking On Air,’ the associate film.

MAYFAIR Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has again produced an outstanding in ‘ San Francisco,’ now at the Mayfair. The picture is most dramatic,_ and the most enthralling part of it is that which deals with the earthquake and fire which swept San Francisco in 1906. Scenes in which men, women, and children are buried beneath crumbling buildings and in which fire is seen at its terrible work, are such as will bo remembered when others are long forgotten. The theme follows the rivalry between the dance haJll owner, played by Clark Gable, and the son of a wealthy San Francisco family (Jack Holt). The leading woman. (Jeanetto MacDonald) repeats the success her acting and singing won her in ‘Naughty Marietta.’ Her voice is heard in both operatic and popular selections, and-is perfectly reproduced. Gable proves himself a clever and versatile actor, * Where the Power God Dwells,’ an interesting and _ instructive film dealing with the oil industry, will also be screened.