PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 22628, 21 April 1937, Page 5

PICTURE THEATRES

STATE Grand acting by George Arliss makes of ‘ East Meets West/ now at the State, wonderful screen entertainment. Ho gives one of the finest performances of his very long and very fine career. Memories of George Arliss’s first screen success, ‘ The Green Goddess, are aroused by ‘ East Meets West,’ for once again the famous actor has gone Eastern in the film cause, and, leaving history behind, has donned the regalia of a jungle potentate surrounded by bowing slaves. Striking originality and lavish beautv are incorporated in the setting of the film, in which George Arliss is very well supported by Lucie Mannheim, Bellard (Berkely, Romney Brent, and Godfrey Tearle. The film is rich melodrama, flavoured plentifully with thrills, adventure, and romance. As the wily Sultan of an Eastern principality, George Arliss successfully extracts great sums of money out of Britain and another Eastern power, playing against them the life of a>renegade Englishman, a rum-runner, whose wife has had an affair with the Sultan’s Oxford-educated son. There is action in plenty in this offering from GaumontBntish. George Arliss is his usual polished self, investing every wordhe speaks and gesture lie ■ rfiakes with infinite dignity and significance. Lucie Mannheim is an attractive and appealing 'figure- as. the unfortunate wife, while Romney Brent’s study of a Japanese. diplomat is flawless. Lucie Mannheim gives a performance ’ that compels attention. She is a Con-tinental-star who has made, good on the London stage and ; in British _ films. She has the blackest of black, hair and grey-blue eyes that are clever and attractive. She is an actress of the intense, highly dramatic type, and completely lives whatever part she is playing. .Much excitement is.derived from great crowd scones in which natives mob for the life of the erring Englishman. The splendour of settings, dress, and manner is unique and wholly satisfy ing. ' . ' RECENT Francis Lederer has never had a better role than in the Paramount film romance, ‘ My American Wife/ which is nearing conclusion of its local season at the Regent. His co-star is Ann Sothern, and the cast behind the principals is unusually good. The veteran Fred. Stone takes the part, of an Arizona pioneer with a Western’contempt for the airs of foreign nobility. The film tells a romantic story of a titled nobleman who marries an American girl and then sets out to prove himself as good an American as she is and a better cowboy than ‘her brothers in Arizona, His wife, however, led by her mother, is bent on making capital out of her newly-found social standing and tries to keep her husband in braid and spangles,’ while he wants to settle down on a ranch. The couple drift apart, but a clever twist prevents the break-up of their romance. EXCELLENT ENTERTAINMENT. The high standard of film entertainment set recently by Sam Goldwyn with * These Three ’ and ‘ Dodsworth ’ has been more than maintained in a third production, •' Come arid Get It/ which will commence at the Regent' on Friday next. -It is a fine drama of the life of an American timber baron. ■ The story has Humanity, robustness, ' spectacle, and natural, comedy; the rioting is excellent ; and the whole film has the Goldwyn finish and an impressave .restraint; ‘ Gome'and Get It ’ re* , counts the - risc 'of the Hh'rdf ambitious Barney Glasgow from a lumber camp overseer to ownership of the biggest ■ timber business in his State. It deals also with the loves that come to him; the first, when he is am ordinary workman, and the second, when he is a successful business man and the father of grown-up children. Edward Arnold is impressive -as Barney,' a, character to which he is ; perfectly suited. Francis Farmer, playing both. his first love and her daughter, handles the contrasting roles with great skill, and- succeeds in making them two distinct characters, a highly commendable feat for an actress in her first really significant film. One of the best performances is. given by Walter Brennan, as Swan; and others whose acting credit are Joel M'Crea, Mady Christians, and Mary Nash. A feature of the production is the excellent photographs of timber forests, these sceries containing exceptional interest. .‘Come and Get It’ is being released through United Artists.

EMPIRE Few will argue that the late Florenz Ziegfeld was not one of the greatest showmen who ever lived. His name is famous throughout America and Europe, and the story of his eventful life is a truly fascinating one, no matter from what angle it is' viewed. Now an attempt has heen made to produce part of his exploits on the screen, and the result, entitled ‘ The Great Ziegfeld,’ is screening at the Empire in an extended • season. The story opens in Ziegfeld’s youth at the dazzling World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893. It progresses in just the manner that Ziegfeld progressed, massing fortunes. losing them, and building up more. Always in the background, however, are the spectacular Ziegfeld productions and the producer’s amazingly beautiful girls. There is first to be considered the star combination of William Powell, who plays Ziegfeld, Myrna Loy, who plays Billie Burke, and Luise Rainer, who is seen as Anna. Held, one of Ziegfeld’s discoveries. Sharing honours with the three stars if a veritable army of first-class entertainers. The many dazzling musi*•l numbers and the magnificence of the stage effects make ‘ The Great Ziegfeld ’ a' picture that should not be missed. WEALTH OF LAUGHTER. Hollywood.’s adaptation of the P. G. Wodehouse comedy, ‘Piccadilly Jim,’ will be screened at the Empire on Friday- An exceptional all-star oast added to the merits of the story itself the direction by Robert Z. Leonard, who directed ‘ The Great Ziegfeld,’ is superb. Mero-Goldwyn-Mayer has taken Wodehouse at his face value, and ‘ it proves to be a gold mine of mirth. They give his original story visible and audible life, but otherwise it is unchanged. Robert Montgomery i» excellent in the title role. Madge Evans :is a lovely lady opposite him, and Frank Morgan, also of ‘ The Great Ziegfeld,’ appears as his father, an actor in love with a woman of high social station in London. Billie Burke, widow, of Florenz Ziegfeld, makes her ® creen appearance under her new M.G.M. contract, and plays a truly delightful role. Eric Blore., and others nt the cast keep up the pace. The story carries from London to New ■ii/ t ransa tlantic luxury liner, with Ivodehouse comedy and romance evident at every turn. Montgomery plays the part of a young caricaturist r *l, "H"’ l ,Singly lampoons the family of the girl he loves in a series of cartoons that amuse the world. The ensmng complications provide the vein of humour which has distinguished

Wbdehouse in the field of letters and now provide a wealth of laughter for the world on the screen. GRAND Zane Grey, America’s outstanding writer of outdoor stories, has chosen a new and thrilling locale for his latest work, ‘ King of the Royal Mounted,’ Twentieth Century-Fox release, which commenced at the Grand to-day, with Robert Kent starred and Rosalind Keitli and Alan Dinehart heading a cast of screen favourites. As the title indicates, ‘ King of the Royal Mounted ’ is a story of Canada’s Royal Mounted Police, highlighted by spectacular action, scenic grandeur, hard riding, romance, and fast-shooting thrills. Robert Kent is seen as Sergeant King, in charge of a remote outpost in the primitive rugged country of North-west Canada. Rosalind Keith and Alan Dinehart, visitors in King’s territory, arouse his suspicions when he learns that the girl has registered under an assumed name and that Dinehart is her attorney. Kent discovers that Miss Keith and her lawver are really after a valuable mine, which is being operated by Frank M'Glynn. Miss Keith claims to own a half interest in the mine by inheritance from her father, M'Glynn’s former partner M'Glynn becomes aware of Rosalind’s real identity, and plans to restore her rightful interest in the mine. But before he can do so he is murdered—with suspicion falling on both the girl and Dinehart. Kent torn between his love for the girl and his dutv, nevertheless sets out to discover who killed M'Glynn. The climax, replete with thrills and. is fast moving, exciting, and surprising. Sol Lesser selected Howard Bretherton to direct ‘King of the Royal Mounted,’ which was adapted to the screen by Earl Snell. ‘ Second Wife ’ is the associate feature. Gertrude Michael and Walter Abel-are the stars. Presenting Walter Abel as a lawyer-widower with one child, and Gertrude Michael as his second wife the story mingles the romance of a girl’s first love with the problems she faces in creating a home from the ashes of her husband’s former successful marriage.

ST. JAMES * Keep Your Seats, Please.’ now at the St. James, is an apt title for a picture which has as the basis of its plot an eccentric will whereby the “ black sheep ” of a well-to-do family inherits the fortune of his irascible aunt, only if he buys a set of seven chairs in 'which a large urn of money is hidden. George Formby as the ne’er-do-well nephew and Florence Desmond, better known on the radio, as the strayling girl, do more than their share in keeping the action of the picture at a high tension. Both sing several songs in a delightfully bizarre manner, and these, as well as their exaggerated antics, serve to make the picture one of the most enjoyable for a long time. The programme is enhanced by the appearance on the stage of several performers who provide some outstanding entertainment. Trevor and Dawn are adagio dancers of unusual merit, and their number is a pleasing combination of clever acrobatics and grace. Miss Esme Chalk contributes a tap dance that marks her as an, artist of ability, while the pianist. George Dawson, provides some o-'cellent solos. OCTABOH Excellent entertainment is provided in the two. pictures which comprise the programme at the Octagon this w,eek. The ’ first film is ‘ O’lteilly’s Luck,’ a combination of clever comedy, thrills, and romance. The background for the production is the football field of an American college. The leading roles, are taken by Tom Brown, Eleanor Whitney, “ Buster ” Crabbe, and Benny Baker. The second film, ‘ Smart Blonde,’ is an unusual story of a girl reporter on the staff of a leading American paper, who is not afraid to go out after sensational news. To be shown for the first time on Friday at the Octagon is the longawaited film, ‘ Three Men on a Horse,’ which has been produced for two years as a stage play in New York. In a story which is so constructed as to provide an opportunity for comedy at almost every turn, the successful comedian, Frank M'Hugh, could not be better cast. The role he takes is that of “ Oiwin ” Trowbridge, a mild writer of still milder verses for presentation . cards and mothers’ day pamphlets, who finds himself in possession of an infallible guide to picking the winning horses on a race track. When there is added to this the fact that “ Oiwin ” has never been on a racecourse or even laid a bet, the humorous situations can well he imagined. Joan Blondell and Guy Kibbee also have prominent places in the cast, j Joe Cook introduced some innovations to the West, including elephants for mounts instead of horses, in Paramount’s madcap ‘ Arizona Mahoney,’ the associate feature, his first full-length comedy. It is his job to untangle a triangle consisting of Robert Cummings, June Martel, and Larry Crabbe, and how he manages it furnishes the plot for a really amusing film.

' MAYFAIR An entertaining mystery drama, with the renowned Philo Vance striving to find a solution, is now being presented at the Mayfair, with Edmund Lowe taking the role of the famous detective. ‘ The_ Garden Murder Case,’ as the film is titled, has plenty of thrilling situations to hold the spectator’s attention, but’ at the same ime embodies some light-hearted romance and a thin vein of humour. Commencing with the mysterious death of a young jockey taking part in a gentlemen riders’ race, the plot becomes deeper when two more people are struck down, both being close associates of the unfortunate young man. One of the richest families of the United States in involved in the tragedies, and several of the household are suspected. Virginia Bruce, a young society girl, is among those suspected, but she attracts the attention of Vance, who seeks a solution of the crimes in order to clear her name. Among those who figure in the supporting cast are Nat Pendleton, in one of his typical roles as a rather dumb police sergeant, Bonita Hume and Douglas Walton. ‘Sky Parade,’ supporting, features Jimmy'Allen. STRAND The Strand Theatre will be closed for a few days for renovations.