PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 22629, 22 April 1937, Page 8

PICTURE THEATRES

ARLISS AS A SULTAH ‘EAST MEETS WEST 1 AT STATE ‘ East Meets West,’ a GaumontBritish production starring George Arliss, directed by Herbert Mason, gives melodrama of a robust nature, with George Arliss as a crafty -Sultan who replenishes his _ exchequer by deft diplomacy involving Great Britain and an Eastern Ppwer. Developed with great effect, ornate settings, large crowd scenes, gripping suspense, and the star’s personality have combined to make a rich offering for all lovers of spectacle and drama. A. large audience saw the picture for the first time at the State last night. George Arliss appears as the Rajah of a tiny kingdom known as Renang, which, by virtue of its geographical position, is coveted by Great Britain for harbourage purposes. A powerful Eastern country also makes a bid for the Sultan’s friendship, and the wily potentate “ plays ” them both until he has extracted a million pounds from each. Woven into the main plot structure is the saga of a hard-drink-ing British Customs officer, whose pretty wife has an affair with the Sultan’s Oxford-educated son, Nezim. The situation is provocative of suspense at the climax, when the white man is on the point of being hanged for rumrunning. only to be saved at the cost of the English treaty with the Sultan. There are elaborate settings depicting Renang, while large crowd scenes feature in the action. One of the highlights is the gallows’ scene, when the mob snarls about the white man, and his contrite wife, awakened by the treachery of Nezim, pleads at his feet for his life. George Arliss plays the Sultan with relish. Deftly exploiting his famous mannerisms, he succeeds in presenting a study in the ripe Arliss vein, peppering the dialogue with characteristic quips of his own. Godfrey Tearle as the English diplomat renders yeoman support, with Romney Brent makjng an effective foil as the representative of the Eastern Power. Lucie Mannheim is the lovely wife, Ronald Ward her drunken husband, and Ballard Berkely is a convincing princely lover. There is a splendid list of supporting items that enhance the enjoyment of a fine programme. GRAND'S NEW Bill TWO ABSORBING PICTURES * King of the Royal Mounted ’ and ‘ Second Wife ’ are the two new pictures which were shown at the Grand Theatre yesterday. The former is a spirited production, played against a background of scenic grandeur and exciting romance which alternate with breathless thrills. Robert Kent is starred, and Rosalind Keith and Alan Dinehart head the supporting cast. From the pen of Zane Grey, the picture has for its hero a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the locale is the primitive rugged country of North-west Canada. Into this wild section, presided over by Robert Kent as Sergeant King, come Rosalind Keith and Alan-Dinehart. Kent finds put they are travelling under assumed names, his suspicions are aroused, and he decides to make a further investigation. He discovers that the girl is attempting to gain a half-interest in a valuable mine, operated by Frank M’Glynn, sen. Rosalind’s father, until killed in a supposed accident, was M'Glynn’s partner. Kent also discovers that Dinehart, posing as Rosalind’s attorney, in reality is attempting to win control of the mine himself. M'Glynn becomes aware of Rosalind’s true identity, and decides to present her with her rightful interest in the mine. Before he can. do so lie is murdered—with suspicion pointing at both MissKeith and Dinehart. Dinehart takes the girl and attempts to escape, with Kent, torn between love of the girl and his sense of duty, following on the trail. In the majestic vastness of the Canadian Rockies, where the jagged Rockies stand sentinel over'the wilderness, the picture comes to a climax, exciting, breath-taking, thrill-packed. ‘ King of the Royal Mounted ’ was produced by Sol Lesser, with Howard Bretherton director. It is a virile outdoor tale of adventure, and shows how the “ Mounties ” always get their man. The supporting programme contains a good, selection of short comedy and topical features, which round off ah admirable entertainment. EMPIRE In ‘ The Great Ziegfeld,’ which will commence the third week of its popular season at the Empire to-morrow, William Powell plays the role of Florenz Ziegfeld, greatest of American musical producers, and many of the supporting players take roles that portray people still living. Myrna Loy, charming star of so many pictures, is seen as Ziegfeld’s wife (Billie (Burke), and the Viennese star, Luise Rainer, appears as one of Ziegfeld’s discoveries and his first wife (Anna Held). Other players in the great cast include Frank Morgan, playing in the role of Billings; Ziegfeld’s rival, Fannie Brice, as herself; Virginia Bruce, a star who was once a Ziegfeld girl herself; and Reginald Owen. The film is remarkable for the number and variety of its musical numbers, the splendour of its stagings, and the strict way in which the story is confined to actual incidents in the life of the great producer. The story follows his humble beginnings as a side slimy producer in the Chicago World Fair to his final position as the man in charge of the production of the greatest musical extravaganzas in the ■world. Ziegfetd’s was a remarkable career, and its potentialities as the background for a movio plot were recognised ns first class by the whole of tho motion picture industry. REGENT A count from Europe, who, after his marriage with an American heiress, turns cowboy in earnest, is the central character in the film, 1 My American Wife,’ concluding to-night at the Regent. Francis Lederer ' and Ann Sothern have the principal parts, and Billie Bnrko and Fred Stone supporting ones. 1 COME AND GET IT.’ The Metro-Goklwyn-Mayer production, ‘Come and Get it’ will boscreened at the Regent to-morrow. It is a fine drama of the life of an American timber baron. The story has humanity, robustness, spectacle, and natural comedy; the acting is excellent; and the whole film has the Goldwyn finish and an impressive restraint. ‘ Como and Got It ’ recounts the rise of the bard, ambitions 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 an ordinary workman, and the second, when he is a .successful business man and the father of grownup children. Edward Arnold is inv pressivc as Barney, a character to which he is perfectly suited. Frances Farmer, playing both his first, love and her daughter, handles the contrasting roles with great sJkill, 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 deserves credit are Joel M'Crea", Mady Christians, and Mary Nash. A feature of the production is the excellent photographs of timber forests, these scones containing exceptional interest. ‘ Come and Get It ’ is being released through United Artists. ST. JAMES A highly diverting comedy, ‘Keep Your Seats. Please,’ will commence the second week of its season at the St. James to-morrow, in_ conjunction with an entertaining variety presentation, featuring four talented overseas artists. The stage presentations will bo of a high order, presenting tap dancing and adagio dancing, delightful singing, and melodious music from the fingers of a brilliant pianist. Trevor and Dawn are the adagio dancers, and in Australia, America, and England this popular couple enjoys an envious reputation. Esme Chalk appears in several tapdancing numbers, and presents several entertaining songs. George Dawson appears at the piano. ‘ Keep Your Seats, Please,’ has been described as George Formby’s best comic role to date, and, in company with his three untiring assistants—Florence Desmond, Gus AFNaughton, and Alister Sim—he puts over with side-splitting gusto, a swift parade of hilarious situations. The story depicts how George, simple Lancashire boy, is left a fortune by an eccentric relative, but in order to obtain it he has to buy a set of seven chairs, one of which contains hidden wealth. Alister Sim, a crooked family solicitor, learns his secret, as does Gus M'Naughton, a wily travelling salesman who poses as George’s friend. When the chairs are sold by auction to separate purchasers the scramble for the fortune begins. OCTAGON ‘ Smart Blonde ’ and ‘ O’Reily’s Luck ’ are at present at the Octagon. In ‘ Smart Blonde,’ the first of a new series of adventure stories, _ introducing a new film character in Torcby Blane, an efficient and persistent, albeit wise-cracking newspaper _ reporter, Warner Bros, have provided Glenda Farrell with a 1 part eminently suited to her personality and'staccato style of speaking. The drama of the meek little _rhyraster who makes a precarious living by writing greeting card verses and has an uncanny faculty of picking winners of horse races, although ho never bets on one, is told in ‘ Three Men on a Horse,’ which, with ‘ Arizona Mahoney,’ will be screened to-morrow at the Octagon. The play is still going strong on Broadway, though well into its second year, and seven road companies are touring in it in the States, and one in Australia. ‘ Three Men on a Horse ’ features those two popular purveyors of good cheer—Frank M‘Hugh and Joan Blondell. Joe Cook, whose understudy is said to he the entire combined Ringling Brothers, Barnum, and Bailey Circus, makes his first full-length feature appearance in the title role of the second film, a madcap comedy of life on the plains as nobody knows it. Robert Cummings, his assistant in a stranded carnival show, beautiful June Martel, a recent film find, and Larry Crabbe, a bandit chief, support him as a love triangle which Cook solves mainly with a full-grown African elephant, upon which he rushes to the rescue in traditional thriller manner, and a talking goose. MAYFAIR All the exciting adventure and gripping action which have made ‘ The Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen ’ the most popular serial on the radio have been brought to the screen in Paramount’s ‘ The Sky Parade,’ which is now at the Mayfair. l Built around the role which Jimmie has made famous, ‘The Sky Parade’ tells in a,swift succession of thrilling incidents, the inspiring story of man’s true conquest of the air; not merely learning to fly, but the more important angle of bringing such safety and sureness to flying that it could be transformed from a stunt used by dare-devils into the dispensable, useful force we know it to be to-day. ‘ The Garden Murder Case ’ is perhaps the most noteworthy of the Philo Vance stories to reach the screen. Superbly mounted by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was produced by Lucien Hubhard and Ned Marin, and was directed by Edwin L. Marin from screen play by Bertram Millhauscr. STRAND The Strand Theatre will be closed for a few days for renovations. The Strand Theatre will reopen on Saturday, when the two films, ‘ The Girl on the Front Page ’' and ‘ The Man Who Lived Twice,’ will he screened. The first picture presents new angles on the newspaper movie and sparkles with grand comedy dialogue. Rollicking fun, it is expertly directed by Harry Beaumont. Gloria Stuart and Edmund Lowe have the leading roles. Fireworks start when Gloria overhears the editor airing his opinions about “ female newspaper owners.” She goes for him, fire and tongs, and he heaps coals of fire on her head. The blackmail ring, headed by the butler, walks into a trap set by the editor and the heiress. Dan Cupid sets a different trap for the hard-boiled editor, and he finally marries the society girl. Edmund Lowe and Gloria Stuart give a highly amusing performance. Lowe is as hard-boiled a managing editor as ever swung a blue pencil. Other excellent performances are given by Reginald Owen, as the blackmailing butler; Spring Byington as the society mother; David Oliver as the office boy, and Gilbert Emery as the family lawyer.