PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 22721, 7 August 1937, Page 23

PICTURE THEATRES

THE NEW PROGRAMMES SPARKLING, ATTRACTIVE MUSICAL ELEANOR POWELL STARRED ' : One of the most attractive films of the light musical type shown in Dunedin for some time past is ‘ Born to Dince,’ the MetrorGoldwyn-Mayer production which entered its second week •at the Empire yesterday. In movement, colour, excellence of stage settings and lilting music, this film achieves a notably high standard of light-hearted entertainment, the irresistible appeal of Eleanor Powell, whose dancing is one of the- prime features of the film, and the lively melodies from the pen of Cole Porter, America’s Noel Coward, giving the production a freshness and variety that' contribute very largely towards its success. Nearly every character in the film makes some quota to its total of humour, of which there is an abundance, and many of the scenes are extremely while the story itself, although slight in outline, is of sufficient strength to give the production a definite purpose. The theme is, of course, of a light and somewhat fantastic variety, but in that respect it is in perfect accord with the general atmosphere of the film, and is so developed that it serves its

purpose—that of providing appropriate moments for the introduction of brilliant §tage scenes and catchy musical numbers—with admirable 'effect. The chief credit for the picture’s success • must go to Eleanor Powell, whose charmingly fresh unaffectedness, lissom f' race and. exquisite dancing remain the Tightest memory of the production. Miss Powell, more than any other dancer of her class, has raised the standard of tap-dancing above its original vaudeville level by bringing to it more imaginative interpretation. . Playing opposite Miss Powell is James Stewart, who appears 'as a lonely submarine man who seeks out an insti- ' tution rejoicing in the name of ‘ the Lonely Hearts Club in an endeavour to find the companionship for jvhich his heart craves. There he meets Miss Powell, with the natural result. In the meantime two of his shipmates, amusingly played by Buddy Ebsen and Sid Silvers, are also seeking solace for the lonely hours they have spent at sea, but Silvers finds more than he bargains for when he encounters his wife, ithom he has left some four years previously.- He attempts to re-establish relations with the lady, but is met with a sharp rebuff, his wife electing to set her cap at the handsome James Stewart, whom she imagines is her errant husband. After some difficulty Stewart is disentangled from an awk■tfard situation, and the merry show at the Lonely Hearts Club proceeds. Miss Powell is given her opportunity in a big stage show produced at the club, and . scores a tremendous , success, hut her happiness is considerably dampened by the fact that Stewart is seen constantly in the company of a certain leading lady. The inevitable misunderstandings are developed 'cleverly and, amusingly, but eventually there is A complete clearing up of wrong impressions, and the two principal figures end in each other’s arms. Stewart shows considerable versatility , and talent, and has a particularly pleasing (personality, while Sid Silvers provides an amusing contrast in his role as a seaman in love. Virginia Bruce is responsible for a polished performance as a musical comedy actress, and Alan Dinehart, as her husband and publicity agent, brings lightness and personality to a part which _ requires just those touches to give it its true value. The supporting programme is an exceedingly interesting one, the major items being another absorbing number of the March of Time ’ series, a Fitzpatrick travelogue on Madagascar, and newsreels. ' ROMEO AND JULIET, ’ . ‘ Romeo and Juliet,’ which will have its Dunedin premiere at the Empire oft Friday next, is a magnificently-pro-duced, splendidly-acted and profoundly movmg picture; something to which M-6-3VI will b© a bio to point with ■pfide for a long time to come. Although Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer, as Romeo and Juliet respectively, have the major roles, the

fine success of the film is attributable, at least as much as it is to them, to the finished performances of the many subsidiary players who appear, John Barrymore, for example—what a Mercutio! And-Basil Ratnbone, as" Pybalt; magnificent old C. Aubrey Smith, as Lord Oapulet; Edna May Oliver, Andy Devine, Ralph Forbes, and Conway Tearle. DRAMA OF SELF-SACRIFICE REALISM AND SINCERITY IN ‘ GREEN LIGHT ‘ There is dramatic entertainment of a very fine type and something besides entertainment in ‘ Green Light,’ the attraction this week at the Regent. It is high recommendation for the picture that the story is by the author of ‘ Magnificent Obsession.’ The underlying philosophical and ethical theme of the earlier picture is again to be found, but. treated in a very different manner and through a story that has perhaps even more appeal to human sensibilities: The acting is extraordinarily good; the players seem to'be conscious that they have each been given the opportunity of taking exceptional roles, and their interpretations are marked by outstanding realism, and sincerity. There is a confidence about the whole production that makes it impossible for any audience not to respond to‘its appeal, and not only enjoy it as a piece of drama, but be, convinced, by the soundness of the ideals that it upholds. Errol Flynn, the handsome Irish romantic who won such a triumph in Captain Blood,’ his very first picture, is the star of the film. Instead of a swashbuckling pirate, this time, in ‘ Green Light,’ he is a heroic young doctor, who sacrifices his promising career in a great city by taking on his own shoulders the blame for an operation bungled by another. In search of some way to make himself useful to society and to prove to the girl he loves-' by deeds what he cannot in honour prove by words, he goes to an obscure mountain laboratory and searches for a serum that will prevent deadly epidemics. Almost at the sacrifice of his life he finds it, and returns to fame and love, with his professional name cleared of any and all blame.

Flynn, whose performances in * Captain Blood ’ and ‘ The Charge of, the Light Brigade ’ won him such honours, rises to even greater dramatic heights in ‘ Green Light,’ proving himself one of the greatest romantic “finds” of the last few years in the role of a young surgeon. Lovely Anita Louise, who shares the honours, is the girl for whose sake Flynn suffers and nearly dies. With her _ natural charm and genuine dramatic ability she is perfectly cast. So, too, is dark-eyed Margaret Lindsay in the role of a nurse who has always loved the young doctor, hut is not destined to have him. In the end, however, her work and the companionship of another young doctor prove compensation to her. Sir Cedric Hardwicke. who received his knighthood for magnificent work on the stage, lives entirely up to his great reputatoin. Brought from the London stage for this picture, he plays a religious dean, whose advice and philosophy shape the lives of the other characters. As the surgeon who , bungles the operation and causes Flynn’s martyrdom, hut subsequently redeems himself, Henry O’Neill gives one of his always thoughtful and appealing performances. And the same phrase might be fitted to the work of Walter Abel as a fellow-scientist of Flynn’s, who works with him at the mountain laboratory. Spring Byington gives one of her most convincing performances as Mrs Dexter, who is one of the dean’s most trusting followers. In the film Dr Newell Paige (Errol Flynn) is the protege of Dr Endicott (Henry O’Neill), one of the nation’s foremost surgeons, and the two doctors are associates on the hospital staff. Mrs Dexter (Spring Byington), a wealthy and prominent woman, is being operated on, when Dr Endicott, who is under a nervous strain because he has lost his personal fortune, lets the knife slip. She dies, and the hospital board investigates the matter. Endicott pleads his case to Paige in private, says that he is old, and that if he loses his good name now, with his fortune gone, there is nowhere he can turn, so Paige assumes the blame and is asked to resign from the hospital. He meets Phyllis. Dexter (Anita Louise) at the home of Francis Ogilvie (Margaret Lindsay)—a nurse with whom he has been associated at the hospital. Phyllis and Newell are immediately attracted to one another, hut when she finds out that he is the doctor whom she believes to have caused

her mother’s death she will have nothing to do with him. In the hope' of rebuilding his ruined life and' of justifying his very existence, Paige goes to _Boone Mountain, Montana, and joins his friend, Dr Stafford (Walter Abel), at the Federal laboratory for the investigation of spotted fever. Meanwhile Phyllis realises that she loves Paige, although she still believes him responsible for her bereavement. So she follows him to Montana, and finds that he has used himself to experiment on, and is very ill with the fever. She gets in touch with Francis, who flies to Montana with Dr Endicott. Paige insists on keeping a case history of his illness, and when he finally recovers from the fever the mystery of how to curb the dread disease is solved. Dr Endicott clears Paige’s name, and Phyllis and Newell, married, go back to their old home. Throughout the story ,Dean Harcourt (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) is an influence for .the good in the lives of all the characters.' Each one comes to him in time of need and receives from him the “ green light ” signal to go ahead. Associated with the -main picture are' several .'features of an interesting nature, including a , Hal. Ic Roy. mnsicale, ‘ Swing 'For Sale.’ the -Vitapbone Pictorial Review, and the Regent air mail service, S

MURDER IN FILMLAND INGENIOUS FLIT IN ‘MAD HOLIDAY' The _ presentation of film stars as stars in a picture, has long been a favourite plot with Hollywood magnates, but few such pictures could equal the high standard set in * Mad Holiday,’ which opened at the St. James yesterday. With a most ingenious plot, brilliant direction, a host of unusual backgrounds, this film can be counted as one of the best murder mysteries yet to .be shown locally.. The cast alone would be sufficient to carry a film, including as it does, Edmund Lowe, Elissa Landi, Zasu Pitts, Ted Healy, Edmund Gwenn, _ and Walter Kingsford. A movie within a movie—the murder of an international jeweller on a coastwise steamship between Los Angeles and San _ Francisco—a _ second murder in a Chinese theatre in San Francisco’s Chinatown—these are the ramifications of one of the most unusual mystery dramas to reach the screen. The “movie within a movie” angle of the picture centres upon Edmund Lowe appearing as a Hollywood star who, sick at being typed in mystery parts, walks off the set and takes the fateful coastwise steamer voyage. Miss Landi, playing the author of the picture out of which he has “ walked,” also embarks on the steamer, determined to bring the actor back at any cost, even to devising a make-believe murder. , When the hoaxed murder turns out unexpectedly to be a real one the complications begin. Nor does the plot end there. It moves with a startling rapidity to the final scene, a murder in a San Francisco Chinatown theatre. The occurrences both abroad and in the weird Chinese theatre are full of suspense and interest but the picture achieves more of a distinction in not taking itself too seriously but rather in kidding itself and mystery plots in general. To this effect the appearance m the supporting cast of Zasu Pitts and Ted Healy, an uproarious comedy team if there ever was one, was _ a master stroke of casting. Equally ingenious was the casting of Lowe as the hero of the picture within a picture, and Miss Landi as the author. It must have been a comparatively simple assignment for both stars, tor they had practically but to play “ themselves.” Lowe, during his professional career, has played the part of detective in in-

numerable pictures, the most recent of which was his part of Philo Vance in ‘The Garden Murder Case.’ Miss !Landi likewise impersonates herself in the part of the author, for in private life, she has written four successful novels with a fifth, ‘ To-day the Rebels,’ now ready for publication. The supporting programme well maintains the high standard set by ‘ Mad Holiday.’ Pete Smith presents another of his entertaining short subjepts in ‘ Bar-Rac’s Night Out,’ -while a delightful tabloid musical is seen in ‘ A Girl’s Best Years.’ A Popeye cartoon and news reels complete an outstanding programme. LAUGHTER AND THRILLS GRAND'S FINE FARE tee Tracy and Gloria Stuart portray the principal roles in the thrilling melodrama based on the American Post Office Department’s relentless battle against crime and fraud, ‘ Wanted: Jane Turner.’ ■ which is to be screened at the Grand. The dynamic and smooth-tongued Tracy plays the role of an ace postal inspector, who resents the invariable assignment of a lovely department secretary, Gloria Stuart, to his cases, until she suddenly and emphatically makes him realise her worth. Tracy, with Miss Stuart, goes in chase of a gang of desperadoes responsible for a sensational daylight theft and murder. The henchmen are swiftly apprehended through the adroit use of scientific instruments of crime detection, but the leader remains at large. Brilliant sleuthing and scientific detection are combined with Tracy and Miss Stuart’s courage to capture him. Merrily rolling along on a vacation on wheels, the happy-scrappy Jones family fill the wide, open spaces with fun and hilarity in their latest—and best—Twentieth Century-Fox hit, ‘ Back to Nature,’ which will he the second film. Featuring Jed Prouty, Shirley Deane, Dixie Dunbar, Tony Martin, Spying Byington, Kenneth Howell, George Ernest,' June Carlson, Florence Roberts, and Billy Mahan, the picture is a hilarious narrative of the Jones’s vacation—which they take on the open road in an automobile trailer. TWO THRILLING DRAMAS. Widely heralded ae the strangest drama ever lived and acclaimed as one of the outstanding film achievements ever produced in Hollywood, ‘ The Road To Glory,’ Twentieth Century-Fox production, comes on Wednesday to the Grand. Fredric March, Warner Baxter, and Lionel Barrymore are starred, and the supporting cast includes June Lang and Gregory Ratoff, as well as a host of other screen players. Howard Hawks directed the film, based on the screen story by Joel Sayre and William Faulkner. Nunn ally Johnson was associate producer. A new angle in criminology proves unusually successful in ‘ 15 Maiden Lane,’ Twentieth Cen-tury-Fox thriller of the world’s jewel centre, which supports. Determined to catch the silk-hatted crook, played by Cesar Romero, who dared defy the scientific watchdogs of New York’s Diamond Row, Claire Trevor is a sleuth in satin who sets her_ trap with a kiss, recovering the millian dollar gem, as well as breaking up a crime ring. BRIGHT CANINE FILM WITH GANGSTER PICTURE AT STRAND Two pictures, each equally entertaining but of a distinctly different type, form the attractive programme that opened at the Strand yesterday. ‘ The Mighty Treve ’ is the story of a dog, although an abundance of incident is worked around the central character; while ‘ The Frame-up ’ reaches new heights in excitement. ‘ The Mighty Treve,’ the Universal picture featuring Noah Beery, jun., and Barbara Read, is the feature film. The story, taken from the novel ‘ Treve,’ by the noted author, Albert Payson Terhune, relates the adventure, romance, and pitfalls encountered by a young fellow when he sets out to make .his way in the world. The movie gains its dramatic force from the simple, direct way in which it is presented, according to advance reports. After Noah meets Barbara he discovers that her uncle, a sheep owner, is an eccentric person with a cowering fear of dogs. Noah and his dog Treve are ordered off the ranch. Then Barbara gets in some fancy diplomacy and Noah remains with his canine pal, who later saves Uncle’s life. Treve wins a number of prizes at a dog show The climax of the story is reached when owners of surrounding sheep ranches 1 accuse Treve of being a sheep killer.

They are about to execute him when an unexpected development saves the animal. The romance between Barbara and Noah grows apace as they ride over the rolling hills, where giant trees stand sentry in a garden spot of Nature. The cast includes in promiment supporting roles Alma Kruger, Samuel S. Hinds, and Hobart Cavanaugh. As a new kind of screen detective, forced to work under cover because cruel killers hold his fiancee as hostage, Paul Kelly is perfectly cast in ‘The Frame-up.’ Pretty Jacqueline Wells returns to pictures to portray Kelly’s secretaVy-sweetheart, Robert Emmett O’Connor is an ominous “ heavy,” and George M‘Kay wins more than his usual share of laughs as Kelly’s right-hand man. Kelly is chief of State Racing Commission detectives assigned to a prorpinent track. As handicap day nears, a horde of gamblers and bookmakers invade the nearby town, backing a certain horse. Others don’t concede it a chance, so the invaders get big odds. Suspicious, Kelly learns they have stolen the original horsie and- put a sure-win “ ringer ” in its stall. The missing horse’s owner is afraid to complain because he is menaced by gunmen. Kelly goes to O’Connor, head of the mob. but finds the crooks have kidnapped his fiancee, and deposited money to his account, making it look ae though he has accepted a bribe. He promises to drop his activities regarding the horse, but immediately plunges into a quiet investigation and traces the identity of the “ ringer.” Then, with his sweetheart’s life the penalty for failure, he starts to put a plan into operation which takes the story through a succession of tightlly-knit dramatic scenes, climaxing in an exciting finish that sees the lovers reunited and their enemies driven to cover. Well written and beautifully > photographed, 1 The Frame-up ’ was directed by D. Ross Lederman. The supporting cast is headed by Wade Boteler, C. Montague Shaw, and Raphael Bennett.

v LILY PUNS AT STATE OPERA SINGER IN BRILLIANT COMEDY The State’s new picture is entitled very aptly ‘ That Girl from Paris.’ This is a devastating comedy, and it features in vastly different roles the Metropolitan grand opera star, Lily Pons, an exquisite singer and vivacious actress, Gene Raymond, the handsome Boy Blue of the stage, and that genial merryman, Jack Oakie, who grows more like the traditional brass Buddha every day. The great charm of this extraordinarily amusing comedy is the violent contrast it embodies in the marvellous flights of refined vocalism from the pocket edition prima donna, and the hilarious and the reverse of refined humour that Mr Oakie broadcasts. Such are the situations created that one finds oneself enraptured with the flights of brilliant coloratura song while laughing at the foolery of Oakie and his jazz band friends'. It happens in the story that Lily Pons is Niki, a young girl with the promise of a brilliant career, who is about to marry, but decides at the altar to say “No, I don’t,” instead of “ I do.” Having made a scene before Monsieur le Maire, she dashes into the country on .a temperamental “ jag.” There she changes dresses with a country woman, and meets a young nian in a sports car with a vacant seat. Fancying she wants a lift, “Windy” M'Lean pulls up; but she scorns such chivalry one moment, and the next, liking the humour of the young man, she jumps in, and away to Paris they go. He (a member of an American jazz band) is off to America. Niki wants to go, too, but he will not hoar of it, and hands her a rough farewell. By this time Niki knows she loves him, so stows away on the liner, and. is discovered in the bandsmen’s cabin by the purser. At New York she manages to evade the •authorities (for she has no passport) by jumping out of the porthole, and once more turns up at the bandsmen’s “ digs ” to their utter despair, as the police are now after her. The next episode occurs when Niki creates a riot at a roadhouse through her beautiful singing, and the police are advised as to her identity. Following the raid the whole hand, of which Oakie is the drummer, is gaoled, but it is Niki who Dails them out. Thou finally Niki is about to wed her impressario friend of Paris, when once more the hand intervenes, and sees to it that she marries “ Windy ’’—even if it has to be done under pressure in a fleeing motor car. Miss Pons sings delightfully a much befrilled setting of ‘ The Blue Danube' (Strauss), a tarantella by Panqfka, the French love song, ‘ Sea! it with a Kiss.’ and, best of all, the aria ‘ Una Voce Poco Fa ’ from Rossini’s opera ‘ The Barber of Seville,’ which is worth walking miles to hear. Jack Oakie and the other members of

the band are very funny, each being a distinct character. Miss Pons, who is a dainty little figure, wears a number of costumes which strike a new and somewhat daring note. There are also newsreels and two special films. APPEALING MAE W£BT IN OCTAGON'S COMEDY SUCCESS Mae West is back in Dunedin, this time at the Octagon, and in an. entirely j different role to that of her other picI tures. This one is entitled ‘Go West, ! Young Man,’ and it is the first of two special films secured by this theatre. The screen play was actually written by Miss West,, and the dialogue at times is a riot of merriment with typical West wise-cracks. Mae West’s role is 40, years more advanced than in some of her previous successes. Instead of being a highly-dressed beauty of the “ naughty nineties,” she is a glamorous film star of ultra-modern technique. A clause in the film contract which has brought her fame and fortune makes love and matrimony forbidden fruit for five years. This does not prevent her. however, from playing with fire, and the humour of her' deft juggling with the hot coals without actually getting burnt gives the film many intriguing and hilarious sequences. Closest peril of all was her intrigue with the tall, blonde, and handsome inventor-garage hand, played by Randolph Scott, whom she all but entices to Hollywood. Her own heart of gold, however, saves his heart and the situation. Another peril of the fire was an old flame, now a prominent politician, a role taken by Lyle Talbot. Her Press agent, Warren William, is paid especially to keep the contract intact, but though he deftly leads her out from all the forbidden gardens into which her erring feet stray, he himself falls a -victim to her allurements. Among the musical numbers are ‘ On a Typical Tropical Night ’ and ‘ I was Saying to the Moon.’ Gertrude Michael, the famous star of ‘ Omar, the Tentmaker,’ and other stage successes, supports Herbert Marshall in ‘ Till We Meet Again.’ As a British matinee idol, in love with a Viennese actress, Marshall is cast into the maelstrom of the World War. The actress is forced to desert her lover and return to Germany to take up her duties as a spy. Marshall joins the British Intelligence Service, and, while operating in Germany, again meets his finnneee. She saves his life at the risk of facing a firing squad. . KAY FRANCIS TRIUMPH ‘WHITE ANGEL' HIGHLY DRAMATIC What is heralded as one of the outstanding productions of the screen, ‘ The White Angel,’ a First National picture portraying the life story of the immortal nurse, Florence Nightingale, is now at the Mayfair, with Kay Francis in the stellar role. The picture paints in fiery_ drama the fight of Florence Nightingale, a wealthy English society girl, to remedy conditions in army field hospitals and the neglect of dying soldiers. All the tragedy and pathos of the battlefield is pictured in the film, as well as the beauty of the life of sacrifices of Florence Nightingale and her specially-picked nurses. ‘ Eight Bells,’ the second film, tells the story of Marge Walker, the daughter of the owner of the steamship line, Captain Roy Dale, master of the freighter, and Steven Andrews, first officer. Marge is engaged to the captain and takes the trip to be near him. At sea be shows hi? incompetency. while the' first officer demonstrates his mastery. The girl finally discovers it is Andrews she really loves. In the cast are Franklin Pangborn, Catharine Doncet. John Darrow, Emerson Treacy. Joseph Sauers, Joseph Singer, and Charley Grapowin.