PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 22818, 29 November 1937, Page 9

PICTURE THEATRES

STRAND * The League of Frightened Men ’ and * Cafe Collette ’ are at tjie Strand. In •the first feature the part of Nero Wolfe, a famous fictional detective, is played by Walter Connolly, who acts with suavity and dry humour. By clever deduction he solves an intriguing mys--tery surrounding the deaths of a judge and an art dealer. ‘ Cafe Collette,’ the second film, is something new in “ thrillers,” for it combines music with secret service drama. Gretta Nissen and Paul Cavanagh head the cast of this entertaining production, which deals with , the attempts of a, gang of international - armament spies to steal the formula for a dangerous. new explosive. They use as their base of operations the notorious Cafe Collette, one of Paris’s best-known . cabarets. Eventually they are thwarted by the ever-vigilant British secret service men. GRAND Unforgettably portrayed by the star of ‘ The Informer ’ and an inspired cast, ■‘Nancy Steele is Missing,’ showing at the Grand, psesents a powerful drama of vengeful hate balked by its own fury . and punished by man’s greatest love.' The performances of Victor M'Laglen, winner of the Motion Picture Academy award for the best'performance of 1935; • Walter Connolly, outstanding actor of ntage and screen; and Peter Lorre, make ‘ Nancy Steele is Missing ’_ a .'splendid film, filled with tense thrills " and strong passions. June Lang , and Robert Kent are featured in the film. With the most brilliant and exciting combination of feminine _ personalities ■ ever to appear in one picture—Janet Gay nor, Loretta Young, Constance Bennet, and Simone Simon—supported by Don _ Ameche, Paul Lukas, Tyrone Power, jun., and Alan Mowbray, ‘ Ladies in Love ’ (the other film) tells a brilliantly unusual story, with each of the four feminine-players entertaining in her own way. JOE E, BROWN COMEDY. Hilarious events and situations follow one another in swift succession in Joe E. Brown’s latest film, ‘ When’s Your Birthday?’ which will be shown at the Grand on Wednesday, and which is said to mark a new high point in the fun-making of the screen’s favour- '■! ite comedian. Completing his final prize fight for the purpose of raising money to pay for his course as astrology, the comedian hangs up his gloves; puts ft steak on his latest black eye, and goes blithely forth to seek a job. Various adventures finally lead him to a Midway concession, wherb he embarks on a career as a professional soothsayer, only to long for a return to his former status as a part-time prize fighter—just for a rest. His uncanny predictions gradually bring him eminence in his field, and he even finds : time to fall in love, becoming the apex ,of the eternal triangle. The- climax of ‘ the story brings the picture to a close 'in : a veritable riot of merriment. ‘ When’s Your Birthday ?’ ‘was directed by Harry Beaumont, and Brown’s supporting cast includes Marian Marsh, Fred. Keating, Edgar Kennedy, Minor Watson, Suzanne Kaaren, Maude Efiurne, and Frank Jenks. ‘ The Lady Escapes will be the associate feature. ; ■ EMPIRE "'Dashiell Hammett’s , "mystery story, .‘.After the_ Thin Man,’ which is still at the Empire, features William Powell and Myrna Loy» -This is a sequel to ‘ The Thin Man,’ and the sequel picks up whgre the original work left off. The supporting cast includes James Stewart, Eljssa Landi, Joseph Calleia, Jessie, Ralph, and Asta, the intelligent wirehaired terrier which played a. clever part-in ‘ The Thin Man.’ The new story presents the detective as he re- . turns from New York to his home in ' San Francisco determined to abandon sleuthing activities forever. The first thing that slaps him in the face is an A 1 mystery, with a murder and another series of _ irresistible adventures.; The story carries up into the artisto- - cratic heights of Nob Hill, in the.city of- the Gdffden Gate, and descends into the spicy atmosphere of Chinatown, with the solution never in sight until the very end. As a matter of fact, according to M.-G.-M. authorities, the final scenes were filmed secretly and the cast was virtually sworn to keep the plot to themselves. WALLS AND LYNN AGAIN. The story of ‘ For Valour,’ the film to commence its Dunedin season at the Empire on Friday, tells of Doubleday (Tom Walls), an ex-convict, who saves the life of Major Hilary Pyke (Ralph Lynn) in the South African War, but instead -of being honoured he is sent back to prison. The Great War starts, and the major, touring the prisons for , suitable'recruits, again meets the man who saved his life years before. As a reward the major brings up the convict’s sonj-i Charlie, with his own grandson', Willie, who is so influenced by his childhood companion that he, on growing up, enters the “ trade,” and—; owing to a trifling error—enters prison for a guiet sojourn. The story ends after indescribably hilarious adventures, on the crest of a wave of virtue, . with Willie finally becoming a Scoutmaster; The only jarring note comes from a quarter least expected, when Major Pyke, of all people, attempts to filch a , lady’s handbag while being wheeled along Brighton front by old Doubleday—desire suppressed for so many years had to be satisfied. In conjunction with this programme will be/ held every night a parade of the finalists'in the Utopia Club’s Miss Otagb of 1937 contest. STATE The musical appeal of ‘ Waikiki Wedding ’ at the State is undeniable Not only are Bing Crosby and Shirley Ross delightful in their vocal offerings, but there are a number of new tunes which will be appreciated. As publicity agent and a contest winner, the two stars join in presenting the fun. Shirley finds Hawaii a bit tame, and Bing undertakes to supply glamour and thrills. What a publicity agent can do for a girl he is interested in is simply amazing, but it is all in the interests of business, and the story becomes really interesting when she discovers that his stunts and sighs have all been professional. To keep his role he has to go at it in dead earnest. Whilq on a cruise they are kidnapped by natives, and eventually become the unwilling guests of a tribe which treats them with: elaborate ceremonial dancing, from which they escape through the genius of Bing. As a spectacle of colourful island life ‘Waikiki Wedding’ is excellent. There’s an excellent supporting programme.

REGENT If it is action you like, with a dash of romance and excitement and humour, ‘High, Wide, and Handsome, which is at the Regent, is just that kind of entertainment. It is melodrama, if you like to call it so—-as enjoyable as any since the days when William S. Hart drew audiences of tense youngsters. It has every element that makes a picture —good story, good acting, good singing, good comedy, ana the most exciting of n ‘ scraps. Irene Dunne and Randolph Scott have the leads—but do not Picture them as a ‘ Roberta ’ team. They are as charmingly romantic, but it is a role that holds something entirely new for Irene Dunne. The scene is laid in America in the days when oil wasjust entering the boom stage—something that would light the lamps of the world and turn the wheels of industry as coal had in the past. When oil was discovered, a violent conflict developed between oildrilling farmers and powerful transportation interests seeking to wrest control of the industry from them. Inis story makes a film of outstanding interest. _____ OCTAGON Exciting incidents in the lives of linesmen who look after the maintenance of electric power transmission lines across the American continent are projected in realistic fashion on to the screen in ‘ Slim,’ a melodrama now at the Octagon. The stars are Henry Fonda, Pat O’Brien, and Margaret Lindsay. O’Brien has had an interesting career in pictures. He spent many years in small companies on, the road” after being “discovered’ by Jimmy Gleason. He has made oyer JO pictures, and in the past two years has risen to stardom. Henry Fonda was born in Nebraska. H© was engaged by Marc Connolly, author of ‘ The Green Pastures,’ to play the male lead in ‘ The Farmer Takes a Wife,’ in which he scored an instant success. From that point his future was assured. Margaret Lindsay made her debut in the Noel Coward play. ‘ Cavalcade. In ‘ Slim ’ ■ she plays the role of a. nurse who falls in love with both Fonda and O’Brien. The programme includes ‘ She’s No Lady,’ featuring Ann Dvorak and John Trent. ST. JAMES Hal Roach introduces a new and decided stellar comedy team, Patsy Kelly and Lyda Roberti, in their initial Hal Roach-M.G.M. full-length feature comedy, ‘ Nobody’s Baby,’ which is at the St. James. The picture is described as a laugh-feast from the time Kitty Reilly (Patsy Kelly) and Lena Marchetti (Lyda Roberti), meet, applying for an amateur radio show audition, until the finale. Kitty and Lena, as student nurses, comically clumsy in learning the technique of their trade, make some hilarious faux pas and have a series of hysterically funny adventures. Receiving an invitation from their friends, .Detective-lieutenant Emery Littleworth (Lynn© Overman) and reporter “ Scoops ” Hanford (Robert Armstrong), the girls obtain permission to take the evening off. The foursome proceed to the Club Tropicano, the gayest spot in town, where they watch the sensational dance team of Yvonne and Cortez (Rosina Lawrence and Don Alvarado), and there occurs the first pf a number of hilarious incidents that, bring the story to a really unexpected climax. MAYFAIIT • In ‘ When You’re "in Love,’ , which is at the Mayfair, romance and comedy are skilfully blended. Grace Moore and Cary Grant appear as two somewhat temperamental artists in different spheres, the one a diva and the other a mural painter, and the manner in which they alternately attract and repel each other, without regard for the consequences to other people, makes for intriguing entertainment.. A new, male star is featured with Rosalind' Keith in Columbia’s new drama, ‘ Motor Madness,’ which is the second film. His name is Allen Brook, and this is only his second appearance on the screen. Previously he - was seen in ‘ The Holy Terror.’