A VARIED PROGRAMME

Evening Star, Issue 22873, 3 February 1938, Page 8

A VARIED PROGRAMME

RA MOULD AT THE GRAHD !Ea Hould, the Dunedin hoy who secured a contract in Hollywood, plays a part in ‘ A Doctor’s Diary,’ which commenced at the Grand yesterday. Hould plays the part of Michael Fielding, a young violinist who loses the use of his right arm as the result of a delay in performing an operation. The doctor (John Trent) is so upset by the accident that he resigns from the staff of the hospital of • which his fiancee’s father is the owner. Resenting his devotion to science, which she feels interferes with their romance, the girl (Ruth Coleman) breaks off the' engagement shortly before an epidemic of infantile paralysis breaks out. A nurse (Helen Burgess), who was dismissed for criticising one of the doctors for delaying an important operation, realises that the doctor should be at the hospital where he can continue his research for a cure for the dreaded disease. Through her it is agreed that he be reinstated on condition that he will not give evidence against the hospital in a lawsuit which is being brought by Michael Fielding’s mother. The doctor realises that his experiments will lead to a cure for those afflicted with paralysis, and accepts the offer, but at the trial he is shot by the frantic mother. A realisation of love between them then comes to the doctor, and a further operation (performed on the boy’s arm restores it to full use. The associate feature is ‘ Rustlers’ Valley,’ -and takes its subject from a story of the same name by Clarence E. Mulford concerning the adventures of the popular character ‘ Hopalong ’ Cassidy. William Boyd, who has played this part in the majority of Mulford’s tales, again appears in the role of the dashing cowboy, acting with the vigour and resolution that the part demands. Cassidy’s friend, “ Lucky ” Jenkins, is accused of murder by a banker who wishes to have the young cowboy out of the way of his plotting to gain control of a ranch in that locality. Until Cassidy comes on the scene, the situation i does not look very hopeful for him, but, by a series of thrilling coups, Cassidy turns the tables on their enemies. Muriel Evans appears in the chief romantic role. v EMPIRE Four years in the making, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s film version of Pearl S. Buck’s novel, ‘ The Good Earth,’ now showing at the Empire, is one of the most distinguished motion pictures to reach the screen. Not only is it an artistic achievement but it is one of the most stirring, most vibrating, and gripping stories ever to be unfolded on the screen in the history of picturemaking. No little of this is due to the portrayals of its two stars, Paul Muni and Luise Rainer, in the respective role of the poor Chinese farmer Wang and his obedient, self-effacing, slave-girl wife, O-Lan. In support of the stars is a cast headed by Walter Connolly, Tilly Losch, Charley Grapewin, Jessie Ralph, and hundreds of Chinese players. The story of 1 The Good Earth ’ is familiar to the thousands of readers of Pearl Buck’s bestseller. Its screen treatment is based on the novel and on the stage adaptation. The story describes the rise of the Chinese peasant Wang,_ following his marriage to the slave-girl O-Lan, who works beside ‘him in the fields. Famine sweeps the country and they

are ruined, but through O-Lan’s efforts their fortunes are restored. ‘ The Good Earth ’is a picture of pictures. The tragedy of the Chinese peoples is laid bare in a series of interludes which shift from the barren lands of the poor peasants to the palaces of the aristocracy. Direction, camera work, the spectacular backgrounds are outstanding triumphs, but above all will be remembered the portrayals of Paul Muni and Luise Rainer as the central figures of the narrative.

MAYFAIR Hollywood’s composite drama of the present Spanish civil war tells of the lives of nine people who wish to catch ‘ The Last Train From Madrid.’ It was to be expected that the film producers would take advantage of the war_ to obtain new settings for old stories, and Paramount has found plenty of material therein and has released a spectacular film. Thus thrilling melodrama and topical interest have been skilfully blended' in the film, which is the feature attraction at present at the Mayfair. A solid castbuilds up the realism of the production, and it includes Lionel Atwill as the commandant, Karen Morley as the baroness, Lew Ayres as the reporter. Dorothy Lamour ns the woman who is loved by two good men, Anthony Quinn as the captain, Gilbert Roland as the political prisoner, Robert Cummings as the deserter, and Olympe Bradna as his friend. It is not often that the entire score of motion picture meets with the approval of the public. Columbia’s new Big Crosby comedy, ‘ Pennies From Heaven.’ the second feature, seems to he another tune-filled treat. The tunes included in ‘ Pennies From Heaven ’ are: ‘Pennies From Heaven.’ the title ballad, sung by Crosby to little Edith Fellows in a haunted house sequence ; ‘So Do T.’ a love song which runs through the picture, sung by Bing to Madge Evans; ‘Let’s Call a Heart a Heart.’ a torch ballad, snug by Bing to Miss Evans in a roadside cafe; ‘ One. Two, Button Your Shoe,’ a novelty song in swing-time and march rhythm, sung by Bing to children in an orphanage, with the kiddies joining in; ‘Skeleton in _ the Closet.’ a “ spooky,” but comic, number, introduced by Louis Armstrong, the famed trumpet player, who sings and plays it.