PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 22892, 25 February 1938, Page 7

PICTURE THEATRES

GRAND 'Although Fred. Conyngham and Kathleen o’Regan play the main romantic roles of ‘ Rose of Tralee ’ at the Grand, most of the appeal of the sentimental drama is carried by the dainty little child player, Binkie Stuart, who gives an excellent performance. These players are supported by a capable cast fed by the Irish'tenor, Danny .Malone, •who sings a number of popular songs, . all 'with an Irish flavour. The picture itself is inspired by the old-fashioned hut ever-popular song, ‘ Rose of Tralee,’ and Danny Malone’s other songs include ‘ Mountains of Mourne,’ ‘ Come Back to Erin, ’and other equally tuneful numbers. The story tells of the troubles of a young mother and her little daughter, the husband and father .being overseas. Mother and child are befriended by a quaint old couple who conduct a cafe. A thrilling plot is created by the efforts of an agent to keep the father separated from his family, but eventually they are reunited. Pinkie Stuart may be classified as a •“ find ”; she gives indications of a genius which should make her very popular with screen audiences. The second feature is a full-blooded melodrama of the kind that generally finds a large following. It bears the intriguing title ‘ Fair Warning,’ and deals with sudden death and its consequences.' The featured player is J. Edward Blomberg, and in a strong supporting cast are Betty Furness, Victor Killian, and John Howard Payne. EMPIRE Under the direction of Robert Z. Leonard, who made ‘ The Great Zeigfeld,’ Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy are seen in ‘ Maytime,’ the film which began a season last evening at the Empire. In one of the most difficult sequences in the entire picture Miss MacDonald and Eddy sing grand opera together for the first_ time. A huge replica of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City in 1875 was built on two stages. With 60 singers on the stage and an orchestra of 65 pieces the stars made an entire act in an original opera written especially for ‘ May time.’ Together the stars sing ‘ Will You Remember? ’ the theme song," written by Sigmund Romberg for his original New York _ production; 1 Carry Me Back to Old Virginny,’ and the celebrated ‘ Santa Lucia,’ Italian folk sfong. Elddy does three specialty numbers, . ‘ The Students’ Drinking St>ng,’ ‘ Ham and Eggs,’ which is a idedley of operas set to comedy lyrics, and * Vive I’Opera,’ a comedy song 'about fat prima donnas. The story, taken from Rida Johnson Young’s original play and adapted by Noel Langley, opens in 1905 with Miss MacDonald appearing in old lady make-up for the first time, trying to solve the : romantic problems of Lynne Carver and Tom Browne by telling the girl of her own life, so she can choose between love and a career. The story then goes back to 1865, aqd, briefly, throws Miss MacDonald as a prima donna, and Eddy, as a young singing student, together in a cellar cafe in Paris. They love and part because Miss MacDonald already has promised to wed .Barrymore, who has been her benefactor and guiding hand to success. ST. JAMES It is difficult to imagine a' picture more replete with comic situations than George Formhy had in ‘ Keep Your Seats, Please,’ yet that distinction is accorded his latest offering, ‘Keep Fit,’ which is now in its second week at the St; James. George has the role of- a young assistant in the barber’s'shop ina department store. He also has a sheepish fondness for the shop’s pretty young manicurist. In the hope of _ finding favour in her eyes and justifying a supposed reputation for athletic prow- : ess, George enters the keep-fit competitions conducted by a local newspaper. When it comes to rowing, George picks on a punt as the safest medium; but Miss Manicure chooses a skiff, so George has to skiff for the lady’s favour. In more than one sense George is much upset, and when it comes to swimming, who is he, a beginner at .the art, that he should be called upon to rescue a fat man from drowning ? In ' the gymnasium further feats await him, inexpert though ho is at parallel bars and the flying trapeze.; Worse still, George must ride a hull, and, as though that were not enough, finally is called bn to fight a four-round contest for the boxing championship of the county. Thanks to goodness and the now relenting manicure lady, George is provided with a mascot, and emerges, the winner. Fofmby has ample opportunity for the display of his particular and peculiar talents. Despite his many adventures, he finds time to produce his banjo and sing several of his songs in effective style, but it is in the field of burlesque that he shines most. 1 STATE Paul Robeson and Elizabeth Welch, generous with songs in their own popular and distinctive style, are' the chief attraction in ‘ Big Fella,’ which will be shown at the State this week. Robe- ' son’s magnificent voice, so splendidly presented in ‘ Sanders of the River ’ and ‘ Show Boat,’ is even more delightful in ‘ Big Fella.’ He has six songs —‘ Lazin’,’ ‘ I Got a Robe,’ * Roll Up, Sailorman,’ ‘My Curly-headed Baby,’ * River Steals My Folks from Me,’ and ■‘You Didn’t Oughta Do Such Things.’ fibs Welch titles are ‘ One Kiss ’ and Harlem in My Heart.’ The plot of ’the story deals with the mysterious disappearance • of a young boy from a vessel in port, and, as Joe, Robeson plays the rolo of a dockside worker, called upon to assist in the search for .the hoy. Though the police officials are unable to do anything, it is generally 'thought that the boy has been kidnapped. The story takes a rather strange .turn when Joe manages to find the boy, who has not been kidnapped, but has merely run away. He tells Joe 'that if he takes him back he will let everyone believe that it is Joe who kidnapped him. With the assistance of Manda, a cafe singer, he agrees to look after the boy. The latter really is kidnapped by a wharf ruffian, who is seeking the reward for his return. The whole film is delightfully acted, but Robeson is the attraction, and his performance is magnificent. STRAND Tony Martin is featured with Joan Davis and Gloria Stuart in the Ritz Brothers’ ‘ Life Begins in College,’

Twentieth Century-Fox tuneswept comedy, which began a. season this afternoon at the Strand. The , handsome six-footer sings and leads the band in ‘ Life Begins in‘College,’ a role, that he found enjoyment in portraying. Also included, in the supporting cast are Fred- Stone, Nat Pendleton, Ed. Thorgersen, Dick Baldwin, Joan Marsh, Dixie Dunbar,. Jed . Prouty, Maurice Cass, Marjorie Weaver, and J. C. Nugent. Lew Pollack arid Sidney D. Mitchell composed five hit tunes for the film, which include ‘ Why Talk About Love?’ ‘Big Chief Swing It,’ ‘The Rhumba Goes Collegiate,’ ‘Our Team Is On the Warpath,’ and ‘Fair Lombardy.’ ‘ Sweet Varsity Sue ’ was composed by Charles Tobias, A 1 Lewis, and Murray Mencher. William, A. Seiter directed with Harold Wilson, associate producer. The screen play, based on a series of stories by Darrell Ware, was written by Karl Tunberg and Don Ettlinger. Specialty routines for the Ritz Brothers were devised by Sam Pokrass, Sid Kuller, and Ray Golden. ‘ Tug Boat Princess ’ will be the second film. OCTAGON Owing to its popularity in Dunedin, arrangements have been completed to transfer ‘ They Gave Him a Gun ’ for one more week to the Octagon. In this powerful drama Spencer Tracy again demonstrates his phenomenal acting ability. ‘ They Gave Him a Gun ’ is the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer adaptation of the best seller by William Joyce Cowen, former soldier, who expressed his hatred of war in the novel. The story deals with two men and a woman. Tracy is a circus “ barker ” who enlists in the regulars. Tone is a small-town clerk who finds himself in the army and up in the front lines. A gun gives him courage. Gladys George is a Red Cross nurse.

i When Tracy is reported missing, she marries Tone, out of, pity. Tracy escapes from an enemy ipnson camp, and the trio meet again in .civil life, , with the war ended.. Familiar now with the use of a . gun, the weakling has become a gangster. Tracy tries to save him hut fails. A police bullet gets in ahead of him. REGENT . ‘ Night Must Fall,’ the film which opened a season this afternoon at the Regent, is a grim and engrossing psychological study of a murderer’s mind, adapted from Emlyn Williams’s successful thriller, and brilliantly acted by Robert Montgomery in a role entirely dissimilar from his usual type. Intelligently directed, and strengthened with an excellent supporting cast, the picture is interesting and gripping entertainment. There is a double interest to this picture. For one thing, it introduces Robert Montgomery in a new type of part for him, as a sinister murderer. And it is also out-of-the-rut entertainment, offering a magnificent psychological study of a murderer’s mind in a story that is full of powerful drama based upon unabating suspense, Montgomery’s courageous experiment is an entire success from an acting point of view. He gives a superb performance as a homicidal megalomaniac, in which he shows a subtle feeling for character and emotion, and cleverly fits his natural charm to the macabre mentality of the character. He sketches the fellow’s colossal conceit perfectly, and has several moments of horrific J acting at its best, particularly at the ' climax. It is a finely rounded characterisation in every way. Dame May Whitty and Rosalind Russell also give finished and clear-cut performances, and there are delightful studies from Merle Tottenham and Kathleen Harrison as a pair of servants, who add un- . obtrusive light relief.

MAYFAIR The brilliance of ‘ Seventh Heaven which will conclude to-night at the Slay fair, is so marked that it can be included in the small category of pictures which appeal to both the discriminating and the popular taste. The great feature of this film is the excellent performance of Simone Simon, the tiny French actress, but equally meritorious is the portrayal by James Stewart. ‘ The Devil is Driving ’ stars Richard Dix. KIPLING CLASSIC. Tlai-e and restful entertainment, right off the beaten track, is'featured in ‘ Elephant Boy,’ which will be the film beginning to-morrow at the Mayfair. The story, based on Kipling’s famous ‘ Jungle Book,’ tells of a little Indian boy, son of a mahout, who dreams of the day when he can become a great elephant driver like his famous grandfather. Little Toomai’s father is killed, and the boy goes through a series of remarkable, breath-taking jungle adventures while fleeing away from the expedition, which seemingly intends to shoot his favourite elephant. ‘ Sinner Take All ’ will be the second feature. It is a happy combination of mystery, romance, and humour, in unusual settings, produced in the manner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer with lavish attention to detail. Bruce Cabot and Margaret Lindsay play ibe romantic leads with artistry, and Joseph Caileia offers another of his individual “ menace ” portrayals. Excellent supporting roles are played by Stanley Ridges, Vivienne Osborne, Theodore von Eltz, George Zucco, Raymond Hatton, George Lynn, Edward Pawley, Louis Natheaux, and Robert Emmett O’Connor.