PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 22893, 26 February 1938, Page 11

PICTURE THEATRES

THE NEW PROGRAMMES

POPULAR LANCASHIRE COMEDIAN GEORGE FORMBY IN ‘ KEEP FIT ’ Such has been the interest in the latest George Formby comedy to be screened in Dunedin, ‘ Keep Fit,’ that the management of the St. James has decided to retain the film for a further week. In using the national physical culture movement in England as a background for their story, Associated Talking Pictures have provided the Lancashire comedian with a role that gives him an opportunity to reveal even more successfully than hitherto his talents as a film actor. In his earlier productions ■ Forimby established himself as a comedian of parts and succeeded in infusing a tremendous wealth of humour and action into his work, but in ‘ Keep Fit ’ he completely eclipses his previous best and indulges in such a great amount of riotous nonsense that there are only a few feet in the film which have not some humorous or ludicrous aspect. The songs he sings with such excellent effect are not omitted from this picture, and these provide pleasing and entertaining interludes. Formby is seen as i a scatter-brained barber, who, much against his will, is involved in a keepfit campaign .which has been instituted hy a newspaper in an endeavour to ■“ go one better ” than its rivals. George Green is not the stuff that herpes - are . made of, but bis wild infatuation for pretty Helen, the manicurist in his establishment, impels him to enter the campaign against his better judgment, and the result is a foregone conclusion. In his first appearance in a gymnasium, under the eyes of the hated rival for Helen’s affections, George acquits himself in more spectacular than graceful style, and to his surprise is pounced upon by an enterprising publicity manager who wishes him to pose for a picture. George does so, hut the result is not quite what he expects, for to his horror he discovers that an extremely undignified pose of himself' is placed adjacent to a “ heman ” picture of his rival as an indication of the contrasts in mankind. George is not downhearted, however, and pursues his humorous suit for Helen’s hand, a process which is not hastened by his complete inability to do anything that an able-bodied man is expected to do in the athletic world. Even when a misguided friend of his arranges that he shall be revealed to his love as a mighty swimmer who has rescued a man from drowning, the effect falls far short of the expected, as, at

the critical moment George falls into a river and has to be rescued by the villain.

Hilarious episodes in a rowing skiff, the sliding seat in which precipitates George in the most undignified attitudes under the eyes of his sweetheart, are followed by a riotous sequence in which George, attacked by the beefy villain, is suddenly revealed as the possessor of a tremendous punch, and it is decided by the promoters of the keep-fit campaign that he and his rival shall fight for the boxing championship of the campaign. In one of the funniest burlesque boxing sequences seen on the screen George pits his strength against the villain in a whirlwind bout, relying on the miraculous power of his mascot, a lock of Helen’s hair hidden in his glove, to give him the victory. Various underhand subterfuges are adopted by the villain and his henchman, but love wins triumphant, and George emerges the victor after a tremendous battle.

Kay Walsh is both decorative and appealing as Helen, Gus M'Naughton is resourceful as the publicity manager, and Guy Middleton makes an unpleasant villain.

The supporting programme is an unusually interesting one.

1 THEY GAVE HIM A GUN ’

TRANSFERRED TO OCTAGON With two such powerful and popular actors as Spencer Tracy and Franchot Tone in the leading roles of a picture that has a powerful theme, ‘ They Gave Him a Gun,’ which will be screened at the Octagon for a season of a week, can hardly fail to be popular. In the leading feminine role, Gladys George proves herself of equal calibre to the men. She is a recent recruit to Hollywood from the stage, but those who saw her in ‘Valiant Is the Name For Carry ’ will be aware of her capacity for dramatic roles. There is a moral in ‘ They Gave Him a Gun,’ but it is never made over-obvious by preachings, and is not allowed to obstruct the action, which is tense and full of exciting incident. The theme of the film was touched upon by another recent Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer production, ‘ The Rond Back,’ but here it is a main theme. During the war the State placed -guns in the hands of its younger citizens; it taught them to show no mercy and to kill; when the soldiers went back to civilian life, was it any wonder that some of them became gangsters and racketeers!’ This is the proposition which is definitely set forth. But it is, in actual fact, only an addition to the fascinating and penetrating study of individual characters. Rose Duffy and her rival suitors, Jimmy and Fred, are interesting as persons, and not as social symbols. This is what makes the film so compelling, so inexorably real. The three principal parts are. as could be expected, magnificently played. Franchot Tone, while never giving the illusion of any other character but his own. has a capacity of selecting from that character various aspects, and through a new emphasis giving an

effect of freshness and charm. In .this film he aims, above all, at forthright simplicity. Jimmy is a country lad, unsophisticated and fine-minded. He does not possess the armour of cynicism which protects many an imaginative city dweller from painful impressions. At his first bayonet drill, where sacks are stuck up to represent militant Germans, ho swoons with horror. But the war must go on: there is no place for cowards or weaklings. So Jimmy steels his soul. A truly dreadful scene occurs at the front when he forces himself to destroy a machine gun nest singlehanded. Through his hysterical uprush of emotion Jimmy’s psychological complex about guns is deeply impressed on the audience, even as it seared into the character’s mind. After the war, Jimmy becomes a gunman, and his rival in love, Fred, a circus proprietor, soon discovers his secret and tries to persuade him to change his ways. Spencer Tracy, as Fred, has more rugged material to work on than Tone. Tracy has in his recent films gradually built up a reputation as one of the most sincere and powerful actors in the screen, and, in this role, he attains what can fairly be acclaimed as the grand climax of his career. His characterisation is crowded with detail and'his work is intense and convincing. Gladys George, the girl who is loved by both men, makes Rose Duffy a deeply sympathetic character. With extraordinary adroitness she suggests a raucous note behind the surface charm, but the part is enriched and not marred thereby. At the front the two men fall in love with her, but realising his friend’s’need, Fred • stands aside and Jimmy marries Rose. The development of the situation in peace time when Jimmy crosses the path of the law is profoundly interesting.

POPULAR SINGERS AGAIN

STARS OF 1 MAYTME ’ AT THE EMPIRE After a series of roles as a collegian, Young Tom Brown saw the fulfilment of a long-desired ambition, to appear with Jeanette SlacDonald in a musical picture., He was signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as the juvenile lead in ‘ May time,’ in which Miss MacDonald is co-starred for the third time with Nelson Eddy. The picture is being screened at the Empire. Cast as a smalltown boy, Brown’-s romantic scenes are with Lynne Carver, newly-signed M.-G.-M. actress. ‘ Maytime ’ is based on the famous New York stage success by Rida Johnson Young, and provides the singing team with unlimited opportunities to exploit their outstanding talents. The famous song hit of the play, ‘ Sweetheart, Will You Remember?’ has been retained, while the remainder of the music is divided between the sentimental and the operatic. Directed by Robert Z. Leonard, the man who gave filmgoers ‘ The Great Ziegfeld,’ with a wide variety of songs by Sigmund Romberg and Herbert Stothart, and with a brilliant supporting east, headed by John Barrymore in his first apearance since

‘ Romeo and Juliet,” the new M.-G.-M. musical opens as one of the sensations of the year. Miss MacDonald sings two complete operatic arias and portions of others. Eddy has three novelty songs, “ Students’ Drinking Song,’ ‘ Vive I’Opera,’ and ‘ Virginia Ham and Eggs,’ all sung in brilliant manner. Eighty sets were constructed. Most elaborate is the court of Louis Napoleon in 1865. There are opera houses, great parks, forests, streets of Paris, lavish aotel suites, an entire section of the Latin quarter of Paris, an apple orchard in full bloom, and numerous other colourful sets.

The story is an excellent and picturesque one. It opens with the prologue in which a winsome young girl is faced with the alternative of marrying the man she loves or of adopting a career as an operatic singer. She quarrels with her lover over the matter and goes off to consult an elderly friend who was previously a great operatic star. The film then reveals this star’s story, which shows how La Mornay, played by Jeanette MacDonhld, reaches the top of the tree in her profession. In the excitement of her success she accepts a proposal of marriage from her capable impresario (John Barrymore). That night, however, she meets and falls in love with Paul (Nelson Eddy), but decides she must marry the man .who has done so much for her. In an opera she is cast opposite Paul, and the tragic end of this love story as revealed by La Mornay is sufficient to make the young girl in the prologue follow the path dictated by her heart. In ‘ May time ’ Miss MacDonald and Nelson Eddy sing an American folk song for the first time, the touching “ Carry Me Back to Old Virginny.” For the first time in film history, original opera was written for a picture. Herbert Stothart composed an opera, ‘ Czaritza,’ which fills one entire reel with a full operatic company assisting and a great New York opera house duplicated in detail. A strong associate programme includes ‘ The King Without a Crown,’ a selection of newsreels, and further pictures of the Empire Games in Sydney.

FRESH FIELDS FOR ROBESON

UNIQUE ROLE IN ‘BIG FELLA' Paul Robeson possesses what may be recognised as tho greatest bass voice ever heard in talking pictures, and each appearance he makes verifies this fact without a doubt. The volume and timbre of his fine voice places him apart from any other singer, either white or coloured, in the field. Robeson has more than a voice, though. He has, firstly, a personality that is completely disarming; also, he has an acting ability that stands out in any show he appears in, whether it is drama or comedy. Such a combination of talent indicates only one thing for such a man—success. Every film he makes arouses any amount of interest amongst not only his exceptionally large following, hut amongst all film-goers interested ia personalities with a difference.

Consequently, his appearance in ‘ Big Fella,’ a new G.-8.-D. production, which commenced at the State Theatre yesterday, bears more than usual interest.- Following his outstanding performances in such films as ‘ Song of Freedom ’ and ‘ Showboat,’ picture-goers were wondering just what kind of a role he would have in his next picture. Something different, it was hoped, but it was expected more or less on the usual lines —a darkie story—allowing plenty of scope for his voice. But it was a pleasant surprise when ‘ Big Fella ’ was flashed across the screen.

Here is a story that suits Robeson to the ground, and it has nothing conventional in darkie themes introduced. It is dramatic, it has action, it has hunian interest, and yet it is fundamentally simple; most of all, it has the music one expects. Robeson sings six songs in this film. These range from the lighter number in which he captures such lightness of touch, to the serious songs which characterise his dramatic powers. Amongst these numbers, which were composed by Eric Ansell. are ‘ Lazin’,’ ‘ River Steals Ma Folks From Me,’ ‘ You Didn’t Oughta Do Such Things,’ and ‘ I Got A Robe.’ ‘Big Fella ’ present. Paul Robeson as Joe, a dockside worker in Marseilles, who is called in to help trace a young boy who has mysteriously vanished from a vessel in port. Honours, of course, go to Robeson in all departments—acting, singing, emotion, and personality. Following in his footsteps for honours is his delightful feminine lead, Elisabeth Welch. Miss Welch appeared with Robeson in ‘ Song of Freedom.’ and their scenes together in 1 Big Fella ’ show individual sympathy and ability. She also sings in the style that has made her one of London’s leading musical stars, and altogether her performance is first rate.

The part of the runaway lad is performed by a new discovery, Eldon Grant. The laddie has plenty of natural charm and ability, and almost steals every scene he appears in. Also in the cast are Roy Emerton, James Hayter, Marcelle Rogez, Joyce Kennedy, and Eric Cowley.

RITZ BROTHERS ENTERTAIN

STRAND’S TWO EXCELLENT PRODUCTIONS The new programme at the Strand has much to commend it, in that it embraces two pictures that are widely different in character. The first portion of the show features the Ritz Brothers in their most humorous comedy since they were associated, ‘ Life Begins in College.’ The other production is called ‘ Tugboat Princess,’ and it is one of the most entertaining films to be shown for some time. The Ritz Brothers are not the only ones on the collegiate path of “ gags ” and uproarious comedy in the first picture. There is Joan "Davis on a hunt for an Indian, of all things; Tony Martin, leader of tho hand; and Gloria Stuart, lovely queen of the campus. The story opens with the arrival of Nat

Pendleton, a poor Indian with only 10,000 dollars a day to spend. Given a rousing collegiate “ hazing,” he rushes to the cleaning and pressing establishment of the Ritz Brothers, where he tells the boys of his huge income, and offers to put the money at their disposal. Meanwhile, the college alumni have demanded the resignation of Coach Fred Stone, but through the efforts of Joan Davis arrangements are made for the Ritz Brothers to present a huge endowment to the dean, with the, stipulation that they are to be given places in the football team. Singing, dancing, and > i music are liberally sprinkled throughout the hilarious plot with hit tunes by Lew Pollack and Sidney D. Mitchell, which include ‘Why Talk About Love?’ ‘Big Chief Swing It,’ ‘The Rhumba Goes Collegiate.’ . ‘ Our Team Is On the Wa»path,’ and ‘ Fair Lombardy.’ The supporting cast also features Fred Stone, Nat Pendleton, Ed Thorgersen, Dick Baldwin, Joan Marsh, Dixie Dunbar, Jed Prouty, Maurice Cass, Marjorie Weaver, and J. C. Nugent. ‘ The Tugboat Princess ’ has Edith Fellows and Walter C. Kelly in the main roles.

BRILLIANT STAGE SUCCESS

‘ NIGHT MUST FALL ’ AT REGENT The many adherents of the amateur stage in Dunedin will be particularly interested in the picture that was shown at the Regent last night before an audience that was at once pleased with the brilliant acting of the entire cast—an American adaptation, incidentally, of a London play. This production is titled ‘ Night Must Fall,’ and is one of the best films of its type from the Hollywood studios. The film is a daring venture in the production field, but even more experimental for Robert Montgomery, who deliberately chose to drop his accustomed heroic roles for the characterisation of a pathological killer. His performance is remarkable from every standpoint. Montgomery has brought to the screen something that never appeared there before. He has talented co-operation from Miss Rosalind Russell and a highly capable cast of supporting players. There is no element of mystery in the narrative. It is the peculiarly effective account of a youth whose mind is bent on crime. The situation is complicated by the romance between him and Rosalind Russell as a girl who finds herself in the unenviable position of loving a man whom she knows to be bad. The background of the story is a country carnival and a small hotel, where most of the action occurs. _ Hunt Stromberg produced the film with Richard Thorpe directing. An idea of the importance which M.-G.-M. attached to the picture is indicated by the fact that Stromberg was the man who produced ‘ Rose Marie,’ ‘ The Great Eiegfeld,’ ‘ After the Thin Man,’ and other notable screen triumphs. Montgomery played in ‘ The Last of Mrs Cheyney,’ ‘Piccadilly Jim,’ and similar successful films.

Miss. Russell is remembered for her outstanding work in ‘ Craig’s Wife ’ and ‘ Rendezvous.’ In the cast are players from the original stage company whp appeared in the play for 55 consecutive weeks. Among them are Dame May Whitty, Merle Tottenham. Matthew Boulton, and Kathleen Harrison. Alan Marshall and E. E. Clive also have prominent roles. The audience last night was obviously impressed with one of the most unique pictures of its type yet to reach the screen. The associate programme is excellent. The particular brand of humour in which Pete Smith indulges in his role of commentator has made him a universal favourite. His latest film, which, like the rest, is of fine educative value, is titled ‘ Penny Wisdom,’ and it is definitely his best to date. Then there are the latest selection of newsreels depicting the latest-world events abroad, and one of the classic ‘ Our Gang ’ comedies, called ‘ Fishy Tales.’ The programme at the Regent definitely should not be missed.

RIVAL OF SHIRLEY TEMPLE

BINKY STUART, ENGLISH STAR The record-breaking * Rose of Tralee ’ is at present screening at the Grand. The excellent story, with the right mixture of sentiment and humour, together with the quality of the acting and the popular appeal of the songs that are incorporated in it, have made the picture an outstanding success in the north. Binkie Stuart, a four-year-old child actress, shows herself to be one of the most talented young players On the screen. Not only does she act with a refreshing naturalness but also sings in appealing fashion. Most of the singing, however, is done by Fred Conyngham, and Danny Malone, who is already known throughput the world as an expert singer of Irish melodies. Kathleen O’Regan proves an attractive heroine. The whine of a high-power rifle bullet, 'a trace of a nameless, subtle poison, a forbidding waste supposedly tamed—such is the setting when murder and romance .meet thrillingly in the desert and an embarrassed detective goes to the aid of love, as Death Valley lives up to its name in the twentieth Century-Fox film, ‘Fair Warning,’ which supports. The unusual story or a secret murder and sudden romance in Death Valley’s millionaire playground, with J. Edward Bromberg as a naive detective faced by a startling crime and sure he cannot solve it, features Betty Furness and John Howard Payne as the romantic pair whose love comes under the strange spell of the Great Desert. Victor Kilian and young Billy Burrud also havo important roles in the film.