PICTURE THEATRES THE NEW PROGRAMMES

Evening Star, Issue 23029, 6 August 1938, Page 13

PICTURE THEATRES

THE NEW PROGRAMMES

FINE COMEDY DRAMA TRIO OF TALENTED STARS IN OCTAGON FEATURE The talents of three grand stars — Loretta Young, Warner Baxter, and Virginia Bruce—are brilliantly blended in ‘ Wife, Doctor, and Nurse,’ now screening at the Octagon Theatre. This gay and penetrating Twentieth Cen-tury-Fox drama has a ripplo of merriment and a heart appeal running through.it wliich will please audiences. Two modern women who thought they could reason about love and a man who would not listen to reason are the highlights in this exceptionally brilliant picture, providing as it does one of the best comedy-romances of the year. The three-cornered drama of ‘ Wife, Doctor, and Nurse ’ begins when Warner Baxter, a prominent doctor who has time for little outside his work, is attracted by' the loveliness of ono of his patients, Loretta Young, a charming society girl, with whom ho falls in love. Following the handsome doctor’s marriage, his beautiful nurse, Virginia Bruce, discovers that a strong attachment has grown between them in the years of their association, and which, on her part, has ripened into love. Realising that under such circumstances she cannot continue in her present capacity, she leaves the doctor’s employ. • Baxter is restless and irritated because of her absence. Loretta, noticing the change in her husband, arranges a meeting with Virginia where they have a heart-to-heart talk over the teacups about the man with _ whom both are in love. At first Virginia resolves never to see Baxter again, but when left alone she considers the situation in a different light and returns. Matters now become complicated for all concerned—Loretta, who_ wonders how much of her husband’s time a wife has the right to demand—Baxter, who can’t understand why these clever modern women aren’t_ sensible about their emotions—and Virginia, whose conscience is troubled with the vital question: “ Where can a woman draw the line between loyalty to a man and love?”

Baxter maintains that Virginia is essential to his work, but that he loves only his wife. Loretta, however, believes that although her husband may say he loves her he is not being honest with himself. With, that thought in mind, she plans to go to Reno. The sparkling solution is found in a meeting of the three which results in a dramatic, yet humorous and entertaining compromise which paves the way for a happy climax. Because of the importance with which he held the Twentieth Century-Fox tristar special, Darryl F. Zanuck, production chief, selected Walter Lang to direct ‘ Wife, Doctor, and Nurse,’ with Raymond Griffith as associate producer. Kathryn Scola, Darrell Ware, and Lamar Trotti combined their talents in writing • the screen play, which is replete with brilliant dialogue, amusing comedy, tense situations, and smart, colourful backgrounds. A strong supporting cast includes Jane Darwell. Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Cass, Minna Gombell, and Margaret Irving. The supporting programme includes a fine picturisation of the first Rugby test between the All Blacks and Australia in Sydney.