PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 23145, 20 December 1938, Page 14

PICTURE THEATRES

EMPIRE Such stage and screen favourites as Allan Jones, Judy Garland, Fanny Brice, Reginald Owen, Billie Burke, Reginald Gardiner, and Lynne Carver join hands to contribute a wealth of musical and acting talent to ‘ Everybody Sing,’ showing at the Empire. There have been countless musicals before, but ‘Everybody Sing’ has the distinction and originality of being the screen’s first “swing” musical, and under the deft direction of Edwin L. Martin, it literally swings across the screen with a lilting, ingratiating, and happy-go-lucky quality which establishes a warm intimacy with audiences. Allan Jones lends his superb voice to such songs as the quartet from ‘ißigoletto, 1 ‘On with the Show,’ ‘ Cosi, Cosa,’ and ‘ The One I Love.’ Judy Garland, playing the “ swing-struck ” daughter of the family, sings ‘ Swing, Air Mendelssohn,’ ‘ Down on Alelody Farm,’ ‘ Sweet Chariot,’ and ‘ I Wanna Swing.’ Then there is the inimitable Fanny Brice as the maid, with a number all her own entitled ‘ Quainty, Dainty Me.’ There are excellent supports.

LAUREL AND HARDY AGAIN. Special interest is attached to the opening at the Empire on Friday of the new Laurel and Hardy featurelength musical extravaganza, ‘Swiss Miss,’ due to the fact that this is the picture which introduces to American screen audiences the Viennese singing star, Dela Lind. The blonde and vivacious Miss Lind was brought to America by Aletro-Goldwyn-Alayer. Observed by studio scouts in a London play, she was prevailed upon to make a film test, and the result was a long-term contract. She has been a European film and stage favourite for a number of years, scoring in such successes as ‘ Maritza,’ ‘ The Count of Luxemburg,' ‘ Casanova,’ and ‘ Pirandello.’ Possessed of a rich soprano voice. Miss Lind, together with Walter Woolf King, introduces five new songs in ‘ Swiss Miss,’ the work of the London and Broadway song writer, Phil Charig. In the uefv picture she plays the actress-wife of King, who enacts a temperamental composer, jealous of his wife’s success in the theatre. The composer flees to an alpine retreat, his wife pursues him, and Laurel and Hardy,, as a pair of mouse-trap salesmen working in the hotel, are complicated in the matrimonial upheaval. REGENT Using for its hero the immortal British actor of the middle eighteenth century, David Garrick, a gay and rollicking comedy of that star and time, ‘ The Great Garrick,’ is at the Regent. Brian Aherne, well remembered for his delightful performance in the record-breaking ‘ Alerrily We Live,’ has ■ the title role, with Olivier de Havilland as Germaine, the girl with whom he' falls in love. While it is a costume play—the locale being London and Paris—it is not a drama, nor is it a serious biographical sketch of David Garrick. The producer, Mervyn Le Roy, expressed himself as having made it “just a whole lot of fun.” The incident in the' life of the actor with which the picture deals may or may not have happened. It tells how some French actors from the Comedy Francaise, hearing a false rumour concerning the intentions of the great actor, who is coming to visit them, resolve to “ frame ” him on arrival. How he thwarts their plans, and falls in love with a pretty young French noblewoman, makes an entirely amusing and satisfying plot. Edward Everett Horton, Melville Cooper, Lionel A twill, and Luis Alberni are prominent in the supporting cast. FOURTH DURBIN FILM.

‘ That Certain Age,’ Deanna Durbin’s latest stirring production, will be the next change at the Regent. The picture is the fourth to come from this remarkable singing youngster who has made screen history ever since she first appeared in 1 Three Smart Girls ’ some two years ago. Cast in a supporting role in ‘ Three Smart Girls,’ the production was hardly started before Universal studios realised they were in possession of a wonder child. Now realising what they had, the producers next surrounded her with a cast which included the great Stokowski, Adolphe Menjou, Mischa Auer, Alice Brady, and Eugene Pallette. The. result has been proclaimed. ‘ 100 Men and a Girl was one of the finest pictures ever made. Then followed ‘ Mad About Music,’ in which she had Herbert Marshall and Gail Patrick in support. Its reception surpassed even those of tue previous hits * in enthusiasm and acclaim. Now comes ‘ That Certain Age,’ with Deanna starring in a cast which includes Melvvn Douglas. Jackie Cooper, Irene Rich, 'John Halliday, Juanita Quigley, Jackie Searle, Charles Coleman, Nancy Carroll; and Peggy Stewart. ‘ That Certain Age ’ tells the story of a young girl, nearing 16, who meets a war correspondent and fancies herself violently in love with him. Temporarily infatuated, she forgets her younger “boy friend” and her childish playmates, until it is brought home to her that she is still a child and that romantic love has no place in her life.

GRAND Including 1 Under Your Spell.’ starring Lawrence Tibbett, and ‘ Variety Hour.’ presenting 10 of Britain’s most famous variety acts in one film, the programme concluding to-night at the Grand is a musical feast. Both films are of a high order, and make a bright and attractive evening’s entertainment. Lawrence Tibbett, singing three new songs, is cast against a background of riotous comedy. THRILLING WESTERN DRAMA. A colourful background is provided by the Mojave desert of Arizona and the painted desert of California in the thrilling outdoor film, ‘ Painted Desert.’ which will head the wellbalanced programme to be presented at the Grand to-morrow. The role of Bob M'Vey, a wealthy rancher, is played with success by George O’Brien, while Laraine Johnson. Stanley Fields, and Fred Kohler are also prominently cast. A wandering prospector and his attractive granddaughter have discovered a promising vein of tungsten on M Voy s range, and, although the runchci is willimr to help them, he earns their distrust. Later the old prospector is killed after signing away the title to his mine, but M‘Vey succeeds in securing the ownership. Because the girl is unaware that the rancher now owns the property. M’Vey enters into partnership with her to help develop the mine. Trouble arises when another rancher realises the value of the mine, and attempts to gain possession of it by any means in his power. A cattle stampede, a running battle between marauders and the crew of an ore wagon train, and an attempt to dynamite the mine are among the many thrilling scenes. Hollywood’s latest screen team. Frank Albertson and Eleanor Lynn, makes its debut in ‘ Fugitives for a Night.’ stirring drama of life in the movie capital,

which will be the second film. Albertson, a film favourte for several years, but new in leads, has one of his most likeable and sympathetic roles to date as the “ stooge hero,” while Aliss Lyuu, a brilliant newcomer from Broadway, plays her fourth film role in this offering as a charming girl who makes Albertson sec the error of his ways. STRAND The Hi rilling film, ‘ Danger on the Air,’ screening at the Strand, is built around the mysterious death of Air Kluek (Berton Churchill), a soft drink magnate, whose body is found in an office of a big broadcasting company. Although several people attempt to make it a ppoar that he died from natural causes, a clever young radio sound engineer, Benjamin Butts, portrayed by Donald Woods, proves that the magnate was poisoned with a mysterious type of gas. Kluek has made many enemies, and there are a number of suspects. The case causes a tremendous sensation, and the radio performers desert the building, tearing that more gas will bo released. The solution of the murder is found suddenly, the only clues being a pin, a straw, and a deflated tov advertising balloon. Hie wild and lawless prairies of America in the 1860’s form the background of the action in ‘ Prairie Thunder,’ which supports. Dick Foraii, the brawny redhead, who has starred in a dozen Westerns already, despite his comparatively short career on the films, has the leading role, and he is ably supported by 'Ellen Clancy, a young starlet who is making her debut in the films.

STATE ■Josette,’ 20th Century-Fox’s latest and gayest love comedy, co-starring Don Ameche, Simone Simon, and Robert Young, is screening at the State. This apicy, tantalising story is gayer than a Alardi Gras, with these three delightful stars. Don is more romantic than ever. Simone is the tantalising little French coquette. And Bob is the ardent swain who won’t take “ no for an answer. Three new song hits by Hollywood’s best musicians are featured in the musical background of the film. These are ‘ Alay I Drop a Petal in You Glass of Wine? 1 ‘ In Any Language,’ and ‘Where in the World? Bert Lahr and Joan Davis, sensational new comedy team first seen in ‘ Love and Hisses,’ head the featured cast of ‘Josette.’ The film is Joan Davis’s first since she was voted No. 1 comedienne in a New York daily’s nation-wide fan poll. Paul Hurst, William Collier, sen., and Tala Birred are included in the cast. ASTAI RE-ROGERS MUSICAL.

A film romance embellished with Irving Berlin 'melodies, RKO Radio’s ‘ Carefree ’ will be shown on Friday at the State. It brings that worldfamous team of . Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers together once more. Because Miss Rogers keeps breaking olf her wedding date with Ralph Bellamy, the latter asks Astaire, a psychiatrist, to fix up any lurking inhibitions the lady may have on the subject of marriage. The pretty patient complicates matters by falling in love with Astaire instead of with Bellamy. When the psychiatrist fails to respond, the actress starts a hectic series of madcap adventures, the doctor meantime falling in love with her himself, only to find that he has a new resistance to overcome. The supporting cast is headed by Luella Gear and Jack Carson. OCTAGON Rollicking modern comedy in the latest ‘ Awful Triith ’ tradition is provided in the light romantic production, ‘ Joy of Living,’ which is the attraction' at the Octagon. Irene Dunne and Douglas Fairbanks, jun., costarred in the leading roles, appear to have been picked for ideal parts. Other prominent comedy players in the cast are Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee, Lucille Ball, Erie Blore, and Jean Dixon. The story is that of a famous Broadway stage and radio singer who refuses to believe that her family are living on her earnings. When she meets a rich voung man about town who is an expert in the art of living and enjoying himself, she begins to take an interest in things outside her work. He urges her to change her life and enjoy herself. Finally they are married, but she refuses to leave her family, and they part. But her family, feariug that thev might have to go to work, berate her. Disgusted, she rushes after the man she loves, and ends happily a story that bubbles with good humour throughout. She also is heard in se\eral tuneful songs.

DISNEY’S FIRST " FEATURE.” ' Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,’ Walt Disnev’s gorgeously produced musical feature-length animated picture in technicolour. was launched with a notable world premiere at the Cartnny Circle Theatre in. Los Angeles shortly before last Christmas, followed thereafter with a record-breaking run at New York’s world-famed Radio City Music Hall, and has become the sensation of motion picture entertainment, it has taken its place in the trout ranks of important film attractions, and will open on Thursday night at the Octagon. In production for three years, and costing a million and a-half dollars, ‘ Snow White ’ is expected to establish a standard tor future animated features in much the .same manner that ‘ The Birth of a Nation influenced the epic cycle that followed. The Disney picture is a drastic departure from previous technique m the animated field, in that living, credible beings have been created in the persons of Snow White, the seven drawfs, the queen, the prince, and other characters in the famous Grimms phantasy. In addition, the art treatment departs ™dicaiiy fr ° m , c ;! rt ? on expression. An illusion ot depth Ims been added through the use of the multiplane camera, an invention peifected by Disney technicians. Ihis new camera treatment makes threedimensional figures out of characteis drawn in a two-dimensional medium Added interest attaches to the eight musical numbers m the feature the outstanding one being Hi Ho marching song sung by the dwails. ST. JAMES One of America’s greatest prisons forms an authentic background for ‘San Quentin,’ the Warner Brothers film which is being presented at the St. James. Humphrey Bogart, who will be remembered for his performances in 1 The Petrified Forest and ‘ Kid Galahad. 1 takes the part of a convict, “Rod” Kennedy, other important roles being handled by tat O’Brien, Ann Sheridan, and Barton Mac-Bane. A now voice, and a new personalitv are presented to theatre audiences in the picture. ‘Mr Dodd lakes the Air,’ which is showing in support. It is that of Kenny Baker, one of America’s radio “ stars,” and he wilt he welcomed. Baker possesses a rich, wide-range tenor, and he finds full use for it in the number and variety of the songs in which he is featured. By the saine author as ‘ Mr Deeds Goes to Town,’ the story is spiced with an unusual variety of humour, with Alice 1 Brady and Frank M’Hugh as chief fun-

makers. Like his predecessor, Mr Deeds, Mr Dodd Falls into strange company when he hits the “ high spots ” in New York, and, like Mr Deeds, he is not the one to he changed by his environment —not permanently, anyway. STARRING DICK POWELL. Tuneful melodics, magnificent settings, two famous bund organisations, a .swiftly-paced inside story of Hollywood life, a star-studded cast headed by Dick Powell and Louella O. Parsons, are some of the elements which make up what is said to bo a hit of the film-musical season, ‘ Hollywood Hotel,’ which will be the Christmas attraction at the St. James, inclusion in the picture of an entire broadcast of the most famous of all U.S.A. radio programmes necessitated enormous expenditure, but Warner Bros, went out of its way to make one of its most spectacular and successful productions. Dick Powell plays one of the best roles of his career, and sings tunes that have already gained popularity in America. Opposite him play two of the famous Lane Sisters —Lola as a temperamental movie queen who refuses to appear at a premiere for her producer, and Rosemary as a little, unknown waitress who is called in to double socially for the star. Ted Healy, Hugh Herbert, Alan Mowbray, Mabel Todd, Johnnie Davies, " Benny Goodman, and his famous swing band and Raymond Paige and his orchestra are included in the cast.

MAYFAIR There can be no doubt of the popularity as comedians of Laurel and Hardy. ‘ Way Out West ’ is their latest film, concluding to-night at the Mayfair. Good measure is provided m this double-feature programme, for the associate picture is ‘ Daughter ol Shanghai,’ starring Anna May Wong.