PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 23147, 22 December 1938, Page 16

PICTURE THEATRES

GEORGE O'BRIEN WESTERN THRILLING FARE AT GRAND Variety is the keynote of new programme that opened at the Gram) yesterday. It comprises a fast-moving Western starring the popular George OTJrien, ‘Painted Desert.’ and a drama of the backstage life of a Holly wood studio. introducing the “ stooge ” of leading players for the first time in films. Frank Albertson has the featured role.

Dealing with a struggle for possession of a rich tungsten mine in Arizona, ‘ Painted Desert ’ brines veteran George O’Brien to the screen in yet another action-packed outdoor film. Magnificent settings in the Mojave desert of California and in the actual Painted Desert near Cameron. Arizona, comprise the more colourful backgrounds of the picture, while among the most spectacular scenes are those showing the dynamiting of a hillside and a runaway ore train.

O’Brien has the part of a well-to-do cattleman, on whose range a wandering prospector and his pretty granddaughter find a promising vein of tungsten, lii attempting to drive the trespassers off his property O’Brien is himself bailed up at gun-point by the girl (Laraine Johnson). When the old man is killed in a guufight at a gambling saloon O’Brien secures the title of the mine front the promoter. He starts to develop it. but falls foul of the girl again, who is not aware that her grandfather had signed away his rights before his death. Unwilling to tell her that he is the real owner, O’Brien enters into partnership with the girl and borrows enough money to put up a stamp mill and enlarge the mine. The promoter, however, anxious to yegain control of the mine when he hears of its richness, begins a series of underhand moves in an attempt to force the own-ers-into financial troubles and there to give up the mines. The two factions soon come into open conflict, and events move fast until O’Brien and his partner finally triumph and decide to marry. The plot affords O’Brien wide scope for his virile acting, and he takes full advantage of his opportunities. Pretty, dark-haired Lanjine Johnson, who played opposite him in his previous film, ‘ Border G-Man,’ is excellent as the heroine, while others who give good performances in important parts are Ray Whitley, Stanley Fields, and Fred Kohler.

Frank Albertson, versatile leading man, heads the cast in ‘ Fugitives for a Night.’ He has portrayed important leading roles in every studio in Hollywood, some of his most recent films' being ‘ Navy Blue and Gold 1 and ‘ Fury.’ In his current vehicle, ‘ Fugitives for a Night,’ the young actor is cast as a movie star’s “ stooge,” who

becomes involved in a Hollywood murder scandal. Eleanor Lynn appears opposite him in this RKO Radip picture, while others in the cast include Allan Lane. Bradley Page, Adrienne Ames, Jonathan Hale, Bussell Hicks, and Paul Guilfolye. STRAND Featuring San Grey and Donald Woods, ‘ Danger on the Air,’ an engrossing murder mystery in which the suspense is maintained from beginning to end, forms the principal attraction on the programme concluding to-night at the Strand. In support is ‘ Prairie Thunder.’ in which Dick Foran, the “ singing cowboy,” is cast in the leading role. COMEDY AND INTRIGUE. ‘ Judge Hardy’s Children, third of the Hardy Family series and sequel to ‘ You’re Duly Young Once,’ is the attraction coming to-morrow to the Strand. In the new picture. Lewis Stone, as Judge Hardy, is named on a power commission, 'i he family leaves its country home; the daughter, played by Cecilia Parker, becomes infatuated with a State Department employee and “takes a whirl” at society; the son, played by Mickey Booney. falls in love with the daughter of a French diplomatist, dons his first tuxedo, and winds up in disgrace when ejected from a fashionable dancing school for teaching the youngsters the ‘ Big Apple.’ Meantime the judge foils the plot of lobbyists, and the family returns to the country town of Carvel in triumph. Intimate glimpses into the family comedies, joys, sorrows, and problems provide entertainment in the story. How a former officer of the British Intelligence Service who has been dishonourably discharged vindicates himself with his Government is the theme of the dramatic Republic picture, ‘ Invisible Enemy,’ which will support. Alan Marshall!, who has played in such popular films as ‘ After the Thin Man,’ ‘ Parnell,’ and ‘ Night Must Fall.’ plays the role of Chivering, the Intelligence officer. Nicola Kamarov (C. Henry Gordon) is an unscrupulous financier who is attempting to sell valuable oil lands for military purposes to a foreign Government: Clavering’s trouble with his Government had been over an affair with Sandra, played by Tala Birell, an exotic money-mad adventuress. She is now the wife of Kamarov. Clavering uses her as a means of stopping Kamarov in his nefarious scheme. STATE ‘ Josette,’ a bright comedy sparkling with witty conversation and unusual situations, is to conclude to-night at the State. Simone Simon, the piquant French star, has a role which is entirely suited to her. She sings several new songs in her inimitable style. Robert Young and Don Ameclie are cast as two wealthy brothers who are endeavouring to save their father from a matrimonial entanglement. ASIA I RE-ROGERS TEAM. RKO Radio’s new ‘ Carefree ’ reunites Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in i

what is hailed as the most delightful screen vehicle of their brilliant careers. The film will be presented to-morrow at the State. Modern in theme and treatment, the picture deals with the triangular romance between a popular actress, a distinguished psychiatrist, and a successful lawyer. Astaire portrays the medical man and Ralph Bellamy is the attorney whose uncertain love affair with Miss Rogers leads him to call on Astaire for help. From this beginning stems the complications of the story. Fred gives Ginger a course of treatment which leads her to fall in love with him instead of with Bellamy, and which involves her in a series of wild escapades. And after Fred, in defence, has firmly planted in her mind the notion that he is a monster, he suddenly discovers he is in love with her himself. Like ail Astaire-Rogers vehicles, ‘ Carefree ’ is well equipped with melodies and dances. ‘ The Yam,’ said to be the popular dance hit of the season, and which almost any amateur dancer can perform, is featured by the stars, as is the romantic ‘ Change Partners ’ routine, a spectacular dance rivalling their ‘ Cheek to Cheek ’ and ‘ Night and Day ’ routines in earlier films. An ingenious Golf Dance in which Astaire solos, and a fantastic dream sequence comprise the other dancing specialties. OCTAGON Rollicking fun in the new light comedy tradition is the dominating entertainment factor in the delightful comedy romance, ‘ The Joy of Living,’ which is the feature to conclude tonight at the Octagon. The two stars are certainly adepts at this typo of screen work. Irene Dunne and Douglas Fairbanks, jnn., prove themselves beyond doubt two of the best of this type of player on the screen. “ A MASTERPIECE.” 1 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,’ the attraction to begin this evening, at 10. JO, at the Octagon with a preferential preview, is, according to one reviewer, a brilliantly imagined and executed full-length cartoon, so endlessly entertaining and delightful it becomes one of the cinema’s great achievements. Having charmed ami delighted the world with his short films, Walt Disney now offers to all and sundrv for their delectation his first long cartoon comedy. This is the report of one who sat enthralled through what is most assuredly one of the wonders of the modern cinema—the gayest, merriest, most imaginative, most charming film that has come out of Hollywood in years. There can be only one word for it (he writes) —a, word so much misused— “ masterpiece.” To try to explain the genius of Walt Disney would be as impertinent ns it is impossible. Like Chaplin, he is a timeless artist with an appeal that knows no limitations What Disney and his associates have done here, as they have in all their films, is to fuse all the elements which make a perfect talking picture—action, sound, music, colour, illusion, ami characterisation For ‘ Snow Wliite ami the Seven Dwaris ’ is no ordinary cartoon film. It is a superbly plotted ami developed motion picture, in which the same technique applied to

films with human beings in them -is used. There are excellent camera angles, and when it is necessary the camera is “ panned ” across a scene just as it is in any other photoplay. Dissolves are employed when the occasion demands them, and the backgrounds are so realistic they might be actual studio sets. ST. JAMES Bringing to the screen for the first time as a leading man, that idol of the United States radio waves, Kenny 'Baker, a Mervyn Le Roy musical comedy called ‘ Mr Dodd Takes the Air ’ is to be shown finally to-night at the St. James. Kenny proves himself to he a capable actor. The second feature is ‘ San Quentin,’ an engrossing story of American prison life. SATIRICAL MUSICAL. “ It was bound to happen sooner or later; the films have taken one of the better-known radio programmes and have reversed the picture preview idea by filming the ‘ Hollywood Hotel ’ air hour (writes “ Elin,” in 1 Hollywood Variety,’ of the film coining to-mor-row to the St. James). It is a musical entertainment, with a lively and amusing story and some popular song numbers. Warners has assembled an excellent cast, not the least interesting of whom is Louella O. Parsons, newspaper columnist, who makes an effective debut as an actress. Her performance is not likely to disturb Katharine Cornell or Helen Hayes, and the positions they occupy in the theatre, but Miss Parsons is herself i on the screen, and that is news. She gets away with it. Production is elaborate, and Busby Berkeley’s direction keeps the players going at top speed. In loading roles are Dick Powell, Rosemary, and Lola Lane, Hugh Herbert, Ted Healy, Glenda Farrell, Alan Mowbray, Duane Thompson, Grant Mitchell, and Edgar Kennedy. Special orchestra numbers are supplied by Benny Goodman and Raymond Paige. Hollywood film studios and broadcasting are the basis of a farcical story which pokes fun at both the picture-making business and the radio industry. Story is by Jerry Wald and Maurice Leo, who have developed a satire which is original and humorous. Eight musical numbers are by Whiting and Mercer, best of which are ‘l’m Like a Fish Out of Water ’ and 1 Silhoueted in the Moonlight.’ Those and perhaps several others are likely to get numerous airings. All the better-known Hollywood places of interest are shown in the picture including the exterior of the Hollywood Hotel.” EMPIRE Allan Jones and Judy Garland appear in the entertaining musical production ‘ Everybody Sing,’ to bo shown finally at the Empire to-night. Miss Garland is cast as an unhappy pupil at. an exclusive girls’ finishing school. She becomes bored with the usual singing hour and introduces a number of “ swing ” songs, which results in her expulsion. Returning to hoi' home she finds her parents too engrossed in

theatrical work to be angry with her for her action. COMEDY IN ALPINE SETTING. Laurel and Hardy reach a new peak of comedy in an alpine setting, climbing to dizzy heights of mirth in ‘ Swiss Miss,' their new musical film, which will open to-morrow at the Empire. Their new picture has heen given a highly entertaining plot and a sumptuous production. Settings are of unusual beauty, and some of the scenes m and about the village inn where most of the action takes place, rank high in pictorial quality. Singers, dancers, and musicians, garbed in the quaint costumes of the region, give a glamorous impression of a Swiss fete. Many customs of the district, such a.s yodelling, Alpenhorning, bell-ringing, and flag-throwing are introduced and afford an interesting and colourful background without obscuring in the least the hearty and mirth-provoking antics of the stellar pair. Their efforts to sell mouse-traps to the cheese producers, including demonstrations of the devices, are sequences as hilarious as have ever come to the screen. In success or in despair, their reactions never fail to ring the bell of pure and unadulterated comedy. Romance enters the picture in the persons of Della Lind and Walter Woolf King. Their vocal numbers are well above the average, and the music written _ especially for this production by Phil Charig possesses warmth and melodic appeal. Miss Lind, dainty and blonde, is a Viennese star of stage and screen, who is making her American debut in ‘ Swiss Miss.’ Another favourite in the cast is Eric Blore, who as King’s gentleman’s gentleman, garners a full quota of laughs for his amusing by-play. REGENT Using for its hero the immortal British” actor David Garrick, a gay comedy of that star and his tunes will be screened finally at the Regent tonight, with Brian Aherne in the role of°Gamck and Olivia de Hnvilhind as Germaine, the girl with whom ho falls in love. ‘ The Great Garrick ’ is the title of the picture, which was produced for Warner Bros.’ distribution by James Whale. “ACHIEVED THE IMPOSSIBLE.” Deanna Durbin has recently completed her fourth consecutive production for the new Universal, and foreign critics claim that it far exceeds in entertainment popularity her three previous successes. That is an enormous claim in itself, for there is no doubt that the New Universal studios have very cleverly decided upon keeping Deanna in the type of films which have so completely established her on the scroll of film fame. It is an acknowledged fact in the show world that no other star on the screen today has played in three pictures consecutively and so successfully eclipsed her own'record in each successive production. One of the critics who attended the preview in Hollywood of ‘ That Certain Age,’ which will he shown to-morrow at the Regent, went into raptures about the performance.

“ I cannot recall in the 17 years of my experience any artist doing four consecutive productions for the same company, and each production surpassing in entertainment merit all of its predecessors,” he wrote. “ Usually a star makes one successful picture, and the following films strive hard to capitalise upon this initial effort. Deanna Durbin, however, has achieved the impossible. ‘That Certain Age’ is moulded with all the exquisite beauty and charm that captures the imagination of the public. Its lovely mixture of laughter and tears represents the screen’s sweetest fragment from life, and reveals the superb touch of directorial genius gliding here and there that has fashioned it into throbbing reality. It may truly be said of Deanna’s latest film that it will prove the most powerful factor in restoring the picture industry to those glorious days when 1 Let’s all go to the movies ’ was an impulse universally observed in many homes.” MAYFAIR All through the narrative of ‘The Man Who Cried Wolf,’ which is at the Mayfair, the drama keeps pace with the romance. The centre of the dramatic action is Lewis Stone, who portrays an actor with a mysterious penchant, that of confessing murders he has not committed. ‘ Laughing Irish Eyes,’ which will he the second attraction, tells a rollicking story of a young Irishman, Phil Regan, who is brought to America as a ring champion.