PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 23350, 21 August 1939, Page 13

PICTURE THEATRES

STRAND Kent Taylor, Rochelle Hudson, and Lucien Littlefield arc featured in ‘ Birates of the Skies.’ which has commenced at the Strand. Taylor will bo seen as a flying policeman who successfully breaks up a bandit gang -which has taken to the air to foil the law enforcers. Thrilling air scenes, naturally follow in the wake of such a plot. Much of the aerial material was filmed over tho Sierra Madre Mountains, where treacherous air currents and low hanging clouds have contributed to air transport disasters in the past. Two of the fastest pianos in southern California were employed in filming these air shots. The story of ‘ His Exciting Night,’ the second film, deals with tho misadventures of a bridegroom virtually kidnapped on his wedding night and tricked into a compromising situation with a handsome _ blonde vamp who happens to have a jealous strongman for a husband. In escaping from tho immediate menace of the husband, Charlie Rugglcs, as Adam, the bridegroom, and Marion Martin, the blonde, spend the night trying to get away from the clutches of a crazy taxi driver who intends to do away with them all. And next morning, in his attempts to explain to his weeping bride. Adam becomes further involved through a set of happenings which make him appear to be even a, worst* villain than his bride has supposed. GRAND James Craig and Betty Furness share the leading rols in ‘ North of Shanghai,’ which, with ‘ Whispering Enemies,’ starring Jack Holt, provides exciting fare at the Grand. The scene is laid in contemporary China, and the film traces the adventures of two American reporters who are assigned to “cover” the terrorism and spying activities behind the Chinese lines. Excitement there is in abundance—there are bombings, narrow escapes, and many hair-raising situations. Craig is seen as a (photographer and Miss Furness as a newspaper _ correspondent The supporting cast includes Keye Luke, _ Dick Curtis, Dorothy Gulliver, and Richard Loo. The power of vicious tongues is shown in ‘Whispering Ene mies,’ an expose of “ whispering campaigns.” Jack Holt is seen as a manufacturer who, through the success of one of these loathsome forms of attack, has been forced out of business. The manner in which he metes out his revenge is an unusual one.

STARRINGTHE DIONNES. Jean Hersholt has carved for himself a real niche in motion pictures’ hall of fame as one of the most accomplished of all Hollywood players. And as the beloved Dr Luke in the Twentieth Century-Fox picture starring the famous quintuplets he has endeared himself to millions the world over and achieved screen immortality. In ‘ Five of a Kind,’ the Quins’ third and best feature picture, the next feature for the Grand, Hersholt again essays the role of Dr Luke and portrays the genial doctor in a new and modern setting. In this picture the Quins are revealed as real entertainers, singing, dancing, making music and fun, and telling you all about it. The story whirls through a series of exciting situations, with the clamour and turmoil of metropolitan New York as the background. Claire Trevor and Cesar Romero are romantically paired in the picture. STATE Grade Fields sings seven songs in her latest Twentieth Century film, ‘ Keep Smiling,’ ranging from the broad comedy number, ‘ Mrs Binns’s Twins,’ calculated to bo as popular as ‘ Walter,’ to Fred Weatherley’s two popular classics, ‘ The Holy City ’ and ‘ May Morning.’ Monty Banks directed 1 Keep Smiling,’ which has commenced a season at the State. Peter Coke, who plays romantic lead opposite Mary Maguire in ‘ Keep Smiling,’ was born in Kenya, where his father was a coffee planter. Coke (pronounced Cook) made up his mind to bo an actor while being educated at Stowe School, and went from there to London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He turned down a Hollywood film contract because he refused to be tied down for long periods. Mary Maguire began her film career in Australia, where she was born. She has appeared in several • Australian-made films, and went to Hollywood on the advice of Miles Mander, who was in Australia to direct the Charles Farrell film. ’The Flying Doctor.’ Mander is now under contract to Twentieth CenturyFox, who release ‘ Keep Smiling.’

EMPIRE Hilarious comedy sequences deftly woven into a powerful story stamp Universal’s ‘ You Can’t Cheat an -Honest Alan,’ screening at the Empire, as one of the year’s best screen offerings. Heading the cast of the picture are AV. C. Fields, Edgar Bergen, and Charlie M'Cartby. They are rated as Hollywood’s top comedy combination. Highlighting the film is the bitter feud between Fields and his wooden nemesis M'Cartby. Their battle reaches new heights of potency and comedy in ‘ You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man ; ’ Charlie appears with a black eye instigated by Fields, and has to do one of his acta in blackface so that the discoloured orb won’t ho noticed. Constance Moore plays her first major role and Mortimer Snerd is back again. A face seen on the screen for the first time is that of Princess Baba, Another newcomer is Blachman, Hindu animal hypnotist who performs some amazing feats with lions and crocodiles. Mary Forbes and Thurston Hall are cast as James Bush’s parents. Charles Coleman appoax-s in one of his butler roles Edward Brophy, Arthur Hold, und Eddie Anderson are seen as a union representative, bill collector and Field’s coloured helper respectively. George Marshall’s direction is evidenced throughout the fast moving story, and producer Lester Cowan lias given entertainment value to the entire production. ST. JAMES Frank Shields, as ' Jack Matthew, jun., a wealthy playboy, is said to bn one of Hollywood’s coming screen actors. Reminiscent of Gary Cooper in appearance. Shields handles his role in ‘ The Scrapper,’ now at the St. James, with ease and confidence. Anne Nagel enacts the part of a young school teacher. The real star of thn film, however, is young Mickey Rooney, who is, of corse, “ The Scrapper.” a nickname he has earned by his readiness to fight anybody who says a word against his father, who is a gallant boro in his son’s eyes. The plot is fast-moving and full of thrills, with a

clever blending of drama, pathos, and comedy. William Nigh directed from a screen play by Robert Leo Johnson. The screen’s youngest “ Mr and Mrs team, Wayne Morris and Priscilla Lane, appear in ‘ Men Arc Such Fools, the second attraction. The popular approval which greeted the young couple’s first appearance as a screen team in ‘ Love, Honour, and Rehave,’ made it inevitable that tho studio should give the public some more of what it so evidently likes. ‘ Men Are Such Fools ’ is another tale of tho efforts made by a young couple, genuinely in love, to solve a .problem of human relationships which for a time seriously threatens to make it impossible for them to achieve a happy wedded life. REGENT ‘ Four’s a Crowd,’ the Warner Brothers’ comedy enjoying a season at the Regent, is . a light and airy production, with plenty of nonsense and enough seriousness to make it fine entertainment. It is an up-to-the- minute comedy in which too story moves along at a breathless pace, with a succession of novel and humorous twists. Tho producer set out with his sole aim the raising of laughs; ho does not try to point any moral or make it an ‘‘improving ” picture. ’I he four persons with whoso fortunes tho theme is mainly concerned and whoso armours cause the “crowding” are: A bright and fascinating newspaperman, played by Errol Flynn; a spoiled, but charming, heiress, played by Olivia do Havilland; a clever girl reporter, played by Rosalind Russell; and a rich playboy, played by Patric Knowles, who inherits a newspaper. Also prominent in the proceedings are Walter Connolly as a rapacious buccaneer of the business world (who is Olivia’s millionaire grandfather) Melville Cooper as his butler, and Hugh Herbert as a justice of the pence Throughout the story are scattered hilarious incidents, some of which arise from Connolly’s interest in miniature trains and Great Danes ns hobbies. The film depicts what is probably the most elaborate sob of working model railways in existence.

TRACY WINS ACADEMY AWARD. ‘ Cold black type cannot begin to describe the dramatic power of ‘ Boys’ Town.’ Words alone cannot express its realistic humanism.” In such sweeping statements does one of the foremost film critics in America comment on tho next attraction coming to the Regent. The story is based on actual fact, and is made all the more remarkable in that the central character, Father Flahnagan, is still alive. He is portrayed by Spencer Tracy, whose performance won for him the Academy Award for 1938. The history of tho founding of the “ boys’ town,” a community in which everything is done and organised by boys who are the sole inhabitants, is a gripping one. Tho particular episode in the life at the school about which the picture centres concerns the advent of an unusually “tough” youngster, wonderfully portrayed by Mickey Rooney, and of the way. in which he is gradually regenerated under the healthy influence of the community life. ’ MAYFAIR Drama provides the basis of the programme at the Mayfair, for in both of the full-length attractions—‘ Spawn of the‘North ’ and ‘ Convict 99 ’—ac-; tion dominates the theme. But ‘ Spawn of the North ’ boasts of more than action alone, for beauty, tragedy, and the glory of tho great white wastes provide items which rival the main attraction of the production. Actors and the animal friends and foes of man play a large part in the film, which is said to rank as one of the best of its kind yet screened in Dunedin. ‘ Convict 99 ’ is a fast-moving comedy which has enjoyed considerable success in previous screenings.