PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 23501, 15 February 1940, Page 8

PICTURE THEATRES

ST. JAMES * Witlain the Law,’ featuring Ruth Hussey, is to finish to-night at the St. Janies. Miss Hussy plays the part of a woman who is unjustly sent to prsion for a crime which she did not commit. AVhen she is released she determines to revenge herself on the man who left her in the lurch. The second film is ‘ Topper,’ the film version of Thorne Smith’s hilarious story, ‘ The Jovial Ghosts.’ Cary Grant and Constance Bennett are starred. DONAT AS “ MR CHIPS.” Robert Donat, who gave the screen one of its finest performances as the idealistic doctor of 1 The Citadel,’ again reveals his artistry in ‘ Good-bye, Air Chips,’ filmisation of the celebrated James Hilton novel, which will again be on view at the St. James to-mor-row. Donat plays the (kindly schoolmaster who comes to a large English school as a young man and passes his entire life there. Ho becomes the ideal of the boys in his care, and when these boys grow up they send their sous back to “ Air Chips.” He meets and falls in love with a young and beautiful girl, and when she ultimately dies the tragedy leaves “ Chips ” with a great human understanding and compassion. To the difficult role of “ Chips ” Robert Donat brings a forthright and sincere acting talent which marks him as one of the outstanding actors on the screen to-day. Playing four different stages in the life of the gonial schoolmaster, from youth to old age, Donat makes him at once a human, breathnig man, eccentric at times, but always understandable and lovable, and a symbol of the great profession of teaching. It is a performance which will live in the memory of screengoers for some time to come. There is a first-class supporting programme, including ‘ Colourful Curacao,’ a Fitzpatrick Travelogue, a Robert Beachley speciality on ‘ How to Eat,’ and international news. STRAND Gene Autry, one of Hollywood’s most popular singing cowboys, appears in the principal role in ‘ Git Along, Little Dogies,’ which heads the programme to finish to-night at the Strand. Autry is not the only vocalist in the film, for he is assisted by “ Smiley ” Burnette, a baseo comedian, while a famous radio and screen combination, the Maple City Four, also adds its quota to the musical side of the film. The second picture is ‘ Stepping Toes,’ in which Hazel Ascot is featured. COMEDY AND AVIATION DRAMA. Alonogram’s aviation thriller, ‘ Stunt Pilot,’ which will come to the Strand to-morrow, is the second in a scries of Tailspin Tommy pictures which are based on the famous American cartoon strip by Hal Forrest. Forrest, a wartime aviator himself, is the creator of the popular hero, Tailspin Tommy, and his pals, Betty Lou and Skeeter. The strip runs in several hundred newspapers, and is considered one of the most popular of its kind. John Trent, an ex-transport pilot, who plays Tailspin Tommy,.. bought the movie rights of the strip several years ago, and it was he who sold Monogram the idea of making the series. The pictures have been a tremendous success. Dennis O’Keefe and Florence Rice, two young players who have made rapid strides toward stardom in the past six months, are teamed for the first time in ‘ Vacation From Love,’ the new comedy which will support. The story is a romantic comedy of the adventures encountered by a young couple in love and wedded in their attempt to solve the secret of happy marriage* Miss Rice and O’Keefe, as the young couple, try everything to save their matrimonial barque from disaster until they hit upon the happy thought of taking an annual vacation from love. REGENT Charles Laughton dominates ‘ Jamaica Inn,’ which heads the programme to finish to-night at the Regent, with a sinister power that dwarfs all others in an outstanding cast. In spite of all his previous triumphs he stands out for his performance as Sir Humphrey Pengallon, squire and leader of a gang of cut-throats. INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE. Selfishness, patriotism, duty—these are words commonly in the mouths of Britishers to-day, and for that reason alone the picture which will open its season at the Regent to-morrow — ‘The Sun Never Sets’—should register an instantaneous appeal. It is on those sentiments that the film is based. On this basis it is easy to see that the picture will bo full of drama, action, and thrills, and because of the present international situation these thrills will have a deeper meaning. The Randolph family is an English family who have this tradition. It is life tlood to the elder brother, CHyo (Basil Rathbone), and to deepen this family tie he toils unwearyingly in outposts of the Empire, lonely and unimportant. To John, the younger brother (Douglas Fairbanks, jun,), the call is not so strong. In fact, when the call docs come he is a failure on the African Gold Coast. More than that, he is responsible for his brother’s _ demotion. These are scenes in which the atmosphere is electric. Various scenes from the war form part of the supports. These in themselves will serve as a fitting prelude for the main picture. The lovely isle of Bali, where, so travellers say, are the loveliest women in the world, will be shown as an educational and beautiful travelogue, while a Alentone musical and a most amusing cartoon, ‘ Crackpot Cruise,’ will round out an entertaining programme, EMPIRE The plot of ‘ Alutiny in the Big House,’ the feature to finish to-night at the Empire, is based on a prison mutiny which took place in California some years ago. A young offender is sent to gaol for a minor forgery, and finds himself placed in the same cell as a notorious convict, who incites him to mutiny. DANCING OF ROCHESTER. Jack Bonny, the master laugh-getter of the radio, makes another visit to the screen in the lavish new Paramount comedy with music, 1 Alan About Town.’ With glamorous Dorothy Laniour ami rotund Edward Arnold in co-starring roles, what is said to bo tbo most hilarious of Benny’s screen offerings will be unveiled at the Empire to-morrow. Produced on a lavish scale by Arthur Hornblow, jim., 11 to man who is known as the Ziegfcld of

Hollywood,” directed by Mark Sandrich, who did tho Astaire hits ‘ Follow the Fleet ’ and ‘ Shall We Dance.’ ‘ Man About Town ’ sparkles with hilarious situations, bright dialogue, platoons of pretty girls, and three songs which are already marked for tho hit class. Among tho big added attractions of the picture is the sensational dancing of Rochester, who makes his screen debut with his radio chief in this picture. The Rochester dancing is said to bo amazing, guaranteed to provoke laughter from any audience. Just as amazing is the dancing of the world-renowned Morriol Abbott Dancers, who do incredible acrobatic routines in tho harem sequences. The humorous story hy Morris Ilyskind, author of such screen hits as ‘ My Alan Godfrey’ and ‘Stage Door,’ casts Jack as an American theatrical impresario about to present a show in London. BRILLIANT WINTER CARNIVAL AMERICAN YOUTH RUNS RIOT IN SOUTHERN DRAMA Two unusual films form the new bill at the Grand this week. First is a Walter Wanger production, which presents a brilliant ice festival under tho title ‘ Winter Carnival.’ Besides being a masterpiece of spectacle, through its brilliant photographic sequences amid the ice, it has an .intriguing story of a woman who is too wealthy to have a private life. How she finally succumbs to Cupid’s lures is told in a fast-moving story. Pathos and drama are the predominant notes of ‘ Boy Slaves,’ telling of the adventures of two unemployed Sbnthern American youths, which will support. There are many and strange adventures for the pair to fall into before the climax of the plot is reached. Both films are highly entertaining, and among the finest of their kind. Believing that film audiences will welcome a gay respite from the pressure of present-day living, Walter Wanger has produced a diverting story in ‘ Winter Carnival,’ which heads the bill. Starring the vivacious Ann Sheridan with Richard Carlson and featuring a large east of Hollywood’s outstanding starlets, ' Winter Carnival ’ was directed by Charles F. Riesner and is a United Artists release.

It is one of the most swift-moving romances to reach the screen in many months. Fans will secure a first hand view of tho scintillating spectacle of the famous Dartmouth college winter snow sports which form tho background for this exciting tale of a divorced duchess on the run. Winter time and the outdoors have been utilised to catch their zestful spirit as a vehicle for the fast-paced and tumultuous romance in which Miss Sheridan is too attractive and wealthy to have a private life. Her divorce from a titled husband brings notoriety from which she flees, and in her attempt to evade reporters she runs right into tho arms of Professor John Weldon, played by Richard Carlson, whom she jilted during student days when she was crowned queen of the carnival. From : here on the romance sparkles more than the night pyrotechnic displays as a young college editor injects his scandal-bent journalistic ideas into their love affair.

* Boy Slaves,’ the second feature, is a grim drama of the fate that awaits unemployed youth in some of the southern States of America. In this story some youthful first offenders are bailed out by a wealthy owner of a turpentine farm on condition that they work out their bail money. All too soon they find themselves under conditions which would make the worst prison preferable. Events lead in the climax to a riot among the lads, in which one is killed and another charged with murder. Anne Shirley heads the cast, which includes a number of new names. STATE One of the brightest comedies to be screened in Dunedin for some time is ‘ Good Girls go to Paris,’ the attraction to finish to-night at the State. Most of the entertainment in the film comes from the affairs of a young Englishman (Melvyn_ Douglas), professor of Greek at a mid-western university, who finds in the /Esop fables the answers to the many perplexities he encounters in American life. HEIFETZ—LEADING VIOLINIST. Jascha Heifetz, world’s leading virtuoso, whose bowing and fingering of great compositions _ have been hailed throughout the musical world, was persuaded by Samuel Goldwyn to bring his genius to the screen and make his film debut in the producer’s ‘ They Shall Have Music,’ a moving and poignant story set in New York, which will commence at the State to-morrow. The new picture also marks the debut of the California Junior Symphony Orchestra, comprised entirely of boys and girls. ‘ They Shall Have Music ’ features Andrea Leeds, Joel M'Crea, Walter Brennan, Gene Reynolds, and Terry Kilbourne. The story concerns Professor Lawson, played by Walter Brennan, and the school settlement which he runs for underprivileged children who have a talent for music. Since the professor is a happy-go-lucky idealist with no sense of practicality or finance, the school is on the verge of bankruptcy. But with the arrival of Frankie, a slum boy, plans are hatched to save the school from the hands of the creditors ancLto give it a bright new start. Frankie plots and plans to get the great Heifetz, who is in New York for Carnegie Hall concerts, to become interested) in the small settlement and lend it his patronage. The group of talented children who play in the film with Mr Heifetz were formerly identified as prodigies by no less musical authorities than Leopold Stokowski and Alfred l Newman, both of whom have wielded the baton as their conductors. MAYFAIR ‘ The Graeie Allen Minder Case,’ which is being screened at the Mayfair, is a delightful comedy, with u good leavening of thrilling mystery. As can be expected with Grade Allen heading the cast, the comedy aspect far outweighs the thrills; hut. as the story is from the pen of S. S. Van Dine, there is plenty of action and baffling mystery. How Miss Allen gets in the way of Philo Vance in helping to solve a murder case makes an entertaining story. Ellen Drew. Warren William, Kent Taylor, and Judith Barrett are also in the cast. The supporting film is ‘ Lone Wolf Spy Hunt.’ a thrilling story of an international spy hunt, in which the “ Lone Wolf,” a daring criminal, takes a prominent part. Ida Lnpino. Warren William, and Ralph Morgan head the cast