PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 23564, 1 May 1940, Page 11

PICTURE THEATRES

There is a combination of a potent, romantic drama, and plenty of splashes of hilarious comedy, in ‘ Maisio ’ at the St. James. Though the girl who gives her name to the picture is no lady in certain senses of the word, she is possessed of a wonderful fund of commonsonse that stands her in good stead. ‘ Live, Love, and Learn,’ with Robert Montgomery and Robert Oenchley in the main roles, supports. BABIES ON SCREEN. A human, hilarious story of life as it really is lived in a typical American home is told in the new Paramount comedy ‘ Night Work,’ which will bo opened on Friday at the St.' James. The picture deals again with the “ Fitches,” that lovable, riotous family which made its screen debut in ‘ Boy Trouble.’ Mary Boland and Charlie llugglos, who have been cast so often and successfully on the screen as man and wife, again play the harassed heads of the “ Fitch ” family. This time they are taking legal stops to adopt “ Butch,” an orphaned youngster. Jn association with this comedy will be ‘ Television Spy,’ a story of a young scientist who risks losing his invention to foreign spies. Babies Nos. 1 to 00 in connection with the St. John baby contest will be on the screen on Friday, and Nos. 91 to 180 on Saturday.

OCTAGON

ST. JAMES

A striking revelation of the power of the British Air Arm and the organisation that controls its activities is made in ‘The Lion_ Has Wings ’ at the Octagon. Opening with a vivid summary of events which led up to the present conflict, the picture then goes on to deal with the explojts of the Royal Air Force in attacking enemy positions. MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA. The Castle Walk, the Texas Tommy, the Castle Waltz, the Tango, and the Maxine—world-famous dances created by Vernon and Irene Castle 25 years ago—are interpreted among other dances by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in their latest RKO Radio musical, 1 The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle,’ which will be the next attraction at the Octagon. Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, a team which is almost as famous, portray Vernon and Irene Castle, the romantic couple who made America dance-conscious. The film is a dazzling cavatcade of dance and melody set in a dramatic story of the couple who started the whole world dancing, with the stars in their greatest roles to date.

STRAND

Excitement and adventure are provided in good measure at the Strand. Tlie principal feature is ‘ Two Bright Boys,’ in which appear two of the brightest stars of the juvenile firmament in Aiherica—Freddie Bartholomew and Jackie Cooper. It is amusing and interesting faro that should appeal to all. The other feature film is ‘ Yodelling Kid Prom Pine Ridge,’ starring Gene Autry. - SWEEPSTAKES LOTTERY, With Preston Foster and Irene Hervey topping the cast, Universal’s new action drama, ‘ Missing Evidence,’ will be opened on Friday at the Strand. A dramatisation of the sweepstakes lottery, the film teams Foster and Miss Hervey for the second time, the pair having appeared together earlier in ‘ Society Smugglers.’ Bruce Cabot is the star of the supporting film, 1 Mickey the Kid.’ This is the story of a gangster who tries to make his son follow in his steps.

REGENT

There is much interest and entertainment in the screen adaptation of the successful comedy, ‘ Yes, My Darling Daughter,’ which is at the Regent. Warner Bros, have made the most of the romantic comedy opportunities of the play and selected a cast that leaves no room for criticism; indeed, every player earns the highest praise for acting ideally suited to the part. READ BY EIGHTY MILLION. Successfully combining for the first time adult and juvenile appeal in a motion picture fantasy, ‘ The Wizard of Oz,’ comes to the Regent next Friday. Hollywood believes that ‘ The Wizard of C)z ’ basically served as the ideal fantasy for such an opportunity. The book has been read by 80,000,01)0 since it was written in 1900, and has always had as many grown-up readers as children. L. Frank Baum wrote to entertain children and to give grown-ups philosophy which would delight them. This has been transferred to the screen. Practically every member of the cast is from musical comedy, and all were stage celebrities. The story has been maintained intact, and no Oz reader will be disappointed in the screen version.

EMPIRE

Built around two naval flyers, played by George Brent and John Bayne, sons of a pioneer naval flying officer who has died in the line of duty, ‘ Wings of the Navy ’ is at the Empire. Brent, the elder brother, is an instructor at the navy’s school for flyers in Pensacola when Payne, who is an ensign in the submarine service, decides to become a flyer, too. ‘HITLER, BEAST OF BERLIN.’ The Prime Minister of England. Mr Neville Chamberlain, in a recent interview of the war, said: “ It is a terrible thing to thinlk that the whole of the chaos in the world to-day can be attributed to one man.” And that is the man an American motion picture company has had the courage to name, ‘ Hitler, Beast of Berlin,’ which will be shown at the Empire on Friday, in their frank, fearless expose of Nazism and all that it stands for. Courage—in that such an undertaking must have •been fraught with real danger by virtue of the fact that the vast cosmopolitan population of Aiherica. with its millions of Germans, doubtless includes many who acknowledge the Fnhrer as their leader. The fact that the picture was made in America —a neutral oountrv—is also significant, ns it shows not what the combatant nations think of the German leader and his regime, but how he is by the rest of the civilised world.

GRAND

How a famous band loader, lured to Hollywood, strives to avoid being a screen star, is the hilarious basis of ‘ That’s Right—You’re Wrong,’ costarring Gav Kyser and Adolphe Menjou, at the ‘Grand. Tho story presents Kyser as himself—leader of one of America’s most popular bands, whoso radio programme. 1 The College of Musical Knowledge,’ is “ tops ” on the radio. When Kyser reluctantly accepts a Hollywood offer ho coincidentally leads himself into mirth-packed adventures. The studio scenarists, envision-ing!-.,lCyser, as a romantic personality, cast him as a Latin lover. When the writers admit they cannot shape a suitable story, the producer tries to discourage Kyser and force him to tear up his contract. Kyser detects the intrigue. and then launches a unique campaign which causes the studio to buy up his contract —all accompanied by merry moments mingled with melodic song in the five brand new hitparade tunes introduced by Kyser. In addition to Meii.iou and Kyser, ‘ That’s Right—You’re Wrong ’ casts May Robson, Lucille Ball,. Dennis O’Keefe, and Edward Everett Horton. The plight of a young married pair who find themselves drifting apart and yet are unable to avert the catastrophe, forms the compelling thematic basis of RKO Radio’s newest dramatic offering, ‘ Reno,’ which is the supporting film. Richard Dix and Gail Patrick are costarred in the film ns the hapless couple who are devotedly in love and yet cannot reconcile their conflicting ambitions.

STATE

‘ Second Fiddle.’ the entertaining comedy-romance which features Sonja Heuie, Tyrone Power, Rudy Vallee, and Mary Hoaly, is at the State. Every aspect of the film, whether it be the spectacular skating scenes, the lilting modern dance tunes, or the alternating humour and drama of the appealing story, is far above the ordinary standard. SOPHISTICATED COMEDY. Crisp dialogue and polished acting by David Niven arc but two of several factors that raise ‘ Eternally Yours,’ which will he opened at the State on Friday, well above the average in entertainment value. As tho Great Arturo, who sees all. knows all, and whose debonair manner has a devastating effect on women of all ages, Niven docs a masterly piece of work, and with Loretta Young and Hugh Herbert to assist him lie oxnloits tho many clever comedy situations to the limit. The story has a background of sophistication and smartness that gives it an attractive setting. Briefly, it tells of tho whirlwind marriage and infatuation of Arturo and the I'shop’s granddaughter. His wife has plans of a cottage in the woods and a family and so on. but the Great Arturo is consumed with ambition, and it is on this rock that the pair split. Arturo, without her to help him. slips, and failure faces him. Just in t'me ho meets her unexpectedly, and the fact steadies him. She gets her cottage.

MAYFAIR

Tho feature of the programme which began screening at the Mavfair to-day is ‘ Charlie Chan in Honolulu.’ In this thrilling episode in the life of the wellknown Oriental screen sleuth, Sydney Toler acquits himself admirably. Adventure, murder, and excitement follow each other with great rapidity. The associate film is ‘ A Christmas Carol.’