PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 23650, 9 August 1940, Page 12

PICTURE THEATRES

STATE Starring Burgess Meredith, Betty Field, and Lon Chaney, jtm., Hal Roach’s ‘ Of Mice and Men,’ which was produced and directed by Lewis Milestone, is how 'being shown at the State. It unfolds * richly emotional . and ■ tensely dramatic story. of the migratory ranch workers of California. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by John Steinbeck and transferred to the screen from Eugene Solow’s adaptation of the Broadway stage hit, ‘Of Mice and Men ’ tells the exciting story of George and Lennie and Mae on Aguora Ranch in California. George and Lennie have travelled together for years, the former devoted to his partner, whose brute strength and weak mind have invariably upset their “best-laid plans.” But at long last it seems that their dream, is to Mme true-—they have found the money to buy a small farm of their own and to live “ off the fatta the lan’.” They have not counted on;Mae, the only woman on the ranch, married to Curley, the owner’s son, and it is Mae who turns their happy dream into stark tragedy. ST. JAMES Lugubrious,’ pop-eyed Mischa Auer becomes a proud but harassed parent in the new attraction at the St. Janies, '‘Unexpected Father.’, Baby_ Sandy, who scored an initial, success in. ‘ East Side of Heaven,’ is also prominently featured. Now some six months older, Sandy still retains all the cuteness displayed in her first picture, and augments it by both toddling and saying a few words. The comedy comes largely from Aner, who proves for the second time that he is a perfect running mate for Sandy. The romantic intrigue is provided by Dennis O’Keefe and Shirley Ross, with Donald Briggs always in the offing ,as the “other man.” The Universal film, ‘ They Asked Fcr It,’ with William Lundigan, Joy Hodges, Michael Whalen, Isabel Jewell, and Lyle Talbot, will be in support; Miss Hodges, wbo has been acclaimed one of the most vivacious actresses on the screen, has the role of a girl reporter who outsmarts the police and a band of criminals to solve a mystery and win her man. ( —Baby Contest Final.— Commencing to-day, approximately S 3 theatres throughout New Zealand were screening the pictures of Baby Otago and Baby Auckland, the finalists in the St. John Centennial baby_ contest, which has, attracted such interest during the past few months. Patrons of these 53 theatres, including the St. James, have only one week in which to make their decision as to the respective merits of the champion infants of the North and South Islands. Otago’s entry is Baby -Llewellyn GWynne, aged 15 months, who is the son of Mr and Mrs W. Gwynne. OCTAGON One of the greatest adventures known to man is thrillingly reconstructed onthe screen in Darryl P. Zanuck’s. production of ‘Stanley and Livingstone,’ the current feature at the Octagon. Spencer Tracy turns in another masterful performance, co-starred with Nancy Kelly and Richard Greene at the head of one of the greatest acting casts ever assembled. The film shows' Stanley first as he was in 1869, a reporter of bulldog tenacity who willingly risked his neck to get his story. It follows him through all. the thrills and dangers of Ids great adventure, and shows with great dramatic force the influence on ,iiis character and his whole life of his I meeting and subsequent friendship with (the great missionary-explorer, who had fburied himself in the black heart of unknown Africa to, serve humanity. It is _sufficient that the character of the principals has suffered no violation. H. M. Stanley has been provided with,a romantic inspiration in the early stages of .the film, and it is easy to understand why this was introduced, STRAND * Black Friday,’ heralded as the newest idea in horror pictures, with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi in the starring roles, heads the new bill at the Strand. Quite different from previous horror films both in story and technique, ‘ Black Friday ’ finds both the stars and their supporting players appearing without the “ weird ” make-up effects they have used in the past. ‘ Kid Nightingale,’ which supports ‘ Black Friday,’ presented a problem similar to Robert Taylor’s fight films, because 'John Payne, like Ta3'lor, is too handsome to have received many punches. Wily Callahan helped the situation w-ith I’ayne by pitting against him the goodlooking and as yet unmarked young heavy, Bill Haade. REGENT The renowned operetta. 1 Balalaika,’ is being screened for another week at the Regent. The film people have utilised all the resources of the screen in technique and talent to produce a film which is well worth seeing and hearing. All the old favourite songs are there, together. with several new ones which are destined to be heard everywhere in the next lew- weeks. The story has

been altered here and there, but to exchange the Imperial Russian Ballet for the -Imperial Russian Opera is direct gain when Nelson Eddy and Ilona Massey happen to be playing the leading roles. As the fighting Cossack, Prince Karagin, Nelson Eddy has a part which suits him thoroughly. Ilona Massey is entrusted with the role of the daughter of a poor music teacher and part-time Communist, who has a bad time under Cossack hoofs until the Revolution comes along. She brings something new to the screen, as well as a voice in the top rating and a good personality. ' The cast indudes C. Aubrey Smith, Frank Morgan, and Charles Ruggles. \- ■ ■ EMPIRE Svnthetic blood, murder, disappearance, chills, and thrills are presented in the thrilling screen version of ‘ The Return of Dr X,’ which stars Humphrey Bogart as Dr X., Uow at the Empire. A wave of murders and disappearances leads Wayne Morris, a, young newspaper reporter, to a_ hospital, where he meets and falls in love with an attractive: nurse, (Rosemary Lane. Here he becomes suspicious of Dr X> who is assistant to_ a (laboratory scientist, John Lite!. Miss Lane disappears, and, with the help of Dennis Morgan, Morris solves the intriguing mystery. The supporting programme is one which includes fast-paced vaudeville. ‘ You’re Next to Closing ’ is a merry mixture of snappy song _ and dance turns, trick dog acts, specialty dancing, and acrobatics. Eddie Le Lange and his band present some novel and lilting.-numbers. ‘ Scalp Trouble,’ a Porky Pig and Daffy Duck cartoon; ‘ Sophomore Swing,’ a Broadway brevity with an up-to-the-minute musical comedy background; episode 5 of ‘ The Green' Hornet ’; and pictures of the world’s latest news compete the array. GRAND There is probably no man ori the screen who can be as funny, with as little effort, as - the popular English comedian Gordon' Barker, and this week, as the principal figure in ‘ Inspector Hornleigh on Holiday,’ which is at the Grand, he is given ample opportunity of exploiting that droll brand of humour of which he is such a master. The picture is based on a further adventure of Inspector Hornleigh, that likeable and ingenious Scotland > Yard detective who has already been introduced to screen audiences in another film, and his reappearance will be welcomed by everyone -who enjoys a fast-moving, fullbodied mystery- picture - abounding in' thrills and replete with delightful comedy. Of almost equal merit,_ but of an entirely different type, is the associate film, ‘ Too Busy to Work,’ a further incident in the saga of "the everpopular Jones Family. MAYFAIR An unusual sfory of college life, ‘ ißrother Rat,’ is to finish to-night at the Mayfair. The second film, ‘ The Day the Bookies Wept,’ is an hilarious comedy which features the inimitable Joe Penner. ANDY HARDY AGAIN, The Hardy Family, with the emphasis on Andy, comes to the Mayfair tomorrow in. ‘ Andy Hardy Gets' Spring Fever,’ in which the irrepressible son has quite a few romantic troubles. Lewis Stone, Mickey RUoney, and Cecilia Parker are in the principal rojes. ‘ TJnder-cbver Doctor,’ a crime drama of a doctor who throws in his lot with gangsters, will star Lloyd Nolan, _ Janice Logan, and J. Carroll Naish in support. i " ’ ■„ GREEN ISLAND Dramatic and exciting is. Columbia's ‘ Clouds Over Europe,’ which is to open to-morrow at the Municipal, with its brilliant narrative and splendid acting. This picture is something different in the way of spy films because of the constant introduction. of clever witticisms and_ humorous situations. Not even during Jthe most dramatic moments does this film lose its sense of humour. Ralph Richardson, Laurence Olivier, and Valerie Hobson are the principals.