PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 23665, 27 August 1940, Page 11

PICTURE THEATRES

ST. JAMES The merrv strains of ' We're Off to See tlie Wizard ' may bo lieard at I.he St. James this week, where • J lie Wizard of Oz ' is being given a welcome return to the city. Many people who saw the picture when it was shown in Dunedin before will want to enjoy it again, and those who have not should find in it' an element of fantasy which is a welcome change from the usual run of Hollywood productions. STRONG SCOTTISH INFLUENCE. Scottish influence predominates on Paramount's 'This Man in Pans, set at Denham. Director David MacDonald, Alastair Sim, and co-authors Roger MacDougall' and Allan MacKinnon all I hail from Scotland. MacDougall and McKinnon always wear kilts. They are the Castor and Polus of the British film world. Valerie Hobson is Irish, and Barrv K. Barnes and Producer Anthonv Havelock-Alhm -are both English. Wale's was well represented by three technicians, and the Isles of Wight and Man by one technician each. The picture will be screened nest Friday at the St. James. OCTAGON The delightful Walt Disney version of the story of ' Pinocchio,' the little wooden .puppet which comes to life and gets into a series of extraordinary scrapes, is now in the second week ot its season at the Octagon. There is a wealth of ingenuity and artistry in the composition of the film, which rivals Disney's first remarkable full-length cartoon, ' Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,' The characters in the story are beautifully conceived. HILARIOUS COMEDY. What have secretaries got that wives have not? This intriguing question is pondered—and hilariously answered—in 'Daytime Wife,' the gay Twentieth Century-Fox romantic comedy, co-star-ring Tvrone Power and Linda Darnell, which 'will be the next attraction at the Octagon. Warren William, Binnie Barnes, Wendy Barrie (as the secretary), and Joan Davis are featured in the' supporting east under the sprightly direction of Gregory Ratoff. STRAND | ' Sabotage,' which heads the current programme at the Strand, blends patriotism and small-town ingenuity into popular entertainment, another story of an American family becoming involved in local intolerance because of a false charge of sabotage against . the son, an aeroplane designer. .The second feature i«s ' The Covered Trailer,' another adventure of the Higgins Family, featuring James, Lucille, and Russell Gleason. REGENT Ronald Colnian convincingly portrays Dick Heldar, reckless soldier of fortune, in ' The Light That Failed,' which is the principal feature at the Regent. 'ANOTHER THIN MAN.' Regent patrons will be privileged to follow the popular ' Thin . Man ' team of William Powell and Myrna Loy through another of their frolicsome sleuthing adventures ' when ' Another Thin Man ' is screened at that theatre on Friday. Pithy wisecracks and hilarious comedy situations lift their latest presentation well above the common class of murder mysteries. Centring in the efforts of Nick Charles, debonair amateur detective, to unravel a (particularly complicated double murder mystery, the film moves at a brisk clip from the outset, and provides entertainment of a class that is not often seen on the screen. William Powell, suave and competent as ever after his two years' absence from screen appearances, gives another delightful characterisation as Nick Charles, and Miss Loy is equally good as his wife. EMPIRE Inspired originally by the phenomenally successful song from which it derives its title, Republic's ' South of the Border ' is showing at the Empire. The film has songs, laughter, thrills, and it has a thoughtfully-contrived story with a timely angle which' creates an illusion that the audience is witnessing actual events dramatised from the daily newspaper headlines. SAILORMEN OF ENGLAND. The heroic deeds of the sailormen of England—Britains ' Sons of the Sea,' who are daily writing auother glorious chapter in our naval history, have sent, thrills of pride surging through tli€» blood of every Briton. Men of the Ajax. the Achilles, the Exeter, and other ships of His Majesty's Fleet that have

fought unforgettable battles in the North Sea and Norwegian waters. The thrilling all-colour production, ' Sons of the Sea.' which comes to the Empire on Friday, is dedicated to these heroes in blue. " The film was made with the full co-operation of the Admiralty, a fact that guarantees the authenticity of the backgrounds of his amazing story of enemy spy menace and naval counter espionage. GRAND A thrilling, tale of espionage with a highly topical interest is unfolded in the French' film. ' Double Crime on the Maginot Line,' which is to finish tonight at the Grand. The associate feature is ' Marines Fly High,' with Richard Dix and Chester Morns in the leading parts. STARTLING DRAMA. With fierce bandits battering the gates of a remote American consulate, two Americans live a startling drama with death seemingly but an hour away. The film is Twentieth Century-I'ox s ' Barricade,' starring Alice Faye and Warner Baxter, which will commence at the Grand to-morrow. Miss Faye is east, as an American entertainer on an international hotel' circuit who gets in trouhlo in China as eye-witness to an assassination and flees from the danger only to land right in the midst of a sav'ago hattle. Baxter plays a newshawk hot on her trail who follows her to the American compound, to find himself in love with her in. the face of extreme peril. Featured in the cast are Charles Winninger, Arthur Treacher, Keye Luke, and Willie Fung. ' Barricade ' was directed by Gregory Ratoff. ' Stop. Look, and Love,' which supports, is a fast-moving comedy set in the mystic Orient. Jean Rogers and Eddie. Collins are the stars. STATE Adapted from Guy du Mavirier's spy drama, originally written to warn England of the perils of unpreparedness, ' An Englishman's Home, 1 which is at the State, provides fine entertainment. As a play ' An Englishman's Home ' was first "banned on the grounds that the invaders who figure in the story might be identified with Germans—it was peace time then. Special uniforms were invented and care taken that the characters might not " resemble any persons living." There is little doubt that the invaders will be classed as Germans, and, in view of the present war situation, the film is unusually timely. Central figure in_ screen play is a typical conservative Englishman who is convinced that all the ridiculous war preparations are go much waste of money. Unwittingly, however, he harbours a spy in his home. ' NIGHT OF THE FIRE.' 'On the Night of the Fire,' which comes to the State on Friday, tells the story of a man who made one mistake, and the price he paid. Ralph Richardson and Diana Wyuyard head the cast. A strong supporting iprogramme is included in the bill. MAYFAIR ' Clouds Over Europe,' starring Ralph Richardson, Valerie Hobson, and Laurence Oliver, a romantic comedy with a background of crime and espionage,_ is to finish to-night at the Mayfair, with ' Golden Boy,' the film adaptation of Clifford Ode't's celebrated play. « LION HAS WINGS.' The thrilling war-air film ' The Lion Has Wings ' will come to the Mayfair to-morrow. Ralph Richardson and Merle Oberon have the leading roles. Mostly the film comprises newsreel shots in the introductory part, telling how England played games while Germany rearmed feverishly. Then the film proceeds to show how Britain has been made a stronghold against attack by air. ' Good Girls Go To Paris ' will support. Tt is a fast-moving comedy starring Melvyn Douglas and Joan Blondell.