PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 23832, 12 March 1941, Page 3

PICTURE THEATRES

REGENT

'The House of the Seven Gables,’ being screened at 'lie Regent, is an adaptation of Nathaniel Hawtlio,rue’s novel. The story concerns a Now England family, the members of which, under a curse, died suddenly from throat haemorrhage, George Sanders, cast in a new vole as a villain, ably portrays the suavb Jaffrcy Pynchcon, who, in order to gain the old family house, had his younger brother, Clifford, thrown in prison, accused of the murder of his father, who had died of the family curse. • EDISON THE MAN.’ The vivid portrayal of the life and character of Thomas Edison in ‘ Edison the Man,’ which will open a season on Friday at the Regent, is not only remarkable for the splendid acting of Spencer Tracy, but also because it is a striking example of the possibilities of the talking screen in the realm of biography. The picture shows the lovable character of Edison the man, his early struggles when lie began life as a telegraphist, and the stroke of luck that brought him the first funds to found his famous laboratory. The story carries on tlie tale of the work of the inventor and bis picked team of workmen.

EMPIRE

In ‘ Twenty Mule Team,’ which is having a successful season at the Empire, Wallace Beery is seen as a big-hearted mule skinner, whose job it is to. transport loads of borax in the blistering heat of Death Valley. Tough as he appears to be, this strange character still has a great love for a hotelkeeper, a part played by Marjorie Rambeau in masterly fashion, who throws him out without the slightest hesitation on many occasions. Leo Carrillo, as Beery’s faithful Indian swinger, also gives a line portrayal. MUSICAL ROMANCE, Bing Crosby brings his radio maestro to the screen with the appearance of John Scott Trotter and his band inT’aramount’s now musical romance, ‘ Rhythm on the River,’ which will come to the Empire on Friday. Mary Martin, of Broadway fame, who was introduced to films in the frills of the gay ’nineties for ‘ The Great Victor Herbert,’ plays a modern role in " Rhythm on the River.’ She is co-starred with Bing Crosby and Basil Ratbbone. Seven new songs are featured in the picture. They arc: ‘Only For Ever,’ ‘1 Don’t Want to Cry Any More,’ ' That’s for Me,’ * What Would Shakespeare Have Said?’ ‘ Rhythm on the River,’ ‘ Ain’t It a Shame About Maine?’ and ‘ When the Moon Comes Over Madison Square.’

ST. JAMES

Comedy and crime are combined in the bill at the St. James this week. The sequel to ‘ Brother Rat ’ is the main attraction, and those who saw that picture will not be disappointed in ‘ Brother Rat and a Baby.’ The three college troublemakers, Wayne Morris, Ronald Reagan, and Eddie Albert, are together again, but one has become a family man, and a troublesome baby, Peter B. Good, adds to the fun. ‘ The Patient in Room 18.’ the second attraction, concerns a murder in a hospital, and stars Patric Knowles and Ann Sheridan. The good-looking young English star portrays the detective who, recuperating from an illness, is called upon to solve a mystery. POIGNANT MELODRAMA. ‘Dust Be My Destiny,’ the new film which will be shown on Friday at the St. James, has John Garfield and Priscilla Lane in the starring roles, and although this is the third picture in which they have been teamed it is the first one in which they achieve what promises to be lasting marital happiness. For all its happy ending, however, the new picture carries the young couple over a hard and rocky road before they reach the end of the rainbow. Announced as a blend of romance and comedy, ‘ Ma! He’s Making Eyes At Me ’ will bo the support.

GRAND

In a weird and fascinating role that has been hailed as the equal of his famous portrayal in *M,’ Peter Lorre is seen at the Grand in Columbia’s ‘ Island of Doomed Men,’ which opened to-day. Rochelle Hudson, Robert Wilcox, and George E. Stone arc also featured in the new thriller, which tells the story of a half-demented diamond mine owner whose warped mentality expresses itself in ruthless brutality. Lorre is starred iu the role of Stephen ■Danel. self-appointed tyrant of' a small island in the South Pacific, who uses paroled convicts to work his mine, He terrorises the men, literally working them to death. Another object of his cruelty is his pretty wife. Rochelle Hudson.

The tyrant encounters his first real opposition with the arrival of Mark Sheldon, ostensibly a paroled convict, but really an undercover man assigned to investigate. An immediate attraction springs up between Sheldon and the young girl, thereby enraging Danel further. tt is the very brutality by which Danel keeps the workers in lino which proves his undoing. The ex-convicts are goaded to the point of revolt, and the mounting tension of the film culminates in a blazing series of action sequences. Columbia’s thrilling new drama, ‘ Girls of the Road,’ is in support. Featuring Ann Dvorak, Helen Mack, and Lola Lane, the film authentically presents a grim story of the thousands of girls who wander throughout the country as homeless drifters. How they come to join the ranks of the jobless and why they cannot go hopie is told in true-to-lifo intensity.

STATE

John Barrymore gives a diverting burlesque of his own style iu ‘ The Great Profile, which is at present being shown '■it the State. In this production he reproduces the antics with which he convulsed theatre patrons in New York some seasous ago, and gives a remarkable exhibition of what happens when an actor casts restraint to the winds and turns a boring play into a riot of nonsense. Barrymore appears as the once great Evans Garrick, who consents lo act in a society woman’s rather .puerile play because it is "the only part lie can gel. ■ KIT CARSON.’ Lynn Ban makes her debut as a alar in ‘Kit Carson,’ Edward Small’s latest-pro-duction, which will be presented on Friday at the State, in which she plays opposite Jon Hall, supported by a cast including Dana Andrews, Ward Bond, Harold Huber, C. Henry Gordon, and other noted performers. The picture deals with the adven-ture-filled episodes of Carson’s life when he joined John C, Fremont, of the United States Army, to survey and map the shortest overland route to California.

OCTAGON

Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh give outstanding performances in ‘ Twenty-one Days Together,’ which is now in the second week at the Octagon. Based on a story by John Galsworthy, the production embodies all the best ingredients of romantic

drama. Olivier appears as a weak but lovable young man who is a failure at any job he tries. He falls in love with a young Russian girl, Wanda, but their slight chance of happiness disappears when the boy kills a scoundrel who is blackmailing Wanda.

‘ FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT.’ Recognition of the intrepid group of American newspapermen who are serving as the nation’s eyes and ears during the European debacle as the unsung heroes who risk their lives daily in order to keep their own people informed of the rapidly shifting panorama of war, is given by Walter Wangerin his dedication of ‘ Foreign Correspondent,’ which will have its local premiere on Friday at the Octagon. While ‘ Foreign Correspondent ’ is in no sense -a war picture, Wanger feels that it offers an opportunity to pay tribute to a group to whom the whole world owes an overwhelming debt of gratitude.

STRAND

At the Strand ‘ Margie ’ tolls the story of a young actress, Nan Grey, who is helped by Mischa Auer, as a banana king, to get a good job. Her husband, Tom Brown, takes exception to the woll-moaning intrusion of Auer, and leaves borne. Richard Dix gives a stirring portrayal as a frontier marshal in the days of the colonisation of the American west in ‘The Indian Nation,’ the associate attraction.

BABY SANDY AGAIN. Surrounded by a group _of Hollywood comedy favourites, Baby Sandy lias the starring role in ‘Sandy Gels Her Man,' zestful Universal film which will come on Friday to the Strand. Stuart Erwin is seen as the bashful fireman who has to turn Romeo to hold his job, and competes with Jack Carson for the hand of Una Merkel, Sandy’s mother in the gay drama. William Prawley portrays the police captain and Edgar Kennedy enacts the fire chief whose life is complicated by the youthful star’s unpredictable pranks, Bonita Granville has a sympathetic role in the associate film, ‘ Nancy Drew, Detective.’ She is seen as a 16-year-old girl with a flair for finding things out. Frankie Thomas has the part of her boy friend.

MAYFAIR

The fame of the dancing team Vernon aud Irene Castle, whose story will be presented' in motion picture form at the Mayfair this evening, is rivalled by that of the people who portray them, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Based on a novel by J. Edgar Hoover, originator of the G-men, ‘ Parole Fixer ’ will be the support.

HIS MAJESTY'S

The programme to be presented at His Majesty’s this evening, commencing at 7.30, combines a lusty action picture, ‘Thunder Afloat,’ and a detective story, ‘Tell No Tales’. Wallace Beery, Chester Morris, and Virginia Grey have the principal roles in the former, a story of America’s splinter fleet in the last war. Mervyn Douglas has the role of a. cheerful detective in the support, and uncovers many interesting facts during his investigations into the mysterious disappearance of a number of people