PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 23861, 16 April 1941, Page 5

PICTURE THEATRES

RESENT

Deanna Durbin displays no little talent for dancing in her latest production, Spring Parade,’ at present showing at the Regent. In the ideal setting of old Vienna, she plays the part of a young peasant girl whose one aim in life is to go to the royal capital. Finally, her wish is fulfilled, and she finds herself in the midst of the gay life and the music that was to be heard in every cafe and home. ‘ SUSAN AND GOD.’ ‘Susan and God,’ Rachel Crothers’s stage hit, will be seen in its screen form at the Regent on Friday. Joan Crawford finds her most effective dramatic role as Susan and Frederic March is co-starred as her estranged husband, Barrie. 1 Susan and God ’ boasts one of the strongest supporting casts of the season. Ruth Hussey is seen as Charlotte, a family friend who is secretly in love with Barrie. Rita Hayworth is Leonora, the young actress who is married to Uhe much older Hutchins Stubbs, played by Nigel Bruce, but who is in love with a young actor, Clyde Rochester, enacted by John Carroll. Rita Quigley, a newcomer to films, appears as Blossom, the lonely and unwanted daughter of Susan and Barrie.

ST. JAMES

With W. C. Fields in the title role, ‘ The Bank Dick ’ is enjoying a popular season at the St. James this week. Assisted by a very large cast, Fields gives one of his best character studies to be seen for many a day. Gene Autry heads the cast in ‘ Carolina Moon,’ which is the associate film. Assisted by Smiley Burnette, his genial comedy pal, and the charming June Storey, he gives cue of his most entertaining performances to date. ‘ ON YOUR TOES.’ * On Your Toes,’ a musical comedy with emphasis on the comedy, will make its local debut at (he St. James on Friday. Starred in the hilarious travesty on ballet is Zorina, star of the Broadway hit ‘ 1 Married An Angel.’ ‘On Your Toes ’ is adapted from the sensationally successful stage musical written by Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, and George Abbott.

STATE

At the State this week one of the most dramatic and faithful delineations ever given by Paul Muni is presented in ’Hudson’s Bay.' He appears as Pierre Radisson, renegade, traitor, rogue, and empirebuilder, and he is just as convincing in this role as he was in his other triumphs. The story is one of daring adventure, with an historical background. Lord Crewe (John Sutton) is banished from England for his drunken pranks, and is exiled to Canada. When he reaches Quebec he meets two rough French-Canadian fur trappers (Muni and Laird Cregar), who induce him to finance their scheme for the building of a commercial empire in the region of Hudson Bay. The following year they go to England with a fortune in pelts and organise a fur trading company under the sponsorship of the King. The three adventurers return to America, bringing with them Morton Lowry, brother of Gene Tierney, Sutton’s fiancee. The spoiled boy induces Indian warfare ; by distributing liquor among the savages. In order to prevent an Indian massacre Muni orders the young man to be’ executed by a firing squad. Then, through raging rapids nad across the frozen wastes of the north, Muni leads a new expedition to final, lasting triumph at Hudson’s'Bay.

STRAND

The distribution of subversive propaganda by “fifth columnists ” in America is featured in 1 Sky Murder,’ the leading attraction at the Strand. The famous film detective, . Nick Carter (WalterFPidgeofi), is the main character, and together with the equally famous Bee Man, who, with a pocket full of bees and an . old Derby hat, is responsible for many laughs, and a charming lady detective (Joyce Compton), he solves the most baffling of his cases. The second film is ’ I’m Nobody’s Sweetheart Now,’ a comedy in which two pairs of lovers endeavour to solve their matrimonial problems. ■THE LEATHER-PUSHERS.’ * The Leather-pushers,’ co-starring Richard Arlen and Andy Devine, will open a season at the Strand on Friday. Arlen is seen >as a hard-punching contender for the middle-weight crown, who battles his way to victory through a series of spectacular and exciting events. Devine is his faithful trainer and pal: Astrid Allwyn draws the romantic-lead opposite Arlen. ‘I Can’t Give You Anything but Love, Baby ’ will be the associate feature.

OCTAGON

There is satire with pungent effect and comedy recapturing the moods of the earlier Chaplin productions in ‘ The Great Dictator,’ Charlie Chaplin’s masterpiece now showing at the Octagon. Charlie, master comedian, rises to great heights of artistry that keep the audience in throes of laughter from start to finish. The film is a satire on Hitler and his satellites, Goebbels and Goering, and also on the Italian dictator, Mussolini. By a series of misadventures, Chaplin finds himself in the shoes of a dictator, and the resultant humour provides delightful entertainment. Chaplin plays a double role in this film, and is ably supported by such a notable cast as Paulette Goddard, Jack Oakie as Napolini, Henry Daniel), and Billy Gilbert.

GRAND

The most charming “ crook ” in filmdom returned to the Grand to-day with the opening of Columbia’s ‘ The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady.’ Warren William again portrays the light-fingered, light-hearted rogue and Jean Muir is the lady in the case. The case itself is one of the best of all the Lone Wolf adventures, a tense and exciting drama of a diamond necklace, hedged about with murder and intrigue. Michael Lanyard, the Lone Wolf, enters into the situation after the jewels have been stolen from pretty Miss Muir and the police are on her trail for murder. With his usual gallantry the Lone Wolf comas to the rescue, and with his usual audacity ho proceeds to (lout both police and crooks alike as he sets after the real murderer. In a dramatic and action-tilled climax the Lone Wolf, assisted by Eric Blore as his faithful butler, delivers the real culprits into the arras of the police. The fine supporting cast includes Warren Hull, Victor Jory, Roger Pryor, and Robert Emmett Keane, all of whom do their share in making ‘ The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady ’ one of the most enjoyable melodramas of the screen.

An outstanding cast headed by brilliant Edith Fellows brings the popular Fepper family to glowing life in the human story of Columbia’s 'Five Little Peppers in Trouble,’ which is in support.

EMPIRE

An excellent cast has been assembled for the main character roles in * Virginia,’ the Empire’s attraction. Madeleine Carroll, Fred Mac Murray, and Stirling Hayden are starred in a simple love story set in the beautiful surroundings of the old rebel State of Virginia. It tells of a young girl who, after being absent from her old Virginia home since babyhood, returns to the family estate to find that the scurry and hustle of modern life in the northern Slates has passed that part of the country by. The old families still look upon the northerners as interlopers, and spare no pains in indicating their dislike of the rich northerners. The girl, Charlotte, finds that the old negro retainers of her family have kept the homestead and estate in repair against the day of her return, and their loyalty breaks down her acquired intolerance of the easy-going ways of the south.

■ THE SEA HAWK.’

‘ The Sea Hawk,’ the next attraction for the Empire, which stars Errol Flynn, with a cast including Brenda Marshall, Claude Rains. Donald Crisp, Flora Robson, and Alan Hale, unfurls the saga of the boldest buccaneer ever to fight under the flag of the skull and cross bones. Among England's great heroes of the day was the Sea Hawk (Errol Flynn), a fearless fighter, a sort of Robin Hood of the Seas, confiscating gold and merchandise which he brings home to fill England’s dwindling coffers. On one of his daring adventures ho captures the ship carrying the Spanish Ambassador (Claude Rains) and bis English niece (Brenda Marshall), with whom the Sea Hawk falls in love. While the Queen (Flora Hobson) openly berates this exploit, in secret she sends him off to pirate more gold from the Spaniards. They learn of this plan, trap him in a swamp-infested jungle, and imprison him as a galley slave aboard a Spanish vessel. With a dagger lie loosens his shackles and almost single-handed overcomes both the galley timekeeper and whipper. He then frees his fellow prisoners, who engage in hand-to-hand fights and duels with the ship’s officers and men. Dramatising the efforts of G-men to round up secret agents whose activities endanger the nation’s military strength, the first episode of Universal’s 12-chapter serial film, ‘ Junior G-men,’ will also he shown at the Empire on Friday. The picture stars the Dead End Kids—-Billy Halop, Hnntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsly, the Little Tough Guys, and has Julie Duncan, girl daredevil, in a featured role.

MAYFAIR

The story of the ‘ Proud Valley,’ which is being shown at the Mayfair, was specially written fori Paul Robeson under his personal supervision. The story also offers Robeson ample opportunities for the full display of his glorious voice, and, in addition to solo numbers, he is supported by famous Welsh community choirs in the Eisteddfod Festival sequences, adding rich

harmony to the flawless quality of the music. The associate feature, ‘ Adventure in Diamonds,’ is exactly what its title conveys—an adventure with diamonds as the cause of all the trouble. George Brent gives a delightful performance.

HIS MAJESTY'S

Two films, ‘ The Barrier,’ a drama of the 1 Yukon gold days, and ‘Bulldog Drummond’s Peril,’ will form a programme of adventure and excitement at His Majesty’s to-night. Rex Beach’s thrilling story, ' The Barrier,’ is well interpreted by a strong cast, including Leo Carrillo, Otto Kruger, and Jean Parker, who give probably the finest, performancse of their screen careers. ‘ Bulldog Drummond’s Peril,’ the exciting * support, is one of the best of the popu- 5 lar series concerning the daring exploits ! of “ Sapper’s ” famous detective, Bulldog J Drummond. John Howard, John Barrymore, and Reginald Denny are all well e oast. '