PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 24007, 4 October 1941, Page 5

PICTURE THEATRES

THE NEW PROGRAMMES GONE WITH THE WIND ’ SCREEN’S GFJEATEST ACHIEVEMENT Now . in its second week at the Regent, M.G.M.’s ‘ Gone With the Wind ’ is continuing to draw capacity houses. The story of the film will be familiar to many people. It shows the South in the days before the Civil War, when life was tranquil and the countryside a picture with stately homes end glorious scenery. It shows the tempestuous, beautiful Scarlett O’Hara winning the hearts of all but the man she loved. Suddenly the scene changes as war breaks out, and the gallant men of the. South go to tight the better-equipped Yankees. War in all its grim realities paints the screen ■with blood and fire, in which tragedy rules supreme. The struggle of Scarlett to carve out a life'for herself and her people on devastated Tara, and her ill-starred marriages give way to her tempestuous marriage with the wealthy Rhett Butler, with its accompanying tragedies and her final grim discovery that her love for the highminded Ashley Wilkes had never really existed. There are four stars—Vivien Leigh as Scarlett, Clark Gable as Rhett, Leslie Howard as Ashley, and. Olivia de Havilland as Melanie. Dominating is Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara. Incredible as it may seem, this English actress,’ little known before she obtained this role, is the perfect Scarlett O'Hara; it would, in fact, be impossible to imagine _ anyone else in the role. Always Miss Leigh is the vixenish, capricious, treacherous, spirited Southern girl who among men created almost as much havoc as the war created among their property and possessions. She gives a consummate performance, one that firmly places her among the few truly great of the screen. By word, by gesture, by expression, by action she is Scarlett O’Hara as Miss Mitchell set her down in the pages of the book. There are dozens of other characters right out of the pages of the novel, including Thomas Mitchell, Hattie McDaniel, Barbara O’Neil, Ona Munson, Laura Hope Crews, Carroll Nye, Harry Davenport, Alicia Rhett, Rhand Brooks, Evelyn Keyes, Ann Rutherford, Butterfly McQueen, Oscar Polk, Victor Jory, Eddie' Anderson, Fred. Crane, George Reeves, Jane Darwell, and Everett Brown, And important is the fact that the picture was directed by a master of human emotions, Victor Fleming, whose outstanding skill in piloting large casts through fast-moving plots has been gained since 1910. While his directorial talent was well recognised in such productions as ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ ‘ Test ■ Pilot,’ ‘ Captains Courageous,’ ‘ Treasure Island,’ and many others, nevertheless, he will be remembered for ‘ Gone With ihe Wind ’ as by far the most distinguished directorial job in screen annals.

1 CHEERS FOR MISS BISHOP ’ OCTAGON'S REFRESHING ENTERTAINMENT Feminjne counterpart of Mr Chips in its college and revered teacher atmosphere, the story of Miss Bishop goes one better as a picture attraction in ‘ Cheers for Miss Bishop,’ screened at the Octagon yesterday, in that its backgqround is provided by the love episodes of a lovely young woman in place of the Chipsian career frustration, and in its foreground all the human interest of a fruitful romance is fitted dramatically into the setting graced by Miss Bishop’s rich personality. It gives a wide sweep of romance in which laughter and tears go hand in hand, and is made memorable by the outstanding portrayals of Martha Scott and William Gargan. It is a picture full of enjoyment for all ages ami sexes. The background deals with the lively and colourful days of the gay ’nineties in an American western town. Beautiful and exciting heroine of this town is Ella Bishop, portrayed by Martha Scott, who finds herself loved and sought by three men. As the suitors William Gargen, Sidney Blackner, and Donald Douglas play their parts in the romances of Elld* Bishop, as well as in the developments of the town’s university, where fate destines Miss Bishop to' achieve a career of distinction as much by the sympathetic human understanding grown out. of her own love episodes as by her gifts of. mind. So she guides the romances of her nroteges, including one who is portrayed hv Mary Anderson, remembered as one of the ‘ Gone With the Wind ’ nersonalilies; so also she dominates and displays the manifold university personages that crcp up in the story. Martha Scott and William Gargan invest the whole production with a high histrionic distinction, and in comedy, drama, emotion, and susnense the action moves to the final highlight of the beloved teacher’s retirement with ‘ Cheers for Miss Bishop.’ The picture was transferred to the screen frenn the widelyread novel by Bess Streeter Aldrich. MAYFAIR The Mayfair opened its new programme to-day with the screening of the sparkling musical, ‘ If I Had My Way,’ starring Bing Crosby and Gloria Jean. . The supporting attraction, ‘ Keeping Company,’ is rich in mirth and romance, and features Frank Morgan, Virginia Grey, Ann Rutherford, John Shelton, and Virginia Weidler. GRAND 1 Big Town Boss,’ the main attraction on the current programme at the Grand, is a thrilling action feature of two brothers who take different routes on their way through life, eventually to meet after many years have passed in dramatic and exciting circumstances. The supporting production, ‘ The Durango Kid,' is a stirring Western with Charles Starrott and Lnana Walters.

4 DULCY ’ AT IKE EMPIRE ANN SOTHERN IN DELIGHTFUL COMEDY There is something particularly refreshing in Ann Sothern's title role of Dulcy, which opened at the Empire yesterday. ‘ Dulcy ’ presents once again the new, “ pepped-up ” Ann Sothern whose recentlydiscovered abilities in comedy are as pleasing as were her past roles in drama. This time she is cast as the impulsive, eccentric sister of a serious young man in the. middle of a romance. He is working hard to impress his prospective father-in-law, who, unfortunately, after suffering the attentions of the madcap Dulcy, becomes convinced there is a streak of insanity in the family, for admittedly normal young women do not hire paroled criminals, as servants, adopt small Chinese boys on the spur of the moment nor dash round lakes in speed boats upsetting every small craft in sight. But Dulcy has also adopted an inventor with a new kerosene aero engine, and her determination to sell this to the prospective .father-in-law, who happens to be an aeroplane manufacturer, which causes most trouble of all. In this she is abetted by a harmless lunatic who drops in one day and finds the household most congenial. This gentleman, who suffers from illusions of grandeur, buys an option over the engine and sells out at a handsome profit to the aeroplane manufacturer, thereby proving that what every business requires these days is a lunatic as managing director. An ace cast of comedians support Miss Sothern in the featured roles of the production. Her leading man is lan Hunter, who adds another to his long list of dependable performances. As the nervous aeroplane magnate, Roland Young leaves . nothing to bo desired in his interpretation. Billie Burke is excellent, as usual, and Reginald Gardiner plays a slightly unbalanced gentleman with gusto. Young love is represented by Dan Daily, jun., and Lynne Carver. Guinn Williams does an excellent bit as a reformed crook turned butler, and many of the laughs centre about five-year-old Donald Huie, Chinese boy, who makes his screen debut as “ Sneezy.” The screen play is by George Kauffman and Marc Connelly, which is in itself guarantee of a lively story, and the film was directed by S. Sylvan Simon. TWO GAY FEATURES GCGD CASTS . IN STRAND PROGRAMME Gay and sparkling, Universal’s clever comedy romance, ‘ Double Date,’ commenced yesterday at the Strand. Jammed to the final scene with amusing dialogue, the film has been designed strictly for gay entertainment. Edmund Lowe, Una Merkel, Peggy Moran, and Rand Brooks are the leading players, and, as usual, Lowe is ingratiatingly funny in his tongue-in-the-cheek rolo cf the misunderstood father. Miss Merkel equals all her previous combined comedy-romance portrayals, and gives Peggy Moran real competition in the glamour line. Miss Moran comes through with another fine comedy performance, reminiscent of her cocos* in ‘Trail of (he Vigilantes.’ Brooks, a dominant young lending man, is again handsome and

capable arid convincingly irritating as Lowe’s sophisticated son. Preventing the pending marriage of Lowe and Miss Merkel becomes the set purpose in life of Brooks and Miss Mcran, who plays Miss Merkel’s niece. A mutual dislike springs up between tho youngster which considerably cuts down their effectiveness in breaking up the match. Glenn Tyron, former comedy star turned director, has, in ‘ Double Date,’ rounded out a personal triumph in his field as well as adding to the laurels of Associated Producer Joseph G. Sanford, responsible for tho recent successful release of song-title comedy features. Photography by John Boyle, famous globe-trotting cameraman, is excellent. In the second picture, ‘ Bachelor Daddy,’ Baby Sandy, the most juvenile star on the screen, is the centre of another series of amusing occurrences, in which Donald Woods, Franklin Pangborn, and Edward Everett Horton, all comedy players of wide experience, play a valuable part. ‘LADY HAMILTON' TRANSFERRED TO THE STATE " How the beautiful Lady Hamilton came into the life of Horatio Nelson, how he successively defeated the navies of the enemy, how he died on board the Victory, while Emma Hamilton was left to mourn his loss, eventually to sink to the level of the common prison cell, are dramatically portrayed in ‘ Lady Hamilton,’ for the past two weeks at the Octagon, and now showing at the State. Handled with brilliance by Alexander Korda, tho picture is a graphic and stirring page of history, filled with glowing spectacle and spiced with romance. One of the greatest beauties of the last century, Lady Hamilton has provided the screen with a wealth of material, to which' is added Nelson’s sweeping successes on the high seas, and an interesting study of one of England’s greatest men. The daughter of a blacksmith, Lady Hamilton early felt a desire for power. Her first proposal came from Charles Greville, an inveterate gambler, who, however, ceded his sweetheart to Sir William Hamilton in return for sufficient money to pay off his debts. After her indignation had worn off, Lady Hamilton saw her chances to attain the power and luxury she desired, and she soon made a spectacular rise in Neapolitan society and diplomacy. Then came her romance with Lord Nelson, a love affair that changed the course of history and will live through the centuries that are to come. The beautiful Emma Hamilton scandalised England, but she contributed much to the career of the mao who saved his country from invasion and domination by Napoleon. The film is rich in spectacle, and tho climax —the Battle of Trafalgar, in which Nelson was killed—is one of the most remarkable scenes ever brought to the screen. The cast of 1 Lady Hamilton ’ is in keeping with the all-round brilliance of tho film. Vivien Leigh is perfectly cast as Lady Hamilton, and Laurence Olivier gives a brilliant portrayal of Nelson. Alan Mowbray is Sir William, Gladys Cooper is Lady Nelson, and Henrv Wilcoxon is Hardy.

'GREEN LIGHT* AN INVIGORATING DRAMA Screened by Warner Bros, from the sensational world-wide best seller by Lloyd C. Douglas, ‘ Green Light ’ is a stirring story of sacrifice, heroism, and love, and makes a brilliant attraction at His Majesty’s, where it opened a season last night. The leading parts are played by Errol Flynn and Anita Louise. This is a film of distinction and character, for its main theme is r the story of a physician’s sacrifice of his career for ethical reasons, and there is something much deeper than mere caprice or a jaundiced frame of mind behind the sacrifice. A strong supporting cast includes Margaret Lindsay as the heroic girl who broke her own heart, Sir Cedric Hardwicke as the strangely haunting Dean Harcourt, Walter Abel, and Henry O’Neill. Kay Francis has a bright and sympathetic role in ‘ My Bill,’ the second film, with Bonita Granville and John Litel in support. DOUBLE FEATURE KARLOFF AND AUTRY AT ST. JAMES One of the most sensational and certainly the eeriest stage success in recent years has been made into a horror film by Monogram Pictures. It is ‘ The Ape,’ which came to the St. James yesterday, with Boris Karloff in the leading role. The story concerns the efforts of a half-crazed scientist, Dr Adrian, to develop a serum which will cure infantile paralysis. As a result, of his weird experiments, he is

shunned by his neighbours and becomes a recluse, his sole remaining patient being pretty Frances, a paralysis victim, who has faith in the doctor’s methods. When his experiments prove that only fluid taken from a human spine can make the serum work, Dr Adrian decides to go to any length to obtain some. His big cbance arrives when a gigantic ape escapes from a near-by circus and wanders into his laboratory. Dr Adrian kills the beast and disguised in its skin, becomes a night marauder, seizing several of the town’s undesired characters and murdering them to obtain the spinal fluid. However, the townsmen soon organise to rid the community of the ape whom they believe to be the cause of the reign of terror. A posse starts out to exterminate the beast, and wounds Dr Adrian, who is unable to reach his home. Still unaware that tho doctor is inside the brute’s carcase, they believe the ape is heading toward the doctor’s laboratory and ambush it. The climax, a novel and unusual twist, for tales of this kind, clears up - the whole matter to the satisfaction of the townspeople. The cast includes Maris Wrixon, Gene O’Donnell, Gertrude Hoffman, Henry Wall, and Jessie Arnold.

The supporting feature, ’ Gaucho Serenade,’ presents Gene Autry and Snnley Burnette as rodeo starts abandoned by their manager in New York. Gene sings • Gaucho Serenade,’ and Smiley, in his own inimitable manner, renders ‘ The Wooing of Kitty MacFuty.’ Supporting players include June Storey, Clifford Severn, Mary Lee, Walter Miller, Smith Ballew, William Raid, Joe Orehan, and Lester Matthews.