PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 24296, 10 September 1942, Page 2

PICTURE THEATRES

GRAND A stirring drama of sea warfare is presented in ‘ Neutral Port,' the new attraction at the Grand (his week. .Featuring Will Fyfto as an old diehard skipper who is enraged at the sinking of his ship by 1 a U-boat,, the film tells of his attempts to steal a German merchantman which is interned in a neutral port. Mr Carter (played by Leslie Banks), the British Consul, tries to explain to him the requirements of international law, but the skipper is determined on revenge, and after two attempts he succeeds in getting the Grosskroft to sea. When only 13 miles out, however, the ship is torpedoed and sunk, and on returning to the port the skipper is imprisoned for violating international law. From ihis moment the tension of the story is maintained, and the captain, undaunted by his previous failures, decides to commandeer another vessel, the Scharndorf. The story of a young girl and her attempts to grow up form the theme of ‘ Small Town Deb,' the supporting film. Jane Withers has the leading role, and Jane Darnell, Bruce Edwards, and Cecil Kellaway are featured, in minor parts. MAYFAIR The film version of George Bernard Shaw's masterpiece, ‘ Major Barbara,’ is the new attraction of the Mayfair this week. Wendy Hiller and Rex Harrison play the leading roles, with Robert, Morley, Robert Newton, Marie Lohr, and Eralyn Williams in support. The story has as its background the social work of 'the Salvation Army, and depicts a shelter in the slums of Limeliouse whore the daughter of an armament magnate (Wendy Hiller) is striving to save souls and alleviate suffering. Miss Hiller, in the role of Major Barbara, meets a professor of Greek, who also joins the Army, and the climax of the film arrives when Major Barbara resigns her position because of the fact that her leaders accept money from a brewer and her father. There .s a strong supporting programme which includes a ‘ March of Time ’ short on the Far Eastern command and a Gaumont British newsreel from Russia. TO-MORROW'S PROGRAMMES ST. JAMES • The Seventh Survivor,' a spy story set partly on a passenger - liner going from London to Lisbon' and partly in a lighthouse, heads the new bill to be presented at the St. James to-morrow. Austin Trevor, L.nden Travers, Frank Petlingcll, Wally Patch, and Felix Aylmer head the cast of the film, which is both a thriller and a comedy. Both German and British secret services know that each has an agent on the ship. The ship is torpedoed, and throe men and three women find themselves adrift in. a boat. As it is not known whether the spies are men or women, they thoroughly mistrust one another, causing many amusing scones. It is when they reach safety in the lighthouse, however, and piay hide and seek on the stairs and behind doors, that the comedy comes into its own. Interest is increased by a seventh doubtful character who swims out of the night. The supporting programme includes a ‘ Dad and Dave ’ comedy, ‘ Dad Rudd. M.P.’ STRAND ‘ ’Frisco Lil,’ Universal’s new underworld thriller, which will be opened at the Strand to-morrow, is a rapid-action story of life behind the scenes in a modem gambling rendezvous. Irene Hervey acquits herself admirably in the difficult and exacting part, which is almost a dual ro,e. in it she first appears as a young law student who is in love with her instructor, Kent Taylor. Suddenly her father is involved in a plot engineered by gamblers and is sentenced to die for a murder ho did not commit. In order to save her father, the girl becomes ‘ ’Frisco Lil,’ a shrewd card dealer, who ultimately unmasks the real murderers and frees thefather. Aside from the romantic angles of the story, Taylor is kept busy helping the girl uncover the evidence. Jerome Cowan and Minor . Watson have prominent voles. Samuel S. Hinds and Claire Whitney are seen as the parents of Taylor. A big R.K.O. film. ‘.Scaltorgood Meets Broadway.’ is the associate feature. ’ fllcfNl A sparkling, modern comedy, 'Twofaced Woman,’ ; wit.h Greta Garbo' as the chief fun purveyor, is the big attraction on. the change of programme at the Regent to-morrow. Miss Garbo is a ski-ing instructress, and . into her life comes the editor of a popular magazine. They meet high up in the mountains, and romance quickly, leads to marriage. The editor (Melvyn Douglas) soon proves his flicklencss, and the ski-ing instructress decides upon a novel method of winning back the affection of her husband She becomes ner own twin sister, and, attired in a gorgeous evening frock, makes violent love to her husband who, after many amazing and highly-diverting situations, returns to his first love. This is the funniest film in which Miss' Garbo has and the supporting cast includes Roland Young and Constance Bennett. OCTAGON • A Yank in the R.A.F., the main attraction on the current programme at the Octagon, has proved so popular during its short season in Dunedin that the manage-, went has decided to continue its screening for another week. With Tyrone Bower as the Yank, and Betty Grable as his sweetheart, this story of England’s men of the skies follows them as they live, love, and laugh on land and perform deeds of heroism in the air as part of their overydav job.' Tyrone, an American flyer in Britain, joins the R.A.F. to gel some action. Bored by the instructions he must take and the routine of his duties, he does not get along well with his fellow pilots or his commanding officer, played by John Button. His romance with Betty Grable, an American dancer in Loudon, receives a setback when Sutton proposes marriage to her. Although this is Betty’s most dramatic role to date, she is featured in two musical numbers, specially created for her, ‘ Hi-Ya Love ’ and ‘ Another Little Dream Won’t Do Us Any Harm, STATE Hal Roach's screen comedy, 'Topper Takes a Trip,' will be opened at the State to-morrow, with Constance Bennett cast in a light comedy role which permits her-to go through a series of “ dematerialisations." The film is based on a screen play by Eddie Moran and Jack Jerne The supporting cast includes such celebrities as Roland Young, Billie Burke, Alan Mowbray, Alexander D’Arcy. Veree Teasda e, Franklin Pangborn, and Paul Hurst The story of ‘ Topper Takes a Trip ’ concerns the merry antics of Constance Bennett as Marion Kerby and Roland Young as Cosmo Topper on the sunny sands of the French Riviera, whither Miss Bennett has gone to “do a good deed,’’ and where, instead, she almost upsets the Toppers’ lives. EMPIRE The latest, version of the famous stage farce, ‘ My Wife’s Family,’ should provide n joyous lime for patrons of the Empire to-morrow Charlie Claphain, of tlie Clapham and Dwyer combination, as Dr Knolt, and is co-starred with John Warwick. Olliers in tbe more prominent roles arc Patricia Roc. Peggy Bryan, Club

Bouctner, Wylie Watson, and Margaret Bcndaniore. Heading the supporting features is ’ Green Girdle,’ a beautiful teohnicolour film depicting Londoners undergoing one of the most terrible tests that has ever fallen to the lot of man. ‘ Royal Road ’ deals with the life of the Royal Family, and includes charming pictures of the King and Queen and the two Princesses, taken in the lovely grounds of the Palace. Every year Iho well-known magazine, ‘ American Red Book.' presents a cup to the actress it considers lias given the best performance in the past year, and this year’s winner, Martha Scott, is shown in a film entitled ‘ Meet the Stars.’ Episode 7of the ‘Jungle Girl.’ a Cincsound Review, and a Pathe Gazette complete a programme that caters for all tastes.