TO-MORROW'S PROGRAMMES

Evening Star, Issue 25172, 11 May 1944, Page 8

TO-MORROW'S PROGRAMMES

REGENT. James Hilton's haunting romance, ' Random Harvest,' in whicii ±tona,a Co.man and Ureer Garson are associated tor me first time, continues to attract capacity aud.eiices at the Regent Tneatre, ami it wiii be screened tor * second week. The story dea.s with a wealthy ilngiisiiman who loses a., memoiy ot his past during the war. Befriended by a young actress, he starts liie anew and wins tame as a writer. Tney marry, and then in an accident his memory oi the past comes back, but the memoiy of the time alter the war vanishes. Tne wite, realising that she is now a stranger to him, becomes his secretary and essays the task of winning back his love. How this is accomplished provides a highiy romantic cdinax. STATE. ' Desert Victory,' the Twentieth CenturyFox production, te.lnig the remarkable story of the trJighth Army's magnificent conquest of. the iNazi forces under iiominel, will commence a second week at the State to-morrow. The picture follows tne entire historic battle over the 1,400 miles from Ei Alamem to Tripoli, and features many scenes showing the .New Zealand Division, whicii played a notable part in the victory. It is tne first authentic full-length war picture to be produced, and provides an insight into the tremendous organisation and preparation necessary for war, and the equa,iy great expenditure of men and material required to defeat a resourceful enemy. The musical comedy, 'He Found a Star,' which features Vic Oliver and Sarah Churchill, will also be screened.

1 EMPIRE. Thirteen men in a fever-infested jungle, fighting in a neroic fight-to-the-linish stand against Japanese hordes, provide stark drama and many thrills in ' Bataan,' saga of heroism under fire, which commences at the Empire to-morrow. The story deals i with 13 " expendables " assigned to blow up a brdige and tight a decaying action to cover tne evacuation of the army of Bataan. Human relationships between the men, whose assignment dooms them to certain death, provide a drama within a, drama as one by one the soldiers ■ fall victim to bullets and malaria until Robert Taylor, the last of the gallant patrol, stands in his own grave fighting to the last. Taylor has what is unquestionably the most dramatic role of his career as the hard-bitten sergeant. The players represent a literal cross-section of America and the Philippines. George Murphy is convincing as a,lost pilot. Thomas Mitchell plays Corporal Feingold, turning in a skilful character portrayal; Lloyd Nolan plays a criminal who winds up a hero; and Lee Bowman, Barry Nelson, Desi Arnaz, Phillip Terry, Tom Dugau, Kenneth Spencer as a negro soldier, Roque Espiritu, Alex Havier, and Donald Curtis play the other soldiers in the epic of bravery. ST. JAMES. Fuii and thrills are promised patrons of the St. James to-morrow, when ' Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch ' will commence "a week's season. Fay Bainter has the title roie, a part which has been taken by. leading actresses over the past 40 years, but probably no one has given a more poignant performance than Miss Bainter in this film version. Seven-year-old Carolyn Lee appears in the role of Europena Wiggs. In the' longest, part she has played and for the first time she memorised her lines by reading them for herself. ' Mrs 'Wiggs ' is interpreted by a fine cast, prominent parts being taken by Hugh Herbert and Barbara Britton. The realistic thriller, ' Geronimo,' will also be screened. OCTAGON. Featuring one of the most dramatic climaxes ever filmed, RKO Radio's ' This Land is Mine,' the new attraction at the Octagon, stars Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara in a timely story of a peaceful European village under Nazi occupation. The plot revolves about Laughlon's transformation from a timid and ineffectual school teacher into a determined patriot who his life in arousing his fellowvillagers to resist the invaders. Such favourites as - George Sanders, Walter Slezak, Una O'Connor, Kent Smith, Philip "Merivale, and Thurston Hall have impor-

lant roles in the Jean Renoir-Dudley Nichols, production STRAND. Commencing at the Strand to-morrow, radio, stage, and screen combine in presenting a galaxy of top-ranking stars, swing bands, and beautiful girls in two musical comedies. Paramount presents ' Artists and Models,' with Jack Be.nny, Ida Ljipino, Richard Arlen, Gail Patrick, Ben BJue, Judy Canova, The Yacht-Club Boys, and specialities by Andre Kostelanetz and his orchestra, Russell Patterson's Personettes, and Connie Boswell. The supporting feature is a comedy-musical, 'Hi Ya, Sailor,' with Donald Woods and (Elyse Knox, Eddie Quillan, Jerome Cowan, Frank Jenks, and Phyllis Brooks. Bright musical sequences woven into the story present Ray Eberle and orchestra, the Leo Diamond Quintet, Georgfl Beatty and the far-famed Delta Rhythm Boys. Dancing specialities are offered" by the Hacker Duo, and additional entertainment is supplied by the Nilsson Sisters, Wingy Manone and orchestra, and Mayris Chaney and her dance trio. Action of the gay plot is nolourfully livened by the picture's musical score, which includes 15 special selections, six of which were written by the well-known tune composer team of Milton Rosen and Everett Carter. Also screening is a further episode of ' Adventures of the Flying Cadets ' serial.