AMUSEMENTS

Grey River Argus, 14 March 1940, Page 12

AMUSEMENTS

Opera House FINAL SCREENINGS: "WAY DOWN SOUTH.” The human, heart-warming story, “Way Down South,” with Bobby ■Breen in the starring role wil be finally screened at the Opera House today and to-night. It’s a merry and melodic saga of life on a great plantation, with plenty of action, and the young star vocalising the glorious ■music of the old South. Alan Mowbray, Ralph Morgan and Steili Duna are prominent in featured roles.

NEXT ATTRACTION: Commences To-morrow, "FOUR JUST MEN.'

The powerful espionage and sabotage Edgar Wallace thriller, "Four Just Men,” which comes to the Opera House to-morrow, also on Saturday and Monday was made for a definite purpose. First, it exposes the spy menace in our midst, and to-day, when the activity of spies is on everyone’s lips, when sensational, stones of secret endeavours daily headline the news, this stirring story is of pait cular interest. Secondly, these four courageous men are presented as symbols of the manhood of the nation, and when they discover a sinister plot to smash the British Empire and place world domination in one man s hands, they act as would any true Britisher in. similar circumstances, and so that no self-glorification be permitted to detract from the commendable motive behind the the names of the players in the title roles are not revealed at their own request. The decision to withhold the players’ names must be'unique»in the motion picture industry, where publicity is considered to be almost as important as the life-blood of a star. But this unusual picture, for obvious reasons, demands unusual methods. Its powerful theme as timely as the moment, naturally doe.-, not disclose countries or persona-i--ties but it does reveal the dangers that ever threaten to sever the chain of Empire, should a Suez blockade cut ■ oft the Eastern Dominions from the Homeland. Again it shows the ever-readiness of every true to fight, not necessarily with war weapons of death and destruction, but with sincerity of purpose to preserve* that Commonwealth of Nation.] that only P owe J’ CraZe .^ ’ Just ’ could seek to destroy. Four Just i Men” is a story such as this, a story I which has entertainment as its nrst 1 principle, but which is also a welcome I and timely revelation of Britain’s prefrustrate any attempt to foreign Powers to underm.ne the i strength of the Empire. And as such it is a fiim that will doubtless wm the ■admiration and the apI proval of the nation's leaders, mil*. ■ generous appreciation of a llt least throughout the length and I breadth of aii countries where > - I Union Jack is flown.

Now Showing: "BROTHER RAT” and “THE TERROR.”

A gav blithesome comedy is “Brother Rat.” A velation of life in one of the coun try’s oldest military schools, Rat” combines the spirit of youth and romance with the colour and dash of , the Virginia Military Institute s cadet corps, and emerges as one of the screen’s best of the year. , o • Winsome Wayne Morris and Priscilla Lane, fresh from her success m I “Four Daughters” carry oft the lead; roles as a young romantic pair, while I Johnnie ‘Scat’ Davis, Jane Wyman, Ronald Reagan, Jane Bryan, and Eddie Albert, all combine to make the film version every bit the success the ■ original stage play, which ran two years on Broadway. ASSOCIATE FEATURE. It is quite possible that audiences may not be familiar with the name of ! Wilfrid Lawson, but after seeing “The j Terror” they will have quite definite 1 reasons for remembering his name. In this excellent Edgar Wallace yarn, Wilfrid Lawson has a part that begins with a low note but gradually increases in pitch and volume until the climax of the picture which shows him to be a character actor of the first rank. Closer description of his part would betray the intensely thrilling story and that would not be fair to anyone. “The Terror” is top notch entertainment and also stars Linden Travers.