THE SILVER SCREEN

Hutt News, Volume 12, Issue 17, 21 September 1938, Page 3

THE SILVER SCREEN

"Firefly" Foremost musical picture of the year and probably in screen history, Metro-Goldwyn-Maycr's adaptation of Rudolf Frimlls operetta "The Firefly," opening Friday at the King George Theatre, with Jeanette MaeDonald starred, and Allan Jones and Warren William in featured roles. Here is screen artistry at its height. The dramatic story of Spain in the era when Napoleon was conquered at Vittoria by Wellington, provides a moving plot as vast and impressive as any 1 hat could be iilmed. And, artistically, it provides a vehicle ■ for the Friml score that thrilled the audience. Jeanette MaeDonald appears in her seventeenth musical triumph and it is unmistakably her finest. Allan Jones emerges as a star in his own right. Warren William performs with his accustomed aTtistry. The excellent supporting cast includes Billy Gilbert, Henry Daniell, Douglass Dumbrille, Leonard I'enn, Tom Butherfurd, Belle Mitchell, George Zucco. Cor•bett Morris and Matthew Boulton, with an enormous group of costumed extras. Mis* TviacDonald dances with rare grace and sings "Love Is Like A Firefly," "He Who Loves and Runs Away" and "When a Maid Comes Knocking at Your Heart." Jones sings "A Woman's Kiss" and "The Donkey Serenade," and they join in duet in "Giannina Mia" anil'"Sympathy." The whole score is gay with brilliant Spanish melody and tho film has beeii staged on a scale of unrestricted beauty that could be possible only in Hollywood. The screen play was written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, from an adaptation of the Otto A, Harbach book and lyrics by Ogden Nash.

"Leave It to Me" Sandy Powell's new smash hit "Leave it to .Me," coining to the King George Theatre oa Tuesday for a run of days in one of the funniest comedy pictures which the management have secured tor many a long month. This is "Leave it to Me" the British hit, slurring that in imi table Vorkshire comedian, Sandy I'owell. That this new vehicle gives the grand tronjier—famous on music hall, stage and radio alike—'the linest following opportunities he has ever had cannot be doubled. All that need be said about the story is that it euncerns Sandy's activities as a special constable! Supporting the star is a very strong c;is! of talented Biiiish players, including Iris March as the heroine, Garry ilarsh as the superintendent, Franklin Dyall in the role of the mysterious Chinese, and Wallv Patch as the all-in-wrestling referee. Herbert Smith directed the picture which was written and produced by Tuni Arnold and famous pantomime producer. It is an Action Pictures Kelease. "THE SHADOW" Columbia's "The .Shadow" skilfully blends all the colour, glamour and thrill of the "big top" with a mystery punch thrown in. It commences at the De Luxe theatre to-night at 7.30. Colourful pageantry, wild animals on ihe rampage, daring arciulists, swinging high above the circus audicncc, clowns with their ridiculous antics and finally death under the "bi top" while the show goes on provide an unbroken chain of thrills and drama that held the first day audience breathless. It's tho story of a young girl who takes over the management of hei father's circus upon his death. She is able to surmount many obstacles through the aid of her press agent. r lhe trouble starts when -the star of the show, a trick equestrienne, produces notes allegedly signed by her lather with the threat she will take over the show if the notes are not paid. A series of mysterious events that follow result in two murders, an attempted assassination and a final ending that can't be guessed.

"Her Jungle Love" Acting in a South Sea island picture is no job for a softy, Dorothy Lamour and Hay Alilland will testify. Even before the grand climax of the Jilm, when an earthquake rocks a subterranean temple, was reached, Dorothy and Kay, who play native heroine and stranded airmail in Paramount's Technicolour production, "Her Jungle Love," currently unreeling at the De Luxe Theatre Saturday next realised this. Miss Lamuur had to walk bare-footed over rocky, rough terrain, and was constantly being burnt to a crisp by the hot desert sun while the part of a transpacific 'flier forced down by a typhoon, had to undergo a thorough drenching more than six times while the tempest scenes were being shot. And if that were not enough water for liini, both he and Miss Lamour enact a thrilling underwater "kiss" scene. Each day brought a ne'w ordeal, and before they were through with the film, the duo swore olT'"native"'pictures for a long time. ■

"Fury" A now romantic tea mof unusual appeal is introduced in Metro-'Goldwyn-Mayer picture, "Fury," featuring on Saturday at the Prince Edward Theatre. The co-starring leads are Sylvia Sidney and 'Spencer Tracy, and thenacting in many of the difficult scenes of this powerful screen play approaches new heights. The .picture also serves to introduce a director whose European productions achieved world-wide acclaim many years before his "importation" to Hollywood by M.-iG-.M. That man is Fritz Lang, best known to audiences in the United States for his Sensational "M," and his earlier fantasy, "Metropolis." "Fury," with its excellent acting swift-moving dramatic force and superb photography, is a real credit to the distinguished Viennese director and, incidentally, is his first American .picture. It seems altogether safe to predict that he will draw many more important assignments as a result of this offering. Tracy and Miss Sidney are a typical American couple planning to marry. He is arrested as a suspect in a community where a kidnapping has just occurred, and circumstantial evidence blackens his case. Rumours spread, and troublemakers in the town stir up a demonstration that ends in a furious attack on the prison in which Tracy is being held. The mob, in a frenzy when baffled in its efforts to drag out the innocent victim,, fires the prison. But Fate takes a hand, and, guided by the vengeful spirit of Tracy and his two younger brothers 1 , relentlessly pursues the men and women responsible for the murder 011 carefully concocted evidence. Twenty are convicted! The denouement in the court-room achieves an emotional tension seldom equalled in motion pictures. It leaves you literally 011 the edge of your scat up to the fade-out.

. "LOVE ON A BUDGET" | 'Consistently faster ;uid funnie : r as life goes oil, America's .famous Jones > Family cuts loose in a uproariously i frenzy of grand comedy in "Love On | A Budget" at the Prince Edward ! Theatre on Saturday. It's your favourf ite family's biggest budget of laughs. ! This beloved "toup of -'O'.h Century- ' Fox players, wiio have won their way into the hearts of millions of movie ' fans by their good clean fun,, are at | their best in this picture; which for the Jones Family fans takes up the business of Bonnie and her bridegroom ! starling out where the honeymoon left ; off. Bonnie wants to splurge on an inI stalhnent plan spree of furnishings for ; their little nest. Her florist hu.sbaml wants to "waif until they can afford ! it." | Right here, fast-talking and sluw--1 producing Uncle Charlie ba'rges in with a bright scheme to run a fair in opposition to one which already has been i planned. 1 Toip this oil' with the usual story of ! a bride's first dinner .. . hubby going | in debt and Bonnie spending money 1 they haven't got—and the answer is i voung love has its heartaches, and the | whole family—headaches! 1 It takes everybody from Jl other and ! Granny 'to the kids to straighten things | out —and the fortuitous explosion of the exposition hall helps clear—as well as till—the air. I "The Bride Wore Red" I Once again the screen improves on 1 an outstanding stage hit. "The Bride ! Wore Red," whicli conies to the Prince | Edward Theatre on Thursday, was | Fercnc Molnar's "The Girl from Trieste." ] Remembered, of course, as a rich human experience depicted on the stage, the story has gained in celluloid. Joan I Crawford unquestionably was a happy choice for the starring role and she has two excellent leading men in Fran- ; _ chot Tone and Robert Young. The • picture was produced by Metro-Gold- ! V "wy;iiMayer and nothing has been overlooked on the score of perfection of | detail in all departments.