AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23529, 18 June 1938, Page 24

AMUSEMENTS

REGENT THEATRE “ Dead End,” the sensational new attraction at the Regent Theatre this week, is without question one of the most unusual films seen in a Dunedin theatre for a very long time. Its fllmcraft is tremendously effective, and its direction almost Hawless. In fact, it would be difficult to recall offhand any picture that has emphasised more strikingly the common opportunities the sound screen and the legitimate stage posses, and the degree in which the one can be made complementary to the other. “ Dead End ” is based on a proven stage success, and for once it is possible to appreciate why the stage play should have proved such a dramatic triumph. So faithfully and thoroughly has the translation to the screen been effected that Sydney Kingsley, the author of the play, and Bel Geddes, its New York producer, would have no difficulty whatever in recognising in the screen production the fruits of their respective efforts. This is no play snatched from the cribbed and confined limits of the stage and embellished with all the extensions and elaborations which the greater dimensions of the screen afford. “ Dead End ” reproduces with amazing fidelity the familiar three dimension set of the legitimate stage. Hollywood for the nonce has ignored the innumerable meretricious aids to success which its artificers and technical deceits provide, and has concentrated on the dramatic worth of the author’s material, stressing characterisation as much as atmosphere, and presenting a vivid and compelling drama of a kind that catches and holds the attention almost involuntarily. Unfortunately, it is one of those dramatic films that can always be relied upon to expose the emotional instability of a certain section of the audience. There are some people so incapable of facing real facts and genuine emotions that their only reaction is a foolish giggle,' and last night’s audience included many of them, but to the greater proportion of a large house, “ Dead End ” was a definite dramatic experience, gripping in its actual content and encouraging to the extent that it holds out a promise that Hollywood will yet rise to the heights which its resources have placed within its reach. The character work throughout the film is excellent, and is distinguished by a technique which is of the stage rather than of the films. Joel McCrea finds a new type of role in the part of the disillusioned young architect who, despite six years of hard training, cannot find a place for himself in the profession to which he has aspired. Sylvia Sidney is no less appropriately cast as the slum-bred girl, reaching for the stars and fighting always against alley habits and influences which threaten to engulf her and her younger brother Humphrey Bogart’s “ Baby Face ” Martin conforms strictly to the Hollywood tradition of the killer gangster, but the interpretation of the part on such lines seems strangly appropriate in the surroundings of Dead End alley Wendy Barrie and Claire Trevor present strongly contrasting feminine studies of girls who succumb to the pressure of environment each in her own way. both adding grim touches of reality to a film that cries out to be taken very seriously. The individual performances of the starred players, however, would be strangely lacking without the colourful background that is provided by a sextent of alley brats. These young players provide as much atmosphere as the film needs, emphasising the difficulties and squalors of such a life in a manner that even the most repellent pictorial suggestion could not hope to equal. “ Dead End ” is not entertainment for children, but for the thinking adult it should provide something deeper and more useful than mere diversion. There is a good supporting programme of short subjects covering the usual wide range of topics, some of the features being news gazettes, a comedy cartoon, and scenic items. The box plans for the season will be found at the theatre and the D.I.C. ST. JAMES THEATRE One of the most delightful English comedies for many a long day is “Storm in a Teacup,” which was presented last night at the St James Theatre. This film was shown in Dunedin last year, and the popularity it attained then, despite the fact that it came unheralded by the publicity by which American productions are usually accompanied from the earliest stages, was such that its return season will be generally welcomed by the many who missed it on the previous occasion. Further interest is given to the programme by the personal appearah.ce of Mr Jack Carter, the yodelling “ hillbilly ” who has been extremely popular in his tour of the northern centres. Mr Carter has a repertoire of a wide variety of songs which includes all the well-known cowboy and “ hill-billy ” songs which have been so well received on the radio during the past year, and he has an attractive manner and a pleasing voice. Last night he immediately won the attention of the audience and received a warm ovation. Besides his vocal ability, he is an artist in the use of the stockwhip. “ Storm in a Teacup ” is a free adaption of a well and favourably known stage play —as so many of the best screen comedies have been —and the English style of treatment is eminently suited to this type of work. The original play, which had a German setting was by the celebrated Continental writer, Bruno Frank, but the transference of the story from its original setting to a small Scottish town is a happy one. The types lose nothing, and they become more readily appreciable. The title aptly gives a key to the nature of the entertainment, but the story has an unsuspected wealth of humour. Altogether. it is a sound piece of entertainment and can thoroughly be recommended. The story tells how Frank Burdon, a young English reporter takes a position on a Scottish newspaper and. during the absence of the proprietor, is left in charge in this unfamiliar, environment. Ordered to interview the local provost, a pompous, self-righteous official with national ambitions. he happens on a small incident in which a poor Irish widow pleads in vain for her terrier dog, which by law is to be destroyed unless she can pay the tax. The reporter writes a story about this, and he is, at first, as surprised as the provost is to find what arises out of it. The article captures public sympathy, and a public meeting of a political nature, at which the provost is to give an address, becomes strongly personal and almost ends in a riot. The provost is furious and demands all sorts of reparations which the reporter steadfastly refuses to make, although his romantic fancy for the provost’s daughter rather complicates his position He eventually wins the girl over to sharing his opinion however, and the story moves to a completely satisfying ending, with justice meted out to all A subsidiary theme to the story is the intrigue of the provost with the newspaper proprietor’s wife, which in the upshot has a definite bearing on the outcome. Rex Harrison and Vivien Leigh share the romantic leads. Harrison is a newcomer who makes a favourable impression, giving evidence of sound stage training, and Vi Hen Leigh is already known to kinema patrons for her work in “ Dark Journey,” with Conrad Veidt, and “ Fire Over England.” Cecil Parker and Sara Allgood are ideal in their roles as the provost and Mrs Hegarty the Irish widow Among the other actors in the cast, mention must be made of Scruffy the dog which causes all the trouble The supporting programme includes several interesting news reeL and a Nature study film. ‘ Ebb Tide,’ which is notable for a most entertaining commentary. The box plans are at the theatre, the D.1.C.. and Jacobs’s STRAND THEATRE Two excellent films are being screened at the Strand Theatre this week, and there are few, if any. elements of entertainment which could not be found in one or other ol them “ She Had to Eat ” is the title of the first feature, and it brings Eugene Pallettc to the screen in a characterisation of an eccentric millionaire who has become obsessed with the desire to make himself a champion marks-

man. While travelling with Arthur Treacher (his gentleman’s gentleman) on his private train en route to the national “ skeet ” shooting contest. Pallette makes the acquaintance of Jack Haley, whom he invites to travel \ with him. When he regains a semij sober condition the next morning. however, he “ disowns ” Haley. I Marooned in a strange city, the latter I comes across Rochelle Hudson, another “ stray.” Unfortunately for him, Haley I bears a marked resemblance to a noted gangster, and there are many hilarious brushes with the police and the real gangsters before the story reaches its amusing climax. The second feature is entirely different. Excellently acted and produced with commendable polish, “ The Man Who Changed His Mind ” shows Boris Karloff as a scientist obsessed with a sensational theory concerning the transference of human souls. It is a gripping story, told with unusual dramatic power, and, although fantastic in its conception, is logically worked out to a tens.e and unusual j climax. Karloff gives a fascinating presentation. Anna Lee makes a good impression as Karloff’s assistant, whose fiancee (John Loder) becomes involved in one of Karloff's experiments, I Donald Calthorp, as a helpless cripple, whose warped brain is transferred to a pompous newspaper owner (Frank Cellier) in return for that of the latter, contributes to the general atmosphere of grim realism which the producers have managed to achieve The melodrama of the film’s theme is toned down bv the suave manner of its presentation, and there is less “ horror " and considerably more genuine “ thrill ” in this latest Karloff picture than in most of the earlier ones. For those who like all-round entertainment the Strand Theatre’s programme can be recommended. \ The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C OCTAGON THEATRE All the elements that go to the making of great screen entertainment are apparent in the thrilling film, “ In Old Chicago,” starring Tyrone Power, Don Ameche, and Alice Brady, which is now in its third week at the Octagon Theatre. It took nearly two years to make ‘ln Old Chicago,” and the cost of the production ran into many thousands of pounds. But as the absorbing story and the thrilling spectacle emerged from the screen it- was realised that it was well worth the tremendous effort expended on it in time and money. The story leading up to the burning of the City of Chicago on the night of October 9, 1871, is a powerful tale. The legend that Mrs O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lamp in a br.rn behind the cottage on De Koven. street is used to ignite the spark that sets the city aflame and to bring the picture to its sensationally melodramatic climax. But, for all their sensationalism, the scenes of the burning of the city and the accompanying terror, tragedy, and flight are compsllingly real. Alice Brady is magnificent, giving the performance of her life in the role of the hard-working, outspoken Molly O’Leary. Alice Faye proves that she is a fine dramatic actress. Tyrone Power handles the slightly heavy role of Dion with ease and conviction, and Don Ameche is seen as the more idealistic of the two elder O’Leary boys. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg’s. EMPIRE THEATRE A tale of the lives of more humblysituated people is a welcome contrast to the many lavish films of rich playboys and sophisticated young women which are released nowadays. Such displays entertain the average man. but they cannot penetrate beyond the stage of being “ bright and amusing.” The everyday struggles, the happinesses and disappointments of the characters of “Big City,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature, which opened at the Empire Theatre yesterday, unfold a different picture altogether, it has as its central characters a city taxi-driver and his young wife, an immigrant not yet quite at home with her new language. Spencer Tracy plays the part of the cab-driver, Joe, and Luise Rainer portrays Anna, his beautiful young wife. Spencer Tracy’s characterisations in such films as “ San Francisco” and “Captains Courageous established his reputation, and his performance as Joe is restrained and most convincing. Luise Rainer has. of course, been ranked as right in the front rank of the screen’s leading ladies. She has not as heavy a part In this film as she has had in recent pictures, but her characterisation of the sweet-natured little immigrant who faces up nobly to her desperate troubles is very fine. “ Strong-arm ” tactics are apparently nothing strange in America, and certainly “Big City” drives this fact home. The central theme is a war between two taxi companies, and Joe and Anna are entangled in a whirl of gang methods ahd the law. A rival company is attempting to push Joe’s company off the road. The process is simple. One of its cabs “ accidentally ” crashes into one driven by one of Joe’s workmates, the attacking driver sounds his specially designed horn, and very soon others of his fleet are on the scene prepared to bully the dazed victim. All this is carefully planned. Joe’s fleet is finding things very hard, and a grafting city official cbmes into the scene to lay sus? picion on Anna and the rest of the taxi fleet. It is a cruel, bitter campaign. The final scene is tremendous. Fortunately, plots are discovered, and the help of the Mayor is gained. He has to leave a sporting function in order to dash to the wharf to hold up the sailing of a liner. Some of Joe’s men are there, and the opposition thinks this a great chance to make a grand clean-up. But the sporting guests of the Mayor include Jack Dempsey. James J. Jeffries, Jimmy McLarnin, Maxie Rosenbloom, Frank Wykoff. Man Mountain Dean, Gus Sonnenberg. Bull Montana, and others of that ilk—a tough little party. They dislike the tactics of the bullying taxi firm, and go into action. The result is a riot—some of the most realistic and laughable “ rough stuff ” ever screened. Everything ends happily, and a fine film ends on a most spectacular note. There is ample justification for the advance praise of “ Big City.” The stars play right up to their reputations, Tracy being brilliant and Miss Rainer up to the same standard, although it is a far cry from “The Good Earth” and “The Great Ziegfeld" to “Big City.’’ The supporting cast is headed by the veteran character actor. Charles Grapewin. and others prominent in the cast are Janet Beecher, Eddie Quillan. Victor Varconi, Oscar O’Shea. Helen Troy, William Demarest, John Arledge, Irving Bacon. Guinn Williams, and Regis Toomey Some of the settings are outstanding, and the production is worthy of the materia] of the film and the ability of the players. The description of “ really outstanding: an exceptional film ” is not idle flattery when applied to “ Big City.” It is the bare truth. The feature picture is supported by a worthy Pete Smith Oddity, a colour travelogue, an entertaining historical mystery, and excellent news reels, which have among their features a graphic film of the Grand National GRAND THEATRE The chatter of machine-guns, the crash of artillery, and the general chaos which accompanies a civil war 1 form a thrilling background for “ Love ! Under Fire,” the breath-taking film of present-day Spain which is now showing at the Grand Theatre. When a young Scotland Yard man (Don Ameche) goes to Spain for a holiday and meets a charming English girl (Loretta Young). Cupid becomes active. The detective is informed by his senior at Home, however, that he must I find a young woman jewel thief and i he realises that the girl he loves is the 1 wanted person Before he can do any- ( thing the war breaks out and the town I is invaded by troops, the commander of whom is also in search of the stolen valuables to swell the coffers of his cause Ameche arranges for the safe conduct of the young lady (who, though she proclaims her innocence is now his prisoner) two other persons with mysterious motives, and himself from the country, but is drugged as he is about to leave for the aerodrome. He manages to get there in the end, and after further difficulties and dangers they all leave the war-torn land. Their troubles are by no means over, however, for the Spaniards are not so

easily foiled, and there are many tense moments before the jewels and the young lovers are safe and the matrimonial mix-up straightened out. The supports are good, and the box plans are at the theatre and at Begg’s. STATE THEATRE Jessie Matthews, the charming star of British films, scores another instant success in “ Sailing Along,” a story of the adopted daughter of a bargee who becomes a famous drncer, which opened a season at the State Theatre yesterday. In this happy singing and dancing picture, Miss Matthews, whose screen appearances, by the way, are too infrequent, has one of her best roles to date, and there need be no fear that the reputation she so effectively established for herself in “ Evergreen.” "The Good Companions.” and many other films will suffer at all by her performance in “ Sailing Along.” In the dancing, which is one of the feautres of the picture, she is supported by an extremely clever partner in Jack Whiting, and in the comedy work Roland Young, with his quiet, whimsical style, is as delightful as ever. There are, of course, several song hits that will no doubt prove popular, and among these, for which spectacular dance sequences provide a background, are “Your Heart Skips a Beat. “ Trusting My Luck." “ Souvenir of Love.” and “My River.” These are sung in Miss Matthews’s own charming style, and are certain to be popular with her many followers, who remember the talent she has displayed in many a fine film. Th° direction has been done by Sonnie Hale, with the result that everything goes with a decided swing from start to finish and the audience is treated to an hour and s-half of entertainment that never flags for a moment. The picture is typically English, being set amid the lovely scenery of the Thames Valley, which provides artistic backgrounds for a great deal of the action The first glimpse the audience has of Miss Matthews is on boerd a sailing barge just entering the Thames. Although Kay can make herself as useful on board as most men, except for the fact that her language, of course, is not that usually attributed to a bargee—she has a passion for dancing, and dance she does all day long. This does not appeal to the bargemaster's son, who would rather have peace to pursue the various correspondence courses he has undertaken, and who firmly believes that if one only has the money to start with there are great opportunities for making more money on the stock exchanger Kay’s devotion to dancing finally brings her the reward she has been working for. because one day. while the barge is held up at a lock, she attracts the attention of a millionaire who is ever on the look-out for talent. Soon her name is in the bright lights, and she is given every opportunity to indulge her gift for singing and dancing of a particularly attractve kind. In Jack Whiting Miss Matthews has as a partner a dancer in his own right, and the pair of them go through many attractive seauences in a manner that marks them out almost as an ideal team. Roland Young is cast as the eccentric millionaire, a typical role which he handles in his usual competent fashion, and Barry Mackay has an opportunity of displaying a bent for comedy as the bargemaster’s son, who takes his correspondence courses so seriously. Another prominent figure in the cast who does much to enliven an already lively story is Noel Madison, forsaking gangster roles for the part of a mile-a-minute press agent cast in the Hollywood tradition. The supporting programme is an interesting one. Apart from a topical news gazette, there is an extremely interesting study of _ England’s land defence system, which is of particular importance at a time when defence is such a live subjetc. It illustrates vividly the dangers to England that would arise if a hostile Continental Power sent a fleet of bombing planes across. The box plans are at the theatre and at Begg’s. MAYFAIR THEATRE Adventure as only Rudyard Kipling could write it, may be seen in the Twentieth Century-Fox picturisation of his “Wee Willie Winkie,” which will be shown to-day at the Mayfair Theatre with Shirley Temple and Victor McLaglen in the starring roles. Adventure fills every moment of this exciting film, the most spectacular production, it is said, in which Shirley Temple has ever appeared. “ We e Willie Winkie” starts off colourfully in the railroad station at Rajpore, India, where Shirley and her widowed mother, June Lang, have arrived to take up residence at a frontier army post commanded by her grandfather (C. Aubrey Smith). Before their eyes, Khoda Khan, a fierce native chieftain is caught in a gun-smuggling attempt and arrested. losing from around his neck in the scuffle a treasured amulet, which is picked up by Shirley, and subsequently leads her into the adventures that form the fabric of the story. The comedy of “ Windbag the Sailor,” the second film, reaches its height when Will Hay, as Captain Ben Cutler, is sent out in command of a ship without the least glimmering of knowledge about a ship’s handling. He becomes involved in a mutiny. After an adventure on a raft with only a radio set, a few biscuits, and some water for company, he ends up at a South Sea island. The native chief adopts threats, but Captain Ben makes adroit use of the radio to frighten them into friendliness. Adventures happen with great rapidity, and the captain scarcely has time to disentangle himself from one muddle before he is entangled in the next. Box plans are at Gadd’s and the D.I.C.