AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23883, 10 August 1939, Page 14

AMUSEMENTS

THE CURRENT PROGRAMMES GRAND THEATRE ENTERTAINING DOUBLE BILL An entertaining double-feature programme consisting of a' Western film and a romantic comedy, which is notable for some sound acting, was presented at the Grand Theatre for the first lime yesterday. The films are "Land of Fighting Men" and "Beauty, for the Asking." The first feature on the programme is the Western film, which is replete with action, and in which Jack Randall, the latest addition to the army of singing cowbovs. has the leading role, and is given musical support,by the Colorado Hillbillies. Range war in its most ruthless form is the theme of the story, which commences when a young ranger receives a call from a distressed friend who is holding out against range racketeers. Randall is the ranger, and Herman Brix. a former. Olympic champion, has the other leading role. The position becomes com Dlicated when the part-owner of the ranch, a girl, arrives from the East determined to get rid of the place. The shooting of her brother only serve* to confirm her in her determination and Randall is accused of the murder. There is a chase after the real criminals and a posse on the trail of the innocent mail, an ambush.with a thrilling f.un battle, and an exciting climax in which the rancher's young amusing type of youngster—plays an important part. The girl in the story at this stage, has her mind made up on various matters concerning the men and the rangelands of the West. The second film may briefly be de» scribed as a comedy-romance,- but il has some sound drama in it. and in ik treatment jt is slightly reminiscent oi that much-discussed play "The Women," which was recently staged here. The clot concerns a pretty beauty culture expert, who is jilted by her lover, who marries a wealthy copper heiress. The girl determines to prove her own worth and sets out to market a preparation which she ha* invented. By a strange trick of fate the wife of her former lover becomes her sponsor, and an unusual triangle situation, with the wife as the "other woman." develops. The working out of this problem is dexterously handled, and the film.makes good entertainment Lucille Ball is the jilted girl, and Frieda Inescort is the heiress. Patric Knowles is the handsome young man who is the cause of all the trouble, and Donald Woods appears as the faithful suitor in the background". The boxplans are at the theatre and the D.I.C STATE THEATRE The picturisation of Rudyard Kipling's stirring poem of patriotism and devotion, " Gunga Din," is now screening at the State Theatre. The film is a vigorous one, with stirring battle scenes on the Indian frontier, spectacular charges by mounted Indian cavalry, accompanied, for a great part, bv the rumble of guns. The three soldiers of the Queen whose adventures form the bulk of the plot are played by Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, and Douglas Fairbanks, jun. There are many comic sequences, largely as a result of the friendly bickering among the three comrades. Fairbanks wants to leave the regiment to marry, the reason being Joan Fontaine, but his comrades conspire against him. to stop this. Finally foolery gives way to drama. Gunga Din, the humble water-carrier, who, in his last hours of life, reaches the highest peak of heroism and is in death nonoured with the title of soldier, is played by Sam Jaffe. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg's. ST. JAMES THEATRE Once again the Mississippi—this time in flood—furnishes the background for a showboat musical in Paramount's "St. Louis Blues" at the St. James Theatre. The picture has a quaint opening, for a musical. Instead of floating gaily down the river, Director Raoul Walsh has the turbulent waters land his showboat high, if not dry, on a particularly muddy bank. The vessel is surreptitiously boarded by a Broadway singer who is fleeing her manager and her contract. Once she is ensconced on board, the rest of the film deals with her romance with the showboat manager, and her attempt to have her contract annulled. An Edgar Wallace thriller, "The Gaunt Stranger," is the second attraction. Box plans are at (he theatre. Jacobs's and the D.I.C LUISE RAINER STARRED "Dramatic School" is the story of a struggle of an unknown girl to win fame as an actress. The theme is not new. but the artistry of this film, which will be opened to-morrow at the St. James Theatre, lies in the way an old theme is treated. Its appeal will be principally for women, but underneath lies the appeal which is as wide as human emotions. It is the appeal of a struggle for recognition, a struggle in which men as well as women employ the same talents. Men also will leave the theatre impressed, for so real is this film that they will see in it the same sort of struggle in a minor way. going on all round them in everyday life. Its great attraction, in fact, is this sense of realism. It is a story of the stage; but so true is it of human endeavour that it is also a story of life. It is not only the story which makes this film well worth while seeing. The acting is almost flawless. In it.there is

the peerless Luise Rainer, the repeated winner of the Academy "best actress award, Gale Sondergaar.d, winner of the Academy award for the best sup-' porting actress in "Anthony Adverse, and Paulette Goddard. who was in ,: The Young in Heart." To support this acting' there is also technical excellence. "Dramatic School" is eminently well presented- There are no little things left undone. This picture will stand any test as far as production is concerned. It will stand, any test, for that matter, as far as acting, photography and realism are concerned. Emphasis should be laid on its sincerity. There is no easy road to fame, whether it is fame on the stage., fame on the screen, fame in business, or fame in any phase of human activity. This lesson "Dramatic School" teaches. It is riot a film where the more ephemeral appeal of actiori-all-the-way is predominant, It makes th« audience think; but they. do their thinking under the spell of consummate, acting, and an atmosphere of sincere realism- The supportinsi film will be "While Parents Sleep." a light-hearted comedy starring Jean Gillie, Mackenzie Ward, i Ellis Jeffreys,, and Enid Stamp Taylor. This picture is a series of clear-cut situations which score on the ready wit of the dialogue. REGENT THEATRE Clive Brook, who for a long time, dominated the British screen by , his polished performances in all kinds of roles, shows that he has,lost none of his ability for giving sincerity to an. unusual character in " The Ware Case," which is now at the Regent Theatre. He appears as Sir' Hubert Ware, a member of that proud English aristocracy which sees with dismay its revenues disappearing in the revolution' of the modern world, but; far from reducing his expenditure, he prefers to flatter his many creditors into uneasy silence when they threaten him with bankruptcy. These, then, are the circumstances which lead up to the momentous trial which takes -up most of the film.- A technicolour version of. the .-King and' Queen's visit to Canada is, an outstanding feature of the supporting: programme. Box plans are at the,, theatre and the D.I.C. - INVITATION TO HAPPINESS " Irene Dunne and Fred Mac Murray will be co-starred for the first time in the Paramount drama " Invitation to Happiness,"' which will be opened to-morrow at the Recent Theatre. " Invitation to Happiness" is a. human drama that should appeal to all film£oers. for it deals with the. sort of problems that face every voung married couple. Fred Mac Murray is an ambitious prize-fighter who works for. dreams about, and hopes to become champion. Then one day his comfortable routine is upset. He meets-charm-ing; aristocratic Irene Dunne. They are as utterly different as two people can be. He never got beyond primary school. His parents were poor, his outlook on life is naive arid self-centred. Miss Dunne, on the other hand, had been sent to the best and most expensive schools in the world, her parents are wealthy, and her attitude is anything but naive. Though they know how foolhardy they are, they get married. For a while they are happv. but the clouds of reality begin to gather. Mac Murray goes into training for his next fight. Then he has to travel to another town for other bouts. The years slip by. but he has not reached his goal. His home is almost " on the rocks," for he has had little time to see his wife and boy. In fact, his son has begun to hate him for the misery and anxiety his father causes his mother. Rarely has the kinema told a story so dramatically and vet so simply as in "Invitation to Happiness." Women will like the DunneMac Murray film for the sympathetic handling of a family problem: men will like the picture, too. for it will give children a deeper understanding of their fathers. STRAND THEATRE An entertaining double bill will complete its season at the Strand Theatre 10-day, when "Thanks for the Memory " and "I Am a Criminal" will' be screened for the final session. The regeneration of a dangerous racketeer is the theme of "I Am a Criminal," which heads the programme. John. Carroll has the leading role of a gangster, in one of whose clubs a young gambler i s killed. While Carroll is awaiting his trial for manslaughter his friends try to win sympathy for him by advertising him as a public benefactor with a fondness for children. Their scheme takes material shape in the form of a young newsboy (Martin Spellman), whose qualities convince Carroll of the error of his ways. Second attraction is "Thanks tfir the Memory," an hilarious comedy of, married life featuring Bob Hope and Shirley Ross. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. "RACKET BUSTERS" Humphrey Bogart is an effective racketeer in "Racket Busters," which will be screened at the Strand Theatre to-morrow. Heading the cast which, supports him are George Brent, Gloria Dickson, Allen Jenkins, and Walter Abel. Bogart portrays a man called Martin who uses a motor truck business to dishonest ends. Walter Abel, playing a special is appointed to end Martin's activities, ■ but he cannot, get witnesses because independent truck owners prefer to waie a private war on the racketeer. Allen Jenkins and George Brent play the parts of honest truck owners who are, pitted against Martin. The gangsters, threaten Brent's wife (.Gloria Dickson) and she collapses and is taken to hospital. Brent, to pay expenses, steals money from Martin's office and places himself in his enemy's power. Martin calls a strike which will cut off-the city's food supply, but Brent inspires the men to break it. In the final scenes

Martin is brought to justice and the " racket" is broken. Set against the background of an exclusive school' for young ladies is the associate attraction, Columbia's "Girls' School," which features Anne Shirley anci Nan Grey with Ralphy • Betfarhy occupying the leading male role. Others in the cast include Gloria Holden, Margaret Tallichet, Dorothy Moore, Doris Kenyon and Noah Beery, jun. , '"', EMPIRE THEATRE ; The re-issue of "All Quiet on the Western Front," which; is based on; the story of the novel that earned for its author, Erich Maria Remarque, exile from Germany, is a timely one. "Its theriie is the futility and disillusionment of war, and its story is of three young Germans who go straight to the trenches from school. The leading role is taken by Lew Ayres, and it will be remembered that it was his performance in this film that originally lifted him-to stardom. There are scenes of gripping realism that in many ways are unsurpassed even today, as from more than one aspect, "AH Quiet on the Western Front" was, when'first issued, a film streets ahead of its contemporaries. ' Box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. , • ' ;_;. "KING OF CHINATOWN" What happens when an internal war among gang leaders.involves ..the leading citizens of an entire corrimunity is shown in. Paramount's new. .crime thriller, " King ,qf ChinatoWri,;' which will be opened to-mrrrow at the Empire Theatre. Struggling for. .the lordship over a big-time racket, Akim Tamiroff, Anthony Quirin, and J. Carroll Naish find out .that gangland had best keep its own secrets, When Anna May. Wong, a hard-headed .woman geon and daughter. <jf, .Chinatown's' rndst important personage, decided to engage in 1 a little " racket busting "of her own. Bad man roles are getting to be a habit with, handsome Anthony Quinn, who has been in nearly a dozen of them during the.past year. ..Born in Mexico, the son of a princess of the ancient Aztec line, Quinn was brought to Los Arigeles at ari early age, when the famed bandit Villa.made things too hot for his father. Others on the right side of the law, along with Miss Wong, are Philip Ann, the young Chinese actor who remained in America to attend the University of California when his' family returned to their native Shanghai, and Sydney Toler, who; noto rates as Hollywood s leading Occidental player of Oriental roles, having recently been.chosen to supplant the. late Warner Oland as "Charlie Chan." The cast of "King of Chinatown" also, includes Roscoe Karns, who has appeared in more than 100 films, artd pretty Berriadene Hayes, who made her stage debut alt tjie'age of nine, playing the child in "Ten Nights-• in a Bar Room" without her parents knowledge, much to their disgust when they found out. Miss Hayes was educated at Washington University, and has been in Hollywood for the: past five years, making a rapid climb to stardom. There is strong appeal in the' dramatic presentation of* Miss Wong's mental struggle between her professional duty, and- her personal hate, of Tamiroff. Tamiroff..gives a powerful performance in the' title role. MAYFAIR THEATRE ADVENTURE PREDOMINANT Adventure and excitement are the basis of the entertainment now being offered at the Mayfair Theatre, where "Sky Giant" and "The, Mysterious Mr Moto" are enjoying a brief season. Murder and thrills are a component part of each of the two films. .The main feature, "The Mysterious Mr: Moto." has these elements in sufficient quantity to please the most exacting lover of this type of screen fare. "Sky Giant" is an bid story, with a novel twist and plenty of excitement. The Japanese sleuth, Moto. was just making his first, bow to the public to challenge, the little' Oriental screen detective-number one with the Chinese Charlie Chan when fate fempved the familiar figure of Warner Oland from the' films. , It would have been interesting to see how the rivalry which must have, ensued would have developed. In "The Mysterious Mr Moto," the latest of the series, he makes what is probably his best thriller to date; Peter Lorre is once again Mr Moto,' and isably supported by Henry WUcoxon and the Australian actress, .Mary Maguire. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C.