AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24205, 25 January 1940, Page 18

AMUSEMENTS

THE CURRENT PROGRAMMES ST. JAMES THEATRE " Spirit of Culver," which is one of the two features on this week's programme at the St. James Theatre, has Freddie Bartholomew and Jackie Cooper in the leading roles. Parades and scenes depicting the gaiety of life at the military school brighten the drama of the film, and there is plenty of comic relief. The result is a film offering first-class entertainment for all. Andv Devine, Henry Hull and Tim Holt are prominent in the supporting cast. Cooper is a reformed voimg rowdy and Bartholomew is his English room mate. Both give excellent portrayals of difficult characters. " The Family Next Door," which is the other attraction, features Hugh Herbert, Joy Hodges, and Eddie Quillan. The box plans are at the theatre, the D.1.C.. and Jacobs'. - "HEART OF THE NORTH" In "Hearth of the North," which will be commenced at the St. James Theatre to-morrow, the Arctic Queen hss just set sail from Fort Endurance, far northern trading post, loaded with a cargo of gold and furs, when it is held up by bandits. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police go to work, but there is conflict when Baker (Dick Foran) clashes with his superior (James Stephenson), who wants to arrest the father of the girl Baker is in love with. Baker is dismissed from the service, but is later reinstated with honours as he saves an innocent man from lynching and captures the real villain. Baker's love troubles are settled, too, when his civilisation-loving fiancee gives him up, so that he can marry the girl he really loves. Such ingenious devices as an " automatic gun detector," r n " electric eye" which detects any bit of metal en a prisoner, and the scientific " double door" system are among the escape-proof inventions utilised in modern prisons, and shown for the first time in the drama "They All Come Out," which will support. In this gripping new film story the gates of Alcatraz Penitentiary, unescapable prison of America's most desperc te criminals, are swung open to Hollywood for the first time in the history of the screen. By special Government permission, a camera crew photographed "The Rock " for certain scenes of " They All Come Out."

GRAND THEATRE SOUTHERN MUSICAL AND WESTERN There Is a satisfying entertainment at the Grand Theatre this week, where the two films now being shown are "Bad Lands," a western of an unusually gripping type, and "Way Down South," a charming little story of old Louisiana, with Bobby Breen in the leading role. Each picture possesses a distinctive quality, and together they offer excellent value. It is a long time since Bobby Breen has been heard locally, but his seventh picture, "Way Down South," proves that he has lost none of his appeal. He is a pleasing little actor, and the quality of his voice is as good as ever. He does not sing so much as in his first film, but the famous Hall Johnson choir of negro singers is also featured in the production, and their numbers help to make the musical side of the film outstanding. Old spirituals are heard along with one or two new numbers, and all are effectively staged, especially the sequence of the corn festival, when the slaves indulge in a sort of harvest thanksgiving. Bobby Breen is seen as the young son of a kindly plantation owner who is killed accidentally and leaves the estate under a hard and scheming executor. The changes in the conduct of the plantation bring much unhappiness to the workers, and also to the young owner, and his fight on their behalf makes an appealing little drama. Good support is lent by Ralph Morgan. Alan Mowbray, Steffli Duna, Sally Blane. and Clarence Muse. "Bad Lands" is not so much the conventional western film as the drama of a posse which goes out into the desert lands of Arizona on the trail of a half breed murderer and is trapped at a water-hole by Apaches and are thinned out one by one by the raiders. Under the terrible strain the personalities of the men emerge as distinctly different types, of characters. Rivalries and jealousies develop among themselves, and the husband of the murdered woman eventually goes mad and plunges to his doom. Robert Barrat a player who has all too little recognition, plays his best role to date as the sheriff who leads the party. It is a particularly strong piece of work. Andy Clyde is seen as a veteran of the Civil War, a hard-bitten old prospector; Robert Clyde is Eaton, an Englishman with a hidden past: Guinn Williams* Noah Beery, jun., Douglas Walton, and others also do first-rate work. , Walt Disney's latest symphony, "Merbabies," is also shown on the programme. The colourful undersea life furnishes him with a host of new and amusing fancies, and the result is one of the most charming of his Productions. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg's. STRAND THEATRE An adventure story, in which the hero is involved in enough excitement, to last a lifetime, is told in. Mutiny on the Blackhawk," which heads the current programme at the btrana Theatre. Richard Arlen stows away on a suspected slave ship, incites the islanders chained in the hold to mutiny, sails the vessel back to California, and is just in time to organise a spirited and successful defence of Fort Bailey against an attack by the .Mexican Army. The second picture is Back Door to Heaven." featuring Patricia Ellis. Stuart Erwin and Wallace Ford. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C.

"I STOLE A MILLION" The screen often presents a sugarcoated formula for human problems, with its ever-present happy ending and hope of appeasing humanity's conscience. When a film dares to be different, when it thrills with its sincerity and removes doubt, it is usually cit'icklv recognised as headed for popularity and success. All of which proves that the public likes the truth, even when it hurts. Universal's " I Stole a Million." co-starring George Raft and •Claire Trevor, which will appear at the Strand Theatre to-morrow, comes classified as such a picture. It presents a man who tried to blot out the yesterdays of error that he might live each to-morrow in the luxury of love. He finishes as the object of a nationwide man hunt—on the wrong end of a war with society. Magnificent outdoor scenes were filmed on historic ground-in Buck Jones's latest Universal film. " For the Service," which will be the associate attraction. An actual fort of the pioneer days discovered by the star when he went scouting for location sites, was rebuilt so that it might be used for many of the sequences in this story of the old West. EMPIRE THEATRE Sixth of the series in two years, "The Hardys Ride High." latest exploit of the popular screen family, is showing at the Empire Theatre. The familiar Hardy Family cast continues with Lewis Stone as the judge, Mickey Rooney as his son Andy, and Fay Holden as the wife and mother. Cecelia Parker portrays the young daughter, Sara Haden is Aunt Milly, and Ann Rutherford again is Polly Benedict, the sweetheart of Mickey. New faces appear in the cast as the family comes into a temporary fortune and moves from the mythical town of Carvel to Detroit, there to live for a brief interlude in the luxury of millionaires. Virginia Grey portrays a cabaret glamour girl who attracts Mickey on his first venture into the night Jife of a city. John King is a young man

about town, the legal heir to a fortune which the Hardys soon renounce. There are fine supports, and the box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. STATE THEATRE In "Shipyard Sally," now showing at the State Theatre, Gracie Fields gives her most human, vital and amusing performance. Opening with the launching of the Queen Mary on the Clyde, moving powerfully on to depressed davs. and progressing through comedy and pathos to a triumphant and inspiring ending, the story moyides a perfect setting for the finest film yet made by one of the most popular stars ihe world has ever known. Among her songs in the film are: " Wish Me Luck," •' I Got the Jitterbugs," " Grandfather's Bagpipes," "Annie Laurie," "Danny Bov." "In Pernambuco," and Elgar's " Land of Hope and Glory." Add to those efforts a card-sharping father, nlaved by Sydney Howard in the best W. C. Fields manner, a tynical ■" curry and chutney" earl, played by Morton Selton. and another delightful gentleman, Oliver Wakefield, who specialises in tongue-twisters, and it will be readily seen that the film has mirthprovoking qualities indeed. Those who like Gracie best for her singing ana tongue acrobatics are well catered for. The box plans are at the-theatre and Begg's. REGENT THEATRE Seldom has an outdoor story appeared on the screen with so many front-rank players as " Song of the Plains," which is the current entertainment at the Regent Theatre. Nelson Eddy heads the cast in a virile role, which provides him with several opportunities for singing, and opposite him is Virginia Bruce, who makes a charming heroine. Also prominent are Lionel Barrymore, Charles Butterworth, Victor McLaglen, Edward Arnold, Guy Kibbee, and H. B. Warner, one of the screen's most widelyadmired veterans. The story is an excellent one, telling of the days when America was young. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. " BROADWAY SERENADE ' ? Jeanette MacDonald appears in her first solo starring role in "Broadway Serenade," which comes tp the Regent Theatre to-morrow. Based upon the struggles of a young singer who progresses from cheap night clubs to musical comedy stardom, the new picture offers Miss MacDonald an opportunity to sing everything from grand opera to popular selections written especially for the production. 'Lew Ayres plays his most important role since his re-entry into films as the star's composer husband who, while his wife is winning stage triumphs, hides in the obscurity of playing a. piano in a five-and-ten-cent store. Frank Morgan, who is rapidly becoming famous for his interpretations of theatrical producers, essays this role once again. lan Hunter supplies the third point of the love triangle, and Al Shean, of the famous team of Gallagher and Shean, portrays the character of Herman, an elderly cellist, who befriends Ayres. Supporting players chosen for important roles in the drama include Virginia Grey, Rita Johnson, William Gargan, Franklin Pangborn, Kitty McHugh, Esther Dale, and Leon Belasco. The film was produced by Robert Z. Leonard. MAYFAIR THEATRE "The Kid Comes Back," which is the principal feature on the new programme at the Mayfair Theatre, is a romantic comedy-drama of the boxing ring, dealing with a battered and veteran aspirant to the championship, his lovelv sister and a handsome young contender who seeks to win both the title and the girl. Barton Mac Lane as the veteran,' June Travis as the sister, and Wayne Morris as the young fighter, are' co-starred. "Slapsie" Maxie Rosenbloom is also seen in action. "The Girl Downstairs" features Franciska Gaal. Franchot Tone and Walter Connolly in the story of a domestic servant who falls' in love with her mistress's fiance, Ihinking he is just a chauffeur. The performances of the three principals leave nothing to be desired, for-they make this a very human story in which there are no dramatic depths nor ary excruciatingly funny situations. Miss GaaTs acting is natural and unaffected, and Tone's is a polished characterisation. Box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C.