SCREEN and STAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24630, 11 June 1941, Page 8

SCREEN and STAGE

By Harlequin

"Argentine Nights" Starring the Ritz Brothers and the i Andrews Sisters, famed swing too, i Untvertala musicalfarce, "Argentine ' Nights," comes on Friday to the Empire Theatre. Nine new songs are' introduced in the elaborate film, which {resents the hilarious Ritzes as three ast-talking agents for a throng of beautiful entertainers touring South America. The Andrews Sisters, whose songs on phonograph records, stage and radio are known to millions, make their film debut in the picture. Constance Moore has the romantic lead as the torch singer who takes her girl band into the pampas country and falls in love with a dashing gaucho, played by George Reeves, recent screen discovery. Featured roles are played by Peggy Moran, Anne Nagel, Kathryn Adams and Julie, Duncan. Attractive sequences are laid

From GREEN ROOM and STUDIO

aboard ship and in the romantic land of the pampas. New songs in the picture include "Hit the Road," "The New Lick," "Oh, He Loves Me," and " Rhumboogie," sung by the Andrews Sisters. The "Spirit of 77-B" and " Brooklynonga" are offered by the Ritz Brothers, and Miss Moore sings " Hall of the Mountain -Queen" and " Once Upon a Dream." Reeves and the gaucho chorus contribute "Amigo We Go Riding To-night." The screenplay by Arthur T. Horman, Sid Kuller and Ray Golden was directed by .Albert S. RogelL M They Knew What They Wanted " Baring the souls of three people whose contrasting desires and hopes cross each other with dramatic results, "They Knew What They Wanted," which will be released at the Octagon Theatre on Friday, presents Carole

Lombard and Charles Laughton in powerful stellar roles. Miss Lombard portrays a lonely, repressed waitress who marries to escape the drudgery of an uninspiring existence Laughton plays a warm-hearted, successful grape rancher whose happiness would be complete if he had a wife and children. William Gargan is seen as a moody foreman with Casanova tendencies. When the waitress and the vineyardist are betrothed through a correspondence courtship and the jovial grape-grower injures himself the night before the wedding, the foreman and the bewildered bride-to-be become enamoured. The gripping drama that results when the principals bare their inner natures when the secret is revealed to the kindly rancher is said to bring about one of the most absorbing, moving climaxes ever unfolded on the screen. "They Knew What They Wanted" features mother important roles Harry, Carey, Frank Fay, Joe Bernard and Janet Fox. "Gallant Sons"

Jackie Cooper, Bonita,Granville, Gen Reynolds, and other clever youngsters mingle hilarious adventure with thrills and tense dramatic moments in Gallant Sons," which heads the hew bill coming next Friday to the St James Theatre. It deals with high school youngsters in a new way, mingling the more serious side of those approaching manhood and womanhood with the comical predicaments in which«youngsters find themselves. A group, ol high school students turn amateur detectives to trace a murder so that the father -of one- of their group may; be cleared of the crime. They unearth a clue the law overlooked, trail, it down, reconstruct the crime, and trick the criminal to a high school show where he is trapped into revealing himself by seeing the murder re-en-actftd Jackie Cooper's, grown to young manhood, is a dashing baseball captain, and his loyalty for Gene Reynolds is a feature in the story. He iff teamed with Boriita Granville as his school sweetheart, with blonde June Preiiser playing'the school vamp. A new and attractive team of youngsters makes its, appearance in ''Love, Honour, and Behave," the newest Warner -Bros, comedy-drama. The boy is the tall, young pugilist of' Kid Galahad "—Wayne Morris—and the gin is small and dainty Priseilla Lane. " Love, Honour, and Behave" *s said to be the gayest and maddest love riot of the vear. "Young People"

Posing as the great authority -on motion pictures, funster Jack Oakie kept Shirley Temple spellbound on the set of "Young People," which is to be released'at the State Theatre on Friday, with his fantastic accounts of the development of the motion picture industry., Shirley listened in complete absorption to his tales, and accepted everything Oakie said as the gospel truth until she did a little research of her own. While waiting td be called on the 20th Century-Fox set, Shirley seriously asked Oakie: " What do you think Was the greatest picture yoi%ever made?" "The 'Birth Of a Nation,'" said Oakie. "Gee," said Shirley, duly impressed. A short while later Shirley confronted Oakie with a troubled expression on her face. " I asked Mr Dwan about your doing •Birth of a Nation,' and he said you were in diapers when it was made. .1 hope he's wrong," she added thoughtfully, ''because if he's right it makes me suspicious about all -.the other, things you've told mf From then on Oakie, had to watch, his .step, to keep Shirley from doubting his word. Shirley Temple and Jack Oakie share starring honours, with Charlotte Greenwood in "Young People," which boasts a brilliant supporting, cast, in? eluding Arleen Whelan, George Montgomery; and Kathleen Howard; _AHan Dwan directed alhd Harry: Joe Brown was the pioducef^ «I Wanta v DlT«fee^ A delightfully; amusing story a* two who along with each other

until they find they can't get along without each other, is unfolded in "I Want a Divorce," the principal attraction at the change of programme at the Regent Theatre an Friday. Joan 810n r dell and Dick Powell, man and wife in real life, play man and wije together

in the starring, roles in this sparkling comedy-drama from the Paramount Studio, with Gloria Dickson; Frank Fay, Jessie Ralph, and Conrad Nagel featured in supporting roles. Comedy predomin.ates-rbr.ight, infectious comedy; that" carries patrons light-heartedly to ah unexpected dramatic climax, and yet sets in motion 1 beneath the diverting entertainment a serious, * worthwhile undercurrent of thought on divorce and its repercussions., The discomforts arising out of incompatibility of temperament the story of "I Want a Divorce " divertingly contrasts human problems in high life and middle-class homes, interweaving its way through the lives of three married couples. Impacting on the fortunes •of the central figures, Joan Blondell and Dick Powell, with varying effects on their mental outlook, are the marital experiences of friends and acquaintances of the Hollands (Gloria Dickson and Conrad Nagel) and the Gilmans (Dorothy Burgess and Frank Fay). Blondell and Powell rise to the most effective portrayals in a brilliant presentation of the author's perspicacious use of tragedy and comedy, and a happy tals has a happy ending. Grand Theatre "Girl From Avenue A/' Jane Withers' latest starring film, has been called the most outstanding she's ever undertaken. Based on Maude Fulton's play, "The Brat," the 2uth Cen-tury-Fox film boasts a* powerful cast and an appealing story. Jane has won waves of praise from millions, of fans in her many successful pictures. Her gay new picture is an ideal vehicle for her because it shows Jane at her best—a Bowery spitfire on her own in Park avenue. The picture comes to-day to the Grand Theatre; Supporting Jane are some of Hollywood's best known players, including Kent Taylor, Katharine Aldridge, Elyse Knox, Laura Hope Crews, Jessie Ralph and many others. In her role as a Bowery spitfire Jane is befriended by a handsome Park avenue playwright, Kent Taylor.

Kent is interested in her as a sociological specimen to be put in one of his plays and he takes her home to live with his family in order to study her actions. The film depicts her bewilderment at the splendour of Kent's Park avenue home, and shows Park avenue's bafflement at Jane's unpredictable behaviour. The supporting picture, "Yesterday's Heroes, is a thrilling football film in which Jean Rogers, and Robert Sterling head a fine cast in a real "inside" story of big-time football.

Strand Theatre In "San Francisco Docks," which will be opened at the Strand Theatre next Friday, Burgess Meredith, versatile stage and screen favourite, is seen as the youth unjustly convicted of murder and Irene Hervey shares mantic honours in the story as his sweetheart. Robert Armstrong portrays a fiery priest who turns detective to save an innocent man from execution The associate feature is "Nancy Drew, Reporter," with Bonita Granville and John Litel in the principal roles. Nancy Drew, who worked, on a newspaper, is handed an assignment to cover a poetry club luncheon, but instead goes to a coroner's inquest on

the death of a rich old woman. A ward of the dead woman is held for murder, but Nancy is convinced she is innocent. Eventually she captures the real murderers after a breathless and amusing chase. Mayfair Theatre A curse that persisted through the ages and a love that could not be defeated by misfortune and disaster are the outstanding dramatic features 4 of Universale " The House of the Seven Gables." which wiil be screened at the

Mayfair Theatre to-night. Tho picture Is a screen dramatisation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's famous novel of the samp name, and one of the great classics of American literature. In the featured roles are Margaret Lindsay as Hepzibah Pyncheon; Vincent Price as Clifford Pyncheon, her distant cousin; George Sanders as his brother, cruel and grasping Jaffrey Pyncheon; Nan Grey as Phoebe Pyncheon. and Dick Foran as Matthew Maule. The amazing adventures of three men and a girl whose. lives are vitally involved with the building of the fastest pursuit plane in the world, form the unique basis of the supporting picture. "Men Against the Sky." stirring romantic drama of modern aviation. Richard Dix, as a disgraced pilot: Kent Taylor ,as a handsome aircraft designer; Edmund Lowe, as an aggressive plane manufacturer, and Wendy Barrie as an ambitious draftswoman. are the principal players.

His Majesty's Theatre When bathing beauties parade, anything can happen. And it does in "Fast and Furious," opening at His Majesty's Theatre next Friday, te tbe tune of two murders, several attempted ones, the most startling parade of

beauty seen in fllms.for a long while, and the presentation of Franchdt Tone and Ann Sotherh as contestants fprjjhe title of " Craziest Screen couple." The associate feature is "Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever." In this latest of the Hardy saga the family gets a taste of romance and drama. The judge, portrayed by Levis "Stone, becomes in--volved in a crooked promotion stunt which threatens the savings, of the Hardys as well as of their friends. The irrepressible Andy, naturally none other than Mickey Rooney, quarrel* with his girl friend Polly Benedict, and falls in love with his beautiful dramatics teacher. The latter role is played by a newcomer, Helen Gilbert, who shows definite ability. Choral Society's Concert

Considerable interest attaches to the Choral Society's concert in the Town Hall on Monday, July 7, for patrons will hear the first concert performance of Mr C. Roy Spackman's cantata. " The Burning of the House of Hades/' This work, which will be conducted by the composer, is based on a Maori legend, and was a prize-winning work in last year's Centennial competition. Mr Andersen Tyrer, who expressed warm admiration for the music, conducted it in a radio broadcast last November in Wellington. Handel's evergreen work, "Judas Maccabeus," will form the balance of the programme. This oratorio is literally crowded with numbers which enjoy great popularity, and such features as the duet, "O Lady Peace," and thestirring "Arm, Arm, Ye Brave " are always enjoyed. Dr T. Vernon Griffiths is to be the guest conductor, and the soloists will include Miss Dora Drake, Mr Alfred Walmsley. and' Mr Lex Macdonald. The 4YA orchestra will assist.