PICTURE THEATRES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24633, 14 June 1941, Page 3

PICTURE THEATRES

STRAND THEATRE TWO EXCITING FEATURES An absorbing and exciting story of a youth wrongly convicted of murder, and the efforts of a stout-hearted priest who turns detective, to free the condemned man and prove his innocence, is seen in “San Francisco Docks,” which heads the bill at the Strand Theatre. Burgess Meredith, the wellknown star of screen and stage, heads the cast in the role of the condemned youth, and attractive Irene Hervey has the romantic lead opposite Meredith. Robert Armstrong portrays the detec-tive-priest, and he also gives a creditable performance. The story holds the audience in suspense until the final sequence, when the condemned man’s name is at last cleared. Ah exciting comedy. “Nancy Drew, Reporter,” starring Bonita Granville, is the associate feature on the bill. Nancy Drew is seen as a reporter on a city newspaper who becomes involved in a murder mystery, and, thanks to her efforts, an innocent wom*n is freed, and the real murderers are brought to bay. The box'plans .are at the theatre and the D.I.C. REGENT THEATRE ' A WELL-BALANCED PROGRAMME Blending comedy and pathos in an entertaining story of matrimonial difficulties, “I Want a Divorce," which heads the new programme at the Regent Theatre, is accompanied by one of the most outstanding arrays of supporting features seen in Dunedin for a considerable period. Coming in the midst of a critical period in the war, a “March of Time” film showing the American attitude to the present conflict, is an attraction in itself, and it forms a fitting accompaniment to a full-length film which, underlying- its gay and vivacious sequences, has a moral for those who wish to seek it. As the title would imply, “I Want a Divorce" tells an amusing yet, at times, tragic story of young married couples who rush into the Divorce Court often with the filimsiest of excuses. It tells how an attractive girl sees her sister’s marriage wrecked and the home-life, she loved destroyed. Then she falls in love with a struggling young lawyer, whb, after their' marriage, goes into partnership with a lawyer who has a successful business dealing with divorce cases. The marital squabbles create considerable amusement, but the business does not appeal to the young wife. When her sister commits suicide, because of her divorced husband’s marriage to another girl, she persuades her husband to give up his lucrative position and to devote his time to the other side of the question—persuading young couples'on the verge of divorce to effect a reconciliation. . Even though the story has a tinge of sadness in it, there is a rich harvest of comedy for the theatre-goer who seeks light entertainment. Heading the cast is the happily-married Hollywoodf, couple, . Dick Powell and Joan .Blondell. Powell, who will be remembered as a crooner, shows that he has advanced far in screen work, and is now a competent and likeable actor. Miss Blondell is her usual accomplished and attractive self, and the pair is supported by such popular players as Harry Davenport, Gloria Dickson, Conrad Nagel, Jessie Ralph, and Frank Fay. Apart from the. “ March of Time” film, the supporting programme includes the features “General Smuts at the Front,”-a Grantland Rice sportlight, -“Sporting Everglades.’’ newsreels. and a comedy cartoon. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. STATE THEATRE SHIRLEY TEMM RETURNS Shirley Temple returns to the screen in her first film for some considerable time in “Young People,” which was accorded an enthusiastic reception at the State Theatre last night. She has outgrown some, of her early faults and has added considerably to her ability as an actress / The, many songs and dance routines in “ Young People ” also provide Shirley with opportunities to show her value as a clever yoiihg entertainer. In addition to Shirley two real “ troupers,” Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood, do much towards making the picture a success . When two vaudeville dancers, Oakie and Miss Greenwood, are presented with a baby at the end of their act one night they never A think that in the not-so-dlstant future they will be lured away from the bright lights by the peace and security of a little New England farm town. But such is the case, as they become "‘Mum and Dad’ to the little orphan who does much towards keeping them on the stage. So they decide that for the child’s future happiness they should leave Broad vay and bring her up as a normal little girl with friends and comfort Their attempts to be well-liked in the reticent town meet with rebuffs and sly pokes at which they are slow to take offence. The denouement comes when Shirley, in an attempt to put, over m sophisticated revue at the annua! school performance, is “ booed ” off the stage by the shocked and indignant parents. The film has a stirring and surprising climax which caps the unusual story. Just as the bewildered family is leaving the town, brokenhearted by the endeavours of narrowminded people to make them a laugh-ing-stock, they prove themselves in a case of emergency. As the editor, typesetter and reporter for the local newspaper, George Montgomery, gives an exceptionally -fine performance, and Kathleen Howard i£ excellent as the school teacher who cannot forget that people sometimes grow up, Box plans are at the theatre and Begg’s.

ST. JAMES THEATRE “GALLANT SONS" Bright comedy, mingled with thrilling drama and romance, are the ingredients of “Gallant Sons,” which heads the new bill at the St. James Theatre. The title, which has been fittingly selected for the film, portrays the efforts of a band of high, school boys to free the name of the father of their friends, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment for a murder which he did not commit. Jackie Cooper adds another fine performance to his list of successes, and his acting as the leader of the young band of sleuths is outstanding. Bonita Granville and Gene Reynolds are other clever juvenile stars who give Cooper able support, and Gail Patrick is most attractive in the leading feminine role. “ Love, Honour, and Behave,” the screen adaptation, of Stephen Vincent Benet's “Everybody Was Very'Nice,” is the associate feature on the programme, and it provides contrasting fare to the main picture. The leading roles are taken by an engaging young couple, Wayne Morris and Priscilla Lane. Morris, who won fame by his performance in “ Kid Galahad.” has the role of a handsome young medical student who thinks more about being a good loser than preserving and coming out “on top.” Miss Lane is seen as his bright young wife, who decides that life with her husband is too dull, but she soon changes her tune when he takes a firm hand. The box plans are at the theatre, the D.1.C.. and Jacobs’s. OCTAGON THEATRE ANOTHER LAUGHTON TRIUMPH • No one cain fail to appreciate the magnificence of Charles Laughton’s acting. He has been responsible for many superb characterisations, and in “ They Knew What They Wanted,” the feature which opened its Dunedin season at the Octagon Theatre yesterday, he gives another classic portrayal. It is a contrast with his other roles in that he plays a successful, warmhearted grape rancher, childish, in many of his ideas, but lonely t,o the point of having as his great desire the possession of a wife and children whom he could make rich and happy. Opposite him is Carole Lombard, in the role of a repressed waitress in a Sap Francisco restaurant, who attracts the attention of the rancher when he is on holiday and agrees after a correspondence acquaintanceship to marry him. The complications are provided by William Gargan, foreman of the ranch and a young man of moods arid Casanova tendencies. When the love-sick ItalianAmerican is asked to send his photograph, he encloses that of his foreman instead. The misunderstanding is complete when the foreman meets the voting lady on her arrival at the ranch, and her temporary disillusionment when she understands that she is betrothed, not to him, but to his jovial, greathearted employer, leads to high drama. There is much brilliant work in the film, but all of the other performances are overshadowed by Laughton His versatility is really amazing. His broken English and his whole personality make the Italian grape-grower a live and vivid character,, and his childlike attempts to show off at the fiesta with which his affianced is welcomed to the ranch are tremendously appealing. They result in grave injury to him and the prolonging of the drama. Agairi when the secret is revealed to him his reaction is magnificent acting and a most moving climax. “They Knew What They Wanted,” not a good title, incidentally, is based' on the late Sidney , Howard’s Pulitzer Prize play; and it gives opportunity in the minor roles to Harry Carey, Frank Fay. Joe Bernard, and Janet Fox. The main film is supported by a Leon Errol comedy and some interesting news shots. Box plans are at the theatre and Begg’s. EMPIRE THEATRE THE MERRY RITZ BROTHERS The fun is fast and furious in the Ritz Brothers' farce, “Argentine Nights,” which was shown to a delighted audience at the Empire Theatre last, night. Life in Argentine; if one is to believe the Ritz Brothers’ formula, is one long round of hysterical, madcap gaiety, tinged with adventures with bandits and polo players masquerading as gauchos. Their comedy is built on a crazy pattern, but its very exaggeration makes it absurdly funny. Aiding and abetting the three jesters is a trio of talented girls, the Andrews Sisters, whose singing and dancing are features of the comedy. Their clowning, too, is on a par. with that of their irresponsible boy-friends. Besides uproarious farce, music plays a large part in the development of the film, and the Andrews Sisters present songs which are witty and well-scored with a rare, infectious gusto. These girls, well-known American swing artists, are perfect foils for the Ritzes’ style of comedy. Their songs include “ Hit the Road, “ Once Upon a Dream," “ Hall of the Mountain Queen,” “He Loves Me,” and “ Rhumboogie.” The story, which is necessarily a minor consideration in this type of film, shows what happens when the Ritz Brothers take a ‘band of pretty girls to entertain in the pampas country of South America. Constance Moore and George Reeves are the two round which the love interest centres. Box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C--HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE FINE COMEDY PROGRAMME Joel and Garda Sloane, the engaging pair of characters ofFast Company ” and “Fast and Loose,” are again seen in “ Fast and Furious,” .which is the main attraction of the new programme at His Majesty’s Theatre. This time the stars are Franchot Tone and Ann Southern, whose clever acting and witty dialogue provide amusing fare for fllmgoers, “Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever,” starring .he inimitable Mickey Rooney, is the associate feature on the programme, and this film also is a high-class comedy. Lewis Stone, Cecilia Parker, and Fay Holden give good support to ■ Rooney, and Helen Gilbert is seen as the object of his affections. The box plans are at the theatre, the D.1.C., and Jacobs’s. GRAND THEATRE Jane Withers and Kent Taylor are starred in “ Girl from Avenue A,” a comedy on modern social life which is the main attraction on the current programme at the Grand Theatre. “ Yesterday’s Heroes,” a college football drama featuring Jean Rogers and Robert Sterling, is the associate film. The box plans are at the theatre and Bogg's, MAYFAIR THEATRE A George Formby comedy heads the new bill at the Ma' lir Theatre today. George is seen this time as a jockey who is the only one who can manage a horse named Mankiller. He does it simply because he thinks that the horse to him is another called the Lamb. The second film. “Twenty-Mule Team,” is a saga of the Death Valley. Wallace Beery is seen as a tough old mule driver who thinks he has an “understanding” with a hotel proprietress (Marjorie Rambeau). He soon finds out otherwise, however. Box plans are at the Theatre and the D.I.C.