SCREEN and STAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24636, 18 June 1941, Page 7

SCREEN and STAGE

By Harlequin

>vHe Stayed for Breakfast" Two of the screen's outstanding stars are . due on Friday at the Octagon 'Theatre in. what has been hailed by preview critics■„ as aits of the mo.st irrepressible, .irresistible comedy romances of the year, Columbia's "He Stayed for Breakfast." The stars are Loretta Young, who- reached the very forefront of Hollywood comedienne ranks with .her performance in " The Doctor Takes a; Wife," and' Melvyn Douglas, whose abilities as a sophisticated'comedian are too well known to expand upon. "He Stayed for Breakfast" was directed,by Alexander Hall, successful maker of such hit films as "The Doctor Takes a Wife," "The Amazing Mr Williams," "Little Miss Marker," and '"There's Always a Woman." The. new. film is abased upon a Sidney Howard Broadway production; "Ode to Liberty," which was, in turn, based upon Michel Duran's saucy French- comedy; " Liberie Provisoire. Douglas ■:is seen in ;the new film as a politically-conscious waiter, who detests a. prominent financier, and finally takes -a pot-shot' at hirn. A fugitive, he - hides- in. the ..apartment, of the banker's estranged wife;; Miss -Young, and she to conceal him hot only from the 'pplice,r,but from', hei"

husband,i.eventually falling in love with hiiri;herself and eventually, too, taking a- pot-shot at : the banker herself! "Eugene Fallette is "the unfortunate \iarget; Alan 'Marshal and Una O'Connor are other important members of the cast.

* The Golden Fleecing " ""The..Golden Fleecing," hilarious ad- ' .venture of a: ,tifnid clerk involved with a -gang'of racketeers, heads the St.. JamesLbilL next Friday, in" which Lew Ayi;es ahcl Rit'a'Johnson are teamed in its Mirthful story.,' It starts".with Ayres accidentally- selling a big insurance policy to'-, a big-time racketeer, who turns "/fugitive; and is ' likely "to bs " bumped off" at any moment, at the immediate,/ expense of the<insurance company^,' To; save, his job Ayres' sets becomes involved with, the, gang. His trials;and. tribulations.from• then ,on come;fast ahi;furious. Even, when;he becomes;avh^ro;to,-the 'public he-is a sad- and; worrieit young man .within. Virginia Grey turns .'-heavy" to-play the girl friend Of the racket overlord, enacted by. Lloyd Nolan. -Leon, Errol' is furirty as the xylophone playing for-

From GREEN ROOM and STUDIO

"Escape to Glory"... Drama, with the power of flashing pistons, • may be found in Columbia's " Escape to Glory," which. will be released on Friday, at' the ■< State Theatre, Action is a Vital part of the new film, which was directed by John Brahm. Romance, with the' throb of ah all-conquering ■ love, is the third essehtiaVof this unforgettable new film, whichstars Pat O'Brien and Constance Bennett, with: a supporting cast headed by John Halliday, Melville Cooper and Alan Baxter. "Escape to Glory "tells a;stirr,ing,-thrilling story of men and women "facing disaster arid death, and behaving'each according to. his nature. A'Soldier of fortune, who had hitherto sold his : courage for cash, discovers that "money is not everything; a girl

who had-hithertovsold her loyalty for minks and sables finds that warmth ..can come from' the heart; a gunman facing electrocution chooses the manner- of his death—to die obtaining his revengei: but to - die in a blaze of glory. Of such material has l>een compounded the .-story .which, "is ,"Escape to Glory,";"of", human;beings confronted with, overwhelming odds, of tense,, suspenseful situations, breathtaking and nerve-lashing in'their own -right. ',-;'. ; ;; 5 ;..'i... . • '.-, ' ■ ' ' "Pride,"and Prejudice': '■ Spicy. entertainment', of- an unusual type is provided in Metro-Gbldwyn-Mayer's-- film version of Jane Austen's classic, romantic comedy, " Pride; and Prejudice," which- will be opened at the. Regent Theatre on Friday*. The famous novel, defying "time that withereth": in. .yet another sphere, comes to the'screen as one of the most delightfully; contemporary.. pictures ijnaginable.- Love, ■ with' its pride, arid society, with its. prejudices, change only '■: the,,, outward ; Xbrjns. • - Thus in "Pride;'arid Prejudice" a double, love story is .'charming for itself; amusing for its hurhari fbbil'es, and interesting fbrits courtly:!social observances; Two

mer, vaudevillian, Uncle Waldo. Others in the cast include Nat Pendleton, George Lessey, Richard Carle, Ralph Byrd, and Marc Lawrence. The associate feature is "Torchy Runs for Mayor;'" the latest picture in the Warner. Brothers series about the . clever and-intrepid girl reporter. Torchy is again, played by Glenda Farrell, and Barton MacLarie, as ; Steve' ■', Mcßride, again, shares her adventures, with the inevitable Gahagan of Tom Kennedy to make bad matters worse.

brilliant stars, who contributed- to two of 1939's> outstanding motion pictures —Greer Garson in - ' "Good-bye/Mr. Chips." -and Laurence,' Oliver in " Withering Heights ".—make, a ' perfect t'earn as ■ the: principals in-, this delightful picture,, which, in effect, pokes fun at haughtyS"English society in,, the' early century. »■<;A; supporting cast worthy'of the distinguished; stars.has been chosen; ,•■ Asthe 'well-meaning- but misguided, Mrs, Berine t, with five marriageable daugh> tcrs* on her hands; Mary Boland, presents- a most; amusing and.: effective : characterisation; While Edmund Gwenn: is a: joy as • the lovable and unde'rlstanding Mr, Sennet, the father. : tlie crochety ; old dowager, Lady Cathe-

rine de Bbiirgh, Edna May Oliver gives a hilariousy portrayal. The four other Bennet: daughters are charmingly represented by Maureen O'Sullivan as; Jane:- Ann ' Rutherford as ■ Lydia, Marsha HuritV as Mary, and j Heather, Angel as Kitty. Others in : the -cak include. Bruce 'Lester, Freda .Inescort, Edward' Ashley, "Karen Morley, arid E.-£.- Clive. .' '-";- .-}■ '•:,•' ; : , ;.'• -■ ; "Torrid ; -ZoneV. - '' ; ;J-;. :.; | James,'Cagney, 'Ann Sheridan..and: Pat O'Brieri make up the' triple-threat; star cast p£ the Theatre's next attraction,:"Torrid Zone," opening on; Friday. - In. the featured supporting: cast are. Andy- Deyine, Helen; Vinson,; Jerome ; Cowan, and George Tobias, among, a host of others. "Torrid Zone;";: has 'its setting' south of., the border.,: down below, Mexicoway. • ;Pat; O'Brien is the boss for the fruit com-i pany that>owns most of Puerto Aguilar,. which also' makes him the virtual boss of trie whole territory. He and his ace plantation manager, played by

Cagriey, have a standing feud, and are constantly striving, to outsmart each other. Ann ■ Sheridan, as; an American torch .'singer trying to earn a slightly dishonest living in the tropics by cheating the natives at cards, helps the feud along. O'Brien has her arrested, ■and; is. trying to ..have her shipped* back to the States,, and Cag,ney inadvertently helps her to escape from her captors. She responds by falling;in love with hirn, but.he is far from receptive: to her until circumstances give her" the chance,to prove that she's something' more than just a gorgeous and unscrupulous show girl. The plot revolves: around O'Brien's efforts to keep Cagney in the tropics.

and'the various ruses by whiqh. he manages to do it. '" Running parallel with this theme is- the 'romance between? Miss, Sheridan a,nd Cagney, which gets off,\to-a, bad start but climaxes in brilliantly successful fashion.

Strand Theatre , ■■'. { y , :Thrills arid adventure.in the land of the ancient ..pyramids are< offered in Universal's roniaptic. mystery-drama, "Dark Streets .of Cairo," which comes On Friday to the, Strand Theatre. : Sigrid Gurieus seen -as the beautiful heiress who 4 becomes involved in the theft .of-a fabulous jewel collection, and Ralph' Byrd,has the leading rbrnantic role .opposite the blonde Norwegian actress: ;;, Katherine DeMille- portrays an exotic native girl who "risks her life while' aiding the police in.the capture of a dangerous band of cut-throats. Eddie Quillan supplies comedy as .an irrepressible photographer for ah American archaeological expedition. George Ziicco, > character actor, portrays the mysterious-: underworld chieftain and

others in the cast include Rod LaRocque, Yollande Mollot, Siegfried Arrio, Lloyd Corrigan, and Henry Brandon.. <'.-; " Dark Streets ;of Cairo " blends mysr lery, romance, and suspenseful action against the glamorous background of present-day Egypt. Action scenes show Americans fighting to; escape from an underground tunnel' beneath the city of Cairo, arid battles between police and native gunmen \ who fight for a forturie in stolen jewels..-., Joe Penner's latest fiin-film,, " Millionaire Playboy," which provides a strong support for the main feature, presents the radio, stage, and screen comedian in another of his popular roles. Linda Hayes, a "Gateway ; to Hollywood" film And, plays the heroine and heartwinner among the dozen streamlined beauties who aid and abet the merrymaking.

Grand Theatre t ■ There's a new screen sleuth coming to-day to the Grand Theatre, and he's different from all the rest. He's 20th Century-Fox's "Michael Shayne, Private Detective," -and the question the film poses is "Will Shayne catch the killer . or will the police catch Shayne?" Starring Lloyd Nolan as Shayrie. the picture has action, romance, and humour in the depiction of the : ' adventures of the unorthodox sleuth. He's hired to watch over Marjorie Weaver, no mean assignment, and in order to impress her he announces a murder before it happens . . . and discovers that his gun is the murderer's weapon. Featured in "Michael Shayne, Private Detective," are Joan Valerie, Walter Abel, Elizabeth Patterson, Donald Macßride, and Douglas Dumbrille. Eugene Forde directed from a screen play by Stanley Rauh and Manning O'Connor, based on a novel by Brett Halliday. Sol M. Wurtzel was executive producer. A strong supporting picture is "Romance of the Rio Grande," a 20th Cen-tury-Fox production, with Cesar Romero as, "The Cisco Kid," and Patricia Morrison, Lynne Roberts,. Ricardo Cortez, and Chris Pin Martin in other, leading roles.

Mayfair Theatre Theatregoers in search of entertainment of a different order should find it in the Paramount drama, which will be opened at the Mayfair Theatre to-night. This picture, "The Way of All Flesh," features Akim Tamaroff, Gladys George, William Henry, and; Muriel Angelusi. In three distinct cycles the tragedy of one man's life is graphically'portrayed Paul Kriza, trusted and respected cashier in a smalltown bank, a loving husband, and fond father, in a weak moment succumbs to temptation, and is responsible for the loss of a fortune in securities entrusted to him by his bank. Believed to be dead, he determines to become, a nameless outcast rather than subject his family to

the disgrace which would be inevitable were to return .to them. How he wins eventual regeneration makes for a most unusual finale. A complete reversal of technique,'and a pleasant one at that, is witnessed' in the" latest role of the Dead End Kids, for this time they are "Oh Dress Parade," the supporting picture. .... / v-v. His Majesty's Theatre "Tarzan, Finds a Son," which heads next Friday's bill ; at His Majesty's Theatre, is the most thrilling of-those films in which the written works of Edgar Rice Burroughs are brought to visuai-and audible life. Johnny* Weissmuller, world; champion swimmer, is back again as Tarzan; and with him is Maureen O'Sullivan. The role of the "son," who is.actually the heirito a i considerable fortune and who is found I

as a baby in the wreck of a plane in the jungle is taken by the child athlete, John Sheffield. Trouble apart from the- usual battles with lions, tigers and other fierce animals, moves into a corner of the jungle when a large party arrives in search of the boy. The associate feature is the comedy "Three Loves Has Nancy," starring Robert Montgomery, Franchol Tone and .Janet Gaynor. The story, laid against a background of ultramodern New York life, tells of the trouble resulting from a noveljst's casual invitation to a small-town girl to avail

herself of his help if'she ever encountered trouble in the big city. She does. The manner in which three men become- ■ involved in an unusual and frantic courtship of the girl provides reason for the loud laughter that the picture evokes. ;' V

New Laughton :Fiim Following months of preparation, Universal is screening'its long-heralded Charles Laugh ton Production, "Almost an Angel." Director Henry Koster and Scenarist Norman i Krasna expected tto \ have their script completed in March, when actual filming was scheduled to begin. A supporting cast of all-star proportions' has * been rounded- up -for this, -production. - The -.ipicture, ah elaborate comedy, is being made, under the production of Joe Pasternak.