AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24733, 9 October 1941, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS

CURRENT PROGRAMMES GRAND THEATRE DRAMA AND COMEDY That unnatural product of the American underworld, the woman gangster, is taken as the central figure in the grim and , dramatic " Lady Scarface," which is now ■ being shown at the Grand Theatre. Hitherto, screen productions dealing with the criminal activities of American gunmen have had as their leading underworld figure a male, so new ground is broken by this latest crime thriller. Judith Anderson gives a remarkable portrayal as the leader of a particularly notorious gang, whose members prove exceptionally elusive when the law endeavours to put a stop to their activities. Dennis O'Keefe is seen as the young police lieutenant in Chicago who is faced with the task of running the gang and its leader to earth, and other prominent parts are played by Frances Neal, Mildred Coles, and Eric Blore. The second picture, " Footlight Fever," is a delightfully irresponsible farce. Alan Mowbray and Donald Mcßride are hilariously ridiculous as twt> entrepreneurs on the edge of bankruptcy when luck introduces them to an aged but wealthy spinster. l The consequences are extremely amusing, for she soon gets the measure of her acquaintances. Machinations by the old woman's attorney result in Alan Mowbray taking the hero's role in a new play the old lady is backing. The entrepreneur, a retired actor himself, fancies himself in the part, and roars and rants his way through the rehearsal long after he is supposed to be lying dead on the stage. Other bits of nonsense, such as the attempt to prevent the entrepreneur from playing the part on the opening night, keep the film on a well-sustained level of burlesque. The box plans arc at the theatre and at Begg's. REGENT THEATRE " Gone With the Wind," now showing at the Regent Theatre, is an event, the greatest event to date, in motion picture production. One could speak of it endlessly and still not pay it the tribute which is its due. Into it David Selznick has poured the last ounce of matchless production effort. He has given the world a treasure of splendour and living artistry for which it owes him an incalculable debt. He has given us Margaret Mitchell's story just as it was written. He has not changed a scene or a character. In so doing he has demonstrated what motion pictures can do with great stories when given the respect which is their author's due. For this is Margaret Mitchell's story immeasurably more vivid and real than it could ever hope to beon, the printed page. A tremendous cast of players is headed by Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara, Clark Gable as Rhett Butler, Leslie Howard, and Olivia De Havilland. MAYFAIR THEATRE The amusing comedy, " Too Many Husbands,'" heads an entertaining programme at the Mayfair Theatre, where " Flight Angels" is also being screened. The former comedy features Fred MacMurrav, Jean Arthur, and Melvyn Douglas, and tells of a girl who finds she has two husbands and does not know which to choose, the results being most amusing and the dialogue at all times smart and witty. Virginia Bruce and Dennis Morgan are starred in " Flight Angels." The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. OTHER THEATRES Strand Theatre.—Edmund Lowe and Una Merkel in the comedy, " Double Date," and Baby Sandy and Donald Woods in the comedy, " Bachelor Daddy." St. James Theatre.—Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette in the western, " Gaucho Serenade," and the thriller, " The Ape," starring Boris Karloff. His Majesty's Theatre.—Basil Rathbonc, Bela Lugosi, and Boris Karloff in "Son of Frankenstein," and "You're a Sweetheart," with George Murphy and Andy Devine. Octagon Theatre.—Martha Scott, William Gargan, Edmund Gwenn, afld Dorothy Petersen in the romantic drama, " Cheers for Miss Bishop." , State Theatre. —Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in the historical drama. " Lady Hamilton," which deals with the lives of Lady Hamilton and Lord Nelson. Empire Theatre.—Ann Sothern, lan Hunter, Roland Young, and Billie Burke in the comedy, " Dulcy." COMING ATTRACTIONS STRAND THEATRE Dramatising the under-cover story behind sabotage plots directed against munition factories, Universal's new mystery thriller starring Lloyd Nolan and Irene Hervey, "Mr Dynamite," will open tomorrow at the Strand Theatre. Set in a novel locale, a Near-East carnival street in one of New York City's foreign quarters, the film also features J. Carrol Naish, Robert Armstrong. Ann Gillid, Frank Gaby, Elisabeth Risdon and others in a fast-moving story of spy intrigues based on current news headlines. Nolan, In one of his most novel characterisations to date, portrays a World Series pitching aco who becomes innocently involved in a murder while sightseeing in the metropolis. Nolan joins forces with Miss Hervey in her exciting counter-espionage battles. The supporting film is " Riders of the Dawn," featuring the new singing cowboy, Jack Randall. ST. JAMES THEATRE Franchot Tone plays the first Western role of his career in Universal's new adventure epic, "Trail of the Vigilantes," which will head the programme opening a season at the St. James Theatre to-mor-row, and he brings a new and refreshingly different character to this popular type of picture. As an undercover agent sent by a city newspaper to the frontier in search of the murderer of a reporter. Tone becomes a tenderfoot cowboy who is led into a series of adventures that are both amusing and exciting. Sharing honours with Tone in roles aptly suited to their talents are such well-known performers as Warren William, Broderick Crawford, Andy Devine. Mischa Auer, Porter Hall, Peggy Moran, Samuel S. Hinds. Charles Trowbridge, and others. The presence of Auer and Devine gives ample opportunity to inject comedy into the action. The supporting film is " Too Many Blondes." starring Rudy Valee and Helen Parrish. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE " Peter the First," the fine Russian film which will open to-morrow at His Majesty's Theatre, presents a vivid picture of life in Russia at the beginning of the eighteenth century and of the activity of the great reformer of the Russian State Its plot depicts the struggle of Russian reaction against Peter's reform, and the personal tragedy in the life of the Czar, whose son and heir, the weak-willed Alexei, turns out to be a supporter of the reactionaries. The film was given the highest award at the Paris Exhibition in 1937. Historically authentic, the story is told without Communistic propaganda. An interesting point is that St. Petersburg, which was founded by Peter, is now known as Leningrad. A topical film of the popular " March of Time " series heads a strong supporting programme. OCTAGON THEATRE Merle Obcron and Melvyn Douglas are co-starred as the blissfully happy couple who discover that they have no right to be happy in Ernst Lubitsch's lighthearted comedy, " That Uncertain Feeling," which will open at the Octagon Theatre to-morrow. " That Uncertain Feeling " is Mr Lubitsch's first production as an independent producer, and it is also his first in 17 years of Hollywood's picturemaking in which he focuses 'on the American scene. As a matter of fact, " That Uncertain Feeling " is as American as the alarm clock seen in one of the sequences, and as modern as the psychoanalyst who almost succeeds in breaking up a perfectly delightful marriage. The mood of the picture is sprightly and gay Supporting Miss Obcron and Melvyn Douglas, who last came under the Lubitsch baton in " Ninotchka," is Burgess Meredith, who plays a wild-haired pianist with a leaning towards surrealist art. STATE THEATRE " The Rains Came," the screen adaptation of one of to-day's greatest novels, will commence a season at the State Theatre to-morrow. The stellar roles are shared by Myrna Loy, Tyrone Power and George Brent. Myrna Loy plays the amorous Lady Edwina Esketh; Tyrone Power has his most romantic role as the high-caste Hindu surgeon, Major Rama Safti, who proves the one great love of Lady Esketh's life; and George Brent is seen as the worldly Tom Ransome. a ghost out of the lady's romance-strewn past. Brenda Joyce is cast in the role of Fern Simon, the fresh, young beauty

whose love gives the world-weary Ransome a new lease of life. Others who are well cast in colourful character roles are Nigel Bruce and Maria Ouspenskaya. EMPIRE THEATRE Filled with joyous and exhilarating music, and brightened by the presence of many outstanding musical stars, Paramount's new comedy musical, " Magic in Music," will open at the Empire Theatre to-morrow. Produced and directed with inspiration by Andrew L. Stone, the picture features in its imposing cast 16-year-old Susanna Foster. Allan Jones, both of whom sing gloriously, beautiful Margaret Lindsay, Lynne Overman, comedy screen favourite. lovely Grace Bradley and William Collier, sen. Adding still more lustre to the bright roster of talented personalities who appear in this outstanding picture are the nationally-famous opera stars. Richard Bonelli. Irra Petina. and Tandy MacKenzie. In addition to these luminaries, the cast boasts five 'teen age youngsters of amazing musical talent. In all about 400 youngsters perform in the picture.