PICTURE THEATRES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24735, 11 October 1941, Page 13

PICTURE THEATRES

NEW PROGRAMMES ST. JAMES THEATRE GRIPPING FRONTIER EPIC Franchot Tone, in the first Western role of his career, is at the head of an imposing cast in the frontier epic, “Trail of the Vigilantes,” which heads the programme opened yesterday at the St. James Theatre. Tone portrays an “ under-cover ” agent sent by a newspaper to the frontier in quest of the murderer of a fellow reporter, and his adventures lead him into conflict with a gang of cattle rustlers. The exciting chases, the excellent displays of horsemanship, and the massed cattle stampedes, which all culminate in a final desperate chase, fill the film with action. Warren William is excellently cast as the crooked boss of the Cattlemen’s Association and the wanted murderer, while equally good performances are given by Broderick Crawford, as a cowboy who wants to become a gentleman, and by Porter Hall, as a timid sheriff. Mischa Auer and Andy Devine, as comical as ever; provide delightful humour throughout the film The choice of Peggy Moran for the feminine lead was a happy one. and her portrayal of a ranch owner's daughter, whom Tone meets during the course of his investigations, is capably done. The supporting film. “ Too ’ Many Blondes,” tells the story of a vaudeville singer who flirts with blondes to such an extent that he nearly upsets his marriage. Rudy Valee is the vaudeville singer, and Helen Parish is cast as his wife. A Universal newsreel completes the programme. Box plans are at Jacobs’s, the D.1.C., and the theatre. OCTAGON THEATRE “THAT UNCERTAIN FEELING” There is undoubtedly the “Lubitscn touch ” about the feature which opened at the Octagon Theatre yesterday. “ That Uncertain Feeling,” and therefore it is a film which achieves its purpose!, which is to create a merry mood The story is slight in all conscience, but Lubitsch and his cast give it a substance which camouflages effectively its threadbare theme. Presentation of the narrative takes precedence in appreciation of a delightful souffle. “ That Uncertain Feeling ” is sophistication, highly polished, but gay and with situations often impishly mischievous in implication. Merle Oberon becomes tired of her insurance-minded husband, and a visit to a psychoanalyst leads her into adventure with a musician, a colossal egotist and poseur. Everything moves along merrily until the primitive reflex is registered, at which stage things come back to earth. It is highly amusing satire, and although it does not become riotous, it Is always full of humour. Merle Oberon takes a further opportunity to demonstrate her appeal, and Melvyn Douglas is quietly diverting as the husband, But it is Burgess Meredith who steals the film. The eccentric musician is a figure of crisp humour, and Meredith’s study is a first-class one. A Popular Science featurette is one of the best items in a varied supporting programme. Box plans are at the theatre and Begg’s. REGENT THEATRE “GONE WITH THE WIND" The film version of Margaret Mitchell's masterly novel of the American Civil War, “ Gone With the Wind,” which has been attracting large audiences to the Regent Theatre, will be shown for a third week. The film which has been photographed in technicolor. follows the fortunes of Scarlett O’Hara from her days as a coquettish Southern belle to the period when she fights tooth and nail to save her old home, after the armies of the South have been defeated. The tragedy of her early marriage, the anxious days when the armies of the North were driving deeper into the heart of the South, the economic and social chaos which reigned after the final Northern victory, and Scarlett O’Hara’s brave if selfish struggle to rehabilitate her for-, times during the period of reconstruction. are moulded into a theme that is as engrossing as it is convincing. Vivien Leigh gives a character sketch that is marked by superb acting and a deep appreciation of dramatic valueis. Clark Gable’s Rhett Butler is also excellently cast, and Leslie Howard and Olivia De Havilland also play their parts expertly. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. EMPIRE THEATRE DELIGHTFUL MUSICAL For a thoroughly enjoyable programme, motion picture patrons who prefer their entertainment bright and musical would be well advised to pay a visit to the Empire Theatre this week, where the principal film. “ Magic in Music,” is supported by an outstanding selection of short features. A new singing discovery whose voice can .reach B flat above high C, makes her debut in this film opposite another renowned singer in Allan Jones. She is Susanna Foster, and her work is a veritable delight, and ranges from classical excerpts to amusing burlesque. Altogether this film is well out of the ordinary, and provides everything from music and song to comedy and pathos. There is more than a slender story for the plot, which tells how a burlesque singer is aided to escape from a police raid, and is taken to a youngster’s musical camp. After first kicking against the pricks, thinking she is not wanted there, she finally makes a host of friends and gains her greatest success in a musical performance that puts the camp “ on the map.” This is a triumph both for Miss Foster and Allan Jones, and the Los Angeles Junior Symphony Orchestra provides many highlights Bonelli. Haitto and Loehr are among the star musical and vocal name? also billed. The supports include a "Popeye cartoon, a Grantland Rice Sportlighl featuring women, a novelty Paramount Pictorial, and newsreels featuring the war developments. Box plans are .at the theatre and the D.I.C. HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE The comedy-drama “Arise, My Love,” will be screened to-day at His Majesty’s Theatre. Two competent actors of comedy situations, Claudette Colbert and Rav Milland, are the stars. The background to the comedy it seems hard to believe—is Europe in all its troubles. In the role of an American girl reporter Claudette Colbert finds that a fellow American who has been serving in the Spanish Republican Air Force has been imprisoned by Franco and is awaiting a death sentence on the charge of treason. For the sake of a good story, she bluffs the authorities into thinking that the airman, Tom Martin, played by Ray Milland, is her husband, and succeeds in saving him from an unpleasant death. The story works gradually to a climax. Box plans are at the theatre, the D.1.C.. and Jacobs’s. MAYFAIR THEATRE The new programme which will be shown at the Mayfair Theatre to-day is headed by “Wyoming,” in which Wallace Beery gives an excellent portrayal as a bad man whose evil ways are only veneer that hides a soft and generous disposition. As “ Reb ” Harkness, an easy-going, unprincipled desperado. who is as great a humbug as : he is a deadly gun-man. he completely holds the attention. The second picture is a dramatic story of prison life entitled “ Those High Grey Walls.” The box plans are at the theatre and the | D.I.C, 11

STRAND THEATRE A WAR-TIME MYSTERY The activities of saboteurs in United States munition factories form the theme of “ Mr Dynamite,” which heads the new programme at the Strand Theatre. The principal players are Lloyd Nolan and Irene Hervey, who have the support of J. Carroll Naish, Robert Armstrong, Ann Gillis, Frank Gaby and Elisabeth Risdon. The story is full of exciting action and suspense and is based on spy intrigues of modern times. Lloyd plays the part of a baseball player of national repute who becomes innocently involved in a murder while sightseeing in a foreign quarter of New York. He and Miss Hervey join forces in an endeavour to solve the mystery of the murder and succeed in unearthing a spy organisation which has as its main purpose the destruction of the country’s principal munition factories. The story sweeps along to an exciting climax in which action and suspense are provided in equal proportions. The supporting picture is “Riders of the Dawn,” an entertaining Western film in which the new singing cowboy. Jack Randall, has the leading role. The box clans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. STATE THEATRE BROMFIELD’S "THE RAINS CAME ”, Luis Bromfleld’s brilliant novel, “ The Rains Came,” has been adapted to a deeply moving, yet spectacular, motion picture, which opened a Dunedin season yesterday at the State Theatre, with Myrna Loy, Tyrone Power, and George Brent in the starring roles. They are supported by an imposing cast, in which are included Brenda Joyce. Marie Ouspenskaya, and Nigel Bruce. “ The Rains Came ” is deeply emotional fare for the most part, but some particularly spectacular scenes occur when the rains begin to fall in the Indian province of Ranjipur, and an earthquake accompanies the seasonal outburst. The majority of the action takes place in the confines of the Maharajah’s palace, where a small band of Europeans, residents, and visitors, are the guests of the Maharajah. The intrigues of the small party make up the principal part of the story. George Brent has the role of a resident who comes to the aid of the State when disaster strikes in the shape of earthquake and cholera. Myrna Loy Is seen as a philanderer, who falls in love with an Indian doctor. Tyrone Power, and finally dies of the scourge after serving voluntarily in the hospital. The whole story is one of sweeping magnitude, in which the predominant note is drama. The flood scenes following the earthquake are particularly gripping. The supporting attractions include a very bright technicolor cartoon entitled “ The Orphan Duck,” a newsreel showing scenes of devastation in Coventry, and a Fashion Parade in technicolor. Box plans , are * at Begg’s and the theatre. GRAND THEATRE “ Lady Scarface,” the principal attraction at the Grand Theatre, is a grim and dramatic story in which the principal parts are played by Judith Anderson, Dennis O’Keefe. Frances Neal, Mildred Coles and Eric Blore. O’Keefe is seen as a young Chicago police officer who is assigned to the task of running to earth an elusive gang of killers, whose leader subsequently turns out to be a woman. Judith Anderson gives a striking portrayal as the sinister leader of the gang, and Frances Neal supplies the romantic interest. The second picture is “ Footlight Fever,” a nonsensical farce in which Alan Mowbray and Donald Mcßride give entertaining portrayals. The box plans are at the theatre and at Begg’s.