AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24827, 29 January 1942, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS

CURRENT PROGRAMMES GRAND THEATRE GOOD DOUBLE BILL Excitement, adventure and comedy are entertainingly blended in the new doublefeature programme which commenced a season at the Grand Theatre yesterday. Heading the programme is the fastmoving adventure drama, " The Great Swindle." with Jack Holt in the leading role. The film deals with Holt's struggle against a desperate arson gang. Cast as a lighting insurance company adjuster who uncovers evidence of arson in a spectacular warehouse fire, Holt is at his best as he slowly but inevitably closes in on the master mind behind the crime. Supporting players contribute greatly to the general entertainment value of the drama. Henry Kolker and Jonathan Hale are particularly outstanding; the former is seen as a banker and holder of certain notes which must be paid by Hale. The latter, as owner of the huge warehouse which is completely gutted by a fire earlv in the film, is a major suspect. Mar'jorie Reynolds appears to perfection as the romantic interest, Hale's daughter. The dramatic action of the film includes not onlv a warehouse blaze, but also the tense and suspenseful moments when Hon and his assistant prowl the ruins seeking clues The film possesses those qualmcations for entertainment which have made Holt a film favourite for many • y The supporting film, " Tillie the Toiler," is the story of a young woman whose major interests in life naturally include boys and clothes. Kay Harris m the role of "Tillie" gives a delightful comedy performance. Others in the cast include Jack Arnold, Daphne Pollard and George Watts. The box plans are at the theatre and at Begg's.

MAYFAIR THEATRE The new double bill now showing at the Mavfair Theatre Is headed by the delightful adventure film " The Return of Jesse James," which is even more exciting than the original " Jesse James. The. stars of this film are Henry Fonda and Gene Tierney, who are both seen to advantage. The supporting film is Til We Meet Again." which has m its leading roles such actors as Merle Oberon, George Brent, and Binnie Barnes. OTHER THEATRES

Empire Theatre.—John Garfield, Brenda Marshall, and Marjory Rambeau, in the drama " East .Of the River, and the second episode of the serial, " Riders of Death Valley." Strand Theatre.—" South of Panama, featuring Roger Pryor and Virginia Vale, and " The Old Swlmmin' Hole, with Marcia Mae Jones and Jackie Moran. _ , St. James Theatre.—William Gargan and Irene Hervey in "The Bombay Clipper," and " Hit the Road," with Barton Mac Lane, Gladys George, and the Dead End Kids. Octagon Theatre.—Walt Disney s fulllength production, " The Reluctant Dragon," with Robert Benchley. Regent Theatre.—The air drama, "Flight Command," with Robert Taylor, Ruth Hussey, and Walter Pidgeon. State Theatre.—" Target for To-night, and the comedy, " Crook's Tour, with Basil Radford and Naughton Wayne. COMING ATTRACTIONS OCTAGON THEATRE Teeming with action and adventure, Zane Grey's " Western .Union " abounds in the spectacular scenes associated with the West in the days* when American pioneers of industry were bringing to backblock settlements the advantages of science and invention. Produced in technicolor under the direction of Fritz Lang, the film will head the new programme at the Octagon Theatre to-morrow. It depicts life in the frontier town of Omaha, and the story develops as a wagon train sets out to erect the first transcontinental telegraph line. Randolph Scott, as a reformed outlaw. Robert Young as a surveyor fresh from Harvard, and Dean Jaeger as the telegraph builder have trie featured roles. There are plenty of thrills as the men face the danger of hostile Indians, frustrate the plots of renegades to destroy the line, and combat raging fires Even these things, however, cannot stop the march of progress, and the picture reaches a fine climax. ST. JAMES THEATRE The rise and fail of an American money emperor forms the theme of " Citizen Kane." which will come to the St. James Theatre to-morrow. While the story covers a period of some 50 years, it concentrates more on the vivid personality of Kane himself than on his industrial achievements as he builds his vast oneman empire and becomes the most powerful man in America. But his drive for oower exacts its toll upon his private life with his domestic troubles, the scandal' that shatters his political ambitions, the loss of his friends. These aspects of the " great man " are revealed through the eyes of the persons who knew him best, and the story reaches its movmg and ironic climax in Kane's last lonely days Welles portrays Kane between the ages of 25 and 75 in what is hailed as a striking feat of acting. Simport.mg him are Dorothy Comingore and Ruth Warrick.

STATE THEATRE The story of " The Long Voyage Home," which will open a season at the Stale Theatre to-morrow, is a sea tale of stouthearted men whose heroism and bravery often remain unsung. Most of the action takes place aboard the s.s. Glencairn, a British tramp steamer, en route to England after a long voyaee. As the individual life dramas of the motley personalities are developed, the action ot the story swings into high gear, and one of the biggest scenes involves lan Hunter, a Briton of obviously superior breeding and intelligence, who apparently is trying to drown his memories in drink. But personal stories are forgotten when a fierce bombing raid strikes terror aboard the ship, bv virtue of the fact that the boat is loaded with T.N.T, The picture is based on a play of the same name by Eugene O'Neill.

REGENT THEATRE

Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy appear for the second time in technicolor in "Bitter Sweet," the picturisation of the Noel Coward operetta, which will head the new programme at the Recent Theatre to-morrow. The story of London and Vienna in the Gay Nineties. "Bitter Sweet" presents Miss MacDonald as Sarah Millick, a London belle who on the eve- of her wedding .elopes to Vienna with her singing teacher, Carl Linden, played by Eddy, and lives an idyllic life there until a captain of the Imperial cavalry, Baron von Tranisch, begins paving her attention. George Sanders of " The Saint" series, is seen as von' Tranisch, with lan Hunter as his gambling opponent, Lord Shayne who befriends the two principals. Edward Ashlev appears as Harry Daventry, Sarah's original fiance; Felix Bressart and Curt Bois play Max and Ernst, musician friends of Carl Linden; Fay Holden enacts Sarah's mother, and Diana Lewis appears as Jane, who eventually marries Harry. Included also in the large featured cast are Lynne Carver, Sig Rumann and Janet Beecher. The stars sing 31 of the original Noel Coward songs WT* S Van Dyke 11. who directed Miss MacDonald and Eddy in " Naughty Marietta." "Rose Marie" and "Sweethearts," also guided " Bitter Sweet," with Victor Savillc. of "The Citadel and "Good-bvc, Mr Chips" fame, producing.

STRAND THEATRE "Angels With Broken Wings." the Republic' comedy with music, which opens at the Strand Theatre to-morrow, has the diverting theme of five charming young women who try to straighten out the complications which have entered into their widowed mother's second romance. The mother, Charlotte Lord, wants to marry Guy Barton, but it, has just been learned that Barton's divorce from his first wife, Sybil, has been annulled. Furthermore, Sybil will not give Barton another divorce unless Barton will pay her 250,000 dollars. Here Charlotte's three daughters, Jane, Marilyn and Leni, and the girls' friends go into action to trick Sybil into giving Barton his divorce. The associate feature is "A Dangerous Game," starring Richard Arlcn and Andy Devine.

EMPIRE THEATRE Unusual entertainment is provided in the new programme which commences at the Empire Theatre to-morrow. It is headed by Warner Brothers' exciting drama, " The Man Who Talked Too Much " George Brent, Virginia Bruce, Brenda Marshall and Richard Barthelmess are the featured players in a strong cast, and the film offers ample scope for their dramatic talents. Described as the most exciting story of the season, " The Man Who Talked Too Much " reveals something of the workings of racketeers,