COMING ATTRACTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25800, 22 March 1945, Page 3

COMING ATTRACTIONS

STATE THEATRE “The Yellow Canary,” which has attracted capacity houses to the Octagon Theatre for the past two weeks, will commence a season at the State Theatre to-morrow. Lovely Anna Neagle portrays Sally Maitland, whose apparent pro-Nazi sympathies result in her exile to Canada. Richard Greene, a handsome naval intelligence officer, follows in an official capacity. How Sally Maitland defies the authorities, persists in remaining friendly with a group of dangerous saboteurs, and how she evades Greene, whose job it is to watch her, form the major portion of the plot, OCTAGON THEATRE Jennifer Jones and William Eythe are featured in 20th Century-Fox’s dramatisation of Franz Werfel’s “ The Song of Bernadette,” which will open a season at the Octagon Theatre tomorrow. Miss Jones, in the title role of the Maid of Lourdes, makes an auspicious debut. From the moment when Bernadette Soubirous, the young daughter of an impoverished family, sees the vision of “The Beautiful Lady,” “ Song of Bernadette ” is a rare experience in “ movie ” entertainment. There are many- dramatic moments in the film, such as when Bernadette is taken into court to deny having seen the vision. The grotto is closed, but when Bernadette, impelled by a call from “ The Lady,” revives the younger son of the Emperor Napoleon 111, who lies dying, by a drink of water from a spring which has miraculously burst forth, it is reopened. Included in the supporting cast are Charles Bickford, Vincent Price, Lee J. Cobb and Gladys Cooper. REGENT THEATRE Spencer Tracy and Irene Dunne are starred together for tire first time in M.-G.-M.’s new and pleasing film, “A Guy Named Joe,” which will commence a season at the Regent Theatre to-morrow. Tracy is cast as a dare-devil and foolhardy pilot, who when killed ascends into the “Pilots’ Heaven,” where he is assignedi to guide the career of young “Joe,” who is just learning to fly. This part is played by Van Johnson. Miss Dunne plays the part of a Ferry Command pilot who was in love with Tracy before his death. She later meets Johnson while on duty in New Guinea, and, seeing in him the same qualities as in her late lover, falls in love with him. The supporting cast includes such well-known players as Lionel Barrymore, Ward Bond, and Jim Gleason. ST. JAMES THEATRE The romantic comedy, “ Her Cardboard Lover,” starring Norma Shearer and Robert Taylor, is the main attraction in l to-morrow’s change of programme at the St. James Theatre. The story relates the adventures of a charming girl (Norma Shearer), who at a fashionable winter resort endeavours to elude the man she loves by accepting the attentions of another. Complications develop quickly, and many laughter-provoking scenes follow. George Sanders and Frank McHugh are cast as a pair of comedians, and jthe veteran actress, Elizabeth Patterson, gives a thoroughly pleasing performance. The associate picture is “Busman’s Honeymoon,” featuring Robert Montgomery. STRAND THEATRE Chester Morris, Nancy Kelly, and Russell Hayden take the leading roles an “ Gamblers’ Choice,” the main attraction in the double programme which will be screened at the Strand Theatre to-morrow. The film moves at a fast pace through the gasilluminated streets of New York, where gambling is the chief occupation. The story opens when two boys and a girl are arrested for theft and one of the boys (Chester Morris) is sent to a reformatory school. On his release he gets a job in a big gambling house and meets his two youthful comrades in crime, one a beautiful girl singer (Nancy Kelly) and the other a police officer. (Russell Hayden). After that it is a case of friends on opposite sides of the law and both in love with the same girl. The supporting picture is " Career Girl,” starring Francis Langford. EMPIRE THEATRE “The Halfway House,” a British Empire Films production, will head the bill at the Empire Theatre to-morrow. The well-known. French actress, Francoise Rosay, is starred, and the strong supporting cast includes Tom Walls, Mervyn Johns, Glynis Johns, Alfred Drayton, and Esmond Knight. The story is an unusual one about a group of people, all suffering from nerves or some private heartache. They converge by chance on a Welsh inn, with all their sins upon them. When they emerge they are different people. This is an exciting adventure into the supernatural.