THE CIVIC

Southland Times, Issue 22108, 31 August 1933, Page 9

THE CIVIC

Now Showing: “Men Of To-morrow” (British Paramount — Maurice Braddell. Joan Gardner, Robert Donat, Merle Oberon, Emlyn Williams). Saturday: “To-night’s The Night” (British International Films—Leslie Fuller, Amy Veness, Hal Walters, Charles Farrell, Betty Fields). Coming: “Three On A Match” (Warner Bros. —Warren William, Joan Blondell, Ann Dvorak, Bettie Davis, Tyle Talbot). “Kissing Cup’s Race” (British Empire Production—Stewart Rome, Madeleine Carroll, Richard Cooper, Chili Bouchier, John Stuart); and “Our Farmer Prince” (double feature with “Kissing Cup’s Race).

It is a matter for congratulation that *‘Men Of To-morrow,” now showing at the Civic, has an all-British cast. All the tradition of Oxford University life has been interwoven in this film, and it is for this reason that one would resent the intrusion of anything American. The story deals with a young couple who marry, as soon as they leave college, on insufficient funds and only the enthusiasm of youth to back them up. In order that she might carry realism throughout the production, Miss Leontine Sagan, the director, obtained permission to fiim sequences in the actual building, and quadrangles of various famous colleges of Oxford. The cast includes Maurice Braddell, Joan Gardner, Merle Oberon and Emlyn Williams.

In “To-night’s The Night” which comps to the Civic on Saturday, Leslie Fuller makes a popular and hilarious appearance as Bill, the secretary of a slate club. The “rubber face” comedian is a convict this time, and the hilarious complications which set in when he takes up his new abode culminate when, as the unsuspecting dupe in a prison riot, he tries to make his “get away” by climbing up the first rope he sees—but unfortunately the alarm bell is attached to the other end! As Emily, Amy Veness (of “My Wife’s Family”) makes her second appearance in 8.1. P. comedy, and Renee Raye, as Bill’s daughter, is a promising young film actress, who up to the present has played many small parts.

Once the most popular item of the elocutionist’s repertoire, Campbell Rae Brown’s dramatic poem, “Kissing Cup’s Race” has taken on a new lease of life as a talkie film. Scenes are photographed at a famous Epsom racing stable, at Stoke D’Abernon Polo Ground and at Windsor racecourse. There are also thrilling polo, motor and flying episodes, while the drama is deftly interspersed with comedy. As a thoroughly British picture of out-of-door life, “Kissing Cup’s Race,” which comes to the Civic soon, deserves a warm welcome.

Greta Garbo has announced that she wants John Gilbert for her leading man in her new picture “Queen Christina.” Gilbert however, has no contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, so Nils Asther will play opposite her.

The death occurred in London recently of Mr Gerald Ames, the actor, at the age of 52. A native of Blackheath, he was educated at Freyburg University. His first stage experience was with Sir Frank Benson’s company. Among his more recent successes were his William Banbury in “Fallen Angels,” Hayward Clear in “Lavender Ladies,” and the Man in “The Man with a Load of Mischief.” He also took part in the screen versions of “Die Prisoner of Zenda,” “Rupert of Hentzau,’’and “Alf’s Button.” He was the champion fencer who represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games at Stockholm in 1914.

“Samarang,” the tropical romance produced in Malaysia by B. F. Zeidman, will be distributed by United Artists. The picture, based upon a simple, little love story of a boy and girl in a tropical pearl-diving colony, features an undersea battle between a tiger shark and a giant octopus, which is one of the most spectacular sequences ever brought to the screen. As a matter of fact, at least half of the film is devoted to undersea photography, with particular reference to the lifelong battle between pearl-divers and monsters of the Pacific Ocean. “Samarang” is the result of an expedition to Malaysia by Ward Wing, director, and his wife, Lori Bara, who wrote the story. The latter is a sister of Theda Bara, noted “vamp” in the silent era of motion pictures. Most of the cast is made up of natives.

The family of “Little Women” is rapidly being assembled at R.K.O. Radio Studios. Joan Bennett has been signed to play the role of “Amy.” The studio that has Joan’s sister, Constance, under stellar contract, is well aware of the histrionic and popularity merits of this famous screen family and lost no time in negotiating with the younger sister for a role as soon as she was free. The four girls who comprise the family whose lives are dramatically depicted in Louisa M. Alcott’s literary classic, are now preparing for their roles. Katherine Hepburn will have the stellar part of “Jo,” Frances Dee has been cast as “Meg,” and Helen Mack will portray “Beth.” There is little doubt “Little Women” will be most capably depicted on the screen in this R.K.O. Radio version. Paul Lukas, Eric Linden and John Davis Lodge have already been secured for the principal male roles. Production will begin immediately under George Cukor’s direction.

“The Merry Monarch,” which was withdrawn from the Empire programme after only one day’s showing, is not the first picture that has disappeared in a hurry from London cinema screens. Made by Alexis Granowsky, the distinguished Russian director, “The Merry Monarch” was in some ways- a very beautiful film, writes a correspondent. Mr Granowsky is unexcelled in the art of composition. Scene after scene is a dream of beauty. But the story—an elaborate satire on marriage and dictatorships—was not really strong enough for cinematic use, and the point of too many scenes depended in scenes which the British censor cut. When the picture gets to Germany and Italy the censors will probably pass the bedroom scenes but cut the jibes at dictatorship. Poor Mr Granowsky! If the cat-calls were really inspired by dislike of Mr Hitler, it is surely a little hard on Alexis Granowsky who is, in fact, a Russian who once directed the Jewish Academy Theatre in Russia and who left Germany on account of the Hitler regime. The four versions of the film (English French, German and Spanish) are said to have cost £lOO,OOO. The English censor insisted on 52 eliminations.