The SCREEN and its STARS

Southland Times, Issue 22486, 22 January 1935, Page 10

The SCREEN and its STARS

(By

“Columbine”.)

THE CIVIC

NOW SHOWING: "My Song For You” (Jan Kiepura, Sonny Hale, Alleen Marson, Emlyn Williams, Gina Malo. COMMENCING WEDNESDAY: “Lilies of the Field” (Winifred Shorter, Anthony Bushell, Judy Gunn, Ellis , Jeffries, Claude Hulbert). NEXT SATURDAY: "Stand Up and Cheer” Warner Baxter. John Boles, Madge Evans, James Dunn. Shirley Temple. Mitchell and Durant. COMING ATTRACTIONS: “When New York Sleeps” (Spencer Tracy, Helen Twelvetrees, Alice Fay). ‘ The'World Moves On” (Madeline Carroll, Franchot Tone). “Sour Grapes, ’ released as “Let's Try Again” (Diana Wynyard, Clive Brook). *** * ■

Laughter, love and music, those essentials which appeal to every pic-ture-goer, are provided in abundance in Jan Kiepura’s latest film, “My Song for You.” Kiepura delighted with his singing in his first picture, “Tell Me To-night,” but in “My Song for You he is something, more than a famous singer. He has a decided flair for light comedy and this, coupled with his charming personality, cause him to be ranked as one of the most pleasing young actors on the screen to-day. His latest picture is essentially light-heart-ed in theme and with Sonny Hale supporting Kiepura the fun never flags. Especial mention must be made of Hale’s really inspired foolery. Without doubt he must rank as one of England’s greatest comedians and in this picture he has audiences weeping tears of glorious mirth. The whole picture centres of course round Kiepura’s glorious voicv and the young tenor never disappoints. He is equally at home with the intricacies of Verdi’s “Celeste Aida” as he is with the more modern numbers, and, numerous though his songs are one could always wish for more. “My Song For You” has provided the Civic Theatre with a really fine musical entertainment as well as a merry melange of romance and laughter.

“It is one of the most wholesome and delicious films that has been screened here this year,” whote a Wellington critic of “Lilies of the Field,” which will commence a season at the Civic Theatre on Wednesday. “With its witty dialogue, clever acting, humorous situations and beautiful scenery, it provides excellent entertainment for young and old.” Winifred Shotter, the charming feminine lead of the Walls-Lynn comedies, heads the cast, and in a role entirely different from anything she has yet been seen in is credited with her best performance. She and Judy Gunn make the most delightful twins you could wish to meet. Brought up in a country vicarage, both have nevertheless up-to-the-minute ideas, and when a young and handsome expert on antiques arrives Winifred very cleverly becomes Victorian in order to engage his attention. Taken to London, where she still continues her pose, she creates a sensation in modern Mayfair, and from then on there are still further hilarious situations to be entangled, the story ending on a bright comedy note. The British studios, it is claimed, have never made a more successful sally into the field of light comedy.

Were it only for the fact that little Shirley Temple is featured in the cast, “Stand Up and Cheer,” coming to the Civic next Saturday, would be well worth seeing. Coming as it is with the reputation of being a new and excitingly different musical comedy “Stand Up and Cheer” should prove doubly attractive. The story is novel in the extreme, concerning as it does a Broadway theatrical producer who is called upon by the President of the United States to help restore prosperity by reviving the spirits of the people with a gigantic amusement campaign. Warner Baxter is the producer honoured with this task, and the suave Baxter is said to banish depression in his own inimitable manner. He certainly has good material available for, apart from Shirley Temple, the cast numbers such sci’een celebrities as John Boles, Madge Evans, James Dunn, Ralph Morgan, Nigel Bruce and Stepin Fetchitt.

The ever popular Spencer Tracy has the leading role in “When New York Sleeps,” which is scheduled to appear at the Civic Theatre. Hie picture shows for the first time things millions of men and women have wanted to know—amazing revelations by a woman about the joys, sorrows, heartaches, emotions—the great drama - of a woman’s life behind the scenes of the sporting and night life of New York City. It presents a kaleidoscope of drama, comedy, night life and sporting events of New York during the exciting years from 1910 to 1932. In its final denouement, it works up to a stirring climax with the inexorability of a Greek drama. In brief, it is great entertainment. Supporting Tracy are Helen Twelvetrees in the important role of the wife and Alice Faye as the “other woman.” Miss Faye portrays a night club singer. As part of her professional routine, she sings “Foolin’ With the Other Woman’s Man.”

THE MAJESTIC

NOW SHOWING: “The Thin Man” (William Powell, Maureen O’Sullivan,

Myrna Loy,' Nat Pendletop). .. COMMENCING WEDNESDAY: “To ' the Last Man” (Randolph Scott, Esther Ralston, Buster Crabbe, Noah Beery), NEXT' SATURDAY: “Treasure Island” (Wallace Beery, • Jackie Cooper, Lionel Barrymore, Otto Kruger, Lewis Stone, Nigel Bruce, Chic Sale). COMING ATTRACTIONS: "Wild Horse Mesa” (Randolph Scott. Sally Blane, Fred Kohler). '“Operator 13” (Marion Davies, Gary - Cooper, Jean Parker, Katharine Alexander. Ted Healey).

Were it “Columbine’s” custom to grade the current pictures “The .Thin Man” would receive , the highest possible award. It is not a picture to which the words “super” and “colossal”- (so freely bandied about by Hollywood film critics) could be applied for there is nothing, ostentatious about “The Thin Man”—it is merely the closest approximation to the perfect mystery story that the screen has yet produced.' Basically it is just a mur-der-mystery tale with the .. requisite corpses cropping up at the proper moment BUT—and the but is a big one —there is something more to this film. Running through it is a rich vein of comedy, which, though by no means uproarious, has audiences fairly rocking with mirth. Then, while the audience is still wiping away the tears of mirth, there comes, a few hair-raising thrills—just to serve as a reminder that murder is afoot, and that murder is no laughing matter. It is a picture that must be seen to be understood. No pen could hope to capture the subtleties of this mystery-comedy while the consummate artistry of its principals is similarly beyond description. William Powell and Myrna Loy have the stellar roles, playing Mr and Mrs Nick Charles. The advertisements described Mr and Mrs Charles as “the darndest couple that ever you saw.” What this phrase means “Columbine” has only the vaguest idea but if it is meant to imply that the acting of these two is nothing short of superb, then I heartily endorse the Americanism.

“To the last Man,” coming to the Majestic on Wednesday, is stated to have caught all the excitement and thrills of the original Zane Grey novel and given them added significance. To those who have • read the book this should be sufficient guarantee of the worth of the film. The story is based upon an actual feud in the Tonto Basin of Pleasant Valley, Arizona, in the late eighties, in which both factions were wiped out, literally, to the last man. Randolph Scott, Esther Ralston, Buster Crabbe, Jack Laßue and Noah Beery portray leading roles.

Bright memories of that choicest of all pirate stories, Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island,” will be piquantly revived by the film version to be presented at the Majestic Theatre next Saturday. This famous story, which has stirred the blood of healthy boys for over a quarter of a century past, is picturesquely presented by a strong cast headed by Wallace Beery as that hoary old rascal, Long John Silver, one of the most remarkable figures in the whole of the Stevenson gallery, whose villainy even becomes romantic and gorgeously bizarre in the circumstances under which he and his motley crew mutiny and murder on the high seas in their anxiety to secure the longlost Flint treasure. How the artful old one-legged man conceives and carries out this bloody plot, and how young Jim Hawkins, hidden in the apple barrel, overhears it and so saves Captain Smollett and his fellow officers from death, is. grimly told. Wallace Beery makes another distinct hit as Long John Silver, and Jackie Cooper is appealing as a rather tearful Jim Hawkins. Lewis Stone is strong and purposeful as Captain Smollett, and Lionel Barrymore, as Billy Bones, acts most vividly. » » » »

As a complete contrast to her earlier light-hearted screen roles Marion Davies contributes her finest dramatic performance in her new Metro-Gold - wyn-Mayer picture, “Operator 13,” which will be screened soon at the Majestic Theatre. The picture is based upon the last great novel from the versatile pen of the late Robert W. Chambers. Different from other motion pictures with war-time background “Operator 13” deals with the most romantic and thrilling phase of spies’ activities. Apart from the gripping story the picture supplies all the glamour and music of South Carolina through the medium of those uncanny harmonisers the four Mills brothers. That dashing hero Gary Cooper plays opposite Miss Davies, while Ted Healey is prominently cast in a comedy role.

THE EMPIRE, RIVERTON

TO-MORROW AND THURSDAY: “Private Life of Henry VIU (Charles Laughton). . COMMENCING SATURDAY: “Fugitive Lovers” (Robert Montgomery, Madge Evans). COMING ATTRACTIONS: "Murder in Trinidad” (Nigel 1 Bruce, Heather Angel, Victor Jory).‘ “You Can’t Buy Everything” (May Robson, Lewis Stone). Roman Scandals,” (Eddie Cantor and special cast). "The World Moves On, (Madeline Carroll, Franchot Tone). “Sons of the Desert," . (Laurel and Hardy). "Queen Christina," (Greta Garbo).