THE CIVIC

Southland Times, Issue 25367, 20 August 1935, Page 5

THE CIVIC

Now Showdng: "Lady In Danger” (Tom Walls. Yvonne Arnaud. Anne Gray. Marie Lohr, Hugh Wakefield). Thursday and Friday: Double Feature Bill: "Roadhouse” (Gordon Harker, Violet Loraine, Emlyn Williams. Anne Gray. Hartley Power), and "Enchanted April” (Ann Harding, Frank Morgan. Reginald Owen, Jane Baxter). Commencing Saturday: “Things are Looking Up” (Cicely Courtneidge, William Gargon, Max Miller, Mary Lawson, Judy Kelly). Coming Attractions: "The Iron Duke” (George Arliss. Gladys Cooper, Ellaine 'Terris. Peter Gowthorne. Emlyn Williams); "Ten Minutes Alibi” (Phillip Holmes, Aileen Marson .Theo Shall); "One More Spring” (Janet Gaynor, Warner Baxter, Rosemary Ames. Jane Darwell); "D'ye Ken John Peel” (John Garrick, Winifred Shotter, John Stuart. Stanley Holloway). * * * *

“Lady In Danger,” now showing at . the Civic, has won high praise for Tom ! Walls. This time he has the assistance of a piquant actress, Yvonne Arnaud, and a cast that is good in all its members. Yvonne Arnaud is better known on the London stage than on the screen. Her mastery of the French language and her style make her the personification of the French-English screen type. She can always be relied upon for a refreshingly unusual approach to problems for which the majority of Englishwomen could find only one solution. Dittling, the revolutionary leader, takes possession of the Ardenburg Hotel and makes it his headquarters. Thither comes Richard Dexter (Walls) in search of a man who has appropriated funds from his company. The queen (Yvonne Arnaud) is the lady in danger, and Dexter rescues her. Back in England he finds that his affairs are complicated because of the suspicions, not without some foundation, of his fiancee. He attempts a temporary solution by removing the queen to his country cottage, but his whereabouts are discovered.

On Thursday and Friday there is a double feature programme at the Civic. “Enchanted April,” starring Ann Harding, which is somewhat unusual in theme, and deals with the matrimonial affairs of three women. The comedy-drama “Roadhouse” has received good Press notices, and the story deals with Sam Pritchard, a Cockney barman, who loves Bella Tout, a barmaid at the Angel Inn. She, however, is in love with Archie Hamble, the landlord, who leaves for London without even saying goodbye. Bella also goes to London, where she achieves fame and fortune as a music hall artist. There is much more than this to the story, but it gives you some indication of the plot. Violet Loraine, as Bella, is said to give an excellent portrayal, but the honours go to Gordon Harker for his comedy work as Sam.

“Things Are Looking Up,” coming to the Civic on Saturday, starring Cicely Courtneidge, is said to be a riot of fun from beginning to end, and the excellent story gives the talented comedienne ample opportunities for displaying her versatility. Others in the cast are Max Miller, William Gargan, Mary Lawson, Henrietta Watson, Cicely Bates, Judy Kelly, Dick Henderson, Dick Henderson, jun., Charles Mortimer and Suzanne Lenglen, the world-famous tennis star. In one of the final scenes of “Things Are Looking Up” Cicely Courtneidge is seen as a circus queen masquerading as her schoolmistress sister. Picture-goers can imagine the awful situation of being placed in charge of a class of critical schoolgirls during a geometry lesson when one is supposed to be a mistress and is actually a bareback rider froth the local circus! It is said that the star has made this scene one of the highlights of what is considered to be the most uproarious of all her comedies. Tuneful music and excellent acting by the large supporting cast add to the attractions of the picture.