THE THEATRES

Southland Times, Issue 24420, 28 April 1941, Page 2

THE THEATRES

REGENT

“FORTY THOUSAND HORSEMEN”

GREAT STORY OF ANZACS

The Australian-made picture “Forty Thousand Horsemen,” which was shown at the Regent Theatre on Saturday night, forms a fitting epilogue to the commemoration of Anzac Day. The striking secondary title of the picture, “The Anzacs Ride Again’’ reveals the theme of the story. It deals with the exploits of the Australian Light Horse in Palestine during the Great War, their successful defence of the Suez Canal and their victorious sweep through the desert and the Holy Land which culminated in the capture of Jerusalem. The picture is enthralling, and is as good as any produced by Hollywood. The motion picture industry of Australia is small compared with the colossus of Hollywood, and in the days of its swaddling clothes it gave the world pictures that are perhaps better forgotten. But, if “Forty Thousand Horsemen” is a fair sample, then the Australian industry has attained full stature, and it may safely leave to the public the task of comparing its productions with those of other countries.

It is doubtful whether another country could have produced such an

authentic picture as the Australianmade “Forty Thousand Horsemen.” It needed Australian artists and producers to catch and embody on the screen the true spirit of Anzac. The Australian soldiers in this picture are absolutely true to type. That will be admitted by everyone who has met and fraternised with them.

The story is rather disjointed, but curiously enough this does not in any way spoil interest in the picture. The reason for this is probably because the real appeal of the film lies in the doings of the Australian Light Horse and not in the individual tragedies and iove story, which are merely incidental to the mighty drama of war.

This is a refreshing change from the custom of making world-shattering events revolve around the personal story of an individual or individuals. Probably the Australian producers were able to make the change because they were not afflicted by any great stars demanding the lion’s share of the limelight. This docs not mean that the acting is not competent and satisfactory. It is definitely so and it is doubtful whether there is a more competent team than Betty Bryant, “Chips” Rafferty, Grant Taylor, Pat Twohill, Joe Valli and the other artists who have leading parts in this picture prove themselves to be. Though there is tragedy in the picture it is not devoid of humour. Were it so it would not be a true portrayal of the Anzacs who laughed in the face of death and died with jests on their lips.

STATE The conflicting sacrifices and loves of two women bound to the pitiful soul of a man whose mind is on the brink of eternal darkness, are woven into gripping drama for “A Bill of Divorcement,” which shows finally today at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the State Theatre. Featuring Maureen O’Hara, Adolphe Menjou, Fay Bainter and Herbert Marshall, the RKO Radio film depicts the plight of a divorced wife and her grown daughter, each preparing for marriage when the mother’s- shellshocked former husband escapes from a hospital and returns home to resume his old life. Supports include a tworeel Edgar Kennedy comedy and a Walt Disney cartoon and so on.

I “CHARLIE CHAN AT THE

WAX MUSEUM”

Suave and cunning as ever, the imperturbable Chinese sleuth, Charlie Chan again makes his bow to local screen audiences, this time in “Charlie ' Chan at the Wax Museum,” which is j the State’s first feature tomorrow, I Tuesday, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. In this film, the inimitable Chan is called on to solve a mystery that is even more baffling than those which have formed the basis of his other pictures, and of all places, the scene is laid in the chamber of horrors in a waxworks. There is, of course, a murder, and it is in finding the perpetrator of the crime that Chan meets with adventures that are as hectic as anyone with a I taste for mysteries could desire. His ' adversary is tracked down in the chamber of horrors—a singularly apI propriate setting—and in the course of I his investigations, all manner of weird I things happen. He is tricked into taking I part in a “crime league” broadcast from the waxworks, and while he is there, wax figures come to life, and identities are changed with bewildering rapidity, so that before the detective gets to the bottom of the mystery even the audience is perplexed as to where the next move will come from. Chan is faced with death in the electric chair at the hands of a murderer who is supposed to be long since dead, he is nearly the victim of a poisoned arrow, and yet he emerges triumphant, with all the loose ends of the case tied up, and another success added to his already long list. The second film, “The Bride Wore Crutches,” is a fast-moving story of a

young college graduate, played by Ted North, who gets a job as a reporter only to find that nothing seems to come his way, in fact after missing one or two I obvious “stories” he is fired. But with the aid of a girl reporter, played in a charming manner by Lynne Roberts, he manages by amazing' and exciting methods to round up some bank robbers. Plans are at Begg's or State Theatre. Telephone 645.

CIVIC

“LONE WOLF MEETS A LADY”

That fascinating, fictional rogue, Michael Lanyard, returns to the Civic finally tonight at 7.45 p.m. in a new sparkling melodrama, spiced with comedy, charged with thrills and flavoured with romance with the screening of Columbia’s “The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady.” Warren William again portrays the light-fingered, light—hsai'ed adventurer and Jean Muir bears the other half of the title-role burden in the new thriller. Easily the best of all the Lone Wolf adventures, the new film crackles across the screen at a breath-taking pace. Ably supported by a cast that includes Eric Blore, Warren Hull, Victor Jory and Roger Pryor, the gentleman adventurer jauntily foils police and crooks with equal facility and delightful humour. A £20,000 diamond necklace is the prize the Lone Wolf is after in his latest escapade. Two murders are committed when the gems disappear and Lanyard is blamed for both of them. However, it is one thing to blame the Lone Wolf and another to apprehend him, as the police find out. After a thrilling series of encounters with both the law and the underworld, the debonair scoundrel manages to locate the necklace and the killer. With typical Lone Wolf audacity he unmasks the real culprit and delivers him to the authorities in a thrilling series of sequences. And, of course he does not forget to pay plenty of attention to the future of pretty Miss Muir, who provides a lovely foil for his graceful gallantry. “Passport to Alcatraz,” the Civic’s second feature, stars Jack Holt in a thrilling drama of sabotage in the United States. Holt is ideally cast as a Government detective whose job it is to unearth a gang of aliens who are working for a foreign power, endeavouring to blow up factories producing high-explosive gases. C. Henry Gordon is seen as the power’s agent in the United States. Noah Beery, jun., and a beautiful newcomer to the screen, Cecelia Calligo, make a delightful romantic team. Civic prices are 1/- and 1/6 and children half price. Box plans arc at the Civic.

MAJESTIC Never before has the Majestic Theatre presented two such spontaneous comedies as it will screen finally today. Everybody’s favourite, Baby. Sandy, is the star of “Sandyl Gets Her Man,” and W. C. Fields carries the stellar role in his 1 latest raucous farce, “The Bank Dick.’’ Surrounded by a group of Hollywood comedy favourites, Baby Sandy, as stated before, has the starring role in “Sandy Gets Her Man.” Stuart Erwin portrays the fireman. Uno Merkel plays Sandy’s mother and William Frawley is seen as the worried police captain. For years W. C. Fields has been acclaimed one of the greatest comedians on the American stage or screen. The honour has never been disputed, but if any proof were needed, it is here in his latest picture, “The Bank Dick,” which is a Majestic Theatre attraction. Aiding and abetting Fields in! “The Bank Dick” is a cast! which includes Una Markel, Richard Purcell. Shemp Howard, Franklin Pangborn, Grady Sutton, Jessie Ralph, Cora Witherspoon, Dave Oliver and Harlan Briggs.

Chapter 3 of the popular G-Man serial, “Junior G-Men,” which shows those likeable street urchins, “The Dead End Kids” and “The Little Tough Guys,” will also be screened together with the current issue of the Cinesound News which features Sydney’s colossal welcome to the American Fleet. Plans are now on view at H. and J. Smith’s, Rice’s Majestic sweet shop and at the Majestic Theatre.