AMUSEMENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20607, 22 December 1936, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS

"THE SUICIDE CLUB" AT MAJESTIC THRILLS AND COMEDY Thrills and comedy are pleasingly blended in the fascinating film “The Suicide Club," which will receive its final presentation at the Majestic tonight. Robert Montgomery, Rosalind Russell and Frank Morgan head the popular cast. “San Francisco.” “San Francisco” opens to-morrow at the Majestic Theatre. Describing the picture the film writer of “The Auckland star” says: "San Francisco” came to Auckland with a great reputation, but the audience at the St. James' Theatre, where the film opened its season, will say with the Queen of Sheba to Solomon that the half had not been told them. From many points of view the picture is one of the best that has been seen in the city for some years. It Is not merely highly dramatic, it is not merely pathetic, it is not only historical; it combines with all these a judiciously blended religious sentiment and a wholesomeness which is not seen in the average picture. The crux of the film, of course, is the 1906 earthquake in that city. It is safe to say that scenes with such magnificent photography have never before been seen in this city by theatre audiences? Buildings totter, sway and crash to ruins. Panic-stricken people are overwhelmed in the streets. Dynamite is used to stay the progress of the fire which follows the earthquake. These are scenes of sheer realism, which bring out the sheer helpless terror of an earthquake. Of the cast, four persons must stand out. They are Jeanette MacDonald, Clark Gable, Jessie Ralph and Spencer Tracy. Jeanette MacDonald, the sweet, unspoiled girl with the glorious voice, Is introduced to "Blackie” Norton (Clark Gable), the unprincipled proprietor of a villainous dance hall on the Barbary Coast. Norton falls in love with Jeanette because she is a type of woman with whom he is totally unfamiliar. Their acting together Is of a high order —Jeanette MacDonald, the appealing, the winsome, in love, though afraid both of her love and Norton; Gable, the masterful, the unprincipled, the lovable. The story hinges on his change of heart. “San Francisco” is undoubtedly one of the greatest pictures Auckland has seen. POPULAR STARS AT STATE "THE EX-MRS BRADFORD" Popular William Powell and Jean Arthur head the cast of "The Ex-Mrs Bradford,” which will be screened finally at the State to-night. “ Mary of Scotland ” The story of the lovely Mary Stuart, an accomplished queen, whose short reign ended in tragedy, is told in “Mary of Scotland,” which opens to-morrow at the State. The film is well produced, and the value of settings in the making of an historical picture has been fully realised. As the queen, Katharine Hepburn proves her greatness as an actress, while Fredric March as the Earl of Bothwell, gives a brilliant characterisation of a powerful soldier and a charming lover. On Mary’s secret landing in Scotland, on the consternation on her scheming brother James Stuart, Earl of Moray, and the conflicting loyalties of the Scottish chiefs, prejudiced by the queen’s adherence to the Catholic faith, on Scotland swayed by the canting of John Knox, the film touches neither too lightly nor too heavily. Passages of words between Mary and her vacillating councillors leaven the piece with wit while the queen wins the sympathy of all in her unfortunate political marriage with the weak fop Darnley, renouncing her love for Bothwell. There are brilliant scenes at the English court, where Elizabeth suspicious of attempts upon her life and. throne, schemes for the downfall of her' young cousin. At last Darnley’s treachery and attack upon his wife’s morality cause her elopement with Bothwell. After the latter’s exile, Mary's imprisonment at Holyrood House, and her escape into what she thought was Elizabeth's protection, is shown with a truth of detail which is commendable. “Mary of Scotland.” The State Theatre's Christmas attraction will be “Mary of Scotland,” starring Katherine Hepburn and Frederic March. ANNA STEN AT REGENT “ WOMAN ALONE" In “A Woman Alone,” her first English picture, Anna Sten has been given a role which fits her like a glove—a role in which Russia's lovely contribution to the screen can relax from her previous over-glamorised films and be herself. Her part in “A Woman Alone” is that of Marie, a little peasant girl, who falls in love with Captain Ilyinsky, an officer of the guards. This stirring, unusual love drama which will find an echo in every heart, presents—at last —the real Anna Sten in a story ideally suitable to the remarkable talents of this beautiful Russian star. “ China Clipper ” To-morrow Based on the conquest of the Pacific Ocean by a world-famous American aviation company, "China Clipper.” the picture which opens to-morrow, is of fascinating interest to anyone who Is not totally ignorant of aviation, and many of its scenes, taken on the actual route from San Francisco to China, possess an especial significance for New Zealand, in view of the project to link up the Dominion with the American trans-Pacific network. Pat O'Brien is the “hard-boiled” hero of the story. Fired with the success of Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight, he sets out to conquer space and time by aviation also, but to do It not once but as a regular commercial service. “China Clipper” tells how his efforts succeed, despite the manifold handicaps of public and official suspicion, lack of finance, and the vagaries of Nature. In the process of realising his ambition of spanning the Pacific by a timetable flying-boat service, O’Brien, by his ruthless driving, antagonises most of his associates. Dainty Beverley Roberts plays the part of his wife who is also forced to leave him. but the final fade-out finds them

together again. “China Clipper” bears the mark of authenticity and depicts without any lurid exaggeration the difficulties of commercial aviation. For that alone it is well worth seeing. THEATRE ROYAL TO-NIGHT’S NEW PROGRAMME Enacted amidst the colourful surroundings of a copra plantation in the Dutc East Indies, "Pursued," described as a love drama of the tropics, packed with thrills, opens to-night at the Theatre Royal. In the cast are Rosemary Ames, Victor Jory, Pert Kelton and Russell Hardie, with George Irvir~ and Torben Meyer in support. Based on a story by Larry Evans, “Pursued” chronicles the romance of a lovely cafe entertainer and a man who goes to Borneo to take charge of a plantation. A scheming and jealous half-caste, the role played by Jory. provides the barrier in the course of true love.

Capitalising on the genteel headlines of to-day's society pages, and playing a searching light on the debutante racket, “Coming Out Party,” offers the lowdown on high life. The film is said to reveal numerous secrets of the social circles, such as how ambitious mothers fight for the best “coming cut party” nights, why a social secretary gets a 10 per cent rake-off on all debutante orders, where all the men come from for parties, and a host of other enlightening details that the societ„ page never tells.