FILMS FROM BRITAIN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 244, 15 October 1932, Page 11

FILMS FROM BRITAIN

N.Z. THEATRE CHAIN GRAND UNDER NEW BANNER. Finality has been reached for a long lease of the Grand Theatre, Wanganui, by Amalgamated Theatres Ltd. and it will become from next month one of a chain of 31 in New Zealand in which British pictures will bo shown. Fol lowing a trip to Australia and through the South Island, Mr. M. J. Moodabe has announced that his company has secured exclusively for his houses the product of British, studios. Extensive work will be carried out at the Grand Theatre by Amalgamated Theatres. It is to be remodelled and brought thoroughly up-to-date. For a number of years the Grand Theatre was under the management of Wanganui Enterprises Ltd., later coming under thc J. C. Williamson Picture Corporation banner. Over the last few months th 6 theatre has been managed by Dustins’ Ltd., the owners of the property. “British films have come into their own,” said Mr. Moodabe, “and throughout Australia and New Zealand a circuit of theatres has been established lor the screening of British pictures. “Aly trip to Sydney resulted in the securing of a contract for all the pictures of British Dominion Films, Ltd., and for Gainsborough films released through that company. The arrange meat is for thc screening of the product of the companies mentioned for the 1933 season, and the principal Auckland theatres concerned are the Plaza, which will be exclusively an allBritish house, and the Civic. In addition arrangements were made for screening 8.1. P. films, another British product. AH the theatres in the suburbs and the country districts control led. by Amalgamated Theatres, Ltd., will screen British films.” Referring to the Civic Theatre, Mr. Moodabe said he had been authorised by the Civic Theatre Co., through the Dominion Picture Theatre Co., to select A grade films for the Civic Theatre for the 1933 season, and amongst th© pictures would be British films and a number of special attractions known in the trade as “road shows.” “My negotiations were carried out with Mr. Ernest Turnbull, managingdirector of British Dominions Films, Ltd., and with Air. Cecil Alason, general manager of Greater Australasian Films, Ltd., of Sydney,” said Air. Aloodabc. “In Invercargill I met the Alayor and council and arranged a long lease of the city’s Civic Theatre, a palatial house with seating capacity for .1350 people. This will be Invercargill’s British picture theatre. As far as Dunedin and Wellington are concerned an announcement will be made in the course of the next few days, when the theatres to screen British products will be made known. British Dominions Films, Ltd., has taken over the Civic Theatre, Christchurch, on a long lease, and this will bo the British house for Christchurch. The Regent Theatre. Whangarei, will be the British house in that town. “The chitin of British picture theatres established in all the Australian States has proved a success,” said Air. Moodabe. “Everywhere I went in Australia British pictures were having tho patriotic support of the public, and it appeared to me to be a direct reflection of tho Ottawa Conference. ‘Sunshine Susie’ is having a phenomenal record run; and there are other great productions including ‘Tho Ghost Train,’ ‘Faithful Heart,’ and ‘Jack’s the Boy.’ ”