AMUSEMENTS

Camp News, Volume 1, Issue 6, 19 January 1940, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS

CITY AND EXHIBITION

TUDOR THEATRE.

“Clouds Over Europe,” which is transferred to the Tudor Theatre from the King’s for a fourth big week, is a romantic comedy - drama based upon the mysterious disappearance of a new bomber on its test flight. Olivier is starred; with Ralph Richardson, the unforgettable doctor of “The Citadel,” Valerie Hobson, lovely romantic lead, George Curzon, Sandra Storme and others in the splendid comedy cast.

Olivier is seen as a daring test pilot, who joins forces with Scotland Yard in an effort to unravel the clueless enigma of the missing ’plane. By the very nature of its story, “Clouds Over Europe” possesses actionful melodramatic incident. The smashing climax aboard an enemy vessel, with Olivier leading a band of fellow-pilots in a desperate hand-to-hand struggle for possesison of the vessel, is matched in sensational, breath-taking suspense by the efforts of a spy in the employ of foreign agents to escape their vengeance. Of equal moment is the scene in the factory lunchroom when test pilots, observers and mechanics sit in taut silence waiting to learn who has been chosen to fly a doomed ’plane.

Olivier’s performance in “Wuthering Heights” won him international acclaim; his work in “Clouds Over Europe” does much to confirm his right to such acclaim. As the test pilot who risks his life to solve the puzzle bewildering a nation, Olivier appears to brilliant advantage.

Richardson, who was the unforgettable doctor in “The Citadel,” brings to the screen a new type of detective. His perfromance as the Scotland Yard sleuth is, in reality, the slyly humorous performance of an average man, who holds his butler in awe and contempt, who likes to muddle around his own kitchen, who always loses his umbrella, who constantly forgets he has a “date.”

PLAZA THEATRE

“Find Livingstone!”

Exactly 70 years ago this October 16th, James Gordon Bennett barked these words to his crack reporter, Henry M. Stanley.

How Stanley found Livingstone, how the world called the newspaperman “the most colossal liar of his age,” and how he later became the

greatest hero of his era, is the story of the 20th Century-Fox picture,, Darryl F. Zanuck’s production of “Stanley and Livingstone,”- at the Plaza Theatre, an important event for Wellington and a notable occasion for all.

Spencer Tracy, twice an Academy Award winner, portrays Stanley. Nancy Kelly, who rose into the front ranks of Movietown with her role in “Jesse James,” and Richard Greene, who in a year’s time has become one of Hollywood’s top romantic stars, are starred with Tracy. Another two-time Award winner, Walter Brennan, heads the outstanding cast, which includes Charles Coburn, Sir Cedric Hardwicke (as Livingstone), Henry Hull and Henry Travers.

In 1937 Mrs. Martin Johnson, the famous explorer, led an expedition of 27 Hollywood players and technicians into the wild Tanganyika country of Africa. They began at Bagamoyo, on the coast opposite the island of Zanzibar, and retraced Stanley’s historic nine months’ trek in 1871. They spent five months in reaching Ujiji, the village where Stanley found Livingstone, filming the country, which had changed little since it first witnessed one of the most heroic adventures known to man.

More than a thrilling adventure story, the screen play by Philip Dunne and Julien Josephson presents Livingstone’s remarkable refusal to be “rescued” when Stanley arrived. The newspaperman stayed with the missionary to get his story and the contact with a great soul changed him completely. A profound story of

human experience is “Stanley and Livingstone” — extraordinary, out-

standing screen fare.

KING’S THEATRE.

Alexander Korda’s latest production, “The Lion Has Wings,” sponsored by the British Government, and a magnificently moving film, is screening at the King’s Theatre.

It dramatizes with a stirring personal story the great organization and achievements of the Royal Air Force, and how Great Britain gradually awoke to the menace of Hitlerism and the threat to the life and liberties of Europe, which the German war machine proclaimed. It is particularly inspiring in its thrilling panoramas of British fliers and ’planes engaged in defence and attack.

After putting the war guilt on Hitler’s shoulders, where it rightly belongs, the film shows England’s vast preparation to fight, not because she wants to, but because she must repel Nazi bombers and give the Nazis a i taste of their own aggression. We are graphically shown how a great nation devoted to the pursuits of peace and progress is suddenly transformed into a people mightily armed to resist aggression. In a series of fascinating shots the picture contrasts the spirit of the British, devoted to sport and progress, with the spirit of Nazi Germany, preparing night and day for

one purpose, and one purpose only—war.

One of the most interesting episodes of the film shows shots of the daring raid on the Kiel Canal. Step by step the flight is followed from the first instruction of the fliers to the take off, the conversation during the flight, the bombs being released, the explosions on German warships. The final shots show the return flight of the air squadron and the men who actually carried out the raid. Merle Oberon, Ralph Richardson, June Duprez and Flora Robson play prominent roles in this most impressive film, which should be seen by every New Zealander. The picture was made by London Films, with the full co-opera-tion of the Royal Air Force, and is being released by United Artists.

STATE THEATRE.

Weird, horrifying and fascinating, “The Man They Could Not Hang,” now showing at the State Theatre, is strong meat sufficient to satisfy the starkest appetite of the most hardened horror fan. Starring Boris Karloff in a tale which makes the flesh creep and at the same time emerges as a dramatic triumph, the new Columbia melodrama is compelling 'film fare.

“The Man They Could Not Hang” should win for Karloff for all time the title of “King of Horror. ’ Never has he contributed a more vivid, more chilling portrayal than that of Dr. Savaard, the inhuman scientist who is the central figure of the film. The doctor has succeeded in perfecting a mechanical heart which can restore life to the dead, but his experiments are interpreted as murder and he is hung for the crime.

Nick Grinde has endowed “The Man They Could Not Hang” with painstaking direction so that the audience is held spellbound.

So terrifying is the result that the Commowealth Film Censor has labelled this picture as being “Suitable for Adults Only.”

Thundering across the screen with the speed and power of a stampede of wild horses, Columbia’s “Konga, The Wild Stallion,” is one of the most exciting and most novel outdoor action dramas ever produced. A splendid cast is headed by Fred Stone, Rochelle Hudson and Richard Fiske in the leading roles n the thrilling drama at the State Theatre.

Stone, in the role of a veteran horse-breaker, creates one of his most appealing portrayals. He is aided and abetted by the appearance of a magnificent stallion in the title role. The encomiums which have been heaped upon the veteran star of stage and screen and the sleek thoroughbred who is the central figure in the gripping story of men and horses, herald a film of unusual calibre.

Set against the grim background of the range “Konga, The Wild Stallion,” tells of a wise old horse-breeder who is harassed by financial difficulties and the enmity of his wealthy neighbour. Complications develop when the malicious millionaire uses an aeroplane to round up the herds of wild horses which have been damaging his crops. Range war breaks out and the situation is made even more complex by a love affair between the horse-breeder’s son and the daughter of the wealthy farmer. —

Rochelle Hudson and Richard Fiske portray the young couple whose romance is interrupted by the range feud. Others in the capable cast include Robert Warwick, Don Beddoe, Carl Stockade and Eddy Waller.

- OPERA HOUSE.

REVUE ON REAL ICE.

Grace, rhythm and speed are said to be the outstanding features of “Switzerland,” J. C. Williamson’s stupendous Ice Show and Ice Ballet, which is to be staged at the Opera House this evening. As the ballet interprets a story of humour, passion or pathos, so do the artists on skates ; weave a story as they gracefully dip and glide across the ice. Poetic dancing of the ballet is, it is said, outstanding in the Symphony on the Ice,” and the military number is remarkable for its precision. “This novelty ballet,” wrote, a critic, “march in squads with the accuracy of Grenadier Guards. Comedy reigns in nonsensical skating of the sailors and the educated horse. The wonderful artistry

of the world’s chamni™ .1 Megan Taylor, electrified ■ Auckland, and her grace the ice will prove a revela? * • playgoers Phil Tavlnr father, who is also world A never fails to thrill his a » his barrel-jumping and stift t His spectacular feats included in and out a row : of oranges i. 1 * across barrels, chairs hm’i 5 through a paper hoop’ Hi? 1 with his partner, Miss Els 0 3 cote, is a feature of the jH finale “Viennese Memories’’ ? dierice is kept highly amused tri out the show by the witticil? funnyisms of the incompara? don comedian, Mr. Eddie MarceH together with the pantomime 1 portrayed by Roland Priestly a J Gerrard, in this scene creates” of genuine laughter. Other M artists in the Ice Show are the! Kinnon Sisters, Diana Grafton' Rita Bramley. The Ice Show tabthe first and third acts, and the ond scene is devoted to a cabard which will be presented the ri American comedian, Miss Connie I ham, the talented humorist M ti Scott and Tommy Russell and & Marconi, who will introduce a cot act entitled a “Musical Mem. Round.” J MAJESTIC THEATRE, The story of a kindly school whose -entire life is passed teaefc and learningin a great scl-j boys, “'Goodbye Mr. shown to enthusiastic audiei. ,<j Majestic Theatre. “Goodi'; Chips” is based on James,l best-selling novel of the same» The schoolmaster’s work, ide mance, marriage, the tragedy wife’s death, his activities duh World War, are played over a of 60 years during which he u changing generations of boys g and send him their sons.

Robert Donat brings deep e standing to. the role of the sc master, Chips,, really becoming character he is playing rare on the screen these days. 6 Garson, as Chips’s helpful and ining wife, does justice to a not: simple role, and Terry Kilburn, ah as the young heir of the Colley fa —he represents several generaft is as suitable to his part .as’l appealing.