TALKING PICTURES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 246, 29 July 1937, Page 8

TALKING PICTURES

CHATS ABOUT THE CINEMA. . (By “Spotlight.”) Astaire and Rogers in “Swingtime.” With New York as its principal setting and a distinctive double-triangle typo of theme, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers introduce a wealth of novelty into their newest RKO Radio vehicle “Saving Time,” which opens tomorrow afternoon (Friday) at tho St. James Theatre. Unlike their former offerings, tho new picture has an intricately romantic story, with both stars pursuing the course of true love through the obstacles offered by a pair of rivals. Astaire is a cheerful gambler seeking his fortune in Manhattan so he can go back to his homo town and marry his childhood sweetheart; Miss Rogers is a dancing academy instructress who takes Astaire as a pupil, despite the glowering of an orchestra leader who intends to marry tho lady. Complications come thick and fast, especially when Astaire’s fiancee shows up to find out what he’s doing, and the bandleader makes frantic effiorts to break up the growing romance between. Astaire and Miss Rogers. All this is interwoven with some of the most catchy song numbers and dances the famous pair has yet presented and the hilarious counterplay of a new screen comedy team in the persons of Victor Moore and Helen Broderick—a combination that gives “Swing Time” top honours in originality and entertainment value. Jerome Kern, who scored “Roberta,” “Show Boat,” and many other hits, and Dorothy Fields wrote the music and lyrics of. “Swing Time” numbers respectively. Six songs “The Way You Look To-night,” “A Fine Romance,” “Pick Yourself Up,” the electrifying “hot” “Bojangles of Harlem,” “Never Gonna Dance,” and a unique dance tune, “The Waltz in Swing Time” —are included in the picture. The swing waltz is the big dance feature of the film and “Bojangles of Harlem,” created by John Harkrider, is a spectacular production number, with Astaire and 24 dancing girls in black-face.

Charlie Chan Coming to St. James. A better combination of stars in a. thriller than Warner Gland and Boris Karloff cannot ho imagined. These two are at .the head of the cast in “Charlie Chan at he Opera,” which commences at the St. James next Thursday. This story marks the summit of the wily Chinese sleuth’s career and the acme in mystery entertainment. The film, which features Keye Luke, Charlotte Henry, Thomas Beck and Margaret Irving in the supporting cast, opens with the murder of an insane asylnm guard by Karloff, as an inmate, whose warped mind recognises a picture of his wife in a newspaper. Bent on vengeance, the madman completes bis escape and goes to the theatre where bis wife is appearing in “Faust.” Attacking the baritone, be dons the Mephistopheles costume and usurps the role on the stage, disguised by the costume and mask. Charlie Chan, hot on the trail, appears at the opera but is unable to prevent two more murders. When the madman’s reign of terror strikes at two young lovers, Chan craftily apprehends him

and, in a surprise denouement, unmasks the real killer.

“History is Made at Night.” (Scenes that rival the realism of the earthquake sequences in “San Francisco” are provided in “History is Made at Night,” which is due for release at the St. James on Thursday next. These have to do with the wrecking of an ocean liner. The story, an unusual one, incorporates the elements of melodrama, romance, intrigue, suspense and mystery. None of those who saw “Mr Deeds Goes to Town” should miss Jean Arthur in this film and those who saw Charles Boyer in “The Garden of Allah” will receive a pleasant surprise from his new, lighthearted role. When Charles Boyer appears alone in a. picture there is immediately suggested an air of romance and when Jean Arthur appears alone there is a suggestion of whimsicality. A combination of those two attributes must result in something approaching the perfect in screen entertainment. Previously cast in highly dramatic parts in such films as “The Garden of Allah,” “The Battle,” and “Shanghai,” Charles Boyer shows his acting versatility by his deft and agreeable handling of a light comedy role. One of the most enjoyable scenes in the picture occurs when he and Jean Arthur enter a Paris restaurant after closing time, flatter the chef into preparing a meal for them, bribe the

orchestra with champagno and dance till dawn.

Lily Pons Again. Lily Pons, tho diminutive French songstress whoso petito stature belies her exceptional voice, returns to tlio screen for her second starring vehicle, “That Girl from Paris,” which will bo seen at the St. James Theatre soon. Said to bo a sparkling melody festival it pictures Miss Pons as a Parisian opera star who leaves her fiance at the altar, makes her way across the Atlantic Ocean, and sails into a gay, exhilarating romance with Gene Raymond, whoso manifestations form an entertainment delight. The great charm of this delightful comedy is tho violent contrast it embodies in tho marvellous flights of vocalism from the “pocket edition prima donna,” and tho hilarious and very broad humour that Mr Oakio broadcasts. Miss Pons sings delightfully a much befrilled setting of “The Blue Danube” (Strauss), a tarantella by Panofka, the French love song “Seal It With a Kiss” and best of all the aria, “Una Voce Poco Fa,” from Rossini’s opera “The Barber of Seville.”.

“Wanted.” Jane Travers, Lee Tracey, Gloria Stuart. Tho eternal vigil of the postal department against crime is pictorially unveiled for the first time in a thrilling story of adventure and love staged behind tho post office grill in “Wanted: Jane Turner,” opening at tho Majestic on Saturday next. Aroused by a sensational mail robbery and murder, the department assigns- Tracy and a. secretary, portrayed by the alluring Gloria Stuart, to corral the mob, and especially capture its leader. Through this plot the public is introduced to some of the hiterto secret and intimate machinery of the postal department. Dictaphones are rigged up in the culprits’ rooms, a letter is intercepted and Crowley’s hide-out is uncovered. Then follows a trans-continental ’plane chase, a gun battle in the killer’s bungalow lair and intricate tapping and crytic “personal” advertisements. The story is climaxed by a thrilling encounter between Miss 'Stuart and Crowley, played by Paul Guilfolye, in an apartment to which he has been lured.

“The Mighty Treve.” “Tho Mighty Treve,” the Universal picture which opens at the Majestic Theatre on Saturda3 r next, is a dramatic story told in a simple, forceful direct manner. It is based on a novel, “Treve,” from the brilliant pen of Albert Payson Terhune. In this offering Noah Beery, jnr., portrays a young fellow who meets terrific obstacles when he is suddenly compelled to make his own way in the world. During his ad • ventures he meets a beautiful young girl, played by Barbara Read,. who becomes interested in him romantically. Noah owns a sheep dog, Treve, and Barbara’s uncle has a sheep ranch. That would seem to make everything wonderful, hut Uncle is obsessed with the fear of dogs. He orders Noah and Treve off his ranch. The dog later saves Uncle’s life, rounds up flocks of lost sheep and for good measure, wins prizes at a dog show. Further trouble follows when all the sheep owners accuse Treve of being a sheep killer and want to execute him. How Noah saves his dog, wins the admiration of .the uncle an the love of the girl, provides the interesting climax to the story. Those who

enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors the spirit of adventure and swift flow of emotional conflict, those who like a bit of romance in a screen narrative, as well as freshness of treatment, will be entertained by “The Mighty Treve.”

“More Than a Secretary.” The delightful comedy - romance “More Than a Secretary” (George Brent and Jean Arthur) coming to the Majestic on Friday, August 6, where it is being presented in conjunction with a vaudeville programme. From the opening scene, where Jean Arthur sighs hopefully about romance while under the influence of spring fever, until the final surprise fade-out, “More Than a Secretary” maintains a rapid succession of laughs, interspersed with Lionel Standee's wild' brand of comedy, a. dash of pathos, a good deal of suspense, and much brilliantly executed dialogue. This is one of those bright films produced purely to provide entertainment of the lighter variety, and it succeeds right up to the hilt. It wastes no time in getting into its -stride and moves along at a- rapid pace, taking many unexpected turns which make it the more delightful. Jean Arthur again scores in comedy role reminiscent of her memorable performances in “Ex-Mrs Bradford,” “Mr Deeds’’ and “Adventure in Manhattan.” Brent, as usual, is a romantic lead, whose excursion into comedy in “More Than a Secretary” emerges as a- big success.