CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22513, 22 September 1938, Page 8

CITY THEATRES

CIVIC

“FOUR MEN AND A PRAYER”

Loretta Young and Richard Greene head the cast of “Four Men and a Prayer,” with George Sanders, David Niven, and C. Aubrey Smith featured. J. Edward Bromberg, William Henry, John Carradine, Alan Hale, Reginald Denny, Berton Churchill, and Barry Fitzgerald are also included. “Four Men and a Prayer,” which will begin td-morrow at the Civic, is the. story of the endeavours of four young Englishmen to vindicate their father's honour. Richard Greene, George Sanders, David Niven, and William Henry are the four men who forsake everything in their careers to track .down round the world the menace which

cashiered their beloved father, C. Aubrey Smith, out of the army in disgrace, and then brought death to a great soldier.

Loretta Young gives a notable performance as the American girl who covers her intense loyalty to the brothers’ cause with an "American” flippancy which amazes her British fiance most of all, but more than anything puts spirit and vigour into the grim quest. There are superb characterisations in the cast. Special mention should go to George Sanders, David Niven, William Henry (the other three brothers). C. Aubrey Smith (the father), J. Edward Bromberg, John Carradine, Alan Hale, Reginald Denny, Berton Churchill, and Barry Fitzgerald. The screen play by Richard Sherman, Sonya Levien, and Walter Ferris was prepared from the book by David Garth. Kenneth Macgowan was associate producer.

Richard Greene, who has -just completed his first role opposite Loretta Young in ‘‘Four Men and. a Prayer,” IS just about getting His breatb back after his first few weeks in America. He has yet to see New York, although he landed there after crossing the Atlantic.

Greene had been working in England. His screen test was shown to Darryl Zanuck in America. “Four Men and a Prayer” was already “shooting” in Hollywood. Greene was just the man wanted for the romantic role. So he signed a contract, and was on his way to Southampton before the ink was quite dry on his signature. When the ship arrived at New York five days later a cab literally snatched the young man off the gang plank, and he was given a snack dnd change of shirt in a New York hotel. His trunks already were on their way to Newark airport. Off he was taken in another taxicab to the aerodrome, and within five days and 21 hours after he stepped off British soil he was being taken from a Hollywood aerodrome to the Twentieth Century-Fox studios. “I’m beginning to realise that Mr H. G. Wells’s idea of shooting passenger rockets from England to America is not half the idle dream that people imagine,” he remarked. “Except for a slight bounce in the lobby of the hotel in New York I feel as though the rocket idea is already a reality.” “Wise Girl," at present showing at the Civic, is a totally different kind of film. The Bohemian life of artists usually provides amusement for those who are used to a more prpsaic type of existence, and this, combined with plenty of action, romance, and comedy makes “Wise Girl” a film which should appeal to most types of picturegoers, Miriam Hopkins, who. plays the leading role, is an actress who undoubtedly ’brings colour and freshness to the films in which she acts, and Ray Milland, who plays opposite her, ably supports her in these respects.

CRYSTAL PALACE

“BATTLE OF BROADWAY” AND “PANAMINT’S BAD MAN”

“Battle of Broadway,” which is based on the American Legion’s “unconventional convention” in New York, and stars Victor McLaglen and Brian Donlevy, begins at the Crystal Palace tomorrow, with “Panamint’s Bad Man.”

The cast of the film includes Raymond Walburn, Lynn Bari, Jane Darwell, and Robert Kellard. The screen play, by Lou Breslow and John Patrick, combines business with pleasure for McLaglen and Donlevy. Walburn assigns them the task of breaking his son’s romance with a chorus girl, while they are in New York. Louise pretends to be Bob Kellard’s fiancee, to save the real affair,, and the boys have a grand time trying to steal her away from Bob, and each .other. A- good deal of the fun is credited to. George Marshall, .who directed, with Sol M. Wurtzel as executive producer.

In “Panamint’s Bad Man,” which Hollywood critics consider the best of Smith Ballew’s series of pictures, this long and rangy Texan is cast as a deputy United States marshal, assigned to break up a series, of stage holdups. To accomplish his job more efficiently, he assumes -the guise of a celebrated bad man, and in this 'way works -himself into the group. . This results in suspicion being directed against him when the real bad man shows up, but Ballew fights his way out of trouble and arrests the entire gang after a sensational shooting spree, which highlights this vigorous Western feature.

Cast with the coiyboy star are Evelyn Daw, Noah Beery, sen., and Stanley Fields. Evelyn Daw, who appears in the picture as an opera singer, is an opera singer in real life. Sonja Henie’s film, “Happy Landing,” which is having a return season at the Crystal Palace, has the .gaiety which has become well known in all its predecessors: The first presentation in Christchurch of "The Jones Family in Paris” comes with “Happy Landing,” and this good comedy takes up nearly all the first half of the programme.

PLAZA

«THB RETURN" OP „ JIMMY VALENTINE”

One of the most popular dnderworld characters,' Jimmy Valentine, makes his latest appearance in the Republic production, “The Return of Jimmy Valentine,” which begins to-morrow at the Plaza with “1000 Dollars a Minute.” His brave; deeds and daring exploits are more interesting than ever. Roger Pryor gives another of his personable and true to life portrayals as the breezy reporter whose * agile brain conceives .the idea of the “Find Jimmy Valentine” contest for his newspaper. Amusing situations usually arise, out of freak bets and “1000 Dollars a Minute” turns out to be one of the best examples. When Wally Jones, a freshly fifed journalist, walks into the office of Big Jim (a gambler), and “Sonny” Ruycross (a playboy), it turns out to be' an opportune or inopportune moment for him. He is chosen ioi.be the official- spendthrift to. see if a person can spend, not give away, 720,000 dollars in the 'brief space of 12 hours.. Out Wally goes to “give it a ’go,” and then the fun begins—for he almostioses his girl, his mind, and his health.

Now showing at the Plaza are “Pepper,” starring Jane Withers, and “The Great Barrier,’’ a story. of the i finding of a pass through the Canadian .Rockies through which to run the. iTmiiiiliaii. P»fi«i«' Wailmav 1

MAYFAIR

“KENTUCKY MOONSHINE”

■The Bitz Brothers present their familiar antics in a new setting in “Kentucky Moonshine,’’ which is now at the Mayfair. The film is a gay comedy. The story tells how a radio company sends its talent scout, Tony Martin, down to Kentucky to get some real hillbillies. Marjorie Weaver, waiting for an audition, overhears the plans and hurries back to her theatrical boarding-house to tell the Ritz Brothers. ' They go down to the hills / disguise themselves as mountaineers’ get mixed up in an old fued, hoodwink Tony Martin into putting on a broadcast in the mountains, and when the smoke clears away a romance nearly goes on the rocks, is patched up again, and fame on the radio comes to all. •

CHRISTCHURCH CINEMAS.

LIMITED

An exciting story of romance and adventure, “Test Pilot,” with Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, and Spencer Tracy, is in its second week at the Regent. ‘ “Romance for Three,” starring Robert Young, Frank Morgan, and Florence Rice, begins on Friday. The season of “On Our Selection," the Australian classic, starring Bert Bailey and Fred Mac Donald, at the Majestic, has been extended for another week. “Aussie,” the boxing kangaroo, is appearing on the stage. “I See Ice,” starring George Formby, begins on Friday. ;

At the Tivoli, “The Awful Truth," starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, is Hhe current attraction. The film is an entertaining romantic comedy. At the Liberty ■ “Dark Journey," starring Conrad Veidt and Vivien Leigh, and '‘Love From a Stranger," starring Ann Harding, are being shown.

At the Grand, this week’s programme presents “The Princess Comes Across,” starring Carole Lombard and Fred Mac Murray, and “Fatal Lady,” starring Mary Ellis.

AVON

“THE PERFECT SPECIMEN”

There are probably thousands of film enthusiasts who regard Errol Flynn, the handsome Irish film star, as “The Perfect Specimen.” It is in a Warner Bros.’ comedy drama of that appropriate title that Errol is now presenting himself. The film i§ drawing full houses at the Avon. Flynn-, besides being good to look at, can handle himself well in any sort of a situation in which he finds himself. In this film he finds himself in two willing fights. As his leading lady he has Joan Blondell. Also in the show are such favourites as Hugh Herbert, Edward Everett Horton, Dick Foran, Beverly Roberts, Allen Jenkins, Hugh O’Connell, May Robson, and others.

The story of “The Perfect Specimen" was written by Samuel Hopkins Adams, author of “It Happened One Night,” and was directed by Michael Curtiz, who guided Flynn through his early triumphs, “Captain Blood” and “The Charge of the Light Brigade!” The film shows Flynn as being brought up by an eccentric and immensely rich grandmother, who wants him to be perfect in every way—as perfect as scores of tutors can make him. Joan Blondell, curious to get a close view at this paragon, of whom she has only heard, drives her car through a light fence on his estate, takes her look at him, then drives away. His curiosity aroused by this stunt, Flynn next day gets an old car, drives to where Joan lives in an adjoining village, and runs his machine through her fence. Then he persuades hf>r to take a ride with him.