KING’S THEATRE
Once in a while the seasoned film reviewer runs smack into a film that makes him yearn for the bandwagon and a chance to beat the big brass drum : The sort of film that flutters his vanity by telling an intelligent story as it were meant for intelligent people; that treats of human characters humanly and exactingly rather than as creatures of fantasy. “Of Mice and Men,” now screening at the King's Theatre, comes into that class —almost a class of its own.
The story from John Stinbeck’s novel and play of the same name, a story of lively people who are lively even when they live in the crowded bunk-house of a Californian ranch. There .is Lennie (Lon Chaney, jun.), the simple-minded giant with a childish-love for the pretty furry things that lie so often destroys with his clumsy hands; and George (Burgess Meredith), who through a childhood attachment, but become Lennie's only friend, the person who gets the great innocent out of his many dangerous scrapes, the one man on earth who can make Lennie do as he wishes. These two makes the main thread of the story, with their queer attachment for each other, Lenne’s blind faith in George, and George’s patient though sometimes exasperated care for Lennie’s welfare. They have a secret between them —a dream, told over and over to the forgetful Lennie, about the little ranch they will have one day, where they can ask a friend to stay the night, and uo boss can sack them and Lennie can tend his rabbits. But in the meantime they must work for wages in Ranch No. 3, where the best is taciturn, given to irritable paper calculations in the office, and where his son Curly, always with a chip on his shoulder, jealously watches over his wife’s most, innocent attempts to “talk to someone human.” A negro, living alone in a corner of the barn because his skin is black, and old Candy, an ex-shepherd, whose only friend is his dog, are also among the lonely ones, working hard for something better —something better that always seems to elude them and is never clearly stated in their own thoughts, except as a desire for security and for the comfort of companionship. With these ingredients, and the magnificent background of a barely ranch in California, the director, Lewis Milstone, has succeeded in making a film which, though it might easily be tagged with the com-mon-place label of “sad,” is still heartening thing to see. Lennie and George old Candy, Curly, and Curly’s wife (Betty Field), the foreman (Charles Bickford), all come alive as real characters, so that
one might simply speak of their real ucquantiuces—a feat of acting and direction not often carried off successfully. Indeed, there is not a flaw in the acting of the large cast, and not a jarring note in the quiet tempo of the story. STATE - THEATRE Fresh material for those who enthuse about mystery films will be found in “Inspector llornleigh on Holiday, the main feature at the State Theatre. As m ethers of the Inspector Hornleigh series Gordon Harker again plays the inspector, and Alastair Sim the Inspector’s grumbling but ungrudging assistant, Sergeant Bingham. The supporting cast is headed by lovely Linden Travers, one of England s more attractive players, who provides a romantic interest to the thrilling story. As if the presence of the Jones Family itself were not sufficient clue tothe uproarious hilarity packed into 20th Cen-tury-Fox’s “Too Busy To Work, the other feature. Joan Davis is found in a ton role. /Mayor Jones’s neglect ot Ins family and business is the inspiration for much of the story of “Too Busy to Work. STATE THEATRE, PETONE
The plot of “Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever,” which will begin a short season at the 'State Theatre, Petone, today, centres on Andy (Mickey Rooney) falling in love with bis new teacher of dramatics, and Jiudge Hardy becoming involved in a crooked /promotion stun/t which threatens luis savinigs as well as those o-f his friends. As well .as Rooney. Lewis Stone, Cecelia Parker, Fay Holden, Sara Haden, and Ann Rutherford, retain their Family roles, and Terry Killburn, as the little boy who worships Andy, to Andy S annoyance, makes his Family debut.
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Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 187, 4 May 1940, Page 16
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713KING’S THEATRE Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 187, 4 May 1940, Page 16
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