PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 21745, 13 June 1934, Page 3

PICTURE THEATRES

STATE’S NEW ATTRACTION As was uxjxscted from advance notices of ‘ Fiji rig Down to Rio,’ it is a swiftmoving musical comedy-drama set at a Brazilian tempo that fascinates and intrigues. A largo audience at the midnight matinoe at the State Theatre last night was thrilled at the daring episodes in this unusual story of an American dance band leader, a Brazilian senorita, and her Brazilian lover. Dolores del Rio's Latin beauty is a splendid foil for the blonde attractiveness of Gene Raymond, while Raoul Roulien provides the third side to the triangle as the fiance of the lady and sings in a glorious tenor voice the theme song. Highlights in the romance of the girl and her impetuous lover include an amazing musical comedy in the sky. Ballet girls strapped to the wings of aeroplanes go through all the evolutions that have made them famous on the boards; parachutists perform skilfully; aeroplanes write signs in the sky- adagio dancers do acrobatic turns, and a girl is tossed from one aeroplane to another. Scenes in a cabaret show the Carioca dancers en masse going through the steps of this blood-stirring Brazilian craze, while native dancers follow with their version of the newest in dances. When Gene Raymond meets the eyes of Dolores del Rio over a cafe table the young com-poser-musician is smitten, and much against the warnings of his second in command sees the thing through, though it brings heartache, until the fiance, who is incidentally a friend of the composer, sacrifices his claims in favour of the American, the romance ending in a wedding in the air. Fred Astaire, brother-partner of the famous Adele (now Lady Cavendish), has an ideal part, and his step and eccentric dancing, solo and with Miss “ Ginger ” Rogers, is a rare treat. ‘ Flying Down to Rio,’ with its Spanish atmosphere and aviation interest, will be a strong attraction during its currency. It js one of the most entertaining pictures shown in Dunedin for some time. EMf IRE The exceptional success of ‘ Cradle Song,’ at the Empire, could be attributed to the personality of Dorothea Wieck, the German star of the Berlin film ‘ Maedchen in Uniform,’ which unfortunately had its success with a public outside Australia and-New Zealand. The story of ‘ Cradle Song ’ is that of Sister Joanna, religeuso in a small Spanish village; Never having felt the fire of a great love, prohibited by her vows from ever bringing into the world a child so necessary to satisfy her maternal love, Sister Joanna feels all too keenly the maternal instinct when an abandoned child named Teresa is given to her care. She sees the child grow to womanhood. When Teresa falls in love with a young engineer fear strikes at Sister Joanna’s heart, fear of being supplanted in the child’s affection. The child does go, leaving Sister Joanna behind with her memories, all jealousy gone. But there remains a sense of pride, a joy of accomplishment in her foster-child’s perfection. Miss Wieck is seen as Sister Joanna. Evelyn Venable makes her film debut in the part of Teresa, while Sir Guy Standing is well cast as a kindly old doctor. Kent Taylor plays the role of the young engineer. BT. JAMES A struggle on principles between two august .professions—medicine and journalism—forms the foundation of the story in ‘ House of Trent,’ at the St. James. In a campaign against a system of hospital administration, the ‘ Daily Sun ’ happens to wreck the life of a proud and respectable family for the chance of publicity, and, an evidently minor consideration, to expose a serious fault at his source. The fault is admittedly a danger to the public, and the newspaper is certainly within its altruistic rights. But when the battle involves the proprietor’s, daughter—:well, that is different. So the House of Trent rises, falls, and is resurrected, while the romance of life goes on. The film should bo seen by many sorts of people, for it concerns many. It is a gripping story of cruel misunderstanding. ignorance, unwarranted condemnation and deep affection—both in the family of young Dr Trent and outside of it. The beautiful Wendy darrie is a fitting secondary lead to Anne Grey, whose reputation now needs no special mention to picturegoers. Anne Grey is first the bride of thirty years ago and later the mother of today, and she plays her part with the enthusiasm of youth and the sympathy of maturity as the periods demand Her son, John Trent, is played by John Stuart, who is a pleasing young doctor and a generally sane lover. GRAND The picture ‘ Romantic New Zealand,’ at the Grand Theatre, is one which may best be described as a pictorial cyclopaedia of New Zealand, for it deals with this country from the point of view of the historian, the admirer , of scenic gems, the sportsman, the bird lover, and the student of the Native and his customs. Indeed, it is by far the- most comprehensive record of its kind that has ev;er been made in New Zealand. It was produced by Trucolour Films Ltd., in co-operation with the Government Tourist and Publicity Department,. and no effect was spared to make the production as successful as possible. Much of the seen-

err is filmed by the Trucolour process, a "New Zealand invention, which fully lives up to the claim that it records natural colours to perfection, fn the opening scenes the life of the .Maori is pictured as it was lived many years before the white man came to those shores, and from time to tune the picturesque Native appears again, and his methods of cooking, playing, and fighting are graphically described. The picture goes on to describe the discovery of New Zealand by Captain Cook, and some of the oldest buildings in the country—those at the Bay of Islands — are shown, as is the site of the signing of the Treaty of Waitnngi. Modern New Zealand is nest the subject of treatment, and the audience is transported by air over Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, and Christchurch, and many interesting views of portions of these cities are also shown. The big game fishing of the northern waters is shown with all its thrills, and the salmon fishing at Lake Te Anau are also dealt with. This portion of the picture should prove of particular value in advertising the dominion overseas, for the specimens shown as anglers’ catches are sufficient to lure any enthusiast to the waters that harbour such fish. The winter sports at Mount Cook and at Tongariro National Park receive special treatment, and the mountain scenery in all parts of the country is displayed to the best advantage. , REGENT ‘ Night Flight,' a gripping aviation drama devoid of mock heroics and sham sentimentality, continues to attract capacity audiences to the Regent Theatre. The all-star cast includes such brilliant players as John and Lionel Barrymore, Helen Hayes, Robert Montgomery. Clark Gable, and Myrna Loy. It is an air picture which does not depend alone on its beautiful photography for effect, for ‘ Night Flight ’ has a story to tell, the true-tq-life narrative of the work of the night mail carriers who risk their lives in storms and over hazardous mountain'routes in order that someone may receive a letter in the shortest possible time. The tale concerns Jdhn Barrymore, an air mail company manager, whose creed is that the mail must go through: Robert Montgomery, pilot on the transandean run in South America; , Clark Gable, shooting northward through a terrific storm from Patagonia; and Helen Hayes, Gable’s worry-distracted leife. Lionel Barymore, as the shiftless, easygoing inspector of planes, is the perfect foil for his stern brother. There is a tremendous thrill in the manner in which the director cuts back and forth from Gable in his storm-battling plane; to Barrymore, tense in his office; to Helen Hayes, frantic over unfavourable wireless reports. . There is great suspense in scenes showing the petrol gauge of Gable’s plan dropping lower and lower, until finally it registers “empty”—with no ground in sight through the thick storm, clouds. Every foot of the film rings true, for it is the most authentic story of its kind ever written. OCTAGON An outstanding cast enacts ‘ I Loved You ' Wednesday,’ at the Octagon Theatre. Warner Baxter, Elissa Land), Miriam Jordan, Victor Jory. and Laura Hope Crewes are the featured players. The story of the film, which is an adaptation of the Broadway stage success, concerns an exotic ballet artist, who becomes the world’s most famous dancer. But the plot does not wholly concentrate on her success. It dramatises her love -affairs and the underlying forces that keep her from the man who adores her. Imposed upon by a philandering dilettante oh:.her,'.student days, she cherishes this first romantic love as a thing of beauty. Later, when true love comes, ' the memory of that first affair and the glamorous life she has led as a great public favourite combine to shake her confidence in her own judgment. In a climax that is reported to be one of great dramatic force, she' finds happiness with the man who loves her for what she is rather than what she stands for. A novel feature of the screen play is the introduction of the colossal work at Boulder Dam. at which thousands of engineering pioneers and workers are led by Warner Baxter in man’s struggle for supremacy over Nature. STRAND Edward G. Robinson can always be depended upon to give a sterling portrayal, and his performance in ‘ I Loved a Woman,’ the current attraction at the Strand, is no exception to the rule. Those who saw him in ‘ Silver Dollar ’ will welcome the opportunity of seeing him in a somewhat similar, but more modern role. When the story opens he is a young man of artistic tastes who does not deign to enter his father’s tinned meat business because he considers such work is beneath him. On the death of his father he is forced into the business, and tries to run it on idealistic lines until he meets an opera singer, who persuades him that power is the only thing worth striving for. Her influence over him becomes so great that the impractical visionary is transformed itno a ruthless business man. There is a dramatic climax. The supporting players include Kay Francis, Genevieve Tobin. Robert Barrat, and J, Farrell MacDonald. XIMG EDWARD ‘Luxury Liner,’ a film which relates the drama in the lives of the passengers aboard a magnificent ocean liner during the six days of its voyage from Europe to America, will he screened at the King Edward Theatre to-night. George Brent, Zita Johann, Vivienne Osborne, Alice White, Berree Teasdale, 0. Aubrey Smith, and Frank Morgan head the “ passenger list ” in the film. Brent is cast as a physician who secures himself the position of ship’s doctor for the voyage so that, he may attempt to affect a reconciliation with his wife, Miss Osborne, who had eloped aboard it with another man. Miss Johann plays the role of a nurse, his assistant, whose kindness helps him forget his own troubles when he is called, time after time, to administer to ailing patients. Those glimpses, however, are enough to make him question the value of his former grief, and to drive her to desperate measures which vitally affect the lives of every one on the vessel. Her ultimate step is one which leaves the doctor and the nurse free to straighten out their own tangled lives together. There will he an interesting programme of supports