PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 21747, 15 June 1934, Page 7

PICTURE THEATRES

ST. JAMES The accumulation of the star turns of a number of extremely popular British ; Broadcasting Company stars, and the weaving of a story around thenclever and novel presentations, have resulted in a delightful radio musical entitled ‘On the Air.’ It is seldom that the opportunity occurs for one to both see and hear favourite broadcasting and recording artists, and for this reason alone ‘ On the Air ’ should prove very acceptable entertainment. The fame of the many artists concerned makes it unnecessary to dilate on their talent as screen performers, for in practically every instance they register their act precisely as they would before the microphone, and patrons who know their radio stars will know exactly what to expect. It is sufficient to state that among the most prominent in a cast of fifty stars arc Clapbam and Dwyer. Scott and Whaley, Teddy Brown, Betty Astcll, Reginald Purdell, Davy Burnaby, Derek Oldham, Anona Winn, Hugh Wright. Mario de Pietro. Jane Carr, Eve Beck. Harry Champion. Max Wall, Laurie Devine, Edwin Styles, Buddy Bradley’s Rhythm Girls, and Roy Fox’s Band. ‘On the Air ’ was initially released by British Dominions Films at the St. James Theatre to-day. An intensely interesting picture entitled ‘ Tembi.’ comprises a portion of. a. most entertaining short programme. The management of the St. James personally recommends this film, which presents in graphic fashion a journey of 12,000 miles thro-ugh the junglefastness ,of Central Africa. It is a unique pictorial record, and one which forms'an attraction in itself. STATE ‘ Flying Down to Rio,’ at the State Theatre, is a swift-moving musical comedy-drama set at a Brazilian tempo that fascinates and intrigues. It is an 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,land 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 composer-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 is one of the most entertaining pictures shown in Dunedin for some time. A Pathe review and also the latest newsreels round off a most entertaining programme. EMPIRE Five hit numbers have been concocted by the battery of song and lyric writers who worked on the score of 1 Take a Chance,’ the filmusical which Laurence Schwab, William. Rowland, and Monto j Brice produced in New York for Paramount, and'which is now at the Empire Theatre. Jay Gorney, Lou Alter, and Herman Hupfeld wrote the music, and E. Y. Harburg, Billy Rose, and Arthur Swanstrom composed the lyrics for the score and the following snappy numbersl Did It With My Little Ukulele,’ written by Harburg and Gorney and sung by Cliff Ed-, wards against a “ goofy ” travelogue background, showing how “Ukulele Ike ” escapes from various perils by means of the instrument; ‘ New Deal Rhythm,’ written by Harburg and Gorney and sung by James Dunn, June Knight, Lillian Roth, Lilian Bond, Lona Andre, and Edwards, and danced by the chorus of fifty; ‘ It’s Only a Paper Moon,’ written by Harburg and Harold Arlen, the latter the composer of the famous 1 Stormy Weather ’ number. In addition Laurence Schwab wrote new lyrics for ‘ Eadie Was a Lady,’ the smash hit from the Broadway stage version of Take a Chance, ’- which was written by Buddy De Sylva, and which is sung in the film by Lillian Roth; and finally June Knight sings ‘ Should I Be Sweet ?’ another De Sylva song from the Broadway • production. ‘ Take a Chance , ; is the story of four side show carnival entertainers who go to New York and win fame and fortune bn Broadway after many hectic adventures which carry them back stage into a crooked gambling ball, and finally to the homes of Long Island’s socially elite. Special featurettes are screened, and organ selections are played by Miss Iris Mason. REGENT Once every year the goggle eyed Eddie Cantor, Samuel Goldwyn, and the famous Goldwyn ballet combine to make an extravaganza of musical comedy and spectacular settings. Local theatregoers have seen and enjoyed ■ Whoopee,’ ‘Palmy Days,’ and ‘The Kid From Spain ’ in successive years, but these great shows are aIT eclipsed by ‘Roman Scandals,’ which commenced to-day at the Regent Theatre. The shrinking and wistful Eddie Cantor was delightful when surrounded by wild Red Indians as in ‘ Whoopee,’ or by infuriated bulls as in ‘The Kid From Spain,’ but it is said that the terrifying intrigues of the court of Valerius and Agrippa provide the little comedian with an even richer vein of humour to exploit. The picture opens in a modern American city,.West Rome, where Eddie, considered to be the nincompoop of the district, runs foul of a gang of unscrupulous politicians and financial magnates. Rough handling by the city police makes the aggrieved young man express the wish that he were back in ancient Rome, and before he realises it he finds himself in toga aud sandals, confronted by three extremely aggressive Roman legionaries. He finds himself a person suspected of the roost serious designs on ,the > State, and is offered for sale at public auction as a slave. Then commences a series of adventures in which only the most amazing good fortune saves him from being flayed to death, boiled in oil, and tortured to death. Eddie, or Oedipus, as he is called, seeks safety in flight; and then begins the most.ludi-

crous, uproarious, and thrilling chariot race seen on the screen. GRAND Many films have been described as “unusual,” but the epithet has never been so well deserved as in the case of ‘Romantic New Zealand,’ which commenced its second week at the Grand Theatre to-day. It is not merely a scenic picture, nor is it an historical one,, but is both,, and something more as well. All the resources of the country we live iu were called on parade before the eye pt the camera to make this film the success that it is. Filmcraft Ltd., a New Zealand enterprise, co-operated with tlje New Zealand Tourist and Publicity Department, iu-the arrangements for making the picture, and the assistance of Trucolour Films Ltd. was called in . to add a touch of colour to the effort. In this connection it is of interest to note that the process used by Trucolour Films is a dominion invention, and all will readily admit that the scenes recorded by this process are by far the best colour pictures yet placed on the screen. From a scenic point, of view, the film leaves nothing to be desired. Commencing With the thermal region of the . North Island, the outstanding tourist attractions of all parts of the country are covered from many angles. In the hot lakes district and around Rotorua the cameraman has let few matters of interest escape him, and those who have visited these areas will find the film the more interesting as one familiar incident after another is unfolded. The winter sports at Mount Cook and Tongariro National Park are depicted in. such a way that they leave one with a sense of loss if'one has not taken part. The might of the great glaciers of the Southern Alps is graphically shown,, and the majestic forests—kauri in the far north and evergreens in the southare given their share of attention. The four; main centres of population are photographed from above and all around.. The agricultural pursuits of Canterbury and the pastoral industry of Taranaki are scenes' which will be well' remembered, and the great flocks of sheep seen in many other ,parts of the country represent the dominion’s greatest source of wealth. The producers have not forgotten the gold mining industry, : and another , outstanding feature of the film is the manner in which the big game fishing of the northern waters and the trout fishing of Lake Taupo and. many rivers are displayed, STRANG ‘ Bombay Mail.’ a well-executed mystery drama played by a cast of screen favourites, opened at the Strand to-day. It has many facets which lift it out of the ruck of stories of ii similar type. The plot, although it utilises the time-honoured single setting for a murder mystery, has considerable atmosphere in excellent simulation of the’authentic, and makes use of; complications to good effect in casting suspicion on, the quota of passengers involved in the crime. Needless to say, the, person least suspected is revealed as the murderer, but the drama losesnothing by its use of this trick. Rather it gains, for this is a most important feature of any mystery play. Actually there are two murders, so the audience gets good value for ' its money. The leading roles are well handled ,by a pretty young newcomer, Shirley Grey, and one of the oldest of’favourites, Edmund Lowe. Shirley Grey gives a distinctly clever performance. Lowe, of course, needs no introduction. He is: aptly: cast as a police inspector, and obviously revels in the characterisation, to the complete satisfaction of the audience. Ferdinand Gottschalk, the noted character actor, whose' appearances are all too few, has an important part as Sir Anthony Daniels, the Governor fo am Indian province. His wife is played by flic sophisticated Hcdda Hopper, who makes a small role noteworthy by clever handling; ■ The supporting "programme is a good one.

GGTAGGN The theatre-going public thinks of movie stars as people living in palaces and. receiving large weekly salary, cheques. That,, however, is only one side of the picture. It . requires prolonged effort and frequently continued strain to hold a place on the honour roll of the screen. , An Olympic champion does not go through as intense ; and agonising a conditioning as did Jack Holt in preparation for the Columbia picture ,* Master of Men,’ now at the Octagon Theatre. In this feature Holt starts life as the foreman of a steel mill. The. steel mill we see on the screen is .not the ' master craftsmanship of the scenic designer. The sequences were taken in a steel mill during the process of smelting the'ore and converting it into useful metal. Do you know liow hot it is in a steel mill? It is much too warm for an individual to endure for any length of , time unless he is hardened to it. For six weeks Jack Holt appeared daily at the mill and worked nest to the furnace so that he would be in condition. He slowly became accustomed to the terrific heat, and when'the scenes were finally taken he did not spoil the sequences by succumbing to the abnormal working conditions. Jack had more to do than, become accustomed to the heat.' He had to learn, how to operate the steel mill machinery and when to leap aside as the molten metal conies rushing out of the furnace into the moulds. It is not knowledge that can be acquired in a day. It took Jack Holt/master sportsman though-he is, six weeks to acquire sufficient knowledge and training to, act the, parti of the foreman in_‘ Master of Men.’ None of this training appears on -the■ screen and none of it is in -.the salary cheque, but it is part of every, star’s work. Sometimes it is wording in a steel mill, sometimes it is learning to drive a racing car -or a speed boat; but it. is all necessary. Being a star is hardly child’s play. KING EDWAW ‘ Luxury Liner;’ a film which relator the drama in the lives of the passengers aboard a magnificent, ocean liner during the six da vs of its voyage from Europe to America, is at the King Edward Theatre to-night. George Brent, Zit* Johann.. Vivienne Osborne, Alice White, Beree Teasdale, C. 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 1 effect a reconciliation with his wife, Miss Osborne, who had eloped, aboard it with another man. Miss Johann plays the role of a nurse, hfs assistant, whose kindness helps him forget his own troubles when he, is called, time after time, to administer to ailing patients. So frequent are the calls that he is unable to catch more than an occasional glimpse, of hia wife. 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 everyone on the vessel. Her ultimate step is one which’ i leaves the doctor and the nurse free ■to straighten out their own tangled lives together., i There are interesting supports. ■