PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 23369, 12 September 1939, Page 5

PICTURE THEATRES

GRAND ‘ I’ve Got a Horse,’ in which the well-known Yorkshire comedian, Sandy Powell, lias the main part, heads the programme concluding tonight at the Grand. Sandy Powell appears as a small bookmaker. The second picture is ‘ Rank Holiday,’ a British (production in which Margaret Lockwood gives a discerning portrait of the heroine, a nurse. RICHARD DIX STARRED. Playing together for the first time, Richard Dix and Lucille Ball head the east in ‘ Twelve Crowded Hours,’ which will be screened at the Grand to-mor-row. Dix is cast as a newspaper reporter who is determined to crush a policy racket. Miss Ball is cast ns a dancing instructress, whose brother is sent to gaol unjustly as a result of one of Dix’s newspaper stories. The romance of Dix and the girl in the contact shadow of danger is woven throughout the dramatic story. Dix was recently seen in ‘ Sky Giant ’ and ‘ Blind Alibi,’ while Miss Ball’s two previous films were ‘ Beauty for the Asking ’ and ‘ Next Time 1 Marry.’ Produced by RKO Radio, ‘ Twelve Crowded Hours ’ also features Allan Lane, Donald Macßridc, John Arledge, Gy Kendall, and Granville Bates. More than a score of Hollywood’s most beautiful girls appear as co-eds in RKO Radio's | That Girl from College ’ in support, in which Anne Shirley and Janies Ellison have the chief roles. The story is a revelation of the ethics governing some college Greek letter groups. Anne Shirley and James Ellison appear as a romantic, team. The story reveals in dramatic fashion the sacrifices girls make to become members of college sororities. STATE In 1 Submarine Patrol,’ being shown at the State, Twentieth Century-Fox has fashioned a powerful and stirring drama of the “ Splinter Fleet ” in action, focused on one of the ships and her crew that participated in the Durazzo encounter. Masterfully directed by Academy Aw.ard Winner John Ford and produced by Darryl F. Zannck. Twentieth Century-Fox production chief, ‘ Submarine Patrol ’ is widely acclaimed for its vivid characterisations and swift action. Three sub. chasers—• actual survivors of the “ Splinter Fleet ” —were used in filming the sea sequences, and most of the featured players and the many extras are men who at some time or another have had actual navy training. The cast includes Richard Greene, as a wealthy young socialite who joins the “ Splinter Fleet ” for adventure, Nancy Kelly in the role of the captain’s daughter aboard a munition freighter, Preston Foster, and George Bancroft. DRAMA OF THE TURF. Latest recruit to the ranks of juvenile stars is young Roger Daniel, who shares honours with Adolphe Menjou in * King of the Turf,’ which will be the next attraction at the State. This ■film tells the story of a formerly wealthy racehorse owner who has become a drunken race track hanger-on. He meets a young jockey who has read of him in his heydey and who gets him to attempt a come-back. . He purchases an almost unmanageable' thoroughbred for a ridiculous price, and, with the boy’s help, sets out to train it. But, unknown to the owner, the lad has nm away from his home. The horse is a ■winner, and the boy’s mother sees his photograph and thinly disguised alias in a paper, and makes the discovery that the nowq-chabilitated owner is her former husband, and the boy his son. Neither of the pair is aware of this, and the boy still docs not know when his mother arrives to claim him. He cannot lose his love of racing, however, and his father, now a rather pathetic figure, has to resort to crookedness to cure him. Dolores Costello plays the part of the mother. Supporting items are a technicolour novelty, ‘ Strange Occupations,’ a newsreel, and a highly interesting* 1 and well-photographed film of insect life. EMPIRE A particularly clever screen play, ‘ Fast and Loose,’ released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, is at the Empire. It alternates between brilliant farce and melodrama, tempering the tense thrills of a murder mystery with the light relief of a comedy love story, the love story vmmiirrod by the usual Hollywood .sentiment. Indeed, throughout the dialogue is crisp and sparkling, and the action swift and progressive, leaving no room for any extraneous passages—a fine piece of screencraft. The story is an amusing one—Yhongh one forgets that at times, when it becomes pure thriller. Robert Montgomery plays the part of a bibliophile who combines with this pursuit a flair for amateur detective work, an original combination. Joel Sloan is the name. He is asked to purchase a rare and valuable Shakespeare manuscript for a client, and to do so goes to stay at the country man-, sion of Nicholas Torrant, once a wealthy collector, now in financial difficulties. ANOTHER FRANKENSTEIN. ‘ Son of Frankenstein,’ which will head the next programme at the Empire, is an eerie production in which Basil Rathbone plays Wolf Frankenstein, bent on carrying on the unnatural experiments of his father, while Boris Karloff recreates the monster role. Bela Lugosi, who played the title role in ‘ Dracula,’ assumes an even more terrifying character as Ygor. a crazed shepherd. The story begins when young Dr Wolf Frankenstein arrives at