PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 23691, 26 September 1940, Page 6

PICTURE THEATRES

REGENT

IF 1 Ninotchka,’ her new Him to finish to-night at the Regent, is any criterion, Greta Garbo has abandoned her more or less permanent role as a gloomy, reticent tragedienne. She is seen as a slick, suave comedienne. THRILLING MEXICAN. In the re-creation of one of the most dramatic stories in the history of Mexico, the film ‘Juar.ez,’ coming to the Regent to-morrow, also seems to forecast in miniature the great world movements of our time. Jt is’claimed to be by far the most ambitious production ever undertaken by Warner Bros.’ studio. Ranging in the settings from the magnificence of Kuropean palaces to the arid Mexican terrain, on which a peon army won back the independence of their nation from an imperialistic invader, the production is calculated to dazzle the beholder with its magnificence and convince with its fidelity and authenticity. Two Academy Award winners in Raul Muni and Rette Davis, lending screen artists of their time, play the loading roles in ‘Juarez,’ while an army of screen celebrities head a large supporting cast—Brian Ahcrno. Claude Rains, John Garfield, Donald Crisp. Joseph Calloia, Gale Sondergaard. Gilbert Roland, and Henry O’Neill.

EMPIRE

The story of tlio brutal Apache Indian Geronimo, who terrorised the Western States of America after the Civil War, is told in tho picture of the same name, which is to finish to-night at the Empire. with Preston Foster in the principal role. M'CARTHY, DETECTIVE. „ Charlie M'Carthy attains tho status of a star in his new Universal offering, ‘ Charlie M'Carthy, Detective,’ which will bo seen to-morroy at the Empire. Of course, Edgar Bergen shares tho starring position with Chahlie. edging in on every one of Charlie’s scenes, but not attempting to steal anything from M'Carthy. Mortimer Snerd, another of Bergen’s family, is also starred. ‘ Charlie M'Carthy, Detective,’ is a murder mystery story, with Charlie (with Bergen’s aid) ultimately unravelling the maze of twisted chics and pinning the crime on tho guilty party. The story is unusually sound, and with Bergen’s inimitable comedy offers good entertainment. Hebert Cummings, Constance Moore, and John Sutton furnish the romantic element of tho story, with Cummings as a magazine columnist. Miss Moore as Bergen’s partner in his night club act. and Sutton as Miss Moore’s sweetheart.

STATE

Appreciative audiences at the State are spontaneously acclaiming Walter Wanger’s presentation of ‘ The House Across tho Bay ’ as unusual and satisfying entertainment. It is to finish tonight. George Raft and Joan Bennett play the loads. 'DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK.’ Of all the possible ways there arc of presenting action for the public’s entertainment, the screen has proved time and again its unrivalled power in this field. Reading about action always left the actual picture of excitement to the reader’s own imagination, while action on the stage is limited by space, props - , and scope. This is again indicated in Darryl F. Zanuek’s production of ‘ Drums Along the Mohawk,’ which*is filmed in technicolonr, under the direction of John Ford, and will open to-morrow at tho State. Action is not the only highlight of ‘ Drums Along the Mohawk.’ Starred in the film are Claudette Colbert and Henry Fonda, as a pair of young pioneers who settle in the Mohawk Valley and soon find themselves under the onslaught of the savage Iroquois. In the days when torch and tomahawk spread their terror, these two braved the wilderness together.

ST. JAMES

Tlic übiquitous Alaisic Ravicr goes to Africa in ‘Congo Maisie,’ to finish to-night at the St. James, and she has many exciting adventures, being mixed up in a native uprising. The second film. ‘ Dangerous Fingers,’ deals with the adventures of a master crook. HAMBOURG AND HEUGHAN. One of the chief points of interest in 1 Talking Feet,’ which will bo shown at the St. James to-morrow, is that among the cast are two artists who arc personally known to many in Dunedai. and whoso visits are still remembered by many more. They are the celebrated pianist, Mark Hamboprg, and the popular Scottish' singer, William Heughan. ‘ Talking Feet ’ has been well received in the North Island, and the St. James is to have the South Island premiere. The film tells the story of a little girl and her friends raising money to save their local hospital from closing down, and it will introduce a number of new and old favourites, including Hazel Ascot, known the world over as the “ Little Sunbeam.” In this picture this nine-year-old wonder star, who is also Finland’s champion dancer, takes the leading role, and will warm the hearts of all who see her.

STRAND

Tlic film version of Damon Runyon’s story, ‘ .)oe and Ethel Turp Call on the President ’ is to finish to-night at the Strand. William Gargan and Ann Sotlicrn aro ideally suited to the top roles. The second picture is ‘ Santa Fe Marshal,’ another Hopalong Cassidy story. AFRICAN THRILLS. A fantastic and little-known provision of the Versailles 'Treaty is the basis for Universal’s adventure drama, 1 Zanzibar,’ which comes to-morrow to the Strand, with Lola Lane, James Craig, and Eduardo Cianelli in feature rolek. Lifted intact from the worldfamous document, the provision commanded that the sacred skull of an African Sultan which was removed from German East Africa bo turned over to the British Government. Described as an ideal theme for thrilling action drama, the story presents Miss Lane as a noted woman explorer seeking to find the skull. The supporting feature will be a new ‘ Hlondio ’ story, starring Penny Singleton.

1 THRILLING MURDER MYSTERIES

ONE WITH COMEDY TOUGH A murder-mystery. with comedy predominant —‘ Free, Blonde, and til ’ — heads the new bill at the Grand. It has a large cast of women, headed by Bynn Ban. Action takes place in a big metropolitan hotel. In support Ls 1 'the Spicier,’ another mystery story, with Diana Churchill and Derrick cle Marney starred. Lovely Lynn Bari, Mary Beth Hughes’ Katharine Aldridge, and Helen Ericson head the beauty brigade at the Sherrington, the metropolitan hotel for women in ‘ Free, Blonde, and 21,’ the new Twentieth Century-Fox film. Joan Davis lends her matchless comedy touch as the hotel maid; Henry Wilcoxon, Robert Lowery, and Alan Baxter are the chief males in the picture, and Chick Chandler plays Joan’s taxi-driver boy friend. Lynn Bari is seen as a cultured girl who falls. in love with a distinguished doctor in flic person of Henry Wilcoxon. Mary Beth Hughes plays an alluring, selfcentred blonde who finds the devotion of W’ilcoxon's assistant, Robert Lowery, inadequate, because the busy life of an impecunious young doctor leaves him insufficient time and money to satisfy her craving for fun and luxury. In her love <jf adventure, she takes up with a dubious young stranger, iplaycd by Alan Baxter, and soon finds herself dangerously entangled in a murder mystery, in which she selfishly proceeds to involve Lowery, Lynn Bari, and Wilcoxon ns well. The mail train is thundering through the night and most of the passengers arc asdeep when suddenly there is a grinding of brakes. The communication cord has been pulled. The guard of the train hastens along the corridors to find the cause; he comes to a tirsti class compartment; on the floor is a beautiful young girl lying unconscious and the door open. The unravelling of the motive behind this mysterious occurrence forms the enthralling plot of ‘ The Spider,’ the G.B.D. action drama. Derrick de Marney, the well-known screen, stage, and radio actor, plays the role of Gilbert Silver, of the C.1.D., who is given charge of the case. He is aided in liis efforts to solve the mystery and also capture the notorious jewel thief, ‘ The Spider,’ by his'yomtg wife, Sally (Diana Churchill). Glamorous Joan Gillie plays the role of Clare Marley, a stage star in this film, which was directed by Maurice Elvcy, and the remainder of the east comprises manynoted artists, including Cecil Parker. Frank Collier. Edward Lexv. Ronald Shiner, Allan Jcaycs, Moira Lynd, and Anthony Holies.

OCTAGON

* Rebecca,’ Alfred Hitchcock’s brilliant screen adaptation of Daphne du Manner's unusual story, continues to attract large audiences to the Octagon. The sombre atmosphere of the Cornish mansion in which the story is unfolded lias been faithfully captured by the director, and tho performances of the two principals, Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine, still further raise the high level of the production. Miss Fontaine plays the role of an unsophisti-i 'rated girl who marries a rich young Cornishman, whoso life and that of his household is ruled by tho spirit of his dead wife. Tho struggle of the young girl to rise above the sombre atmosphere and capture the love of her husband makes a gripping story which mounts to an unusual climax.

MAYFAIR

When a millionaire’s wife plans a trip to Reno so she can marry a playboy, his son neglects the family pumpmaking business for polo, and the daughter travels with a crowd of gold-fish-gulpers, something should be done. What that something is and the sidesplitting results make up the theme of ‘ Fifth Avenue Girl.’ RKO Radio’s latest starring vehicle for Ginger Rogers, at the Mayfair. Flyers blazing an air trail over the Alaskan wilderness are the central figures in Universal’s new Richard Avion, Andy Devine costarring action drama, ‘ Legion of Lost Flyers,’ which is the associate feature. The now team offers two more adventurous characterisations, Arlen as an ace pilot, and Andy as a mechanic at an Alaskan airport.