PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 24284, 27 August 1942, Page 8

PICTURE THEATRES

MAYFAIR Tlio main feature om the programme which commenced yesterday at the Mayfair was t lie thrilling aviation epic, 'I Wanted Wing?.’ The stars of this drama of airmen in the making are Ray Millaml, Wayne Morris, and Brian Donlevt, who appear as an intrepid trio in training at the Hying school. 'Che outstanding feminine lead in the film is taken by Constance Moore, who gives a brilliant performance. Also starred in the cast is the over-popular player, William Holden. An additional presentation on the bill is the latest, ‘ March of Time ’ release, ‘ When Air Raids Strike.’

TO-MORROW S PROGRAMMES

REGENT America’s popular film star, Mickey Rooney, heads the east of ‘ Babes on Broadway,’ which will be released at the Regent to-morrow, and his performance demonstrates beyond doubt why filmgoers in the United Slates have made him a favourite. With the inimitable Judy Garland, he infuses a contagious zest into this singing and dancing film, which is a departure from and an improvement on its many predecessors dealing with Broadway and Forty-second street. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer excel in this typo of production, and ‘ Babes on Broadway ’ is one of their best. Mickey’s most hilarious contribution to the show is his impersonal ion of Carmen Miranda, and Judy Garland introduces a number of new songs. The supporting programme contains a, range of interesting subjects. EMPIRE Bright, thrilling, and realistic entertainment, Paramount's ‘ Pacific Blackout,’ the principal attraction on the change of programme at the Empire to-morrow, has considerable topical interest. The inventor of a secret range finder for anti-aircraft guns is “ framed ” by enemy agents, escapes the police, and is befriended by a naive telephonist during a practice blackout in a large American coastal city. Drama and comedy alternate in a splendidly-produced ami well-directed film. Robert Preston shares the romantic roles with newcomer Martha O’Driscoll, a lovely and vivacious young actress. The second feature is a musical comedy cartoon, ‘ Mr Bug Goes (o Town, 1 featuring a host of new “ movie ” stars, including Honey Bee, the heroine; Hoppity, the grasshopper hero; and C. Bagley Beetle, the villain. In the film, which tells the story of a community of little bugs who are so much alike that it is difficult to distinguish them, Hoppity and his kind friend Mr Bumble are out looking for a safe place to live. They get lost in a garden pail, and are almost drowned when the owner of the pail turns the tap on them. The picture is full of fun and sparkling music. STATE frying Berlin’s new songs, Soiija Hcnic’s brilliance, Tyrone Power’s romancing, Rudy Vallec’s singing, and Edna May Oliver’s fun arc the attractions for Irving Berlin’s ‘ Second Fiddle,’ which will be opened at the Stale to-morrow. It is filled with romance, spectacle, fresh comedy, six new Berlin songs, and surprises,, including sensational tangoes on ice, snow rhumbas, ice ballets, and (he new ballroom dance craze, the ‘ Back to Back.’ The film is a realistic story of lihndom’s long search for a girl to play the heroine of a best-selling novel and what, happens when she is found. ‘ Second Fiddle ’ introduces a now slar, Mary,Healy, whose first screen appearance finds her in a romantic role opposite Rudy Vallee. Included in the cast arc Lyle Talbot and Alan Dinchart. ST. JAMES An American story of the courageous pioneering days with all the old, popular ingredients, ‘ Badlands of the Dakota,’ which heads the now programme at the St. James to-morrow, is nevertheless full of action and lively melodrama. The sheriff of Deadwood (Robert Stack) has been sent by his much more masterful brother, burly Broderick Crawford, to fetch the latter’s fiance, but on the journey back the young people marry. The other lakes it so hard that ho joins forces with the local bullion bandits who operate disguised as marauding Sioux. Drama is halted frequently for ( lie inject ion of routine comedy by Hugh Herbert and Andy Devine, and beautiful Francos Farmer has io grapple valiantly with the historic, hard-bitten role of Calamity Jane. Richard Dix is at homo as the famous Wild Bill Hickok. OCTAGON The outstanding and iindiuiinished popularity which has marked the screening of ‘ Forty-ninth Parallel ’ at the Octagon for the past two weeks has decided the management to continue the season for another week. In one centre alone in the North Island this film ran for for six consecutive weeks to capacity houses. The four stars, Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier, Anton Walbrook, and Raymond Massey, gave their services free in the making of the film. The bright light of popularity that beats down upon the principals is inclined to leave Erie Portman in the shadow, but those who have seen the film give . full praise to this actor for his amazing portrayal of the relentless, _ fanatical Nazi U-boat commander who is hunted across Canada and must roach the American border 1o regain the safety of a neutral country (as the United .Slates was then). STRAND ‘ Drums of the Congo,’ a jungle action drama with weird “voodoo” rituals, is the principal offering in the change of fare at the Strand to-morrow. The featured artists in the cast arc Ona Munson, Stuart Erwin, Peggy Moran, Don Terry, Richard Lane Jules Blcdsloe, and Tiirham Bev. M iss Munson, the noted character actress, makes her debut in a romantic role. She portrays a young doctor who lends a United States Intelligence Department operative to the source of the Vioo Mezi, a highly carbonised meteorite substance believed to bo valuable in the manufacture of armaments. In (he supporting picture, ‘ Mandrake, the Magician,’ four more thrilling chapters— 1 The Devil’s Playmate,’ ‘ The Fatal Crash,’ ‘ Gamble For Life,’ and • Across the Deadline ’ —wfll bo screened, and an excellent all-round entertainment will conclude with a further episode in the serial, ‘ Don Winslow of the Navy.’