PICTURE THEATRES

Evening Star, Issue 24286, 29 August 1942, Page 3

PICTURE THEATRES

REGENT Hollywood’s finest juvenile talent, headed by Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, arrived at the Regent yesterday in the new M.-G.-M. musical, ‘ Babes on Broadway,’ and the result is something to shout about, Both Rooney and Miss Garland have shown their song and dance talent in such musical pictures as ‘ Babes in Arms ’ and ‘ Strike Up the Band,’ but apparently they were only warming up in these earlier productions. For in this one they really “go to town,” not only singing and dancing to the hilt, but delivering a series of impersonations of famous theatre people the like of which has never been seen before on cither stage or screen. The youthful stars have able support in this story of the youngsters who invade New York annually "to seek fame and success on the stage, and after a struggle finally find their names in lights on the Great White Way. Fay Bainter gives a persuasive portrayal of the sympathetic secretary of a hard-boiled producer. Little Virginia Weidler, in her first musical role, proves herself a singer and dancer as well as an actress, and two newcomers from the New York musical comedy stage, Ray McDonald and Richard Quine, reveal a "prodigious talent as Rooney’s dancing partners. EMPIRE When plans were made to produce Paramount’s new feature-length tecbnicolour cartoon, ‘ Mr Bug Goes to Town,’ which is now at the Empire, it was necessary to create a villain with a dictator complex and two subordinate stooge villains. Because ‘ Mr Bug Goes to Town ’ tells a story about humanised insects, it was necessary to find prototypes of humans among the millions of little people of the animal kingdom. So the artiste at the Fleischer studios scouted around and selected, what critics agree is a perfect trio of villains. The cast of characters includes some of the friendliest and funniest insect people imaginable. The supporting picture in a splendid programme is the exciting feature, ‘ Pacific Blackout,’ the first film to come out of Hollywood dealing with civilian defence. The film teams Robert Preston and Martha O’Driscoll, and features Eva Gabor, Philip Merivaie, and Louis. Jean Heydt. Most of the ‘ Pacific Blackout ’ action takes place during a mock air raid and practice blackout in an American city. Loaded with comedy, the picture is a blend of fun, thrills, and suspense. OCTAGON • 49th Parallel,’ which made its Dunedin debut at the Octagon two weeks ago', proved such a. popular attraction that its showing is being continued for yet a third week. The picture has been criticised in some quarters because the big stars —Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier, Raymond Massey, and Anton Walbrook—make comparatively brief appearances, but the wise critic will take the view that their contributions to the film are each a little cameo of perfect acting. Olivier knows few equals, while Anton Walbrook, leader of the Hutterite German settlement, in his quietly impassioned speech on the rights of man is as stirring as a .whole evening of more blatant film propaganda. Leslie Howard, philosophising over his rod and line oh a Canadian lake, is as good as a speech by Churchill. And Raymond Massey ,as the tough, gum-chewing Canadian soldier, mostly in bis shirt tails, is as breathtaking and reassuring as a whole convoy of American Praise, too, to Eric Portman as the single-minded, fanatical Nazi, and to Glyms Johns as the 16-year-old Hulterite girl. MAYFAIR Redolent of all the spirit and humour which carry British soldiers through a war’s difficult situations, and freely embroidered with all sorts of behind-the-lines activity, ‘ Old Bill and Son,’ which stars Bruce Bairnsfather’s world-famous character, Old Bill opens to-night at the. Mayfair. The supporting feature on the programmers ‘Quiet Wedding.’, which is jolly entertainment and of the type theatregoers. have, long been waiting, for. , STATE Irving Berlin's songs, Sonja Henie’s brilliance, Tyrone Power’s romancing, Rudy Vallee’s singing, and Edna May Oliver s fun are the attractions in ‘ Second Fiddle,’ which is playing a return season at the State. It is ‘filled with romance, spectacle, fresh comedy and surprises, including sensational tangos on ice, snow. rhumbas, ice ballets, and the new ballroom dance craze, ‘ Back to Back.’ The play is a realistic story of filrndom’s long search for a girl to play the heroine of a best-selling novel and of what happens when she is found. ‘ Second Fiddle ’ introduces a new’ star, Mary Healy, a lovely young actress first" screen appearance finds her in a romantic role opposite Rudy Vallee. Included in the cast are Lyle Talbot and Alan Dmeliart.

STRAND A gripping drama of the, African wild as a background, ‘ Drums of the Congo,’ the big feature now screening at the Strand, is the story of an international race for a coveted mineral, and the adventures of the secret agents unfold as they race in search of it. Starring in this screen classic is the great character actress, Ona Munson, not portrayed as she was as Belle Watling in ‘ Gone With the Wind ’ and ‘ Mother Giu Sling,’ but as herself, graceful,' slim, and youthful, a pleasing, surprise to .those who have not seen her as she really is. Stuart Erwin, Peggy Moran, Don Terry, Richard Lane, and Jules Bledsoe are Miss Munson’s companions on this cinematographic African adventure in international espionage with a jungle setting. Supporting ’ Drums of the Congo ’ as worth-while entertainment are episodes 5, 6,7, and 8 of ‘ Mandrake the Magician, played by Warren Hull, who baffles all by his illusory stunts. The story revolves around a radium-energy machine invented by Professor Houston. He is seeking a, metal alloy which, combined with steel, will withstand the powerful emanations of radium rays, which disintegrate ordinary ores. Mandrake, in search of the alloy, falls foul of the. Wasp, sinister, mysterious, grasping vice lord, who is trying to steal the machine for criminal uses. Drawn into the web of intrigue, Mandrake uses all his magical and deductive powers in a fight to the finish. GRAND The new production, ‘ Valley of the Sun,’ is the principal attraction on the programme of Western films at the Grand this week. Featuring Lucille Ball, James Craig, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, and Dean Jagger (who plays a very convincing role as an unscrupulous Indian administrator), the story is set against the awe-inspiring background of the famous Taos Indian country in Northern New Mexico, where in the ’sixties of the last century the stupid treatment of the Indians by Army garrisons often fomented trouble and resulted in bloodshed. . Craig plays the part of Jonathan Ware, an Armyscout, who realises this. His sympathy with the Indians arouses the suspicions of his superior,‘and they have him arrested. He escapes, and while hiding from his pursuers,. meets Christine Lanson (Miss Ball), who is about to marry Jim Sawyer (Dean Jagger), a dishonest trader who travel* among the Indians. Ware joins forces with Warrick (Sir Cedric Hardwicke), and. together they attempt to prevent the marriage. After exciting adventures and fight, ing between the Indians and the soldier* Ware is exonerated and Sawyer exposed and subsequently punished. The second film on the programme is ‘Thundering Hoofs,’ starring. Tim Hok. ably supported by Lee (Lasses) White, well known for his portrayal of the typical Western old-timer, and Luana Walters, who provides the romantic interest. ST. JAMES Universal’s ‘ Badlands of Dakota ’ commenced at the St. James yesterday. The film depicts events in the year 1876 in uie territory of Dakota,, and the story concerns Jim Holliday, a young man lately returned from the more civilised East. Jim has a brother who is the owner of a saloon w Deadwood City, and who sends him back to St. Louis to bring to Deadwood his fiancee. This Jim does, and starts on the way back" with Anne Grayson, played by Ann Rutherford. The two fall in love, and before they reach Deadwood are married. Enmity between the brothers is at once aroused, aud the fact that Jim eventually becomes the town marshal and his brother a bandit does little to. improve matters. The burning of Deadwood City by Indians, the robbery of the famous Deadwood stage, the charge .of General Austen’s famous Seventh Cavalry, the killing of the notorious gunman, Wild Bill Hickok by “ Buffalo ” McColl, and the discovery of gold in the Black Hills country are just a few of the wore exciting 1 spectacles of the film.