AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24399, 10 September 1940, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

IHE CURRENT PROGRAMMES STRAND THEATRE Pat O'Brien and Ann Sheridan head the cast in " Devil on Wheels," one of the features at the Strand Theatre at present. It is a thrilling tale of motor racing, and the efforts of a man to save his younger brother, a dare-devil youth, from the perils of the sport. The principals have the support of John Payne, Gale Page and Frank McHugh. Bill Boyd is starred in " Stagecoach War," the other film. It is a fine outdoor adventure story, which is told, and there are many scenes of excitement as the days are re-enacted when the crack drivers took their teams across country years before the railways ended the careers of the coach services. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. ST. JAMES THEATRE " Return to Yesterday," which is the principal attraction at the St. James Theatre, is romantic comedy, which lias met with general approval. Peter and Carol, members of a seaside theatrical company,. are in love. There are complications when the leading man refuses to carry on in his part, and Carol is instrumental in persuading a prominent actor, visiting his home town, to fill the gap. This man also falls in love with the girl, and the situation becomes involved, but his unselfish outlook eventually allows the ending to be a happy one. " Blondie Brings Up Baby," the other film, is another addition to a happy series now familiar to all theatre patrons. The box plans are at the theatre, the D.I.C. and Jacobs'. "HOME FROM HOME" Sandy Powell and Hugh Herbert are the stars of the two comedies which will make up the next programme at the St. James Theatre, Powell is seen in " Home from Home " as a humorous convict, and Herbert is as " fluttery " as ever in " La Conga Lights" He is a man of many parts in this film, and masquerades as his mother, his two sisters and his aged grandfather. OCTAGON THEATRE "Rebecca," the film version of Daphne du Maurier's novel, continues to attract large audiences to the Octagon Theatre. Laurence Olivier, who established an impressive reputation by his work in " Wuthering Heights," again gives a masterly portrayal as Max de Winter, a sombre Cornishman, and Joan Fontaine rises to Inspiring heights in her delineation of the role of de Winter's second wife. The story is dominated by the influence of de Winter's first wife, Rebecca, who, though dead, almost succeeds in wrecking the couple's happiness Her influence is . transmitted through Mrs Danvers, the housekeeper, who was passionately fond of Rebecca and hates the young wife with a virulence that casts a blight upon the household. There is a good supporting programme, in which major place is held by a new March of Time, entitled " News Fronts of the War—l94o." This production deals Jn graphic fashion with the collection and distribution of news by the Associated Press of America. The box plans are at the theatre and at Begg's. GRAND THEATRE Boris Karloff has a typical "horror" role in " The Man With Nine Lives," which heads the current programme at the Grand Theatre, He plays the part of a scientist, who has made a life study of frozen therapy ae a cure for cancer, and becomes the victim of his -own method, and is " frozen " for 10 years before he is discovered and revived,by a young doctor who was following the same methods of cure. There is plenty of action, and the story rises to a thrilling climax in which the half-crazed scientist is killed. Roger Pryor and Jo Ann Sayers handle the romantic roles. The second film, featuring Buck Jones, is ' Overland Express." The box plans are at the theatre and Begg's. "CHARLIE CHAN IN PANAMA" The newest adventures of the wellknown Oriental sleuth come to the screen in " Charlie Chan in Panama,'' the latest of the 20th Century-Fox thrillers, featuring Sidney Toler in the title role, which will be screened,to-morrow at the Grand Theatre. Featured with him in. the cast are Jean Rogers, Lionel Atwill, Mary Nash Sen Yung, Kane Richmond, Chris-Pin Martin, Lionel Royce, Helen Ericson and Jack La Rue. The film shows Chan on the trail of a plot to sabotage the Panama Canal. The Joneses. America's screen family, are in trouble in their latest film, " On Their Own," the 20th CenturyFox picture, which will be in support They are " broke "—but Spring Byington Ken Howell, George Ernest and the rest of the Joneses beat gloom with laughs in the merriest of all their pictures. Otto Brower directed the film. Max Golden was associate producer

REGENT THEATRE The celebrated Nick Charles and his Nora—this time supplemented by a Nickie, jun.—are seen in their third polished detective comedy-drama "Another Thin Man," which is enjoying an extended season at the Regent Theatre. William Powell and Myrna Loy, of course, handle the leading roles, and with their usual aplomb. It is two years since Powell made a film—illness at one time threatened his life—but he is as suave and amusing as ever as the detective. By sheer acting ability and deft production, "Another Thin Man" is a remarkable show. The supporting cast contains such well-known names as Virginia Grey, Otto Kruger, C. Aubrey Smith, Ruth Hussey, Nat Pendleton, Patrlc Knowles, and Marjorie Main. Not forgetting the enchanting little Asta, without whom there could be no " Thin Man." William A. Poulsen is little Nick Charles, The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. "DISPUTED PASSAGE" Akim Tamiroff has been chosen for the leading role of Dr " Tubby " Forster in the film version of Lloyd C. Douglas's " Disputed Passage," which will be shown at the Regent Theatre on Friday, and is responsible for another brilliant portrayal of the kind that has placed him to the forefront of character players Beautiful Dorothy Lamour has the feminine lead, while John Howard makes a success of his biggest part to date. The story tells how Forster, a great doctor, chooses a voun» I medical student, Beaven (Howard), as his j most likely successor. Their hatred o each other is mutual and bitter, and fina'l Beaven falls in love with one of his patients (Miss Lamour). The scene move? to war-torn China, and the story of mental conflict and devotion to an ideal is worked out against a most dramatic background. STATE THEATRE "A Window in London.' which lieadi the current programme at the State Theatre, tells a dramatic and excltinp story of the strange adventures which befall a young man when while passing a block of tenements in a train he sees what he imagines to be a murdei committed inside one of the rooms of the building. He jumps out of the train window and summons the police, only to find that the occupants of the building were theatrical players rehearsing a dramatic scene. The young man is Invited by Zoltini and his wife, the two players, to go to their theatre, but there a real quarrel breaks out between the pair, and the wife leaves 'with Peter Zoltini later accuses Peter of trying to steal his wife, and is knocked into the river, the young man imagining that he has committed a murder. But Zoltini is not dead, and eventually a real murder is committed. Michael Redgrave is excellently cast as Peter Thomson, and Paul Lukas, Sally Gray and Patricia Roe are also prominent. There is a good supporting programme. The box olam are at the theatre and at Begg's. "FIFTH AVENUE GIItL" Ginger Rogers has another starring rokwithout her dancing partner, Fred Astaive. in " Fifth Avenue Girl," which will be shown on the State Theatre's next programme. She has the title role—a girl who is employed by an ageing man of wealth (Walter Connolly) to make his wife jealous so that she will begin to pay him a little wifely attention. James Ellison also has a leading role in this bright comedy-romance EMPIRE THEATRE Rapid-fire action and excellent characterisations mark the first of what bids to be a popular series of films, " Nick Carter, Master Detective," which is now being shown at the Empire Theatre. The title role is filled by Walter Pidgeon, who scores a signal triumph in the part of the super-sleuth In the development of the plot he is engaged to ferret out the method by which secret plants have been stolen from an aeroplane factory, and the ensuing story moves with swift surenes.s towards its finale, without a weak moment The screen play is topical in its content to the extent of its concern with planes and the attempts of foreign agents to steal or sabotage munitions factories. The main feminine role is filled by lovely Rita

Johnson, with Henry Hull. Stanley C. Ridges, and Donald Meek in other prominent parts. There is a good supporting programme. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. "INVISIBLE STRIPES" Two of the screen's newest stars make up, with George Raft, the starring trio of " Invisible Stripes," the powerful drama of after-prison life, based on a book by Lewis E. Lawes, which will be the next feature attraction at the Empire Theatre. Jane Bryan and William Holden are the two new stars. For each of them " Invisible Stripes " marks an important step in their careers. For Jane Bryan, 21-year-old, and Hollywood-born, it marks her first star part, after a succession of les,se«' roles, culminating in " The Old Maid," in which she made her small featured role so outstanding that the Warner studio rewarded her by placing her on their star roster. MAYFAIR THEATRE An insight into the workings ot the United States Senate is given in "Mr Smith Goes to Washington," main feature at the Mayfair Theatre. This film tells the struggle of a young Congress man, whose ideals guide his policy against the representatives of graft and greed. These latter go to great lengths to curb Mr Smith, but he has the courage of his his convictions, and wins in the end " The Cat and the Canary " completes the bill. Box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. _________________ CITY COUNCIL FORTNIGHTLY MEETING The fortnightly meeting of the City Council, which was held last night, was attended by the Mayor, Mr A. H. Allen, and Crs D. C. Cameron, W. H. Borrie, J. Wibon. M. C. Henderson, R. Walls, J. W. Munro, M.P., J. McCrae, H. L. Gibson. W. B. Taverner. and E. J. Smith. ', , New Traffic inspector In the recommendation of the General Committee, Mr G. L. Claasen, a member of the testing station staff, was appointed to the vacancy caused by the resignation of Traffic Inspector J. Arthur, who has joined the Government Transport Committee. Tender for House The final tender in th- present municipal housing scheme, that of G. F; Jackson and Son, lor the erection of a house for £1270, was* accepted. Acquisition of Land ' An objection to a proposal by the council to take certain lands in the vicinity of Forth street for the improvement of the Water of Leith was placed before the meeting by Mr C. J. L. White on behalf of Mr H. J. Colvin. Mr White contended that the amount of land the council proposed to take was more than was necessary for the improvement of the bed of the stream, and was designed also to provide access from Forth street to some tporation houses at the back of the land in question. Tie objector was quite prepared to agree to the provision of a right-of-way 15 or 16 feet wide, but the council's proposal provided for a street of about 35 feet. This would restrict considerably the future use of the land, which had been in the possession of the Colvin family for three generations, and it seemed that the council was taking advantage of the Public Works Act to improve access to its property in a way that was not open to a private citizen.. The Mayor said the objection would be considered later by the council. Kequest Declined The*council declined a request from, the honorary secretary of the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council Queen Carnival Committee for permission to hold a concert under the auspices of the Commercial Travellers' Association i"i aid of the Navy Queen in the Resent Theatre on Sunday, September 29.