1940-12-21 — Page 16

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR ARE HERE

AGAIN AND SINCE IN THIS TRADI TIONAL SEASON OF JOY wo are fortunata enough to be spared the sufferinga which war has brought to many parts of the world, and can look forward to an enjoyable holiday, let us turn to the cinefni, which forms the backbone of our entertainment in Hongkong, and see what there- is in store for us:

น

A VERY APPROPRIATE AND SEASONABLE HE

LEASE is the showing of "THE BLUE BIRD," Shirley Temple's new picture, which opens at the King's Theatre. on Christmas Day. This is an excellent adaptation of the famous play by Maurice Maeterlinck, which has delighted both young and old for nearly half

century, Except for

the short introduction, which is done in sepin, the flim is in beautiful technicolour and presents mony spectacular and memorable scenes,

The story is a symbolical fantasy, and the lesson is that the quest of happiness is always vain to those who cannot find it in thele own souls. Myty! (Shirley Temple), a dissatisfied young girl, envious of other people's riches and ungrateful for what she has, is sent by a fairy to find the Blue Bird, and her search brings her through the realms of the Past, "Luxury" and Future, until she finds happiness in her own humblo home with her parents. "We went so far, and it was here all the time," said Mytyl.

Saturday

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH ">, December 21, 1940,

THE BLUE BIRD SPRING

PARADE

雞

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Shirley, grown up quite n tot and a bit thinner, hus here forsaken her usual role as a sweet child; and although the part is quite out of her repertoire, she handles it well and proves her versatility.

Tylo, the dog. Is played by Eddie Collins, and Tylelle, the cat, by Gale Sondergaard, The former stives a very sympathetic Interpretation, whilst Miss Sondergaard's portrayal would put a real cnt to nume.

The falry, Berylune, is played by Jesale Ralph, and Nigel Bruce and Laura Hope Crews are Me and Mrs Luxury Sybit Jason, the tile South African netress who passed through Hongkong last weck, gives o. pathetic rendition of a sick girl.

Children of any age will thoroughly enjoy "The Blue

Bird."

باد

*.

*

UCKY PARTNERS," darring Ginger Rogers and Ronald Colman, is the Christmas attraction at the Queen's and Alhambra,

The two stars form a very Interesting combination, providing some of the very best acting that has been neen for a long time in this rather Puck-ish story of a man and a girl going on a trip together and having to register themselves at the hotel as brother and sister. Neither of them means any harm, but the sinful world thinks differently--that is the plot, which is developed In a charming, witty manner.

The plot, i is

is obvious, might have been handled in either of two ways-ot breakneck speed, so us to produce long, loud laughter, or subtly and leisurely, to cause continuous giggles and a warm, pleasant feeling. The director, Lewis Milestone, has not done badly In choosing the latter method. Milestone is best known

THE GREAT DICTATOR

BROADWAY MELODY. OF 1940

films

'for heavy dramas, such as "All Quiet on the Western

Frint" and "Of Mice and Men," but cinema-goers who remember that excellent comedy of the silent era, "One Arabian Knight," will recall his gifts for making lighter pletures.

The fin laid to be based on Sacha Guitry's play, "Good Luck," but only the opening is retained. The rest is Hollywood-and a bit of the best that the im elty has to offer.

*

✩

#

FOR NEW YEAR, the Klug's is putting on Deanna

Durbin's eighth singing lm, "SPRING PARADE," In which the 18-year-old star is east as a Hungarian peasant Cinderella. The story is a re-make of a pleture which Deanna's Svengali, Joseph Pasternake, produced in Dudapest in 1934. The plot is somewhat trite, but the aim is saved by the personality, the acting and the singing of the star.. us well as by good performances. by supporting players.

Tunes are liberally sprinkled throughout, and Deanna wings with customary enthusiasm and vocal excellence. A particularly springhily number is "It's Foolish But It's Fun,"

S. Z. Sakal commands attention with his important contribution as the partly baker, whilst Mischa Auer provides excellent comedy in the earlier scenes,

As is usual with Deanna Durbin pictures, this one in well photographed and recorded, and dressed and mounted with great care..

THE

✩ ☆

HE PLOT OF "BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940."* which comes to the Queen's and Alhambra on New Year is likewise rather thin. but Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell, George Murphy and Frank Morgan triumph over t; and the result is an enjoyable musical, with plenty of tunes, good dancing and carefree comedy.

The Alm, which concerns a dancer, swollen-headed from success. being helped by his former partner to regain his balance, possesses some of the best tap dance numbers ever presented on the screen.

Fred Astaire is very good as the level-headed puri of the team, and George Murphy is equally effective as the partner who, in the end, does a David Garrick act so that his friend can get to the top. The Astaire-Powell combination is a happy one, and Fred should regain his old fans and make many new ones as it consequence.

SO MUCH FOR THE FILMS which you are going to see within the next fortnight--they seem to meet every taste and will, I am sure, help to brighten your holldays and now to see what the theatres will have in offer between then and Chinese New Year, or there- abouts.

The most important, forthecming cinema event is undoubtedly the showing of Charlie Chaplin's new f'm. THE GREAT DICTATOR" It was thought at first that It might be possible to screen this picture at Christmas, but delay in the arrival of the film has caused a post- ponement. It is hoped that wartime disorganisation of shipping movements, will not Interfere with the new tentative date set for the pleture's release here, that Is around Chinese New Year.

Not having seen it, I am unable to pass any opinion, but the leading reviewers in New York and London are agreed that it is as good, if not better, than anything Chaplin has ever done. The premiere in New York was the greatest that America has ever seen-greater even than "Gone With the Wind." Those who had not been able to get tekets paid £40 opiece for standing room, sald one report,

A

NOTHER NOTABLE FILM which is due in Hongkong next month is the "March of Time" full-length featuru entitled, "The Rasparts We Watch." This is an ullerly new type of moving picture, Inspired by the In- creasingly ominous trend of world events, and it serks recreate for the civilised world the great crisis that faced nations only a generation ago, and to examine certain inexorable forces that are to-day threatening to plunge the whole world into total disaster.

The flim bng been acclaimed everywhere it has been shown, and NKO-Radio Pictures, the distributors, think that it is one which every man, woman and child should

see.

RESIDES THESE TWO, there are a number of first- D

class pictures due for release here in the near future, according to the lists suppiled to me by the repre- sentatives of the various film companies. The are, listed by Studios:-

COLUMBIA

The Howards of Virginia. From "The Tree of Liberty" by Elizabeth Page. Concerns American family at the time of George Washington. a pioneer

!

LUCKY PA

With. Cary Grant, Martha Scott, Sir Cedrle Hardwicke, Richard Carlson.

The Lady in question. A romantic comedy, with Rita Hayworth, Brian Aherne und Irene Rich.

Ho Stayed for Breakfast. A guy, frothy comedy, with Loretta Young and Melvyn Dougins.

I Married Adventure, Flimed by Mrs. Martin John- son, widow of the great explorer, recording the sights and sounds of jungle and desert.

M-G-M

Northwest Passare. Concerns the French and Indlan wars in America in 1759. With Spencer Tracy, Robert Young, Walter Brennan. In technicolour.

Waterloo Bridge.. The famous story of a soldier on leave befriending an unhappy girl. With Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor. This picture recently broke all at- tendance records in Shanghai.

PARAMOUNT

Northwest Mounted Police. Technicolour flim of the famous Canadian force. With Gary Cooper. Paulette Goddard and Robert Preston.

Safari. Romantic_story of love and intrigue in Aftien. Will Douglas Fairbanks, Jnr., Madeleine Carroll. Moon Over Burma. Dorothy Lamour is the central figure in this, which has an exotle setting.

Mystery Sea Raider, Maritime melodrrena. Con- cerns a German sea raider being brought to book by British men-of-war. Recalls the Grat Sore and Alimark coses. With Henry Wilcoxon, Carole Landis.

RKO-RADIO

Tom Brown's Schooldays. The famous Thomas Hughes novel of Rugby public school, very well done. This was shown at a preview recently, and I must say it is an excellent film. Jimmie Lydon gives a great performance as Tom

The cast includes Freddie Bartholomew, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Billy Halop (of "Dead End" fame) and Polly Moran,

Dance Glil Dance. Story of struggling dancing girls. With Maureen O'Hara, Lurille Ball end Louis Hayward. 20th CENTURY-FOX

With

Johnny Apollo. Story of father-and-son love set against a background of crime and crookedness, Tyrone Power, Dorothy Lamour, Edward Amold.

Cisco Kid and the Lady. Another adventure with O'Henry's popular Mexican character. With Cesar Romero, Marjorie Wenver and Virginia Field.

UNITED ARTISTS

The Thief of Bugdad. Lavish new technicolour version of the famous Douglas Fairbanks m. With Sabu, Conrad Viedt and June Deprez. Produced by Alexander Kordu.

Rebecca Daphne du Maurier's famous novel. With Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock,

Pastor Wall A British film about life in Nazi Germany. With Wilfred Lawson, Nova Philbeam, Sir Seymour Hicks,

1

Rope at Sea. Laurel and Hardy take to the salty seu. Bald to be one of the best these two comedians have ever done.

UNIVERSAL

If I Had My Way. Bing Crosby and little Gloria Jean in a sentimental comedy with song and music.

WARNER BROTHERS

The Sea Hawk. Historieni, costume picture of Elizabeth's England, and naval battles. With Erral Flynn, Claude Rains, Flora Robson and Brenda Marshall. Invisible Stripes. Concerns the tribulations of an ex-convict. With George Raft, Humphrey Bogart, Flora Robson, Jane Bryan.

Of course, these are not all the pictures that you will see in the next month or so, but they give you a pretty good idea as to what to expect. It seems that Hongkong lm-goers have some good entertainment in store for them in the New Year.

--A. C. G.

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