West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Friday 28 February 1947, page 20


FILM WORLD. Two Popular Novels. Programme changes at city cinemas on Wednesday and today bring screen versions of two popular novels, "The Green Years," by A. J. Cronin, at the Metro, and "Mildred Pierce," by James M. Cain, at the Plaza. Both the Ambassadors and the Grand will present new two-feature programmes, while the Capitol will re-introduce the Ingrid Bergman starring vehicle, "Adam Had Four Sons," and His Majesty's will revive the musical comedy, "Two Girls and a Sailor." Today the all-Australian film, "The Overlanders," will enter the eighth week of its Perth season at the Royal where the star, Chips Rafferty, has been making personal appearances this week. The Piccadilly will carry on with "The Killers" (Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien).

Joan Crawford re-establishes herself as a dramatic actress of mature ability for her portrayal of the name part in "Mildred Pierce," the screen adaptation of James M. Cain's ncvel which is at the Plaza. The film version of this best-selling book adheres, within reasonable limits to the author's script, and presents Miss Crawford as a modem woman finally dis-illusioned after a bitter betrayal by the daughter whom she idolises. Her co-stars in the drama are Ann Blyth (the errant daughter), Zach ary Scott and Jack Carson. Miss Crawford is seen first as a suburban housewife, making cakes for the neighbours, to bring in a little extra money for her daughter's singing lessons; then as a waitress, smart and eager to learn; then as a restaurant proprietress, better,

dressed and more assured In each sequence. All this follows separation from her first husband which prompts her battles to give her daughter a chance in life, involving a sequence of events which works to a powerful- climax in the last scenes of the film. A. J. Cronin's Drama. A. J. Cronin's novel '"The Green Years," of which an Australian edition appeared last year, proves to be a triumph for Charles Coburn in its transfer to the screen. Showing at the Metro, it is the story of a boy who grows to manhood among a Scottish family who have disowned his mother because she went to Ireland and married a Roman Catholic. The boy has been left an orphan through his mother's un-timely death. The setting is a small Scottish town about 40 years ago, and the film depicts the boy's strug-gle against meanness and prejudice at the hands of his guardians. Some emphasis is laid on his romance with an attractive young girl with Intellect far ahead of her years, and on the mannerisms of a capricious "grandpa" (Charles Coburn) whose sternness and kindness, blended with alcohol, make life bearable for the young Robert Shannon (Tom Drake). Other roles are assigned to Beverly Tyler (Robert Shannon's sweetheart), Hume Cronyn, Gladys Cooper, Dean Stockwell and Richard Haydn. Joan Lesle's Role. "Too Young to Know," a comedy romance starring Joan Leslie, and with a cast Including Robert Hotton, Dolores Moran and Craig Stevens, heads a double-feature programme at the Ambassadors. It is about a young couple, just past the adoles-cent stage, who have a whirlwind a courtship and marry in haste. How" they repent at leisure when the hus-band finds his wife is more interested in becoming a film actress than a home-maker is the main concern of the story which, after stormy vicissitudes, ends on a happy note. The Ambasadors midday com-mnunity concert will commence today at 12.15 with Johnny Turck as con-ductor, and Dawn Fields and David Lyle as stars. At the Children's Cinema Club party tomorrow morn-nlug 14 cartoons and a serial will be presented. Waterfront Comedy. The Grand's main attraction is a waterfront comedy-drama, "Cap-lain Tugboat Annie," with Jane Darwell in the name part-that of a woman skipper of a fleet of tug boats-and Edgar Kennedy as the rival captain who is out to get her job. Amusing nautical situations, comedy dialogue and a spectacular waterfront fire provide the main Interests of the film. Human interest is supplied when Annie adopts a young man on parole, who gets off on the wrong foot with her crew but later redeems himself and finds romance. The supporting feature is "Sunset in El Dorado," starring Roy Rogers and his horse, Trigger. Notable Revivals. Two notable revivals which will be screened today are the Ingrid Bergman starring vehicle, "Adam Had Four Sons," at the Capitol, and a former popular musical comedy, :Two Girls and a Sailor," starring Van Johnson, at His Majesty's. The supporting cast in "Adam Had Four Sans" includes Warner Baxter, Susan Hayward, Pay Wray and Richard Denning. Big Crowd at Reelers' Luncheon. There was a record crowd of 75 at the Reelers' Club luncheon at the Palace Hotel on Wednesday in hon-our of "Chips" Rafferty and the general manager of British Empire Films Pty. Ltd. (Mr. V. Webb). Members also welcomed back to the chair their president (Mr. C. Norton) who had been absent in Sydney at the last two meetings. The toast of Mr. Rafferty was proposed by Mr. V. Courtney and that of Mr. Webb by Mr. R. Yelland. Popularity Poll. James Mason, who for the third successive year heads the "Motion Picture Herald" poll among British exhibitors as Britain's leading box office star, has also been chosen as the top money-making star in the world. The results of the poll are as follows: British stars: James Mason, Mar-garet Lockwood, Stewart Granger, Michael Redgrave, Anna Neagle, Phyllis Calvert, Rex Harrison, John Mills, Robert Donat and Eric Port-man. International stars: James Mason, Bing Crosby. Margaret Lockwood, Greer Garson, Bette Davis, Stewart

Granger, Ingrid Bergman, Alan Ladd, Bob Hope and Van Johnson. Roy Rogers and Gary Cooper were voted the most popular Western stars, and Disney cartoons and "March of Time" headed the poll for shorts. A poll conducted among American exhibitors gave the following result: Bing Crosby, Ingrid Bergman, Van Johnson, Gary Cooper, Bob Hope, Humphrey Bogart, Greer Garson, Margaret O'Brien, Betty Grable and Roy Rogers. Overseas Film News. Laurence Olivier's technicolour film version of "Hamlet" will go be fore the cameras next month. The role of Ophelia will probably be played by Vivien Leigh or Jean Sim-mons. The Australian actor, John Mc-Callum, has been cast opposite Goo-gle Withers in "It Always Rains on

Sunday," In which he plays his first unpleasant role on the screen. He is also starred in Ealing's "The Root of All Evil" and "The Loves of Joanna Godden." "Brief Encounter," starring Celia Johnson. Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway and Joyce Carey, has been awarded the Grand Prix at the In-ternational Film Festival at Cannes. "Bulldog Drummond at Bay," star-ring the Australian, Ron Randell, who enhanced his reputation in "Smithy," and Anita Louise, has a been filmed. Randell will start on another film, as yet untitled, at the end of this month. Charlie Chaplin has completed the scoring of the musical background of "Monsieur Verdoux" and plans . the release of the film toward the end of the year. Dropping his usual and almost traditional tramp out-fit, he will appear in the picture as a dapper middle-aged French bank clerk with a neat moustache; he is a professional "lady killer." Chaplin says he hopes to make two pictures a year in future, in contrast with his last seven-year lapse. Jean Arthur is to play the leading role in the forthcoming production "The Voice of the Turtle," the screen version of the Broadway stage hit. The play ran for an extended season in Melbourne in 1945. Trade Screening. Mr. A. B. Nielsen, West Australian manager for British Empire Films Pty. Ltd., entertained metropolitan and country exhibitors and other members of the film industry, at an all-day preview and luncheon at the Astor Theatre, Mt. Lawley, yester-day. Two of the company's more important films--"Plccadilly Inc-dent" from Britain and "I've Always Loved You" from America--were screened. Among those present was "Chips" Rafferty, the star of "The Overlanders." "Seventh Veil" and "Henry V." Several correspondents have in quired concerning the dates of Perth screenings of "The Seventh Veil" and "Henry V," two outstanding British films. Latest advices are that "The Seventh Veil" will be released in Perth about the middle of May, and that it will be followed imme-diately by "Henry V." CURRENT PROGRAMMES. Capitol. Revival of "Adam Had Four Sons" (Ingrid Bergman, Warner Baxter, Helen Westley, Susan Hayward), drama of a widower and his four sons, and "Strange Affair," a crime drama. Metro, "The Green Years" (Charles Co-burn, Tom Drake, Beverly Tyler, Hume Cronyn), screen version of A. J. Cronin's popular novel of an orphan lad in a Scottish family 40 years ago; with short films. Piccsdilly. "The Killers" (Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien), film version of Ernest Hemingway's novel crime story in which Burt Lancaster rose to fame, and "Stepping into Society" (Edward E. Horton), com-edy. Second week. Plaza. "Mildred Pierce" (Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Ann Blyth) drama of a mother's unre-quited love for her daughter, with a modern Californian setting; with short films. "The Overlanders" (Chips Raf-ferty, Daphne Campbell, John Nugent Hayward, Peter Pagan), all-Australian droving film (eighth week) and supporting musical romance "Tell It to a Star" (Ruth Terry, Robert Livingstone). Ambassadors. '?roo Young to Know" (Joan L.es-lie, Robert Hutton, Dolores Moran), comedy drama of a young couple who married in haste, and "Voice of the Whistler" (Richard Dix, Lyn Merrick). crime drama. Grand. "Captain Tugboat Annie" (Jane Darwell, Edgar Kennedy, Charles Gordon), waterfront comedy, and "Sunset in El Dorado," western ad-venture drama, starring Roy Rogers and his horse, Trigger. His Majesty's. Revival of "Two Girls and a Sailor" (Van Johnson, June Allyson, Gloria de Haven, Jimiy Durante), comedy musical, and "Sunday Punch" (comedy).