West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Friday 21 February 1941, page 14


Today's Shows TODAY "The Great Dictator," which has attracted the biggest attendances in the history of the Plaza Theatre, will commence the fourth week of its longrun season, it now being one of the few films to have achieved four weeks in wartime. At the Piccadilly Theatre "The Doctor Takes a Wife" will continue into a second week. This amusing comedy has Loretta Young and Ray Milland as its principals. Having enjoyed a good season with "Edison, the Man" and its supporting short films, the Metro Theatre will offer today a dual programme of drama ("Strange Cargo") and music ("Two Girls on Broadway"). Clark Gable (in his first appearance since "Gone With the Wind"), Joan Crawford, in her first flint since "The Women" (her intervening effort, "Susan and God" met with censorial disapproval) and Ian Hunter (reliable and popular) filled the main roles in "Strange Cargo," while Lana Turner (the "sweater girl"), Joan Blondell and George Murphy handled accustomed roles in "Two Girls on Broadway," which is a remake of the first of the big musicals, "The Broadway Melody." Bright London stage comedies are always liked in Perth in their cinema form for clever situations and dialogue which are not under the jurisdiction of the Hollywood Hays Censorship Code. "Yes, Madam," now at the Theatre Royal, had four skilled comedy players in its cast. First there is Vera Pearce, buxom star of the Australian stage; Bobby

Diano Churchill, clever cpmedy actres of "Jane Steps Out" and other witty British talkies, will be seen at the Theatre Royal today in "Yes Madam."

Howes, a London favourite, Diana Churchill, of "Jane Steps Out" and other hits and Fred Emney, fat and jovial filler of father roles. The well-told story of an American wife whose husband, on a European tour, joins the Nazi party and remains in Germany to become a follower of Hitler. can be seen at the Ambassadors Theatre in "The Man I Married." The title of the original story is "I Married a Nazi," but the producers preferred a more general. description. Joan Bennett (the American wife), Francis Lederer (the husband) and Anna Sten (the German decoy) appear on paper to be ideal choices for the respective parts. Miss Sten's fine acting in "Her Wedding Night" will always be remembered by keen picturegoers. Films like "Dracula" and "Franken-i stein" are called "chillers" (as distinct from "thrillers" or crime and mysterr films) in the trade and more often than not draw large audiences. The latest of these, "The Mummy's Hand," will be at the Grand Theatre today where it is expected to equal the success achieved by the picture at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney, recently. An interesting feature o*i the picture, according to a New York critic, is the use of green-tinted film ini appropriate places. Coming Attractions pERTH picturegoers will find many screen entertainments of all types among the attractions to be released in the next three months, as indicated below. Dramas. "All This, and Heaven Too" (Charles Boyer and Bette Davis). Feb. "The Sea Hawk" (Errol Flynn and Brenda Marshall). "Four Mothers" (Lane Sisters). "Foreign Correspondent" (directed by. Alfred Hitchcock). "Drums Along the Mohawk" (Claudette Colbert and Henry Fonda). "40 Thousand Horsemen" (Australian special). "The Light That Failed" (Ronald Colman), Feb."Escape" "Escape" (Norma Shearer, Conrad Veidt and Robert Taylor). Comedies. "Buck Benny Rides Again" (Jack Benny), Feb. "I Love You Again" (William Powell and Myrna Loy). "He Stayed for Breakfast" (Loretta Young and Melvyn Douglas). "Hired 'Vife" (Rosalind Russell and Brian Aherne). "40 Little Mothers" (Eddie Cantor). "Andy Hardy Meets a Debutante" (Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland). "Dulcy" (Ann Sothern). "No Time for Comedy" (Rosalind Russell and James Stewart.) "Girl From Avenue A" (Jane Withers). Musicals. "Swanee River" (Al Jolson, Alice Faye and Don Ameche). "New Moon" (Jeanette Macdonald and Nelson Eddy). "The Road to Singapore" (Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour). Western. "The Westerner" (Gary Cooper), Feb 28.

Clark Gable, who was placed third in the American annual "Ten Best Players" poll, will be seen today with Joan Crawford in "Strange Cargo" (Metro Theatre).

Overseas Favourites. LAST week we published the result of the New York "Motion Picture Herald's" annual poll among exhibitors for the stars most popular-judged by admissions to cinemas-with United States and Canadian audiences. Today we are able to announce the same paper's poll among British exhibitors, whose choice is different from the Americans. The two lists, which will arouse interest and discussion among picturegoers, are:

U.S.A. Points. 1. Mickey Rooney .. . 4.380 2. Spencer Tracy .. .. .. .. 3,688 3. Clark Gable ........ .. ...3,117 4. Gene Autr .. .. .. ..... 1.408 5. Tyrone Power .. .. .. .. ... 1.315 6. James Cagney .. . . .. .. 1.239 7. Ring Crosby ... ..1,164 8. Wallace Beery .. .. .. .. .. 964 9. Bette Davis .. .. .. .. .. .. 926 10. Judy Garland .. .. .. .. .. 908 The next 15 on the voting list were:James Stewart. 832: Deanna Durbin, 807; Alice Fare. 766: Errol Flynn. 759; MSrna .Loy, 664; Dorothy Lamour, 649; Cary Grant. 614: Bob Hope. 603: Henry Fonda. 602; Gary Cooper. 545; Don Ameehe. 526; Jack Benny. 414; Ginger Rogers. 408; 3Arnne Sheridan, 405; and William Powell.

BRITAIN. Points. 1. Mickey Rooney .. .. .. .. 1.111 2. Deanna Durbin .. .. .. .. .. 1,063 3. Spencer Tracy .. .. .. .. 794 4. Jeanette MacDonald .. .. .. 523 5. George Formby .. .. .. .. .. 478 6. Nelson Eddy .. .. ........ 463 7. Erroll Flynn . . .. .. .. .. 395 8. James Cagney ... .. .. 372 9. Gary Cooper. .. .. .. .. .. 348 10. Bins Crosby .. .. .. . .. 347 The next 15 on the voting list were:Shirley Temple. 332: Tyrone Power, 283: Clark Gable. 260: Robert Donat, 261: Blette Davis. 226; Wallace Beery. 216; Dorothy Lamour. 212; Greta Garbo. 208; Gracie Flelds. 175; Alice Faye. 172; Myrna Loy. 167; Judy Garland, 151 : VIgr Rogers, 131; Laurel and Hardy. 131; Vic. tor McLagleli. 129.

Joan Bennett has a dramatic role in "The Mon I Married" now showing at the Ambassadors Theatre. The film is based on the book "I Married a Nazi."

Current Newsreels. A PARADE of the Turkish army before British diplomats, the return of the Emperor (Haile Selassie) to Abyssinia, Wendell Willkie's departure for England and pictures of the late General Metaxas are features in the newsreels to be released today. Details follow:Metrotone: U.S.A. parachute being tested; latest hairdressing and hat styles; ski-ing champions in action; swimming carnival. (Metro.) Cinesound: Visit by Winston Churchill to A.LF. camp in Britain; slow motion study of dancer; diving champions In action; scenes of an Australian field hospital. (Grand, Picadlily and Royal.) Paramount: British diplomats see Turkish army display; RAP. capture Italian aerodrome at El Adem; Haile Selassie returns to Abyssinia; fall of Tobruk. (Grand and Royal.) Fox Overseas: Wendell Willkie leaving for England; effect of big fire-bomb raid on London; launching of Britain's new 35,000-ton battleship; tank manoeuvres in England. (Plaza.) Fox Overseas: The late General Metaxas reviewing a parade in Athens; funeral of first R.A.Y. man shot down in Greece; arrival of Empire air trainees in England from Canada; war savings drive in Canada; Norwegian fliers training is Canada. (Ambassadors.) Gaumont-British: Scenes of Sunderland flying boats manned by Australians; New Zealand troops being inspected oy the Duke of Gloucester; the submarine Sunfish returns to its home base; the late General Metaxas reviewing a parade in Athens; Colonel Donovan arrives in London from U.S.A. (Grand, Piccadilly and Royal.) At Last PICTURE customers who have developed eye-strain reading the names of numerous credit lists while waiting for action to begin on the screen, are about to get relief through an edict from one Hollywood studio which is declaring a moratorium on unnecessary screen credits while the rest of the studios are watching the experiment with expectant eyes. The idea of whittling down the preliminary items, which consume from 100 to 175 feet to a feature, has been discussed by picture makers for 10 years, but nobody has done anything about it. Meanwhile, the credit lists have been growing longer and longer. rHE most important story purchase of the year is stated to be .the securing of James Hilton's new novel, "Random Harvest." The story, which is scheduled for early production, will be the fourth' Hilton novel to be brought to the screen. The other three were "Lost Horizon," "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" and "We Are Not Alone." JACK BENNY, whose popularity in films is increasing, will next be seen in "Buck Benny Rides Again." The "Buck Benny" comes from one of his radio characterisations.