Tuesday, March 31, 2009

HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS WEEK’S PROGRAMS AT THE LOCAL THEATERS



AYRES, CLARKE SHOWING AT MAJESTIC

Lew Ayres and Mae Clarke are co-starred at the RKO-Majestic theater this week in a screen dramatization of Donald Henderson Clarke’s sensationally risqué novel, “Impatient Virgin,” which has been produced under the title of “Impatient Maiden.”

The story concerns a young doctor serving his internship who, against his wishes, falls in love with the secretary to a prominent divorce lawyer. The two quarrel when the doctor insists he cannot marry on his intern’s salary. The girl, whose heart has hungered for luxuries as well as for love, accepts invitations from her employer to dinner and the theater, and finally accepts the use of a vacant apartment he owned. On seeing the lavishly furnished apartment, the young doctor and his sweetheart have a quarrel resulting in a severe break in their friendship.

The lawyer finally tires of being confined to just “friendship” with his charming secretary and proposes that she accompany him to Europe. On refusing, the girl is politely dismissed by her employer-landlord.

Several months later while still searching for work, the girl is stricken with an attack of appendicitis, which leads to the altogether pleasing climax.

Supporting Ayres and Miss Clarke are Una Merkel, John Halliday and Andy Devine.




COMMON LAW AT GRANADA WEDNESDAY

The Bohemian life of the Paris art colony is frankly and truly pictured in Constance Bennett’s new film for RKO Pathe, “The Common Law,” coming Wednesday to the Granada theater.

Many of the scenes are played in a typical Paris studio. Some of the most unusual are those depicting the Four Arts Ball in full swing. Five hundred players take part in the ball sequence, 94 of whom are beautiful girls costumed in daring outfits patterned after those worn by models at the Paris festival.

Henry Clive, internationally known painter, who has studied in Paris, acted as technical director for the art colony sequences.

Joel McCrea, the hero of Miss Bennett’s recent picture, “Born to Love,” plays the American artist in “The Common Law.” Other featured roles are played by Lew Cody, Robert Williams, Hedda Hopper, Marion Shilling and Paul Ellis.




BAD COMPANY AT PLAZA

List among the lucky the 60 men and women extras who were used by RKO Pathe in “Bad Company,” Helen Twelvetrees’ next starring production which is now being shown at the Plaza theater.

They had a vacation de luxe – and were paid for it.

On location at Santa Catalina island, one of the most popular resorts of southern California, the players spent the shooting hours swimming, aquaplaning, speed-boating and playing, in fact, everything a person would do if trying to get away fromt the cares of business. After the day’s work was over they were free to do as they pleased – to fish, hunt or just sit.

The luck was theirs because of the script of “Bad Company,” which called for several yachting sequences.

Among the featured players of the production were John Garrick, Ricardo Cortez, Kenneth Thomson, Harry Carey, Frank Conroy, Emma Dunn and others.




NANCY CARROLL IS RIALTO STAR

The flair for vivacity and emotional spirit which Nancy Carroll first portrayed for the delectation of film fans of the nation in “Abies Irish Rose” is again one of the foremost qualities of her performance in Wayward, the Paramount picture which comes to the Rialto this Tuesday.

The fire and flash of “The Dance of Life” – the romantic fervor of “Stolen Heaven” and “Devil’s Holiday” are all brought into a symphonic unison of stirring dramatics for her characterization of the lovely and well loved wife of Richard Arlen in this latest picture, co-starring Pauline Frederick.




EMPIRE WILL GET ACTION PICTURE

Motion picture audiences bored with society dramas will get a chance to see a picture with plenty of action, suspense and excitement in Tiffany Productions’ “Hotel Continental” coming to Empire theater Thursday without having their nerves frazzled with the rat-a-tat-tat of machine guns.

A cross-section of life within a cosmopolitan hotel, with tragedy rubbing elbows with comedy is seen in this drama. The story is concerned with the events that take place on the last night of a famous hotel – a hotel intimately connected with the life of a great city. Hundreds of persons crowd its doors before the auctioneers take possession on the morrow, and numerous parties bid it adieu. A sinister plot with a buried treasure as its theme involves a group of characters in a novel story that is replete with action.




THE BROKEN WING COMING TO PALACE

Sunday brings a new picture to the Palace theater in the guise of an adventurous romance entitled “The Broken Wing.” As the title implies, the plot deals with an aviator’s misfortune when he crashes near the border and is taken into the home of natives.

He falls in love with a beautiful senorita while her betrothed complicates matters and the American’s long-lost wife appears to claim alimony. The actors who work out this situation are Lupe Velez, Melvyn Douglas, Leo Carrillo, and George Barbier.




WHEELER AND WOOLSEY COMING TO RKO MAJESTIC

Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey head the imposing cast of the hilarious new RKO Radio musical comedy “Girl Crazy,” which will be the feature attraction at the RKO Majestic theater starting Thursday.

Wheeler and Woolsey start the film story as city slickers and wind up as rough and ready westerners. Eddie Quillan carries the romantic lead, playing a girl crazy youth who transforms a respectable cattle ranch into a whoopee dude resort.

Mitzi Green, the child mimic, plays a pestiferous little sister and the romance and beauty brigade is headed by Dorothy Lee, Arline Judge, Kitty Kelly, and Lita Chevret. Stanley Fields and Chris Pan Martin play the shoot and run villains.




MOTOR POLICE ARE DRAMATIZED IN FILM

Glorifying the motorcycle department of the police system, “Disorderly Conduct,” a comedy drama that was formerly a stage success comes to the Aztec theater soon.

The picture features a cast composed of Spencer Tracy, Sally Eilers, Ralph Bellamy and El Brendel.

An honest cop turns dishonest when he finds that a bootleg ring rules the force. He makes the mistake of arresting the bootleggers beautiful daughter. She secures his demotion and it is not until love steps in that she makes reparations for her revenge.

A riot and police raid are highlights of the picture, showing graphic scenes of the inside workings of the crooked political racket of a big city.

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