The Cinema
TIIE AVENUE PAVILION, which has in the past provided a critical cinema public with the best films that have been made in Europe and America, has now launched out on a new venture. With the changed name of the "British Movietone News Theatre," it now provides from 12 o'clock in the morning until 11 o'clock at night fifty-minute programmes of 'News- reels for the popular prices Of 6d. or-1s. per ticket. The recep-
tion of the programme shown this week is proof that the public appreciates the venture, as I have often foretold that it would.
This week's programme includes some excellent shots of some of the most exciting moments in the Test Match. On Monday afternoon I watched, with as much interest as anyone can muster who knows nothing at all about cricket, the Australians taking the field for their first innings in the morn- ing of the same day. After this, Don Bradman illustrated simply and skilfully the different strokes of a batsman. We were shown also the 11100 looking victoriously beautiful on her return to Cardington, sabots being made in Holland " while you wait," the latest fashions from Paris, a public Bull-fight in Spain, the "Ominous Rumblings of Vesuvius," the conversion by the Arabs of old motor tyres into water vessels, Jack Hylton rehearsing a new tune, and Rio de Janeiro from an aeroplane. The programme was varied and, on the whole, the news shown was well selected. The largest amount of time was devoted to the subject of the greatest topical interest, the Test Match.
It is clear that news from all over the world can be shown in this way, and it is probable that there will be at least one item in each programme of particular interest to some member of every audience. Nobody's time will, therefore, be wasted in a weekly visit to this cinema. It is possible that later on the programme may he changed daily, and the habit, equivalent to, and more interesting than, that of reading the newspaper at breakfast, may be acquired of spending one hour of each day at this News-Reel Theatre. It would be very pleasant if the management would provide a box for sugges- tions of places and events, which individual members of the public would like to see and hear. There is no question that the synchronization of sound has very much increased the value of news-reels. The illusion of reality is now almost complete.
Mr. Maurice Chevalier is at his best in the new Paramount picture which is being shown at the Carlton Theatre, The Big Pond. In the absurd part of a courier in Venice, who makes for himself a fortune in chewing gum in order to win the hand of his lady, Mr. Chevalier is completely irresistible. For more than an hour one can watch and hear this genial personality making music-hall love, manipulating the sticky substance of chewing gum, or promoting its sale by a popular song advertising its merits. And the film moves on with a truly American swing. The Big Pond provides an excellent evening's entertainment. Raffles, at the Tivoli, with Ronald Colman in the name part, is also entertaining. The efficiency of American talking pictures seems to be rapidly increasing, and it will be a great day in the cinema world when themes worthy of such efficient treatment are considered palatable to the
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