Jul 26th
The Sign of the Cross***  
(US 1932)
Paramount. 123m. bw   

A Roman prefect defies Nero and Poppea by falling in love with a Christian girl, who is condemned to the lions arena.
Classic Hollywood example of De Mille having his cake and eating it: telling a story of Christian sacrifice whilst also revelling in the debauchery of ancient Rome. In spite of some anachronistic American accents in this early Sound epic, he manages to pull out all the stops in depicting the Rome of legend, including the barbaric arena whilst the audience revels and Nero fiddles, etc.

Written by: Waldemar Young, Sidney Buchman, based on the play by Wilson Barrett.
Producer/Director: Cecil B. de Mille.
Starring: Fredric March, Elissa Landi, Charles Laughton, Claudette Colbert, Ian Keith, Arthur Hohl, Harry Beresford, Tommy Conlon, Charles Middleton.
Photography: Karl Struss.
Music: Rudolph G. Kopp.
Art Direction/Costume: Mitchell Leisen.

Jul 8th  
Thor: Love and Thunder (12A)
(Curzon Colchester)

(US/New Zealand/Australia 2022)
Walt Disney/Marvel. 119m. ws

Thor's girlfriend channels his power to jointly fight cancer and a serial killer of gods.
Action and self-parody outweigh plot and characterisation in this latest recycling of the Marvel series, with some interesting casting but generally feeling like a Bill and Ted excellent adventure without most of the comedy.

Written by: Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.
Producers: Kevin Feige, Brad Winderbaum.
Director: Taika Waititi.
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, Russell Crowe, Chris Pratt, and others.
Photography: Barry Idoine.
Music: Nami Melumad, Michael Giacchino.

Leonard Maltin review

Jul 4th 
Our Town**   
(US 1940)
United Artists. 90m. bw

Life in the quiet New Hampshire town of Grovers Corner, where the doctor's son falls in love with the girl next door.
A much cherished piece of American theatre is only partially suitably adapted for the cinema, in spite of using many of the original participants, with the author adjusting his original sad ending for something more hopeful but just as powerful.

Written by: Harry Chandlee, Frank Craven, Thornton Wilder, from his play.
Producer: Sol Lesser.
Director: Sam Wood.
Starring: Frank Craven, William Holden, Martha Scott, Fay Bainter, Thomas Mitchell, Guy Kibbee, Beulah Bondi, Philip Wood.
Photography: Bert Glennon.
Music: Aaron Copland.