ENTERTAINMENTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 280, 8 September 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

ST. JAMES THEATRE. One of the most famous stage prays of contemporary theatrical history becomes one of the season’s most amusing photoplays in “Three Live Ghosts,” featuring Richard Arden, showing tonight and to-morrow night at the St. James Theatre. Originally a novel and play by Frederic S. Isham, “Three Live Ghosts’’ w r as an instantaneous hit. It has continued a reigning favourite with stock companies, and amateur theatrical performers, and was produced for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer by John W. Considine, jun., and directed by H. Bruce Humberstone. It combines comedy, romance and drama into an absorbing hour’s entertainment. Besides Arlen, the case includes Beryl Mercer, Claude Allister, Charles McNaughton, Cecilia Parker, Nydia Westman, Dudley Diggs, Jonathan Halo, Lillian Cooper and Robert Greig. What happens when three soldiers return from a German prison camp to find themselves officially dead is amusingly told. MAJESTIC THEATRE. Heralded as a red-blooded drama of the waterfront in a big port on the Pacific coast of America, “Riffraff” comes to the Majestic Theatre to-night and to-morrow night, with Jean Harlow’and Spencer Tracy in tho leading roles. The picture tells the story’ of Hattie, the best-looking girl on the waterfront, who lives in a fisherman’s shack with her always-tippled father, and a crowd of .relatives. Hattie and Lil work in the tuna-canning factory owned by Nick ApjM'opolis. Dutch Miller is die huskiest blowliard in all the fishing fleet, a rough, tough guy with an amazing conceit, a born breaker of women’s hearts. That does not prevent Hattie from adoring him and covering her affection with a feigned scornful sarcasm. Red Belcher, a professional agitator, tries to foment a strike among the fishermen. Brains McCall, tho union leader, knows a strike is just what crafty Nick A;ppopolis wants, but he cannot hold the men. He appeals to Dutch, who forces them back to w’ork. His complete mastery of the crowd further intrigues Hattie, who manages to save him from the police by a ruse. The tale goes on to an unusual climax.