ENTERTAINMENTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 65, 26 December 1936, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

ST. JAMES THEATRE. In playing the role of Napoleon in Marion Davies’ new Cosmopolitan production, “Hearts Divided,” which comes to the St. James Thetare this evening and on Monday, as a First National release, Claude Rains realised not only his own but the ambition of every actor. Jerome, who is in America as emissary of Nhpoleon in the sale of Louisiana, , meets the beautiful Betsy when travelling incognito, falls in love with her, and becomes her music and French teacher. She loses her heart to him despite the fact that she believes him to be only a tutor and then awakens to the surprise of her life when she discovers his identity. Napoleon has a diplomatic match in mind for his brother, hut Jerome, romantic lover and adventurer that lie was, could not be crushed, _ and the story ends in a most surprising and pleasing climax. Songs, written especially for the production by the famous team of Harry Warren and A 1 Dubin, are sung by Dick Powell, with Miss Davies joining him in one of the catchy airs. The famous Hall Johnson Choir also make their film debut in this picture, singing several spirituals and furnishing background music. Charles Buggies, Edward Everett Horton and Arthur Teacher have comedy roles as the indefatigable and highly amusing lovers of Miss Betsy. Other comedy parts are taken by Walter Ivingsford and Etienne Girardot as the aides of Jerome.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. The double-feature programme, “Chintaown Squad” and “Heir to Trouble” will be shown at the Majestic Theatre this evening and on Monday evening. Movie fans will have the opportunity of a thrilling and personally conducted tour through San Francisco s mysterious Chinatown when the ne\\ Universal picture “Chinatown Squad, featuring Lyle Talbot, V alerie Hobson, Hugh O’Connell and Andy Devine, shows. All of the scenes of tins murder story are laid in San Francisco and a large part of them give intimate glimpses oi Chinatown, with its 15,060 inhabitants and eight blocks m length. You’ll see the Chinese telephone exchange, and the picturesque stores with their displays of djueu frogs and snakes, months’ old Chinese eggs packed in mud, curio shops, jewellry shops, all of the charm and mystery of tlie Orient packed into this one little quarter of America. An actionful outdoor drama abounding in thrilling list fights, eagle-eye shooting, and trick riding plus a comedy angle just about describes the entertaining new Ken Maynard film, “Heir to Trouble.” Ken plays a cowboy who turns miner with complications varying from explosions to kidnapping. Several threads ot action, running through the story, come to climaxes that are hair-raising and unexpected. Joan Perry is the lovely leading lady. Others in the casteare Harry Woods, Martin Faust, Fern Emmett and Pat O’Malley. Spencei Gordon Bennet directed from a story written by Ken Maynard, the star.