ENTERTAINMENTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 236, 17 July 1937, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

ST. JAMES THEATRE. In its music, production value and dazzling array of supporting talent ‘‘Born to Dance,” which is the big attraction at the St. James Theatre tonight and on Monday, in every way lives uj> to the high standards set by its brilliant dancing star. The songs, written by Cole Porter of “You’re the Top” and “Night and Day” fame, are of the type that once heard linger on the ear for weeks after. The romantio “Easy to Love,” the haunting “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” the catchy “Swingin’ the Jinx Away,” and the lilting waltz number, “Hey, Babe, Hey,” are songs that everyone will be whistling and humming for weeks to come. In its magnificent .settings, eyefilling ensembles, every one of whose dancers must be a beauty-prize winnel*, the interesting naval backgrounds and the general luxury of the proceedings, the picture is definitely in the tradition of “The Great Ziegfeld.” Dave Gould did a brilliant job of supervising the dances, and the direction of Roy Del Ruth adds immeasurably to the success of the whole.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. Laughter freezes on your lips as mystery mingles with romance and comedy blends with suspense in “Half Angel,” the Darryl F. Zanuck Twentieth Century production now at the Majestio Theatre with Frances Dee, Brian Donlevy and the one and only Charles Butterworth in the featured roles. “Half Angel” is a combination of mystery, romance and suspense, intermingled with gay humour, hilarious comedy situations, and sparkling dialogue. Frances Dee is an innocent victim of circumstances who is caught in a sinister web of synthetic clues that twice point to

her as a poison murderess. Starring in “The Secret of Stamboul,” Associated Distributors’ latest

mystery thriller, which comes on the same programme, is Frank Vosper, in tlie role of a crafty Turkish revolutionary, Kazdim, who, during the course of the story, plans to bring about the death of Captain Larry Desteem.