AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 264, 7 November 1929, Page 24

AMUSEMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE. Clara Bow's "Dangerous Curves" will not be seen at the Regent Theatre after to-morrow night. The new programme for Saturday contains two full-length features. The headline attraction will be "The Pagan," starring Ramon Novarro.- It will be his most romantic role, and should grip atii thrill the audience from the start to final fade out. The second feature is "Divorce Made Easy," with Douglas Mac Lean getting into dozens of farcical positions. The plot is an all-comedy fabric upon which have been laid the rich colours of freeflowing humour. Mac Lean is the young bachelor who sacrifices his standing with the girl friend by entering into a pact with a young married couple wherein Doug plays the role of a co-respondent in a trumped-up move for a divorce. Meddling relatives come on the scene to further hamper the style of the schemers, and the succeeding episodes are cramful of a bedlam of laughter-bringing gags and dialogue. Marie Prevost is the leading feminine actress in the piece, playing the part of the young wife. There will be an interesting supporting programme.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. At the Majestic Theatre to-morrow a part-talking picture, "Blockade," will be presented. It is a bootlegging romance, with many breath-taking scenes made at sea, with battling crews on ships side by side and machine-guns and onepounders firing upon them from Government vessels. It brings new laurels to Director George B. Seitz, who has already won fame in the making of sea pictures, notably "Blood Ship." Its direction is careful, artistic and powerful in its development of the story'a most gripping incidents. Lovere of realism and absorbing action upon the screen should by no means miss seeing this splendid picture, which was made from an original story by Xioms Sarecky and' John; Twist, the continuity-being the work of Harvey Thew. : There will be a full programme of talkie supports.

STRAND THEATRE. William Fox's "Movietone Follies of 1929" is drawing large audiences to the Strand Theatre, where it ie nearing the end or. its. first week. A number of wellkiown Fpi stars, together with q, collection of new acquisitions from the speaking stagg> "are featured together in this pidt-poircri' , entertainment. Outstanding numbers, in the production are "The Breakaway,", sung and danced by Sue Carol; "That's You, Baby," a duo sung in turn by;a number of teams; "Walking wiiH Susie," and "Big City Blues." A scene-set on the floor of the sea, photographed in colours, is one of the most brilliant pieces of work that pictures have yet brought before the public. The supporting films include a number by RichSrd Bonelli, baritone, in a selection fromV'The Barber of Seville"; a Fox Movietone News, with a sequence of Bobby Jones, the golf champion,- and a laughable short comedy entitled "Mind Your Business."

CRYSTAL PALACE. A, '.double feature programme is announced for the Crystal Palace Theatre, Mount Eden Road. The headline \, attraction ie a sound-eynchrcmised film' .with Emil Janninge, the great character actor, at the head of the cast. The title is "Betrayal." The thrilling action in which the picture abounds has a background in the Swiss Alps. The photography is a feature. All the glories of mountain scenery are shown. Gay eleighs are seen in the enow and-all the settings are there to make the heart rejoice at. the sheer grandeur. And there ie tense action and splendid acting, the picture holding the attention throughout. Esther Ralston and Gary Cooper have supporting roles. The second feature is a riot of fun jfcitled "China Bound" with Karl Dane and George K. Arthur heading the cast. It is a story of amusing adventures in China seas, and is one of the most entertaining features seen for some time. NATIONAL THEATRE. A famous comedy pair, Polly Moran and Harry Gribbon, both of whom featured on the Mack Sennett lot some years age, are together again in one of the funniest farce-comedies of the season, "Honeymoon," a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture, which will come to the National Theatre to-morrow. The talents of these two experts shine at their brightest in this film, and for good measure- the producer hais included in the cast as one of the featured players, Flash, the first dog comedian in the history of the screen. The second attraction is the British film, "The Third Eye," in which Miss Seacombe plays the role of Marion Carstairs, a very determined young: lady who assists her lover (lan Harding) to discover the perpetrator of a series of mystifying bank robberies.! She is eaid to demonstrate remarkable acting ability in this essentially dramatic role. Another feature is the highly original plot, which centres around a newly-invented television apparatus and a rapid sequence of clever bank robberies. How these two aspects of the story are brought into conjunction forms a first-rate story. PLAZA THEATRE. "River of Romance," starring Charles ("Buddy , ') Rogers, closes its season at the Plaza Theatre to-night, and will be replaced to-morrow by "Weary River." "River of Romance" is a romantic story 1 of the Mississippi, and prominence has been given to the beauty of the old-time Southern States in America. "Weary River", is. Richard Barthelmess' first talking picture. Barthelmess has the role of a, gangster and gives a splendid characterisation of this difficult type. A strong supporting cast is with him, the featured players'being Betty and William Holden. TIVOLI THEATRE.' "The Rainbow Man" will be replaced at the Tivoli Theatre to-mqrrow by "River of Romance." Eddie Dowling appears on the screen for the first time in "The Rainbow Man," which has already enjoyed a successful season at the Plaza. Dowling, who is a popular New York revue and musical comedy star, sings a number of songe in his first picture, the outstanding numbers being "Rainbow Man" and "Sleepy Valley." Marian Nixon and Sam Hardy are also in the cast. Charles ("Buddy") Rogers is starred in "River of Romance," a tale of the picturesque Mississippi. "JOURNEY'S END."

Only three nights of rthe "Journey's End" season at His Majesty's Theatre remain. This play by R. C. Sherriff ie a piece which, after being rejected by seven producers, scored an. enormous success in London, and is now being played by fifteen English and a number of. -foreign companies. -It- is probably the-most- dramatic play 'produced in .Auckland.-

EMPRESS THEATRE. ' " No more thrilling picture has been seen for some time than "Submarine" now showing at the Empress .Theatre, Newton, fallowing its successful screening at the Rosy. It is a film brimfu-l of thrills and tells a dramatic story of the American Navy. Jack Holt and Ralph Graves have the leading male roles with Dorothy Revier in support. There are thrilling episodes in regard to the raising of sunken vessels and the underwater photography is a revelation. A submarine is seen to be rammed and the realistic sequence of the men vainly endeavouring to save their vessel and incidentally themselves while the water is rushing into their little craft will long be remembered by those who witness the screening. The dangers of the eea and especially navigation below the surface are admirably shown. Nobody interested in naval warfare should miss the opportunity of seeing for themselves that which the men who go down to the sea in ships have to contend with.

CHORAL SOCIETY. The Auckland. Choral Society will give a high-class musical programme at the Town Hall this evening, when Rossini's "Stabat Mater" and Maseagni's "Cavalleria Kueticana" will be given. The artists will include Miss Mollie Atkinson (contralto), Mr. Arthur Ripley (tenor), Mr. Ernest Snell (baritone), Mr. Arthur Colledge (basso), and a full chorus, accompanied by an orchestra led by Miss Edith Whitelaw and conducted by Mr. Colin Muston. The special engagement of Mies Kate Campion, formerly prima donna of the Carl Rosa Opera Company, should add greatly to the interest of the evening.