AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 16, 20 January 1932, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

CIVIC THEATRE. Cyril Maude will make his final welltimed and immaqglate bow to Civic audiences when "These Charming People" is screened for the last time on Thursday night. A delightful presentation of the life and character of the betterclass Englishman, whose work and whole existence is convention, the film .is slightly satirical, but is so in the best of spirits. Its satire is levelled rather at our foibles than at our vices, and therein lies the difference between what may be objectionable and whet is entirely acceptable to the Englishman himself. The story was written by Michael Arlen. Friday's change is "Night Nurse," the film version of Dora Macey's wellknown novel. Barbara Stanwyck plays opposite Clark Gable, with Ben Lyon and Joan Blondell also in the cast. The screen has not previously had a drama dealing solely with the great and neverending fight put up by white-clad nurses to save the lives of those whom the merciless condidtions of the age enslave or torture. "Night Nurse" should stand as a monument to the noble profession of tho hospitals, than which none merits more praise. Barbara Stanwyck is cast as Lora, a typical nurse, with her fears and triumphs, her terrors and happinesses. She has been described as "tho girl with the Mono, Lisa smile," and what is more appropriate for a soother of the sickt MAJESTIC THEATRE. "The Sin of Madelon Claudet," which is to be seen for the next two days at the Majestic Theatre, is a great story of the melodramatic career of a gii'l who dared, and having failed, fought her way through an unrcsponding world towards a goal that could never spell success for her hopes. In spite of this she continued to make the greatest sacrifices given to woman to make in order to give her beloved hoy the chance that her sin bade fair to take from him. Helen Hayes makes one of the most remarkable first screen appearances within memory, for she plays her difficult and extremely varying role to perfection. In "Surrender," the new release for the Majestic, Warner Baxter plays the lead; with Leila Hyams opposite him. The film tells the story of an "unnatural" love during that period of hatred and slaughter known to history as the Franco-Prussian War, when Frenchman tore at Prussian's throat, and when the nation forgot all save the titanic struggle in which it was encaged. A woman was caught up in the swirl of war fever, and she fell in love with the one man her duty, her nationality and her creed taught her to hate. But love will go to limits immeasurable on this plane, and a great drama has been worked up out of the story. Many favourite names appear in the supporting cast, including Alexander. Kirkla.iuU C. Aubrey Smith, Ralph Bellamy, William Pawley, Howard Phillips, Bert Hanlon, George Andre Beranger, Bodil Rosing and Tom Ricketts. REGENT THEATRE. When "Children of Dreams," a fascinating tale of the Californian apple gipsies, leaves the Regent Theatre on Thursday night, one of the most delightful and pleasant of entertainments will leave Queen Street. It tells of the love and life of two inconsequential aud happy pickers whose very atmosphere is song and summer, and whose cares arc lc<ss° than nought. Sorrow and disappointment enter their lives, but these are all eventually cleared away, and love once more takes its rightful place as the supreme interest. Next Friday will see the advent of "The Outsider," a new dramatic British picture dealing with the powerful story of a young girls apparently permanent crippled limbs and the marvellous work of a so-called charlatan. Quackery and genuineness in tho medical profession stalk side by side in "The Outsider," and they are outwardly ' much of the same appearance. Into this practically unexplored field of drama enters this new film, and its dealing with such a universal topic is excellent. A vivid love story runs through the picture, and it is so well portrayed ! that it actually seems to come to life on tho magic 'of the celluloid. Harold Huth and Joan Barry appear in the leading roles, supported by Norman McKinnell. The first two of these are well-known in many of Elatree's finest productions and on the stage—from which are gleaned almost all of Britain's screen stars. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. Many moons have waxed and waned since Auckland's picture-going public were entertained by such an acceptable, pair of artists as James Dunn and Sally Filers, who will be seen to-night and tomorrow at the St. James' Theatre in "Bad Girl," a wonderful story of the life of a modern young married couple in a city of tenements and gardenless suburbs. Their whole being is centred within the confines of one small room, and their disputes are natural even to happily-married young persons. They go through every phase of the great existence of matrimony that has boon encountered throughout/ the ages, and in every land. "Bad Girl" is an epic of the difficulty of conditions of the modern, but it blends into its story the attractions of all other periods. LYRIC THEATRE. I The programme at the Lyric Theatre this evening includes as the main attraction "Charlie Chan Carries On," a fascinating detective story of the inscrutable East. Warner Oland has made his name famous in the role of Chinese highclass criminals, but as a detective he is no less to be admired. Ho has John Garrick and Marguerite Churchill in the supporting cast. RIALTO THEATRE. "Laughing Sinners," after making a great success on Queen Street, had several happy screenings in the suburban theatres, end one more at the Rialto Theatre will not go amiss. Joan Crawford and Clark Gable take tho leading roles in a picture that is at once fascinating and true to life —a combination not often attained by films.