AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 93, 20 April 1932, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

CIVIC THEATRE.

The entertaining Winnie Lightner film which has been regaling Civic audiences during the past week will give place on Friday to a. novel drama entitled "24 Hours." This title was selected for tho reason that the events of the picture all occur within the space of one day. What is still more remarkable about the film is the fact that the sequence of events is concurrrent, there being no lapses of time between happenings. This means that the camera literally follows tho clock round.. The story relates the adventures of Jim Towner (Clive Brook) and his estranged wife Fanny (Kay Francis), who is having a hard time to retain tho affections of a tiring lover (Minor Watson). Her husband has a. rather wild evening at a city "speakeasy," where he picks up with the wife of a regular "rough" who has just come in from, killing a rival gangster. When sha puts Jim Towner to bed, her dopewracked husband enters the apartment and chokes her to death in his unseeing rage. Jim awakes next morning to find himself locked in a strange room, and on breaking down the door, discovers the girls body outside. Realising that he will bo charged with the murder, he decides to make a clean breast of his relations with her. His wife nobly stands by him, although she believes him to be guilty. Then the actual murderer is slain by his first victim's own gang by way of reprisal, and finger-prints from the body prove tho innocence of Jim Towner. The latter thereupon sets out for Europe with his devoted wife for a second honeymoon. REGENT THEATRE. The current week's programme at the Regent, headed by the big "horror" film "Frankenstein," will be replaced on Friday by "Chances," in which Douglas Fairbanks, jun., is seen a 6 a typical British Tommy who loves the girls more than anything else, but manages to find a permanent corner in his heart for the love of the one girl in the world whom he could not have. This character is played by Rose Hobart, who made her screen name in "East of Borneo." Douglas Fairbanks, jun., is well known for his performances in "The Little Accident," "Loose Ankles," "Outward Bound," "A Woman of Affairs," "The Toilers," "Little Caesar," and "I Like Your Nerve." Anthony Bushell, who is also in the cast of "Chances," played a most striking role with George Arliss in "Disraeli," while another member of the cast, Harry Allen, is the English stage actor who created the Bairnsfather character of Old Bill on the stage in "The Better 'Ole" which swept London and New York off their feet, and which he hopes to make in a "talkie" soon. The plot of "Chances" deals with the love of two brothers for the same girl, and owing to many reasons, not the least of which was the fact that the whole world was engaged in a war, happiness came not to either of them immediately. ' She had promised to marry one of them to spite the other, but war interferes and changes the whole course of their destiny. Happiness comes finally to the girl and to one brother— and to his rival came death. ST. JAMES' THEATRE.

For the ninth time in their young careers, Janet Gay nor and Charles Farrell are co-starring. This time they arc together again in "Delicious," a new musical romance coming to the St. James' Theatre on Friday, when it will replace the present Robert Montgomery film, "Lovers Courageous." "Delicious" supplies Janet Gaynor with a role that is not only the perfect expression for her winsome and charming personality, but one which, it is said, reveals newfacets of her screen genius. As an immigrant waif from the Highlands of Scotland —as a steerage passenger on an ocean-going liner, an an individual who must enter America illegally, if at all, as a young girl who charms by her simplicity—Janet Gaynor is supreme. Charles Farrell, her inseparable teammate, is once more seen with the muchbeloved actress, this time cast as an international polo player who cannot help but be interested in the unassuming wistfulness of Janet's appeal, lhree clever songs are incorporated in the film, the musical score being written by a well-known composer, George Gershwin. The supporting cast in "Delicious includes the ever-poplar comedian, El Brendel, who was so successful in Just Imagine" and "The Spider." Others m the film are Raoul Roulien, Lawrence O'Sullivan, Manya Roberti, Virginia Chen-ill (who played the beautiful heroine in Charlie Chaplin s City Lights"), also Olive Tell, MfcchaAuer, Marvine Maazel and Jeanette Gegna. The talented director of Sunny fame Up," David Butler, also directed Delicious."

NATIONAL THEATRE. A stood example of an English film is not difficult to tad in 1032, wncn N e ,v Zealand audiences have the chance of seeing an Elstree picture «* " •!"*; age of about once a fortnight, but it, is seldom that one sees a product of the class of "77, Park Lane," which is the first exported effort of artcw production company. Betty Stockficld, the beautiful Australian-born actress, who played the lead in "City of Song, is this time starred opposite Dennis NeilsonTerry. one of the best-known names on the English stage. He made his film debut in "House of the Arrow." "77, Park Lane" is now showing at tnc National Theatre. STRAND THEATRE. Another good British film is now screening at the Strand Theatre. This is "A Honeymoon Adventure," with lovely Benita Hume in the leading role. The male lead is taken by Harold Huth, who played a most impressive lead in the successful film, "The Outsider." The supporting cast is also British. The storv centres round the hilarious adventure's that overtake a couple on their honeymoon, winding up with an extremely thrilling climax. In addition to "A Honeymoon Adventure," the Strand faro this week includes an authentic film of the New Zealand-bred wonder horse Phar Lap winning his last great race in the Aguas Calientes Handicap in March. This achievement gained for him the honour of a new record for the course and over £10,000 in cash. LYRIC THEATRE. A sophisticated comedy-drama, entitled "Honour Among Lovers" (Fredric March and Claudette Colbert) will share screening honours at the Lyric Theatre tonight, ith William Powell's "Man of the World."

RIALTO THEATRE. Hollywood's most valued film star, Constance Bennett, who is on the 30,000 dollar a week list, heads the cast in "The Common Law," which -will be screened at the Rialto Theatre, Newmarket, this . evening. Good supports