AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 260, 2 November 1932, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE. Overflowing with delightful waybaek humour, "On Our Selection," Australia's first great talkie, is drawing large audiences to all -sessions at the Regent Theatre. The story is essentially Australian, .and as all the members of Steele Rudd's family, "Dad," "Mum," "Dave" and Co. go through their pacings they provide all the laughs of the book and play multiplied a hundred fold. "On Our Selection" is rich with humour, and reveals the true life of the Australian wayback family, and blazes; a new trail through the forest of entertainment. Bert Bailev as- "Dad," Alfreda Bevan as "Mum," and Fred McDonald as "Dave" are a merry trio, who keep the audience in continuous laughter. "ON OUR SELECTION." Joke Competition.—The prize for today's best joke goes to A. Little, Elthani Road, Kohirnarama, who sent in the following:— Dad (outside new chum's door at 3 a.m.): Come on, get up and cut the oats. New Chum: Are tEey wild oats or tamo ones ? "Dad: Tame ones, of course. New Chum: Well, why can't you wait till daylight; we don't have to sneak up ou them. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. "Down to Earth," the rollicking comedy with that inimitable droll comedian, Will Rogers, in the lead, is the attraction at St. James' Theatre, and those who enjoy a hearty laugh or two will find much to amuse them in the spending of a worth while hour or so. Rogers has a wife who aims at mingling in. the best society, but Rogers, in his characteristic philosophic manner, cannot see the use of getting out of his own particular sphere. The situations which arise are exceedingly funny. On Friday the change of programme will see the first screening in Auckland of that king of lauglmiakers, Joe E. Brown in "The Tenderfoot," hailed as Brown's funniest' film, affording him hie greatest opportunity for the universally popular type of comedy which has made him famous. In the title role, Joe appears as a "tenderfoot/' who comes to New York from his Texas ranch, looking for a safe investment which will enable him to lift the mortgage on his ranch. He falls in with a theatrical producer, and the fireworks begin when Joe .buys a flop show. Immediately upon his arrival in New York, Joe is engulfed in a whirl of exciting incidents of genuine laugh-pro-voking nature. Eventually he disengages himself from his humourous difficulties and is enabled to save his ranch and marry the girl he has fallen in love with. The large supporting cast has Ginger Rogers in the feminine lead, Lew Cody and Robert Greig in comedy roles and Vivian Oakland, Wilfred Lucas, Spencer Charters, Ralph Ince, Marion Byron and Mae Madison in .prominent parts. PLAZA THEATRE.

' The best musical comedy to come from a British studio, "Sunshine Susie," continues' to scintillate and delight crowded houses at the Plaza Theatre, where the picture is now in its third week. "Sunshine Susie" is the finest picture of its kind screened in Auckland for many a long day—it has been seen, and talked about, and seen again, which is the greatest recommendation that can be given it. It bubbles over with spontaneous humour, through which runs a tuneful number, "To-day I Feel So Happy." Jack Hulbert provides a type of humour which is something different from any brand of comedy witnessed previously in a picture. In addition to being a comedian he is a clever eccentric dancer, a burlesque dance of his being one of the funniest things seen on the screen. Renate Muller, who is "Sunshine Susie," is a pretty and vivacious little German girl, with a sparkling personality that at once places her on side with the audience. "Sunshine Susie simply throws rays of sunshine. It is too good a picture to miss.

NATIONAL THEATRE. To-morrow will see the final screening at the National Theatre of the present double-feature programme where "The Silver Lining," starring Maureen O Sullivan and Betty Ompson, and "The Wickham Mystery," with Robert Montgomery in the lead, provide enjoyable entertainment.. On Friday will be featured on the change of programme "After the Rain," a story unwinding an unusual type of romance, with plenty of thrills. Spencer Tracy and Peggy Shannon are co-starred, in this exciting picture. With its action laid in the South Seas, the colourful tropical background and the swiftly moving story make the film a notable one. It is the story of a "waterfront" girl who tries to reform during her exile on a tropic island. William Boyd, Irving Piohel, Raul Roulien, Laeka Winter and other celebrities are in the cast, and provide plenty of complications for the unique romance between the two ■prm<: l P^ ls - j oun Blystone directed, with Guy Bolton and Leon Gordon writing the screen version of A. C. Kennedy's original iplay.

AMATEUR COMPETITIONS. At the Empress Theatre last evening further finals were disclosed in connection with the Auckland amateur competitions, the adjudicator,. Mr. Thos. Hr Vivian, placing the following awards:—Ladies recitation, Miss Joy Watte; recitation, open, Master Maurice Stitt; most original vaudeville act, Mrs. V. M. Hughes; gent s championship, tap dancing, Mr. Dinney Rawson; ladies' championship, acrobatic and contortionist act,' Miss Wilma Lockwood. STUDENTS* RECITAL. A most enjoyable recital by students of Madame Humphrey-Steward was given last evening, and almost without exception the items were encored. The programme was a very lengthy one. Those contributing were: Songs, Misses Lai Paice, Elsie Bell-Booth, Margaret Brunker, Gladys Barton, Edith Smith, Norma Stevens, Ivy Stevens, Greta Monroe, Alys Moncur, and Messrs. Frank Jacomb and Eraser Monroe; solos, Dorothy Wright, Doreen Atkins, Diane Greening; duets, Gladys Barton and Alys Moncur, and Sybil and Norma Stevens; pianoforte selections, Beatrice Lowe, Marie Spicer, and Dorothy Smith; 'cello, Lalla Hemus. The accompaniste was Miss Betty Gurr. RIALTO THEATRE. The final screening of the engrossing' picture, "State's Attorney," starring John Barrymore and Helen Twelvetrees, will be given at the Eialto Theatre, Newmarket, this evening. On Thursday at the change of programme the feature will be "But the Flesh Is Weak," a fine picture through which runs pathos, drama and comedy in just those quantities which make for a good story and afford opportunities to create unexpected situations. Robert Montgomery is the star and is supported by an exceptionally strong cast. THE HIKERS' BALL. The Scots Hall to-night will .present a merry scene on the occasion of the Hikers' Ball. The hall has been specially decorated to represent bushland, babbling •brooks and cosy nooks, and "hikers" will be allowed to wear whatever clothes they wish. Music will be supplied by Edgar Bendall's band.

CIVIC THEATRE. "The Misleading Lady," an eightcylinder speed-making farce, which combines comedy and romance, is first-class entertainment showing at the Civic Theatre. This picture will have its final screening on Thursday, and on Friday will be introduced "White Zombie," one of the eeriest and most fantastic stories ever pictured for the screen. Aucklan'ders will thus learn, thousands of them for the first time, of the occult' practices in Haiti in which by processes of sorcery dead bodies are dug from their graves and put to work as slaves. The story of "White Zombie" is based upon personal observation in Haiti by American writers and research workers, and, fantastic as it sounds, its entire substance is based upon fact. Bela Lugosi, who came into prominence with his stage and screen creation of Count Dracula in "Dracula," has the principal role in this newcomer, and his portrayal even surpasses that former work of artistry. He plays the role of a sinister fiend who traffics in the exhumation of dead bodies in order to man his sugar cane mills and his fields. He also has mine of the Zombies as a. personal bodyguard, a bodyguard which perpetrates heinous crimes at the behest of their hypnotic alter ego. The settings and photography of "White Zombie" are among the best ever done for "the screen. They include, for example, a castle in the Haitian mountains which is one of the largest_ of its kind in the • history of motion pictures. This, with the tropical scenery of Haiti, makes an unusually striking background for this weird story. STRAND THEATRE. The hilarious comedy, "Hold Everything," starring Joe E. Brown and Winnie Lightner, and the romantic drama, "Keepers of Youth," dealing with the scandal of a private school, will have their final screening to-morrow evening -at the Strand Theatre, and on Friday the change of programme will feature "The Middle Watch," an entertaining British comedy relating the amusing and unexpected experiences of two girls who are left on board- a warship after a .party. Their attempts to avoid being discovered by the Admiral of the Navy place them in the most awkward situations, and the fun is kept at boiling point throughout. _ When the admiral's wife boards the ship and finds two pretty girls, their presence takes some explaining away. In the cast are Owen Nares, Jacqueline Logan, Jack Raine, Dodo Watts and others. LYRIC THEATRE. "Private Lives," a picture which makes a special appeal to adult audiences, is showing at the Lyric Theatre, and this fine story, giving a peep behind the scenes, presents most interesting sidelights on private life in society circles. Robert Montgomery and Norma Shearer are starred and are responsible for excellent acting in the tenße situations which constantly arise. Supporting the feature film is a very strong programme of shorts, and the whole entertainment is of a high standard.

"ALICE IN WONDERLAND." The pupils of Miss Cecil Hall -will continue their 1932 dance show at' Scots Hall on Saturday evening, when. "Further Adventures of Alice in Wonderland" will be presented. Spectacular .ballets, gorgeous costumes, extensive casts, and clever dancing will ■ scintillate through seven scenes.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. "Blondie of the Follies" will have Ha final screening at tiie Majestic Theatre this evening, and to-morrow will be featured "Divorce in the Familv," a picture claimed to provide excellent entertainment. Starring Jackie Cooper, the story is one of pathos and comedy, thrills and drama, a vivid drama in which divorce and its relation to the children who are affected by it is the theme of a swiftmoving plot. Jackie is the child of divorce. His mother has remarried, and he has a stepfather, a doctor. He is torn between love of.his mother and father, and cannot understand his stepfather any more than the latter can understand him. He is first rebellious,. then becomes despondent—and finally, partly through the help of his real father, learns that his stepfather is his friend, and that there is no love like his mother's. Lewis Stone, as the father, interested mostly in science until he learns he has lost his family, gives a remarkable performance, and Conrad Nagel is at his best_ as the crisp young physician. Lois Wilson is the mother. Jean Parker, Lawrence Grant, Maurice Murphy and Richard Wallace have other supporting roles.