AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 266, 9 November 1932, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

ST. JAMES' THEATRE.

Out in the West, where the coyotes howl, and the stock market losers do likewise, a strange phenomenon has come into being. It is the "dude ranch" where Broadway beauties "go Western" in a whoopee way, tired business men play at being bold, bad bandits, and theatrical Romeos become deep-chested knights of the saddle. These pleasure emporiums of the wide open epaces, where cowboys chaperone ladies instead of long-horned steers, have attained a tremendous vogue and now the lone prairie resounds with revelry and jazz, rather than* range laments. It remained for "Girl Crazy," an all-etar merry melange of mad mirth, melody and romance, to bring the colourful glamour of the "dude ranch," to the motion picture screen. In the picture, which opens at the St. James' Theatre on Friday next, Broadway beauties frolic with Hollywood cowboys and the screen's brightest comedy stars win laughs at the expense of the roughest and toughest y.illains who ever chased a maiden or frightened a baby. The inimitable Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey head the comedy ranks in the starring roles, with Eddie Quilan, a star in his own right, playing the juvenile lead. The Broadway brigade is led by Dorothy Lee, Arline Juuge "and Kitty Kelly, three of the most attractive beauties ever to grace a musical stage. "The Tenderfoot," Joe E. B.rown's comedy, will end its season on Thursday night. REGENT THEATRE. "Street of Women," beautiful Kay Francis' newest starring vehicle, opens on Friday at the Regent Theatre, with Mise ■Francis in the most important role of her screen career. "Street of Women" permits the star to establish her place as "Hollywood's best-dressed actress." Inthe picture she is seen in 22 complete costume changes. She-is cast as a successful modiste engaged in wide social activities as well as business. The etory concerns the difficulties encountered when a married man falls in love with the modiste, whose young .brother is in love_ with her lover's daughter. The complications bring both tragedy and joy, eventually settling themselves, so that the situation is smoothed out for both couples. "Street of Women" brings a daring story to the screen, which is paralleled daily in real life. It is said to be handled with delicacy and cleverness. The cast, while small, has been especially selected with exact types and characters in mind. Allan Dinehart, Roland Young, Marjorie Gateson, Allan Vincent and Gloria Stuart play the major roles in the story, which was screened from the successful novel by Polan Banks. The current film at the Regent is the highly-successful Australian comedy, "On Our Selection," with Bert Bailey. CIVIC THEATRE. In the latest Paramount British picture "Life Goes On," at the Civic Theatre next Friday, one of the principal players is an Australian* This is Betty Stockfield, the beautiful Sydney-born actress who recently was seen in "The City of Songj and many other recent pictures. She plays the part of Lady Sheridan, whose indiscretion is the cause of all the mystery a'nd drama in this delightful picture. Hugh Wakefield, as a traveller in far-off places, comes to the Grand Hotel for a holiday after three yeaiu' absence. He finds that this particular evening is amusing in many ways, yet fraught with danger and mystery. Elsie Randolph plays a telephone girl in the Grand Hotel. If she had told all she knew the mystery might have been solved, but there was a lady's reputation, as well as that of the hotel, to be considered. "Life Goes On ,wae adapted from the stage success Sorry io Have Troubled You," which ran for months in London, its delightful humour bringing a smile in the most thrilling situations. - STRAND THEATRE. The firsts of the true all-star pictures, possessing the added attraction of having been filmed entirely in technicolour, is now screening at the Strand Theatre in the ehape of "Show of Shows," the brilliance of whose "etar value" astonished the film world. Given leading roles in this galaxy of talent are John Barrymore, Jack Buchanan, Irene Bordoni and Winnie Lightner, all of whom. were great stars in an earlier day, and three of whom retain great popularity to-day. The aim is a revival from about two years ago, when a virtual flood of this type of picture sated the public's appetite for the musical comedy revue, as perfect as the production, may have been. NATIONAL THEATRE. The final two days of the season of "After the' Rain," the glamorous- South Seas romance, featuring Peggy Shannon and Spencer Tracy, with William Boyd and Irving Pichel in support, will be to-day and to-morrow. The picture, which was made by way of an answer to the production of the immortal "Sadie Thompson" as a talkie entitled Rain," concerns the pearl-diving industry of the Pacific, and the powerful romance that is inevitably associated- with the South Seas. A splended supporting programme accompanies the film. DRAMATIC AND HUMOROUB RECITAL. A dramatic and humorous recital will be given in the New Zealand Penwomen's Club rodms in Short's Buildings on Saturday evening next by the pupils of Mise Leila Armitage, L.T.C.L. Leading artists will assist. RIALTO THEATRE. In addition to an interesting film of the New Zealand athletic team at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in August, the Rialto Theatre will this evening screen the entertaining British musical comedy "Man of Mayfair," • , • ..- : LYRIC THEATRE. '■ XJlive Brook and Kay iTrancie give polished performances in the' clever and entertaining comedy-drama "Husband's Holiday," which is the main feature of to-night's programme at the Lyric Theatre, Upper Symonds Street.