AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 70, 24 March 1933, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

CITY SHOE'S. Three new shows in the city to-night include "His Wife's Mother" at the Civic, with Jimmy Godden, Gus McNaughton and a distinguished cast of fun makers; "The Penguin Pool Murder" at St. James', with Edna May Oliver, James Gleason and Mae Clarke; and "Leap Year" at the Plaza, with the inimitable Tom Walls as the draw. The Regent enters into its second week of "Cynara, starring Ronald Colman and Kay .Francis, which has proved p. great attraction. The Majestic changed last evening, and is screening "Money Means Nothing ; and the Roxy and Tivoli on Wednesday, with "Second-hand Wife" and "Scarlet Dawn. Two revivals will be screened this evening of Zane Grey's "Wild Horse Mesa" at tne National, and "Tons of Money," with lorn Walls, at the Strand. "MONEY MEANS NOTHING." British pictures would be more popular in New Zealand if a bigger proportion ot them reached the standard of Money Means Nothing," which opened at the Majestic Theatre last evening. Only a cast of British actors could have played it, for the plot is based on the English worship of family tradition, the sort of tradition that keeps the old family valet, who has inherited £20,000,000, still faithful to "the young master." The young master is John Loder, who takes the part of Egbert, 27th Earl of Massmgham, penniless and useless, but still an elegant ornament of society. His valet, Faringay, <is played by Gibb McLaughlin, who keeps up the role delightfully. When Faringay learns that, he has inherited a fortune that makes him one of the wealthiest men in the world, he refuses to resign his position. "A Faringay has attended the Massinghams for hundreds of years. It is a tradition. You cannot alter a tradition with a pocketful of money," he tells the pompous old lawyer, Sir Percival Puttock, who is one of the most delightful characters in the whole story. The penurious earl, who has been living on what Faringay could lend him, finds his valet able to advance all the pocket money he wante, Faringay telling him that it is the result of a successful flutter on the turf. The lawyer, however, strongly objects to the arrangement, and hatches a plot with . Faringay to marry the earl to Faringay's daughter. The two meet and fall in love, but the romance is nipped in the bud by the girl's discovery of the fact that the earl is engaged to a chorus girl, ah unfortunate entanglement dating from the earl's rather wild twenty-first birthday celebrations. No sooner, is the chorus girl bought off than the earl discovers that the girl whom he loves is a millionairess, and accuses her of trying to buy him for his title. When he also finds that his butler is a millianaire several times over the position becomes further complicated, but the faithful old retainer, full of "tradition," solves it neatly. The supporting programme includes a Paramount News gazette, Grantland Rice Sportlight feature, and Betty Boop cartoon, as well as a Mack Sennet comedy, "Blue of the Night," with Bing Crosby singing several popular numbers. "YE OLDE COUNTRY FAYRE." Under the auspices of the Mount Eden branch of the Auckland Hospital Auxiliary "Ye Olde Country Fayre" will be held to-morrow afternoon at the residence of Mr. E. H. Potter, 84, Valley Road, Mount Eden. There will be an attractive programme, including the pantomine /'Little Red Riding Hood." A band will be present. The proceeds are in aid of the sick poor.