AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 87, 13 April 1933, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. The debut of the glamorous Tala Birell in an American-made picture is expected to be little less than a personal triumph for this exotic Viennese actress. Miss birell will come to the screen of the Majestic Theatre to-day in the African drama "Nngana," in which, she should live up to tne complimentary expressions heard regarding her beauty, her ability, and a certain strange quality which immediately sets her apart from other motion-picture plovers. Melvyn Douglas, in the leading ; : a role, ia unusually good in Ins ... .. as is also Onslow Stevens, whose ..... .me is said to be one which remains in tne memory. "Nagana" is a vibrant thrilling love romance with a background presenting the picturesque interior ut the jJark Continent as few pictures have done. Few films, it is stated, have presented more thrilling wild animal sequences, and when 100 ferocious beasts, including lions, leopards and panthers are confined in a single flimsy laboratory erected in a native village, there follow many hairraising scenes. Miss Birell was first seen by Carl Laemmle, jun., in a film made in her native land of Austria, and was signed to appear in "The Doomed Battalion," filmed in the Italian Alps, and then "Nagana." She is supported in this latter film, besides Douglas and Stevens, by Noble Johnson, Everett Brown, M. Morita and William H. Dunn. Ernest L. Frank directed the production. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. It is invariably the custom to question the veracity of the statement that there ,is no professional jealousy between screen comedians. Laurel and Hardy, costarring for more than five years in dispensing film laughter, are an outstanding example. There is declared to be no friction or jealousy whatever in their professional pursuit. The best evidence of this fact is that for several years the comedians had planned to spend a vacation together in Europe. And the plan was carried out recently, following the completion of their latest Hal Roach featurelength comedy, "Pack Up Your Troubles," which comes to the St. James' Theatre to-day. They met by chance at the Hal Roach studios in Hollywood.- Hardy had just been placed under contract, while Laurel was working on the lot. Quite accidentally, Hardy caused a hot grease pan to spill on Laurel's hand. Under the circumstances a feud was in order. Instead they became acquainted, and this ripened into genuine friendship. Together they have made more than 40 comedies'. "Pack Up .Your' Troubles" is their second feature-length comedy, the other being "Pardon Us." Charles Middleton, Richard Tucker, Mary -Carr, Donald Diljaway and Jacquie Lyn are included in the supporting cast. ROXY AND TIVOLI. Maintaining a swift pace from the very beginning, George O'Brien's latest picture, "Smoke Lightning," proved highly entertaining to the o f th« Koxand Tivoli Theatres, when it opened yesterday. The action and excitement that distinguish the western star's offerings are amply supplied in this up-to-date tale of an adventurous cowpuncher who attempts to protect an orphan girl's heritage from a baud of "crooks." His efforts involve him in plenty of adventures, including a thrilling battle along the top of a racing express train, and Director David Howard has woven much delightful comedy into the film. Some of' the locales are surprisingly beautiful, aitd included with the dramatic quality, the pictorial aspects, make this picture exceptional. A note of novelty is added in the person of nine-year-old Betsy King Ross, whose feats of horsemanship make her work in the role of the orphan girl memorable. O'Brien is supported in this western romance by Nell O'Day, an attractive blonde; Betsy King Ross, and Frank Atkinson, one of the most humorous portrayers of cowboy roles seen for many a day. Showing on the same pro "ram me is another fine piece of entertainment in "Three on a Match," a splendid dramatic attempt at delineation of three diverse characters and their reaction to life. Warren William, Joan Blondell, Ann Dvorak and Bette Davis are the stars. NATIONAL THEATRE. "The Blonde Venus," a glamorous romance of the modern scientific world, will be screened finally at the National Theatre this evening. "The Blonde Venus" is the last picture in which the favourite German charmer Marlene Dietrich was starred under the direction of Josef von Sternberg, maker of her every other screen effort, including "The Blue Angel." "Morocco," "Dishonoured," and _ "Shanghai Express." She is now making "Song of Songs" under Rouben Mamoulian, the brilliant young producer of "Love Me To-night." Herbert Marshall, Dickie Moore, and Gary Grant complete the leaders in the supporting cast of "The Blonde Venus." Saturday's change at the National will consist ot "The Kid from Spain," the latest and best of Eddie Cantor's musical comedies, which has done a fortnight's excellent business at the Regent. This picture contains a veritable succession of amusing and enjoyable incidents. Additional attractions at the National will be, as seen at the Regent, the stage performances of the Roland Sextet, juvenile instrumentalists, and the beautiful Walt Disnev teehnicolour .cartoon "Babes in the Wood." STRAND THEATRE. To-night will afford the final opportunity to witness the revival screening of the romantic film, "Love Me To-night," with Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald, at the Strand Theatre. Saturday's change cf programme will introduce a new revival, "Puttin' On the Ritz," featuring Joan Bennett, with Harry Richman, James Gleason and Lilyan Taslnnan in support. The film is described as a "sparkling, rollicking, gay musical romance." Chief among a fine programme cf supporting items will be two wrestling "shorts"- taken at the Wellington Town Hall. These are well-filmed records of matches between George Walker and Harry Mamos, and A 1 Karasick and Dene Detton. A further attraction will be a children's pantomime, "Alice in Wonderland." RIALTO THEATRE. A fine romantic drama of the heetia days of the Russian Revolution of 1917 forms the plot of "Scarlet Dawn," the appropriate picture offering at the Rial to Theatre, Newmarket, to-night. Douglas Fairbanks, jun., is the star of the film. To-morrow, the theatre, in continuance of Sunday screenings, will present a tasteful and enjoyable romance, "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm," with Marian Nixon and Ralph Bellamy in the respective leads. CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE. This evening's offering at the Crystal Palace Theatre, Mount Eden, will be a revival of the hilarious Australian film "On Our Selection." with the well-known stage artist Bert Bailey and liis original ' cast in the main roles.