AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 115, 18 May 1933, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

"GRAND HOTEL." Following sensational runs in the principal cities of the •world, the long-awaited and much discussed "Grand Hotel" will open to-morrow at the St. James' Theatre as one of the most important local "talkie" events in years. Based _on the Vicki Bauin novel, "Grand Hotel" brings to the screen one of the most outstanding galaxy of stars and players ever seen in a motion picture. The exotic Greta Garbo plays the Russian dancer, Grusinskaya, who lives on the acclaim of her audiences and is ready to die when they no longer applaud. John Barrymore plays the impecunious nobleman whose love for the dancer prevents him from turning thief. Joan Crawford is cast as the seductive stenographer who is willing to sell herself for whatever she is ■worth to the industrial magnate Preysing, portrayed by Wallace Beery. And Lionel Barrymore plays the provincial bookkeeper, Kringelein, who, broken in health, spends Ttis hoarded savings to enjoy his last days in. the splendour of the Grand Hotel. Lewis Stone and Jean Hersholt head the supporting cast, which also includes Robert McWade, Purnell B. Pratt, Ferdinand Gottschalk, Rafaela Ottiano, Morgan Wallace, Tally Marshall, Frank Convoy, Murray Kinnell and Edwin Maxwell. The lives of these strangely different characters are drawn together in the vortex of the fashionable Berlin hotel and the result is a fascinating dramatic panorama in which love, intrigue, murder, comedy and tragedy all play a part. NATIONAL THEATRE. Stanley Lupino's inimitable comedy receives line interpretation in the latest musical "hit" from the British studios, "Sleepless Nights," which is to conclude its highly successful Auckland season at the National Theatre this_ evening. Polly Walker supplies the feminine interest, with Gerald Rawlinson and. Frederick Lloyd heading the supporting cast. The National's new programme for to-morrow is topped by "Insult," another fine British film product. • The plot of this absorbing film deals with_ adventure in the French Foreign Legion, that "resort of the damned," and deals with it in a manner calculated to thrill the most jaded of film-goers of to-day, reports of its success are to be believed. Elizabeth Allan, the most consistent of all Britain's talking picture stars, -who only recently accepted a lucrative offer from Hollywood, is the feminine lead, with Hugh Williams heading the male cast. The National will also present a typical Zane Grey story in "The Light of the Western Stars," featuring Richard Arlen and Mary Brian. The film is said to be packed with action, romance and thrills. ROXY AND TIVOLI. The spirited modern West, with a background of thrills suggesting the '49 days when six-6hooters and cottonwoods hempliung with outlaws prevailed, is seen in "The Cheyenne Kid," Tom Keene's new starring picture now at the Roxy and Tivoli Theatres. A realistic western player, Keene imbues this adventurous and tempestuous film with dash and recklessness!. "The Cheyenne Kid" is rich in. suspense and action. Keene, as a reckless, danger-loving cowboy, is mistaken for a killer. An unscrupulous gold assayer, threatening exposure, under which Keene could not prove innocence, presses him, unsuccessfully, to murder his sweetheart's father, who owns a gold mine. The father is shot by a desperado, but Keene is suspected. In a whirlwind of splendid staged action Tom unmasks the guilty person and wins' the girl. The climatic reels attain rapid fever pitch in sequences of violent hand-to-hand fighting, terrific gun-load exchanges and wind-paced riding. Mary Mason lends sweetness and charm to tho film in her role as the gold prospector's daughter. Rosco Ates, who has supplied the hilarity for Keene twice before, mellows the film with much humour. Buck Jones, one of the greatest Western stars in "movies" goes back 60 years to the hectic days in America at the close oE the Civil War, when various large armed bands made an armed battle-ground of ' that territory, in his latest picture, "Treason," which is also screening. LONDON THEATRE. To-night will afford the final screening at the London Theatre of "Brother Alfred," the highly amusing P. G. Wodehouse story in which. Gene Gerrard i frolics, with the South African actress, Molly Lamont, as his leading lady. "Sea , Devils," a gripping adventure film, will be to-morrow's change of programme. CRYSTAL PALACE AND RIALTO. With the exception of the introduction of rather too much action, the British producers made a fine job of "The Maid of the Mountains," Frederick Lonsdale's incomparable musical comedy which Jose Collins and Gladys Monerieff made famous all over the world. The film version, with Nancy Brown as Teresa, Betty Stockfield as Angela, and Harry Welchman, of stage fame, as Baldassarre, will , be screened at the Crystal Palace and Rialto Theatres to-night. TUDOR CINEMA, REMUERA. The man who plays Professor Moriarty so brilliantly in "Sherlock Holmes"— showing at the Tudor Cinema, Remuera, to-night—died two days ago in New York. He was Ernest Torrence, a fine character actor. Clive Brook takes the role of the famous detective in this clever American version of the Conan Doyle 3 681 HOSPITAL CONCERT. The weekly concert given by Mrs. Raeburn and Mr. A. Hamblin was held in Ward 12 at the Public Hospital last evening. An enjoyable programme, under the direction of Mr. J. Sruifhson, was given, consisting of orchestral items, songs, duets, quartetes and humorous sketches. Those taking part were:—The Epiphany Sunshine Band, Misses E. Taylor, E. Smithson and Aldwyth Dunn; Messrs. C. Taylor, R. Taylor, and W. Smithson. Mme. aa accompanist. SONG AND PIANO RECITAL. An entertaining song and piano recital will be given at the Lewis Eady Hail this evening by Mrs. Cyril Towsey and Miss Kathleen O'Leary, assisted jjy Miss Ina Bosworth. >