AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 204, 30 August 1933, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE. Regarding "A Bedtime Story," Friday's «ew Him attraction for the Regent Theatre, the '"Sydney Sun" critic writes: " 'A Bedtime Story' is quite the prettiest thing that the screen has given. Chevalier is more the artist and less the light lover than he lias ever been. Hβ sings some mose effective little songs, 'In Paree, in the Spring, in the Park' being a gem. Many men move well on stage and screen, but Chevalier challenges them all. His grace has never been more apparent than in 'A Bedtime Story, , and it alone is worth seeing." Helen Twelvetrees, Edward Everett Horton, Adrienne Ames and Baby Leroy, the year-old youngster chosen from among thousands of others to play the role, head the cast which supports Chevalier in "A Bedtime Story." The picture presents him in a new type of characterisation —a man about town who suddenly discovers as much fun in romancing at the family fireside as in the salons about town. Awakening comes when he finds a baby abandoned in his car. TJie youngster is so charming that lie decides to raise it himself, and sends for a nurse to help in the task. Then he discovers charm in her. too. The picture reaches an amusing climax when he descends on his fiancee's chateau, followed by the baby, nurse and the rest of his menage. There he almost loses all of them, but he emerges still in possession of baby and nurse, who, by this time, is more than nurse. PLAZA THEATRE. What has been described as ju.;t missing being a great film—"The Fires of Fate" — by reason of the fact that part of the desert scenes are done in silent screen with musical accompaniment, will couclude a season at the Plaza Theatre tomorrow night. Lester Matthews, Garry Marsh and Dorothy Bartlam have the chief roles in the picture, which was actually "shot" on the banks, of the Upper Nile a year or so ago by an expedition from an English studio. The film shows some amazingly accurate sequences of the wild life led in the Egyptian desert. The new offering to Plaza patrons on Friday will comprise mainly the British comedy film, "Their Night Out," in which Claude Hulbert, that blank-faced' ass de luxe of "Let Me Explain, Dear," and numerous other films, has the chief role. He is said to maintain an excellent tempo of laughter in this production, in which he is supported by such artists as Renee Houston, Gus MeNaughton (another comedian of considerable local popularity) and Judy Kelly, the youthful Sydney girl who made 'her debut recently in "Money Talks." Other members of the cast who, are by no means strangers to the local film public are Jimmy Godden, Binnie Barnes, Amy Veness, Hal Gordon and Ben Welden. The picture was directed by Harry Hughes. CIVIC THEATRE. "It's Great To Be Alive," a new musical comedy, will have its premiere at the Civic 'liiuatre on Friday. Haul Koulien, idol of the South American stage and screen, has the stellar role, and is surrounded by a large; group of performers that includes 1000 of the most beautiful women of the Hollywood film colony. The story concerns itsell with the strange situation of one solitary male in a world of millions of women. All men, but this one, are wiped oft the globe, and the conjecture about "the last man on earth" becomes a reality. This one man happens to be a popular aviator who has been cast! away on a desert island. The supporting cast, headed by Gloria Stuart, Edna May Oliver and Herbert Mundin, includes Joan Marsh, Dorothy Burgess, Emma Dunn, Edward A r an Sloan and Robert Greig. More than 1000 of Hollywood's most gorgeous girls take part in the production which launches Raul Roulien on a career of American ecreen stardom. William Kern ell, who has a number of established song-hits to hie credit, is responsible for the music and the lyrics in "It's Great To Be Alive." Among his new songs to be heard in this film are "Good-bye, Ladies," "I'll Build a Nest," "It's Great To Be the Onlv Man Alive," and "Women! Women! Women!" STRAND THEATRE. The film version of the epic Noel Coward play, "Cavalcade," concludes its sensational five weeks' season ,at the Strand Theatre to-morrow evening. The Hollywood version of this so essentially English production is one which will never be forgotten in the Empire. Indeed, it is doubtful if English producers, with their limited capital, could have "made anything like the Hollywood success. Winfield R. Sheehan, chief executive of Fox Films Corporation, after seeing the Drury Lane play, saw that "Cavalcade" could be nothing but English, and he dismissed Frank Borzage, a Hungarian, and his Americanising script-writers and American cast, and substituted an Englishman, Frank Lloyd, giving him instructions to cast English players for roles, large and small. NATIONAL THEATRE. The enjoyable current programme at the National Theatre, consisting of "No Other Woman" and "The Great Decision," will be screened finally to-morrow evening. The former picture is a powerful vehicle for a great piece o£ acting by Irene Dunne, as the wife who waits patiently until Fortune and misfortune have done their worst for the final happiness that comes out of tribulation. Charles Bick/ord is cast in another strong role as her husband, and he also ends up in a spirit of hope and faith. The film is a wonderful moral tonic. "The Great Decision" is a fine vehicle for William Boyd and Dorothy Wilson. The new programme for the National on Friday introduces two more films—"Gun Smoke," with the virile Richard Arlen, and "That Night in London," an unusual English dramatic picture featuring Robert Donat, Pearl Argyle and Miles Mander. EVELYN FIRTH HOME CONCERT. An en.io3 r able concert was arranged by Mr. A. Hamblin at the Evelyn Firth Home last evening. A delightful programme, under the direction of Mme. Dunn, was provided, consisting of songs, duets, dancing, humorous items, etc. Those taking part were: —Misses Gladys Barton ("Polly Flinders," of IZR), Grace Wray, Sylvia Pointer, Mavis Ward, Aldwyth Dunn and M. Marchant; Messrs. Ronald Jenkins and Jack Riley, and Master Noel Matheson. Mme. Dunn was accompanist. POLICE CHARITY BALL. The long-awaited Police Charity Ball, one of the last of the large quantity of big social public functions of the winter, will be held in the Peter Pan Cabaret this evening, under the patronage of his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe. Mr. and Miss Stratton, of the Stratton School of Dancing, will give an exhibition of the latest steps. ROUSHWORTH'S SKATING RINK. ■ This evening at Roiishworth's Skating Rink, Khyber Pass Road, will take the form of a special interhouse sports night, when the final of the Atta Shield hockey on skates competitions between Wiseman's and Radio, Limited, will be held. A challenge race, "twilight singing" and a brand-new novelty, a crocodile race, with four in a team, are also arranged. Saturday next will see a "Vice Versa" carnival at the rink. ST. MARY'S HOMES FAIR. The annual fair of the St. Mary's Homes, Otahuhu, will be conducted in the Town Hall Concert Chamber to-day week, from 11 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., when songs, music, dances and the usual fair attractions will be presented. COMMUNITY SINGING. The cheerful practice of community singing would appear to have secured a firm grip on Auckland's vocal enthusiasts, judging by the popularity of this afternoon's gathering in the Town Hall, under Mr. Vernon T. Drew's leadership. Toliiuiiow evening, also in the Town Hall, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Russell will conduct , their £100 "sing," with Reg. Morgan's ' Dance Band in attendance.

MAJESTIC THEATRE.

Jean Hersholt, Stuart Erwin, Wynne Gibson and Frances Dee head the cast of "The Crime of the Century," a mystery drama in a new style, which comes to the Majestic Theatre on Friday. Gordon. Westcott and David Landau nave the principal supporting roles. "The Crime of the Century"* offers two innovations in presentation of a mystery etory. First, the crime is confessed to lie police before it is committed, and yet is carried through while they watch. Secondly, half-way through, there is a. 60-eecond intermission, during which the various clues to the solution are reviewed briefly, and the audience is invited to attempt to solve it. The picture centres around Hersholt, an alienist, who walks into 8, police station, tells the assembled officers that he has planned a murder, describes how it will be carried through, and begs to be locked up so that he will be unable to commit it. Impressed by his manner as well as his reputation, officers accompany him to his home. And there, while they look on, powerless to prevent it, not only the murder he has planned, but a. second one takes place. Stuart Erwin, a* a police reporter, and Frances Dee aa the alienist's daughter, eet about solving the mystery from the few unimportant clues available. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. The first old-time opera bouffe to be presented on the talking screen, "Fra Diavolo." is meeting with great success at St. James' Theatre. Magnificent singing, colourful settings, romance and humour are combined to make excellent entertainment. Dennis King, as Fra Diavolo (The Devil's Brother), has the main singing role and he is supported by a massed choir of 150 voices. He is seen a& a handsome, audacious brigand-marquise who robs the rich in order to give to the poor. Slim Summerville and Zasu Pitta make a successful reappearance in "Her First Mate," which will open a season at the theatre on Friday. Slim Summerville and Zasu Pitts have become famous as one of the most consistent screen comedy teams. Either of them is funny without doing anything, no less than when they are supplied with a continuous flow of dialogue and action. "Her First Mate is the fourth in their series of farces, the earlier ones being "The Unexpected Father," "They Just Had to Get Married" and "Out All Night."