AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 246, 18 October 1933, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE. "Old as is the story "The Masquerader' " —which is the next attraction for Regent patrons —"it still makes a good picture," writes the critic of the "New York Times." "This is due in no small measure to the capable acting of Ronald Colman in the dual role for which the story is justly famous. The photography is excellent and the scenes in which Mr. Colman as the drug addict. Sir John Chilcote, a member of I'arliament, and his double, a journalist, talks to himself, so to speak, are set forth with marvellous accuracy. Furthermore, the talented and suave Mr. Colman succeeds in giving a distinct impression of the divergent characters of the two men. Chilcote looks like the dissipated writer, while the latter is happy-go-lucky, good-natured and alert. It is, of course, an extremely improbable story, but while its many incidents come to the screen it at least causes one to reflect that there have been cases of men not twin brothers looking very much alike. Klissa Landi portrays Lady Chilcote. When she looks upon the journalist, fancying him to be her husband, she is elated at the change for the better in his appearance. Aside from the capital work done by Mr. Colman, Misa Landi and Juliette (Jompton, the latter as Lady Joyce, do extremely well by their respective roles. Halliwell Hobbes is also splendid." The Regent is also screening "Santa's Workshop,'' a fine cartoon by Walt Disney and his staff, which received a wonderful hearing from the King and Queen when screened at the only Command Performance of a talkie programme ever held. MAJESTIC THEATRE. The fine British musical romance, "Tell Mo To-night," which is still continuing on its record-breaking way in Melbourne and other Australian centres, will on Friday enter on its second week in Auckland, screening to excellent "houses" at the Majestic Theatre. "Tell Me To-night" forms the second film vehicle for the silvery tenor voice of Jan iviepura. The picture provides much that is interesting, having been made at the Ufa studios ill Berlin, under the direction of a Russian, Anatol Litwak. But its technique differs little from British pictures, which, summed up briefly, means that it is excellent. The Switzerland lake country forms a most picturesque background for the story, which tells of the escapades of Ferraro, a famous operatic singer, who, wishing to throw off the yoke of his stern woman manager, runs away for a holiday in Switzerland. On the way, he meets an international crook, Koretsky, and both enter the town together. The Mayor and other dignitaries mistake the criminal for the singer, a fact wholeheartedly welcomed by the latter in an endeavour to escape publicity. The singer falls in love with the Mayor's daughter, and all ends happily when matters are straightened out. As Ferraro, Jan Kiepura is given some lovely music to sing, and his crystal-toned voice is particularly well reproduced. The role of the Mayor's daughter is attractively played by a German actress, Magda Schneider, and the comedy part of Koretsky by Sonnie Hale. The excellent British naval film,' "Our Fighting Navy," is also being screened with "Tell Me Tonight," forming a line entertainment.

j CIVIC THEATRE. | Next Friday's attraction at the Civil, ! replacing the current "Men Must Fight," i is "Kiss Me Again," the latest musical production and a modernised teclinicolour screen version of A r ictor Herbert's | famous romance, "Mile. Modiste." The I name of the piece lias been changed, withj out doubt on account of the world-wide popularity of the song "Kiss Me Again," which when the piece was first performed was sung by Fritzi Scheff. It is Bernice | Claire who plays the part of the flirtatious ; Fifi, and sings the haunting song "Kiss Me Again." Though the original story is adhered to, the costumes have been brought up to date, many of the most tuneful end amusing scenes taking place in the fashion palace of Mme. Cecile in Paris. These sequences, which are said to be gay and colourful in the extreme, are equalled by the interludes in Algeria and Italy. "Kiss Me Again" is the first of the Victor Herbert successes to reach the talking screen, but there is every reason to believe it is not the last. That the .public wants Victor Herbert is evidenced by the throngs which attended the many New York revivals of his successes. The picture is filmed entirely in technicolour. While settings, story, and casting are of the first order, it is, after all, the melodious, glorious melodies of Victor Herbert that make "Kiss Me Again" the thing of beauty that it is. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. Kong, immense prehistoric ape, who is the menace in the fantastic picture "King Kong," featuring Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot at the St. James' Theatre next Friday, is one of the most terrifying villains that ever made a cameraman shudder. Certainly he is the 'largest. He is 50ft tall. His tread shakes the earth, and his hands are capable of crushing an aeroplane to matchwood. His strength had flourished since the time man was born and Hollywood was a grazing ground for the brontosauri and the hypocanii. He ruled, by the right of might, the island that had been left behind in the windy track of the centuries. But the thing that bewildered Kong, king of his realm, was the never before experienced emotion of tenderness that thrilled in his savage breast when he saw beauty for the first time in the form of a woman. It led him into battle with prehistoric monsters for her—and it led him to bis doom when he tried to lay New York low—-to wipe out this, to him, weird thing called civilisation. The story deals with the harrowing experiences of a party of American motion picture people who visit a strange, remote island in quest of a legendary ape god. The supreme fantasy of "King Kong" begins when the monster, after having been captured, breaks loose and runs riot in New York. The St. James' is also offering its patrons the much discussed musical comedy film "So This is Harris." introducing Phil Harris, of Los Angeles radio fame, whom we first saw in "Melody Cruise." STRAND THEATRE. The popular Australian comedy, "Diggers in Blighty," second of Pat Hanna's appearances in talkies, forms half the current entertainment at the Strand Theatre. Tho antics of the wartime Australian Diggers oil leave in London provides plenty of scope for amusement. Marie Dressier and Wallace Beery, in the historic "Min and Bill," form the other half of the programme.

NATIONAL THEATRE. Adapted from the popular Zane Grey novel, "Sunset Pa6s," now screening together with Jack Buchanan's "Man of Mayfair" at the National Theatre, features more Western stars than have been seen in any one production for many a long year. These include Hairy Carey (of "Trader Horn" fame), Randolph Scott, Tom Keene, Noah Beery, jun. and Kent Taylor, while Kathleen Burke heads the feminine list.

I ■ PLAZA THEATRE. When "Gold Fever" (Walter Huston and Constance Cummings) and "Mussolini Speaks"—one of the most authoritative and absorbing records of the career and achievements of the great Italian leader that has ever been made available to the British public—leave the Plaza Theatre to-morrow, the two films will hp supplanted the next day by a beautiful production entitled "The Rebel," done privately by Luis Trenker, the Italian author, film director and screen star. He produced' "The Doomed Battalion" some time ago, and its marvellous photography will long remain in the film-going public's memory. "The Rebel" is said to equal or surpass "The Doomed Battalion" in this respect. It is also remarkable for the fact that it inaugurates the return to film fame of Vilma Banky, one of the most popular leading ladies of the days of the "silents." DANTE AIDS VETERANS. At the invitation of the Danish magician Dante, 60 members of the Auckland Infirmary may visit His Majesty's Theatre for next Wednesday's matinee performance, provided volunteers can be found to convey the inmates to the theatre. Any motorists desiring to aid in this respect should telephone the publicity manager at the theatre. Dante is staging his show, "Sim-Sala-Bim," twice daily for a fortnight's season. CHERRY ANDERSON RECITAL. Assisted by Miss Theo Halpin, pianist, Miss Helen Gray, violinist, and Mr. Robert Simmers, baritone, Miss Cherry Anderson, pianist, will give a recital in the Lewis Eady Hall this evening. Included in the programme will be the Grieg piano concerto in A minor, played by Miss Anderson, with Miss Theo Halpin supplying the orchestral part on a sccond piano. Miss Anderson will also play two Seriabin Preludes (B flat minor and E flat major), an Etude by the same composer (C sharp minor), one of Granados' "Goyescas," a Brahms Rhapsody and Chopin's "Fantasie Impromptu." Miss Helen Gray will play Dvorak's "Slavische Tanz Weisen" and "Praeludium and Allegro" (Pugnani), while Mr. Simmers will be heard in several songs of a classical character. The accompanists will be Miss Theo Halpin and Miss Anderson. MUNICIPAL BAND. At Victoria Park to-morrow night the Auckland Municipal Band will give the first of a series of outdoor concerts for the coming summer. A programme will also be given at Albert Park on Sunday evening and also at the Zoological Park on Sunday afternoon.