AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 21, 25 January 1934, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE

The first of a series of large-scale productions, "Heads, We Go!" which opens a promising season at the Regent Theatre to-morrow, is described as a gay, sparkling English musical comedy-romance. The production cost the considerable sum of £70,000. Charming Constance Cummings was "stolen" from Hollywood for the starring role, Frank Lawton (of "Cavalcade" fame), Binnie Barnes, Gus McNaughton, and Claude Hulbert were selected to head the • supporting cast, and the result is said to be an excellent comedy-romance, radiating laughter and happiness. Directed by Britain's "ace" comedy director, Monty Banks, "Heads, We . Go!" moves as fast as America's fastest. Laughter, romance, beautiful girls, gorgeous gowns —every ingredient of 1 popular entertainment—is to be found in "Heads, We Go!" which is laced with gay comedy and adventure. Con-1 stance Cummings and Binnie Barnes are starred as two mannequins, who toss a coin to decide an adventure. "Heads" wins, and they decide to "blue" Conny's £300 legacy from an aunt in Canada, and Binnie's £4 17/4 on one wild visit to fashionable Deauville. Constance, or Betty Smith, as she appears in the film, has a romantic reason for choosing to visit Deauville. At this pleasure resort of the idle rich she is mistaken for Dorothy Kay, a famous film star, and everybody was "at her feet." Millionaires sent flowers. Newspaper men haunted her hotel. Proposals came every day and twice on Sundays, until a gay yachting week-end explodes the deception. Frank Lawton is this romantic reason, and this clever young star, who scored such an outstanding personal success recently, in "Cavalcade," gives another typical portrayal. Gus McNaughton and Claude Hulbert provide plenty of comedy in their : inimitable Btyles.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. Film version of that hilarious stage farce, "Getting Gei'tie's Garter," known so well in Australia, "Night of the Garter," coming to the Mi jestic to-morrow, provides the laughable English comedian Sydney Howard, with one of his finest comedy roles to date in the part of Bodger, a butler. Bodger, as interpreted by Sydney Howard, seems destined to take his place among the select group of fictional butlers that include Jeeves, Jenkyn and the admirable Crichton. It would be impossible to describe in a few words the hilarious adventures that befall Bodger during the eventful night in which the J action of the story takes place; a night when all the members of the cast arrive at a country house in search of a jewelled garter; a night when doors slam alarmingly in the darkness, as jealous wives chase guilty husbands; a night which for Bodger is simply one attack of consternation after another. Sydney Howard starred for seven months at the Strand Theatre, London, in the stage play of the same title, and a number of the principal players supporting him at the Strand have been recruited fori/the film. These include Connie Edisa, Harold French, Jack Melford and Austin Melford. But the feature of the supporting cast which holds most interest is the inclusion in one picture of three stellar players—Sydney Howard, Winifred Shotter, who has a straight characterisation, and Elsie Randolph, who has a strong comedy role. One of the best supporting subjects shown for some time is "Wings Over Africa, a journey by aerpolane of over 8000 miles from Croydon to Capetown.

HOSPITAL ENTERTAINMENT

The usual weekly entertainment at the Public Hospital, organised by Mrs. Raeburn and Mr. Harablin, took place on Wednesday evening. Mi's, and Miss Boyle conducted the party of children, who gave an enjoyable performance to a large audience of nurses and friends. The party comprised Kathleen and Patricia Boyle, Norma Jones, Melva Marchant, Jean Lovett, Douglas Martin, Valerie Han and Betty Crew. Mrs. Boyle acted as accompanist.

ROXY AND TIVOLI. "Midshipman Jack," wliich had its premiere at the Rosy and Tivoli Iheatres last night, is one of the most entertaining and zestful productions released this season, enacted bjra cast of sincere young Hollywood favourites. Bruce Cabot s virility lends realism to his character of Jack Austin. Jack enmeshes himself iu a web of intrigue and romance when he is discovered carrying on a secret love affair with the commandant's daughter. His peccadillos already have taxed his superiors' indulgence,' and he ;is placed on probation, violation of which means dismissal and disgrace. Intensely interesting incidents, crammed with revelations of navy life, win sympathy for Cabot when he assumes the blame for a submarine chaser crash to save a mate from expulsion. Thus, he stands to lose his career and his love besides. In the cast with Bruce Cabot is a group of talented young players and two older ones, vvhc perform convincingly. The excellent performances are contributed by Betty Furness, John Darrow, Frank Albertson, Margaret Seddon, Arthur Lake, Florence Lake, and Purnell Pratt. The other picture screening with "Midshipman Jack," is "Good-bye Again," with Joan Blondetl and Warren William starring. In "Goodbye Again" Joan has the role of a wisecracking secretary to William, who is an author of sex novels avidly read by women, who idolise the author. The picture is a hilarious comedy-drama with many spicy sequences based on the brilliant Broadway stage success by George Haight and Allan Scott. There is an excellent supporting cast, which includes Genevieve Tobin, Helen Chandler, Ruth Donnelly, and Wallace Ford.

NATIONAL THEATRE. Two proper holiday attractions will close long city seasons ut the National Theatre this evening. These are "The Hayseeds," the Australian farce with music which has been running continuously since Christmas, while the other is "Looking on the Bright Side," Gracie Fields' second musical comedy-romance. The National is to offer its patrons another diial-feature programme to-morrow, in which the two aew films will be "Before Dawn" and "Myrt and Marge." The latter is an enjoyable musical revue introducing to the screen one of America's most popular radio comedy teams, who give their name to the film. New songs, a veritable whirlwind ot laughter and gaiety have been packed into the production, by all reports, and there is little doubt that its contrast with the more dramatic feature, "Before Dawn, will provide an acceptable entertainment during the coming week. Avid lovers of thrills and chills may find their horrors served up in large parcels in Before Dawn," which is stated to be an adaptation of an Edgar Wallace mystery thriller." Stuart Erwin, Warner Oland and Dorothy Wilson are starred, with Dudley Digges and Frank Reicher supporting. Irving Pichel, himself a noted thriller star, actually directed the production of the film.

STATE THEATRE. The glamorous Mae West, supported by her "tall, dark and handsome" hero Cary Grant, will thrill picture-goere at the State Theatre, Upper Symonds Street, for tKe final occasion this evening, being replaced to-morrow by the British musical comedy "Radio Revue," introducing oO of Britain's most popular 6tage and rauia artists, including the inimitable Florence Desmond.

LONDON NEWSREEL CINEMA.

A good drama and an enjoyable comedy will always make the ideal in screen entertainment, and this precept is borne out in the current tfire at the London Newsreel Cinema, consisting of "Borrowed Partners" and "T'ty: Crusader.

TUDOR CINEMA, REMUERA.

Probably the most superb of all colour pictures, '"The King of Jazz," a fine revue programme, is screening at the Tudor Cinema, Remuera, this evening. With it is that other superb colour creation or Walt Disney's, "The Three Little Pigs.

RIALTO AND CRYSTAL FALACE. Opening with the destruction of American civilisation by an enormous meteorological upheaval, involving the sinking of New York under the hungry Atlantic, "Deluge," a thrilling film adapted from S. Fowler Wright's sensational drama, is screening currently at the Crystal Palace and Rialto Theatres. The Crystal Palace is also screening the dramatic Irene Dunne vehicle, "The Secret of Mme. Blanche," while the Rialto is showing "Olsen's Big Moment."