AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 138, 13 June 1934, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. Many of the most popular radio, stage and broadcasting artists in Britain are introduced in "On the Air," which, is nearing the end of its season at the Majestic Theatre. Films of this type fill a very definite gap in New Zealand entertainment, as tney enable local audiences to see artists who are often known to them only by tneir names. With "On the Air," the Majestic is showing "Tembi," a magnificent film record of adventures in Africa, made without farcical attempts to produce jungle melodrama, and so all the more attractive to intelligent film-goers. Friday's change of programme will provide for the release of "It's a Cop," ' latest vehicle for that popular farcical entertainer Sydney Howard, whom Aucklanders have seen and admired 60 often in such films as "Splinters," "Splinters in the Navy," "Tilly of Bloomsbury," "Up For the Cup, ( "It's a King," "Almost a Divorce," "Up For the Derby," "Night of the Garter/' and, only a few weeks ago, "Trouble." "It's a Cop" promises rare entertainment, and there appears to be every reason why the hilarious Sydney Howard, most asinine of all __ses-de-luxe, should exeell himself in this new production. He has, for instance, the first-class aid of Dorothy Bouchier, appealing young English lady, in the leading feminine role. She has been seen by Auckland patrons in'such films as "Carnival," "The Blue Danube," "The King's Cup," and "Purse Strings." Also, there is that sterling trouper Donald Calthrop, one of Britain's earliest and most constant of popular screen players. Garry M_rsb, most villainous of villains in innumerable filma, plays the "heavy" in "It's a Cop." With all these characters to contend with, Sydney, cast as P.O. Spry, has a most trying and withal a most amusing time of it. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. To-morrow Primo Camera, gigantic Italian boxing champion of the world, and Max Baer, handsome and meteoric young Californian challenger, will battle out a contest for the former's title and crown at historic Madison Square Garden, New York. Made some months previously, a new film will come to the St. James' Theatre, Auckland, on the following day, in which these very giants of the ring battle ten thrilling rounds to a draw. This film is "Everywoman's Man," made as a vehicle for Max Bacr as a romantic film actor. Baer is said to introduce to the screen something new in masculine physiques. He is tall and well formed, with great broad shoulders. "Beside him the general run of romantic lovers tend to look insignificant and anaemic," wrote one enthusiastic critic. He brings to the screen a new conception of "romantic lover," and adds to it all the charm of a healthy, bubbling personality. Myrna Loy plays opposite Max Baer. She is a beautiful night club girl who falls in love with the rising young man and helps him through hard work and sacrifice. In this, a new type of role for Miss Loy, the actress proves her versatility. As a night club_ girl she is said to be glamorous and bewitching, while as the wife she is a dramatic, inspiring woman, impelling her man to success. Walter Huston, generally conceded one of the best character actors on stage or screen, plays the role of the drink-ridden, down-at-heel professor and old-time fight manager, who recognises in Baer championship material and trains him for his fights. Some famous exchampions and their contemporaries are present. Jess Willard, Jim Jeffries, Billy Papke, Frank Moran, and Joe Rivers are only a few of those who appear in the film. Jack Dempsey himself referees the big fight. PLAZA THEATRE. One of the largest and most distinctive casta ever assembled for a screen production appears in "Footlight Parade," combining comedy, drama and romance with original, unique dance ensembles and catchy song hits, which comes to the Plaza Theatre on Friday. Four popular stars, James Cagncy, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell head the long list of players. Fifteen leading featured players have important roles in support j of the stars, while 250 of the most beauti- ] ful girls in Hollywood will take part in varied choruses and dance numbers, which for novelty, ingenuity and spectacular effects, are said to surpass those in "42nd Street" and "The Gold Diggers of 1933." "Footlight Parade" will bring together again two of the most popular players of the screen in the leading roles, James Cagney and Joan Blondell, playing opposite him. Cagney's part is that of a musical comedy director, who conceives the idea of turning musical comedies into motion picture prologues. He both directs and dances in these prologues. Joan Blondell, noted for her wise-cracking parts, plays the role of his sophisticated secretary, who believes that love is war in which anything is fair, resorting to every known feminine wile to hold the mnn she loves. Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Guy Kibbee, Frank McHugh, Claire Dodd and many other popular players are also featured in "Footlight Parade," the dance scenes of which were directed by the master touch of Busby Berkeley. STRAND THEATRE. Richard Arlen, popular leading man of many past film successes, tops the cast of "She Made Her Bed." which forms the current screen attraction at the Strand Theatre. In addition to Arlen, the picture features Sally Eilers, Robert Armstrong, Grace Bradley, Rosco Ates and Charley Grapewin. Another important player is little Richard Ralston Arlen, Richard Arlen's year-old son. It is his first screen appearance and he plays his role like a veteran trouper. "She Made Her Bed" is an unusual story of an auto tourist camp where persons of many kinds stop on their journeys over the Gipsy Trail. Here Armstrong plays the proprietor, an amateur animal trainer. Miss Eilers, as his wife, falls in loye with Arlen, one of the travellers, who seeks to protect her from her husband's brutality. But she cannot run away with him because of her baby. Tho story is from James M. Cain's "Baby in the Ice Box." NATIONAL AND PRINCE EDWARD. The hilarious type of farce which audiences have associated for so long with the comedy team of Slim Summerville and Za.su Pitts is again exploited in their newest co-starring film, "Love Birds," which is to come jointly to the National and Prince Edward Theatres on Friday, when "Gabriel Over the White House" and "The Crooked Lady" will have completed their current season. As Araminta Tootle, a prim-faced school teacher from Ohio, Zasu is said to be hilariously funny, while Slim is also splendidly cast as Henry Whipple, who helps Araminta to lose her teaching job, but eventually gives her a lifelong one. The other film on the dual programme at the two theatres is "Midnight," a gripping, even terrifying, drama of suspense filmed, unusually enough, entirely in New York, not a foot of it having been taken in exclusive Hollywood. Sidney Fox, dainty little star of "Strictly Dishonourable," "Nice Women" and "Afraid to Talk," is the leading lady in "Midnight," supported by a cast headed by 0. P. Heggie, the South Australian, who was last seen a* Dr. Owen in "Smilin J Through." CLEM DAWE REVUE COMPANY. This evening and to-morrow night Clem Dawe and his company of singers, dancers, comedians and acrobats will stage the two final presentations of their revue production, "The Whirl of the Town," in which Mr. Dawe may be enjoyed in a series of laughable sketches and comedy scenes. This revue includes a scene from "Madame Butterfly," Schubert's . "Serenade" and dances and ensembles. A new revue will bo staged on Friday night, entitled "The Laugh Parade," and on Saturday afternoon the second "gift matinee" will be presented. GARRICK DRAMATIC SOCIETY. A. A. Milne's "Michael and Mary" will be staged for the first time in Auckland to-morrow evening by the Gnrrick Dramatic Society, under the producing hand of Miss Raie Robinson. The play, which is a beautifully-written emotional drama, will be presented in the Town Hall Concert Chamber for a short season.

CIVIC THEATRE. A powerful emotional story dealing with, the greatest menace of modern times — the business of kidnapping, applied .to children and infants—is built into the film "Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen," which is booked to open a season on Friday at the Civic Theatre, in succession to the current "Fashions of 1934," in which William Powell and Bette Davis head the cast of a lavish and spectacular production. "Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen" was adapted from a story by the famous author Rupert Hughes. .The film gives Dorothea Wieck, the brilliant German star of "Cradle Song," her second American screen role. She is supported by two-year-old Baby lie Roy in the second name-part, with Alice Brady, Jack La Rue, Alan Hale, George Barbier and Dorothy Burgess also in prominent roles. The story tells of Madeline Fane, a well-known screen star, who, ready to leave for a "location" trip, goes into her baby's bedroom, for a last look at him. The baby has been kidnapped! She does not notify the police, hoping to be able to deal direct with the; gang responsible. When this fails, she fights with all the forces of law enforcement to bring about the safe return of her child. And while the countryside shakes with fear and hope, Molly Prentiss, wife of a poverty-stricken mountain farmer, is risking her life to rescue the child. How she causes the apprehension of the criminals and returns the baby to his mother makes a most thrilling, entertaining picture. REGENT THEATRE. The Auckland premiere of the outstanding Australian film, "The Silence of Dean Maitland," will be given at the Regent Theatre on Friday. With John Longden, well-known English character actor, in the title role, and Charlotte Francis, .Tocelyn Howarth and John Warwick ;in leading parts the film should have a wide appeal. The story is dramatic and shows that the frailties of human nature exist even in a man of God. A dramatic climax is reached when the dean, from the pulpit of his own church, confesses to a crime of 20 rears before. "'. . . the innocentman who went to prison for 20 years, Dr. Everard, sits among you now . . . while that traitor, that hypocrite, that murderer, stands before yov.. lam that man! He was a man of God, yet a man with a man's strength, and a man's weaknesses. Ho had fallen and sinned, but the penalty was heavy. For all those years the thought of his treachery haunted him, although he had risen to fame in the Church and had the respect of thousands. The picture ranks with the best from the worlds great studios and shows that great pictures can be produced in the .British colonies. John Longden maintains the high standard of acting he displayed m the Enrfish films, "Blackmail," "Atlantic and "The Ringer," and the Australian film industry is fortunate in having so accomplished and famous an actor at present working for it. Jocelyn Howarth will be remembered as playing the title role in "The Squatter's Daughter.' John Warwick is also no newcomer to Australian films, having made several successful j pictures. He also was in "The Squatters Daughter." Eddie Cantor's lavish musical film "Whoopee." which is accompanied by Tom Katz's Saxophone Band, will close its season to-morrow night. j