AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 150, 27 June 1934, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE. "Moulin Rouge," the new romantic musical film featuring Constance Bennett in her first musical-comedy role, will open a season at the Regent Theatre on Friday, in place of the current success, "The Silence of Dean Maitland," in which John Longden, the English actor, plays the dean to perfection. "Moulin Rouge" is a ' story based on a French stage success of the same name, and serves to introduce Miss Bennett in her first dual role, singing songs specially written for her by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, who cornnosed the memorable "hits" in 42nd Street," "Gold Diggers of 1933" and "Roman Scandals." Connie sings two numbers—"Coffee in the Morning and Kisses in the Night" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." Surrounding her is a cast which includes Franchot Tone, Tulho Uvrminati, stage star of "Strictly Dishonourable,"- Helen Westley, one of the founders of the New York Theatre Guild, .Andrew Tombes and Russ Brown, comedians in numerous New York stage shows. The Boswell Sisters and Russ Columbo, famous radio stars, are other attractions of the film. Tullio Carminati lias had several outstanding films in the immediate past, in which he has proved a success. Notable among these was "Gallant Lady," the Ann Harding-Clive Brook vehicle. Franchot Tone is Hollywood's handsome new leading man. seen in such films as "Gabriel Over the White House," "To-day We Live," The Stranger's Return" and "Dancing Lady. Russ Columbo gained immediate favour in Auckland with his work in the crooning vole of "Broadway Thru a Keyhole recently. The Regent's supporting programme includes an interesting travel Picture and a hilarious Mickey .Mouse cartoon, "Playful Pluto," introducing dog Pluto in his best, to date. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. Six years ago John Boles played the star role of the Red in 'lhe Desert Song," the motion pictures hibt operetta, and the popularity. established then has kept him in the minds of the public ever since as one of the screen s sweetest singers. Others have enjoyed temporary success, but in point of service Boles qualifies as a leader in his line. He will be seen again at the Regent Theatre on Friday in the leading male role ot "Beloved." a new musical romance, in which he is featured with Gloria Stuart, In the picture Boles is seen as a composer of symphonies-a man who, though he does not possess the spark of .genius, has from babyhood been steeped in the very atmosphere of the world's grea est comr.ositions' In the picture Boles sings t P hree°songs--"My Beloved," Torget'- and the popular "In the Gloaming. Practically all the songs in the picture, as-well as the musical score for the completed production, were composed by Victor Schertzinger, well-known musician and impose?, who also directed "Beloved." Th™ role Played by Boles takes him from voune manhood to the advanced age of 96 exceptional feat not only for the actor himself but also for the studio make-up expert. The ever-changing background P of this .sweeping musical drama depicts many historical events of the past century. When Miss Stuart makes her first appearance she is a young girl, and this unusual -picture follows her thresh life iWil she is 90 years of age. ine cast I Ppor tn! Boles and Miss Stuart ineludes Dorothy Peterson, .Anderson Lawlor, Richard Carle, La Verne Edmund Breese,, Margaret Mann, Albert Conti, Holmes Herbert .__ .. _.......-

PLAZA THEATRE. When the lavish musical revue "Footlight Parade" closes its fortnight's season at the Plaza Theatre to-morrow evening, it will be superseded by another even more lavish musical spectacle, "Flying Down to Rio." The filming of this production was said to be the first time that a whole picture has been taken in the air, and "Ginger" Rogers leads a ballet which does amazing stunts. From Brazil comes the new dance number, Carioca, in which Fred Astaire and "Ginger" move to bizarre music. The Carioca is danced with the foreheads touching and the heels clicking. Dolores Del Rio has a nice contrast in leading men. On one side is Gene Raymond, of New York, and on the other Raul Roulien, born in Brazil. One of the numbers in this whirlwind of dance and song is called the "Three-decker Beauty Sandwich." The top of the sandwich is composed of 40 Latin-American beauties, the middle of 30 Nordic blondes, and the lower layer, so to speak, of 30 red-haired girls. The stage effects in "Flying Don to Rio" are remarkable. Ihe orchestra flies about the ballroom over the heads of the dancers, and the climax shows.the girls of the chorus dancing on the aeroplane wings over the city of Rio de Janeiro. "People who think they are tired of the song and dance shows on tiie screen will change their opinion when they see "Flying Down to Rio, wrote a Sydney critic. "One feels rather inclined to say that Fred Astaire is wholly responsible for the light-hearted charm of the film, but, splendid as is his dancing, many other enjoyments are included, lhe producer has put everything that a musical extravaganza could contain into Rio. There are hundreds of girls—dancing, posing, laughing loveliness—flung into the sky to come rushing over the city on the wmgs of aeroplanes. There is tropical colour, tropical witchery. Even lhe Greeks are present, and clever, as Greeks should be. NATIONAL AND PRINCE EDWARD. 1 In common with most of the famous "Westerns" of silent film days, Zane Grey's powerful romantic drama, "The Thunderino, Herd," will return to Auckland as a talkie next Friday, when it will be screened with the highly amusing comedy "Three-Cornered Moon" at the National and Prince Edward Theatres jointly, replacing the dual bill comprising "Tilhe and Gus" and "A Passport to- Paris. Randolph Scott and Judith Allen are starred in "The Thundering Herd, with Harry Carey (of "Trader Horn" fame) in support. The story of "Three-Cornered Moon" centres around a 'looney family of five, known as the Rimplegars. Their antics when the mother loses their tortune 'on the stock market provides an hour and a half of hilarious entertainment. Claudette Colbert, Richard Arlen and Mary Boland are-starred in the film. SOCIETY OF MAGICIANS. The New Zealand Society of Magicians held a meeting last evening, the president, Mr. H. Withers, being in the chair. The secretary and treasurer, Mr. E. McLaren, reported that seven new members had been enrolled. The society was stronger now financially than ever previously. It was decided to hold a visitors' evening on Sunday, July 15, in the Auckland Operatic Society's Hall, Grafton Road. A suggestion that a bigger hall should be taken for the occasion was considered, but it was decided that the larger hall carried a "professional atmosphere," and the smaller hall was more homely. A letter was read . from Carter the Great, in whose honour an "evening" had been put on during his visit to Auckland. Carter wrote in high praise of the high standard sbme members of the society had reached in conjuring. He expressed his appreciation of the hospitality extended to him by. the society.

MAJESTIC THEATRE.. A sparkling and sophisticated comedy, "The Lady is Willing," opens ,at the Majestic Theatre on Friday. Headed by Leslie Howard, the distinguished cast includes Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Binnie Barnes and Sir Nigel Playfair. The story is witty and full of amusing incidents. Albert Latour (Leslie Howard) is engaged by. three people who have been frequently deprived of a sum of money by Dupont (Sir Cedric Hardwicke), a financier. Dupont has a beautiful wife (Binnie Barnes) and Latour decides to kidnap her and demand a ransom sufficient to repay his clients what they haVe lost. Everything goes well and Helene finds herself a prisoner in an old castle. However, Latour falls in love with her, and complications follow. When she is returned to her husband it is learnt that he is trying to rob her of her property, and Latour plays another and more ingenious trick on the crooked financier, so that Helene saves her money. She divorces her unscrupulous husband, and Latour kidnaps her again, but this time "The Lady is Willing." The part of Professor Menard, one of the people who have been duped by Dupont, is played by Sir Nigel Playfair. The film, while not uproarious or hilarious, is-decidedly brisk and amusing entertainment, its humour being of the polished, even subtle, type. Miss Barnes, who is Mr. Howard's leading lady in this his first English film effort, was last seen here in her finest role to date as Catherine Howard in Laughton's "Henry VIII." film. Ralph Lynn's entertaining farce, "Up to the Neck," ends its season to-morrow night. CIVIC THEATRE. Said to be much the story of his own meteoric career on the stage, George Raft has the part of a dancer in the musical show "Bolero," which will open on Friday at the Civic Theatre, together with the dramatic romance "Eight Girls In a Boat." "Bolero" is a thoroughly attractive picture. The music of the dance itself is both exhilarating and haunting. It is a long way from an American miner to the polished, finished product who can provide Paris with a sensation in entertainment. But Raoul, played by Raft, does it. He is a first-class dancer, putting into his steps the consuming intensity which has taken him so far. Women pass through his life, the new beauty, Frances Drake, Sally Rand, the famous fan dancer, who contributes her number to "Bolero," Gloria Shea, who is thrown aside very early in Kabul's career. He falls in love with Carole Lombard, but she goes because she is unable to see the Great War as a racket in which Raoul will figure as a hero. To the surprise of Raoul the war is war, and he returns to Paris a broken man. His ever-faithful halfbrother, William Frawley, warns him, but he goes on in his amazing self-confidence, pinking almost at random the dissolute Sally Rand for his final dancing partner. She arrives on the great opening night in Paris late and drunk. In despair the brother secures Carole Lombard from the night club audience, and together they dance Bolero. This is made the climax and one of the "high spots" of the film. "Eight Girls In a Boat" features Dorothy, Wilson and Douglas Montgomery, well known as "Kent Douglass." CLEM DAWE REVUE COMPANY. Clem Dawe's revue company will stage "The Whirligig" until next Thursday night. On Friday evening a complete new extravaganza will be presented, . entitled "Laugh, Town, Laugh," in which the popular comedian will appear in some of his best comedy scenes and sketches. On Saturday afternoon the management, will give out to the children in the audience 50 gifts, including two bicycles, one for a boy and one for a girl. These are being presented in co-operation with the Farmers' Trading HDompany, • ..

STRAND THEATRE. A British musical picture with an entirely novel theme is coming to the Strand Theatre on Friday, under the title of "I Adore You." It will replace the current dual programme, composed of Lilian Harvey's pleasing Continental romance "The Only Girl," in which handsome and polished Charles Boyer, of Pari*, is the star, and "The Night of the Party," a thrilling suspense drama, featuring Leslie Banks. The usual musical production takes the backstage as its theme, but the producers of "I Adore You" took the film studio as its background. Starring in this different musical is Margot Grahame, the popular British stage and poreen actress, while Clifford Heatherly, Harold French, Georgia Harris and Ernest Sefton are included in the supporting cast.

AMUSEMENT GUIDE. HIB MAJESTY'S —Clem Dawe nevue. PICTURE THEATRES. PLAZA—"Footllg-ht Parade." ROXV AND TlVOLl—Victor McLag-len In "No More Women," and Zasu Pitts to "Sing: And Like It." NATIONAL AND PRINCE EDWARD—SaIIy filler's and Ben Lyon In "A Passport to Paris" and Alison Skipworth In "Tlllle and Gus." LONDON—Constance Bennett In "Rich People." REGENT — John Longden an'l Charlotte Francis In "The Silence or Dean Maltland." STRAND — Lilian Harvey In "The Only Girl" and Leslie Banks In "The Night of the Party." ST. JAMES' —Robert Montgomery and Lewis Stone In "The~Mystery or Mr. X." MAJESTIC — Ralph Lynn and Winifred Shotter in "Up to the Neck." CIVIC —Tom Walls and Anne Grey In "Just Smith." ADELPHI—Guest Night. ALEXANDRA —Guest Night. AMBASSADOR (Point Chevalier) — Guest Night. AVONDALE (Town Hall) — "Robbers' Roost." BIRKENHEAD —"Waltzing Matilda." BRITANNIA —"Men Must Fight." CAPITOL —"S.O.S. Iceberg." CRYSTAL PALACE—"LittIe Women." DE LUXE—"I Am Suzanne." EDENDALE —Guest' Niight. EMPRESS —Guest Night. EMPIRE—Guest Night. GAIETY (Takapuna)—"The Right to Romance.'' GREY LYNN CINEMA —Revue and Pictures. KINGSLAND —"Storm at Daybreak." KING'S (Northcote)—"Orient Express." REGENT (Epsom)—"l Am Suzanne." RIALTO- r "Long Lost Father." STATE (Onehunga)—Guest Night. STATE (Symonds Street)— "Beauty For Sale." STRAND (Onehunga)—Guest Night. TUDOR —"My Lips Betray." VICTORIA —"Before Dawn." WEST END—Guest Night.