AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 55, 6 March 1935, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

CIVIC THEATRE. The charming sentimental comedy romance, -Anne of Green Gables, has movided enjoyment to patrons ot tne S Theatre, ami the picture wll faw its final screening evemng O Friday will be introduced "Charlie Cna.i in Puna." and it is «»" ecess, ]i7 *V t Te" tion that the picture is "J**!' "I'M engrossing series of ingenious pictuies which Warner Oland appears once again as the Chinos detective In feeHWWJ picture Chan, on arrival in laiw, « gcd into the dangerous shadows o tie most baffling mystery ho M W encountered. The French n itout.es are frustrated. No one but thai lie 3 able Jo find the trail. In the course of his investigation, a beautiful fWMie dancer is knifed to death lovely girl, an he ress, is charged wHii stilt Another murder. But in the end Chan proves her innocence. Olana lb sur.oun.led with a cast of ynusua 1 ranee and talent in this latest of his Can .stories. Mary Brian plays, the banker a daughter charged with murder, Alioroftß Beck, recently brought to Hollywood from the Broadway stage, is seen opposite nm. Other players assigned to important roes are Krik Rhodes, Minor Watson John Miljan, Murray Kjnnell, John Qualon. Dorothy Appleby, Koye Luke, Henry Kolker and Perry Ivins. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. "Evelyn Prentice" with Myrna Loy and William Powell partnered continues to attract large audiences to the St. James Theatre at all sessions. A mysterydrama in which comedy, thrills, mystery and romance are all happily blended it Kiips the audience and holds them to the end. The story deals with the trial of a woman for murder, but by a tricK "t fate her innocence cannot be proved unless another mystery, as deeply interesting is cleared. William Powell is the defending lawyer, Myrna Loy is Ins Wife, and she believes herself guilty of a crime for which another woman is on trial She attends the trial and becomes so obsenscd by the atmosphere that she confesses to having committed the crime. But there is a sensational development which proves conclusively that she is innocent and finally the two mysteries are cleared up, but not before there are many astonishing disclosures, Both Powell and Loy give wonderful performances m tne roles allotted them, Miss Loy's acting in the scenes where allegations of blackmail and murder are levelled being remarkably clever. Powell is the usual care-free lawyer until he addresses the jury on behalf of the accused, when he rises to great heights, "Evelyn Prentice is a picture to please everyone. MAJESTIC THEATRE. Those who love to be thrilled will be amply catered for at the Majestic Iheatre on Friday, when tho current picture, "Mister Cinders," will give wfl" to "ihe Return of the Terror," one of the most unusual and baffling mystery dramas to I'Oino to the screen. The screen play by Eugene Solow and Peter Milne wan suggested by the cleverest of all of the mystery dramas of the famous author, Edgar Wallace. The story concerns a series of Crimea, the first of which in the killing of a number of patients at a private sanitarium for which the superintendent is convicted and confined to an insane asylum. Three other slayingg and two attempted murders follow upon the escape of the asylum inmate, all taking place on a single night of terror at the very eanitarium at which the patients have been slain, The picture also carries the love affair of the feminine owner of the sanitarium and the accused superintendent. There is an all-star cast, which ie headed by Mary Astor. Lvle Talbot, John Halliday and Frank MeHugh. Other talented players include Robert Barrat, Irvincr Pichel. George E. Stone. J. Carroll Naifih, Frank Reiclier, Robert Emmett O'Connor. Renee Whitney, Etienne Girardot, Maude Eberne, Charles Grapewin, George Cooper and Frank Conroy. PLAZA THEATRE. Now in its sixth week at the Plaza Theatre, "One Night of Love" continues its remarkable run. Rarely has any film audience had the opportunity of hearing such singing as that of Grace Moore." It ie a superb musical entertainment, and flic's Moore's rendering of arias from "Carmen" and "Madame Butterfly" ie outstanding. Thousands of Aucklandeie have seen and enjo/ed the picture, some more than once, and eo much has been written in praise of it that all that can now be done is to advise everyone to see it at least once. REGENT THEATRE. When Grftcie Fields comee into a picture we know what to expect—personality, high spirits, a capacity tp put almost any song over to an audience, and a general sense of Gracie being n girl with a good heart. In "Sing As We Go," which comes to the Regent Theatre on Friday, Gracie is the happy, rollicking girl who spreads the cheor germ far and wide. She brings with her a number of songs that wilj prove popular hits and will bo whistled by the lads and grown-ups for months to come. She begins as a cheor leader and ends ns a cheer leader, for the Lancashire comedienne is one of the most loveable people the screen has given us. She is Grace the mill hand, Grace tbe girl who puts life into Blackpool and Grace the girl who sings her way into everybody's heart. J. B. Priestley wrote the story for Gracie, and she is surrounded with typical Lancashire characters and crowds. John Loder and Dorothy Hyson are contrasting figures to the heartiness of Grace and her friends. They are the lovers, Dorothy being the little girl from London for whom Grace sacrifices her own romance. STRAND THEATRE. The current programme at the Strand Theatre is a particularly strong one. The main attraction is "Tell Me To-night," which features Jan Kiepura, the Polish tenor, whose glorious voice will be appreciated by all those who hear his renderings of operatic excerpts, But in addition to the singing of Kiepura there is an entertaining comedy theme running throughout, the chief contributors being Somiio Halo and Edmund Gwenn. Also on the programme is an interesting pic» tiire, "Our Fighting Navy," and is the title indicates the story deals with experiences in the navy. There arc some fine supports, all of a wide and interesting variety, and all round the entertainment is high class.