AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 245, 16 October 1935, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. / Thrills and mystery against the quicklysliifting panorama of life aboard a warship provide gripping entertainment in I "Murder in the Fleet," the unique j "thriller" to be released on Friday at' ! the j\lajestio Theatre. This production I ! uses a cruiser during manoeuvres as the | [locale for u series ol battling crimes, audi | tlie work of a young naval lieutenant in ferreting out a criminal amid tlie civilian I visitors, Government officials and crew, marooned 011 tlae vessel until tlie murderer is brought to light -111 tlie final scenes of the engrossing story. While, working I frantically against time to install a new ■ firing control gear the navy men turn I detectives. Amid lightning-like succes- ' sions of thrills, suspense and drama, I humorous interludes are deftly inserted |in a unique blend of entertainment. Jean Parker, heroine of "Sequoia," piaye the feminine lead, and again proves herself an accomplished ana beautiful young actress. Opposite her plays Robert Taylor, who recently won popularity with "Society Doctor" and "Times Square. Lady." lie takes the part of the detec-tive-lieutenant. Jean Hersholt plays the principal charaeter. role as the civilian Government inspector, and the comedy interludes are in the capable hands of Ted Healy, Nat Pendleton and Una Merkel. REGENT THEATRE. So full is the book "Les Miserables" of all the essentials of screen entertainment, that if one did not know that the talking picture was undreamed of in Victor ! Hugo's day, it might be reasonable to ■ suggest that he wrote his famous story | with its adaptation for screen use tspefiijally in view. Showing at > the Regent Theatre before large audiences, the Jilin I contains scope for brilliant character acting, for spectacular scenes, for tense action and exciting incident and for strong emotional appeal. "Hugo wrote his stbry as a condemnation of the legal injustice of his day and of man's inhumanity to man," wrote Gordon Mirams, the southern critic. "Times have changed, yet the story makes just as great an appeal'as ever it did, with ail its deep understanding of human courage and frailty, vain hopes, black despair, conquering love and bitter triumph. To interpret the immortal drama, the producers of the film secured some of the finest players on the screen to-day, giving the starring roles to Fredric March, Charles Laugh ton and Sir Cedric Hardwicke." March and Laughton eclipse all their previous successes in the respective roles of Jean Valjean and Javert, the police officer who trails Valjean ruthlessly, like a human bloodhound. Sir Cedric Hardwicke scores a triumph as the good Bishop Bienvenu. ' CIVIC THEATRE. The redheads —auburn, titian, copper , and plain carrot-top—are just coming into their own on the screen. With 48 of America's loveliest redheads, one from each State, featured in the colourful girl ensembles, "Redheads on Parade," coming to the Civic Theatre on Friday, uses music, dances, romance and lavish spec- . taclo to tell a merry comedy story. John » Boles and Dixie Lee (Mrs. Bing Crosby) I head the cast in singing and romantic I

roles. The story revolves about a fantastic movie producer and bis imaginative press agent who launch "the world's greatest campaign to popularise red hair" 8 in order to make their spectacular produc--1 tion a success. John Boles proves in this i' picture that he is one of the most versa--3 tile actors on the screen. First a singer c and then a dramatic actoi', he reveals •himself as an accomplished dancer. To tango, rumba and waltz versions of the - new "hit" tune, "I Found a Dream," he 1 executes a series of brilliant ballroom j dances with his leading lady, Miss Lee. Other songs that are bound to be hummed and whistled for weeks are "Redheads on. • Parade" and "I've Got Your Future All > Planned." Alan Dinehart, the veteran , character actor, is cast as the movie pro- [ ducer and Jack Haley as the press agent. ' Raymond Walburn is a dye manufacturer : who finances the film to boost his hair s dye—and to make an impression on Miss ; Lee. | ST. JAMES' THEATRE. Sprightly, gay and clever, with sparkling ' dialogue and tense dramatic situations, | "No More Ladies," beginning a season at 1 the St. James' Theatre on Friday, 1 promises to be another highly entertain--1 ing etovy of sophisticated society life. It is the type of comedy-drama of which Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery are such masters. Suave and unblushing, 1 Montgomery is said to give a typically 3 polished performance, while Miss Craw- g fold's charm and strong personality are 1 given full scope. There is much comedy | in the brilliant dialogue, and in the way Q which Miss Crawford chooses, to teach B Montgomery, her husband, a lesson, curing H him of his philandering habits. Introduced ijjj into the story is a modern grandmother. j§ played by Edna May Oliver, who is said i to be exceptionally good, and to provoke M many laughs by her wisecracks. Franchot 3 Tone, the young actor who seems to take £j another step forwards fame with every | picture he makes, gives a noteworthy per- B formance as the man with whom Miss ■ Crawford flirts, to euro her husband of 1 his weakness. Among the supporting B east are such well-known figures as ! Charles Ruggles, Reginald Denny, so a popular in the days of the silent films, i Gail Patrick .and Arthur Treacher. I PLAZA THEATRE. I In an extended season at the Plaza j Theatre, Grace Moore is thrilling thou- I sands of picturegoers with her beautiful I singing and charming personality. It is I worth going to "Love Me For Ever" just 1 to hear her voice, which has deservedly I been described by critics as "divine. H With the ecstasy that made her famous jg in "One Night of Love,"' she sings such 9 melodies as • "Jingle Bells," "Funiculi, H Funicula," "II Bacio," "The Bells of St. H Mary's," "Rings on My Fingers and Bells I on My Toes," as well as selections from the operas "La Boheme" and "Rigoletto," and several new tunes composed by Victor Schertzinger, who wrote the book and directed the picture. But apart from the quality of her voice, there is an excellent story into which is cleverly woven this beautiful music. The scope and depth of the story make "Love Me For Ever" an exciting rind stirring drama. Because ■ Schertzinger thoroughly understands the I mood of music, he uses it in this film to I heighten the drama, suspense and romance. B Thus story, music and mood have been si blended and draped for the superbly gifted M Miss Moore. Her role as a former heiress ra who becomes the musical protege of Leo H Carrillo, a big-time gambler, is a strong PS and courageous characterisation. Each role I of "Love Mo For Ever" makes for grip- H ping entertainment. H STRAND THEATRE. | Motion pictures come and go, but there are some of them that are not of an age, H but for all time. Of their number is || "Disraeli," the first talking picture in R| which George Arliss ever appeared, and g| considered by most of the leading judges g| of the cinema to be his greatest. This Q picture is returning to the Strand Theatre H on Friday in response to public demand. || It was not produced as a thing of the H moment, as an expression of a passing gl j phase of public fancy, but as a piece of H living history. The dramatic story of H "Disraeli" will remain vivid as long as ffl human beings feel the spirit of the past H and the thrill of character and adventure, g§ NATIONAL AND PRINCE EDWARD, i Probably one of the most palatable,™ thrillers ever brought to the screen, "The | H Thin Man/' now screening at the National] H and Prince Edward Theatres Jointly, is the ! H strangest mixture of laughs and thrills jgl imaginable. It is probably this fact,! M together its fine acting, that is the. H reason for its popularity. It introduces a> I new romantic pair in William Powell and | ft Myrna Loy—much of the pleasure of this | film is derived from the grand spirit of | companionship that exists between them 1 as man and wife. Music and comedy and | gay romance are the keynotes of the | change of programme on Friday. Mae | West is seen with Roger Pryor and Duke || Ellington's famous orchestra in the first ffj feature, "Bello of the Nineties." With ra such melodies as "Love Thy Neighbour" Eg and "May I," the second film, "We're Not H Dressing," is a delightful comedy romance, Eg starring Bing Crosby and Burns and Allen, K the comedy pair. *

CATHOLIC REPERTORY SOCIETY. "Libel," -the- next = play to by the Auckland Catholic Repertory Society, challenges! comparison ' Worthy's masterpiece "Justice. The story of "Libel," with its mystery, romance,, cruel coincidences and intrigues would De' arresting ill any garb, but -$he theme gams enormously by being enacted throughout; in the solemn, exciting milieu of a lawi court. The producer, Mies isojmoe I McVeagh, is rehearsing a large east in the parte of the judge, leading counsel, I junior barristers, solicitors, litigants, I witnesses, etc. , "Libel" will be staged in the Town Hall Concert . Chamber on I November' 1, 2 and 3.