AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1936, Page 17

AMUSEMENTS.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. Sir Guy Standing and Richard Cromwell, the famous fathcr-aud-son combination of "Lives of a Bengal Lancer," are two of the leading players in "Gentlemen of the Navy," which opens a season at the Majestic Theatre on Friday. Others in the cast are Rosalind Keith, Tom Brown and the midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy. The story revolves around the lives of Cromwell and Brown during their years at the Naval College, and Sir Guy plays the part of a retired commodore who has spent his life in the service of the country and then taken up residence at the academy, where he may watch the activities of those who are to follow in his footsteps. The two cadets. Brown and Cromwell, befriend him and arc taught to realise the trust that is to be imposed upon them. The story ranges from intense drama to farcial comedy in the shortest space of time and is essentially true to life in that it was filmed with the co-operation of the naval authorities, .who supervised the technical direction. There is a most thrilling climax to the picture when the trainees are put on gun-fire practice, their target being Sir Guy's old ship, the Congress, and unbeknown to them the commodore is aboard at the time. Like a true officer he determines to go down with his ship. The daily routine life of ilie midshipman forms ail interesting background to the story and gives a wonderful insight into tho way America trains her youth. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. Outstanding acting by William Powell, Rosalind liuesell and Binnie Barnes, ail unusual plot and good direction make "Rendezvous," now at the St. James' Theatre, one o£ the best pictures of the year. Based on actual happenings in the famous American Black Chamber during the war, it .brings back the favourite; William Powell in the portrayal of a screen eriminologiet. Ho is cast as tho head of the American counter-espionage bureau, which catches spies by decoding enemy messages. Despite his desires to go to France and fight in the trenches, he is kept at home by the pressure of departmental heads, who consider his too valuable a life to be lost to the nation. In time he finds all the thrills lie has been seeking in his own department, when he manages to get on the trail of a gang of spies. Rosalind Russell, a coming star, is cast ae the daughter of a high official, and Binnie Barnes is seen as Olivia, a particularly bewitching spy, who is the cause of most of Powell's troubles. Doggedly widening the breach between himselE and Miss Russell, Powell plava Olivia as a pawn and eventually succeeds in wiping out the gang. Other members of the cast nre Lionel Atwill, who has at last attained a role separated from the usual villainy that has become attache.! to his screen personality, Cesar Romero, as a dashing young Russian attache, Henry Stephenson and Sterling Holloway. REGENT THEATRE. There was quite a stir in New Zealand when Helen Twelvctrees passed' through Auckland some weeks ago on her way to Australia. She was on her way to make a film, people understood; it was to be a drama of the turf, a film with which Australia was to launch her bid | for eerious competition with the film industry of the world. On Friday this film, "Thoroughbred." will open a season at the Regent Theatre, and to judge frtmi its success in Australia it will be accepted by picture-goers as truly of world stan- : dard. Miss Twelvetrees is the featured ' player, of course, and she is supporteJ by Frank Leighton and John Longden, two actors already known to many New Zcalanders. Production and photography, it is said, are of a high standard, and the story is out of the ordinary. It is a racing drama —but there is no equine hero winning the big race and paying off the scoundrel mortgage-holder. It contains the glamour, excitement, suspense and comedy that are brought by the sport nf kings. "Ma" Daweon, a veteran "battler ' of the racecourses, disputes the contentions of Russell Peel, a most aristocratic breeder 01 aristocratic horses, that "blue blood" is supreme in both horses and people. A 30 years' war is -waged on the subject until Joan, acknowledged a "blueblood red-blood," comee to settle the dispute. The tale gives the analogy between a thoroughbred woman and a thoroughbred horse. Both are champions, bat Tommy Da\yson, a eelf-admitted authority, knows ae little of women as he does of racehorses. Unwittingly he shatters hearts, but finally he learns all he need know of both horses and . women. "Thoroughbred" ie set against the noise and excitement of racecourses and the sunny paddocks of stud farms. EMBASSY THEATRE. Unusual drama is provided in "These Three," the current attraction at the Embassy Theatre. Featuring a cast of very talented players, headed by Merle Oberon, Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea, the film is based on a piny by Lillian Hellman and contains all the essentials of outstanding screen entertainment. The outstanding impression that one gains is that the story is essentially true to life, and at no time does it appear strained or out of perspective. Opening in an atmosphere of light-heartedness, "These Three" shows Martha and Karen (Miriam Hopkins and Merle Oberon respectively) graduating from the university together and opening a school for girls in the .country. Karen falls in love with Dr. 'Cardin (Joel McCrea), and though it is obvious that Martha also has a silent affection for him, this does not mar the friendship of the two girls. Their pupils begin to arrive, with them Mary Tilford, and with the appearance of this child one senses immediately a "menace" to the happiness of the three adults. Twelve-year-old Bonita Granville takes the part of Mary, and although it is now a fairly common occurrence for child players to take dominating roles in screen plays, it is certain that there has seldom been a more convincing or powerful performance than hers.

AMALGAMATED theatres. (' Splendid entertainment is offered at tlie picture theatres, city and suburban, of Amalgamated Theatres; Ltd. Programmes are as follow f—Civic: Friday, "A Message to Garcia,", thrilling adventure in South America, with Wallace Bcerv, John Bol re and Barbara Stanwyck. Plaza; Friday, "The Private Secretary," featuring idward Everett Horton. Strand: Friday, a modern comedy-romance with Irvine S. Cobb and Rochelle Hudson. "Everybody's Old Man." National: Last two days of "Dangerous," with Bette Davis and French ot Tone, and-"The Irish In Us." Roxv and Tivoli: "Stars Over Broadway." with Pat O'Brien and Jean Muir, and Buck Jones in "Man Trailer."

AMUSEMENT. GUIDE. PICTURE THEATRES. LONDON —Jack Oaltie and Ginger Rogers in "Slttfnsr Pretty" and Carole Lombard q.nd Pat O'Brien In "Virtue." ST. JAlHES'—William Powell and Rosalind Russell in "Rendezvous." REGENT —Sylvia Sidney in "Mary Burns, Fugitive." MAJESTIC —Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurr.ay in "The Bride Comes Home." EMBASSY —JOPI McCrea and Miriam Hopkins in "These Three." AMBASSADOR—Guest Night. ASTOR —Guest Nirht. BIRKENHEAD —"Under Pressure." BRITANNIA —"Dangerous Intrigue." CAPITOL —Guest Night. GAIETY —"All or Me." GREY LYNN—"Border Town." KINGSLAND —Guest Night. LIBERTY —Guest Night. MAYFAIR —Guest Night. PRINCE EDWARD—Guest . Night. t STAR (Newton) —Freddie Bartholomew in "LUtle Lord Fauntleroy." STATE (Symonds Street) —'"Mutiny on the Bounty." STRANG (Onehunga)—Guest Night. TiiDor,. "t Dream Ttut Much." Night.

. ROYAL AUCKLAND CHOIR. Seventy male voices are the feature of the first concert of the season of the Royal Auckland Choir, to be given in the Town Hall to-morrow evening. One of Auckland's foremost musical possessions, the choir gives three concerts a year, all of which prove immensely popular with the music-loving public. Assisting artists at Thursday's recital will be Miss Phyllis Cato (mezzo contralto), Messrs. H. Maddocks (tenor), C. Firth (baritone) and Alan Morton, the blind New Zealand cornet champion.