FILM PROGRAMMES REVIEWED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 253, 24 October 1936, Page 16

FILM PROGRAMMES REVIEWED.

"HEART OF THE WEST." MAJESTIC. Hopalong Cassidy .... William Boyd Johnny Nelson Jiminy Ellison " Winily" George Hayes John Trumbull Sidney Blaekmer Sally Jordan Lynn Gabriel Barton Ered Koliler Author: Clarence E. Mulford. Paramount. Also : " EARLY TO BED," with Charlie Ruggles and Mary Boland. It has been said that Zane Grey built Hollywood. In other words, were it not for the perennial "Western," California's glamorous film capital would have been neither glamorous nor a film capital. Periodically writers predict the death or complete abasement in the public's eyes of the despised Western, but to-day it lias taken a new lease of life and is nourishing as never before. The Tom Mixes, Buck Joneses, William S. Harts, Fred Thompsons and William Farnums have given way to the George O'Briens, Tim McCoys, Randolph Scotts and William Boyds— handsome young men who, besides the time-honoured formula of "'getting the draw" on the "wicked willun" and rescuing the lovely heroine's ranch from threatened disaster, find time enough to be really human. George O'Brien introduced boiled shirts to the filmic West; William Boyd starts a new vogue with allowing his pal always to get the girl. Boyd and the said pal make things lively from beginning to end in "Heart of the West," which is the main drawing-card at the Majestic Theatre this week. This is the fourth or.fifth of a series of pictures adapted from the famous Hopalong Cassidy tales of Clarence E. Mulford, .'ill of which had Boyd and Jimmy Ellison in the roles of Cassidy and Johnny Nelson. In all of them, too, there is George Hayes' delightful character role of "Windy," who "dern toots" all over the place for no particular reason but with remarkable effect. The climax of "Heart of the West" comes with a gripping stampede scene which effectively removes the aforesaid villain, re-establishes the prestige of the heroic twain, saves the ranch and a big herd of rustled cattle and generally makes everything just what it should be at the end of a Western film. On the same bill is "Early to Bed, another film in a highly successful teaming series. Charlie R.uggles and Mary Boland (or is it Mary's turn to come first?) are at their best in a comedy of sleep-walking. A .timid employee of 26 years' standing in a glass-eye firm, Ruggles is at last persuaded by Mary to take her to the altar after 20 years' courtship. She finds herself bound, not for the Niagara Falls, "where Nature's mighty waters play a constant symphony," but for Lake Okawookaboogee Lodge, a rest home in the mountains, where Charlie thinks he can land a tremendous order for glasseyes. He meets his subject, gets the order, gets it cancelled and gets it doubled before proving that suspicions levelled against him of being jewel thief and even a murderer are groundless. Once more the wicked willun is laid low, literally as well as figuratively, Charlie gets a bigger and better job, and the amusing couple make for the long-awaited Niagara Falls. STAR AND STATE. The name Sidney Howard may make New Zealanders think first of Sydney Howard, the "inimitable Yorkshire comedian, but there is a playwright of that name who is equally famous. One of his most recent Broadway successes was "The Petrified Forest," which ran for two years on the stage. 'It was purchased as a film vehicle, and Leslie Howard, who had starred in it as a play, consented to portray the same role on the screen. This cinema version of the play is now showing jointly at the Star Cinema, Newton', and the State Theatre} Upper Symonds Street. The former was only this week taken over 'by the R. J. K er " ridge chain of theatres, wliioh comprises 25 houses, mostly in east coast towns. "The Petrified Forest" also gives excellent acting roles to Bette Davis, winner of this year's coveted Academy of Motion-Picture Arts and Sciences award, and to Humphrey Bogart. an English character actor who is rapidly coming to tlie fore in Hollywood. With "The Petrified Forest" both houses are screening William Randolph Hearst's personallyfinanced aviation drama. "Ceiling Zero, featuring James Cagney and Pat O Brien. . GREY LYNN CINEMA. Helen Twelvetrees travelled 12,000 miles and was paid well over £600® to star in the Australian-made film Thoroughbred," which will head the bill at the Grey Lynn Cinema this evening. A talkie remake of the famous silent film war comedy, "Three Live Ghosts,'' is also showing. VICTORIA, DEVONPORT. The teaming of Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea in "Barbary Coast," by Samuel Goldwyn, is repeated in the romantic drama, "Splendour." which is to be presented to-night at the Victoria Theatre. Devonport, together with "Anything Goes," a musical comedy starring Bing Crosby and Ida Lupino. MAYFAIR, SANDRINGHAM. Fred Astaire and "Ginger" Rogers will delight patrons of the Mayfair Cinema, Sandringham. this evening in "Follow the Fleet." "Flying Devils," a gripping aviation drama, will be shown in support Monday will see a complete change of programme. KiNGSLAND TALKIES. The noted American comic writer, Irvin S Cobb, who rose to screen fame through one role—that of Will Rogers' rival in "Steamboat Round the Bend"—is the starring personality in "Everybody s Old Man," which , will be shown (with The Lady Consents" in support) to-night at the Kingsland Talkies. LONDON, QUEEN STREET. A thoroughly polished film is the Engl- - "After the Ball," which will share screening honours at the London Theatre, Oueen Street, this evening, with "College Humour," one of the brightest of Bing Crosby's earlier musicals. TUDOR, REMUERA. The first production of Doug. Fairbanks, junr.'s new Criterion Studios in London was a thrilling version of Jeffery Farnol's most famous romance, "The Amateur Gentleman," with Doug, himself as star. A thoroughly convincing bare-kmickle.s fist fight is incorporated in the picture, which is to be presented to-night at the Tudor Cinema, Remuera, with appropriate supports. BRITANNIA, PONSONBY. Jean Harlow, most seductive girl _in Hollywood, is star of "Riff« Raff," which is selected -as principal iare for to-night s patrons of the Britannia Theatre, Ponsonby. With it is showing Will Hay's amusing English comedy, "Boys Will Be Boys." ASTOR, DOMINION ROAD. Young Jackie Cooper and capable Jean Hersholt (who was Dr. Dafoe in the Quintuplets' i picture "The Country Doctor") are featured players of "Tough Guy," which shares with Gene StrattonPorter's story "Keeper of the Bees screening honours for to-night at the Astor Cinema, Dominion Road. RIALTO, SUNDAY. One of the loveliest of English costume films was "Bitter Sweet," in which Anna Neagle and Stuart Robertson will be seen to-morrow evening at the Rialto Theatre, Newmarket. The play is by Noel Coward. STRAND. ONEHUNGA. Rene Clair, France's most noted director, made a most enjoyable comedy for Alexander Korda, of England, in "The Ghost Goes West," in which Robert Donat, Jean Parker and Eugene Pallette will be seen to-night at the Strand Theatre, Onehunga. Edward Everett Horton will be on the same programme in "Her Master's Voice." STRAND, SUNDAY. Jacqueline Logan and Gordon Harker are principals in the film "Shadows," which is to be revived to-morrow night at the Strand Theatre. A brief address "will be given from by Mr. J. Basham on "Spain ana the Catholic Reaction."

"CHINA CLIPPER." REGENT. > Dave Logan Pat O'Brien Jean Logan Beveriy liooerts Tom Collins Ross Alexander " l>ad " Brunn . . Henry B. Walthall " Hap " Stuart . . Humphrey Bogart " Sunny " Avery Marie Wilson Mr. l J ierson Joseph King B. C. Hill . ■ . Addison Richards Director: Ray Enriglit. Author : Commander Frank Wead. Warner Bros. To-day, that men should fly the World round is taken almost as a matter of course. The project of Pan-American Airways to fly the Pacific is already commonplace. Commonplace ... It requires a definite conscious effort of thought to realise that but a few years ago men would have been called mad to have spoken of such a thing as a trans-ocean flight. Yet this is the fact; and it is with this abiding thought, the marvellous development of passenger transp6rt aviation in the past few years, that audiences will leave the Regent Theatre this week. "China Clipper" which brings home this thought openpd its season there last night. This is the more serious aspect of the film: —and incidentally it might be mentioned that many of the best pictures Auckland audiences see now have that definite educational value —but there is the story of the film itself. It is perhaps the most realistic presentation of an aviation picture that Auckland has seen. To begin with, it is accurate. Commander Frank Wead, famous flying ace, who tells the story, and William I. Van Dusen, of Pan-American Airways, see to that. Then it is intensely dramatic, both in theme and detail. It is the tale of a man who nearly sacrificed his life happiness to reach an ideal —drama in itself, while the individual scenes heighten the effect. The quality of the scenes is, of course, the quality of the actors; and the actors are among the first flight. Pat O'Brien is the man who lives for this ideal of spanning the ocean by air, and who drives all men ruthlessly to that end. Beverley Roberts is his wife, and her impersonation of the wife neglected by her husband and well-nigh broken by his ambition is superb. Ross Alexander and Humphrey - Bogart are two flying "aces" who help O'Brien to bring his plan to success. The . "grand old man" of the film is the late Henry B. Walthall, who designs the ships'that will fly the Pacific and who never gives up hope. He dies just before his first 'plane lands in China —and curiously enough he died himself just after the picture was completed. The array of supports provided by the management is headed by a distinctly novel arrangement of literary personalities, entitled "Shake, Mr. Shakespeare." An amusing porcine comedy and suitable news-reels round off the bill. AMALGAMATED THEATRES. Film fare at the houses controlled by Amalgamated Theatres,. Limited, is as follows: —Civic, "Swing Time"; Plaza, "It's Love Again"; Roxy-Tivoli, "Sons o' Guns"; Strand, "Bullets or Ballots"; National, "Magnificent Obsession"; Crystal Palace and Rialto, "The King Steps Out"; Regent and Alexandra, "Little Miss Nobody" and "Ceiling Zero"; Princess, "Poor Little Rich Girl"; State, Devonport, "Story of Louis Pasteur" and "Love Before Breakfast"; State, Onehunga, "Special Investigators" and "Rhodes of Africa"; Adelphi, "Mine With the Iron Door" and "The Country Beyond' ; Empress, "Let's Sing Again" and "Mine With the Iron Door"; Regal, "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" and "The Last Outlaw ; King's, "The Country Doctor" and "The Golden Arrow"; De Luxe, "Private Number" and "Hearts Divided."

EMBASSY THEATRE. The which the film version of the late William. <J. Locke's popular light romantic novel, "The Beloved Vagabond" —now screening at the Embassy Theatre —adopts is leisurely throughout, and those who have conic to admire the speed which Hollywood invariably gives its efforts must not allow themselves to be disappointed. Lovers of the W. J. Locke stories will, tell you that speed is nonexistent in those novels. The romance unwinds itself gently and happily, with few shocks and none of them severe. That is typical of the author's work, and the spirit which he infused into his tale is wonderfully captured by-the makers of the filip, Toeplitz Films, of London, with the brilliant Kurt Bernhardt as director. Featured players are Maurice Chevalier, superb in the role of Paragot Desmond Tester, praiseworthy as Asticot; Margaret Lockwood, as the happy-go-lucky Blanchette; and the Australian, Betty Stockfield, as the . dignified London lady, Joanna. CAPITOL, DOMINION ROAD. Built round the heroic tale which gests the title, "A Message to Garcia, will star John Boles and Wallace Beery at the Capitol Theatre. Dominion Road, to-night. "Song-and-Dance Man, a musical, will be on the same bill. so Red the Rose," a romantic drama of the American Civil War, starring Margaret Sullavan, will be presented on Monday. AVONDALE MUNICIPAL. With a real melodrama,' "Sinister House," as chief support, the pleasing romantic drama "Whipsaw" is announced as the main item on to-night's bill at the Avondale Municipal Theatre. Myrna Loy is starred, with Spencer Tracy as her leading man. AMBASSADOR, POINT CHEVALIER. Outright action drama and sheerest farce 'are the elements of entertainment offering in the two films to be shown at the Ambassador Theatre, Point Chevalier, this evening. "Public Hero No. 1 stars Chester Morris, Lionel Barrymore and Jean Arthur in p. thrilling G-men tale, while "Honeymoon for Three is a Stanley Lupino comedy. GAIETY, TAKAPUNA. First entitled "Dreamland," Eddie Cantor's most recent musical extravaganza for Samuel Goldwyn, "Strike Me Pink," is the principal current attraction at the Gaiety Theatre, Takapuna. BOHEMIAN ORCHESTRA. In ,the third concert of its twenty-third season the Bohemian Orchestra will play selections * from Skilton, Beethoven, Handel, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rossini, SamtSaens and Strauss ("Tales from the Vienna Woods"). Mr. Colin Muston will conduct. Miss Edith Whitelaw will play a violin solo, "Berceuse" (Jarnefelt'). Miss Dora Judson will be solo pianist and Miss Ada Lynn and Mr. Marshall Copeland vocal soloists. The concert will be given next Thursday night. BALLET AND REVUE. An entertainment entitled "Revuette and ballet scenas will be presented by Miss Cecil Hall's pupils in the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Saturday evening, November 7. CLASSIC CLUB CONCERT. A vocal and instrumental concert will be given by members of the Classic Club in the Lewis Eady Hall on Tuesday evening, November 3. COMMUNITY SINGING. The Auckland Community Singing Association will present its final sing for the winter on Friday mid-day, not on Wednesday, as has been usual.

ST. JAMES' THEATRE. In "San Francisco," the, much-praised romantic drama set in the days immediately preceding and during the terrible earthquake which ravaged that notorious Californian gold centre, with its villainous "Barbary Coast," in 1906, there is thrilling entertainment for the crowds now thronging the St. James' Theatre at e\ery session. The film yesterday commenced a second week's season at that house. In this M.G.M. "specia 1 " Jeanette MacDonald's glorious soprano voice is heard in a wide range ot selections, from "Faust" and "La Traviata," in operatic settings and costuming, to hymns such as "The Holy City" and "Nearer, My Crod, To Thee," and to catchy melodies like the theme song "San Francisco and the sentimental "Would You.'" As the survivors of the disaster look out across tne hills over the ruined city and determine on construction of a new, clean metropolis for the glorious future, she sings the inspiring "Battle Hymn of the Republic. "BUNTY PULLS THE STRINGS." The thoroughly enjoyable Graham Moffat comedy "Bunty Pulls the Strings will be presented this evening in the Town Hall Concert Chamber by the bt. Andrew's Society. The play will be repeated on Monday and Tuesday nights. municipal band. The Auckland Municipal Band will, until further notice, play every Sunday afternoon in the Domain and every Sunday evening in Albert Park. lumbers are now added to the band s extensile repertoire from a newly purchased library of military band music. AMUSEMENT GUIDE. TOWN HAI/L —Wrestling-, George v. Kruse. PICTURE THEATRES. LONDON —Esther Ralston In "After the Ball" and Richard Arlen In College Humour." MAJESTIC—WiIIiam Boyd and Jimmy Ellison in "Hearts-of the West and Charles Ruggles and Mary Boland in "Early to Bed." REGENT —Pat O'Brien and Beverly Roberts In "China Clipper." EMBASSY —Maurice Chevalier and Margaret Lockwood to 'The Beloved Vagabond." . ST. JAMES' —Clark Gable and Jeanette Mac Donald In "San Francisco. . AMBASSADOR —"Public Hero No. 1." ASTOR —"The Keeper of the Bees." AVONDALE —"WMpsaW." BIRKENHEAD —"When Knights Were Bold" BRITANNIA —"Riff RafT." CAPITOL —"A Message to Garoia." DELTA —"Call of the Wild." GAIETY —"Strike Me Pink." GREY LYNN— "Thoroughbred." KINGSLAND —"The Lady Consents." LIBERTY —"A Night at the Opera." MAYFAIR —"Follow the Fleet." PICTUREDROME —"I Live My.'Lire." PRINCE EDWARD — "Rendezvous" and "Penthouse." SOUTHERN CROSS—"Queen of Hearts." STAR (Newton) —Leslie Howard in "The Petritled Forest" and James Cagney in "Celling Zero." STATE (Symonds Street) —"The Petrified Forest." STRAND (Onehunga)—"The Ghost Goes West." t TUDOR—"The Amateur Gentleman." VlCTOßlA—"Splendour."