AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 299, 17 December 1937, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

EMBASSY THEATRE. "MIDNIGHT MADONNA." Blackie Denbo Warren William Kay Barrie Mady Correll IVnelo|w> Barry Long .... Kitty <_"lancv Judpe " lark Edward Ellis jii 11 j- Lone Robert Baldwin Stuart Kirkland Jonathan Hale Direc or: James Flood. Paramount. There are at least three things to recommend "Midnight Madonna"' as .. picture that rs woitli t-ccmc. There i» little Kitty tlancy. a child actress "with a way with her, who is dw-tmed to caplure as many hearts as iier sister star Shirley Temple; there is a new actress from Broadway, Mady Correll. who also has the personality ior stardom in her seieen debut: and there is a thoroughly good story with a number of new aspects, including Wairen William 111 a "he-man" role that should establish him even mote firmly as a fine actor. "Midnight Madonna" began a season at the Embassy Theatre last evening, and its reception by the audience proved it a picture of wide appeal. As has been the case on a number of occasions recently the story is based oa events that have been newspaper storiecs of note in the United States —the fight of parents to determine the custody of a child. In this case there is a large fortune at stake, with the child as the sole beneficiary. Mady Correll has the role or the mother, a night club singer who has been deserted by her not very pleasant husband and left to fend for herself. When the child is discovered to be the possessor of a large fortune the father, aided by a crooked lawyer, makes a legal battle for possession—succeeding, by this use of perjured witnesses, in blackening the character of the mother to such an extent that custody is given to him. That is where Warren William comes into the picture. He is a gambler, who. regarding the little girl as his lucky "Penny."' has practically adopted mother and daughter and is caring for them. With him as with others in the story the little girl has become the centre of existence and he fights in every way that he knows to get her bock to her mother. How he succeeds is an episode that has many new aspects for the film audience. The picture is not overladen with sentiment and practically the only romance revealed is associated with the little girl. For the rest it is impressive in its simplicity and attractive in its setting.

In addition to the main picture the Embassy has a good list of supports witn a wide variety of interest in news reels, a musical with Rudolf Friml, jun., and his orchestra presented in a number of items written by Friml. sen., a cartoon j and a Grantland Rice Sportlight.

CITY SHOWS. Picture programmes now showing at city theatres are as follows:—St. James": Laurel and Hardy 5a "Way Out West." Civic: '•Exclusive," starring Fred MacMurray and Frances Farmer. Regent: Tom Walls and Ralph Lynn in "For Valour." Majestic: "Hopalong Rides Again," with William Boyd, and "Partners in Crime," with Lvnne Overman and Roscoe Karns. Embassy: "Midnight Madonna." featuring Kitty Clancy, Warren William and Mady Correll. Plaza: "Calling All Stars." with a large cast of prominent entertainers. Roxy-Tivoii: "Come Closer. Folks," with James Dunn and Marian Marsh, and "Riding Wild, with Tim McCoy. Strand: "Breakfast for Two." starring Barbara Stanwyck and Herbert Marshall. Mayfair: "Rose of Tralee." with Binkie Stuart, and Jack Hulbert in "Interrupted Honeymoon. State (Svmonds Streeth .lames Melton and Patricia Ellis in "Melody for Two.' and "Pick a Star." Star < Newton \: -Tohn Boles and Rosalind Russell in Craig s Wife," and "Melody for Two.'

a mwnEMm f GUIDE. OLD GRAMMAR SCHOOL—W.E.A. presents "Funnymede." PICTURE THEATRES. REGENT —Ralph Lynn ami Tom Walls In "For Valour." HOXY—James Dunn and Marion Marsh in "Come Closer Folks" and Tim McCoy in "Riding Wild." STRAND—Barbara Stanwyck and Herbert Marshall in • Bre.akrasl For Two. MAJESTIC —William Boyd in "Hopalonj Rides \gain" and l.ynne Overman ana Roscoe Karns in "Parmer? in Crime. ST. JAMES' —Laurel and Hardy in "W ay Out West." EMBASSY —Warren William an-1 Madv Correll in "Midnight Madonna." PLAZA—"Calling All .-tars " CIVIC —Charles Buggies and Frances Farmer ;n "Exclusive." MAYFAIR (Ist® National) —Bmkie Stuart and Danny Malonr in -Rose <-r Tralee" and Claude Hulbprt and France; 1.. suinvan in "lnterrupl<wl Honeymoon." LONDON —Tlie Man Brolh*>rs in "Durk Soup" and Nancy Carroll in "Atlamic Adwmure." ADELPHI —"The Woman 1 Love" and "Bulldo? Drummond Kscaj»cs.'' AMBASSADOR —"The Magnificent Brule" and "This'll Make You Whistle." ALEXANDRA —"Boliind the Headlines" and "Good Morning, Bovs." ASTOR—"It isn't Done" and "The Mail Who Lived Twice." AVONDALE —"The Show Gc*v On'' and "Let's Get Marrie<L'" BRITANNIA—"Thunder in tlie City" and "The l-i-ague or Frightened Men." CAPITOL—"The White Angel" and "Smart Blonde." CRYSTAL PALACE—"The Road Back" and "Sing and Be Happy." DE LUXE —"Wing's of ibe Mom.ng" and "Girl From Yard." EMPRESS—"Wake Lp and Live" and "1 Cover the War." GAIETY —"History Is Made at >iight~" GREY LYNN— The Last of Mrs. Cheyney" and "Please. Teacher." KING'S —"lh«- 'io-g-euer" and "Make Way lor a Lady." KINGSLAND —"Born lo Dance" and "Keep Your >eats. Please." MAYFAIR—">maII Town Girl" and "We're On tiie jury." PRINCE EDWARD— Man in Possession" and "Let's oet Married.'* PRINCEBS —"yualily sir eel" and "On Again. OH Again." REGAL —"QualJiy street" and "Head Over Heels." REGENT (Epsom)—" Charlie Chan at the Olympics" and "Call U a Day." RIALTO—"The Hoad Back ' and "Sing and Be Happy." STAR CNswton)—-Craig's Wire" an,: Melody For Two." •TATE (Symonds Street) — P.ck a star" and "Melody For Two." iSTATE (Dc*onport) — "Ringing Manne" and Big Itusine-- " •TATE ( Onehunga ) — H oJJday** j and "B;g Fella " j STRAND (Onehunga)— \ Family Affair"** ' and "Along < anie Love." I TlVOLl—"Hiding Wild'" and "Cotoe Cloier j Folks." 1 TUDOR—"i»irl in a Million.*" • VICTORIA — Fire Over England** "speed to spare."