AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 127, 1 June 1938, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

"RED RIVER VALLEY." ROXY-TIVOLI. Gene Autry Himself Frog Smiley Burnett Mary Frances Drake Steve Conway Boothe Howard M'ke Jack Kennedy George Baxter Sam Flint Also: "RAWHIDE," musical Western, starring Smith Ballew and Lou Gehrig. Making his first starring appearance befove a New Zealand audience, the famous singing cowboy of Hollywood, Gene Autry, is the star of the Western film "Red River Valley," which stafrted an Auckland season at the Roxy and Tivoli Theatres to-day. He made a short appearance here, however, in "Manhattan Merry-Go-Round" recently. Autry ia a pleasing personality, with an engaging manner and a fine voice. Although Auckland audiences may not be aware of-it, Gene is ranked in the United States as the most popular star of them all, and one of the most highly paid. He sings several tuneful numbers, among them being the theme song of the film "Red River Valley," "Hand Me Down My Trusty Forty-five" and "When the Waterwheel Keeps Turning." Associated with Gene is an outstanding cast. Some of the players are Smiley Burnett, Frances Drake, Boothe Howard, Jack Kennedy and Charles King. The story deals with the adventures of Arizona cattlemen, organised into the Red River Valley Irrigation Company, who are trying to build a dam and ditches to bring water to their parched lands. They tre secretly up against the operations of the town banker, who schemes to grab the water rights for his own profit. Gene Autry, a cowhand, rode into town to learn that the company has just lost a nightriding guard by a murderous ambush. Gene volunteers to help the bunch of cattlemen and fights an exciting battle with the sabotaging construction boss, and a series of dramatic adventures follows, as the irrigation company fights against the treachery of scheming opponents. The schemers plan to put the camp into a riot and when Gene tries to reach the camp to pay off the men, in an effort to bring about peace, floodgates are opened as he tries to get across the stream. "Rawhide," the singing Western wh'ch completes the programme, stars Smith Ballew and his partner is a famous baseball player Lou Gehrig, star batsman of the New York Yankees, who makes a successful screen debut. REGENT THEATRE. Dorothy Lamour, lovely star of "Jungle Princess" and the epic "Hurricane" film, has her latest starring role in "Her Jungle Love," which will start ita local season at the Regent Theatre on Friday. This will follow the successful ;season of "The Buccaneer." Handsomely presented," entirely in technicolour, ' the film is stated to capture the atmosphere" of the. jungle to perfection. Taking the leading, male role is Ray Milland, Miss Lamour a first co-starring partner in "Jungle Princess," and others with prominent roles are Lynne Overman, J. Carroll Naish, Dorothy Howe and Jonathan Hale. However, many overseas critica hand the palm to Jiggw, who plays the role of G.ago, the chimpanzee. In the development of the plot two aviators who are searching for a lost comrade on a desert island, meet Tura, a lovely native maid, and one of the men,' Bob, falls in love with her. Their plans are effectively stopped for a time by the advent of a barbarous native chief. Lynne Overman's wise-cracks supply brilliant comedy relief. Several new songs are presented. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. Produced on a tremendous scale and featuring in leading roles two of the finest screen singers of the present day, the operetta "The Firefly" opens its Auckland season at St. James' Theatre on Friday. Outstanding factors of the film's oveisr-as ' successes were, of course, the singing of I the two leading players, Jeanette Mac- | Donald and Allan Jones. This quarter-century-old operetta of Rudolf Friml and Otto Harbach will be recalled by many as a great stage success, and it is stated that no liberties have been taken with the score' of lyrics, and the historical background, with French and Spanish' locale, is reproduced with meticulous fidelity. Numbers that will stand' out in "The Firefly" should be "You (Need Sympathy," "Giannina Mia" and "When a Maid Comes Knocking at Your Heart." It is s'tated that the singing of the principals leaves little to be desired. Musical direction is by the well-known Herbert Stotiiart. In the cast are Warren* William, Douglas Dumbrille, Leonard Penn and Tom Rutherford. Ogden Nash, American writer, adapted Harbach's book. MAYFAIR THEATRE. Tempestuous romance and outstanding light comedy are the main elements in the film "Wise Girl," which is having a successful season at the Mayfair Theatre. Taking leading roles are Ray Milland and .Miriam Hopkins. This fast-moving comedy drama, with its smart dialogue an'd hilarious situations, concerns the romance between two natural enemies—a fiery Park Avenue beauty and a defiant Green wich Village artist. The girl has promised to aid her wealthy father to secure custody of his two orphan grandchildren who live with their uncle and their legal guardian, a youth with a precarious income. Upon this basis are built the story's dramatic and voking situations, ch+fef of which is, of course, the love affair between Milland and Miss Hopkins, when the latter, posing as a destitute artist, meets him with the object of double-crossing him, but in the meantime finds herself in love with rim. | CIVIC THEATRE. Darryl F. Zanuck's epic screen play "In Old Chicago," set down for release in Auckland at the Civic Theatre on Friday, is a film which possesses that intangible screen quality which may be called "big." It is big in every sense 6f the word, big in its star names and really great ;n its smashing finale. Tbematically it tells the warm and human story of the O'Leary family. In between it glows with a spirit of domestic comedy and culminates, as brother comes into conflict with brother, into the triumph of virtue over avarice, for though it is a family story it is slso a political story. Chicago in l(*Ti was a plage of vice for the most part and was politically rotten. Those who play leading parts in this sipry are Don Atneche, Tyrone Power and Alice Faj-e, wnile Alice Brady impresses with a sterling portrayal as Mrs. O'Leary, But the sequence whioh impressed most when the film was previewed recently was that which the whole city was swept by fire.

. MAJESTIC THEATRE. Thousands the world over have laughed at the sketches of Sandy Powell when presented on gramophone and radio, and many saw his hilarious film "Can You Hear Me, Mother?" With all those facts in mind, it can be forecast that his latest film "Leave It to Me" will attract large crowds when it is released locally at the Majestic Theatre on Friday. When his first film is remembered, it can be taken for granted that the audience can rest assured and leave it to Sandy. At the start of the film Sandy joins up with the special constabulary, but he is a dull policeman and soon finds himself out of the force. But,, not to be denied, he captures a band of jewel thieves, a reward is his, and he is reinstated in the ranks. Associate feature at the Majestic on Friday will be "Laughing at Life," with Victor McLaglen playing an ideal role as a soldier of fortune. An outstanding cast plays in this production, including Conchita Montenegro, William Boyd, Regis Toomey, Ruth Hall, Noah Beery and J. Farrell Mac Donald. EMBASSY THEATRE. Based on the remarkable dramatic novel by Faith Baldwin, the film "Portia On Trial," continues to attract large crowds to the Embassy Theatre. Frieda Inescort, a player who has appeared with success on stage and screen, takes the title role— that of Portia Merriman. She imbues her part with a strength and sincerity which makes the life of Portia a very real and human thing. Walter Abel, who will be remembered for his outstanding D'Artagnan role in "The Three Musketeers," gives a fine characterisation. Portia Merriman | is a brilliant woman lawyer, admired and feared alike by her adversaries. An unfortunate love affair in her youth has provided the driving force to urge her to secure justice for all down-trodden women—justice at any price. The price she has to pay is tohe love of her own son. How, with superb finesse and judgment she contrives to win both the case and the love of her boy provides a fitting climax to an unforgettable piece of drama. Taking prominent pai'te are Barbara Pepper, Neil Hamilton, Heather Angel and Ruth Donnelly.

AMUSEMENT GUIDE. PICTURE THEATRES. REGENT—Fredrlc March and Franclska Gaal In "The Buccaneer." ' BTRAND—Michael Bartlett and June Knight In "Lilac Domino" and Tyrone -Power and Loretta Young: In "Second Honeymoon." ROXY—Gene Autr.v In "Red River Valley" and Smith Ballcw In "Rawhide." MAJESTIC—George Murphy and Rita Johnsoil in "London By Night" and Richard Arlen and Mary Astor In "No Time to Marry." ST. JAMES'—BiII Powell and Myrna Loy In "Double Wedding." EMBASSY—Frieda Inescort and Heather Angel In "Portia on Trial." MAYFAIR—Miriam Hopkins and Ray Milland In "Wise Girl." LONDON — Rlcardo Cortez In "Murder of Doctor Harrigan" and Patricia Ellis in "Love Begins at 20." ADELPHI—Guest Night. AMBASSADOR—Guest Night. ALEXANDRA—Guest Night. ASTOR—"Lady Tubbs" and "Were Wolf or London." AVONDALE—"IOO Men and a Girl." BIRKENHEAD—"Good Old Soak." S££!?~£X <"'" lon Bay)—" Kid Galahad.' Britannia—"Cafe Metropole" and ••Follow Your Heart." CRYSTAL PALACE—Guest Night. DE LUXE—"Double Danger" and "Fit For a King." EMPRESB—Guest Night. GAIETY—"The Road Back." GREY LYNN—Guest Mght. KING'S—"Non-stop New York." KINGSLAND—PopuIar Night. MAYFAIR—"My Man Godfrey" and "Don't Get Personal." PRINCE EDWARD—Guest Night. PRINCEBB—Guest Night. REGAI Guest Night. REGENT (Epaom)—Guest Night. RIALTO—Guest Night. STAR (Newton) —"Love Under Fire" and "Exclusive." STATE (Symonas Street) —"Topper." BTATE (Devonport)—"Oh, Mr. Porter" and "Danger Patrol." STATE (Onehunga) —Guest Night. STRAND (Onehurrja)—Guest Nlgnt. THE REX—"Repo/ted Missing" and "The Bombing or Shanghai." TIVOLI—"Red River Valley" and "Rawhide." TUDOR—"Make a Wish." VICTORIA—Guest Night.