AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 127, 1 June 1939, Page 14

AMUSEMENTS.

MAJESTIC. The war being waged in parts of the United States by independent businessmen against targe-eeale racketeers forms tlie baeis of the thrilling plot of "Racket Busters," opening to-moirow at the Majestic Theatre. Although not original, this theme is of perennial interest to moviegoers, and their appreciation of this film should be heightened by the fact that the cast ia considerably stronger than usual. George Brent, fresh from his bucceee in "Jezebel," portrays a courageous independent truck driver who, rather than help the special prosecutor put an end to the activities of the local racketeer leader, fights him on hie own. The story tells of his battle against the crooks and of how he is on the verge of failure when, by a desperate move, he bringe about the conviction of the gang chief. Walter Abel, Allen Jenkins, Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Dickson are also in the cast. Jack Benny and Joan Bennett are the stars of the hilarious comedy "Stranded in Paris" on the same programme. Mary Boland and Charley Grapewin a»e also featured. EMBASSY. Sparkling comedy k the keynote of "Four's a Crowd," which is delighting consistently large audiences at the Embassy Theatre. Unlike many contemporary productions, this film does not try to point a moral or propound a weighty philosophy. It wae obviously made with the sole object of raising laughs, and in thia it has easily achieved its aim. Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Rosalind Russell and Patric Knowlee are the principals, and the story deals with the loniant c tangle thai eneues when they all fall in love with each other —only the wrong way round. Then, to make matters worse, Flynn, as a newspaper editor, incurs the enmity of Miss de Havilland'e irascible millionaire grandfather by making violent editorial attacks on him, and the complications that follow make up the remainder of the hilarious plot. Walter Connolly is excellent as the grandfather, and Hugh Herbert and Melville Cooper almost as good in important euppoiting roles. Coming attraction at the Embassy is "White Banners," with Claude Rains and Fay Bainter, one of the greatest dramas of the year.

MAYFAIR. Making their third screen appearance, the Dionne quintuplets will be seen again in "Five of a Kind," having its first local showing at the May fair Theatre to-mor-row. The quints did little in the way of acting in their earlier filme, but they show themselves aa versatile performers in their latest vehicle. In the film they are radio entertainers for a time, and they sing, dance and make music in inimitable fashion. Jean Hersholt, fine character, actor that he is, again gives an outstanding portrayal of Dr. Dafoe, the obscure country doctor who brought the quints into the world and has been associated with them ever since. Cesar Romero and Claire Trevor provide the romantic interest as a pair ot rival newspape/ reporters, and the cast also includes Slim Summerviilf, Henry Wilcoxon and Inez Courtney. The lives of the strange native peoples of the inner Belgian Congo is depicted in "Dark Rapture," the associate attraction. Armnnd Denis produced the film and it is said to be one of the best of its kind to come to Auckland.

, STRAND. One of the prime English radio favourites, Sandy Powell, is featured in "I've Got a Horse," opening its local season at the Strand Theatre to-morrow. He gives his best screen performance, as a bookmaker who becomes a racehoree owner when he accepts a horse to pay off a betting debt, and he ie supported by a strong cast, including Felix Aylmer, Evelyn Roberts, and Leo Franklin. In addition there are songs by Noal Gay, composer of the "Lambeth Walk," and some thrilling racetrack scenes. The story tells of Sandy's adventures as a horse trainer, and of his troubles when he is accused of stealing the horse. One of the most amusing scenes is one in which he defends himself in court against the theft charge. The story works uj» to an exciting climax at a racetrack, with Sandy and his horse "turning up trumps" in the end. Jack Haley heads a powerful cast in the associate attraction, "Thanks For Everything," a hilarious comedy dealing with the attempts of a moneyseeking promoter t'p find an "average man" and exploit him. Arleen Whelan is the principal lady in the case.

CIVIC. Enthusiastic crowds are besieging the Civic Theatre for almost every showing of the comedy "You Can't Take It With You," screen version of the famous play that is still running in its third year on Broadway. The screen rights of this play were bought at a record high figure, and the Columbia Studio heads handed the work over to the care of Frank Capra, possibly the greatest motion picture directorial genius of the day. The artistry of his touch i> evident throughout the film, and his job of making the film a success was made easier by the work of a cast which includes some o£ the beet-known players in Hollywood. James Stewart, Jean Arthur, and Lionel Barrymore are the principals, and all members of the featured cast are right up to the standard of the leads. Stewart is cast as the son of a big business magnate, in love with Mis* Arthur, the daughter of a retired business man who is easy going to the point of eccentricity. The incidents that occur when Stewart takes his people to meet his sweetheart , * family make up the body of the story.