AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 151, 27 June 1940, Page 16

AMUSEMENTS.

STRAND;;;,;' •Probably the most popular baud of 'entertainers in Great Britain,'the "Crazy Gang" gete up to another, bundle of tricks in,"The Frozen Limits," opening its Auckland season at the Strand- Theatre to-mor-row. Jimmy Nervo, Teddy Knox, Bud. Flanagan, Chesuey .Allen, Charlie Naughj ton and Jimmy Gold, component units of jthe gang, are seen as "the Six Wonder jßoys," vaudeville artists, who read on a scrap of newspaper used to wrap up some fifrfi nndchips that there is a gold rush in Alaska. As they have run up against a •large-sized slice of bother in the field of vaudeville entertainment,- they decide to 1 go and seek their fortuned ;in the land ;. where men are men. They arrive there j eventually, but find, on making inquiries, that the- gold rush had finished approxil niately 40 years before—the newspaper a they had read was 40 years old. Nothing loth, they decide to start a gold rush of ' their own, with consequences that may be l imagined. Moore Marriott and Eileen Bell are the principal supporting players. The perennially popular "Jones Family" i is featured in the second attraction, . "Young as You Feel." i REGENT. * American Sims of the prison melodrama - type are not by any means uncommon, but there ■ have been few to measure up, for j powerful effect, to "Each Dawn I Die," ■ opening to-morrow at the Regent Theatre. In spite of the fact that the story is heavy > and, in parts, harrowing, it is guaranteed ' to hold the onlooker's attention to the I finish. The human interest element is strong, as the hero,, a prisoner, was innocent, but had been "framed" by crooked politicians. One of the most touching , j scones is said to be one in which the hero's ! J mother visits him in prison and makes [ I pitiable attempt* to control her emotions. Thrills are present itliroughout, and they reach a crashing crescendo in the final scene when a gaol-break is attempted. Topping the strong cast nro James Cagney and George Baft, who have few peers in the types of roles they are called on to fill. Cagney portrays the newspaperman sentenced on a false charge, and Raft is seen as a gangster who.helps wring a. confession from the real criminal responsible for the crime for -which the reporter was blamed. Jane Bryan and George Bancroft are also featured. EMBASSY. 'Delightfully carefree: and irresistibly amusing, "French Without Tears," in an extended season at the Embassy Theatre, is proving to be one of the most popular light romantic comedies ever, shown in Auckland. It starts off with a laugh and keeps the audience chuckling throughout until the hilarious climax. In these days of stress what inoro could be wanted of any film? Background for most of the action is a cultural establishment maintained by a French professor, who polishes off the rough' edges on budding English and American diplomats. Everything goes swimmingly at the pocket:university until the arrival of an American blonde, whose curves are as numerous as her ideas concerning the male students are bright. 'Die effect of her advent is something akin to a bomb as far as'the solemnity of the place is concerned, and there are many complications before ' things are finally quietened down. Handsome Ray Milland shares top-billing with Ellen Drew, but Roland Culver, as the traditional horsefiiced Englishman come to life, steals much of the limelight. . MAJESTIC. One of the most timely films shown in Auckland for soine time, "Traitor Spy" js to open • a season at the Majestic Theatre to-morrow. _ It centres round a subject that is raising much speculation at the present time—the Nazi spy organisation in Great Britain. Bruce Cabot is ideally cast in the role, as a Nazi agent who, under his English name, is employed as a bench-hand in a factory producing anti-submarine craft with a secret torpedo device. Ho manages to photograph sonic of the blue-prints of this, but refuses to hand them over to his chief unless he is paid £0000. Needless to say, this annoys the Nazis to no small degree, and the complications that follow are as exciting as they are vividly depicted. Marta Labarr. is featured with' Cabot, as his wife, while Tainara Desni makes a glnmorus British intelligence worker, who helps to get the "Fifth Columnist" rounded up. The famous. Indianapolis speed classic forms the climax of "Danger on Wheels," the associate attraction, tichard Alien, Andy Devine and Peggy Moran are the principals. PLAZA. Powerfully-enacted and superbly produced, "Rebecca," screen version of the popular novel by Daphne Du Maurier, continues t& draw big crowds at the Plaza heatro. Primarily for mature types of nlingoers, it is one of the most remarkable films of the year to date, and will be talked of for a long time t> come. Ihe screenplay differs only slightly from he original book, in its essentials, and it loses nothmgin the retelling. Th e story is developed in impressive fashion, for which lujrh credit is due to the director, Alfred Hitchcock, who has few peers in Ins department in the motion picture world. Outstanding in the strong cast are jaurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine, the alter in her first.big role. Olivier portrays a wealthy English squire, whose first wife, a faithless wanton, dies under suspicious circumstances. The woman he ■names the second time, played by Misa 'pntaine, is a sensitive., nervous girl, who feels the presence of the first wife as a real and tangible horror. She becomes more and more introverted, and the film works up to a powerful climax before happiness comes to the newly-married couple. Judith Anderson and Georce Sanders are also in the cast. ST. JAMES'. ,' The °J d triangular .romantic theme onus the? basis for some high-class comedy nr r v u( 4™tion featured at *he head of the programme opening at the St. James' Theatre to-morrow It s '"'' a » produced by Milton Bren tor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, ,md he has made a fine job of it, if advance reports can be believed. The comedy is of the pphistacated type, and should appeal to hose who enjoy seeing the outworkings of complicated romantic problems as conjured up in the world of the film player. J here is an excellent cast. Claimed" by ' many to be the logical successor to the! late Rudolf Valentino, Robei-t Taylor! shows his handsome profile to good advantage again, and successfully steals his best friends fiance. The lady in the ease is lovely Greer Gareon, who made such a favourable impression in her dobut in Good-bye Mr. Chips." Third party is Lew Ayres, another whose stocks have risen considerably lately as a. result of his.success in the "Dr. Kildare" films. Bilhe Burke and Reginald Owen are also featured. ''

CENTURY. Rivalled only by George Formby among radio entertainers, old favourite Sandy Powell has what is claimed to lie his best screen role in his latest incursion into the realm of the moving picture, "All At Sea." having its first local iihowings at the Century Theatre to-morrow. He is cast as a chemist's messenger enrolled in the British Navy by mistake. His adventures are the result of his efforts to regain a. tube of special explosive stolen by some crooks. In the course of his helter-skelter dash through the film, Sandy causes a (leal of dislocation in the drill equnkl, falls down main deck ventilators, and paint is- epilled on the petty officers' uniform, with dire results. Aβ may bo gathered, as is expected from one of Sandy's reputation, the comedy is of the slapstick variety, but it te bright and wholesome and iprtvides good entertainment. George Merritt is in his clement ,as a tyrannical petty officer, with Kay Walsh making a lively leading lady and Gus JfaeNaughton provoking a good 'quota of laughs in the other main supporting role.