AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 162, 10 July 1940, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

"SECRETS OF A NURSE." ROXY-TIVOLI. John Dodge Edmund I/Owe Katlierine Mac Donald .. Helen Mack I.ee Burke Dick Foran Judge Corrigan Samuel S. Hinds Cavanaugh Paul Hurst l>argo Ames Director: Arthur Lubin. (Universal.) Also: "MEN WITHOUT SOULS," Starring John latel. "Secrets of a Xurse," an outstanding metropolitan melodrama, had its first showings to-day at the Roxy and Tivoli Iheatres. Starring the polished Edmund Lowe, tlie film has Helen Mack in the leading feminine role. Miss Mack is seeu as the nurse at a big hospital, who saves the life of a prizefighter, Lee Burke (Dick Foran), after he has been doped by gangsters. She falls in love with him. Another patient is a criminal lawyer (the part played by Lowe). To the lawyer comes the gang leader, asking him to defend the man who has been responsible for Burßb's nearly dying. In the subsequent development Burke is framed by the gang, and is almost brought to the death chair. All this is handled in expert style, and there is not a duil moment in the show. Dick Foran is outstanding as the prizefighter; Lowe gives of his best in the lawyer role, and Miss Mack is outstanding in a part tliat calls for all her ability in oraina. The film was directed by the noted Arthur Lubin, and was taken from a story by Quentin Reynolds. Second on the programme is another drama, "Men Without Souls," which lias its locate in a penitentiary. Barton MacLane goes back to his old role of gang leader, and John Litel surprises with a nnely-etehed portrayal of the prison chaplain. Jhe leading lady is Kochelle Hudson. 1 ucked with thrills, ' Men Without Souls" is worth anybody s attention. MAJESTIC THEATRE.

Two stars well-known in Auckland, Will Ala honey and Lvie Hayes appear in the Australian ( mesound production, "Come P Smiling, which heads the new programme to be presented for the first time on inday at the Majestic Theatre. It will be recalled that both these talented comedians visited Auckland some little ** J , <heu ' lal 'Se houses. It is stated that their performances on the screen are as R ood, if not better, than those on the stapre They have with them jn the show a talented little Australian ?, t' 1 ' Hatton > claimed across the Tasman as the Deanna Durbin of her country, ( omedy JS the main ingredient.' of course, of "Come Up Smiling," and it should be highly popular in Auckland Second on this double bill is the exciting mystery, Double Alibi," which has as its stars Wayne Morris, Margaret LindWilham Gargan. As the title suggests, the plot concerns a. murder js ery in which each of the suspects has a seemingly flawless alibi. ST. JAMES' THEATRE.

treat „ this town is the arrival of another of the noted Judge Ilardy Son " «'h T " J " d£rc Hardy and hon, which will have it« first showings at St. James Theatre on Friday, a film Mid to depart somewhat from the format of the series to good effect, but once again Bffi!" K Ar i' t,le PCJison of the agile Mlcke"Hooney, still has his female and nioney troubles. Lewis Stone is again the judge, and m the remainder of the cant are Cecilia Parker. Fay Holden, Ann Kutherford, Sara Haden and Henry Hull, further lustre is added to this aspect of the hlni by the presence of the talented Maria Ouspenskaya one of the greatest character players of many years both on stage and screen. There are several stories interwoven in the plot. There is the intervention of the senior Hardy into tlie affairs of an elderly couple whose daughter has marned wealth and left them in poverty, while the real drama of the .production comes in the sequences when Mrs. -Hardy is attacked by pneumonia. All round. Judge Hardy "and Son" appears to be yet another treat in store for Hardy fans* PLAZA THEATRE. Night of the Fire," one of the m °i j brilliantly-produced British murder melodramas to come out this way, will be released in Auckland on Friday at the Plaza Theatre. First it is notable for the appearance of the No. 1 English character actor, Ralph Richardson. If his claim to the title of No. 1 in England be doubted, a glance should go the way of "Four Feathers" and "The Liof Has Wings." Joseph Somlo ancl Richarci Norton, a new producing team, have succeeded in bringing to the film world once more the noted English actress Diana Wynyard, who has not been back on the stage almost since her triumph in "Cavalcade," and her reappearance should create great interest. With a background of British working class life, the film is realistic, with powerful drama its keynote. The British lightweight boxmg champion Dave Crowley has the role of boxer in the film, and he is stated to be uncommonly good. In the supporting cast are Romney Brent, Mary Claire. Henry Oscar, Gertrude Musgrove and Sara Aligood.

REGENT THEATRE. There can surely be no picturegoer in Auckland who does not remember "The Middle Watch," that delightful lan Hay farce. The naval comedy now appears under the auspice* of the gay Jaek Buchanan, aild it will be shown in Auckland at the Regent Theatre on Friday. The perenniel popularity of the show can be easily accounted for by its witty dialogue and endless possibilities for humour. With Mr. Buchanan to help along the fun are Fred Emney, Leslie Fuller, Reginald Purdell and Louise Hampton. As will be remembered the story revolves around the presence on board His Majesty's ship Falcon of two delectable young ladies who have been left over from a shipboard party. The humour comes in when Captain Maitland and his men do their utmost to bide the ladies frojn the eagle eye and gingered tongue of the Admiral—and his wife. The production ig stated to be capable, and with Buchanan in the leading role something out of the ordinary in farce can be expected. With the Navy so much in the public eye nowadays, this is an exceedingly timely film. EMBASSY. Stealing the greater part of the thunder in Paramount British's romantic farce "French Without Tears," showing at the Embassy Theatre, is a comparative newcomer to the screen in the form of Roland Culver. As an ultra-cautions, supremely dignified naval officer in a French academy for aspiring English and American diplomats, he proves amply that he is a grand screen type and a fine comedian. The comedy revolves around the depredations wrought on the male population of this pocket campus by the sister of one of the students, a designingly alluring American blonde harbouring visions of possessing something in the nature of a male harem. Ray Milland as the one member of the community who does not succumb to her wiles—-until he surrenders through sheer exhaustion—gives a sterling performance consistent with bis successes in other recent light roles. Ellen Drew, as the female biuebeard, David Tree, as Chris, a simple-minded soul with an English accent —presumably a typical Englishman—and Guy Middleton, as another of the students, are also excellent. CENTURY THEATRE. A frontier drama of revolutionary days in the United States is "Drums Along the Mohawk," which on Friday will an Auckland season at the Century Theatre, j This production appears to have all the elements of the really exciting period drama. It has an unusually versatile leading pair in Claudette Colbert and Henry Fonda, while in a brilliant cast are .such seasoned character players as Edna May Oliver, John Carradine, Eddie Collins, 1 Jessie Ralph, Rpger Imhof and Doris Bowdon. We ftpd the heroic couple aroujd whom the action centres being married and setting ofi for the rugged and perilous district of the lovely Mohawk Valley in upper Key /York State. These were the days, of Indian raids, with the settlers living in a peril that might be likened to New Zealand's early pioneers in the first hazardous days of misunderstanding in this

country. The realistic staging of the raid scenes is stated to be a further example of the ability in direction of John Ford. Taken from the vastly-popular tale by Walter D. Edmonds, "Drums Along the Hohawk" has everything to recommend it. CIVIC THEATRE. Paul Robeson, that mighty negro personality, makes a long-awaited screen appearance in the film "The Proud Valley." which will be shown on Friday at the Civic Theatre. When it is said that Robeson's latest has as its locale a mining town in South Wales, the musical treat in store can be readily imagined. With a Welsh choir, Robeson's magnificent baes is heard in two numbers that should live long in memory—"Deep River" and "Land of I Our Fathers." This is a realistic and dramatic slide of life which recreates the struggles, the tragedies, the pride and the idealism of the men and women who live by the coal and who die by the decay of the mines. In the development of the plot a pit is closed and the etory shows the heroic efforts of the miners to get it opened again. Though little known, the Welsh stars in the film are stated to be outstanding. Among these are Edward Chapman, Simon Lack, Rachel Thomas, Edward Rigby and Janet Johnson. Michael Balcon produced "The Proud Valley, which seems to be a film for all to see. AMUSEMENT GUIDE. PICTURE THEATRES. MAJESTIC—Mae West and W. 0. Fields In "My Little Chickadee" and Tom Brown in "Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love." ROXY—Jane Wyman In "Dynamite Torchy" and Lynn Bar! In "Free, Blonde and 21" 6T. JAMES'—Bob Taylor and Greer Garson In "Remember." OXFORD—"Rebecca." REGENT—James Cafrney and George Raft In "Each Dawn I Die." PLAZA—Chester Morris and Wendy Barrle In "Five Came Back." EMBASSY—Ray Milland and Ellen Drew In "French Without Tears." STRAND —William Boyd in "The Showdown" and Charles Ruggles in "Opened by Mistake." CENTURY—George Raft and Joan Bennett In "The House Across the Bay." CIVIC —Ginger Rogers and Joel McCrea In "Primrose Path." DE PARlS—Continental Films: "Professor Mamlock." ADELPHI—Guest Night. ALEXANDRA—Guest Night. AMBASSADOR—"HonoIuIu." AVONDALE —Guest Night. ASTOR—"Bulldog Drummond's Peril" and "A Bride For Henry." BERKELEY (Miasion Bay)—" Never Say Die" and "Girls On Probation." BRITANNIA—"The Luck or the Navy" and "Forgotten Women." CAPITOL —Guest Night. CRYSTAL PALACE—Guest Night. DE LUXE—"Golden Boy." EMPRESS—Guest Night. GAlETY—"lntermezzo." CREY LYNN— Guest Night. LIBERTY—"The Wizard or Oz'' and "The "Women Men Marry." NEW ROYAL—Guest Night. PRINCE EDWARD—Guest Night. PRINCEBB—Guest Night. PICTUREDROME—Guest Night. RIALTO—Guest Night. REGAL—Quest Night. REGENT (Epaom)—"The Great Waltz." STATE (Symonds Street)—"Nlnotchka." STAR—"Danger on Wheels" and "The Three Musketeers." (Onehunga) — "Good-bye, Mr. Chips. * STATE (Onehunga)—Guest Night. BTATE (Devonport)—Guest Night. TIVOLI—Guest Night. TUDOR—"Thunder Afloat." VICTORIA—Guest Night. RADIO PROGRAMMES. IY A-—8.27 p.m., studio recital by Francis Mcknight, tenor; 8.38. Otto Hubascher, Moifoi an ,?,~ enry Sl,irle -V. Dlano, studio ' son ß' s and scenes from Gulliver's Travels.'* p.m., concert by the ova o v? . .. T1 M Thrills ; 9.46. "Poor Old ; a cockney sketch. * Y *~B-30 p.m.. "The Hunchback or Notre Dame ; 9.0, variety; 9.30, "Joan of 1ZM ~7.45 p.m., "Search ror a Playwright"8.0, "Peep into Filmland." *