CITY THEATRES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21258, 1 September 1934, Page 8

CITY THEATRES

: MAJESTIC j "THREE ON A HONEYMOON" i 1 A luxurious pleasure liner forms the j background for the comedy, "Three on a Honeymoon," which will head the new programme at the Majestic Theatre to-day. Sally Eilers and Zasu Pitts have the leading roles, and it would be difficult to find a more amusing pair. The story embraces comedy, romance, and thrills, and a i spectacular dance number forms part of a cafe scene. "Three on a Honey- ! moon" traces the romance of a dare- ; devil flyer, Joan Foster fSally Eilers), ■ and a young ship's officer. Dick Charl- ., ton (Charles Starretl), the comedy j being supplied by Zasu and her bashful admirer, Ezra Mac Duff (Russell Simpson). Joan, who has joined the ship to escape from her stepmother. ! is the daughter of the president of i the steamship company to which the \ boat belongs, and Charlton is told to j entertain her and keep her out of j trouble. However, the high-spirited 1 girl, to keep amused, sets her- ' self, out to make the officer look a fool, j and the result, is that Charlton avoids \ her as much as possible, and while he iis out of her sight she becomes In- | volved in a gambling game, which dei velops into a brawl. Events take a I further turn when a girl friend of • Joan's, who is on her honeymoon trip, is blackmailed by a former admirer. Meanwhile Zasu has been saved from drowning by Ezra Mac Duff, and the subsequent love-making between the two provides much of the humour of the film. Box plans are at the D.I.C. CRYSTAL PALACE "LONG LOST FATHER" ANU "ALL OF ME" Another firsr-cla.s.- double-feature programme—"Long Lost Father" and "All Of Me"—will, be offered at the Crystal Palace Theatre to-day. The attempts of a father to gain the love of a daughter whom he had deserted when she was a child are depicted in "Long Lost Father," John Barrymorc's latest, picture, Barrymore portrays tue father, manager of v. London cabaret. He meets his daughter ' after a lapse of 20 years, when she comes to dance in Ids establishment, and discovers that she harbours intense hatred for him for abandoning her as an infant. Barrymorc's efforts to reconcile her and assume parental responsibilities over her make an amusing and delightful comedy-drama. Helen Chandler plays the role of the daughter. , .... A talented cast, headed by Miriam Hopkins and Fredric March, appears in "All of Me." These two popular I players will be remembered for their i fine performances in "Design for Living." March is cast as a clever younc, engineer who is engaged to a wealthy rirl this part being played convincingly by Miriam Hopkins. The girl is hesitant about getting married, as it will mean that she will have to accompany her husband into the wilderness. Box plans are at the D.I.C. REGENT "RIPTIDE'' AND CtiOS'l lAKOEF Norma Shearer offers another of her magnetic and fascinating performances as a modern woman with ultraj rrodern ideals in "Riptide," her latest I pi; v, which will open to-day at 1 ti. Regent Theaatre. Lavishly pro--01. -rd and brilliantly enacted by its j =t:-i-fi, who also include the ever popu- ! lar Robert Montgomery and that de- ' iightful English actor, Herbert Mari Uiall, this new picture stands out as | one of the finest productions to come 1 from the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer i studio. As Lady Rexford in this dar- ' ing, triangular romance, Miss Siiearer ' is superb. As Lord Rexford, Herbert ! Marshall gives one of the most, conj vincing displays of his career, whilst { Robert Montgomery as Tommy, sup- ; ports Miss Shearer romantically for I the fifth time as her playboy courtier in "Riptide." Mrs Patrick Campbell, noted British, actress, heads the impvessive supporting cast as an eccentric dowager. Lilycn Tashman is N'.'nia's sister. Other important roles are in the capable hands of such sterling players as Skeets Gallagher, Ralph Forbes, Arthur JarroP, and Earl Oxford. A special attraction will b' _i the ap-wm-ance on the stage of Soma Cho.-;- • iakofV, the celebrated Russian tenor, who recently toured the world as the principal soioist of the Don Cos.=,).;k Choir. Senui Chostiakoff will sing a number of his most popular sonfs. accompanied by an orchestra. Thi box plans for the brief season are now open at. the D.I.C.

TIVOLI '*ILKKEY TIME" j A comedy with the whole dehciou.. Aldwycli team in it, Tom V/jj-s, Ralph Lynn, Robertson Hare, and Mary Brough, can icneruiiy be relied on to be amusing. There have been exceptions, it is true, but. "Turkey Tune," the tori s latest effort which is now being shown for a second week at the Tivoli, is not, one of them. On the contrary, it is as good as anything the team ha:, yet made, a really delightful show. The team is in its bf't form Tom Walls rcassumes the cloak of suave villainy that lie wore in '•Plunder," this time with the addition of a little Wild West "he-cnan stuff." Lynn is as charmingly futile as ever; there never was so hen-pecked a husband as Robertson Hare, and never was there a landlady so determined not, to be "put upon" as Mary Brough, rejoicing this time in the delightful name of "Mrs Gather." The irrepressible Walls and Lynn are the guests of their cousins, Mr and Mrs Stoatt, Walls being engaged to Mrs Sloalt's sister. Mr and .Mrs Stoatt arc pillars of society and models of respectability; care-free Tom Walls has just returned from 15 years in Montana; Ralph Lynn is Ralph Lynn. Naturally the respectable Mr and Mrs Stoatt soon begin to find their guests a little difficult. j The supporting programme i.- eu- ■ ire Lad Mil";, containing an excellent. \ '.lancing ball cartoon, two 'English I new.-, rec'i,:, and an American musical, <;ram> ; "SHE DONE HEM WRONG" j "She Done Him Wrong, which will ■ begin a return season at the Grand Theatre to-day, is a picture full of action, drama, suspense, and romance. It has the New York Bowery as its background, and the swaggering gay nineties as its period. Mae West, who wrote both the story and the dialogue, gives her role brilliant and vivid treatment. She sings two songs during the course of the picture—the famous old ballad, "Frankie and Johnny," and "Haven't Got No Peace of Mind." , - Box plane a*w .»* Ihr t>.l C. .„

PLAZA GKACIE FIELDS IN "LOVE, LIFE, AN» LAUGHTER-' in "Love, Life, and Laughter," the Gracie Fields film which begins its second week at the Plaza Theatre this evening, there are considerable stretches when Gracie ccasci to be audacious, impudent, mocking, ribald, irrepressibly light-hearted. The cause is in the stow which give:; her the part of an inn-keeper's daughter, in love with the heir to the little Kingdom o£ Granau, and loved by him, but firm enough'to send him away to his duty, when the king dies, and to keep him to it, when he is hesitating to make a necessary political marriage. During these parts of the film it is Grade's business to subdue her spirits and to leave the broadest comedy to the soldiers and bandsmen and flunkeys of the Court en" Granau—an accomplished troupe of clowns. Their farcical performance at the railway station and the palace, where Gracie receives the musical, and military honours intended for the young king's future queen, could hardly be bettered. Gracie herself, in these circumstances, can only introduce into the pathetic song, "I'm a Failure." one of her saxophone twiddles, sad and ironical now, and scrub and dress; and encourage the princess with delicious vigour. When her heroic, self-sacrificing part is over, she swings into the exhilarating song, "Love, Life and Laughter," and ends the picture happily among the orphanage children for whom she has brought, back pockets full, of money fiorn Granau, and in whose cause she hit. the old king's chamberlain, in the eye with an orange. Among the supports first place belongs to a coloured cartoon. "The Little Red Ken," which makes it appear that Walt Disney has at least one rival. An Australian newsrec). pictures of Venice taken by a rather 100 melMngly romantic cameraman, j and a pleasantly various Pa the Pic- ! torial complete the programme. I ORPHAN CHILDREN ENTERTAINED Nearly 20U children from the Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Hospital Board orphanages visited the Plaza Theatre yesterday, at the invitation of the management, to see the film "Love, Life, and Laughter," with Gracie Fields in the leading part. Missj P'ields in real, life has done a t'reatj deal for orphan children in England. She has founded a model home for orphans at her native town of Peacehaven, and her interest in it takes precedence over her many other occupations. At her own request "Love, Life, and Laughter" was made to show her as a lover of orphan children, and she hoped (hat. by bringing these children before the public she would succeed in gaining for them mom of the public sympathy and kindness they need. CIVIC '•THAT'S A GOOD GIRL" Jack Buchanan, recognised the world over as one of the most versatile and clever entertainers ever seen 0:1 the stage or screen, returns to-day to the Civic All-British Theatre, in what the London "Morning Post" regards as the merriest musical comedy of the day, and the best yet made in England. "That's a Good Girl." Adapted from the famous stnee success, which ran for more than 12 months at the London Hippodrome, this production wherever screened has proved to be the most, successful the popular Jack Buchanan has ever appeared in. Supporting him are Elsie Randolph, another wellknown stage star, and Vera Pearce. who will be remembered for her excellent work m New Zealand in various J. C. Williamson musical chows. The story concerns a young man who, in order to inherit money, has to marry his pretty cousin to some eligible bachelor. His choice falls on the lover of a temperamental opera star, and from then on complications set. in. Jack Buchanan is in his element, as the irresponsible young man. He sings and dances with that ease of manner for which he is noted, and has some excellent duets with Elsie Randolph, their burlesque dances being a special feature. Splendid suports include "Pathe News," showing views of Royal Ascot and the second test match, "Highlights of the Melbourne Centenary" and "The New Highway." An outstanding entertainment is completed by the appearance of the popular woman organist, Miss Iris Mason. Miss Mason will be heard in several new numbers and will feature for the first, lime in Chrislchurch a number of special local interest, "Where the River Avon Flows." Box plans are now open at the theatre and pat runs are advised to make early application for reserves. LIHEKTY •♦THE- SILVER SPOON" AND "PICK I.I'" A fine double-feature programme will be presented at the Liberty Theatre to-day. comprising "The Silver Spoon" and -'Pick Up," the first a romance and 'he second a drama. "The Silver Spoon ' is a romance with all the elements of a mystery thriller and none of the latter's socalled "horror'' atmosphere. It is a Warner Bros.' production, with Garry Marsh, Hunter, and Binnie Barnes in the leading roles. "The Silver Spoon" is the story of two nobleman tramps, who take to the woods because of the same reason —a woman. Unbeknown to each other, they bo'h love the same girl, and when they all meet again makes -Hie of the most, interesting stories yet brought, to the screen. Sylvia Sydney nnd George Raft appear together for the first time on the screen in Paramount's "Pick Up." The story of "Pick Up," a B.P. Schulberg production, centres round Sylvia, who plays the role of a girl who is released from prison, to shift for herself. Her husband is still behind the bars on a murder charge. Once out, Sylvia finds herself destitute, and on a rainy night takes refuge in an empty taxi cab. Raft, the driver, orders her out, but when he realises the genuineness of her plight offers to help her, and they fall in love. Box plans are at the D.I.C.