EXCITING DETECTIVE STORY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21866, 20 August 1936, Page 7

EXCITING DETECTIVE STORY

“WE’RE ONLY HUMAN” FOR CIVIC prlston foster in new role “We’re Only Human,” which is commencing at the Civic to-morrow, is a new type of detective story starring Preston Foster. Its swift pace will keep audiences at a feverish level of excitement It is the story of a detective-sergeant and a girl reporter who eggs him on to recover a reputation for daring and efficiency lost when his nerve goes completely from him. His heroism finally overcomes the stigma attached to him, and justifies the girl’s faith. “Charlie Chan’s Secret” will also be shown. “THE RETURN OF PETER GRIMM” “The Return of Peter Grimm,” starring Lionel Barrymore, whish is showing at the Civic Theatre, is a strange film,, eerie to a point with all the nebulousness which characterises the antics of those who “return from the dead.” • LIBERTY 1 “FIRST A GIRL” “First a Girl,” which is showing this week at the Liberty, is musical comedy at its best and brightest. A scintillating performance by Jessie Matthews embraces piquant romance, saucy innuendo, and merry masquerade, in which she, the central figure, is finely supported by Sonme Hale. “Trans-Atlantic Merry-go-round” is the second leature. , - - - “KID MILLIONS” In “Kid Millions.” Eddie Cantor’s extravaganza coming to the Liberty tomorrow. the round-eyed comedian is funnier than ever as a boy Cinderella of the Brooklyn waterfront who turns out to be the sole heir of Professor Wilson, late egyptologist, who left a fortune in buried treasure in Egypt. The presence of several other claimants to the fortune makes the story xast, funny, and furious. Chief of these is Ethel Merman, posing as the late professor’s common-law wife, and her gangster boy-friend, played by Warren Hymer. Ann Sothern and George Murphy furnish the romantic interest. Arrived in Egypt, Eddie gets mixed up with the Sheik, played by Paul Harvey, and his harem. The Sheik’s daughter, Fanya, falls in love with Eddie and saves him from the boiling oil vats on his promise to wed her. But Eddie wants to get back to his Brooklyn sweetheart, and Fanya’s jealous fiancee helps him’ get away with the fortune in an aeroplane. Following a crazy flight over the Atlantic, Eddie lands in New York and opens a tree ice-cream factory for boys and girls. The finale, showing the icecream being frozen and served, is the moat effective technicolour sequence the screen has offered to date. REGENT “THREE LIVE GHOSTS” Sparkling comedy, full of moments of thrilling excitement and romance make the screen play of “Three Live Ghosts,” which is showing at the Regent Theatre, unusual entertainment. The plot concerns the adventures of three soldiers who returned from the war to find themselves officially “dead” and their humorous wanderings through London without names or identities. “THE GOLDEN ARROW” Bette. Davis, who won the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences award for the best performance by any actress in 1935, is coming to the Regent Theatre to-morrow in the First National production, “The Golden Arrow.” For once, this great actress departs from the sinister characterisations that i made her famous in “Of Human BondJage” and “Dangerous.” She follows i her success in “The Petrified Forest,” which was a tragic although sympath- | etic role, with an entirely new portrayal—that of a charming young American girl who yearns for romance. The picture is based on the play Dy Michael Arlen, noted English playwright, and is a story of love in high society, set in a background of luxurious yachts and resort hotels. STATE “RHODES OF AFRICA” Every now and again there comes to the screen a film great in the true sense of the word. Of such calibre is “Rhodes of Africa,” which is now in its Christchurch season at the State Theatre. It was hailed by the Gaumont-British Company as the greatest picture ever made by a British studio, and it is no exaggeration to say that it has yet to be excelled. No matter from what angle it is reviewed, this dramatic story of South Africa’s great Empire-builder measures up to a high standard. It tells how a single man’s dream is measured against the forces of opposition and inertia and wins through to realisation. Fine acting by Walter Huston in the title role achieves both dignity and sincerity in conveying the ideal of the British statesman. Oscar Homolka, Basil Sydney, and Peggy Ashcroft give notable performances in support 6f Huston. MAJESTIC “RIFFRAFF” “Riffraff,” starring Jean Harlow and Spencer Tracy, which is showing this week at the Majestic Theatre, tells a fast-moving story about the people who earn their daily bread running the great tuna fleets off the coast o 1 America. Mickey Mouse’s birthday party will be held at the St. James’ Theatre next Saturday afternoon. “Brownie,” the wonder-dog, will be on the stage. “BOULDER DAM” “Boulder Dam,” starring Ross Alexander and Patricia Ellis, will start at the Majestic to-morrow The is based on the story of the building of this mighty project, and the lives of the daredevil workmen who blasted their way through solid rock and scaled the walls hundreds of feet above the river is painted in the picture in colourful detail. Death faced these workers at every turn, and many of their deeds of heroism, depicted in this film, will go down in the history of this great undertaking. “Roaming Lady,” with Fay Wray and Ralph Bellamy, will be the associate feature.

TIVOLI “MR *DEEDS GOES TO TOWN” > “Mr Deeds Goes to Town,” which is in its third week, is now,, at the Tivoli. It tells the story of a rus.ic young man who suddenly falls heir to 20,000,000 dollars. The adventures that befall him make for some of the choicest hilarity the screen has seen for years. Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur have the leading roles-