ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 50, 22 November 1930, Page 17

ENTERTAINMENTS

DE LUXE THEATRE. It is rare Indeed that a programme oi the excellence of that at present at tin. De Luxe Theatre is presented to Wellington picture-goers. Not Infrequently where a bill comprises more than one nig feature one picture Is apt to be oyeishadowed by the other, with the result that the audience finds its enjoyment marred by a not very pleasing contrast, it is impossible, however, for this to ntho case with the present programme at the De Luxe, where two features or unusual merit are shown. One is a comedy full of hearty laughter, the other■ a society drama brilliantly acted. The mm" film, “Loose Ends,” f , ron l t.u' Tltheridge’s play, contains all the traditions of the stage, enhanced by tne 'possibilities of the talking screen. no true is this that it is at times difficult to believe that the actors are not actually on the stage. It Is a controversial and original film, full of excellent entertainment and some food for thought. London, after the war, and one of the sets or “bright young people,” imbued with very modern ideas about marriage and wishing to tear down tho old structures or s °- ciety, is the setting into which comes a man who for 15 years had been cut orc from the world. How and why he had been cut off furnishes the main theme with its gripping interest. Famous figures ox the English stage and screen, such as Owen Nares, Edna Best, Adrianne Allen, Mlles Mander and Donald Calthorp, i°^ n i the ease. The second production is "Ot So Quiet on the Western Front.” It is a burlesque of war-time experiences. Ine characters are soldiers and French girls, but that is practically all this hilarious comedy has to do with the war. There are some bright songs and dancing. England’s favourite comedian, Leslie Fuller, has the principal role, and he is well supported by a superlative company. A British gazette and .Wurlitzer organ selections complete a fine programme.

TWO-FEATURE PROGRAMME. Behind the scenes of the war’s real drama, the intelligence service, is the action of “Inside the Lines,” Radio Pictures' gtirrjng dramatic talk-film featuring Betty Compson. Never has Miss Compson bfen so alluring and so strong in an emotional rolg as she is in this picture, according to critics everywhere. A superlative cast lias been assembled for tins film, which heads a highly successful programme opening on Wednesday next at the De Luxe Theatre. An interesting angle on “Inside the Lines” is the tact that several of its players performed spy service during the war. The se j :on 1 d , n „;/ ture is the all-British comedy-diaina, “Amateur Night in London, said to " worthy successor in laughs and thrills to "Not Sa Quiet on the Western Front. it has a talented company of British sta„e and screen stars. Box plans are av able at Bristol and Aitken s.

PARAMOUNT THEATRE“The Cuckoos," which (, P fi P l ; l 9, 1 ’ big week at the Paramount Theatre yes terday, is a story ot colourful Mexico, plotting barons, ferocious bandits. * tangle of love and plotting, all vrrappeil up in a whirlwind of dancing, I fi i tr b’“ l F e songs and choruses, and a dazzling play of frocks. The whole production is qn an elab ovate .scale, and makes an in slant apiftal to the eye, while the other ingredients make The Cuckoos one ot the best entertainments that have been presented for some tune. There ate any number ot new effects in the massed bers, but while “The Cuckods is exp nsively produced, it does not drag tlirou„li allowing that to dominate the production. The hlg effects are skilfully i “ 1 t i e v I Zs? o e n with fun and frolic, song and Aversion., The two comedians mentioned introduce many new gags, nnd in tiieir efforts to ingratiate themselves in the favout ot a woman well endowed with this world s goods, as well as an endeavour to rescue a charming voung woman from the toils or the villains of the niece, introduce a high-power comedy element. The cast includes new faces, Hugh Trevor. Juns Clyde, PorotUy Lee, and Jobvna Howland, comprising a delightful and talented company. There are few serious moments in “The Cuckoos, Which is mostly a mad adventure of nonsense that should appeal to all. The love story Is slight, but pleasing, and m bound up wi(Ji several catchy songs that fit In with the scheme of things. One of the most spectacular effects of “The Cuckoos Is a teehnicolour parade with a full ballet in a scene supposed to be situated in the Infernal regions, while other high-spots include the crashing of an aeroplane in the ballroom, although even that could not suppress the fun-makers. ST. .TAMES THEATRE. Hollywood with all its joys, and all its heartaches is portrayed in most realistic manner in “A Show Girl in Hollywood, . the First National Vitaphone feature at the St. James Theatre. The picture is unique in that it shows a new Hollywood to picture patrons. One hears all sorts of stories about the gaieties, (he wonder, fill homes, the riches, and the life of the star of Hollywood, but one seldom hears much about the sadness In the great movie centre, This picture tells, the story of a Now York stage girl who is promised a contract to appear in Hollywood. She goes to the studio and finds that she is not wanted, and that she is only one of hundreds looking for work, ghe meets a one-time famous star, who opens her eyes regarding contracts and salaries. Dexie. the little New York girl, is optimistic, and finally manages to secure a part only to find that her ’ contract is soon broken. Nothing daunted, she tries again, and finally makes good, and, with the aid of her lover, who wrote her story, is acclaimed the greatest "lind" in the movie world. The part of the show girl is taken by Alice White, who certainly must have b.ien in the author’s mind when he wrote the story. Jack Mulhall is her lover, and Blanche Sweet, who sings the theme song, Is the faded' star. Ford Sterling, as the much-worried director, Heores an outstand’ ing success. The final scene, in techuicoioiir, representing a Innnan rainbow, is the mpst spectacular transformation scene ever enacted on the screen. There is an exceptionally good supporting programme,

OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. . Tli Paramount all-talking production. “HalLway to Heaven,” is being shown at Our Theatre. Newtown, to-plghl. Charles (Buddy) Rogers, comes into the limcllgnt as a daring performer in a carnival troupe, in love with lovely Jean Arthur. There are excellent supports.

REGENT THEATRE. . Mefro-Goidwyn-Mayer has gone again to an English setting for "Strictly Unconventional,” now showing at the Regent Theatre. Adapted from "The Circle,” the play written by Someret Maughan, it is elegantly neurotic in that playwright’s best style, dealing with a love triangle in English ocioty, and the struggle between convention and love’s fulfilment. Catherine Dale Owen, the picturesque English beauty, is in her element as the neglected wife who pines again for the thrill of love, extingulhed in her political-minded and thoroughly conventional husband. Indeed, she Is far more fitted for the part than others she has filled, and as the exquisite woman who doesn’t know her own mind, she hould satisfy the most fastidious critic. The wife, who has a sense of humour and a not too blatant but nevertheless strong disregard for convention, finds love calling again to her from a guest at her mansion, a strong, silent man from Canada. She contemplates leaving with him to begin life afresh, but the faded romance of he? father-in-law and an equally faded lady of degree gives her food for thought. This woman, who is married to a man whose brilliant promise she lias ruined by an indiscretion with Catherine’ father-in-law in her younger days, meets her old lover after a lapse of thirty years. .She both dresses and rouges to excess, the sorry spectacle of an unconventional woman still fighting despairingly against that “cold boulder” of convention. Her husband, bowed under the disapproval of society, is a broken man, and the living tragedy of these two is an object lesson to the young wife. Indeed, it is the brilliant treatment of thfs contrast in love and life that lifts the story out of the hacknej-ed. The drama of the two old people is far greater than that of the fluttering wife and her brace of men. However, disregardful, the young wife doos the strictly unconventional thing. “Strictly Unconventional’’ Is good. It has strength, irony, humour, ad splendid eating. Included in the cast are Lewis Stone, Ernest Torrence, Raul Cavanagh, and Alison Skipworth. The supports are a talkie news, a short drama of Scotland Yard, “Baby Follies.” which is a novel juvenile turn in teehnicolour, and a N.Z. Sporting News talkie of a wretllng match between Kara I J asha and Abe Coleman. MAJESTIC TIH3ATRE. Light, fresh comedy thgt provides plenty of entertainment for the audience, is not the correct description to apply to ‘Strictly Modern,” the excellent First National film which began its season at the Majestic Theatre last evening. It is too sober a description altogether. No one, for instance, could guess from, it the cheerful and entertaining airiness with which the plot unfolds itselif. Nor does it give a clue to the umpunt of quiet amusement and uproarious laughter that the story inspires. Nor, finally, does it mention the fact that Dorothy Mackail scores a wonderful success in every way. cast in a part which she does justice to, and which suits her very well. The ordinary mortal will come away from “Strictly Modern" feeling well satisfied, well entertained, and well amused. The man who takes his pictures too seriously will come away with the same feelings as his low-brow brother. "Strictly Modern.” lias admittedly a slight plot, but as the Americans found out long ago. it is not what you have—it is the way you put it across. And the story, small but quite unusual, is put across remarkably well. One nk't-ees, almost, with the words of the producer, that “Strictly Modern” puts yesterday in the dark ages. A point of academic interest is that some of the biggest laughs arc obtained through the combination of surprise and incongruity, that excellent pair of yoke-fellows who drag in wagon-loads of pure,humour. Sidney appears opposite Miss Macknill, •».! does some fine work. Warner Richmond, however, with a masterly portrayal of Judge Bartlett, causes more than half the laughter. Like the film as a whole,’ lie is well worth seeing. The subjects in a bevy of sound gazettes are all interesting, and the short features include some excellent piano-playing by Dave Dreyer, whose rhythm is inspiring. KING GEORGE THEATRE. “Redemption” is being screened at the King . George Theatre, Lower Hutt, tonight with a powerful cast headed by John Gilbert; PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE. “The Delightful Rogue.” an all-talking Radio picture featuring Rod La Rocque, is the big feature at the Prince Edward Theatre, Woburn, to-night,

GRAND OPERA HOUSE. Pictures in combination with bright costume revue is said to be the latest trend in America. It arrived in Wellington last evening, when good pictures shared the programme with the Humphrey Bishop Costume Comedy Company, with entirely satisfactory results. “A Dangerous Paradise” is a Joseph Conrad melodrama, with love, bate, murder, and robbery making lively play is a South Sea Island retreat which the author dares to call Sourabaya (which is quite a respectable Javan city). There Alma, a little bit of female jetsam, who plays the violin in a low-down cabaret, is pestered’ with the attentions of a rascally mob, including the dago conductor of the band, and the oily proprietor of the go-down. Still there is Richard Arlen to take a compassionate interest in this sophisticated waif,_ and has notions of bearing her off to his island kingdom, when lie encounters a lot of clrcmistantial evidence in her disfavour. So off he goes in ills yacht, but there is much adventure ahead, and eventually all ends well. , , ~ „ A warm welcome was accorded the Humphrey Bishop Company, which consists of dancers, singers, comedians, and musicians, who give a delightfully snappy entertainment, in which never a moment is wasted. Comic relief is provided by Maurice Barling, a versatile clown, who makes a laughing hit in a burlesque of Al Jolson singing “Sonny Boy,” and is also very musing as the drill sergeant in the military finale, which takes the musical form of the march gong from/“The Love Parade.” Another excellent character actor, singer, and dancer is Arthur Helmsley, who sang some silly verses in Lancashire dialect very cleverly, and was exceedingly good as the coster in the sketch with Thelma Trott. The company possesses a sterling baritone in Walter Kingsley, who (in costume) sang “The Cobbler’s Song,” from “Chu Chin Chow,” and that fine ballad "Salaam,” with Ifred Webmer (tenor), and Maurice Barling, Mr. Kingsley indulged in some trio trivialities, which found immense favous. Thelma Trott is a serviceable soprano, Elaine Maye a smart comedienne. Of special quality' was the throw-about dance of Desiree and Montigue, which commences with a leap from a rock, by the first-named. Desiree’s aerial arabesques were distinctly graceful and bewitching. Mention should also be made of the violin playing of Margaret Blackburn. KING'S THEATRE. Sunny Spain, with all its glorious romance, is brought to the audible screen in ‘The Gay Caballero,” a Fox Movietone all-talking musical operetta, which opened at the King’s Theatre yesterday. The story,, which concerns the flirtations of beautiful Mona Maris, is absorbing to a degree. Fascinating as she is beautiful, she wins the heart of Don Jose Mngica, a dashing caballero, who proves more than a match for the intrigues of a rascal!}’ governor, admirably played by that popular star, Antonio Moreno. The musical numbers, typically Spanish, cannot but fail to appeal, and “One Mad Kiss.” in particular, is an outstanding gem. The picture is not without a fair share of action, and the way in which Don Jose forcibly takes his love from his rivals on one occasion. makes a very dramatic episode. The picture is well worth seeing, and intending patrons are advised to book e'arly. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. A hilarious comedy starring Marie Dressier, Polly Moran and Anita Page, will screen to-day and to-night at the Kilbirnie Kinema. “Caught Short” is the tale of two mothers running hoardinghouses, plunging into Wall Street Stocks in an endeavour to make some money. Excellent sound featurettes will also be presented. Reserve at Theatre Confectionery, ’phone 14 —202, and Bristol Piano Co. QUEEN’S THEATRE. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's film transcription of “Tho Trial of Mary Dugan," which opened last evening at the Queen’s Theatre for a return season, is an intensely dramatic anti engrossing treatment of the play, which ran for more than a year on Broadway. Suspense, thrills and humorous interludes are cleverly mixed together in the development of this film. Those who have never seen the original “Mary Dugan” may have a double thrill Jn watching this remarkably stirring and exciting picture. Box plans are available at the Bristol.