ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 144, 14 March 1931, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

PARAMOUNT THEATRE. The Cohens and the Kellys have become an Institution of the screen, and their adventures in all parts of the globe never seem to run dry of rollicking humour. Their latest escapade, "The Cohens and Kellys in Africa,” is well up to the standard of former productions dealing with :the-Irish-Jewish combination, and forms the chief attraction at the Paramount Theatre. George Sidney and Charlie Murray are ably supported by Vera Gordon and Kate Price and a good cast. The partners are this time in business as piano makers, ■but their sales fall off seriously owing to the fact that the keys of their pianos are celluloid, instead of ivory. They are told a wonderful story by a self-advertiser of ivory to be picked up for nothing in the depths of Africa. This find of theirs organises an expedition for them to the Dark Continent, and the partners set out with their wives to collect the ivory for the piano keys. As is to be expected, they meet with ail variety of., weird and wonderful adventures, falling in with dancing girls, lions, mad elephants, cannibals, baboons, as well as other perils and attractions: They are captured by man-eating savages, but manage to escape by dressing in lions’ skins and frightening their way to freedom, only to fall foul of a powerful sheik who has captured their wives and is holding them for ransom. The whole' story of their perpetual tangle makes absurd and thoroughly enjoyable farce. An extra attraction on the programme is a performance by the Great Tyler’s "College of Comical Monkeys,” which prove themselves to be remarkably trained animals, capable of a variety of tricks. A Slim Summerville comedy, "Ooh, La La,” an "Oswald” cartoon, and a talking Newsreel complete the'supports. DE LUXE THEATRE. Patrons of the De Luxe Theatre last evening were favoured with a double-fea-ture bill, “A Notorious Affair,” with Billie Dove and Basil Rathbone in the leading roles, and a breezy .American comedy, "Top Speed,” with a breathless speed boat sensation in between laughs. “A Notorious Affair” is an American imitation of an English romantic comedy. Beatrice, the daughter of a wealthy fox-hunting nobleman in an English county, listens to the strains of a violin and falls in love and marries the handsome player, one Paul Gherandl. Paul gets his great chance at a fashionable West End soiree, anil becomes a great star, when like many others of the kind, he loses his head; forgets the sacrifice his wife made for him in the loss of her friends and social position, and eventually becomes the slave of the vampire Countess. A separation erisues, and on top of that Paul breaks down and suffers a stroke. Beatrice is beginning to iijjd consolation with an old admirer, when the news of Paul’s misfortune reaches her, ■when she forgets all save her love for the afflicted fiddler, who does not deserve the happiness embodied in the ending. Miss/ Billie Love is supported by Kay Francis, Kenneth Thomson, and Montague Love. The comedy "Top Speed” is highly farcical In character. Joe Brown and Jack Whiting are two humble Wall Street clerks on vacation, and for one night resolve to lead the lives of millionaires. Joe aids in the deception by his gift for telling lies. His chum is more modest and gentlemanly, and by rescuing a girl from a motor accident, induces her affection. Her father, a .millionaire, is Interested vitally in a speed-boat race, and being dissatisfied with his pilot, engages Jack at the last minute. An attempt (s made to bribe him to lose the race, but he wins in great style and wins the girl of his heart. An occasional song and dance, with Laura Lee as an eccentric stepper, livens up the picture. There is also a news reel, and some Wurlltzer music by Mr. Paul Cullen. MAJESTIC THEATRE. Pleasingly original in theme and in setting. “Part-Time Wife,” which commenced its session at the Majestic Theatre yesterday, has Edmund Lowe and Lelin Hyams cast in the leading roles. It is rare that a really new plot for a film is found in these days, but that makes this production all the more Interesting and enjoyable. One is continually speculating as to the outcome, and the next move in the proceedings, to find that one is wrong, all along the line, but one does not mind being in the wrong when the twists of "Part-Time Wife” reveal themselves. Truly. It Is Fox Films' best picture for a long time. An irritable husband and a golfing wife thrown together might be expected to prove productive of many tense situations, and they do. Cast as the husband, Edmund Lowe is impressive, while his wife (Leila Hyams) is superb. Tommy Milligan, the caddie. is responsible for botli humour and pathos, while John Spence Is the cad that the writer Intended lie should be. In addition to the main attraction is a pleasing short storv of the screen. ’Don't Get Excited," a real comedy, while the other supports are a gazette and a news reel featuring the historic concluding scenes of the India Conference in Loudon. KING’S THEATRE. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s adventure romance, ‘Men of the North,” with Gilbert Roland and Barbara Leonard heading a large cast of well-known plavers, scored a big success when it opened at the King's Theatre last evening. The piav deals with the adventure of Louis the Fox, FrenchCanadian trapper wrongly suspected of theft and dogged through the snows by the North-West Mounted sergeant, Mooney. QUEEN’S THEATRE. Headed by Warner Bros.’ Vitaphone alltalking production, “Tiger Rose," a big new double feature programme provided splendid entertainment at its opening session at the Queen’s Theatre last evening. In “Tiger Rose" the cast Includes Tully Marshall, H. B. Warner, Grant Withers. Rln-Tln-Tln, and others. The picture is a thrilling adventure romji.nce of the famous North-West Mounted Police and provides great entertainment. The second feature is the Warner Vitaphone ailtalking drama of youth and modern society, “Second Choice," finely Interpreted by an excellent cast of players.

REGENT THEATRE. Most aply described as a talking farce which keeps the whole audience rocking with laughter, “Plunder,” a British and Dominions production, is attracting large and laughter-hungry crowds to the Regent Theatre. It is mainly round Ralph Lynn as D’Arcy Tuck—an “Algy” type of character —that the fun is built. Mary Brough in the role of Mrs. Hewlett, who really commity bigamy in marrying old man Hewlett for his money, also shows herself to be a clever comedienne, while Winifred Shotter does justice to the part of the heiress and grand-daughter of Hewlett. D'Arcy Tuck falls in love with her on the way home from New Zealand, but on arrival thev find the housekeeper has married the old man, whose death allowed her to succeed to his property. D’Arcy plots with his pal Freddie Malone, played by Tom Walls, to get the woman's jewels as some recompense for the loss his fiancee had sustained. How this was achieved, how Scotland Yard was called in, and how the experts were beaten by the coolness of Freddie, and the slmpie innocence of D’Arcy enable the production of a story that is enjoyable from start to finish. The supports are excellent. ST. JAMES THEATRE. A good detective romance is usually * popular feature, and William Powell, in the role of Philo Vance, is likely to become as well known as Conan Doyle s "Sherlock Holmes.” In “The Benson Murder Case,” at St. James Theatre last night, the unusual feature is presented of the murder taking place while the detective is in the house. It is a puzzling crime, one that has the regular detective force beaten, but the master detective solves the problem in a remarkable manner. The crime was committed with the aid of a silencer, and the* shot which startled the house a few minutes later was a brilliant piece of work on the part of the perpetrator. Paramount Pictures have made a thrilling talking film from the story. May Beatty, Eugene PaUette, G. H. Calvert, as the attorney, and Wm. Boyd as Harry Gray, the author of the crime, are among the actors in the drama. The supports include three news films, the harmonious tramps, .a novel ! sketch, “Kisses,” and a cartoon from a new series. Book at the Bristol or telephone the theatre, 28—175. "Just Imagine.” Just imagine everyone having a number instead of a name. Just imagine having to marry the person whom the Government chooses for vop. Just imagine a traffic cop floating round the top of skypiercing buildings telling you not to park’ vour plane over the time limit. Just imagine living on tabloid food and getting drunk on tabloid wine; going over to Paris for the evening’s entertainment: raising a family by procuring babies at a penny-in-the-plot machine: and flying to Mars. In”fact, just imagine all the most imaginative things you can, and you will have some idea of what the world will be like in 1980, according, that is ,to the Fox Movietone comedy triumph Just Imagine,” which opens at St. James Theatre on Friday next. This talkie is said to be unique, not only in its story but also in Its comedv. As nobody knows wnat the world will be like in 50 years hence the producers had a perfectly free hand, and they have let their imaginations work overtime with a vengeance. Hence much of the comedy. But though the imaginative aide is purposely exaggerated to its fullest extent, one can see behind it something of what the world may come to it it progresses as it is doing. El Brendel, th. comical Swede of “Sunny Side Up and "The Cock-Eyed World,’ Is a riot in the part of a man of 1930 who is brought back to life 50 years later. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. Two musical comedy stars will appear together in the Paramount production of “Monte Carlo,” the fine picture at the Kilbirnie Theatre. Jack Buchanan, England s favourite, and' recently popular on the stage in New York, makes his debut in films, and bls personality is sure to please. Jeanette MacDonald, remembered for the beauty of her voice in “The Love Parade" and ’The Vagabond King,” is the woman of the play. A varied and interesting array of sound supports will also be presented. ORGAN RECITAL. Mr. Bernard F. Page, city organist, will give his weekly organ recital nt the Town Hall to-morrow evening, aud the programme has been arranged as under: — Largo in G by Handel; Portraits, Op. 101, by Karg Elert—No. 4, Chanson Galante (Alla Couperin), No. 5 Eln Siegesgesang Israels (Alla Handel), No. 6 (a) Cantata Di Chiesa, (b) Aria (Alla Bach)—Second Movement from Symphony in D minor (Cesar Franck); Caprice in G minor, by Crackel: Priere, Op. 37 (No. 3), by Jongen; Suite (Op. 87). Prelude, Sarabaude; Menuett, Rigaudon, by Miemann-Page. KING GEORGE THEATRE. Hutt's popular talkie house, the King George Theatre, is screening the big feature picture, Zane Gray’s “Light of Western Stars.” PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE. Gary Cooper and Mary Brian have the leading roles in “Only the Brave,” which is screening at the Prince Edward Theatre, Woburn. * GRAND THEATRE. PETONE. An hilarious comedy, “Way Out West,” Is now sfcowing at the Grand Theatre. Petone. OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. "The Border Legion" is the current attraction at Our Theatre, Newtown. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. The famous picture. “Common Clay.” is the attraction at the I'alace Theatre. Petone. ARTCRAFT THEATRE. “The Light of Western Stars” is the attraction to-night at ths Artcraft Theatre.