ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 170, 14 April 1932, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

DE LUNE THEATRE. “Frankenstein,” Universal's superthriller, which has packed the De Luxe Theatre tor the past two weeks, will have its final screening to-night. Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, and John Boles, are starred in this remarkable film. “The Silent Witness.' Colourful murder trials are and always will be of great interest to the publie at large. The court rooms where these trials are held are never without a capacity audience. And those newspapers which vividly portray the details of such trials are never in want of readers. This fact may account for the country-wide popularity of the Fox mystery drama, “The Silent. ’Witness.” which opens at the De Luxe Theatre to-morrow, for in this dynamic photoplay the action is centred around such a trial, and one in which the outcome is of the most startling and unexpected nature. The man on trial is an indulgent father who accepts the responsibility for a crime his weakling of a son is involved in. and his predicament becomes extremely grave when his genuine alibi is torn to shreds by a mass of circumstantial evidence. Another factor which is doubtless adding much to the popularity of the picture is the presence in the cast of Lionel Atwill. the Broadway star, who enacts the same role he originated in the stage production of the story. With Mr. Atwill is the talented and seductive Greta Nissen. Weldon Heyburn. Helen Mack, one of the Fox debutante stars of 1931. and Bramwell Fletcher, who also played 'n the stage production. ST. JAMES THEATRE. For real entertainment, the programme at St. James Theatre should not be overlooked. In teaming the .Nordic and Latin stars, Greta Garbo and Ramon Novarro. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have surrounded them witli the most glamorous production witnessed on the screen since the advent of talking pictures. “.Mata Hari” is undoubtedly the most powerful story to reach the screen. It is based on the life and love of the notorious World War spy who meets her death before a firing squad for (lie sake of the num she loved. In the title role Greta Garbo is overpowering in Hie magnificence of her performance. Never in her entire career has this incomparable actress risen to such heights 'as she touches in her fascinating characterisation of the notorious dancer who uses her allure to gain secret information for the enemy Government. Novarro. as the young lieutenant infatuated with the dancer, also gives an inspired performance, while the excellent work of Lionel Barrymore and Lewis Stone make this a pielure of which it may he stud the acting is flawless. An unusually good supporting programme Ims been chosen to precede “Mata Hari,” including “Pearl and Devil Fishing.” interesting studies of cricket witli the Australian eleven, ntid a special interview witli Calllain de Groot, who discloses his motive in cutting the Sydney Harbour Bridge ribbon.

REGENT THEATRE. The final screening of “Once a Lady." Paramount's unusual and powerful drama, will take place at the Regent Theatre to-night. Starring in this drama of ti mother's sacrifice for her daughter’s happiness is Ruth Chatterton. who i eclipses even her marvellous performance lin “Madame X.” She has the- able support of an all-star cast, including that I popular young English actor, Ivor Novello. The supporting bill is up to the standard of the star attraction. "The Unholy Garden." The world-famed Willy I’ogany designed the settings of "The Unholy Garden/' Samuel Goldwyn’s latest production starring Ronald Colman, which conies to the Regent Theatre on Friday. Algeria, with its sand dunes and mosques, and patches of tropical jungle, is the scene in which Ben Heeht and Charles MacArthur laid this thrilling melodrama, and I’ogany enjoyed an “artist's” holiday in devising its settings. The artist, a Hungarian, won his first American fame several years ago with the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Ronald Colman, for the first time in two years, is no longer a suave, polished English gentleman. Instead, he is an outcast anil a renegade, hiding out with :i dozen other refugees from the law in a strange outpost nt the edge of the Sahara. Dishevelled and unshaven, hair touselled and clothes mussed, he is a sharp contrast to the iiuinaculatelygroomed hero of "The Devil to Pay.” "Raffles” and “Bulldog Drummond. his earlier pictures for Mr. Goldwyn. Estelle Taylor and Fay Wraj have the principal feminine roles. Miss Taylor has the biggest, part since nor memorable appearance in "Ciimirroti.” Miss Wray is Hie protected daughter cf the embezzling recluse, hiding at the inn. An extraordinary gathering of character players appear as "the family." Warren Hynier, Tully Marshall, Law rence Grant, Ullric Haupt, Kit Guard, Henry Annetta, and Mischa Alter are among the thespian menaces of the film, which is conceded to he quite the best one in which Mr. Colman has barrel. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. Lawrence Tibbett and Lupe Velez are co-starred in “Cuban Love Song," Metro-Goldwyn-Maycr’s exotic musical romance of a Cuban peanut-vendor, which heads the bill at the Kilbirnie Kinenia.