ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 274, 15 August 1932, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. Almost any cast could stage a story from the pen of Ben Travers, and an audience would at least be amused, but “A Night Like This” at the Regent Theatre, is in the hands of the famous Aldwych Theatre team, and that is a guarantee that one gets the very essence of Travers. “A Night Like This” ppens with glimpses of London in the throes of a real “old man” fog. Tom Walls has the part of a constable whose zest for promotion leads him into lone-handed probing into the operations of a swindling night club management. Winifred Shorter is one of the very attractive ballet in this resort, and the dancing and jazz music is no insignificant part of this picture. Ralph Lynn lives up to the finest traditions of screen nonsense, and Mary Brough is a proper old lady -whose sense of the fitness of things is continually outraged. Claude Hulbert is the complete idiot, and looks it. He has cultivated an inane expression which is only second in absurdity to the facial control which Ralph Lynn exploits so well. grand opera house. The first feature of the double bill at tile Grand Opera House is “The Ruling Voice” a strong, upstanding drama of racketeering exploits in New York. , The ledder of the gang pursues his ruthless course until hfe daughter ascertains the source of her father’s wealth, and turns from him with loathing and disgust,, and finally he is shot by a man he has ruined. The acting of W alter Huston, Dudley Digges; and Loretta Young is excellent. The Paramount picture “This Reckless Age” draws a rather brutal picture of the selfish heartlessness of Americas younger set toward their parents, and yet when real trouble faces them they rally round in great style—the moral ■ being that if they are. loose in habit they are sound at heart. ST. JAMES THEATRE. There is a splendid entertainment for everyone in the screen adaptation of Fannie Hurst's novel, “Symphony of Six Million,” now screening at the St. James Theatre. Blending laughter with tears in a real “melody.of life,” the story deals with the life of a young Jewish lad, Felix Klauber, born with a snark , of genius, 'who is able to become a brilliant surgeon by the • uncomplaining sacrifice of ’his garenjts. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. The public are shown . the modern methods used in the American police force in the prevention and detection of crime in “Radio Patrol,” at the Paramount Theatre. It, illustrates how police cars on patrol duty throughout the great cities are kept'in constant touch with headquarters. When a crime is detected in the act a radio call goes out concentrating ■ the whole motor-cycle and car patrols on a given spot. With crimes occurring at the rate of one a minute, extraordinary methods have to be adopted, and radio is proving its value in, the detection of crime in all the great cities of the world. .

DE LUXE THEATRE.' “Letty Lynton,” a sensational drama of inodern society and its reckless diversions, heads the entertaining film programme screening at the De Luxe Theatre. In “Letty Lynton” the leading roles are taken by Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery. The story is that of an heiress whose preoccupation with the new “feminine freedom” entangles her in a dangerous affair with an ardent South American lover. MAJESTIC THEATRE. The powerful First National talking drama, “Alias the Doctor,” which heads the programme at the Majestic Theatre, tells a moving story of a surgical genius who longs to get away from the profession and. back to the girt and the farm he loves. Beautiful Marian Marsh makes a most loveable heroine, and excellent work is done by Lucille La Verne as the ambitious mother. GRAND OPERA HOUSE . gAlli-curci. ' , Music-lovers of this city will be pleased to learn that arrangements have, been completed by Messrs. J. and N. Tait for a tour of New Zealand by the worfdfamous coloratura soprano, Madame Gal-li-Curci, and Wellington will hear her on Wednesday and Saturday, August 24 and. 27, when two concerts yill be given in the Grand Opera House. If great singers reflect on the reasons for popular acclaim, Madamo Ameliia Galli-Curcl might be excused for Calling her reception at the opening concert,of her Melbourne season, in the Town Hall of May 28 last a tribute to a' lovely voice. But it was as much a tribute to a fascinating personality—one of those magnetic which occur so seldom in the twentieth century. ’ With Melba aud Pavlova gone, she stands as the last of the great hierarchy of talent of which the ■ late nineteenth century was so prolific. , Her stage appearance was thrilling, and even the blaze of diamonds on her wrist and in her dark hair was like the last glimpse of a world that had reached its sunset. The first part of her programme revealed ..the lovely caressing .voice, still of great beauty, in old World classic songs and opera gems. The second ,half was mqde up of sentimental ballads and ditties from the banality of popular taste of 20 years ago, : ■