ATTRACTIONS IN THE THEATRES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 171, 15 April 1933, Page 8

ATTRACTIONS IN THE THEATRES

Easter Programmes for Wellington

WIDE VARIETY OF FEATURE FILMS

Easter attractions in the Wellington theatres have been chosen with a view to giving the public as varied and entertaining an assortment of productions as can- be -desired. . A thrilling Spectacle of Rome in the days of the Emperoi Nero, with a cast of notable actors and actresses, is at th? Regent. At the De Luxe is a story of exotic love, terrific.thrills and daring episodes. ' Heading the bill at the ’. St. -James is a British farce that is botijid to keep audiences in shrieks of laughter from start to finish. The offering at the Paramount is a vivid naval drama dealing- with .Britain’s Silent Service, and at the Majestic Australia’s most popular comedian is to be seen in his latest, mirthprovoking absurdity: The'star feature at the Grand Opera House is'one of the most eerie tales' on record. Advance notices of the various films, which open to-day, are given below. • • \ •-;...

REGENT THEATRE; “The Sign of the Cross” Described as a most marvellous and most spectacular example of modern talking pictures, “The Sign of the Cross will commence screening at the Regent Theatre' to-day. Thousands of players, accurate historical settings, and clothes, necessitated months of research and preparation. More than 7500 people made up the mob scenes of this spectacle, in the streets, in the arena, and elsewhere. Practically the entire Paramount ranch of-scores of acres just outside Hollywood, was converted,, magically,: into ,a section of the Imperial City as it- appeared in ■Nero’s day. Streets, public squares, and houses were duplicated from research based on the.findings of several years’ excavations in Rome. Ironically enough, these‘magnificent sets rebuilt at the cost of so much- research, effort and money, were" destroyed in very shorr order. by fire when Kero’s burning of Rome was.filmed, Most elaborate of all the settings, however, was a faithful duplication of the Roman. Circus, a huge amphitheatre.which, ;for several hundred years,'was the scene 1 of the gladiatorial combats anfi chariot races, in which a .wantoii. Roman' populace delighted. A tremendous structure, the original Circus seated 90,000. -De : Mille built a-section of‘the stadium large enough to seat his 7500 extras as well as the entire 00,000 square feet in .which the games actually were conducted, Interior settings, duplicates of sections of, Nero’s ..famed palace of gold, and., of the houses,. of wealthy ■patricians, were built in the studios. These • were -• reproduced With lavish detail. Jewellers were hired to make 'metal ornaments: worn by leading players and extras. PARAMOUNT THEATRE At to-day's matinees —at 11 a.m. and 2.15 p,ii).—and again.in,the...ovciiing at 8 o'clock,' at. .the ..Paramount' Theatre, the initial screenings in Wellington of British Dominions-PllmS'illustrious. coinedy.drama, "The l ? lag Lieutenaut,”..iyill take -place. This play is a landmark of the 'British stqge and. screen; - Written by ■ Lieutenant-Colonel Drury and Major Leu Trevor, it triumphed at the "Playhouse,” London, for 400 nights, when the lease of the theatre ran out. Shifted to the Haymarket Theatre, it ran for an additional 200 nights. It was "Royal Commanded” by King Edward and Queen Alexandra at Sandringham. With popular Henry Edwards in the title role, it became world-, famous as a silent picture. In this form it .was “RoyaHCoramanded” by. King George and Queen Mary. Now, directed by Henry Edwards, who also sustains his original part, the “Daily Mail” asserts “it is sweeping -the Empire and raising enthusiasm everywhere." It abounds in humour, and is an ideal holiday attraction. The arresting cast. Of characters contains the names of Henry Edwards, beautiful Anna Ncagle as the heroine, Peter Gawthorne, Louis Goodrich, O. B. Clarence, Sam Livesey, Michael Hogan, Peter Northcote, Sybil Grove, Annie Esmond, and Joyce Bland, all West End players of repute. Special short subjects will include “Canterbury” (England), a highly eulogised picture; “Ideal News and Novelty Reel,” and “Sebastopol,” a New Zealand series made in the Southern Alps, GRAND OPERA HOUSE

“White Zombie” What shall be:our .reaction to those who ■have returned fronrremote corners of the globe with'.reports of strange phenomena? Kypr since-.the 'dawn of philosophic thought men have struggled to determine .the, truth. Thq power of perception varies greatly. A'cat has a far greater power ’of vision in the blackness of the night than does a hunfan. So certain persons can behold objects that are invisible to most persons. There are those who believe that the body of man may return to earth, leaving his soul to pass on. Millions of persons are faithful disciples of the stilauge doctrine of Zombiism. In one; of the weirdest of modern photo-plays, '•White Zombie.” there is revealed the story of the walking dead men of Haiti. ‘'White "Zombie” commences a season at the Grand Opera House to-day. ... MAJESTIC THEATRE “Harmony Row” The famous George Wallace is the star of “Harmony Row,” which will begin at the Majestic Theatre to-day. More than any other living comedian, George Wallace has the faculty for making his face express varying emotions, and express them so that they exaggerate to the right degree and no more. The lift of an eyebrow, the downward or upward twist of the mouth, these, as practised by George Wallace, are sufficient to convulse an audience. "Yet behind it all there is just the touch of the pathetic which plays upon the sympathies of his audience and .makes it like. George as well as laugh at and with him'. f'Jlarmony Row,” George Wallacels second starring picture for Efftee Films, promises to be even funnier than .“His Royal Highness,” and following upqn the success of these two pictures Hollywood 'has already offered him a tempting bait, but for the next five years F.' W. Thring, the founder- of Efftee Film I Productions,' will guide his destinies. It | is; possible; however, that Wallace may go abrctatl to make a film either in Eng-' .land or .America, nnd thus secure additional experience in methods and teeb- ■ niiluCj 1 ; i ■ — | iKILBIRNIE KINEMA The special Easter attraction at the .Kilbirnie Kinema, commencing at the matinee to-day, is ‘‘On Our Selection,” ,fne all-Australian comedy-sensation, with Bert Bailey in his original role of “Dad.” Also, there will be seen the Kinema Ballet in entirely new nnd novel numbers, including several really ingenious dances. There will nlso be a variety of entertaining supporting films. KING GEORGE, LOWER HUTT One of the cleverest British comedy-' , thrillers ever produced is “The Ghost Train,” taken from the Arnold Ridley play, that will screen to-day, to-night, and Monday and Tuesday nights at the Kiva George Theatre. Lower Hutt. Jack Jiiiiuert and Cicely Courtneidge are the: stars. Commencing, on Friday next will be “The Song of the Flame,” the glorious technicolonr musical-romance, featuring , Bernice Claire and Alexander Gray.

DE LUXE THEATRE “Nagana”. ' The wild animalsof ‘the African jungle stalk through “Nagana.” . the thrilling 'Universal romance which will.be at the De Luxe Theatre today.. Never before,' ,jt js stated, has there been shown ,a picture sq colourful, so full pf actual dangers, so steeped in the atmosphere of j’ts locale and at the same time having so dramatic a IdVe story as its main point of interest. Wild savages and wild beasts form the background of a story heightened by a tempestuous love affair between the doctor, in charge of..a, scientific expedition and a notorious woman of the worlfl. ..“Nagana” will thrill-with . (the. most dangerous animal sequences in the history of the screen,, with the ruthless cruelties of African savages, with its higlilyddramati’c story and with the appearance of Tala Birell, Viennese-beauty, who is one of the screen’s most exotic, and ■ alluring actresses. Featured with! Miss Biyell is Melvyn. Douglas, former! stage favourite". The-picture was dircct-j ed by. Ernst L., Frank. For “Nagapa”; the technical'staff of Universal studios in. the Los: Angeles river- bed created astretch of. dense forest, so choked with; luxuriant ; undergrowth . that . the ..’ only possible passage through it- was .in.. the, kiiee-deep'water of. a swampy stream which.'flowed among- the trees. - Nearby, were two' native'..■villages in a clearing,: with a score of thatched huts, and a hun-dred-1 stalwart- natives- to give life' to-the! scene. Human skulls surmounted poles before the rude dwellings, and additional colour was supplied by a .confusion of, flueerlypimped , gourds, spears, shields,; baskets' and, pottery,.' The' whole wna -n 1 perfect 1 Representation qE .the interior of: the -Dark Continent,' according to Sir; Gerald Grove, who lived in' Africa for 14, years rfnd.’is now a resident of Holly-, •wood;. .More; than*'l2 miles of bamboo; were , in bujlding the two African, villages. The bamboo, ranging in size, from .stalks’, ah inch in .diameter to others; which are as much as'fonr inches across,forms the‘outer walls of all buildings. .

ST. JAMES theatre “tor the Love of Mike” The story of “For the Love of Mike,” which will be screening at the St. James Theatre to-day, deals with the efforts of a secretary to recover a power of attorney signed by his employer's ward, whom he loves and who has discovered that her guardian is a gambler and will in all probability use her money. The picture is a rollickiijg affair.of love, larceny and laughter, with the whimsical little Bobby' Howes heading an outstanding cast.- It tells the story of Bob Seymour, who “for the love of Mike’ laughs at locksmiths. A private inquiry agent in the Hhapeof an old school chum, Baton, surprises him, and on learning the real reason for the theft stages a burglary with surprising results. The household are aroused to discover the place in a state of chaos and the detective gagged and bound. The arrival of a policeman on the look-out for evidence complicates matters, the two partners in crime describing for his benefit a purely imaginary intruder whose appearance unfortunately tallies with that of the gardener, who is arrested. The arm of the law departs accompanied by his prisoner and a gold vase which is purported to bear fingerprints, but in reality is the hiding place of Mike’s power of attorney—the cause of all the trouble. A rugger scrum to music which develops into a complicated Apache dance between Bob, Paton, the policeman, and the gardener for possession of the vase ensues and will leave filmgoers as exhausted with laughter as the participants in the struggle are from fatigue. Arthur Biscoe, as the inquiry agent, makes a notable and comic screen debut, and Constance Shotter. n charming film discovery, appears as Mike. The cleverly interpolated musical numbers, which include the popular “Sing, Brothers, Sing.” number, are one of the chief highlights of the film.

DE LUXE, LOWER HUTT Screening this afternoon', to-night, Monday afternoon'and night at the De Liixc Theatre, Lower Hutt, is “Horse Feathers,” the latest absurdity to star the inimitable Four Marx Brothers. Thelma Todd supplies the love interest. “Horse Feathers” is easily the best of all the Marx Brothers’ films. On Tuesday and Wednesday there will be a double-fea-ture bill, the attractions being “Igloo,” filmed entirely in the Eskimo territory, and “Penalty, of Fame.” an exciting story featuring handsome Lew Ayres. “Salomy Jane” will fill the bill on Thursday and Friday. , This vivid romance has for its stars Joan Bennett,■ Charles Farrell, and Ralph Bellamy. There are firstclass supports. GRAND, PETONE The Easter attraction at the Grand Theatre, Petonc, is “The Old Dark House,” a thrilling story by J. B. Priestley. “The Old Dark House,” though produced in Hollywood, has an all-English cast, including Charles Laughton. .Melvyn Douglas, Gloria Stuart, and Lillian Bond. The story is excellent and never lets up for a single moment. There are several unusually entertaining supporting films. PALACE. PETONE Screening this afternoon, to-night. Monday and Tuesday nights, at the Palace Theatre. Petone. is “Tess of the Storm Country,” one of the finest pictures ever enacted by two stars who have come to be known as filmland's greatest sweethearts. They are Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. “Tess” is a romance that will never be forgotten. There arc excellent supporting items. PRINCE EDWARD, WOBURN Screening this afternoon and to-night at the Prince Edward Theatre. Woburn, will be the Sax Rohmer story, “The Mask of Fit Maiichu,” with Myrna Loy, Boris Karloff, and an all-star cast. Will Rogers, droller than ever, will be seen with Irene Rich in “Down to Earth,” which will open on Monday, and on Thursday “The Road to Singapore,” with William Powell and Doris Kenyon, willcommence. ARTCRAFT - THEATRE The new attraction at: the Artcraft Theatre-is a British romance entitled “Mr. Bill, the Conqueror,” a delightful story of rural England, excellently told and perfectly acted.' Scqnieally, it ranks among the finest British pictures ever screened. The stars are Henry Kendall, Heather Angel and Nora Swinburne. In addition there is a specially selected programme of entertaining and amusing featurettes.