ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 301, 15 September 1933, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. Gloria Swanson has a role which fits her as perfectly as her new Rene Hubert gowns in “Perfect Understanding, which comes to the Regent Theatre to-day. She plays as an American girl who marries an English aristocrat after they have signed a contract of “perfect understanding —- each partner to oe allowed full individual freedom. Friendship is to be the basis or the marriage, but when the crisis comes they find that friendship alone cannot replace lore. Gloria never fails to find the latest and smartest gowns for her pictures, and Rene Hubert’s designs for this one are a notable feature. ’Perfect Understanding” is a story with an English locale, much of its action occurring in ( London and on the Continent. And for this reason Miss Swanson has been at great pains to select her supporting players with an eye to placing an Englishman in an English part an American in an American part, and so on. The story concerns an American girl who falls in ( love with the son of an English peer, but the two are afra-’d of marriage because of the obvious unhappiness of several of their married friends However, they do become naan and wife, and the pitfalls occur almost immed'ately. The marriage drifts per’lonsly near the rocks, but in the end a perfect understanding is reached and happiness is attained. In addition to the main film another great attraction will be the appearance on the Regent stage of a' great vaudeville I novelty team from the renowned Parisian ■ Folieu Bergere, who promise something : out of the usual. Another picture of interest will be a coloured cartoon by Walter Disney, “The Three Little Pigs.” ST. JAMES THEATRE. “I Loved You Wednesday,” a Fox film production, will open its season at St. James Theatre to-day. The cast selected to portray the leading roles is one of outstanding aggregations of recent screen releases. It features Warner Baxter, Elisa Landi, Miriam Jordan, Victor Jory, and Laura’ Hope Crews. The story, of the film, adapted from the Broadway stage success, concerns an exotic ballet artist who becomes the world’s most famous dancer. But the plot does not wholly concentrate on her success. It dramatises her love affairs and the underlying forces that keep her from the man who adores her. A novel feature of the screen play is the introduction of the colossal work at Boulder Dam, at which thousands of engineering pioneers and workers are led by Warner Baxter In man's struggle for supremacy over nature. Actual pictures of the project are woven into the story of an engineer’s love for the dancer. Contrasted with this is the presentation of the dance of the maidens with a cast of hundreds of dancers. led by June Vlasek and directed by Sammy Lee. The production was directed by Henry King and William Cameron Menzies. Philip Klein and Horace Jackson made the screen adaptation from the play by Molly Riccardel and William Du Bois. SPORTS PAGEANT. Arrangements have been completed for the sports pageant to be held at the Kilbirnie Stadium for the Sports Queen of the Fielden Taylor Queen Carnival tomorrow (Saturday), and, given fine weather. there should be a large attendance of the public. Prior to the pageant a procession will leave the Post Office Square at 1.30 p.m. for the stadium, headed by the Boys’ Institute Band, and will arrive at the stadium at 2.15 p.m., when they will fall in behind the athletic section for the grand parade, which commences at 2.30 p.m. The parade will be followed by a senior football match of two 15niinute spells, to be followed by acrobatic, gymnastic, and wrestling displays, the Scottish and Olympic harriers’ one-mile handicap, in which the cream of Wellington’s harriers, including A. L. Stevens, will take part; hockey match by teams picked from Wellington senior ladies’ teams, St. John Ambulance with a division from the Wellington East section giving their march past and drill, a large and spectacular muster of the Wellington basketball girls, and the New Zealand donkey derby. In connection with this event four cups have been presented by a well-known sporting gentle man who wishes to be anonymous, the cups to be presented to the Jockeys, Messrs. Reg. Mackie, A. Jenkins, J. Gunn, and W. Martin, at the conclusion of the derby by Miss McEvedy, the Sports Queen Special arrangements have been made with the tramways department for a suitable tram service, and concessions are being granted to scholars of primary and secondary schools in parties of lu or more in charge of a responsible official. DANTE. With the largest and most impressive equipment, Dante, the Danish exponent of modern stage magic, has succeeded in attracting large audiences to the Grana Opera House." His is a large company, a magnificent wardrobe, and enough of the mystic in his stock-in-trade to puzzle a whole conference of the wisest in the land. Some of bis tricks have the mark of ages, but he does them so neatly and smoothly that they pass as new, while others of his illusions are as original as they nre startling and picturesque. Nothing more alluring has been seen here than his final illusion. “Fonntania. a Chinese water spectacle, when in an Eastern setting Dante, in mandarin garb possesses a magic wand, and with each touch produces a beautiful stream of water until well nigh everything and everybody on the stage is transformed into a most energetic fountain-

MAJESTIC THEATRE. The picturesque glamour of a Portuguese wedding ceremony and the hilarity of the celebration that follows at the home, is faithfully reproduced in “Tiger Shark,” which opens at the Majestic today, with Edward G. Robinson and Richard Arlen as co-stars. It is a momentous occasion when Captain Mike Masearena, “de best feesherman in Pacific Ocean,” takes the lovely orphan Quita tor his bride. The little fishing village along the Pacific forgets everything, tor the time being, but the excitement of seeing that they nre started off properly on their matrimonial adventure. The whole episode is a delightful interlude between the grim, perilous adventures of the tuna fishermen in the sharkinfested waters of the Pacific which form a large part of the thrilling story of “Tiger Shark.” Edward G. Robinson, star of “Little Cnesar” and “Letters of Fire,” is starred in “Tiger Shark." The popular Richard Arlen plays the role of Robinson’s first mnte, and pal. Zita Johann, one of Broadway’s most brilliant young actresses, hns the leading feminine role. Others in the cast are J. Carroll Naish. William Ricciardi and Vince Barnett. The picture is based on Houston Branch’s original story. “Tuna,” with screen play by Wells Root. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. Owing to its exceptional success and popularity throughout the past week at the Paramount Theatre, the season of Ralph Lynn, best of nil British comedians, in Ben Travers’ exceedingly clever farce comedy. “Just My Luck,” which is distinctly British in tone, has been extended for another six days. Picturegoers should welcome the additional chances of seeing Ralph Lynn at his best. The excellence of the supporting stars is an outstanding feature. Winifred Shotter is charming as the young lady who mixes music with matrimony with harmonious effect; buxom Vera Pearce is priceless as the flirtations wife of a philandering baronet; Phyllis Clare is lifelike as a siren with stage ambitions, and Robertson Hare’s dry brand of humour has never been displayed to greater advantage than in “Just My Luck.” The supporting subjects are very good.