ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 18, 16 October 1933, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE. . ’ Brilliantly acted, staged with a' remarkable attention to detail, and tingling with romance, drama, and humour, “She Done Him Wrong,” the new Paramount: release is at the Regent Theatre. Miss West is ‘ seen as Lady’ Lou, a singer in the saloon, with a mania for diamonds, which were supplied by her many male admirers. However, at heart she is really quite a good girl, and at one stage even goes so far (secretly, of course), to sell some of her diamonds and buy a mission building to ■ save it from closing down. However, virtue has its reward, and Lady Lou, after several adventures, ends up by marrying a detective, who had posed as a mission worker. The dialogue is clever, and at times extremely risque. Miss West. who wears some magnificent dresses of the style of the ’nineties, is ideal in the role. Her acting is perfect, and her manner alluring. “The Working Man.” It is a new and somewhat dishevelled George Arliss, usually so immaculate. who appears in the Warner Bros, picture, “The Working Man,” which comes to the screen of the Regent Theatre on Friday. For George Arliss let his hair grow for six weeks before beginning work on the production. In the story, a long fishing trip is interrupted by a chant* to do an old friend a good turn in disguise and the seedy appearance of the character Mr. Arliss portrays, is the disguise. “The W’orking Man"’ is a delightful and highly entertaining comedy drama in which Mr. Arliss, a wealthy manufacturer, masquerades as a small town fisherman in order to save from ruin the children of a man who had been his bitterest rival in both business and love. A notable supporting cast includes. Bette Davis as his leading lady. Hardie Albright in the juvenile lead, Gordon Westcott. Theodore Newton and J: Farrell MacDonald. The screen play by Charles Kenyon and Maude T. Howell s based on a story by Hrgar Franklin and directed by John Adolfi. MAJESTIC THEATRE. Those inimitable comedians, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, are appearing in their latest production, “Fra Diavolo,” at the Majestic Theatre. Several of the settings are worthy of classical production, and the singing of Dennis King and the massed voices is extremely enjoyable. The story is that of two friends who turn bandits in retaliation for being robbed of theJr life savings just when they meant to retire. But banditry it no amateur’s sport, as they found out when one of their victims showers them with pitiful tales which reduce them both to tears. Olivero (Oliver Hardy) decides to take the place of Fra Diavolo, feared throughout Northern Italy, but when he holds un the real Diavolo the fun starts. The way they escape from a number of ticklish situations serves to make the picture the funniest of the Laurel and Hardy laugh epics. "Fra Diavolo” is based on the comic opera written by Auber In 1830. It is excellent entertainment, and the supports are of almost equal merit. “King Kong.” Heralded as a screen sensation. “King Kong,” RKO-Radio picture, will be screened at the Majestic. Theatre, on Friday. Based on a weird and highly imaginative idea conceived hr Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace, “King Kong” is a symbolic story of the age-old triumph of brains over brawn and of, the power of beauty over the beast. The story deals with the harrowing experiences of a party of American motionpicture people who visit a strange, remote island in quest of a legendary ape god. It is their idea to find this brute Beast and make a photographic record of its reactions to Beauty—to find the dawn of man in this ape. a survival, by some weird freak, of the prehistoric ages. They not only find the ape. King Kong, but find him ruler of the island —feared by the natives, who steal Fay Wray, heroine of the adventure, to provide a sacrifice to the monster, who battles and vanquishes tyrannosauri and peterodnctyls. The supreme fantasy of

“King Kong” begins when “King Kong” after having been captured, breaks loose and runs riot in New York. Beautiful Fay Wray plays well as the girl whose courage survives such thrills as being carried aloft by a petorodactyl. Robert Armstrong plays the intrepid camera adventurer of the story and Bruce Cabot the first mate who falls in love with the girl and finally rescues her from “King Kong.” DE LUXE THEATRE. In “’When Ladies Meet,” now at the De Luxe Theatre, Mary (Myrna Loy) is a young novelist who has fallen in love with her publisher, Rogers. As he happens to be a married man with two children, Mary figures it out that she, being the really big thing in his life, should approach the wife and mother, and tell her frankly the position. Jimmie, who ’. really loves her, very cleverly brings about a meeting between Mary and the wife, Clare (Ann Harding). Robert Montery is admirably amusing as Jimmie, and a wealth of lively comedy is contributed by Alice Brady as Bridget Drake, at whose delightful country home the expose is made. The programme also includes two gazettes, “Allez-oop.” a picture displaying the feats of some amaz- • ing acrobats. Miss Iris Mason, contributes a “Student Prince” selection and song specialities at the Wurlitzcr organ. “Moonlight and Pretzels.” Coming to the De I uxe Theatre shortly is '“Moonlight and Pretzels,” acclaimed by movie critics as one of the most tuneful and cleverly produced musicals ever to flash upon the screen. Roger Pryor, Leo Carrillo, Mary Brian, Lillian Miles. Alexander Gray. Bernice Claire. Jack Denny and his Orchestra, Herbert Rawlinson. Doris Carson, William Frawley and the famous Frank and Milt Britton band are only a few of the cast. “Moonlight and Pretzels,” a backstage romance, tells the story of George Dwight, small-time vaudeville player with ambition to be a big-time song-writer. He finds himself stranded in a small town in New York State, and Sally Upton, proprietor of the local music store, helps him out with a job. Sally falls in love with him immediately, but George is too busy trying to catch on as a song-writer to think about love. He goes to New York and scores a tremendous hit as a comI>oser of musical comedy successes. Although Sally hasn’t heard from him. she feels sure that George still thinks of her and decides to come to New York to get a job in one of his shows. Attractive song numbers in the picture are “Ah. But Is it Love,” “There’s a Little Bit of Yon in Every Love Song.” “Are You Making Any Money,” and “Baby, in Your Hat.” not to mention “I Gotta Get Up and Go to Work.” ST. JAMES THEATRE. “The Keyhole,” a Warner Brothers’ production, now screening at the St. James Theatre, is . characterised bv its unusual situations and tense dramatic moments, Kay Francis and George Brent, in the principal roles, give a performance which cannot fail to have a large measure of appeal. The. plot concerns a dancer who marries a rich society man who is so jealous of her that he engages a private detective to be her shadow. The detective is ably portrayed by George Brent as a personable nnd charming voting mnn about town. He does not find it difficult to be in her company, and. in fact, from the moment the two are brought face to face on the steamer bound for Havana, he rapidly falls under her spell and charm. From then on the plot, takes unexpected turns and twists to a startling and surprising finish. The supports include sports thrills. “Fishing and Shooting.” a burlesque on “Grand Hotel” entitled “Nothing Ever Happens,” a descriptive film. “Dear Old London,” and a New Zealand newsreel in which is featured the funeral of the late Mr. H. E. Holland. "Peg o’ My Heart.” Marion Davies is said to give one of the finest performances of her career in “Peg o’ My Heart.” which comes to the St. James Theatre on Friday. The cinema version of the play thnt has been acclaimed for more than 20 years has a freshness all its own. Miss Davies’’ “Peg” is an individual, and ye her interpretation of the role is none the less genuine and familiar in character!.

PARAMOUNT THEATRE. Ben Travers’ funniest farce-comedy, “Thark,” is now in its second successful week at the Paramount Theatre. Travers is admittedly a farce creating genius, with many successes to his credit, but “Thark” is regarded gs the most laughable item bp has given to stage and screen. Ralph Lynn and Tom Walls, England’s inimitable comedians, with the assistance of their clever company from the Aldwytjh Theatre, are responsible for much of the success of “Thark” by the admirable way in which they interpret the grotesque characters in this absurdly humorous story of the laying of a supposed ghost in a haupted house. Another picture on the ngogramme, “With Cobham to Kivu,” is an admirable subject, which is highly appreciated. GRAND OPERA HOUSE. Having enjoyed a fortnight’s successful run at the Regent Theatre, "The Masquerader” will be transferred to the Grand Opera House to-day. It is the story of John Chilcot, M.P., and the man who stepped into his shoes in a national crisis. Ronald Colman fills a dual role. He is the man in the Opposition who has the ability to bring about the downfall of the Government, but drugs and drink have undermined his constitution, and he collapses as lie opens his attack. Chilcot prevails .upon his cousin and double to take his place, and John Loader delivers a crushing condemnation of the Government, but he has failed to allow for deceiving John Chilcot’s wife.