ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 70, 15 December 1933, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE. Mary Boland and Charlie Ruggles, who have been featured together in several recent pictures, are co-starred „in Paramount’s "Mama Loves Papa, a comedy written especially for them, which opens to-day at the Regent lheatie. Norman McLeod, director ol the I’our Marx Brothers in most of their screen appearances, . directed the production. "Mama Loves Papa” is a story which permits both Miss Boland and Ruggles to display their particular types of comedy to the best advantage. They are cast as a middle-aged couple who live outside a big eity and come to town each day; Ruggles to tease fellow office-work-ers with his puns, and Miss Boland to absorb ideas of "culture” at popular lectures. After one of these lectures, Miss Boland decides her husband must dress in formal clothes on every possible occasion. The next day he goes to work m frock coat and bowler. His boss, spotting the clothes, immediately concludes there was a death in the family, and gives him the day off. Charlie wanders into the park, where he is mistaken for a city official, and forced to participate in a dedicatory exercise. The city’s political boss, dissatisfied with the park commissioner, decides Charlie would do as well as any one else, and appoints him to the job, and a series of hilarious events follow. In addition to Miss Boland and Ruggles, the cast includes Lilyan Tashman, Walter Catlett, and George Barbier in important roles. Mary Boland and Charlie Ruggles have played together, to ■ the eminent satisfaction of their employers and followers alike, is three . pictures. Their ■ fourth, "Mama Loves Papa,” is the first of a series in which they share starring honours. The two were first cast together as busband and wife, in “The Night ot June 13.” They made such a good pair —Miss Boland ns a nagging wife. Ruggles as a hen-pecked husband—that they were again cast opposite each other m Evenings For Sale.” Here, however, they placed different types of roles, and though audiences approved of their performances, they asked for more of the husband-ana-wife performances. They got it in 1 I Had a Million,” in which the two played together in one of the most amusing sequences. The success of this venture, on top of their previous . success. convinced Paramount executives that they wore ready for a starring picture, and "Mama Loves Papa” is the picture.

"THE HAYSEEDS." Cecil Rollaway-has plenty of sc °P® I ft 5 kindliness and. humour m rhe Hayseeds opens on his-farm on a peaceful Sunday Presently this peace is broken by a group of hikers who decide to camp foi luncheon Dad rushes down ta the niterloners declaring that they ata disturbing his precious sto"ek. Tie is. however, pleasantly surprised to find I a Townleig (Kenneth Brampton) a really s°’ t. Deciding that there is something to be sa.d for cit.v people, Dad becomes quite friendly When the Townleighs return to the citv they invite the Hayseeds to visit them, anil then there is all the fun of Dad anT Mum (Katie Towers); at large in Sydney.

. ST. JAMES THEATRE. Discarding all conventional methods ol plot development, "Blind AdventuiJ, which is coming to the bt. Theatre to-day, and which Roland Young, Helen xMuck, ;" 1(1 Armstrong, offers an unusua treatmen. of the mystery theme. In Blind A - venture,” a young American blunders into an old English mansion and becomes involved in extraordinary in trigue. Amazing complications ensue, and Hie hero is compelled to escape across London rooftops with a beautiful girl whom he has met under peculiar circumstances. A timid burglar makes a hilarious entrance into the plot, and his professional experience is enlisted by the fleein o pai • The three -make their way to a certain address, at the instructions of a.bogus secret service man, where they tall into blackmailers’ hands, who hold them as hostages to force the delivery of important military secrets held by the uncle, a British Army officer. - Wm fans who have looked upon Boland Young as a model of sartorial elegance on the screen are in for a great shock when they see their favourite in “Blind Adventure. For his role as a Cockney burglar who aids in foiling a gang of London crooks. the noted British actor was required to dress in a manner befitting th" part. Ac •cordingly, he wears a threadbare, baggy suit of' indeterminate colour, but ot great antiquity. The shoes are plus ered with dirt and sadly run over at the heels. The faded shirt, and tie look as though thev had seen service in a coup e Mexican revolutions, and the ensemble . topped off by a torn and greasy cap worn jauntily over one ear. Good supports ar promised.

DE LUXE THEATRE. Tlie greatest, musical extravaganza in vears is claimed to be “The Desert Song, which is now showing nt the Pc Luxe iriieatre. It contains artists who h.nc had experience in reading dramatic lines in correct, character .as well training and ability n> singing. 1 hej . John Boles, Louise lazendn. Cnilnttn King. Myrna Loy, John Miljan. .Joliniiy Arthur. Marie Wells. Jack Pratt, Edward Martindel, Robert Guzman, Otto Hoffman, and many others. Sigmund Romberg’s great score is played in its entiretv by the Symphony Orchestra. Sigmund Romberg’s delightlul music loses none of its charm and allure, on the screen for it is magnificently played by tin. Vitaphone Symphony Orchestra. Although "The Desert Song” closely follows the stage production in that tlie songs, plot, and characters arc practically identical, the adaptation contains far greiitei entertainment value than the stage version. The constructed stage settings ano scenery could not be duplicated on the stage under any circumstances, no matter how big or pretentious the theatre. Its filmed exterior scenes in the real desert and dune country, vast interiors of palaces, cafes, and other scenes far excell anything that could be built on the stage. In addition, also, to the singing and talking of the principals, a chorus of over one hundred trained voices is heard in “The Desert Song.” In addition. there will be screened a New Zealand News Reel showing Mr. Ulm s arrival at New Plymouth afteh- Ins Tasman flight.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. “Shanghai .Madness.” the new Fox Film production, with Spencer Tracy in the leading role, comes to the Majestic Theatre to-day. It is a romance, of white people against an ever-changing background of modern China. The stoiy revolves around the exploits of an American naval officer who, through the intrigue and subtlety that arc characteristic of Shanghai, becomes involved in an affair that, forces him to resign his command He becomes i. wanderer in the poorer sections of the seaport town, avoiding nil his acquaintances of tlie past, and seeking to cull ins livelihood abest he can. Tn this new phase of Ins life he again becomes involved in trouble when he sees n mob of natives attacking •i white girl He rescues the girl from the mob and a tender attachment between them begins. But she is a girl of high social standing, and a discharged nai.nl officer is not the most appropriate of companions for her. Spencer Tracy, in the leading role of the young naval officer, has one of the most important parts ot his career. Fay Wray hns the leading feminine role opposite hini. and the supporting cast includes Ralph Moigan, Eugene Pnllette. Herbert Mundin, Reginald Mason. Arthur Hoyt., Albert Conti, Maude Eburnc. mid William von Brinckcn. Good supports are also promised. . GRAND OPERA HOUSE. “The Girl in 419.” a romantic drama set against tlie background of a police emergency hospital, wifi open nt the Grand Opera House to-dav. James Dunn and Gloria Sfiiarf. have loading ic.lS,

PARAMOUNT THEATRE. To-day will see the first presentation in New Zealand at the Paramount Theatre of British Lion’s big music-comedy success. “Cleaning Up,” which the London “Sportsman” asserts “cleans up and blots out 99 per cent, of the screen comedies that have preceded it.” The star performer is George Gee, comedian, well known and esteemed as a comedian in all countries where English is spoken. Ihe much-travelled one has been dubbed the man with 1000 funny faces.” and it may be admitted that his marvellous'facial expressions justify the title. George Gees last visit here was as the comic star of J. C. Williamson’s companies. He is credited with being even funnier on the screen than he was on the stage. In “Cleaning Up” he appears as the hardup son of an English lord who is forced to become a traveller for vacuum cleaners, and while giving his demonstrations he succeeds in cleaning up a great deal more than carpets, with laugh-raising results. He has the able assistance ot Betty Astell and Dave Burnaby in the leading roles, and behind the trio is an ensemble of over 100 choristers and dancers wbo shine in novelties of nil kinds. On the same bill is another excellent story, “Daughters of To-day.”