ATTRACTIONS IN THE THEATRES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 34, 3 November 1934, Page 4

ATTRACTIONS IN THE THEATRES

Latest Programmes Under Review

GRAND OPERA . . HOUSE Philip Hargrave lianist KING’S “Bolero” Romance George Raft STATE “The Cat’s Paw” Comedy Harold Lloyd MAJESTIC “Mala the Magnificent” Adventur- » Ropiance EbKimo .cast, PARAMOUNT “Lilies of the Field” Comedy-Romance Winifred Shotter ST. JAMES “Gambling Lady” Romance Barbara Stanwyck

DE LUXE “Cavalcade” Epic Spectacle Clive Brook Diana Wynyard REGENT* “Strike Me Lucky” Comedy R PT,AZA “Stand Up and Cheer” Musical Revue All-Stai Cast.

PLAZA THEATRE “Stand Up and Cheer” Ranking with, if not superior, to, the greatest musical extravaganza revues that have been shown to Wellington audiences for the past year or so, "Stand Up and Cheer,” the new Fox production showing at the Plaza Theatre, should touch the humour of the - most blase theatregoer. As well as being, a revue, it is the strongest plea for .an atmosphere of jollity and gaiety throughout the world to defeat the ail-pervading sense of depression we have yet seen. The opening scenes show .America in the throes ot the depression, with everybody gloomy and dull. The President of America has a brainwave. He appoints Warner Bax-, ter Secretary for Amusement, his job being to flood the country with entertainment and make ' people forget their troubles. The nation-wide reaction _to such a psychological stratagem is lait.ifully captured' in a spectacular finale. Over 500 beautiful girls and scores, of singers of class appear in a serial array of dazzling scenes. The film is not without humour and burlesque. In an uproarious incident, the unmistakable voice of Jimmy Durante comes out of the mouth of a dolled-up penguin. In another scene two care-worn senators, while engaged in a conference with the amusement chief, reveal unexpected acrobatic talent. Playing opposite Warner Baxter is the charming Madge Evans; others prominently cast being James Dunn, Stenin Fetchit, Sylvia Foos, and a delightful child actor, the four-year-old Shirley Temple. This production also intraduces a bracket of liltrnff perhaps the best of several being Baby Take a Bow.” “Broadway's Lone Hill Billy,” and “Our Last Night Together, the last number being sung by John Boles and Sylvia Froos. The stirring symbolic finale, showing a nation marching on the way to better times, is a veritable marvel of camera-craft. Interest in the Melbourne centenary air race was revived for a few minutes in a short showing the arrival of Scott and Black at Fleming tan racecourse amid scenes of wildest entnusiasm. The camera had clearly gone one better than the radio. MAJESTIC THEATRE “Mala the Magnificent” Entertainment of a decidedly unique type is to be had at the Majestic Theatre where Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s “Mala the Magnificent,” which has been described as the most unusual romance ever filmed, was presented for the first time yesterday. The cast is composed almost entirely. of Eskimos, who, for, pure natural acting, can give points to. many Hollywood stars. The action takes place in the frozen north, where the Eskimos bravely put up a grim, determined struggle for existence in the face of the most terrific odds. However, they are a happy race, and they meet adversity wnh a -smile. The picture deals with the adventures of Mala, the leading hunter of the country. His role is enacted by a handsome young Eskimo, whose freshness and complete lack of self-consciousness is a veritable treat. His life is varied and full of incident, and it is only when he comes in contact with the white men that tragedy enters his life. The scenery of the ice-bound north is magnificent, and the photography equally good. One 'sees ■life in Eskimo villages, whale, bear and walrus hunting, and is also given an excellent idea of the rather extraordinary moral code of the Eskimos. Taking things all round, ‘‘Mala the Magnificent” is as fine a show as one could wish to see, combining as it. does, romance, humour, adventure, thrills, education and unforgettable scenery. Also on the bill is “Dirty Work,” in which the ever-popn-lar Laurel and Hardy are seen as chimney sweeps. Their antics In the home of an eccentric scientist are guaranteed to send even the glummest of persons into shrieks of laughter. They seldom need to speak much, as their actions speak louder than words. PARAMOUNT THEATRE “Lilies of the Field” One of the most delightful comedies which has come this way in years io “Lilies of the Field,” the British Dominions feature subject, which beaded the pew programme at the Paramount Theatre yesterday. In this charming film adaptation of John Hastings Turner’s clever story, the beautiful and talented English star, Winifred Shotter, is at her best as an English country vicar’s daughter. who turns Early Victorian in order to captivate a young and handsome expert on antiques. Taken to London, she creates a sensation, and soon has modern Mayfair sporting crinolines anti side-whiskers. The climax comes when she tires of her posing, and lets herself go at a Bohemian party at a night club, at which she caps a Salome dance by •singing “Blue Devils.” The acting throughout is first-class, as Winifred Shotiter js. excellently supported by such renowned English screen favourites as Anthony Bushell, Judy Gunn, and Ellis Jeffries. The supporting films included two beautiful English scenic subjects, “By Cornish Coasts” and "Wandering by the Wye,” and a glorious Australian nature study. “The Lyre Bird.” The latest -Pathe News, top, was full of topical events in Europe and America. Miss Iris Mason scored a distinct success last night with her numbers at the Wurlitzer organ, “Medley of-Operatic Airs” and “A Little Bit of Ireland.” Tins most satisfying programme will be presented daily at 2.15 and 8 p.m. KILBIRNIE KINEMA The usual week-end double-feature programme will be screened at the Kilbirnie Kinema to-night. Marion Davies and Gary Cooper star in “Operator 13.” and the four Marx Brothers in "Duck Soup,” the second production. DE LUXE, LOWER HUTT “Operator 13,” starring Marion Davies and Gary Cooper, will be shown to-day at the De Luxe Theatre, Lower Hutt. The story is n story of spies, espionage, and intrigue. Coming on Tuesday for two nights is “Walls of Gold,” featuring Sally Eilers, Ralph Morgan, and Norman Foster. The story concerns an expensive beauty who must weigh the advantages of true and unselfish love and those of a life of luxury and ease. “The Eagle and the Hawk,” a story of two wartime flyers who become heroes under the stress of their hatred for each other will be screened on Thursday. PALACE, PETONE “The Silence of Dean Maitland” is the attraction at the Palace Theatre, Petone, this evening. John Longden and Jocelyn Howarth head the cast.

STATE THEATRE Harold Lloyd Comedy Harold Lloyd, the solemn, bespectacled comedian whose adventures rocked theatres all over the world in the days of the silent films is now to be seen again after a comparatively long absence, and heard als.o It is difficult to imagine some of the famous comedians of the silent screen in talking pictures. Harold Lloyd, however, has cleverly adapted his methods to the new medium, so that he is even more complete a character than the old Harold Lloyd that all knew so well. He fits into talking pictures perfectly. He has a soft, serious, gentle voice just, as sincere as his countenance. No wisecracks pass his lips—he is still the honest. simple young man blundering along in a wicked world, but always blundering in the right direction. This time he takes the part of a young missionary brought up in China, who goes to America to “find a mother for his children,” as he tells a girl. An utter innocence of the wicked ways of a modern American city that makes him seem to the Americans a complete “sap,” a deep respect for Chinese philosophy and a habit for quoting Chinese proverbs Some political bosses seize upon him as make him the laughihg stock of the town, a candidate for the mayoralty. Only when they assure him that he has not a chance of being elected and that they only want him to run so as to make it seem that there is an opponent to the mayor whom they really want re-elected does he consent to stand. Without knowing what sort of place he is going to, he attends a cabaret with a girl, and there gets mixed Up with the cutie ballet. His bosses are furious at bis appearing at such a popular place of entertainment. Coming out of the hall he sees a man strike a newsboy and knocks the bully down. His victim turns out to be the mayor. The story pf his prowess flares from the newspapers and blares from the radio stations, and his popularity grows and grows against his will. until one morning an enraged party boss wakes him un to tell him that he is elected. His backers are terrified and maddened when they find him honestly taking his election seriously. He accepts the lowest contracts, to their horror, cancels a bus license, of which action they only dare whisper, and dismisses the notice chief because he was accepting graft. The crooks in the end “frame him. When all seems lost he brings his friends in Chinatown- to his aid. Quoting Chinese proverbs to justify his action, he disregards the law and has all tlie crooks (van load after vnn load of them) herded into a dungeon, and shows them two gangsters having their heads chopped off with a hideous Chinese axe, which persuades them to confess their crimes whimperingly and clear bls' name. It sounds grisly and looks grisly, but on the contrary is good fun. "The Cats Paw” is phantastie, clean comedy, simple in its appeal and certitin to make everyone happy. The supporting programme is of a high standard. DE LUXE THEATRE “Cavalcade” Noel Coward's epic of the Empire, “Cavalcade,” which-on the stage enjoyed a long season in London, is now being screened at the De Luxe. The show is a review of the Victorian and modern periods, depicting the tragedy mid stupidity, and at the same time the magnificence and heroism, of war. Diana Wynyard and Clive Brook ns the Marryots aye the central figures in the pageant of. history. Two stories run. parallel, that of the Marryots, and that of their servants, both caught up in ,the cataclysm of war. The characters are played by Ursula Jeans (Fanny). Herbert Mundin (Alf Bridges), and Una O'Connor as Mrs. Bridges. There are also a number of fascinating children. Noel Coward displays his usual ability to handle pathos, humour, and tragedy with sympathy yet without undue sentimentality. By way of a prelude, to create an atmosphere in harmony with this great patriotic film, Miss Iris Mason reviewed the music of the saffie period with selections on the Wurlitzer organ. When she reached the present-day music, she played “Land of Hope and Glory” as a fitting introduction to “Cavalcade,” and Madame Elsa Stralia, in the garb of Britannia, gave a soprano rendering of tho song. Madame Strnlia’s appearance in person, when she sang several selections from her repertoire, “Softly Awakes My Heart” and “Danny Jloy.” was the popular hit of the evening. The pieces chosen gave full scope to her magnificent voice, which has been heard more often at the Covent Garden Opera House than in Wellington. REGENT THEATRE “Strike Me Lucky” Roy Rene, better known as "Mo,”'who convulsed thousands on the Fuller stage a few years back, has appeared once again, not in the flesh, but on the screen at the Regent Theatre, in an Australian production that is guaranteed to create the same laughter records as the inimitable Yiddish comedian caused before he. broke in ou the silver sheet. AU those old characteristics—the lispnlg tongue, and stupidly amusing sayings—are brought back again, and there is just enough saucineks to make the show enjoyable. To see “Mo” puce more is like welcoming an old friend, for there is no doubt that he and his partner. “Stiffy.” were tremendously popular, even if their jokes were a little daring at times. Indeed, many of la_st evening’s audience roared when the bearded ‘Mo,” in a manner all his own, put across that pet saying of his. “What a character you are.” an expression that is an integral part of his stock-in-trade, ami one that has a definite connection with the comedian. Plenty of scope is provided for “Mo” to exploit his particular talents, more scope, in fact., than the stage ever offered. One laughed to see him as the blundering handyman in tlie second-hand clothing chop of Lowenstein, as the "tough” man in a speakeasy, as the stunting aviator, gold prospector, lover (hard to imagine), and conqueror of a gang of robbers (also hard to imagine). And one sympathised with him when he was deprived of his ill-gotten gains, and when be wns turned out on the street because he bad overlooked a matter of a few months’ rent. For "Mo” has a way of getting under the skin, as it were, and making the audience live his life with him. While most of the plums must inevitably go to "Mo. credit is due to every member of the cast, for they assisted him wonderM!--make “Strike Me Lucky” an undoubted success. Beautiful girls are not lacking in this film, and there is even a replica of a famous Hollywood star. She is called June East, but she has the contours, voice and looks of Mae West. Good fare is also contained in the featurettes, one of these. "Morocco Nights,” in technicolour. being particularly well done. A comi-ciypur eartoon and Bathe News Reel are also

provided,, while the musical score at the intermission, “Silver Bell,’’ “Swabian Peasant Waltz,’’ and “King Chantielear,’’ is happily chosen. ST. JAMES THEATRE “Gambling- Lady” Opens To-day Barbara .Stanwyck will play the leading role, in Warner Brothers’ “Gambling Lady,” a thrilling dramatic romance, which .will open at the St. James Theatre to-day. Hiss Stanwyck has the gay and sporting role of a gambler who plays the game 08 life with a courage few persons possefw, even to tossing away love to eave her husband from a crime of which she knows he is innocent. The picture is set 'in the gay gambling halls where the idle rich are taken over the jumps for their money by a syndicate of gamblers that holds the city in its grip. The story is brought to a climax by a cold-blooded murder carried out by the syndicate for which an innocent man is arrested. There is a talented cast in which Joel McCrea and Pat O’Brien share honours as masciiline lends and rivals for the love of the gambling lady. Claire Dodd plays the home-wrecking role, n society girl who otops nt nothing to steal another woman’s husband. Others in the cast include Such talented players as C. Aubrey Smith, Phillip Heed, Philip Faversham. Robert ■Bnrrat, Robert Elliot. Ferdinand Gottschalk. Arthur Vinton, Willard Robertson nhd Arthur Treacher. There will be entertaining supports. KING’S THEATRE Dramatic Romance “Bolero” Against a background of Maurice Ravel's famous Bolero, George Raft, the star who won international recognition for his dancing before he entered motion films, is the central figure in the dramatic romance, “Bolero," which held the full attention of Its audiences when it began nt the King's Theatre yesterday. Raft is featured as a glamorous dance start Carole Lombard is well cast in the leading feminine role, and Sally Rapd displays a most original fan dance on the screen. Gertrude Michael is another who gives n notably good performance. Raft plavs the role of a man who rises from soualld surroundings, and by ruthless ambition becomes the world’s most sensational dancer of an exotic South American type. With each move forward he leaves a dancing partner with a broken heart From New York tn European capitals he dances h’s way. and then two important th’ntrs happen : he meets a new partner (Carole Lombard). and the world war la>gins. What follows br’ngs a stirring cllmnn. There are also some excellent items on the King's supporting bill.

KING GEORGE, LOWER HUTT Wheeler and JVpolsey provide the fun of “Cpck-eygd Cavaliers.” at the King George Theatre, Lower Hutt, to-day.

PRINCE EDWARD, WOBURN To-day’s attraction at the Prince Edward Theatre, Woburn, is “A Cuckoo in the Nest.” Tom Walls npd Ralph Lynn aro the stars. GRAND, PETONE Screening at the Grand Theatre, Petope. to-day. is “Night After Night." with George Raft and Mae West in the leading roles.