ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 225, 19 June 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

“Anything Goes” Commences at

Regent To-day

Lively and attractive entertainment is provided in ‘'Anything Goes,” which commences to-day at the Regent Theatre. Embodying a large number of songs by Cole Porter, who is looked upon as the American Noel Coward, and including in its cast such favourite players as Bing Crosby, Charles Ruggles,-and Ethel Merman, this production reaches a new stan- ; dard of excellence in musical entertainment, for not only is the story itself of a particularly enjoyable character, but the performances by the principals are also unusually good. Charles Ruggles, whose reputation as a comedian has long been firmly established, has done nothing better than his portrayal of Public Enemy No. 13, a would-be master gangster whose failure to reach the top of the criminal tree is a perpetual thorn in his side. Associated with Bing Crosby, who also has a distinct, flair for comedy, he is seen in some hilarious episodes on a trans-At-lantic liner, on which he has concealed his identity under the title of the Rev. Dr. Moon. Crosby has the part of a young man who boards the liner on an impulse after seeing a beautiful girl whom he imagines is in trouble, and thereafter employs a variety of ruses to escape detection by his employer, who is also on the ship. He is provided with a passport by the bogus Rev. Dr. Moon, and is subsequently accused of being Public Enemy No. 1. an accusation which he has considerable difficulty in refuting. Jean Harlow in “Riffraff” at St. James To-day No society drama, no polite bandinate of the drawing-room, but a love story without a word of love, a romance as savagely elemental as the environment :11 which it takes place, is “Riffraff,” starring Jean Harlow and Spencer Tracy and coming to the St. James Theatre today. “Riffraff” is the story of a man and a girl who live and work on the waterfront. That is their world,' and what they lack in book education they make up in wisdom taught in the world’s- greatest school—the streets. Hattie is the belle of the waterfront, a wise-cracking, hard-talking, soft-hearted, bluntly vital girl who has her own strict standard of morals and her own unique method of retaining them. Dutch Miller is a bombastic, egotistical fellow who thinks the world iis his oyster am! that all women in his world were created especially for him. He regards himself ae> a leader of men, and doesn’t know that his associates respect him for his brute strength, and not, as he believes-, for his superior intelligence. These two people full in love. Harlow. knowing intuitively that it. would make Tracy completely impossible has to conceal from him the fact, that’she is blindly, dumbly, madly in love with him. ‘The Bohemian Girl’ to Continue at Majestic Theatre All the gorgeous- music of Balfe’s famous operetta and all the comedy which Stan Laurel. Oliver Hardy and six experts were able to devise has been crammed into “The Bohemian Girl.” which today enters its second week at the Majestic Theatre. Laurel and Hardy are members of a gipsy band. Hardy's wife, Mae, abducts Count Arnheim’s little daughter, the Princess Arline, and introduces hello her husband as her own child. Later she elopes, leaving titan and .Ollie to rear

-LING ' THE HONT, V AND TING THE

the princess as best they can. From this point the film changes to a period 12 years later, and there is an exciting climax before the princess is finally restored to her father. The Majestic programme includes a short subject'which deals graphically with the tragedy left in the wake of the hit-and-run motorist, and carries the recommendation of the Automobile Association (Wellington). Jack Hulbert in “Jack of All Trades” at Plaza Jack Hulbert reverts to song and dance in his latest picture, “Jack of Ail Trades,” which will commence at the Plaza Theatre to-day. The theme, which concerns Jack’s adventures as he bluffs his way through meetings of bank directors or rescues his lady love from a burning factory, is Undoubtedly the medium to show this fun-maker at his happiest. His adventures begin when he goes to a grand house as an extra waiter, and is mistaken for a guest. Here we see the real Jack Hulbert of the twinkling feet, the jolly voice and the heroic chin. The delightfully nonsensical story gives full scope to the star. The factory in which arc staged the most exciting parts of the film are marvels of modern studio designing. Tinge chutes, fire-escapes, store-rooms and other pieces of factory apparatus give an authentic atmosphere of big business, in which some thrilling sequences take .place. Gina Malo has the role of the star’s gay little partner, and Robertson Hare . plays the important part of a much-bewildered and remorseful secretary who actually begins all the trouble. Return Season of “Naughty Marietta” at Paramount Haunting music of Victor Herbert, blended with thundering drama of the founding of a great city and with a delicate love romance running through it; such is “Naughty Marietta.” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s spectacular translation to the screen of Victor Herbert’s masterpiece, the popularity of which on its former visit to Wellington has fully merited the return season which is to commence at the Paramount theatre today Jeanette MacDonald, who never was more beautiful nor sang so divinely, and Nelson Eddy, young operatic baritone, who makes his debut as n screen hero with a performance that indicates that he is on the screen to stay, head au elaborate cast. The story is staged on spectacular scale, huge, settings, goygeons costumes and intense dramatic action embellishing such song hits as Ab, Sweet Mystery of Life." “I'm Falling in Love with Someone.” “Chaneonette, “The Dalian Street Song,” and other immortal Herbert music. Quintuplets Star in “The Country Doctor” at State Five new stars at one swoop were added to the Hollywood firmament when Darryl F. Zanuck secured the adorable Dionne quintuplets to head the cast of his -lhe Country Doctor,” which opens nt the Stale Theatre to-day. Everything that has ever been stud and written about these marvellous babies pales into insignificance beside the actual sight of them playing and cooing, acting real roles in Ji real story, and surrounded by such Hollywood stars as Jean Hersholt, June Lang. Michael Whalen, Slim Summerville, and Dorothy Peterson. A courageous doctor of the Canadian backwoods is the hero of the picture, played by Jean Hersholt. After Im has conquered a diphtheria epidemic 1 with the aid of a serum flown in by his 1 handsome nephew, Michael Whalen, also

a doctor, Hersholt departs for Montreal to convince the company head of the need for a hospital in his territory. Hersholt’s blunt manner incurs the wrath of the company men. He returns to find that Whalen’s romance with June Dang has antagonised her father, Robert Barrat, who is manager of the post, and that he has been shorn of his power, ousted from his post to face a desolate old age. Despite the cruel treatment he has received, Hersholt goes ou oue more deed of mercy, and in a scene that is taut with drama and mirth, officiates at the birth of quintuplets.

Wheeler and Woolsey on New Programme at King’s

Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey make a departure from the usual Wheeler and Woolsey comedies in “Silly Billies,” commencing to-day at the King’s Theatre. Most of their films have been out-and-out comedies, but “Silly Billies” is a melodramatic tale that could stand on its own without gags. The comedy plays a major but logical part as relief to many thrills all woven around the early West. Petite Dorothy Lee, who has played the feminine lead in nearly all the famous mirthmakers’ pictures, again supplies the love interest as a young schoolma’am on her way to the Californian goldfields. Harry Woods and Ethan Laidlaw make a formidable pair of renegade heavies, and little Delmar Watson, Chief Thunderbird. and Jim Thorpe, the noted Indian athlete, head the supporting cast along with the largest group of extra players ever to appear in a Wheeler and Woolsey picture. Featuring Fred Stone and Jean Parker, and baso-d on Phil Stong’s widelyread novel, RKO Radio’s ‘’The Farmer in the Dell.” will be the other big picture on the programme. Comedy, romance, and drama are blended in the production, with Jean Parker and Frank Albertson carrying the love interest. Esther Dale, as Ma Boyer, has a rich comedy role.

“The Amateur Gentleman” Now at Opera House

With Dougins Fairbanks, jun., ns Barnabas Barty and Elissa Landi as Lady Cleone. “The Amateur Gentleman.” the vivid screen version of the Jeffery Farnol romance, which has now been transferred to the New Opera House, is ideally east. Many will remember how the Snake. Chichester even while seeking the hand <d Lady Cleone, robs her father, the Marquess. of much money and a string of valuable pearls, and then secs the innkeeper. John Bnrty, accused of the theft, convicted, and sentenced to be hanged. Posing ns John Beverley. Esquire, young Barnabas gains entrance to society. Pressed for money, he actually enters the ring and knocks out the champion of England. Then he helps his father to break jail, proves Chichester to bo a liar and a thief, anil wins Lady Cleone.