ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 235, 1 July 1936, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

“Things to Come” at Regent Theatre So breath-takiug in the breadth of its canvas that it staggers the intellect, 11. G. Wells’s masterpiece, “Things to Come,” will conclude at the Regent Theatre tomorrow. The revelations begin at Christmas, 1940, when a battalion of fast, gas-bombing aeroplanes practically wipes out Everytown. Civilisation relapses into barbarism, but the coming of John Cabal sets the stage for the construction of a wonderful new Everytown. Raymond Massey and Sir Cedric Hardwicke head a powerful cast. “Give Us This Night.” “Give Us This Night,” a charming musical romance, co-starring Jan Kiepura and Gladys Swarthout, will open a season at the Regent Theatre on Friday. Bringing together two of the most talented and attractive singers on the screen to-day, this film bids fair to take a prominent place among Hie more successful musical pictures of the year. Kiepura won fame as a singer in Europe, while Miss Swarthout hails from the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Tlie appealing story deals with the meeting and romance of a young Italian fisherman and a talented young singer already on the way to. fame. The girl is so impressed with the fisherman’s voice that she secs he is given his chance. Powerful Drama at St. James Theatre A story centred in the conflict between the mental strength of an inspector of police and of a brilliant young student who believes he has committed th e perfect crime is told in “Crime and Punishment,” the screen version of Dostoievsky’s discerning novel, which will conclude its season at the St. James Theatre to-mor-row evening. Peter Lorre and Edward Arnold lead a series of brilliant characterisations “The Voice of Bugle Ann,” Can a man be so loyal to a dbg as. to commit murder for it? This strange trick in human psychology is the crux of “The Voice of Bugle Ann,” with Lionel Barrymore in the principal role, coming on Friday to the St. James Theatre. Based on MacKinlay Kantor’s novel, which in turn was based on an actual court case in Missouri, it tells the story of a veteran Missouri fox hunter and his favourite dog, to avenge which he kills a man and goes to prison. It is held the greatest tribute to a dog since Senator Vest’s famous speech which figures in the trial scene. The man and dog episode is set in a romance of young love, feuds and other interesting angles. Bright Double Bill at New Opera House “Anything Goes,” the screen version of a P. G. Wodehouse play, is now at the New Opera House. The tuneful and clever songs of Cole Porter are an important part of the picture, in which Bing Crosby, Ethel Merman, Ida Lupino, and Charlie Ruggles are the principals. “Two Hearts in Harmony” concerns a girl member of a troupe of night club entertainers, who. in endeavouring to secure more respectable employment, finds herself engaged as governess to the oldfashioned son of a marquis. Dionne Quintuplets at State Theatre Only two more days remain in which to see the world-famous Dionne quintuplets at the State Theatre, where they are appearing in “The Country Doctor.” First and foremost, “The Country Doctor” is a human interest story reflecting the laughter and tears that make up the life of every one of us. The name part is played by that fine character actor, Jean Hersholt. “The Prisoner of Shark Island.” An almost forgotten island hell on the coast of America becomes the centre of action for the searing drama of “The Prisoner of Shark Island,” 20th Century’s picture, which comes to the State Theatre on Friday. Plucked from the pages of history, the new picture tells the authentic story.of a man martyred for a deed

of mercy, torn from the arms of the woman he loved to a living death on an island where brutes are masters. The reallife hero of "The Prisoner of Shark Island” was Dr. Samuel Alexander Mudd, who is portrayed on the screen by Warner Baxter. Sun-scorched Fort Jefferson, on a tiny key in the Carribean, is the prison where he was sent under sentence of life imprisonment. How Baxter, sustained hy the love of his wife, Gloria Stuart, lives through physical and spiritual torture to emerge a hero in the yellow fever epidemic which strikes the island is revealed in the picture, which was directed by John Ford and personally produced under the supervision of Darryl F. Zanuek.

“Jack of All Trades” at Plaza Theatre

Jack Hulbert’s enviable reputation as a comedian should gain nothing but enhancement from “Jack of All Trades,” still at the Plaza Theatre. He is supported by a serious-faced Robertson Hare and a vivacious Gina Malo. The audience follows with interest his gatecrashing career in the world of finance. The fun becomes fast and furious, and the film reaches an uproarious climax in a blazing shoe factory. “The Witness Chair.”

A spectacular courtroom drama, with an unusual twist to the theme, is brought to the screen in the R.K.O. Radio film, “The Witness Chair,” which is to commence a season at the Plaza Theatre on Friday. The many who appreciate the unusual type of beauty and sterling acting qualities of Ann Harding, whose screen appearances have been unfortunately few of late, will welcome her return in this powerful drama, which the critics say gives her full opportunity for her fine, restrained characterisations. A strong supporting cast is headed by Walter Abel, France Sage and Douglas Dumbrille.

Exciting Fare at Majestic

Theatre

A colourful and exciting film, telling the life-story of a typical young Mexican, persecuted and brutally treated by tie inrushing American gold-seekers, is “Robin Hood of Elderado,” in its last two days at the Majestic Theatre. Warner Baxter, who is supported by a large cast, including Bruce Cabot, Ann Loring, and J. Carroll Naish. gives an outstanding performance as Joaquin Murrieta, the down-trodden Mexican. The rugged outback scenes of those days have never been played more grippingly, nor on such a large scale. “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine.”

The first all-colour picture of the outdoors, “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine,” opens on Friday at the Majestic Theatre. Sylvia Sidney, Fred Mac Murray and Henry Fonda are starred. Natural colour and natural backgrounds are used exclusively in this picturisation of the John Fox, Jun., novej. “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine” tells how an ancient hill feud involving two families, and resulting in dozens of deaths, is affected by the inroads of civilisation, in the person of a young engineer who arrives to. construct a railroad line through the region.

“The Singing Kid” at De Luxe Theatre There’s an earful of music and an eyeful of spectacle in the De Luxe Theatre’s current attraction “The Singing Kid,” which will close to-morrow. Little Sybil Jason, Edward Everett Horton and his comicalities, Allen Jenkins, Al .Tolson, Claire Dodd, Beverly Roberts, the Yacht Club Boys and Cab Calloway and his “swing rhythm” band make a great team in “The Singing Kid.” “Alibi Ike’”

Joe E. Brown returns with all bis jollity at the .De Luxe on Friday in “Alibi Ike,” the Warner Bros, comedy which sets out to burlesque baseball, and does it in a manner which, perhaps, is not exactly cricket so far as America’s baseball enthusiasts are concerned. With Joe in this new ■ comedy are Olivia De Haviland, Errol Flynn’s leading lady in “Captain Blood,” Ruth Donnelly and Ros we Karns. A novel “golf night” will be held at the De Luxe on Friday next, when for the first time in New Zealand, the newest series of Bobby Jones golf “shorts,” called “How To Break 90,” will be screened simultaneously at the conclusion of the regular programme. The complete preformance on Friday night is expected to conclude at approximately 11.30 o’clock.

“Voltaire” and “Ceiling Zero” at

Paramount Theatre

Always at his best in historical roles, George Arliss presents one of his most polished performances in “Voltaire,” the return season of which will conclude at the Paramount Theatre to-morrow. The story deals with the dramatic

days when Count de Sarnac, Minister of Finance to Louis XV., and the great Voltaire were at swords points Unusual technical interest is combined with excellent entertainment value in “Ceiling Zero,” also on the programme, which makes drama, romance and laughter out cf the operations of airlines. and reintroduces a popular screen team in James Cagney and Pat O’Brien. “The Story of Louis Pasteur.” That history can supply a theme more vivid and telling than the product of a scenarist’s imagination is amply demonstrated in “The Story of Louis Pasteur,” which is to commence what should be a welcome return season at the Paramount Theatre on Friday. The role of the selfsacrificing French scientist, who laboured in the face of ignorance and archaic medical methods to save untold suffering and loss of life, is admirably portrayed by Paul 3luni.