STATE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 261, 31 July 1937, Page 15

STATE THEATRE

x; “Wake Up and Live”

As musical-comedy entertainment, the 20th Century-Fox film “Wake Up and Live,” at the State Theatre, is up to average standard and perhaps a little beyond it. Its main claim to distinction, however, seems to be that it exploits a “feud” i—*.™.xv „i t

Winchell and Ben Bernie, and to American picturegoers that alone will bo sufficient excuse for the picture having been made, .since these two Broadway personalities are numbered among the household gods of the average American home. But New Zealanders can hardly be expected to show unusual excitement over their appearance on the screen. To us, Ben Bernie is just another name, and Walter Winchell is not much more, though his fame has percolated even here as a “keyhole columnist” and the originator of such picturesque terms as “blessed event,” “heir - conditioned,” and “infanticipating.” ’Not that “blessed events” have really anything to do with this story, which on its own merits is rather better than the usual found in musical comedies, concerning the frantic search for the owner of a “phantom voice” heard over the air. Jack Haley is the bashful young man who wants to be a

crooner and who sings into what he thinks is a disconnected microphone, only to discover after many misadventures that: all America is just pining to acclaim his talent. Incidentally, the same idea is used in George Fonnby’fi new British picture, “Feather Your Nest.” Winchell and Bernie play prominent parts in the story, and Bernie in particular acts ably, but the real star is Jack Haley, as the “phantom troubadour.” His coined}' is distinctive and seldom dull. Alice Faye provides the necessary romantic interest, and good supporting characterisations, mainly humorous, come from Patsy Kelly. Ned Sparks, Walter Catlett. Miles Mander, Paul Hurst. Grace Bradley and. Warren Hymer. If "Winchell and Bernie meant much in New Zealand this could fairly be called an all-star cast. .... The action of the story moves briskly, and is tinged with melodrama nnd embossed with spectacle and music (by Gordon and Ravel). But comedy is the keynote. DE LUXE THEATRE “Espionage” and “Annie, Leave the Room” Stories about spies, munition-makers and assassins are usually fairly serious, but “Espionage,” the M.G.M. attraction at the De Luxe Theatre, is quite the contrary. It i s smart farce, in line with the current trend toward craziness on the screen, and, while the burlesque islaid on too heavily at the end, for the greater part of its length this is an attractive light offering. The original play by Walter Hackett was not nearly so frivolous, but the producer of the film version has seen fit to concentrate on the romantic adventures of the hero and heroine rather than on the mystery element suggested by the title. Artistically this was unsound : from an entertainment point of view it may have been a good move. Those familiar figures, the newspaperman and the girl reporter who doublecross each other right and left in the interests of journalism until at last love comes along, are to be found again in "Espionage,” in the persons of Edmund Lowe and Madge Evank. And very good they are too. Miss Evans in particular being so charming and capable that it is always a wonder to me she does not get more chance in bigger pictures. Most of the action takes place on a train between Paris and Switzerland on which is travelling a mysterious munitions king, and some amusing sequences occur when the rival reporters who are shadowing him are forced to pose as man and wife. Au attempt is made on the life of the munitions magnate (Paul Lukas, as suave as ever), and the hero is put under arrest. There is suspense and fast action as ; he makes his escape, but from this stage the story becomes increasingly light-headed and there is no point in recording it further. As with most Metro pictures, the supporting cast has been given plenty of attention. Farce, this time of the British variety, is also to be found in the other feature, ‘‘Annie I Leave the Room,” a laughable little affair about an old British nobleman who wants to be a film star but whose thunder is stolen by Annie, the maid. Seventy-five-year-old Morton Selten is worth seeing as the screen-struck Lord Spendlove.

NEW OPERA HOUSE Don Cossack Choir To-night Wellington audiences are looking forward with interest to the season of Platoff’s Don Cossack Choir, which will begin at the New Opera House to-night. For their programmes the Don Cossack Choir has chosen songs that must have an appeal to every section of the community. But it will be in their light items, their comic Interpretations, the Cossacks’ riding song, and the “Volga Boat Song” that they will reach the greatest heights of popularity. Under the lendership of Nicholas Kostrukofl - the voices of these 30 Russians blend in thrilling harmony. Singing is not tbeir only accomplishment, for some of them are unusually adopt at performing the spectacular Russian folk dances. The Don Cossack Choir has been brought to New Zealand by J. and N. Tait, in association with M. Alexander Levitoff, the well-known European impresario. STATE THEATRE, PETONE An elaborate musical staged on the most lavish scale, with spectacular dancing, the singing of a talented chorus of voices, the antics of 10 well-known humorists, and the playing of captivatin'- melodies by the best of dance orchestras. “Top of the Town” will begin today at the State Theatre, Petone. From one gigantic scene, the audience is whiskod to another even more impressive and breath-taking.