ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 241, 8 July 1938, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

“Romance For Three ’ Showing At St. Janies

"Romance ior Three <>iu begin nl the St. Janies Theatre to-day. Nearly every poor man would like io enjoy tue life ot a millionaire tor two weens, anu every rich man would like to go back to the simple pleasures—at least lor the same time. And that s just what Ii rank Morgan, Robert Young and Reginald Owen do in this escapade of tue Mips. Morgan turns poor while the other two nctvi’y become rich and powerful, llieir plan works until Morgan s daughter, L’ lorence Rice, liis housekeeper, , Edna Muy Oliver, and his "girl friend, Mary Astor, find out about it. But m the meantime Morgan, who lias won a contest and has been given two weeks’ vacation at an exclusive Alpine resort, appears to be n poor man and therefore is treated badly by the management. Only one num is Kind to him, and lie is lienij Hull, the dish-washer. When Morgans family makes him return to his normal life as the wealthy capitalist, he orders the hotel manager and porter to his ottice, explains that he was actually staying at his own hotel, reminds them ol their treatment toward him and makes the dish-washer their boss. Mist’ Rice and Young are outstanding in the leading romantic roles, while Morgan does the finest work of his career as the capitalist, with Miss Oliver, Owen, Miss Astor, Herman Bing and Walter Kingsford at their best. Edward N. Buzzell showed his flair for comedy in directing the pictuie, and Ham Zimbalist gave it outstanding production. Motion picture cameraman wait neither for time nor I.ide, and accordingly interior scenes for "Romance or Three” were filmed in a studio reproduction of an Alpine resort. Due to California's famed "unusunl weather, snow had not fallen in the nearby mountains, so it was determined to proceed with the interior scenes. In order to re build the interior of the Alpine winter resort, it was necessary to use the biggest, sound stage on the lot. The stage an inn large enough to accommodate fifty people and a staff of twenty servants, and was complete except for the front.

Third Week Of “A Yank At Oxford” At Majestic

Replete with action, laughs and hue characterisations. “A Yank at Oxford, which is continuing for a third week at the Majestic Theatre, offers Robert Taylor his most convincing role to date and more than repays Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for the time and effort spent in producing in Englund pictures equal in calibre to any made in Hollywood. IS studio’s first British-made production. In fact, the authenticity of the background and atmosphere of the picture proves that only in a British setting could it have been so successfully evolved. In presenting Taylor in the title role as the cocky, all-star athlete who comes to Oxford to “teach the native’’ and himself learns much in return, “A Y’ank at Oxford affords the star his greatest opportunity to demonstrate his athletic ability, his tlijiir for comedy, and his ability to handle ’’■enuinely dramatic scenes. Ijionel Burrymore. as Taylor's father, and Maureen O’Sullivan, as the English undergraduate whom the hero meets at Oxford, lend their accustomed polished performances, while in the British players who also have leading roles audiences may note at least two potential stellar “finds” of to-mor-row. Vivien Leigh, as the “other girl, reveals a Hashing yet subtle personality, and Griffith'Jones looms as a most personable leading man discovery, stalwart in appearance and sensitive in his performance

“Portia On Trial” Now Screening At Regent Theatre

‘■There, but for the grace of God, I, Portia Merriman, would be facing a verdict of life or death—instead of this young, unfortunate victim of a coward s infatuation.” A sensational outburst from the lips of the country’s foremost woman barrister,'forced by circumstances to be a stranger to her own son, and later ordered by Fate to defend the murderess of that son’s father. This is the problem of I’ortia Merriman, played with illuminating depth and insight by Frieda Inescort in “Portia on Trial,” which opens today at the Regent Theatre. Portia, as the price of her son’s name, was forced, seventeen years before, to forgo maternal claim on him by signing false affidavits which presented her as a woman unfit for motherhood. Later, when Fate brings the two together in highly dramatic circumstances, she acknowledges her birthright and defies the world to challenge it. Old John Condon takes up this challenge, John Condon, industrial and political magnate, whose word is sufficient to make or break men. He brings Portia before the Bar Association in an effort to expel her from the Bar, but she outwits him with a brilliant and dramatic coup which forms one of the high spots of the production. Clarence Kolb is excellent as the ruthless Condon. Walter Abel gives an outstanding performance as Dan Foster, the young District Attorney who loves Portia Merriman ns a woman even as he scorns her as an unscrupulous criminal lawyer. And little Heather Angel will not be soon forgotten as the unhappy English girl who is brought over to America only to learn the bitterness of scorn and hatred. Her betrayal forms the background of the dramatic trial scene, which has had few peers in screen history.

“Happy Landing” Continues At

Plaza Theatre

“Happy Landing,” a show aglow with wonder, winging from Norwegian festivals to New York wintertime spectacles, enters its second week at the Plaza Theatre to-day. This 20th Century-Fox musical stars Sonja Ilenie with her “Girl In A Million” sweetheart, Don Ameche. It tells the story of a songwriting band leader (Cesar Romero) who flies across the Atlantic for a publicity stunt and comes down in a Norwegian fog-bank—almost in the. middle of a iolk festival known as a “Bride's Fair." lhe custom which starts the trouble is a rule that if a young man dances twice with the same girl at the party, he has proposed. The band leader, a little bit. amused because one lovelorn little girl is giting him plenty of his- favourite food—hero worship—dances twice with Sonja Heme. That starts the show on its way. Don Ameche, the flying bnton-wielder's companion, knows there is little. or no sincere interest in Romero's attentions, as he. is verv much engaged to an American girl played by Ethel Merman. Frimi this point on a new world opens for film enthus'insts. Sonja in love, breath-tn .ung on the ice, thrills ns she has never thrilled before. There are the colourful American winter carnivals, the glittering gnicvties of Paris and Miami, the breathless ice ballets of New York roof-gardens, and a wealth of songs.

“Oh! Mr Gadd” And Irish Drama

At New Paramount

ft is somewhat of a novelty to have a world premiere in Wellington, hut that is what the New Paramount Theatre promises for to-night. With arc lamps, cameras, sound equipment am! nil things essential in filming to greet patrolls in the vestibule of the theatre, the people of Wellington will get some idea of what happens at the big premieres in Hollvwood. All this is being done to welcome to the city Wellingtons hrsi talkie. entitled “Oh! Mr. Gadd.’ picture has a simple but entertaining story running through it ami ehould appeal to nil. It is written by a clever young Wellingtonian. Miss Phyllis I'itzgerald. The leading players are Mims Oracie Kerr and Mr. Selwyn Toogood. who are both well known for their repretorv work. “Oh I Mr. Gndd” was directed h v Mr. Haris-on Cool: and is released bv Standard Film Laboratories. “The Plough and the Stars.” which will be the associate feature, is taken from the play bv Senn O'Cns-ey. The dramatic force of the picture lies in its lemantie theme and that distinctive blending"'' trtigedv with comedy for which Sean < I'Cns-ey is yy-orld famous. Heading the east are Barbara Stanwyck and Preston Foster. »

“Mademoiselle Docteur” Begins At State Theatre

Max Schach’s new film, “Mademoiselle Docteur," in which two great Continental favourites appear in a British film for the first time, will begin at the State Theatre to-day. They are the blonde beauty of imuiy German successes- —Dita Parlo. and that great Hollywood figure, who a few years ago dominated the screen as a writer, director and actor—Erich von Stroheim. Others gathered for the leading roles in thie=> film are John Loder, Claire Luce, Gyles Isham, Clifford Evans and John Abbott. "Mademoiselle Docteur” has been Max Scliach’s favourite subject ever since some two years ago he acquired a story woven around one of the most incredible characters of modern history—-Dr. Anna Maria Lesser • —the German woman spy who became known during the war as Mademoiselle Docteur. Looking around for a man to play the role of the head of the German secret service. Max Schacb remembered that in Paris a man. whose name was once on every producers’ lips and now half forgotten by Hollywood—Erich von Straheim —was making filnxs Mux Seharch offered von Stroheim the part.

“Charlie Chan At xMonte Carlo” And Drama At King’s

Death deals a ham: at the gaming tables and “Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo” gives you your best mystery in his most brilliant case, which comes to the King’s Theatre to-day. The world’s ace detective at the world’s gayest playground takes a long chance to solve a triple murder as he mingles with millionaires, beauties and adventures. And behind the laugther ami banter of thousands of pleasure-seekers there is a tremendous stake in stock manipulation which spells success for one man and ruin for another. Into all the gaiety and sinister contrast of this latest and best of Twentieth Centurv-Fox’s Chan thrillers conies Charlie Chan nnd his Number One Son. Keye Luke. Depicting the courageous fight of a beautiful young feminine lawyer, who risks love and reputation to save a simple backwoods girl, only to be doomed by backwoods vengeance, “Career Woman” will be the second feature. Claire Trevor and Michael Whalen are cast in the lending romantic roles. Isabel Jewell, Eric Linden, Virginia Field and Gene Lockhart are also featured. Isabel Jewell plays a gentle sensitive girl cruelly oppressed by the customs and premdices of the background of the story, fighting for happiness with Edie Linden, weak son of the town’s district attorney.

“The Secret Of Lan Ying” And Comedy At De Luxe

She's the power behind the throne. It sounds complicated, but that’s the role played by Anna May Wong, the sophisticated Oriental actress, in “The Secret ot Lan Ying,” the Paramount drama ot a political monarch, who is ruined when he tries to trade his blackjack tor a silk hat. it comes to the De Luxe Theatre to-day. Miss Wong, most recently seen a,s- the secret agent in "Daughter of Shanghai.’ plays the part of Akim Tamirolf's triend and adviser in this story of the inside workings of a boss-ruled community. When Tamiroff casts her aside like an old shoe in order to leave himself tree i-J pursue a beautiful girl of the countiy club set, Miss "Wong turns the tables on him and ultimately brings about his ruin. Her role iu “The Secret ol Lan Y nig is the type which has put Miss Wong in the front rank of Oriental players;. The second feature will be “Prescription for Romance,’’ a riotous comedy, with Mischn Auer, Wendy Barrie and Kent Taylor.

“Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife” Now At New Opera House

' The new tradition of comedy which has been building by Paramount Pictures is continued in "Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife, which is continuing its Wellington season at the New Opera House. The film started with considerable advantage, of course; it had Gary Cooper, it had Claudette Colbert, it had the material ot a stage play that rocked its tens ot thousands of theatregoers, and it had Ernst Lubitsch. The snap of the famous Lubitsch direction is what moves this film up a grade, showy ordinary events m a fresh light, and places new emphasis on comedy. The use of the trouser-legs of. a pyjama for instance, first to establish the character of Michael Brandon, the multi-millionaire who is playing around on the Riviera while conducting big deals- by trans-Atlantic telephone, then to bring him together with Nicole de Loiselle, who is going to be (thougn she doesn't know it) Bluebeard’s eighth wife, finally to establish Michael in the heart of the family of de Loiselle, is opening which promises great things. Folin the strange courtship which follows, the wooing of the bride after the wedding, the efforts of the bride to obtain a divorce, there are some moments of pure comedy ns anything that has been seen on the screen. The episode of the family photograph, when Nicole first learns about Else and the rest, the dinner party at which onions are the saving grace—they remain in the memory.