ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 260, 1 August 1939, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

Matrimonial Tangles Theme Of “Midnight” At Regent

To the room where live Peabody has been invited to make a fourth at bridge after “gatecrashing” a society rotisiciau in Paris, in “Midnight.” which screens at the Regent Theatre, which screens at the Regent Theatre, comes Georges Flammarian, husband of Helene Flammarion who is having an affair with Jacques Picot. Helene and Jacques are in the bridge-room. Eve does not want to use her own name when introductions are made, she .uses that of a taxi-driver (Don Amechc) who has been a assistance to her, Czerny—and is mistaken for a baroness. George. J lammarian seeks Eve’s aid in regaining the affection of his wife — Eve is to win the undivided attentions of Jacques. The scheme works well, but with an unexpected twist —Georges and Helene are reunited, and Eve finds solace in the arms of the taxi-driver, Tibor Czerny. “Tlie Girl Downstairs.’'

Eranchot Tone appears, as a eosmopolital architect who falls lightly in love with Rita Johnson only to. transfer his affections to the scullery maid working in her home, in “The Girl Downstairs, ’ that gay film of love and mirthful adventures, which will begin a season at the Regent Theatre next Thursday. Walter Connolly, as Aliss Johnson’s apoplectic father, endeavours to keep Tone away from his home and his daughter, but the young man poses as a chaffeur and gains admission. In that guise he encounters the maid who promptly falls in love with him. , She gathers her savings together and buys him a taxicab, with more than halt a mind on their future. The ‘ cavalier discovers that his affections have definitely turned to the girl below stairs, which brings on a series of ludicrous complications.

Enjoyable Musical Comedy At

Theatre Majestic

That. enjoyable musical comedy, “Honolulu,” iu which Eleanor Powell has the leading role, screens at the Theatre Majestic. The story tells how a famous screen actor changes place with a plantation owner who is his exact double, but immediately finds that his new status brings him'more trouble than amusement, for his double’s fiancee is determined to marry' him straight away. His embarrassment, however, has its happy side, for. it provides opportunity for as gay a series of adventures as have ever. been brought to the screen. This outstanding dual role is in the capable hands of Robert Young, mid other fine comedy parts are taken by Grade /Mien and George Burns.

Adventures With Drummond At

De Luxe Theatre

“Bulldog” Drummond, detective, no longer has to seek adventure out, for in “ ‘Bulldog’ Drummond’s Secret Police, which screens at the De Luxe Theatre, adventure seeks him out. A famed scientist and a sinister criminal arrive simultaneously at Drummond’s castle to look for a 300-year-old treasure in gold and silver buried beneath the castle; when the criminal murders the scientist and carries off Drummonds’ fiancee, Drummond determines to capture the criminal. ■ Charles Ruggles plays the exasperated and unwilling foster-parent of two boys, one a “very tough nut/’ in the associate film, “Boy Trouble.” “The Saint” Of Service Again At State Theatre When “The Saint,” a lone wolf avenger sometimes on the side of the law, sometimes against it, becomes interested m a beautiful girl whose father has been victimized by a mysterious underworld "king.” he volunteers to aid the police track down the criminal providing he has carte blanche to use his own methods, in “The Saint Strikes Back,” the mam feature at the State Theatre. "I’m From the City,” the other feature, is full of the action that produces laughs. The star of the film, Joe Penner, is cast as a .circus perform-er who is capable of equestrian feats only while hynotized 1 “Mr. Moto In Danger Island” and "Crackerjack.” In "Mr. Moto In Danger Island,” the most baffling of Moto mysteries, which will head the uew double-feature programme which w’ill be presented at the State Theatre for the first time tomorrow, the wily Mr. Moto, detective, is embroiled in a gigantic diamond smuggling case and a string of ruthless murders.. Mr. Moto has the assignment directly from Washington itself, as a lawless flow of precious stones from Porto Rico threatens to topple the jewel market the world over.

England is thrilled by the exploits of. a modern Robin Hood, a “man with a hundred facefi,” who robs the rich and gives to the poor—“ Crackerjack.” That is, essentially, the theme of the associate feature. “Crackerjack.”

.Insight Into Lives Of Women Flyers Gained At Plaza

Not another “epic of the air,” but a creditable story of women who fly, the thrills that come with their split-second •‘seape.s, the heart-throbs behind the.ir spectacular lives, is the film “Tail Spin.” which screens Ht the. Plaza Theatie. The three women concerned •in the utory, women who brush wings with death in the gamble they can Jose only once, are played by Alice Faye as Trixie, Constance Bennett as Gerry and Nancy Kelly as Lois. Trixie flies for the money that’s in it, Gerry because she finds the sky’s the place to hide from love, and Lois because it brings her closer to the man she loves. “The Ilounfl of the Baskervilles.” The screen version of tiie most, thrilling of Conan Doyle’s famous Sherlock Holmes stories, “The Hount of the Baskervilles,” will begin a season at the Plaza Theatre netx Fridayq. The familiar checkedtweed, deer-stalkers’ cap and the curved pipe grace the profile of Basil Rathbone, and one can almost sniff the heavy black -hag that he smokes.

Screen Version Of Bewildering Novel At King’s

Based on the bewildering novel of the same name by Emily Bronte, produced by Samuel Goldwyn. and directed by William Wyler, “Wuthering Heights” has entered the second week of a season at the King's Theatre. The story concerns a high-Hpirited, quick-tempered, beautiful girl, who is loved madly by two men—one, half-gipsy and half-gentleman, the other rich and well Lorn. Merle Oberon, playing Cathy, is deepeartcly in Jove with Laurence Olivier, playing Heathclilf; but the glittering wealth and esteemed social position of Edgar Linton, played by David Niven, lead the girl into an unhappy romance.

Exciting Saga Of New Zealand At Opera House

Abo.it Manui, daughter of a Maori chieftain, and her love for Mara, warrior <>f an enemy tribe, is that saga of New Zealand laid in the days before the corning of the white man, “Hoi Tiki.*’ which screens at the Opera House. Mara impersonates the war god to whom Manui is to be sacrificed, and not the least thrilling sequences in the film are those showing the lovers’ Hight from Manui’s people. A swift-moving story about .he smuggling of aliens into America icross the Mexican frontier, is “Forged I’assport,” the associate film. If has touches of humour, and a good deal of action involving speeding petrol wagons, a time bomb, and if totally unsuspected villain,

“Mounty” Gets His Man In Film At St. James Theatre

Revolving about the successful efforts of Dick Foran, as an officer of the “Mounties,” to track down and capture the leader of a band of outlaws that has held up a little river steamer carrying expensive furs and many pounds of newly-mined gold to the outside world from a frontier trading post in the Mackenzie River region just below the Arctic Circle, is the film “Heart of the North,” which at the St. James Theatre. “Heart of the North” i« fastmoving and thrilling, and does not lose its place for a moment-, even though an engrossing love story is interwoven, into the web of exciting incidents. “Naughty Marietta.” Notable not only for the singing of its staru, Jeanette Mab Donald and Nelson Eddy, but also because of the unique way in which the story has been handled, is "Naughty Marietta,” which will begin a return season at. the St. James Theatre next Friday. Jeanette MacDonald plays the part of a princess who masquerades an a Gasquette girl, and Nelson Eddy playa the part of an officer in New Qrleaiw. Their songs are backed by huge symphonies, a chorus of 100 voices,, and many musical novelties fitted into the score by Herbert Stothart, famous composer and one time associate of Victor Herbert. "Naughty Marietta” is acknowledged as one of the greater comic operas composed in America, and this fact has certainly proved itself when one realizes how long the film has been in cirealeulation and how popular is still is.

The Janies Outlaws Recalled In “Jesse James” At Tudor

Tales of how Jesse .lames (Tyrone I’ower) and his equally notorious brother,, Frank (Henry Fonda) began their outlawry as a direct result of the murder of their mother by an unscrupulous hireling of the St. Louis Midland railroad, Banshee (Brian Donlevy), are recalled in the film, “Jesse James,” which screens at the Tudor Theatre.

The Hitz Brothers masquerade as musketeers', but they know more about the use of carving knives than fcwordn in the musical comedy version of ‘“The Three Musketeers,’’ the associate hlnia