ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 7, 3 October 1941, Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTS

Rcgeut Theatre. — In “The Lady From Cheyenne,” Loretta Young makes her first excursion into westerns. She takes the part of a schoolmistress in a rough frontier town on the border of Wyoming who makes it her business to break the grip which a lawyer has obtained on the/ town, and travels to the State capital to do so. Here she has to convert many senators and the Government to her cause. Edward Arnold in the part of the lawyer is as convincing a villain as ever, while Robert Preston has the romantic lead opposite Miss Young. State Theatre. — “Lady Hamilton,” probably ■ Alexander Korda’s most ambitious effort since his first masterpiece, “The Private Life of Henry the Eighth,” has a British cast headed by Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. The film, as Mr. Churchill has pointed out, portrays another critical period in England’s history, when the sea gallantry of a man who was scarcely imposing saved his country from invasion by a power-drunk Frenchman. On the first half of the programme is a Jack Hulbert comedy, “Paradise for Two,” that puts the audience in excellent humour for the bigger film that follows. St Janies Theatre.— Two stars who have been teamed several times lately are Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. Bob Hope plays a handsome film star who has • been the hero of a hundred films, but who fears the sound of gunfire more than he fears anything on earth. _ To quote his own words he is “allergic to bullets,” so it is rather hard on him when he falls in love with the daughter of a particularly fire-eating colonel. Bob has trouble with tank*, trouble with uniforms, and trouble with potatoes—trouble in fact dogs his every footstep.

King’s Theatre.— Directed by a man who ought 'to know nearly everything there is to know about comedy films, “The Navy Steps Out” opens at the King’s Theatre to-day. The director is Harold Lloyd, top ranking slapstick star of the silent days, and his leading players are George Murphy, who was last seen in “Little Nelly Kelly,” Lucille Ball aud Edmond O’Brien. The story is another version of the eternal triangle, which is composed of a pretty secretary engaged to a sailor; the sailor himself, who has left the Navy and intends to marry and settle down as soon as he makes a stake, and the secretary’s boss, : a dignified young executive who tries to help the marriage along and winds up by falling in love with the girl himself. The sailor’s money-making plans always go wrong, and the executive’s encounters with the heroine’s exceedingly eccentric family provide many of the laughs. In addition to the three principals, the cast includes Henry Travers. Franklin Pangborn, George Cleveland, Kathleen Howard, Mady Correll, Lloyd Corrigan and Frank McGlynn.

Tudor Theatre.— There are variations of emphasis between the film story anti the play, but since Bernard Shaw himself had a major say in what was said and the manner of saying it, it can be taken for granted that as a film'“Major Barbara,” which has been transferred to the Tudor Theatre, is Shaw’s own creation. Major Barbara, played by Wendy Hiller, is the daughter of Andrew Undershaft, millionaire munitions manufacturer who, so his wife says, practices morality and preaches immorality. Major Barbara of-the Salvation Army attracts the -attention of Adolphus Cusins (Rex Harrison) student and professor of Greek, who promptly falls in love with her. As a student of religion and morality Adolphus has more knowledge and less faith than the major, but he has the advantage of her in a certain ruthlessness of thought and action which does not stop short of him joining the Salvation Army to Win her affection. The additional film is “The Honeymoon’s Over.”

Opera House. — Directed by John M. Stahl, ‘‘When Tomorrow Comes” presents Irene Dunne as Helen, a waitress, who because her restaurant is closed by a strike, accepts the invitation of a stranger, Philip, played by Charles Boyer, to spend a day in the country with him. He is leaving for France in three days, he tells her. Trapped by a hurricane and each believing they are to die, they confess their love for each other.

De Luxe Theatre.— “Murder in Soho,” is a crime story in which a mob of American gangsters try to match wits with Scotland Yard, and pay the penalty for their temerity. Jack Laßue and Sandra Storme are at the head of-the cast. The other feature will star the popular action team, Richard Arlen and Andy Devine, this time in “Men of the Timberlands.

Majestic Theatre.— ln a part that demands acting ability rather than glamour, Joan Crawford heads the east of “A Woman's Face.” Miss Crawford plays a woman whose face was disfigured for life by a burn. She becomes a criminal, but meets a famous plastic surgeon (Melvyn Douglas), who operates ou her successfully. With the restoration of her beauty Miss Crawford again finds her soul.

Paramount Theatre.— “Bringing Up Baby” is a domestic comedy with ad ifferciice. The chief characters are Cary Grant. Katharine Hepburn, who returns from a successful season on the Broadway stage, a leopard and the dog Asia, of “Tbiu Mau’’ repute. The story, which seis a new pace for farce comedy, is concerned with Grant’s efforts to secure au endowment for a museum in which he is fossil curator, and Miss Hepburn's attempt to have him abandon this work to embark oh a career as her husband. May Robson, Charlie Ruggles, Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Catlett, and Fritz Feld are also seen in the picture, which was produced by Howard Hawks. “Band Wagon,” the associate film, was adapted from a popular feature in British broadcasting. Four-foot odd Arthur Askey possesses an individual brand of comedy and displays all his irresistible personality iu his diminutive, dynamic form. Six-foot-two Richard (“Stinker”) Murdoch makes au excellent, debonair foil. Jack Hylton and his band play personal roles and Patricia Kirkwood makes a charming leading lady. The theme is built around Askey’s and “Stinker’s” discovery of a television plot in a manor taken over by Nazi spies.

Plaza Theatre.—lt is some time since the capable actress Ingrid Bergman has been seen iu a film, but She returns to the screen in a worthy part iu “Adam Had Four Sons,” which opens at the Plaza Theatre today. Her leading man is Warner Baxter, who acts right up to the high standard set by .Miss Bergman. The theme of the film is a fight between two women to win the affections of a family of four men. The story is based on the novel “Legacy” by Charles Bonner. One of the women is hard, determined to win the struggle by any means. The other has scruples, but they do not prevent her grimly combating the other's every move. The supporting cast, includes Susan Hayward, Richard Denning, Johnny Downs and Robert Shaw. SUBURBAN THEATRES Regal . (Karori).—“That Uncertain Feeling,” Melvyn Douglas, Meric Oberon ; "Secret Service of the Air.” Rivoli (Newtown). —“On Dress Parade,” Ann Sothern. The Dead End Kids; “Play Girl,” Kay Francis, Janies Ellison. Empire (Island Bay).—“Back Street,” Charles Boyer, Margaret Sullavan ; “Dr. Christian Meets the Women,” Jean Hersholt, Edgar Kennedy. Capitol (M i ra m a r). —“Con I ra ban d,” Conrad Veidt, Valerie Hobson; “One Crowded Night,” Billy Seward, Paul Guilfoyie Vogue (Brooklyn).—“The Tree of Liberty,” Martha Scott, Ciiry Grant; “Blondie Plays Cupid,” Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake. Ascot (Newtown).—“Old BiU and Son”; “Tall, Dark and Handsome,” Cesar Romero, Charlotte Greenwood. Tivoli (Ttiorndon). —“North West Passage.” Spencer Tracy; "Smashing the Money Ring,” Ronald Regan, Margot Stevenson. King George (Lower Hutt).—“Waterloo Bridge,” Vivien Leigh, Robert. Taylor. Prince Edward (Woburn). —“When

the Daltons Rode,” Randolph Scott. Kay Francis; “For Love of Money," June Lang, Robert Kent. Do Luxe (Lower Hutt). —"Rhythm ou the River,” Bing Crosby, Mary Martin; “Lucky Cisco Kid,” Cesar Romero, Mary Beth Hughes. Kinenia (Kilbirnie).—“No, No. Nanette,” Anna Neagle, Richard Carlson ; “Dr, Cyclops.”