ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 270, 13 August 1942, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

De Luxe Theatre.—Another generous programme is to be presented at the De Luxe Theatre beginning at the matinee today. “Drums of the Congo” is a story of adventure in darkest Africa, lull of action and strange sights. Ail enormous cast Is headed by Ona. .Munson, Stuart Erwin, Peggy Moran, Don Terry, Richard Arlen and Jules Bledsoe. The second'teuture is "Tuxedo Junction,” a hill-billy drama hLed with humour, songs and dancing, and featuring the famous American team, Weaver Brothers and Elviry. A Donald Duck cartoon and the third chapter ot “Don Winslow of the Navy” complete the screen programme. In addition to the aims, tonight at 7.45 Maurice Hawkeu will conduct another of the De Luxe-JZB. movie quizzes. Members of the audience will be able to win prizes amounting to £l5.

Opera House.—“ The Philadelphia Story mH be presented at the Opera House tonight for the last time. The etars are Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart., Tomorrow a return season of The Great Waltz" will begin. Luise Raiiier and Fernand Gravel are opposite each other at the top of the east, and the singing star is Millza Korjus. Hugh Herbert and Lionel Atwlll are featured. Many famous Strauss melodies are included in "The Great Waltz."-

King’s Theatre.—The unforgettable drama ol four women and one man in a house of dreadful, secrets is the story of ‘■Ladies in Retirement.” Ida Lupiuo gives a brilliant performance as the masochistic 1 woman who murders Iter mistress to keep a roof-over the heads of her pathetic; sisters. Elsa Lanchester and Evelyn Keyes are the sisters, tragically funny in their simplicity and their cunning. Louts Hayward has a murderer’s soul, but he lacss the courage and the motive. Coming to the King's Theatre tomorrow Is "To Be or Not to Be,” in which Carole Lombard will be seen in her last picture. But it has more claim to the interest of picture-goers than the fact that its famous star was accidentally killed between its completion and its release, for American reviewers have bestowed high praise on both her performance in it and the quality of it as'a comedy. Jack Benny supports Carole Lombard. Produced and directed by Ernst Lubitseh, “To Be or Not- To Be” is a romantic comJdy that should give the stars ample scope, Carole Lombard to display the talent that had come to be acknowledged as hers before she died, and .Jack Benny for his Hair for comedy. The featured player* are Robert Stack, Felix Bressart, Lionel Atwlll, Stanley Ridges, and Sig Human.

St. James Theatre.—“The Black Sheep of Whitehall’’ concerns a phony professor who gets mixed up in a spy tangle, and after many breath-takin<; adventures finally brings a spy tb justice. In the scenes ih ’ which Will Hay is disguised as a somewhat severe hospital sifter, he has some deliciously embarrassing moments when “she” finds “she” has to share a room with another nurse. Tomorrow, . “Bahama Passage,” which was shown for one day at the Regent Theatre last week before the season was interrupted by the closing of the theatre, will be brought on at the St.. James Theatre. A technicolour film, “Bahama Passage” stars Madeleine Carrol and Stirling Hayden. To see “Bahama Passage” one would think that God had created the West Indies to the specifications of a Hollywood technicolour cameraman. so well do the Islands fit the colour medium-on the films.

Majestic Theatre.—“The Courtship of Andy Hardy” is another of the famous and popular Hardy Family series. Mickey Rooney is again the star,' and all the other members of the American family whose domestic adventures have been followed by half the world are portrayed by the same actors and actresses as in the past. Lewis Stone is the father, Judge Hardy, and the others are Fay Holden, Ann Rutherford, Cecelia Parker. Sara Haden and Donna Reed. The supporting programme will include a New Zealand Government film, “Recruiting for the W.A.A.C.’s..” a Ministry of Information film, “Wheels for Defence,” a Pete* Smith short and a gazette.

Plaza Theatre. —To whom the greatest praise for “How Green Was My Valley” should go. is a matter for controversy. Richard Llewellyn wrote his great story of the industrial rise and fall of the Welsh valleys. The director, John Forde, constructed a compelling and thoughtful film out of the lives of one family and the cast has created the unforgettable characters who people this broad canvas. ■

Tudor Theatre. —“Joan of Paris” lias somehow caught the whole nightmarish quality of the French national tragedy. Joan is a barmaid who helpsan airman of Fighting France, forced down near Paris, to escape again to England. A strident volley from German rifles is her abrupt end. Giiy Kibbee is the star of the second film, “Scattergood Pulls the Strings.”

Paramount Theatre. —There are uo glorious uaval traditions about “The fleet's In.” Instead there are lots of sailors and girls singing, and enough wisecracks to stock Winchell for a fortnight. Amei'iiau sailors on leave are looking for fun : and that’s exactly what they find. Dorothy Lamour Is the girl who keeps the fleet tn port. The second feature. “Rovin' Tumble weeds,” stars Gene Autry. Smiley Burnette and Mary Carlisle.-

State Theatre. — The change of pro gramme has brought to tile State Theatre, “Sh, The Octopus," and “The Return of Daniel Boone.” The first is a mystery-comedy starring Hugh Herbert, supported by Allen Jenkins ami Marcia Ralston. Bill Elliott heads the cast of “The Return of Daniel Boone,” which is a western drama founded on the famous real life character and full of action, suspense and romance.