ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1930, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

ST. JAMES THEATRE. The highly successful two weeks' season at the St. James Theatre of George Arliss in the splendid drama "The Green Goddess" will terminate after to-morrow night's screening. Tlie picture Is au unusual dramatic treat. Friday's new' attraction will be a noteworthy one, for Sir Benjamin and John Fuller announce the first public presentation in Wellington, commencing at the H o'clock session, of the talking picture record "With Byrd at the Mouth Pole." Screened privately at Government House .in the Vice-Regal presence, and trade" shown at the studio theatre to prominent citizens, the picture excited admiration, and Its excellence drew from Mr. T. B. Strong, Director of Education, who wrote on behalf of, the officers of his Department an unusually flattering letter eulogising the piclure for Its humanness, dramatic value, and its outstanding educational value. Admiral Byrd is seen and heard in the Him, and at the opening he voices a very warm tribute to the people of New Zealand. Danger, daring, drama, comedy, thrills, suspense, and pathos all have a place in the film, wliien is, of course, the only picture of its kind ever made. The reception accorded to it In England, Canada, and the United States has been of tlio warmest. Box plans are at The Bristol. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. ■"All Quiet on the Western Front" "is in its final week at the Paramount Theatre. It is the story of Paul Baumer, transformed from a school boy In a German village to a soldier in the trenches of the Great War. Before he had begun to live, all that makes life worth" living had been snatched away. He is tortured by brutal discipline. He learns that uttermost meaning of the privations and pains of the body, and the more awful sufferings of the soul. One by one he sees his comrades wounded or slain. He goes home for a brief visit . . Vand finds that even his home and his loved ones have changed, in his eyes. He is a stranger in the bosom of his, family, seeing himself at last as i member of a lost generation ... of youth that has never been allowed to live. "All Quiet on the Western Front" is technically, artistically, and, above all, spiritually—flawless. REGENT THEATRE. In "The Locked Door," at the Regent Theatre, Rod., la. liocque takes tho part of Frank Dcvci'caux, who never had a chance. His amusement has, taken the form of other men's women. Ann Carter, secretary to' a man of large interests, accompanies Devereaux to a pleasure boat outsldo the twelve mile limit, and only a pollco raid saves Ann from her foolishness. Devereaux again crosses Ann's trail, and tries to bind her to secrecy as to lite real character. To save Helen, Ann visits him, and refuses to leavo until assured of Helen' 3 whereabouts. In the meantime Reagan, anxious to save his best friend, Dixon, who is seeking Devereaux's life for shattering his home, from murder, arrives to make the philanderer leave the town. Devereaux is shot, but it would spoil the /Story to say by whom. Barbara Stanwyck, as Ann, shows a wonderful emotional range, tho more especially as she is characterising a woman of undemonstrative nature. It Is great acting. Fun is provided by John Bunny as a waiter/ and Zazu Pitts as a telephone girl, while if the scenes on the pleasure boat, with Its 50-yard bar, filled by women clamouring for the "hard stuff," arc true to life, all good Americans are safest ashore. "Crystal Champions," one of safest ashore. The supports are all good. "THIS MAD WORLD." Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's all-talking production, 'This Mad World," featuring Basil Itathbone and Kay Johnson, will open'at the Regent Theatre on Friday. The picture, adapted by Clara Beranger from Francois de Curel's play, "Terre Inhumaine," is said to be a gripping drama arising out of the World War. It is reported the production 'is unique in tho respect that it resembles a stage play more closely than any drama yet adapted for screen purposes. Characteristics of the work which lend itself to this situation are its. cast of only five persons and its unusual time element which limits the action of the play to the hours between 4 o'clock one afternoon and 10 o'clock of tho following morning. In line with the experiment of keeping the picture in play form, William de Mllle was selected to direct the production, Mr. de Mille having an established reputation not only as a motion picture director, but as a playwright. The new de Mille production deals with a phase of the World War rather than with actual military operations, the drama being based on an emotional crisis brought about as the result of a meeting between a French spy and the wife of a German general whoi Is billeted in the home of tho spy's mother on German occupied territory. • ■ KING'S THEATRE. Ramon Novarro, dressed in the handsome uniform of a lieutenant of Napoleon Bonaparte, making his escape from a firing squad; climbing into a beautiful young woman's boudoir in tho dead of night; masquerading as a footman; and duelling his way to fame and fortune are some of the sequences of "Devil MayCare," Novarro'a all-talking musical romance, which Is showing at the King's Theatre. Tho six songs, in this musical romance were written by Herbert Stothart, co-composer of "Rose Marie." " There is an excellent list of supporting featurettea. Bos plans are available at the Bristol. QUEEN'S JHEATRE. Hoot Gibson appears at the Queen's Theatre in "Roaring Ranch." It is all-talking, and deals with the adventurous West at the height of its thrilling speed. Tho plot deals with the efforts of two men, one a rancher, the other a geologist, to win the hand of a pretty school teacher. Tho situation is complicated by a secret oil discovery, and there is action aplenty up to and Including the final fadeout. Playing the part of leading lady in charming Sally Ellers,. one of the most promising of the younger actresses of the screen. ,There is an Interesting and well varied bill of supporting Bound Items. Box plans are available at the Bristol. ARTCBAFT THEATRE. "New Year's Eve" will be screened at the Artcraft Theatre to-night. .Mary Astor and Charles Morton are starred. The search for happiness is the theme. It is an exciting tale of a girl's adventures on the fringes of the underworld. - The' supporting . picture Is the '"Vagabond Queen,," iv which Betty \ Balfour takes the leading part. It is full of comedy incidents that have not been overdone. The tale tells in a rather comic manner how a Princess, who is threatened by the leader of the Republican Party, Is forced to leave the country. When.in London a little servant girl is found, who bears a striking resemblance to Her Highness." She is approached by the Royal advisers, and taken to their country, whore they hoodwink the revolutionists and bring contentment again to the little kingdom. SHORTT'S THEATRE. "Innocents of Paris" is being shown at Shortt's Theatre. Sylvia Beecher with Maurice Chevalier makes her debut as Louise. One of the scenes depicts the famous flea market of Paris, whore junk dealers dispose of their wares. One of the big spectacle scenes is that of a Parisian revue. For this scene, which snow 3 the hero at the pinnacle of his career, over fifty of the most beautiful girts in Hollywood were chosen as a background for the eccentric dancing and pantomime of the star, Chevalier. On Friday Elinor Glyn's story, "Knowing Men," dealing with the ways and wiles of women, will be shown at Shortt's Theatre, also "Mickey the Mouse" in "Mickey's Choo Choo." Carl Brlsson, who became famous ,as Danilo in "The Merry Widow," appears in "Knowing Men," an English production. The cast includes well-known London stage players, and is headed by 'Eltssa Landi as Collette, and Carl Brisson as the bromidic nephew, George Vere, appearing for the first time with a moustache. The remainder of a largo company include Jeanne de Casalls, Helen Haye, C. M. Hailard, Thomas Weguelln, Henry Molllson, Marjorle Lorlng, and Pauline' Saunders. The plot tells how an astute French lady who desired to marry her American niece to her husband's nephew, arranged the match. Straight from a convent school came the niece, Collette, to the home of her aunt, into whoso household she was introduced merely as a paid companion. The nephew, tired of arranged marriages, falls to the lure of this eminently desirable companion—as, in fact, do all ■ the male servants —a phase of the story which gives rise to a'good many comic complications. BRITANNIA THEATRE. "The Wojnan Racket," a great story of the underworld, is %belng shown at the Britannia Theatre. Blanche Sweet and Tom Moore have the leading parts, and they are both heard and seen to r.dvantage. There are good supports. KILBIBNIE KINEMA. With its opening scenes laid in Vienna, intermediate scenes on an ocean liner headed for America and final scenes in tho film colony In Hollywood, "Married in Hollywood," ilie first Viennese operetta to-come to tho talking screen, was 'produced with a lavishness not surpassed by any prior screen effort. Reserve at Theatre Confectionery (Tolephono H-202) and Bristol Piano Co. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. An excellent programme, headed by "The Cohens and Kellys in Scotland," will be screenad at the Empire Theatre to-night. The story commences with both Cohens and Kellys starting out for Scotland with the idea of making ,i fortune off the natives. Both parties arrive , In Scotland unknown to each other, but in I so tough a spot do they find themselves that they sink their ancient enmity to becomo partners again. The cast Is headed by Charlie Murray, George Sidney, Vera Gordon, and Kate Price. An excellent supporting programme includes a special number of the Sportlrig Youth sorles, a sound cartoon, and a Universal talking newsreel. On Friday and Saturday Paramount's all-talking special, "Seven Days Leave," starring Gary Cooper, will be screened. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. Kay Johnson, Charles Bickford, and Conrad Xagel appear at the Capitol to-night in • "Dynamite," a dynamic and colourful cocktall of pretty clrls and coal mines, boudoirs and death cells, country clubs and Courtrooms. Tho story is of a society butterfly who found love in the face of death, a mile iinriertrrounci. It Is Cecil B. do Mlllo's first talking picture, and commences immediately after the orerttire,

GRAND OPERA HOUSE. "Journe3''s End" continues to attract large audiences to tha Grand Opera House. The facilities provided by sound pictures enable a play to be plcturlsed with the dialogue preserved, so that the original scenes can also be retained.! The limits of the stage, however, are not those of the screen, and it is consequently possible for the scenes to be removed when desired from the dug-out which provided tho entire setting for tho stage play. The result is greatly added realism. The picture is an all-British production, presented by 'a cast speaking true English. The part of Stanhope, tho company commander who drugs his mind with' whisky, is taken by Colin Clive He is supported by lan Maclaren as .Lieut. Osborne. David Manners, as Raleigh, Anthony lSushell as Hlbbert, Billy Bevan as Trotter, and Charles Gerrard as Mason. The picture will bo shown at two sessions daily. "HER UXBORX CHILD." Dealing in frank and dramatic fashion with a. most unusual subject, what is said to be a gripping talking picture is to commence next Friday afternoon at the Grand Opera House. Titled "Her Unborn Child," It Is claimed to be a faithful and vivid talking plcturlsatlon of the successful play. The pitiless revealing story of a "boy and girl in love, forgetting everything else," has been woven into a powerfully dramatic talkie. The various reactions of the principal characters furnish one of the most diverting and interesting screen entertainments ever presented. A definite and finely handled leavening of comedy relief affords a pleasing contrast to the gripping dramatic scenes which are the highlights of "Her Unborn Child." An excellent programme of short talkie featurettes Is also being shown. Box plans are now open at the Bristol and. the Berkeley. DE LUXE THEATRE. "The Arizona Kid," showing at the De Luxe Theatre, and starring Warner Baxter, is full of action A dashing, courteous outlaw, tho Arizona Kid lenda an attractive figure to any picture, and the setting has been worthy of Him. His card game, to save Virginia's supposed brother, who betrays him, his easy sheeting home of guilt to the right man, and quick vengeance, his grim wait for justice, while— In the mirror before him he sees the approach of the riding band which seeks his life, are sure strokes, and make this a film better than usual. There is a - supporting programme of wide range, from the departure of tho British Rugby team for Australia, complete with speeches, to Mr. Herbert F. Wood's strong tenor in the song number, "In My Caravan," and Mr. Faul Cullen's orpin number. "Toreador Song." Kearly every thrill known to melodrama is compactly presented in "Temple Tower,", the talking fllni feature, which will open on Friday next at the De Luxe Theatre. Based on H. C. M'Neilo's novel of the same name concerning tho further adventures of Bulldog Drummond,. the picture is rated by many as the most absorbing and breathless production that has been shown for some time. A huge Jewel robbery and the subsequent efforts of various double-crossed crooks and of "Drummond" to obtain the gems forms the basis of the story, in which sudden death, mysterious trap doors, a sinister Masked Strangler, secret tunnels with walls that crush a trespasser ,a mystery girl, and a formidable aggregation of "heavies" play important parts. Kenneth MacKenna, tho brilliant actor who scored so heavily In "Adventure of 513," plays the rolo of Bulldog Drummond, and Marcellne Day that of Patricia Verney. Henry B. Walthall also has an important role In this Fox Movietone feature, directed by Donald Gallaher. Box plans are available at the Bristol and Aitkcn's. MAJESTIC THEATRE. The two last nights are announced at the Majestic Theatre of that exceptionally clever dramatic offering, "Ho Knew Women," a strikingly well-written play, in which Lowell Sherman presents a magnificent performance of a worldly-wise man, and is ably assisted by Alice Joyce, David Manners, and Francis Dado. A topical talking gazette dealing with (lie farewell to the British footballers Is an interesting support. "Paramount on Parade," a big mdsical comedy, which created enthusiasm at Auckland, will commence at the Majestic Theatre on Friday. It is built on a colossal scale, and it is claimed that over 1000 costumes were especially dosigned, made and used in the production, which boasts a wonderful cast of stars led by the popular Maurice Chevalier, who Is credited with making a pronounced hit with his specialties, "The Apache Dance" and song scena, "All I Want Is Just One Girl," and a very captivating melody "Sweeping the Clouds Away," sung amidst gorgeous wrroundings in radiant technlcolour. Ruth Chatterton shows to rare advantage in her own dramatic sceiia "My Maxine,'' 'the song and sketch being from her own versatile pen. * Dennis King, Mltzi Green, Richard Arlen, George Bancroft, Clara Bow, Clivo Brook, Nancy Carroll, '-Cilma O'Neill, William Powell, Abe Lyman, Harry Green, Gary Cooper, and Jack Oaklc are also seen in this remarkable entertainment. Box plans are at The Bristol. * OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. "Marianne," the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer alltalking attraction, starring Marlon Davles, is to bo shown at Our Theatre to-night It Is a story about a French peasant, girl who tried her hardest to keep Allied soldiers at arm's length at the end of the war, but finished up by marrying one of them. Special sound featurettes complete. the programme. NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. "The Tollers," starring Douglas Fairbanks, jun., and Jobyna Ralston, is being shown at the New Princess Theatre. Supporting the excellent main picture is another fine film, "Protection," and there is also a gazette, a serial, and a comedy.