ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 14, 17 July 1934, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE,

Tie glamorous days of the nineties nud the cosmopolitan locality known at that time as "the livest mile iv the I world," provide the time and place elements in "The Bowery," a roystering drama featuring Wallace Beery, George Raft, Jackie Cooper, and Fay \v ray at the Kegent Theatre. The central figures are Chuck Connors (Beery) 'ana Steve Brodie (Kai'tj, leaders ot rival Bowery gangs. The first is a swashbuckling . but warm-hearted saloonkeeper, and the second a. devil-may-care gambler. Each man is the leader 01 a volunteer fire brigade, and their first real clash occurs when both brigades turn out to a (ire in a house occupied by Chinese. A love interest intrudes when Chuck Connors affords his protection to a pretty girl. In holding the girl's aflections Chuck finds his rugged extenor and manner no match for the more handsome Steve Brodie, and Steve conceives a bold idea to dethrone his nval from his position as head of the liowoiy Laying a wager against Connors's Hotel, Steve announces his intention to jump off Brooklyn Bridge, and -thereby becomes the most talked of man in the district. He intends to throw a dummy into the water, but the dummy is stoleu just before the jump is to take place. The subsequent proceedings are largely wrapped up in the bridge exploit, and provide a splendid climax. GRAND OPERA HOUSE! "White ' Woman," a dramatic feature with Charles Laugh ton, Carole Lombard, Uiarles Bickford, and Kent Taylor in the star roles, opened at the Grand Opera House last night. The production is an excellent oue with an unusual theme and noteworthy for the excellent acting in an attractive background.' Charles Laughton, as king of the river, a trader who has won power and affluence in Malaya plays a queer role with great distinction. He controls.natives-and a. few white men with a maniacal ■ delight and scant-regard for propriety. His chief hold upon his European assistants is knowledge of crimes they have committed. In those conditions Iveut Taylor . and Carole Lombard find themselves beset with 'danger and humiliation. They form an alliance and win their freedom .in the midst of tragedy. The trading post is raided by an angry tribe and the mad king of the, river pays the supreme tax. The supports are interesting in themselves and of varied appeal. DE LUXE THEATRE. The favourite -comedian Joe 13. Brown appears with Jean Muir, Johnny Mack Brown, and Thelma Todd in "Son of a ■Sailor," an uproarious farce of naval life at the De Luxe Theatre. Iv this •■■ breezy, : fast-moving absurdity, from the' time that Joe E. Brown is inveigled into fighting: in ..the final of the navy middle-weight boxing championship until he' Snds himself on an abandoned battleship due to be sunk by bombfire there is always something happening. The doings of Joe on shore, his kidnapping by a beautiful girl, his visit to the home of a famous admiral, and what happened afterwards, are the setting for the display of the famous comedian's, extraordinary antics. 'Should"a wife give up her husband to another woman if she's guaranteed another husband just as good? That's the unique situation in the domestic problem that besets Genevivc Tbbin and Edward Everett Horton in 1-Universa!'s. sophisticated -com-edy-drama,- '•Uncertain' Lady," which comes to the De.Luxe Theatre next Friday. The picture is adapted irom the tamous London stage play, "The Behaviour of Mrs. Crane." There is laughter galore m this amusing and highly sophisticated story of uncertain ladies and certain gentlemen. An unusually meritorious supporting cast includes Mary Nash, George Meeker, Paul Cavanagh, Kenec Gadd. Dorothy Peterson, and Herbert Coitholl. PPINCESS - THEATRE. Out of the yellowing pages of metropolitan newspapers a dramatic story has been rescued for- the:screen. The picture, is, "The "Women In . His Life," which is. novr r showing ■at the Princess Theatre. It is the story of, sensational trials, of life behind the scenes'-of courtrooms and lawyers' offices, of a-spectacular barrister who always wins the cases for his clients, be they guilty or innocent, but who lets..a woman of bis past wreck his future Otto Kruger is the princial actor. ; CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. "Mr. Skitch" is screening at the Capitol Theatre -tonight. Will Rogers, as the head of a family of six, starts off on an auto tour with the hope of regaining the family fortune. He lands a job as a waiter, gambles.his first dollar, and wins a small fortune, only to have his wife lose the money. ) How. Rogers and his family finally' emerge from financial difficulties brings.the film,to a hilarious conclusion; '': -' . . v" y SHORTT'S THEATRE. "Fog," which is now being shown at Shortt's Theatre, is a mystery ■ thriller. It is a startliugly realistic story of what might actually happen aboard a transatlantic liner when .men .and women Of strong hates, and passions are grouped together in an eerie, sombre setting amidst ; the weird; shrieks of a blatant fog-horn; 'Donald Cook,: Mary Brian, and Reginald Denny;play the important roles. Jack Holt is the featured player' in "Master of Men," a powerful drama.. .''.: .! •' ' - •-.'-. ■ ; KING'S THEATRE. Charlie Ruggles,., Mary. Boland, W. C. Eelds, Alison Skipworth,.George Burns, and Gracie Allen, Paramount's leading comedians, are responsible for one of the funniest pictures of the, season; "Sis of a Kind," which commenced today at the King's Theatre. 'The story of "Six of a Kind" concerns the ridiculous adventures which '■ overtake': two. simple . souls who start out on their second honeymoon. Box plans are at the D.I.C. and theatre. BRITANNIA THEATRE. When a husband tries to deceive his wife he is almost certain to' become involved in a series of difficulties. This is especially tnie if he is assisted; in his fabrications by. one'as dumb as Stan Laurel, who, with his partner, Oliver Hardy, is seen in the comedy "Sons. of . the Desert," at the Britannia Theatre. The cast includes Charley. Chase, Mac Bnsch, Dorothy Christy, and Lueien Littlefield. Gordon Harker apears in the mystery drama "The Man They Couldn't Arrest." KILBIRNIE KINEMA. Few stories are said to offer a star a wider, range of dramatic- opoprtimities, or a more: dazzling background than are afforded the beautiful Kay, Francis in "The House on 56th Street," now showing at the Kilbirnie Kinema. As the orphan (laughter of a professional, gambler whose beauty wins . her immediate success in Broadway's gayest musical shows. Kay Francis undertakes a role completely" different from anything she has ever attempted before. SEASIDE PICTURES. At the Seaside Pictures, Lyall Bay, tomeht Claudette Colbert will be seen in "Torch Singer." This picture tells of the travails of.Sally Trent, who, because of impoverished circumstances, is forced to give her baby up for adoption. She finds that fame means nothing to her compared with the longing for, her child. Thrilling events lead up to an emotional climax.' RUSSIAN TENOR AND APOLLO SINGERS. The Apollo Singers announce the engagement of Senia Chostiakoff as soloist at their next concert at the Town Hall on August 14. This famous Russian tenor, who was leading soloist with the Don Cossack Choir, will appear, in three groups of songs. In one of the groups he will sing Russian folk songs with vocal accompaniment by the choir. The choir, under Mr. H. Temple White, is practising assiduously on a varied and interesting programme. . ■ . ■■:-'■' . COMMUNITY SING. The weekly midday community sing will be held in the Town Hall tomorrow at 12.30 p.m. The sing will again be under the direction of Mr. Owen Pritchard and Mr. Will Mason. Mr. Frank Crowther will be at the piano, and Mr. Paul Cullen will play selections on the grand organ. The collection will be in nid of the Mayor's Fund for the relief of distress in the city.

! STATE THEATRE. j "Romantic Kew Zealand," a film which, prepared by the Government for exhibition abroad, covers almost every activity iv New Zealand as well as its chief scenic features, is showing at the State Theatre. Nothing stays on the-screen long enough to pall: it is rather a. series of swiftlysucceeding flashes of mountain and stream and man's activities ' chosen with care for their appeal. The spectator is conducted on a tour of the Dominion by a chatty, humorous guide, covering scenes familiar enough to New Zealanders but doubtless possessing the greater attraction of the new and unexpected to audiences in other parts of the world. The southern fiords and lakes, the glorious alpine scenery of'Westland and Canterbury, snow sports, angling, mountaineering in many phases, aerial views of the Southern Alps, the Kaikoura motor route, geueral coastline grandeurs, scenes on station and dairy farm, including the stock which is responsible for the rapid progress of' the country, wheatGelds,' industries of several kinds, including the timber forests of the north, are included. "Red Ensign,"- another long film, is the stirring story of a struggle against official apathy by a! shipbuilder who has invented a new hull and other features which enable a cargo vessel to carry greater tonnage in the same measurement, and how to further reduce freight costs. Leslie Banks has the principal role. ■ ' •■ MAJESTIC THEATRE. In "The Crime " Doctor" at the Majestic Theatre, in which the age-old' themes of the eternal triangle and the perfect crime are combined" in a novel and startling manner, Otto Kreugeiappears as a relentless tracker of criminals, Karen Morley as his wife who loves another, and Nils Asther as the wife's lover and the victim of Kruger's diabolical plot. The criminologist plans nothing so crude as the direct murder of his rival, but executes with cold-blooded precision the killing of a girl and the complete "framing" .of .his enemy as the murder. The audience sees every step iv the carrying out of the crime. ST. JAMES THEATRE. What should be done with a husband who loves his wife.but who is not strongminded enough to resist: another. woma.n who throws herself at his head? Some wives would divorce .such a husband, but Mrs. Dunlap (Irene Dunn) does not do that. Her love for the errant husband must necessarily absorb a good deal of contempt, but through it all she retains a desire to protect him'from the pirate, and, after threatening a sensational divorce suit, she does»not bring it. She acts' in the spirit' of the title of the picture at the St. James Theatre, "This ■ Man is Mine," but in the course of the story she has to mix her tactics considerably, blending a good deal of acid -with wifely sweetness. ' - .' ' ' " V PARAMOUNT THEATRE. Ivor Novello, the . famous actor, composer, arid -playwright, heads a big cast of stage and screen favourites in "I Lived With You,".'a.' picturisation of Noveilo's own stage play, now screening at the Paramount Theatre.. Eleven members of the original stage cast take part in the film version, and Ursula Jeans returned from America specially to' play her original role opposite the star..' Other important members of the cast are Minnie Rayner, Ida Lupino, Dayina 'Craig, Eliot; -Makeham, Jacli Hawkins, and Douglas * Beaumont, and the famous Marie Ranibert. dancers also take part. /'I Lived With You" has an intriguing stop', depicting the domestic life of a charming and,\ unconventional young Russian Prince with a humble and' conservative English family. The prince ultimately brings'every member of the family wider his' spell, until the whole house is completely1 disorganised. ARTCRAFT THFATRE. George Gee,.- the inimitable English eccentric comedian, is starred with Betty A's-till-in "Cleaning Up," which will commence at the Arteraft Theatre this evening.. George Gee has the role of Lord Plumford's son Tony, who, threatens to upset the family traditions by wanting to work, His adventures as a vac.uuin. cleaner salesman are screamingly funny, : ahd finally, he is settled down , comfortably in .married life.. ' ■ ;.- .'; •. ' . ■.; ■' ■. ■ '•■ , ;.," REGAL THEATRE, KARORi: Tonight: Gene Gerrard will appear in "The Love Nest" at the' Regal :Theatre. A hopeless tangle with a .beautiful but scantily-clad stranger demanding shelter, with mother-in-law' and her daughter arriving at the most' inopportune moment, makes tliis an excellent comedy '..picture. On Wednesday and Thursday ."This is the Life" will be screened.' .: .-.'■'. ■■-." QUEEN'S THEATRE. Inner secrets of city-politics; the'working of. the underworld,: and -the astounding story of the-rise -of a gang ruler- are the elements of. "The Secret Sis,":a drama of modern American- life, which -'. commenced at the Queen's (Theatre today. Wallace Beery plays the:'principal' vole. Tho cast also includes Lewis' Stone,. Jolui! Mack Brown, Jean' '. Harlow, MarjbneRambeau. The second' attraction is. William Haines -in the romance <'Way Out West." " -. -■-.■■: ;. . '■-. ■ _;•■ ■"./_s"EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. ■'The .Song ; You .GaveVMc— is to be screened at the-Empire-Tlieatre .'this-even-ing. The story is a bright musical comedy with an excellent mixture gf. mirth,-inei-ody, .and romance. .- On and Thursday Gene Gerrard will' be seen in. "The Love Nest."..-. '.- ....:. ; ....-.; OUR THEATRE, NEVYTOWN. ■ "Little. .Women," - Louisa. .M. Alcott's immortal story of. the ; life, love, laughter;- and -tears of a"fine old-American-fam-ily in- the sixties, will be .screened :at our,| Theatre tonight. "Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Frances' iDee, .Jean-Parker, Paul Lukas, Douglas' Montgomery, and, John Davis Lodge are in the cast: ' ... MAJESTIC LOUNGE. . Dantiing competitions : for the Wellington and. provincial championships will commence at the Majestic Lounge and Cabaret next Friday. Open'to-amateurs only, to whom cash prizes will -be; given, this competition ■is expected, to.-'attract' the best talent, in the province, and. Also promises, interesting, and instructive - entertainment to, the'general public. ;.' Various innovations have recently been introduced in the! cabaret, including spectacular lighting ef-' fects iui the glass dancing floor. The catering service, too, is all that may be desired. The competitive dances, for which the first heat -will be held on' Friday, will be the quickstep and- the modern waltz.