ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 21, 25 July 1934, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE,

"The Red Wagon" is being shown at the Regent Theatre. The cast includes Charles Bickford, Raquel Torres, and Greta Nissen. Left an orphan at an early age, Joe Prince, who has the circus blood in his veins, joins a travelling show in England. By perseverance and hard work he rises to the star act, and on the death of the "boss" he becomes proprietor of the circus. Falling in love with the pretty star of a tiger-taming act, he is betrayed by his best friend, and marries -a beautiful gipsy girl on the re-, bound. Then the trouble starts. Being a gipsy his wife is not accepted by the circus folk, and when she starts interfering the performers and hands leave one by one. On top of this another circus forestalls him at every town, and the climax comes when after a hand-to-hand light between his men and his rival's men his wife clears off with her lover aud her husband's money. "Love, Life, and Laughter." "Love, Life, and Laughter," a very musical entertainment, which is to commence next Friday at the Regent Theatre, is notable for having Gracie Fields, undoubtedly one of the most popular stars of the pre-sent-day screen, in the principal role Every time Gracie Fields appears on the screen she brings . with her songs that prove to be really popular hits. This was the case in each of her three previous pictures, and the five catchy numbers which the illimitable "lass from Lancashire" sings in this her latest and undoubtedly her greatest musical comedy, are said to be destined to be sung, played, and whistled all over the world. The title song, "Love, Life, and Laughter," is a gem, and is. ideally suited to Gracie, who radiates each of these attributes as no one else does. The number is an extremely joyous one, yet retaining something of a martial air in it as well. Then there is the inevitable comic song, Out in the Cold, Cold Snow." There is also a beautiful little melody in waltz time, "Chefie," which is presented in an exceptionally clever and novel form.

GRAND OPERA HOUSE,

With Wallace Beery and George Raftas rivals for the slap-stick, rough and tumble popularity which meant leadership in the bad old days when the Bowery was a sailor's paradise, the success of "The Bowery" at the Grand Opera House is thorough. Beery is the king ol the only saloon in this street of queer gamblers, confidence men,- and worse. Beery, as Chuck Connors, is a sport, quaintly uncouth and boorish. Raft, as "Steve," is quite a polished gentleman by comparison, but nevertheless a sport also. The rivals are leaders of bitterly opposed fire brigades, and the finest scrap of a series is presented when the brigadesmen clash at a fire. Chuck rashly wagers that he will hand over his saloon to Steve U Steve jumps oft Brooklyn Bridge. Steve has everything ready to drop a dummy and swim out under water from below the bridge to rise at the right time, but they steal his dummy, and he has to make the jump. Standing watch over the saloon to stave off a raid by Carrie Nation with an army of Prohibition women, Chuck is told that Steve has survived, and invites Carrie into Steve s saloon, where the wreck is awful.' Jackie Cooper plays a big part. The ending is quaint.

DE LUXE THEATRE.

"Uncertain Lady" is at the De Luxe Theatre. The picture reveals what happens when a modern, sophisticated business woman loses her husband to another girl. She is quite willing to let her husband go, but expects another in return, and places upon her de.faulting spouse the duty of finding his successor. His efforts are • not'very successful, and when the lady herself takes.a hand in the game things assume a new aspect. For the wife knows a very wealthy and very attractive shipowner, and when he comes to the rescue there is a change all round. There is quite an unexpected ending. Kdmund Lowe and Victor McLaglen play together in "No More Women," a riotous saga of salvage divers, which commences at the De Luxe Theatre on Friday. Divers by day and Romeos by night, they fight and caress their way through a veritable cyclone of adventures and romance. It all begins when Lowe "outsmarts" McLaglan, a diver on a competing salvage tug, by recovering 20,000 dollars in gold from a submerged rum-runner. Matters are not improved when the tug on which Vie works is inherited by a young and attractive gjrl, played by Sally Blanc. Eddie promptly quits his boat to join her crew, causing Vie to be demoted. From then on the fun is intense, with more than a sufficient number of sirens to give the rival divers cause for conflict. Along with the comedy, the picture unfolds thrill after thrill, reaching a climax in a desperate fight for life on the ocean bottom.

PARAMOUNT .THEATRE.

The last two nights of "The Man Who Changed His Name," which is regarded generally as the best story by the late Edgar Wallace, are announced at the Paramount Theatre. The supporting 'picture subjects are as good as the main feature. Betty Siockfield, the actress with the .beautiful speaking voice, and Lyn Harding, act convincingly.- Paul T. Cullen contributes pleasing numbers.

British Dominions Films' talking triumph, "Sorrell and Son," will have its Wellington premiere at the Paramount Theatre on Friday. The picture will open at the matinee, and a gala performance will be held at 8 p.m. A classic of literature and a classic of the silent screen of -unbounded popularity, it now comes before the public as one of the biggest talking film successes of the day. The critics agreed that there never was a more striking emotional drama than the silent film and it is said that the talking version excels it. H. B. Warner again plays "Sorrell," the part he made famous. He was selected after others had tried and failed to satisfy the producers .because they found that there was none other within the ranks of the acting profession who could play Sorrell as well as he. Warner brings to the talkie a rich and eloquent speaking voice which enables him to make Sorrell stand out as one of the greatest film-acting triumphs of recent years. The supporting players include Winifred Shotter, Peter Penrose, a remarkably clever boy actor, Hugh Williams, and Margot Grahame.

KING'S THEATRE.

An unusual theme, involving the adventures of a handsome and magnetic rogue masquerading as a famous surgeon, was hit upon for the production of "Bedside," at the King's Theatre. The masquerader, played by Warren William, has a way with women which wins him tremendous success in the profession. li 4 fact, it is this way with women, together with his passion for hard liquor and the gaming table, that is responsible for his dismissal from a medical school.

QUEEN'S THEATRE,

Clark Gable and Jean Harlow appear together at the Queen's Theatre in "Red Dust," a romantic adventure story laid amid the rubber plantations of Indo-China. The screen version was filmed on a pretentious scale. The plantation setting alone occupied an entire sound stage. Porches, mat roofs, and floorings of rough-hewn timber construction were duplicated from photographs. The second attraction is the intriguing romance, "Shipmates," starring Robert Montgomery. ■Two Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer pictures are billed for screening, commencing on Friday, at the Queen's Theatre. The everpopular and adorable Joan Crawford will be seen in Bayard Veiller's sensational stage success "Within the Law," with a thrilling underworld plot. Miss Crawford is ably supported by a big star cast, including Robert Armstrong, Marie Prevost, Kent Douglass, and other' favourite players. The second attraction will be the mystery thriller "Guilty Hands," starring Lionel Barrymore, Kay Francis, Madge Evans,- William Bakewell, and Polly Moran. . .

BRITANNIA THEATRE.

"Take a Chance," at the Britannia Theatre, is a gay bit of nonsense concerning the careers of four carnival side-show entertainers who become tired of smalltown life and decide to snatch fame and fortunes on Broadway. The picture follows the careers of the four irrepressible youngsters through the villainies of a crooked gambler and a jealous actress. "The King's Cup," from a story by Sir Alan Cobham, is also being shown.

STATE THEATRE.

"Romantic New Zealand," at the State' Theatre, is an entertaining combination of travelogue, historical picture, and variety show. Commencing with the discovery of Aew Zealand by the Dutch voyagers and' with Cook's visit at a later date, the film goes on to depict with a wealth of detail the lives and customs of the Maoris and the scenic wonders of the Dominion. To the accompaniment of a pleasant explanatory voice the camera takes one on a tour of the thermal wondere of the North Island, of big game and trout fishing places in sea and river, of the To=gariro National Park and Mount Cook winter sports grouuds, of Otago and West Coast gold-mining areas, and of the glaciers and torcsts, and agricultural and pastoral country of the whole Dominion. Topical views are presented of the four main centres. An outstanding feature of the film is the use in many parts of the Trucolour process, a New Zealand invention which reproduces every colour with the fidelity of Nature itself. On the same programme is "Red Ensign," a gripping story of the British mercantile marine.

MAJESTIC THEATRE.

It is noticeable that songs and music features are being, interspersed regularly with cinema "shorts." The Majestic Theatre has enlisted the aid of Silver's band of musicians, known as the Majestic Stage lreseiitation Band. The main picture, "bitting Pretty," is a production concerned with songs, and leads from New York to Hollywood, where Jack Oakie, song writer, and Jack Haley, with Ginger Rogers, both singers, after varying experiences at last succeed and "sit pretty" the star performers. "Sitting Pretty" is a spectacular and tuneful production in which mirth and love are part of the composite pattern.

ST. JAMES THEATRE.

A. A. Milne's exceptionally clever comedy "Th o Dcver Road" is at the St. James Theatre. This picturised version of "The Dover Road" specialises in three of the Milne characters—Anne, Latimer, and Eustasia. Billie Burko's Eustasia is very line. The fussy woman who plagues men to . death ivith her minute and persistent attentions proves to be well within Miss Burkes range, and there is not a dull moment so long as Eustasia is tormenting her male victims. Diana Wynyard and Clive Brook give finished performances in the leading roles.

PRINCESS THEATRE,

"Queen Christina," at the Princess Theatre, is the story of Sweden's glamorous regent who sacrificed . her country and her throne for love and rehgious motives. Christina (Greta Garbo), besieged on all sides by wars, obtains peace for her country against the wishes of Sweden's triumphant armies. Uurmg an incognito flight from the worries of statecraft sho meets Gilbert, the handsome Spanish envoy, and falls in Jove with him. ;ihe love affair ends tragically, and Christina sails away from her homeland.

SHORTT'S THEATRE.

"Once to .Every Woman," at Shortt's Theatre, is based on A. J. Cronin's magazine novelette, "Kaleidoscope in *X.' " Fay Wray is featured opposite Ralph Bellamy, lhe story concerns the dramatic entanglement of the lives of a number of people in. the love affair of Miss Wray and a brilliant young surgeon. A supporting picture is "The Line-Up," which depicts what happens when a young detective is forced to put his sweetheart through a grilling police line-up.

ARTCRAFT THEATRE,

"Say It With Music," at the Artcraft Theatre, presents Jack Payne and his band in a logical human story. This has reference to the dramatic history of the Irving Berlin number "Say It With Music," Jack Payne's signature tune. It concerns the fortunes of Philip Weston, a composer, who fails to write the music popular today, and therefore is practically destitute. How Payne brings fame to Weston makes a sentimental but wholly successful background for exploiting the popular band. Percy Marmont is excellent in the role of Philip AVeston. The supporting programme is both lengthy and well varied.

SEASIDE PICTURES.

At the Seaside Pictures, Lyall Bay, tonight May Robson and Lewis Stone will be seen in "You Can't Buy Everything." A powerful dramatic theme deals with the conflict between a woman's craving for gold and love for her crippled son. In addition, there is the motive of vengeance on a former lover who jilted her in her youth. She wrecks banks and shakes Wall Street with her manipulations and coups. Then, her revenge complete on the banker she hates, she finds her son and his daughter in love, and a tremendous dramatic climax follows.

RIVOLI THEATRE,

That inimitable character comedienne Lillian Leighton has an excellent opportunity of displaying Her laugh-making proclivities in the dramatic film, "The Grand Parade," which comes to the Rivoli Theatre tonight. Miss Leighton has the part of the -wardrobe mistress with a travelling minstrel show, in this Howard Emmett Rogers story. Playing the leading roles in "The Grand Parade" are Helen Twelvetrees, screen favourite; Fred Scott, noted concert singer; Marie Astaire, former vaudeville singer and dancer; Bud Jamieson, Richard Carle, Russell Powell, and Tom Malone.

EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY.

•"I Lived with You," starring Ivor Novollo and Ida Lupino, is to be screened at the Empire Theatre this evening. How eacli member of a family comes under the spell of an attractive foreigner, until the entire house is completely disorganised," forms the basis of this delightful story, in which brilliant comedy alternates with charming sentiment. An added attraction entitled "The Way of the Wild" will also be screened. On. Friday and Saturday Eddie Cantor will be seen in "Roman Scandals."

REGAL THEATRE, KARORI

Tonight at the Regal Theatre "Morning Glory," with Katharine Hepburn and Doug. Fairbanks, jun., in the starring roles, will be screened. The story is laid in the backways o£ 'the stage life of Xew York, and Miss Hepburn is cast as a highly emotional actress who rises to great heights.. Special supports include a cartoon, a comedy, and a newsrecl. On Friday and Saturday "Carolina" -will ue screened.

CLEM DAWE REVUE COMPANY.

Box plans for the Clem Dawe Revue Company's season, which commences at the St. James Theatre on Friday, August 3, will open at the D.I.C. tomorrow mornin" The company is just completing eight triumphant weeks in Auckland. They enjoyed a run of over twelve months between Sydney and Melbourne, six months in Perth, seven months in Brisbane and Adelaide, and 3G weeks in Tasmania. For his New Zealand tour Mr. Dawe^has surrounded himself with a galaxy of international vaudeville, operatic^ pantomime, and revue artists, some of wliom have delighted local playgoers on former occasions, while the others will be making their first appearance here. One's memory ot the really rubber-faced Clem Dawe goes back to pantomime days, when as principal comedian of the J. C. Williamson Ltd. company he used to plead to his audiences to "keep an eye on ray umbrella," but his greatest triumphs were Avon when lie was the outstanding artist of the- "Midnight Frolics" organisation. The merit of Uem Dawe's present attraction is its variety o£ entertainment, as in addition to the comedy there will be music, dancing acrobatic features, ballets, and the latest novelties in sketches and comedy scenes from London and New York. Particularly strong are the vocalists, including as it does Miss Muriel O'Mallcy, who possesses a contralto voice of remarkable range and quality. The soprano singer is Miss Ann Luciano, who won the coveted gold medal at the Andrew McCunn School of bulging Miss Dorothy White is a comedienne out of the ordinary. A sensation was created in Auckland lirthe acrobatic dancing of Hallklay and Watson, and Joe Shriner, a notable New York artist has a rich baritone voice and also supports Clem Dawe in many of his most humorous sketches. Cliff O'Keefe is a singer and character actor, and Erie Eclpcley and .bes White are two comedians who are also well and favourably known here. .Ralph Daly is a tenor singer. Miss Edna Moncneft is regarded as Australia's finest toe dancer, and Miss Edna Luscombe is « brilliant tap-dancer.

OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN

Playing the role of her lifetime, Greta Garbo appears in "Queen Christina," to be shown at Our Theatre tonight. The picture relates how Christina, besieged on all sides by wars, obtains peace for her country against the wishes of Sweden's triumphant armies. It is during an incognito flight from the worries of statecraft that she meets Gilbert, the handsome Spanish envoy, and falls madly dv love with him.

KILBIRNIE KINEMA

"The Women in His Life," now showing at the Kilbirnie Kinema," deals with gripping events in the life of a great metropolitan lawyer who, though disgraced, saves the life of an innocent man from a sentence of death after the rebirth of his own soul.

CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR.

"It Happened One Night," a brilliant comedy-drama which features Clark" Gable, Claudette Colbert, and Walter Connolly, commences a season at the Capitol Theatre tonight. Rich in comedy, drama, and thrilling romance, the story tells of a wealthy young heiress who is imprisoned by her father on a yacht when he learns of her secret marriage to an adventurer. The girl escapes and then meets Clark Gable on a bus in which both are trying to reach New York. The pair have many adventures of a highly-amusing nature until romance starts to complicate matters still further.

GLIDE SKATING RINK

This evening's session at the Glide Skating Rink in Wakefield Street will com•nence at 7.30 p.m. The latest American music will be featured, and prizes will be given for the Monte Carlo and Lucky Circle, and the popular Singing Twilight Trios will be introduced. Tomorrow afternoon the usual college session will be held.

NEW ROYAL ROLLER RINK

As now remodelled on latest theatre lines, the New Royal Roller Rink in Vivian Street is attracting Wellr.gton's best clientele. A skilled staff of instructors is available for the assistance of those desiring to learn skating under congenial conditions. Tonight the .late session will include many novelties and competitions, whilst the Royal Skating Band, in conjunction with the celebrated Australian saxophonist, Ivan Royston, will again render captivating music. A special hockey match between the Wellington representative team and the R.R.R. will be played. The rink is open daily for five sessions, commencing at 10 a.m., with a special school session tomorrow afternoon between 3 and 5.15. The St. John Ambulance Brigade is holding a monster skating benefit party tomorrow evening, and many attractions will be provided, including a stretcher competition.