ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 98, 23 October 1934, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. ■ In "Bulldog Drummontl Strikes Back,'] j at tho Itegent Theatre, the adventures of c Ronald Colman as tbe amateur detective ( hold tho attention of tho audience from . start to finish. Hugh Drummond (Ronald , Colman), m the .story, decider to go to ] Sussex to grow hollyhocks. He had just , come back from South Africa to attend | the wedding of his friends Algy (Charles i Butterworth) and Gwen (Una Merkcl). . He goes out to visit them, but gets lost ) in a London fog and wanders iuto an ' apparently deserted house, and here he t iinds the body or' a murdered man. On ; his return with a policeman, the body ( is gone and the Hindu Prince AchmeJ appears. The mysterious crime at once engages his attention, and Sussex aud hollyhocks are forgotten. He iinds that } Achmed is playing a desperate game—halt j a million pounds is at stake, the value ot ' a cargo of furs. A radiogram is the clue t to the mystery. Drummond secures it, 1 the cargo goes up in flames, and the Hindu ( commits suicide. The hero's reward is the i hand of the beautiful Lola Field (Loretta , Young). J GRAND OPERA HOUSE. ] Lack of knowledge of some of the most , important facta of life has been and is , responsible for an appalling number ot j wrecked minds and shattered bodies , Shrouded in a cloak ot false modesty and , prudery, dangerous infections diseases, j sometimes called social diseases, have j been Dermitted to prey upon humauity. ( when frank enlightenment aa to the facts , would have proven an invincible weapon * against them. "Damaged Lives," the pic- , ture now at tho Grand Opera House, emphasises the necessity for wholesome education about this sinister menace of both ancient and modern civilisation. Sponsored by the various social hygieue associations of the world, which for years have waged an unceasing battle against . the mistaken policy of secrecy where vital • facts are concerned, "Damaged Lives" is J at once an intensely dramatic talking pic- ', tnre and a forceful influence that cannot | be ignored by those who see it. DE LUXE THEATRE. ! The renowned German production "Won- | dor Bar," is being presented at the De Luxe Theatre. The inimitable Al Jol- ' son is shown in his element as one of \ the finest mimics and comedians in the | world, and in the other leading roles are ' such favourites as Kay Francis, Dolores del Rio. Dick Powell, Ricardo Cortcz, Guy : Ktbbee, Hugh Herbert, and Louise Faz- ' enda. The whole story is confined to the \ span of a day and a night, the skeins of ' a number of lives becoming tangled at the Wonder Bar, and drama and comedy ' alternating throughout the film. In addition the programme is notable for the . return of Miss Iris Mason, the New Zealand girl organist, who appears in a series of attractive numbers. ARTCRAFT THEATRE. "1 Cover the Waterfront," United Anists' thrilling and spectacular adaptation of Max Miller's best-selling novel, with its background of high-powered news, smuggling, and romance, will commence this evening at the Artcraft Theatre. Ben Lyon, playing opposite Claudette Colbert, haa the role of a reporter who aids Federal men in running down a gang of pseudo-fishermen, headed by Ernest Torvenee, whose real racket is smuggling Chinese into the. United States. After landing hordes of the undesirable aliens ! under the very no.«cs of the authorities, I the mystery is finally solved. The Chinese are inside sharks delivered to a fertiliser factory. The supporting programme comprises' a Silly Symphony cartoon entitled •'Boars and Bees," an item of the "Strange as It Seems" series, a travelogue. "Truces of Civilisation .in Ancient Java,'' a Paths Gazette, and a Fax News. PRINCESS THEATRE. "The Thin Man" is now screening at the l.'rincess Theatre. William Powell plays the leading role, with the lovely Myrna Loy as his leading lady. "The Thin Man" is probably the most gripping and exciting picture that has reached the screen recently, yet it teems with sparkling humour and smart dialogue throughout. The story is Nick Charles's story of a retired detective who is deprived of a pleasure trip to New York on his wealthy wife's money by three baffling murders which he is called upon to solve. The second attraction is the comedy "Meet My sister." SHORTT'S THEATRE. "Let's Fall in Love,' starring Edmund Lowe and Ann Sothern, is now being shown ! at Shortt's Theatre. Hailed as one of the season's most unique and tuneful musical offerings, it is entirely different from ' the nil? of musicales which has flooded screens recently, as its music is worked ' into the story in a logical and convincing manner. Even-without, tho music it would still be an outstanding dramatic prod-.ic- i tion. The second picture, "The Criminal Code," is a superbb'-acted, vivid romance o: prison life—a gripping, poignant ro- : mimee, with a plot packed with suspend. ' BRITANNIA THEATRE. ; The inner workings of a metropolitan \ police force in tracking criminals are dealt with in the murder mystery drama "From Headquarters," at the Britannia Theatre. The story opens with the murder of a millionaire, and follows the search for the slayer through scientific investigations .at . police headquarters from t,h_e ; finger printing of suspects to their inquisition in the darkened third degree room. The mystery is made doubly baffling through a second murder which takes place under the very noses of the police. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. At the Empire Theatre this evening "A Cuckoo in the Nest," starring Ralph Lynn and Tom Walls, will be screened. All ; the trouble and all the fun in the story arise out of the inconsequence of Ralph Lynn. On Wednesday find Thursday "Xana" will be screened. OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. The histories of many great American merchants, who built huge fortunes for neglected children to squander, have been welded into one dramatic theme and portrayed in "Sweepings," now showing at Our Theatre. Lionel Bariymore is starred. The second feature, "The Big Brain," is a drama of a barber shop flunkey who de- '• velops into a big promoter. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. At the Kilbirnie Kinema tonight there will be a benefit performance for the Kilbirnie Cricket Club. A double-feature programme will be screened, iucludinsr "The Black Cat" and "Meet the Baron." These two pictures will be preceded by other subjects, commencing at 7.30. Tomorrow the feature picture will be "Nun:\," with Anna Stcn. KING'S THEATRE. Paramount Films' loucj-awaited "Search for Beauty," with the thirty international "search-for-beauty" content winners, including Colin Tapley and Joyce Nielsen, of New Zealand, is now showing at the King's Theatre. It is not just a spectacle of youth. but a comedy-drama with a story brimming over with rib-tickling situations. Thirty of tho world's most beautiful women and handsome men, picked from 17(5,000 contestants throughout the world, were brought ' together to embellish this lavish show ; with their physical perfection. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. ' Tonurht at the Regal Theatre "Jack Ahnv""will be screened. A powerful cast of funsters, headed by Jack Hulbert and Nancy O'Ncil, make this a screamingly funny farce. On Wednesday and Thursday Mac West will be seen in "I'm No Angel." QUEEN'S THEATRE "Tnrzan the Ape Man," at the Queen's h Theatre, is a story of an ivory-hunting expedition, including a. girl, which encounters a herd of apes. led by a giant white man, who carries Jane away. A love springs up between Jane and Tarzan the ape man. Jane is subsequently rescued by her friends. The adventurers are about to be i put to death by p.vßinie3 when Tarzan I comes to their aid. Subsequently the prin- , cipal of the expedition dies of injuries. Jane decides to stay in tho jmiplc with . Tarzan, and Moll, leaves Ihcm, giving up '■ I ho frirl whrn he sees that she vrally loves the treetop protector. j

STATE THEATRE. }.!alph Lynn and Ten Walls add another success to their already large list by their performance iv ''Turkey Time" at the State Theatre. The scene is laid in a seaside town at Christmas time, and a pretty actress of a wandering troupe causes all the trouble. Walls, who \n aflianccd, rescues her from an embarrassing situation, only to place her in a worse one. Lynn, who has already seen her aud fallen in love with her, endeavours to rectify matters, but, of course, makes them worse still. \Y alls's sweetheart is upset at his conduct, I and the society family, with whom he and t Lynn are staying, are thoroughly disgusted. Robertson Hare, the late Mary Btougb, D. A. Clarke-Smith, Veronica Hose, Dorothy Hyson, and Xorma Varden are also in the east. ST. JAMES THEATRE. An intensely human drama is unfolded in "Riptide," at the St. James Theatre. Tho fascinating Xorma Shearer is in the title rote. Briefly, the story deals with a very modern young lady who becomes the wife of a matter-of-fact English lord. Used to freedom and thought of action, 6he feels caged by the atmosphere of oppression. During the absence of her husband in America, she meets a former sweetheart when on a visit to the Continent, and finds exhilaration iv the outlet of her pent-up emotions. He willingly reciprocates, but the appearance of an enterprising newspaper cameraman during a compromising .situation loosens the foundations of domestic happiness between the girl and her husband. After much deliberation my lord is prepared to forgive and forget, but ensuing complications, unwittingly brought about, result in a marital deadlock. Dramatic sequences follow, but the story culminates in happiness for all. Robert Montgomery and Herbert Marshall have supporting roles. MAJESTIC THEATRE. A most amusing gangster comedy "Embarrassing Moments" is being shewn at the Majestic Theatre. It features that dainty young actress, Marion Nixon, and the handsome Chester Morris. The picture is one long laugh from start to finish, and bristles with action and intriguing situations. Double murder, backstage, on the first night of a big Broadway show, while the gorgeous scenes go through oil the stage, is the theme of "Murder at the Vanities," which commences at the Majestic Theatre on Friday. The leading' man is one of those involved and the producer makes one long franctic effort to keep the police off the stage until the finish of the performance. It is not merely a "leg show," nor is it a series of songs which pall in overdoses. Jack Oakie, as the producer, is as full as over of wisecracks, directed unmercifully at Victor McLaglen, who plays the slightly dumb detective lieutenant, susceptible to a pretty face and a beautiful figure. Carl Brisson, a famous European star, makes his first American screen appearance as the leading man of the stage show, with a fine voice and pleasing personality. PLAZA THEATRE. four young lovers in the "high, hard, truculent" city of New York provide the story of "Change of Heart," the picture in which Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell are now appearing at the Plaza Theatre. Ginger Hogers and James Dunn complete the quartet. As fresh young things from college, the four are at first amazed and then disheartened by NewYork, before they settle down in earnest. On the same programme is an uproarious Buster Keaton comedy, a travelogue of Bangkok, and up-to-the-minute newsreels showing, the burning of the Mono Castle, the arrival of the Duke of Gloucester in Australia, the Endeavour and the Rainbow under full sail, and the havoc of the Wairarapa hurricane. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. A holiday audience at the Paramount Theatre last evening was much impressed by the gripping story, "The Broken Melody," which with its charming music, ulVcctive scenic background, and the excellence of the acting, stands out as screen entertainment far above the ordinary run of talking pictures. John Garrick, as Paul Vcrlaine, a young composer who is wrongly convicted of crime and is transported to Devil's Island, achieves even greater popularity than he gained in "TheLily of Killarney." Margot Grahame is | convincing as his fickle wife, and Merle Oberon is a firm favourite as Germaine, the faithful friend of the ill-starred composer. Short subjects, including an interesting "100 Years in Melbourne" series, aud presentations at the organ complete an excellent programme. RIVOLI THEATRE. The Eivoli Theatre was thronged with enthusiastic patrons yesterday and tha holiday programme was proclaimed a triumphant success. Paul Lukas and Wynne Gibson stole the honours of the evening in "I Give My Love." It is a picture of intense human feeling and situations, embracing a colourful phase of life —that of the artist. With its colourful background and artistic settings, together with some exceptional acting by Miss Gibson and Lukas, this picture is- brilliant entertainment. Eddie Cantor and the Goldwyn Girls received a great reception in "Whoopee," the greatest of all musical comedies. This programme will conclude it successful season this evening. Tomorrow Elissa Landi, Nils Asther, and Paul Lukas will be starred in "By Candlelight." DE LUXE THEATRE^ LOWER HUTT. j "Glamour," an Edua Ferber story based on the theme of the eternal triangle, screens tonight and tomorrow night at the De Luxe Theatre, Lower Hutt, with Paul Lukas and Constance Cummings in the leading roles. As the story opens Miss Cummings, a chorus girl, worms herself into the affections of Lukas, a composer of successful musical plays, and he devotes his talents to the advancement of the girl. Finally, the two are married. At length, however, Phillip Reede is engaged as her leading man, and soon afterwards the two fall in love with each other, with the broken-hearted husband pretending indifference in order to preserve his wife's happiness. Reed and Miss Cummings are married and the wife subordinates herself to further her latest husband's talents. But the final sequence o£ "Glamour" brings about a series of dramatic events which shed new light on this age-old situation. GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. "Whoopee," the peak spectacle of the show world, will play a return season at the Grand Theatre, Petone, commencing tomorrow. "Whoopee" is remarkable for the beauty of its technicolour, and for the clarity of its sound recordings. The famous comedian, Eddie Cantor, heads a great cast. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. One of the most genuinely interesting motion pictures of the season is "Beloved," the Universal "musical romance of a century," which opeti6 at the Palace Theatre, Petone, tomorrow. John Boles and Gloria Stuart play featured roles, and Boles sings several songs as only he can sing them —simple, moving songs of the heart. Support is given by Dorothy Peterson, Edmund Breeso, Anderson Lawler, Lncillo Gleason, Morgan Farley, Richard Carle. Mac Busch, Ruth Hall, and many others. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. "Tarzan and His Mate," will be shown at the Capitol Theatre tonight. Featuring Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan, the story is a continuation of the picture "Tarzan the Ape Man," in which a white girl by choice stopped in the jungle with a primitive man. SEASIDE PICTURES, LYALL BAY. At the .Seaside Pictures tonight at 7.45 Paul Muni will be seen in "Hi, Nellie." It is an exciting story of newspaper life which combines uproarious comedy with thrilling action. Muni has the role of an editor who can't forgive even the woman he loves for falling down on a story. Glenda Parrel! is one of the principals.