CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Issue 20, 23 July 1935, Page 5

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

•J t ' ' REGENT THEATRE. " In the screen presentation of "The 'Scarlet Pimpernel," the producer, Alexander Korda,- has captured all the romance and , glory from the ■• pages of ;£aroness Orczy's '.well-loved. story ■of -the London society fop, whose' special is to' deny .the. guillotine jits -intended victims.: - Alexander. Koisthi "has achieved success with other his•torical films and;-his latest production "Certainly enhances his', reputatiori. -It- is a picture -well worth > while Tend has been1' retained 'at""'the -Regent for another week. Although 'due credit must be given to the pro•ducer. Leslie Howard in the title volts lhas" scored a real triumph. From •the drawing-rooms and clubs of London, where he is greatly admirea ■by the ladies, the background changes & the troublous times in Paris in 1792 There the guillotine is at work cutting Short the lives of many an aristocrat ■Sir Percy Blakeney and his helpers jhake these unhappy people the main .qbject of their attention, and witrv "audacity and cunning cheat the guillu "tine. Merle Oberon plays opposite Leslie Howard as his pretty Frencn s,vife. "The Scarlet Pimpernel" is a -film which' can-be recommended as ;"one of the best of its kind. There is ■a good supporting programme, including another of the immensely-popular •Walt Disney Silly Symphonies, "God-, Vdess of Spring,",'., .;,.... . . ;• NEW OPERA HOUSE. ~~ One of the greatest casts ever •assembled in a britisn- picture is that .ill the A.T.P. production, "Java Head," •which comes to the New Opera .House ,ori Friday at 2.15 p.m. and .8 p.m. ■ The principal players ■ are John Loder, "iilizabeth Allah, Edmund, Gwenn, and Anna May Wong. John Loder is fast -establishing himself as one of the foremost and most popular* of the screen s leading men, ana his excellent performance in "Java Head" has done much m this direction. Some of his more rlotable screen appearances have been in "You Made Me Love You," "Love, Life, and Laughter," and "Sing As We Go " with Gracie Fields, and "The Private Life of Henry VIII." Elizabeth Allan's appearance in "Java Head" was only made possible by courtesy of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer" studios, to whom she is under, contract. This is the first instance in which a star of Miss Allan's calibre has been temporarily released by a leading American company to appear in a British film. Edmund -Gwenri, lovable old actor, can always be relied on for a good performance, with the result that he is one of the most .popular artists on the screen today. Anna May Wong, the last of the famous quartette of stars in "Java Head," is the lovely Chinese wife in a strange,land. DE LUXE THEATRE. "Hadio Pirates" is now showing at the De '• Duxe Theatre. Mary Lawson, Enid Stamp-Taylor, Leslie French, and Willie Jenkins are the four crazy people who begin to attract attention to themselves, their business, and their music by starting a pirate broadcasting station and setting Scotland Yard on their track. The idea comes when Willie Jenkins makes the error of ordering too many copies of one of his songs and it becomes imperative that something' should be done to save him from bankruptcy. The pirate station has the advantage of being in possession of a team of mimics who can imitate anything from a description of a boxing match in the best ringside accent to an Italian tenor, and the assistance of a small boy who is able to impersonate a whole team of film stars., Thereis not a dull moment in the picture, which is lurther enlivened by Teddy Brown, the famous xylophonist, and Ray Fox and his band. The supporting programme includes newsreels, a novelty pictorial film a coloured cartoon, and finally Mr. Barrie Brettoner, the dashing young organist.' % .With" ;.the-slirill, ;scfea'mi;:;of. .zooming aeroplanes as a background;. Wallace Beery comes to the De Luxe screen in the startling aviation spectacle, "West Point of the Air," which opens on Friday next. Just as "Hell Divers" was the great air epic of the United States navy, so is the new picture a breathtaking revelation of "Uncle Sam's" strength in the Air Corps training centres of the army. Beery in his role of "Big Mike" gives a dramatic portrayal that surpasses even his performance in "The Champ. ■ His pathetic love for a son (Robert Young) whose conceit almost: brings disgrace to the Air Corps builds into the foundation for one of the most smashing screen climaxes ever filmed. Heading the supporting cast as the young romantic lead is Maureen O'Sullivan. Rosalind Russell and 'Lewis Stone are others in the cast.' ' t PARAMOUNT THEATRE. It is not for nothing that Edward G. Robinson is in the first flight of dramatic and character* actors. Broad American in most of his roles, in "The Man With;. Two Faces," the main feature at' the Para-' mount Theatre, he not only has what might be called his usual part; but also the playing of a difficult foreign character; and his performance is impeccable. He and all the players are seen as members of a theatre company,, producing a newlywritten play that marks the "comeback" of a onca stellar actress, whose brilliant promise was ruined by an unhappy marriage with a man who''exerted a hypnotic influence over her. Louis Calhern and Mary Astor have important parts. Laura La Plante is the star in "The ■ Church Mouse," and she is the mouse; but her charm is altogether foreign to rodents. She is the highly-efficient stenographer with a complete lack of personality who insinuates her way into a big banking concern, and her way into the eheart of the head of the film, lan Hunter. Also on the programme is a Universal News, with Grahame McNamee. KING'S THEATRE. : Vienna with all its old Imperial glamour is set in an enticing new frame of music and theme in the blend of music, drama, comedy, and romance, "The Night is Young," which is at the King's Theatre. Evelyn Laye, for her blonde beauty, rich voice, and clear-cut acting powers, handsome Ramon Novarro, for his characteristically positive acting and romantic singing, Charles Butterworth, Edward Everett Horton, and Una Merkel, for their comedy, and Oscar Hammerstein II and Sigmund Romberg for their haunting new music, have together made a fine film. ' ' , Another superlative Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer entertainment commences next Friday at the King's Theatre. It is "After Office Hours," co-starring Clark Gable and Constance Bennett. REX THEATRE. Two admirably-chosen features are now showing at the Rex Theatre. "The Girl from Missouri," the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture which is the major attraction, brings Jean Harlow to the screen in one of the most entertaining pictures to come out of Hollywood in recent months. Miss Harlow is seen as Eadie Chapman, on the hunt for a millionaire husband, in a role that only Jean Harlow could handle. Lionel Barrymore plays the part of T. R. Paige, a financial and political power, who tries to turn heaven and high water to prevent Eadie • from marrying his son Tom (Franchot Tone). In "Flesh," the additional feature, Wallace Beery, Karen Morley, and Ricardo Cortez have the principal parts. As the slow-witted champion wrestler of Germany, who befriends and eventually marries a woman, released from prison, Beery's performance is of the best. ■SEASIDE PICTURES, LYALL BAY. . At the Seaside Pictures tonight at I "Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round" will be* screened, with a brilliant cast. It has in;extremely,strong mystery story, 'excellent comedy,? and a glorious roiiance. The cast includes Nancy Car;pl|vvGene Raymond. Jack Benny, Syd.leyiHoward, and other well-known actors. Electric heating ■ has been installed, in-.the. theatre.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

MAJESTIC THEATRE. "Mr. Dynamite," thus week's picture at the Majestic :Tneatre, :is something out..of the.ordinary in.entertainment. Edmund Lowe,-witty and clever, takes the title role in a part especially made . for him. The story opens • with the murder of a- young man outside a gambling resort which he is leaving with :£ 10,000 in-his possession, though robbery was not the motive for the crime. Dynamite comes to elucidate the mystery, which, of course, baffles the police, and then follows the killing of a famous musician who is shot while playiivy in his own home. With theso two crimes still unsolved the musician.? secretary is exterminated to complete the trilogy of murder. As Mr. Dynamite's secretary, Jean Dixon provides many of the laughs of this always bright picture, while . Esther Ralston, as vivacious as ever, takes the part of a young lady .at first under suspicion but ultimately cleared through the efforts of Dynamite. The supports include a newsreel, an animated cartoon featuring Oswald the Rabbit, a musical revue of dancing, singing, and laughter, and a travelogue of beautiful Hawaii. ST. JAMES THEATRE. Now screening at the St. James Theatre is the musical romance "Naughty Marietta," which fully justifies ' the claims of its ' producers as the most striking presentation of its kind .yet released. The singing of the two principals, Nelsou Eddy, the young operatic baritone who makes his debut in. this picture, and Jeane'tte Mac Donald alone commends it. The story' is briefly that of the lovely princess Marie de la Bonfain (Jeanette Mac Donald) who is being forced by her uncle (Douglas Dumbrille) to marry the.odious Don Carlos de Braganza. To escape this marriage, which \is sponsored by King Louis XV, she exchanges identities with her servant, Marietta, and, armed with the latter's credentials, leaves France as one of forty "casquette" girls bound for the French settlement of Louisiana to find husbands. The ship is captured by pirates, who land with their fair captives in the Everglades, but are routed by a band of woodsmen under Captain Richard Warrington (Ne;son.Eddy), who commences a quaint courtship of Marietta. There are remarkable developments, and finally Captain Warrington breaks in on the schemes of Don Carlos and Louis. The supports include newsreels, a travel-talk, and a new and 'amusing Laurel and Hardy comedy. PRINCESS THEATRE. "Father Brown, Detective," is the principal feature now showing at the Princess Theatre. Walter Connolly is the amiable, eccentric, and foxy old character who catches thieves with kind words and intelligence where1 the police of the world had failed. Paul Lukas, Gertrude Michael, Robert Loraine, Una O'Connor, and Halliwell Hobbes appear in the featured cast. Comedy and melodrama are, expertly interwoven in "Happiness Ahead," featuring Dick Powell and Josephine Hutchinson. The star cast includes Frank McHugh, Allen Jenkins. Ruth Donnelly, and Dorothy Dare. There is a well-varied selection of short subjects. ■ . .•:..■. SHORTT'S THEATRE. Columbia's "Let's Live Tonight," costarring those two continental favourites, Lilian Harvey and Tullio Carminati, is the main feature at Shortt's Theatre. It tells the story of an eager young American girl; summering in Monte Carlo, who falls in love vvith a man she believes to be a poor but honest gigolo. A rather poignant theme develops when she discovers that he is a wealthy, debonair man-of-the-world preferring to love often but'not . too strongly. Victor Schertzinger, who also directed "One Night of Love," produced "Let's Live To.night." In ;.addition, he. composed, two popular song ■"* numbers, "Love Passes By" and "I Live in My Dreams." Tullio Carminati sings "Love Passes By." The balance of the large cast includes Janet Beecher, Tala Birell, Luis Alberni, and Claudia Coleman. The second attraction ■ii "Attorney for the Defence." a dramatic picture starring Edmund Lowe, Evelyn Brent, and Constance Cummings. KOXY THEATRE. Edna May Oliver and James Gleason are tearhed again in "Murder on a Honeymoon," a- mystery eomedjr Well fortified with laughs and suspense, now screening at the Roxy Theatre. The usual mystery plot formula has everyone under suspicion for the murder of a racketeer with an unusual angle featuring crime committed aboard an aeroplane en route from the mainland to Catalina. A thrilling love story, "Romance in Manhattan," will be the supporting feature. Francis Lederer 'is co:starred with Ginger Rogers in this poignant story of a friendless, penniless immigrant . boy whose gallant fight for romance and happiness brings him into a series of gripping • episodes. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. "Sequoia,"' Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's drama of a .wild animal revolt against man, with Jean Parker and Russell Hardie, will conclude at the Kilbirnie Kinema tonight. The supporting feature is "Murder in the Clouds," an air mystery thriller, starring Lyle Talbot, Ann Dvorak, and Gordon Westcott. The main, attraction on tomorrow's change, commencing at the matinee at 2 p.m., is the hilarious Australian comedy, "Grandad Rudd," starring Bert Bailey as "Grandad," with a host of other favourites. The supporting attraction is" Paramount's drama "Behold My Wife," starring Sylvia Sidney, with Gene Raymond and H. B. Warner. ARTCRAFT THEATRE. Joe E. Brown, the famous comedian, in his latest First National comedy. "The Circus Clown," will be the chief attraction at the Artcraft Theatre this evening. Joe is now back to his first love, for he started his career at the age of nine with a circus and travelled with it for several years before he gave it up to become a baseball player and later a theatrical and screen performer. The circus is used throughout as a background for the hilarious stunts of the picture, which, however, has its. own w.ell-defined plot and romance. There are good supporting subjects. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. An excellent double-feature programme has been arranged |or the Empire Theatre this evening. "Gigolette," featuring Adrienne Ames, Ralph Bellamy, and Robert Armstrong, concerns a society debutante who through force of circumctances is forced to work in a dance hall as hostess. "The Roof" depicts a battle between jewel thieves and Scotland Yard. The cast is headed by Russell Thorndiko and Judy Gunn. On Wednesday and Thursday "Broadway Bill" is to be screened. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. "Roberta," the queen of all musical romances, is screening finally at the Capitol Theatre at 7.45 tonight, and features the everpopular Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Irene Dunne, the "golden-voiced girl," and Randolph Scott. Spectacular new dances, lovely melodies, and brilliant fashions are introduced in "Roberta." The fast-moving story revolves about the comedy-rich situation "of an AllAmerican football player falling heir to a fashionable Paris gown'shop. The second feature is "When a Man's a Man," a Western picture starring George O'Brien. NEW EMPIRE THEATRE, PETONE. "Thirty-Day Princess." which comes tomorrow to the New Empire Theatre, marks the second time that Sylvia Sidney has had Cary Grant as her leading man", since he rose to screen prominence. "Thirty-Day Princess" reveals Miss Sidney as a young' girl who is hired to impersonate a European princess, whom illness overcomes on the eve of a good-will lour. While masquerading, Miss Sidney falls in love with a.newspaper publisher.

STATE THEATRE. ' One of the. most exciting dramas of the underworld, stage, and society is "Star of Midnight," now showing at the State Theau-e. William Powell is cast as Clay Dalzell, a lawyer, who finds himself embroiled in one of the most mysterious cases of disappearance, then murder, gangster plot and counter-plot, that an ingenious mind has ever evolved. In order to secure some important letters left by his attractive assistant in the apartment of a young man about town, Dalzell visits the young man, secures the papers, and learns that his host is mixed up in a gangster feud. The disappearance of the leading lady of the play "Midnight" adds to the mystification of everybody concerned, and then comes the strange shooting down of Tommy Tennant, a newspaper reporter who has chanced on clues. Ginger Rogers and William Powell make an ideal team. Leslie Fenton, Ralph Morgan, Russell Hopton, Vivian Oakland, Francis McDonald, and many others play dramatic roles. The topical portion of the programme includes views of the liner Normandie and the Maori Rugby team is seen in work-out phases. The Dionne quintuplets are also seen. PLAZA THEATRE. "The Dictator," a colourful story of Denmark in the eighteenth century, is now showing at the Plaza Theatre. In the title role, Clive Brook, one of the greatest of English actors, gives the finest performance of a brilliant career. The acting in the picture is excellent, and the exciting plot- deals mainly with the intrigue and fast-moving life in the court of King Christian VII of Denmark. Clive Brook is most impressive in the part of Frederick Struensee, a German country doctor who catches the fancy of a half-mad king, and rises to a positiion of unprecedented power, only to lose everything for the love of a beautiful queen. (Madeleine Carroll). -Emlyn Williams gives a fine characterisation in the role of the young but weak and repulsive king, while Helen Haye, as the domineering and cunning queen mother, also assists to keep the acting on a high plane. The supporting programme includes a I Gaiimont-British Magazine, Cinesound News, and Gaumont-British News. "Fighting Stock," one of the inimitable Tom Walls, Ralph Lynn, and Robertson Hare comedies, will be the next attraction at the Plaza Theatre. These three old members of the Aldwych 'Theatre team are by far the funniest of the comedians of the day, and in "Fighting Stock" they have opportunities galore to be funny, deliciously funny. RIVOLI THEATRE, j All the charm and whimsical romance of Frank Capra's "It Happened One Night" have been recaptured and embellished by the great director in his newest Columbia production, "Broadway Bill," a film which undoubtedly ranks as Capra's greatest achievement with the camera, and which is now showing at the Rivoli Theatre. Deftly and with the . artistry that is singularly his own, Capra has woven about the simple story of a man and a girl who forsake the luxuries of life for the freedom of a nomad's existence, a delightful, heart-satisfying romantic drama. Particularly edifying are the portrayals by Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy in the co-starring roles. Baxter is grand as the life-loving Dan Brooks; Miss Lpy is utterly delightful in a role more charming and colourful than her characterisation in "The Thin Man." The large and imposing cast acquits itself admirably under Capra's direction and includes Walter Connolly, Helen Vinson, Clarence Muse. Margaret Hamilton, Raymond Walburn, Lynne Overman, Frankie Darro, and Edmund Breese. "Twnsatlantic Merry-go-round," a musical comedy with a cast of fifteen stars, will be the second attraction. Tomorrow, with a matinee at 2 p.m., "Forsaking All Others," with Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, and Robert Montgomery, and "The Night is Young," starring Ramon Novarro and Evelyn Laye, will be shown. OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. - Edmund -Gwenn, the .famous character actor, is seen in "Warn London," the main attraction showing tonight at Our Theatre. In the strong supporting cast John Loder appears in dual roles and. Leonora Corbett provides the romantic interest. It is the ingenious story of a large-scale theft of bullion being ■ checked by the skill and daring of Scotland Yard detectives. In "Girls, Please." the inimitable comedian Sydney Howard is seen as a gymnasium instructor and deputy headmistress of a girls' finishing school. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. Tonight at the Regal Theatre "Marie Galante," an absorbing- picture, will be screened. The picture opens in a French seaport and then moves swiftly to Panama, and intrigue. A beautiful girl, Ketti Gallian, Spencer Tracy, and a huge cast make for excellent entertainment. Special. supports ' will be screened. DE LUXE THEATRE, LOWER HUTT. Tonight at the De Duxe Theatre, Lower Hutt, the main feature will be Paramount's spectacular musical film, "Sitting Pretty," which shows the inside of the song-writing business and how Hollywood makes its musical films. Jack'Oakie, Ginger Rogers, and Jack Haley are featured, and there are numerous song-hits presented by radio stars. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. One of the most wholesome and enjoyable plays ever screened will be shown at the Palace Theatre tomorrow, "There's Always Tomorrow." In addition to featuring Frank Morgan and Binnie Barnes, the picture deserves particular commendation because of its wholesomeness and light comedy. Louise Latimer, Elizabeth Young, Dick Winslow, Helen PaiTish, Alan Hale, Maurice Murphy, and Margaret Hamilton are others in the cast. GRAND THEATRE, PETOXE. Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, Burns and Allen, Ethel Merman, and Leon Errol are the principal players in "We're Not Dressing," which comes to the Grand Theatre tomorrow. The six stars combine their talents to create a swift-moving sixty minutes of song and action in a new South Sea Island musical attraction which has unique ! charms. •