CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 18, 22 January 1937, Page 5

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT XHEAXBE. Filmed throughout in technicolcur, which gives boundless scope for a bril« liant scenic background, the main attraction at the Regent Theatre, "Tht Garden of Allah," which is to be shown for a second week, is a picture that has many unusual features, as well as a plot that is different from the usual run o£ screen romances. The techmcolour in this production is subdued and effective, the beautiful desert scenes and the gay effects of native bazaars being depicted with telling effect. In the leading roles are Marlene Dietrich and Charles Boyer, both of whom give outstanding performances, and they are ably assisted by Basil Rathbone and C. Aubrey Smith. The.plot is an unusual one, and depicts Marlene as a woman who, seeking peace from the trials of the world, escapes to the desert spaces. Here fate throws her into contact with a young man who, though she does not know it, is an escapee from a Trappist monastery. The final stages of the film are highly dramatic, and the climax is of the most unusual kind. On the supporting programme are a, "March of Time" subject and a Mickey Mouse symphony in colour. ST. JAMES THEATRE Picturesque Lionel- Barrymore brings his infallible artistry to the St. James Theatre tonight in new guise, serving incomparably in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's "The Devil Doll." The elder genius of the gifted Barrymore family plays a role that would be peculiarly arresting by a competent actor. Portrayed by him, it is truly remarkable. In" this story of a half-mad scientist who evolves a scheme that threatens all humanity, that first appeared as a novel which A. Merritt titled. Burn, Witch, Burn," the distinguished Barrymore is a paradox of kindly scientist and fiendish villainy. Frank Lawton, playing the romantic lead opposite Maureen O'Sullivan, combines with her to weave an adventurous love element an the strange story of a human revenge that is made more terrible by its affiliation with the secrets of sconce. The picture was directed by Tod Browning, sometimes called "the Edgar Allen Poe of the screen." PARAMOUNT THEATRE. Numerous requests have been responsible for the revival of one of the greatest pictures in motion picture annals, Marietta," which commenced a return season today at the Paramount Theatre. W. S. Van Dyke certainly had a big idea when be set to work on Victor Herbert's thrilling musical romance. "Naughty Marietta" is acknowledged as one of the greatest comic operas ever composed in America, and this fact has certainly proved itself when one realises how much popularity this film has enjoyed. Jeanette Mac Donald and Nelson Eddy are magnificent, and their singing of "Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life" has stirred all who have heard it. Jeanette. as a princess who flees from an Old World ' wedding to find happiness with a new lover, will be well remembered. An elaborate cast surrounds the famous singing principals, and includes Fjrank Morgan, Elsa Lanchester (Mrs. Charles Laughton), and many others. KING'S THEATRE. How the work of Department of Justice "G-Men" and other law enforcement agencies is nullified by unwarranted leniency by parole boards is strikingly depicted in the drama "Don't Turn 'Em Loose," now showing at the King's Theatre. The .story vividly reveals how certain criminals enlist the aid of crafty attorneys'to play upon the sympathy of State parole boards with the sorry ' result,that thousands of felons •annually -return to menace America' with a resumption, pf-their crimes, /Lewis,. Star#;: ; Brtfce <CSb.ot, Louise' Latimer, Betty Grable, arid Grace Bradley head the cast. , A renowned .episode . of the American colonial period is unreeled in the hisloric adventure picture, "Daniel Boorie;"- which is also on the bill. George O'Brien is cast in the title role. SHOKTTB THEATRE, Two generations have thrilled to the story of ... "The Mine With the Iron Dgor," one of the most popular of all Harold Bell Wright's popular novels. Now it has been brought to vivid reaUty'oft the'screen as a Columbia picture with Richard Arlen in the stellar rolfe, and" is the main feature at Shortt's" Theatre. Presenting a true life problem that ,is certain to arouse a deep feeling of sympathy in any audience ■ for the central characters, Columbia's romantic drama, "Lady of Secrets," is •also being shown. Ruth Chatterton and Otto Kruger play the leading roles. Others featured prominently in the cast include Lionel Atwill, Marian Marsh. Lloyd Nolan, and Robert Allen. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. Packed with action which . ranges from gunplay to shipwreck and from typhoons. to- battles between human beings and wild beasts, Universal's "East of Java," the picture in which Charles Bickford was nearly killed by a lion, is showing tonight at the Empire Theatre. Love interest is supplied by Bickford, who centres his interest in ' beautiful Elizabeth Young, ajid {Frank Albertson, who also loves her. at the same time hating the brutish and at. times almost animallike strength of Bickford, disciple of the; doctrine of the "survival: of • the fittest" The second attraction. "For-get-Me-Not." features the world-famous tenor, Beniamino Gigli, in a role which reveals him as a fine actor as well as : a'superb singer. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. Jean-Harlow plays one of the most : dramatic roles of her career in "Rift- < raff," the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer fea- : ture which shows tonight at the Regal ; Theatre. She is the heroine of a stormy ■ romance with Spencer Tracy abound- : ing in laughs and tears. The picture : boasts. a powerful supporting cast , which includes Una Merkel, Joseph j Calleia, Victor Kilian, Mickey Rooney, ] and J. Farrell Mac Donald. Carefree, , romantic comedy of a decidedly novel ' type •is featured in "Pursuit," Metro- ; Goldwyn-Mayer's romance of the high- : "w?ays, which will also be shown, with ! Chester Morris and Sally Eilers. The ! stipporting programme, like the main j features, comes from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and includes a Charlie Chase comedy, "Vamp Till Ready," Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly in "Hot Money," and "Old Plantation," a cartoon in 1 colour. ! GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. J : Charming Marion Davies is starred ■ in'"Page Miss Glory," screening at the j Grand Theatre, Petone, tonight. Sup- ; porting Miss Davies is a remarkable - all-star cast, including Dick Powell, • Pat-O'Brien, Mary Astor, Frank Mc- . Hugh, Lyle Talbot, Patsy Kelly. Bar- ; ton'MacLane, Allen Jenkins, Hobart , Cavanaugh, and a score of others, j Columbia's "And So They Were Mar- , ried" will also be shown, with Melvyn j Douglas, Mary Astor, Edith Fellows, j and Jackie Moran in sophisticated , romance and sparkling comedy. < OUR THEATRE. NEWTOWN. ■Warner Baxter is starred in. "Robin Hood of El Dorado." the spectacular 1 new outdoor feature which heads the ] double-feature' programme now show- 1 ing' at ; Our Theatre. It is a romanti- ' ciseji slice of one of the most glamor- 1 oiis periods of America's frontier his- < lory—that era. which began in 1848 f with the discovery of gold in Cali- j forniai In the supporting cist are Ann i Loring, Bruce Cabot, and Edgar Ken- i aiedy. The intriguing romance, "Thirty- 1 six Hours to Kill," starring Brian Don- ( levy and Glotia Stuart, is the asso- i tiate feature. f STATE THEATRE, PETONE. "San Francisco," the sensational spectacle of the Barbary Coast, with its breath-taking earthquake scenes, will < open at the State Theatre, Petone, to- I alight. Clark Gable and Jeanette '< Mac Donald are the stars. "Audio- I ssopiks," the screen's latest novelty, c Mil also be shown. >i

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

BE LUXE THEATRE. • ' So great has the public interest been •" in Warner Bros.' gigantic film, "Anthony Adverse," that the present - season has been still further extended 3 and the fifth week starts today at the De Luxe Theatre. The scope of He:> j vey Allen's famous novel "Anthony t Adverse" would seem to make the 1 filming of this giant work almost too J difficult to be undertaken. Warner j Bros.-First National met this difficulty ■ by selecting • the romantic early porr tion of the highly successful book and " packing the thrilling incidents in Italy, " France, and Africa into a film of con--1 siderable dimensions. The translation " from novel to film has inevitably 1 brought some changes, some in the : interests of the conventions which are 5 more rigid than on the stage or in the • novel. But the remaining framework, ! vast in design and lavishly mounted ■ in production, makes the film an ex- } perierice, and the acting of the famous : stars who have been chosen for the 1 various important roles, Fredric March, ! Edmund Gwenn, Claude Rains, Anita : Louise, Olivia de Havilland, Stefli I Duna, Donald Woods, and Ralph Mor- , gan, is on a high plane. Also on the programme is a' coloured cartoon entitled "Let It Be Me." COMIC OPERA SEASON. - Tomorrow night at the New Opera ! House the J. C. Williamson. Ltd., Gil- . Bert and Sullivan Comic Opera Com- . pany will begin a brief season with a f gala performance of "The Gondoliers, r which is also to be staged on Monday . evening. Today being a public holiday the box plans are on view at the ; Opera House confectionery shop, where tickets for the unreserved stalls and gallery may also be purchased. Miss Strella Wilson will make her re- ' appearance here after an absence t ot \ about four years in the good singing • role of Casilda. Miss Wilson is pro-, ! bably one of the best, if not the best, ; soprano singer in light opera for_many i years. There, has never been a better ; 'Gilbertian comedian than Ivan Men- ' zies, and once again he is to lead his [ forces through the extravagances of ' the favourite Venetian phantasy. He ' plays the role of the Duke of Plaza- ! Toro "with as much gusto at each performance of "The Gondoliers" as if he were playing the character for the first time instead of something like the five-hundredth. Richard Watson s ' droll representation of the Grand Inquisitor is a great foil for the mum--1 ming of Ivan Menzies. The dashing, quartet of juvenile singers are Gregory Stroud, Godfrey Stirling (the hero of "Sparkling Eyes"), Eileen Kelly, and Helen Langton, all of whom will appear in the parts they undertook last year. Other principal members of the company are Bernard Manning, Vtncent McMurray. Clifford Cowley, and Tommy Jay. The operatic orchestra and chorus are again under the able -direction of Mr. Leo. Packer. The company will arrive by special train tomorrow morning from Masterton. REVUE AT OPERA HOUSE. "Au Revoir," the bright and breezy revue of Mike Connors and Queenie Paul's company, headed by the inimitable George Wallace, will be presented for the last time at the New Opera House tonight, and will bring the season to a close. The programme of delicious fun and sparkle will linger a long time in Wellington's memory. Minnie Love, the English musical comedy Star, Leo Trenette, the Australian tenor, Nellie Kolle, who can rouse anybody into melody, Queenie Paul and Mike Connors, Jimmy Coates and his saxophone, and the many others of the company have become favourites with Wellington theatregoers. George Wallace is at his brightest. ; His face, figure, and clothes always provoke anticipation of something good, and his collection of gags and sketches as a parting gift to Wellington is of the most savoury "vaHety. - , *H. REX THEATRE. A world-popular dance band at its inimitable best, beautiful girls, red-hot dance numbers, and lively step dancing, are features of "Everything is Rhythm," A.T.P.'s latest entertainment gem, which marks the film debut of radio's most popular band leader, and his lovely bride —none other than Harry Roy and the Princess Pearl, and which is now showing at the Rex Theatre. Eleanore Whitney and Tom Keene' head the cast of players in "Timothy's Quest," Paramount's adaptation dt Kate Douglas Wiggins's wellknown novel, which is the additional feature: Dickie Moore, Virginia Weidler, Sally Martin, and Bennie Bartlett comprise the quartet of children who stir up excitement and trouble. An added attraction is the authentic film record of the Louis-Schmeling fight, including the knock-out in the twelfth round. KOX* THEATRE. '■'Stage- Struck," heralded by First National as the gayest and snappiest of all its long list of musical comedy hits, comes to the Roxy Theatre today. 1 There is an all-star cast, which includes Dick Powell, Joan Blondell, Warren William, Frank McHugh, Jeanne Madden, and the four Yacht Club Boys. The picture is filmed on a lavish scale with spectacular numbers. The supporting picture, "We're Only Human," featuring Pres- , ton Foster, is a thrilling drama of the war on crime. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. "The King Steps Out" and "One-way Ticket" conclude tonight at the Kilbirhie Kinema. Never has the beautiful star, Marion Davies, appeared in a more entertaining and, gripping romance than in her latest Cosmopolitan production, ''Hearts Divided," which comes to the Kilbirnie Kinema tonight. This story of the wooing and winning of the brilliant and beautiful Betsy Patterson, of Baltimore, by Captain Jerome Bonaparte, brother of the French Emperor, is a real heart-throbbing drama. William Powell has the masculine lead. Jane Withers returns to the lovable harumscarum type of role that first brought her screen fame in "Little Miss Nobody," which will also be shown. The story of "Little Miss Nobody"—who incidentally turns out to be quite a »mebody after all—is concerned with a mischievous orphan whose antics and pranks are the bane, and at the same time the joy, of the orphan asylum's heads. ! PRINCESS THEATRE. "Sanders of the River," which is the chief attraction at the Princess Theatre, is something quite new in film entertainment. Based on the popular Edgar Wallace stories of the same title, it deals skilfully with British rule in Africa. Leslie Banks and Paul Robeson are superb in the principal parts. Others prominent in the cast are Nina Mae McKinney, Tony : Wane, Eric Maturin, Robert Cochran, ; and Martin Walker. " "Forgotten Faces," a Paramount picture, a story of tragedy which follows a marriage that crashes on the rocks, is the asso- ' ciate feature. Herbert Marshall stars i in the film, and the excellent support- : ing cast features Gertrude Michael, ' James Burke, Jane Rhodes, and Robert Cummings. CAPITOL THEATRE. MIRAMAR. Those perennial purveyors of fun, : Laurel and Hardy, have never ap- ■ peared to better advantage than in | their screen version of Balfe's opera ■ "Bohemian Girl." While the general theme of the original operetta is unchanged, the work has been adapted > to fit the inimitable comedy,talents of j its stars. All the music of the Balfe ; musical has been retained. The sup- • porting feature, "Yellowstone," combines' action, romance and suspense, j together with outstanding photography i of this well-known scenic resort. In ! i the cast arc Ralph Morgan. Henry i Hunter, Judith Barrett, and Alan Hale. : i PALACE THEATRE, i'EXONE. i The main feature at the Palace The- j atre, Petone, is "Hot Money," a fast- i paced comedy romance, with Ross Alex- : anSer and Beverley Roberts. Tim i McCoy has the stellar role in the sec- i ond feature, "Square Shooter," a thrill-M ting Western picture. i

TIVOLI THEATRE. "Under Two Flags" and "The Widow from Monte Carlo" are showing finally tonight at the Tivoli Theatre. The latter is Warner Bros.' rollicking comedy romance, based on the gay romance by lan Hay and A. E. W. Mason, and has Warren William and Dolores del Rio in the leads. The consequences of a young husband's attempt to impose economic restrictions on his headstrong and spendthrift wife at the same time that a wealthy playboy falls for her provide the smart comedy of the new feature coming to the* Tivoli Theatre tomorrow. Barbara Stanwyck's "The Bride Walks Out," in which she is starred with Gene Raymond and Robert Young opposite. Raymond, as the young spouse, fails in his marital dictatorship, but effects a "coup_ d'amour" in a ' surprise climax. Miss Stanwyck's remaining featured support inj eludes Ned Sparks and Helen Brod- ' erick, exponents of the "dead-pan" brand of comedy. Paul Muni, one of the greatest actors of the stage or screen, is starred in the supporting feature, "Bordertown," which is said to be the most powerful drama in which he has ever appeared. The picture is a stark, realistic picturisation of the colourful life in a town on the American border, with its night clubs and gambling resorts frequented by American millionaires and-bored society women seeking diversion. Muni is supported by Bette Davis, Margaret Lindsay, Eugene Pallette, Robert Barrat, Henry O'Neill, Hobart Cavanaugh. and. Gavin Gordon. RIVOLI THEATRE. A special holiday programme has been arranged by the Rivoli Theatre. Tonight at 8 o'clock that very popular comedy "Fra Diavolo" will be shown with Laurel and Hardy displaying their inimitable humour. The associate feature is another high-class comedy, "In the Soup," with that splendid English comedian Ralph Lynn. A strong supporting programme will commence at 7 p.m. / A midnight matinee at 12 o'clock tonight will commence the next feature programme, starring Ginger Rogers and George Brent in the popular film "In Person." The second feature will be "Forgotten Faces," with Herbert Marshall and Gertrude Michael. This picture created quite a sensation when shown in the city recently. This programme will continue tomorrow and Monday.

SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL BAY. The main feature on tonight's programme is the latest Fred AstaireGinger Rogers success, "Swing Time." . The story deals with a complicated romance between Astaire, as a happy-go-lucky roamer, and Miss Rogers as an instructress in a dancing academy. Eric Blore and Helen Broderick are featured. The associate programme, "The Final Hour," with Ralph Bellamy and Marguerite Churchill, is packed with thrilling situations, romance,- and sparkling comedy. The supporting programme is excellent.