CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 113, 9 November 1937, Page 4

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

: REGENT THEATRE. | Peter B. Kyne's fascinating charac- . ter Cappy Ricks is brought to the screen in "The Go-Getter," the humorous and exciting film which is now showing at the Regent, Theatre. No better man could have been chosen to portray Cappy Ricks than Charles 1 Winninger. George Brent is cast as ! Bill Austin, the go-getter who makes ' good, and he has playing opposite him Anita Louise as Cappy Ricks's chalrm- • ing and only daughte&SMargaret. The final member of the fiisp four stars is John El<lf«tee,,"wha >S a very nasty piece of work as Skinner, the malicious manager of Ricks's office, and rival of Austin for the affections of Margaret At the commencement of the tale the giant dirigible Macon is seen lost at sea, and Austin, as a .member of the crew, escapes with his life, but loses a leg. With this heavy handicap he finds himself without a job. and when his forceful personality gets htm a job under Cappy Ricks, the lumber king, he is told to take ordws from Skinner, no love being lost on either side Following the traditional custom of the screen, all ends well. i —— MAJESTIC THEATRE. The world's craziest team ol: nonstop comedians, the Marx Bros, is heie again with, an offering which all but eclipses anything which has come from them before. "A Day at the Races" is a judicious mixture of farce, clever repartee, music, and rapid actions, and audiences at the Majestic Theatre cannot help but be entertained. A story which centres round a sanatorium, a scheming mortgagor, and a race-track gives full rein to the very peculiar talents of the unquenchable three. Groucho is a horse doctor whose charm is so great that he gets a job as chief surgeon at a sanatorium. Chico has a number of jobs organised for himself, a few of which are bellboy, race-track tout, and ice-cream salesman Harpo, the most noisily silent actor on the scredh, is a jockey, and a very good one, except that he never follows instructions when told to lose a race:/ J The three are thrown together fortuitously with the common aims of dodgilig-; the sheriff and of saving the Sanatorium for its beautiful owner, Maureen O'Sullivan. ' .. ST. JAMES THEATRE. ;V; "A Hundred:-Men and: a" Girl, 1'; starring Dearina'VDurbin,1 is now in its third we.ek ■at ■ St. ■ James .'Theatre: The picture shows no sign ( of flagging popularity. ■ The young star's first picture, the""-"well-remembered "Three Smart "Girls," burst Upon' the public practically unheralded • and scored an instantaneous success. This time, -the avenues, of publicity have been well explored. -The result is all that can be; desired, however," for undoubtedly "A Hund^edS^ten;;anda Girl" is a better picture tfian'4ts-predecessor. The plot, dealing. iwith> the,: finding = of employ-f mentr: for ;a: hundred out-of-work musicians, ihiore' to the public than a battle between the three daughters of a-millionaire &nd.the siren who is seeking ;to part: him ?from some of his iribney.W All the outstanding flg^ uresiirtthc'bid cast are 'retained; and to tlieirtiiareV; addled".:, such players as Adolphe. Menjdu ;and >Biliy, Gilji^rt; tuidihe,famous conductor Stokowski,'iwlth' his splendid Philadelphia Syfiijjhony. prchestra. ,'■. ~;; ■:; ■|'||p4,BAM6uNT, THEATRE. .' |Tnere;-is'^ne picture ;triat "will live in: the merrtories: of ;thc»so who have se^n:it'lor•a:long time, ■ and- that; is;. "SongvqV'.My ' Heart,"-, .screening at tfifei'Paramount Theatre; ;w,ith"'the fampus Irfsh tenor John McCormack in the 'lead. 'The story centres about life mv a' small Ifish Village, where; McCormack enacts the "role of-a man disappointed in love but whose singing brings joy to the "Village people. The husband of his former love dies,and she, with her two children, returns to the village where they live in poverty. Maureen O'Sulliyan has the role of the daughter who is in love with a poor architect and whose prospects of marrying are rather poor owing to the presence of an uncharitable aunt. McCormaek is invited to make a singing tour of-America, but before he-goes the mother of the two children, begs him to*' look after them if she should die.' While in the middle of a triumphant totif'the" news of her death reaches McCormack, and he promptly abandonsiihis: tour and returns to the village,'where there is a veritable domestic turmoil.: KING'S THEATRE. , In the "Big Shot," the first picture on a double-feature programme' now screening at the King's Theatre, Guy Kibbee is portrayed as a small-town veterinary surgeon who inherits his uncle's fortune, a fortune amassed unknown to Kibbee as the result ofj racketeering. /" His wife with' social aspirations insists that Kibbee assume control of his late uncle's business organisations. But Kibbee is completely .bewildered by the machinations, of .big business, and' after a day's experience he decides to leave the control :to his uricle's right-hand man. -Unaware of the source of his income, he embarks (jr^a.national welfare campaign to rid; JKi'city of the very gang of whi.ch'--'hfe.;..'is"sthe unwitting head. In the"'• supporting feature, "The, Super'.'v:iSleuth,''' i Jack Oakie, teamed :.-yvil;h'!:-Anne'.-.'Sothern," takes the part':;oi- a "movie -detective' with an inflated ego, ■ who* is continually twitting the police with their failure torpund':up a .notorious killer. Oakie himself is threatened by the very man whom; the: pblice have failed to apprehend.;- :■;/ : Z"' ' : 'KttBIRNIE KINEMA. 'iT'.-Mei Him in Paris" and "Ready. Willing,..and ;Able" conclude tonight at the';Kilbirhi.e''Kinema. ."Nancy- Steele is Missing," starring yictor-.-Mctaglen, commences tomorrow. Mctaglen gives one of .the finest ■{JCTfotntarices .'• of his career in this Hautj.'dramatic film, in which he is starred' tyith,:-'two of the screen's" out.standirig players, Walter Connolly and Peter..tori:e;:i June Lang and Robert •Kerit,-!are:featured in the picture, add■ingi^rpajaritic note to the proceedings. Rpinap<;e,;;}iilar,ity, and music in genjeroj4s ; portions, are provided in ParaWedding," the gay -jconiedy,- of;','lo.ve in the pineapple :gro'v:es,::w-itH.Bing drosby, Bob Burns, Martha Raye, and -Shirley Ross which is the second attraction. GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. "Three Smart Girls" concludes tonight at th- Grand Theatre. ' "Laughing at Life," starring Victor McLaglen,; commence* tomorrow. It is a robust andsyivid tale of a soldier of fortitle. Olfiping McLaglen an almost perfect roWiif Captain Easter, a daredevil adventurer and gun-runner, it has such varied and colourful backgrounds as Panama, Shanghai, France, India, the South Seas, and South America in the throes of a revolution. Rin-Tin-Tin, the famous dog star, is seen in "Tough Guy," the second feature. STATE THEATRE, PETONE. "Shall We Dance" concludes tonight f'TaaflSjl AgitfijtWcoirimences tohiorw- WWJei'fellUWftnding of comedy, mam||^nd ftiWQa, there is someing '«)te|eyery';;taiiteiin this film. Headg■' ati Hexceptft>rially strong cast are Flora Robson and Leslie Banks, both at their best. The story, an interesting and moving sidelight on army life,, is based upon an incident Which actually happened and was widely reported in the newspapers. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. A new screen team, in the persons of Charlie Ruggles and Alice Brady, makes its first appearance as man and wife in Paramount's "Mind Your Own Business," a gay domestic comedy in' the traditional Ruggles manner, which is showing at- the Palace Theatre, Lynne Overman'"and Roscoe Karns are teamed as■'a comedy pair in Paramount's "Murdef Goes to College," a brisk, light-hearted mystery comedy [.attraction.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

PLAZA THEATRE. The effort of the screen to do justice !' to Shakespeare makes a' notable for- ■ ward step in "As You Like It," whicn 'is showing at the Plaza Theatre, with 1 Elisabeth Bergner as Rosalind. There (have been many Rosalinds to compare with Elisabeth Bergner, and opinions about her performance may differ, but no one will deny that she infuses into the boy-part a splendid vital energy. There: have been many Orlandos also, but few who can challenge Laurence Olivier. The famous speeches of the Banished Duke and of Jacques. are heard from such actors as Henry Ainley and Leon Q_uartermaine. As Silvius, Richard Ainley carries on the family tradition. Sophie Stewart is Celia, and Mackenzie Ward is Touchstone. The.style adopted by the players is to speak the lines without too much declamatory stiffness;. in ■ adopting. . this more natural and conversational style, they have not sacrificed the rhythm nor the dignity of Shakespeare. DE LUXE THEATRE. ... "Reported Missing," a dramatic story of aviation and of crime, is the'chief attraction- at the De .Luxe Theatre this week. When'a great airliner fitted-with a new instrument to aid blind. flying mysteriously crashes and is found to have been heading away from the airport at which she was due, the fault is at first laid to the experiment made .by the company of fitting ■new. apparatus -to ■ a passenger ship. But as crash follows crash, and in each case , the passengers are found to ;have-been robbed, Steve Browning,, inventor of the anti-drift apparatus, has his suspicions. He lays a trap, and it works, and there is a thrilling climax in mid-air. William Gargan, Jean Rogers, Dick Purcell, and Hobart Cavanaugh'have the principal roles in this fast-paced picture.' Also on the' Erogramme is 'The Wildcatter," with cott' Colton; Jean Rogers, and Jack Smart.in the leading'parts. A wildcatter is a: free lance oil operator, one-.who rushes to the hew oilfields and; tries to find a gusher for-himself, and: the, picture, creates a, new background of. the. speculative oil: industry .for the audience...; . '■ -StATE;^THEATRE;.--- ■-. A thrilling .-.story telling . how ■ a woman journalist' tried ;to beat the man she loved..at--his Own game is provided in "Exclusive/1 now showing atfthe State-Theatre: -Frances Farmer is ' the young lady "concerned;' Fred Mac Murray is her lover,. and Charlie Ruggles (also a newspaper man) her father. Bitter rivalry exists between two newspapers owing to the fact that each is backing a candidate for the office of Mayor, and when Miss Farmer loses her job she joins the staff of the underhand concern. She is a keen journalist and unearths a story which causes one of the candidates to shoot himself and forces her father and MacMurray, who work for the rival paper, to accuse her of bringing about his death. Competition becomes very keen and it is only after many thrills and spectacular scenes that the young lady realises that she has fceen wrong and the crooks are brought to bay. NEW OPERA HOUSE. \ Another double-feature programme is being screened at the New Opera House, and patrons are presented with entertainment of ; a varied order. Those' who like:' hilarious musical romance, with pretty and shapely girls and catchy songs, Will appreciate'"Turn Off the Moon." This is a Paramount production'which features Charlie Ruggles, Eleanore Whitney, Johnny. Downs, and several stars of lesser magnitude. There is" plenty of gaiety and action throughout, even if no very definite story, and the musical numbers in it, help to make it go with' a swing. In'marked contrast is "I'dGive My Life." A young man kills a racketeer, although the latter claims to be his ,father. He is prepared to hang for the murder without opening his mouth, but Circumstances' in the most unexpected ■ way bring about his reprieve at the last moment. There are some very tense scenes inthis picture, which stars Sir Guy Standing, Tom Brown;. Frances Drake, .and Janet Beacher. - ' . . .- SHORTT'S THEATRE. The great love drama of the Great War," "The Road to Glory," is showing at the Shortt's Theatre. Painted against a background of the seething kaleidoscope of battle, No Man's Land, and war-torn France, the film depicts love in all its phases. Love of heart-starved fighting men; love of women who can only wait; love of a soldier father and Hero son; love .of a cause they all must serve; love of what our world calls Glory. Tho cast includes Fredric March. Warner Baxter, Lionel Barrymore, June Lang, and Gregory Ratoff. That happy, scrappy Jones Family moves into a new and hilarious, phase of its career in "Off to the Races," the second attraction. . NEAV PRINCESS THEATRE. • One of Rudyard Kipling's mowt popular tales. in "The Jungle Book," "Tbomai' of the Elephants," has been made.into a film. Presented by Alexander Korda under the title of "Elephant Boy," it is showing at the New Princess Theatre. The story tells of a little Indian boy, who dreams of the day-when he can become a great elephant. driver like his famous grandfather. Little Toomai's father' is killed and the boy goes through a series' of remarkable adventures while fleeing from .the expedition which seemingly, intends to shoot his favourite elephant. The associate feature "Quality Street." starring KathHrine Hepburn and Franchot Tone, is cne of the most widely-acclaimed stage plays. .wer written by Sir James M. Barrie. ROXY THEATRE. Red-blooded action of the type that everyone has come to expect from Paramount's "Hopalong" Cassidy Western stories, is supplied in good measure in the latest of these outdoor romances, "North of the Rio Grande," which is showing at .the Roxy Theatre. William Boyd is in the role of the hard-riding. squar&;shooting "Hoppy." With him ride "Windy," played by George Hayes, and "Lucky" Jenkins, portrayed by Russell Hayden. The associate - feature, "That Man's Here Again," is a delightful comedyromance of boy and girl love, with Tom Brown as the lad, and a new and beautiful, 17-year-old - girl, Mary Maguire. as the feminine lead. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. Romantic as the radiant Chinese moon, and as glamorous with its surrounding company of great stars, teeming with danger, excitement, thrills, war-lord bandits, and Shirley Temple as a little waif who talks and sings Chinese, Twentieth Century-Fox's new film, "Stowaway," is showing at the Empire Theatre. Cast in the role of the daughter of American missionaries in China, orphaned by a bandit raid, Shirley somehow gets to Shanghai, where she 'meets Robert Young, a rich young playboy, who loses his heart to her. f The manner in which Shirley finally he.ltts her handsome benefactor win the hand of Alice Faye, who was promised to another, provides outstanding entertainment. OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. Side-splitting, comedy situations and thrilling adventures are' contained in "When's Your Birthday?" Joe E. Brown's new laughing success, which is the main attraction at Our Theatre. First seen as a young man' following a highly unsuccessful pugilistic career in order to pay for a course in astrology, and collecting black eyes with monotonous , regularity, Brown finally lands, a job as a soothsayer in a Mid-1 way concession,..and" thereafter leads such .a hectic existence that his ring career seems mild by comparison. The highly amusing film, "The Man in the Mirror," starring Edward E. Horton, is,, the second attraction.

TIVOLI THEATRE. "Lost Horizon," with Ronald Colman, Jane Wyatt, and Edward Everett Horton, is showing at the Tivoli Theatre. Opening in a whirlwind of excitement in which a handful of beleaguered whites flee massacre at the guns of Oriental bandit-rebels, the drama hurls its protagonists through the htfter chaos symbolic of the world we know into the peace and beauty of ShangriLa. Hidden heaven-high in the Himalayas, guided by an intelligence centuries old, this community has solved life's problem in harmony and brotherhood. To Colman, the High Lama hands the torch which is to enlighten a new world built, upon the selfimposed wreckage of the old one. Even the unknowing, earth-bound comrades of the understanding hero become imbued with the spirit of peace and helpfulness. That is, all save a dullard weakling brother, who is the hysterical Adam of this Eden to the serpent-like Eve of actress Margo. These two attempt to shatter the faith of their leader in the magic and mysteries of Shangri-La, and almost they succeed. But they destroy themselves instead, and Colman fights his way back through a tortuous trail to a land of eternal peace and love. Selected short features are showing from 7 to 8.30 pan., REX THEATRE. Old-fashioned telephones, with a different number of rings for each subscriber, play an important part in the action of "Party Wire," the comedydrama featuring Jean Arthur and Victor Jory, now at the Rex Theatre; All the residents of Rockridge listen in on each other's calls, and gossip about everybody's personal affairs. "The Scotland Yard ; Mystery," the second feature, presents a capable cast, headed by Sir Gerald dv Maurier, making his final film appearance before His death as a bull-dog sleuth, and George Curzon as. a'sinister "villain. . REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. A large part of the fortune Jini Fisk made from watering. the stock of the old Erie. Railroad, is lavished on the bewitching Josie Mansfield, played by Frances Farmer in ■ RKO-Radio's picturesque photodrama, "The Toast of New York;" with Edward Arnold, Cary Grant, and Jack Oakie also in ■ starring roles, which is showing at; the Regal Theatre. The play is based on the romantic- character of Jim- Fisk, one of the most colourful figures of the post-Civil War e.ra; in America.. Cary Grant, '.as,-Fisfc's 'partner, becomes his rival in lbve,'land-adds emotional suspense to the romance. There is a splendid supporting .programme. CAPITOL'THEATRE. 'Concerned fully as much-' with the business of -entertaining and amusing its audiences as with the more familiar one "of. mystifying them "Mad Holiday" is showing:at the.Capitol Theatre Edmund'Lowe and the sophisticated Ehssa Landi proved apt choices for the leading roles in this diverting entertainment. "Breezing Home," the second feature, contains exciting ; drama, brightly-paced humour, and gay-spirit-ed romance. William Gargan, Bmnie Barnes, and Wendy Barrie ; head a strong cast. }■'■:■■ SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL BAY. With Continental romance of the gayesl and lightest sort "Cafe Metropole, now at the Seaside Theatre, \vinds its amusing i way against the background of gay Paris and the Continent s most luxurious rendezvous, with Adolphe Menjou, Gregory Ratoff, Charles Winninger, rmd Helen Westley, causing the excitement. The murder of an international jeweller on a steamship between Los Angeles and San Francisco—a second murder in a Chinese theatre in San Francisco's Chinatown—these^ are the ramifications of one of the most unusual mystery dramas to" reach the screen, "Mad Holiday," the second feature." ' ■ : RETURNED SOLDIERS' CHOIK, The Home of Compassion at Island Bay was visited on Sunday afternoon by the Wellington Returned Soldiers Male Voice Choir, which was;-assisted by members of the Wellington .Male Voice Choir. The choir presented a programme of part- songs and choruses, under the conductorship of Mr Frank J Oakes, for the entertainment of the Sisters, inmates, and visitors at the home. Solo items were rendered by Mrs. Geo. Holloway (violinist) and _D J. Evans. In the operatic number for solo and chorus, "The Angel Virgin, . from Verdi's opera "La Forza del Des■tino," the soloist was Mr. Oliver Foote, and Mr. B. J: Childs Tendered the iolo in "The Image of the Rose," by Rekhardtt, and Mr. G. M. Howe was in a similar capacity for the Performance of the Yorkshire dialect _folksnna "On Ilka Moor." The K.o.a. vocal quartet contributed two; items. The accompanist was Mr. Geo. HolloW The large audience expressed its appreciation by warmly applauding the Kll^eSa&ihe^form^ with refreshments. ; , , R.S.A. CONCERT. "The Wellington Returned SoldiersAssociation will present a concert in the Town Hall on. Thursday. These concerts have proved very popular in previous years, and this year the performance will be of a new.- nature Several outstanding radio artists have offered their services, and the ..nay" mond Hedges Revue Company, . who staged a, successful concert ;at the Town Hall in October last,-will- also appear. Mr. Ernie Dean's concert party will be very much to the fore, and Mr; Pat Cole will again delight*audiences with., his Returned Soldiers ) Orchestra., .The Returned Soldiers^ Male Voice Choir, under the baton or Mr. Frank Oakes, will sing several numbers. It is expected that this concert will be more outstanding than any'previous-concert,-as the manage-; ment has gone to a great deal of trouble to make the entertainment a success.' The proceeds will augment the funds-.for, soldiers' graves at the War Memorial Cemetery, Karon.. THE THESPIANS. From tomorrow night until Saturday night in. the Concert Chamber the Thespians will present Martin Vales drama "The Two Mrs. Carrolls/' Those who like drama at its best will find in this play everything they desire.. It holds the attention of the audience from the moment the curtain rises until the finish of the third act. The casting has been done with great care, and ever mindful that the audiences like, to see fresh faces and that newcomers like to have their chance, the Thespians are, with the exception Of two characters, producing this play with a new cast. • These are Jim Vaughan, Sam Tansley, May Lochore, Marjone Eberlet, Roberta Duff, and Dicky Lucas. The leads are being taken by Norman Hannah and Zenocrate Mountjoy. Elsie Lloyd, who was responsible for the great success of "Family Affair, is the producer, and My'ns F. E. Wright, assisted by- Evan Harrowell, is the stage manager. - Isobel Burton, and Molly Lucas are in charge of. the properties. The box plan is now open at Begg's. "THE GOLDEN LEGEND." Tomorrow night at the Town Hall, under the baton of Mr. Stanley Oliver, the Royal Wellington Choral. Union will render Sir Arthur Sullivan's "The Golden Legend," together with Vaughan Williams's "Flourish for a Coronation." "The Golden Legend" was originally composed for the Leeds Musical Festival of 1886, and outstanding performances of the work were rendered at the musical festivals held in Wellington in 1894 and again in 1903. This work was' also sung at the Dunedin Exhibition by the combined choirs of the Royal Wellington Choral Union and the Dunedin Choral Society: The choral committee, knowing the difficulties which this work presents, has wisely decided to take no risks, and so have engaged a very strong cast. The soprano will be Mrs. Leonard Cronin, late of Dunedin, and the contralto Miss Molly Atkinson. Mr. Harold Prescott, of Greymouth, I will be the tenor, and Mr.' Geoffrey Colledge, of Auckland, will undertake the baritone part. The final rehearsal will be held tonight at 7.30 at the Town Hall: A supply of'one shilling tickets will be on sale at the D.I.C. tomorrow.

RIVOLI THEATRE. Unforgettably portrayed by the star of ''The Informer" and an inspired cast, "Nancy Steele is Missing," showing at the Rivoli Theatre, presents a powerful drama of vengeful hate balked by its own fury and punished by man's greatest love. The performances of Victor McLaglen, winner of the Motion Picture Academy award for the best performance of 1935; Walter Connolly, outstanding actor of stage and screen; and- Peter Lorre, make "Nancy Steele is.Missing" a splendid' film, filled with tense thrills and strong passions. June Lang and Robert Kent, are featured in the film. "Libelled Lady," starring Jean Harlow, • William Powell, Myrria Loy, and Spencer Tracy, is the second feature. Miss Harlow plays the role of Gladys, who is persuaded to enter into a marriage of con-, venience in order to help compromise Myrna Loy in the role of the libelled heiress. Powell is the man selected to "frame" Miss Loy in order to force her to drop her suit and Tracy is the harassed managing editor. HEALTH LECTURE. The lectures of Mr. Harry Gaze are planned to interest the real thinkers of the community, All who' desire lo be inspiringly well should hear him lecture in Wellington tonight at 8 o'clock at the Blue Triangle Hall, Y.W.C.A. The subject is "How to Heal Yourself and Others." "Concentration" will be the subject on Saturday night, in the samp hall. The series will conclude with two lectures in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Sunday and Monday nights,- the subjects being "The Joy and Power of the Life Abundant" and "How. to Grow Young and Stay Young." ■••■•■■■ .'