CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 18, 22 January 1938, Page 7

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

MAJESTIC THEATRE,

A story, pathetic yet beautiful in the extreme, which is enhanced by two well-known '-'and- well-loved voices, is told in the enthalling production "Maytime," which is showing for a second week at the Majestic Theatre. Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald are the stars,, and' that in itself is enough to make a film a success. In the prologue ..ofthe picture a young girl is confronted with the perplexing problem ' of whether to marry the man she loves -or to- take the chance of becoming a • jrfeat opera star in New York. She quarrelled with her lover over the matter, and decided to consult an ciderly .friend and neighbour, a Miss Morrison./ Miss Morrison turned out to be a former great opera star herself (Marcia Mornay), and she told the tearful girl how she had started her ' famous career at the court of Napoleon " -111. The film goes on to show how La Mornay (Jeanette MacDonald) becomes, in a night, a great star, and how ■ in the excitement of the moment she • -accepts the marriage proposal of 'her capable impresario (John Barrymore). That very night, however, she went out alone and met, and fell in love with, Paul (Nelson Eddy) at a rowdy little cafe. They meet again, but Marcia Mornay decides that she must marry the man who had done so much for her,-and they part. Later, when she ' is married, she is cast by chance opposite Paul in the opera Tsantsa. Their "love is obvious, and the tragic end ' which follows provides the finish of Miss Morrison's story, and the begin- - nine' of a new one for two young people. The supports are of a .very high standard.

ST. JAMES THEATRE.

The fact-that "Merry-go-Round of 1938"' is having an extended season at the St. James Theatre is in itself a recommendation. A non-stop comedy, featuring a team of first-rate artists, the picture is replete from start to finish ,with racy dialogue and excellent stage work. The names of Mischa Auer, Alice Brady, Billy House, Jimmie Savo, 'and Bert Lahr are household ones in the American entertainment world, and these artists all combine to ■ pro- . duce a film of untiring comedy. Briefly, the story concerns the adventures of four comedians, who have perforce to grapple with the problem of bringing up an adopted infant daughter, and then having accomplished this to their satisfaction are faced with the equally difficult problem of getting ' her ■married to the right millionaire (John ■King). This they find not so easy of .solution, and it requires -the skilled attention of all four to convince the flighty Aunt Hortense, "the wealthy relation of John King, that the match is desirable. Joy Hodges, as the adopted daughter, sings several new and pleasing songs, and an old favourite in Louise Fazenda is another in the cast who lends brightness to the picture. Dave Apollon's orchestra, regarded as one of the best musical acts on the American' stage, also adds its contribution. The supporting programme is excellent.

PARAMOUNT THEATRE. j One of the most delightful musical' offerings the screen has produced in. recent years, "One Hundred Men and| a Girl," is showing at the Paramount "Theatre.1 Deanna Durbin, possessor of a remarkable and exquisitely-trained voice and a winsome and appealing personality, would alone make the pic- " ture outstanding, but she has the backing of a symphony orchestra under the baton of the famous American conductor Leopold Stokowski, and the superb combination provides a feast of music "of the highest order. Adolphe Menjou and Mischa Auer have lead- ; ing roles, the former giving a fine characterisation of. an out-of-work musician. . Eugene Pallette and Alice J3rady are responsible for much of the humour'of the film: The story pro"vides'an admirable vehicle for the musical theme. Menjou is cast as Deanna's father, one of 100 out-of-work musicians. Alice Brady is a society woman who promises Deanna to sponsor the orchestra, but who goes to Europe, leaving the musicians in the lurch. , Eugene Pallette, her husband, will not have anything to do with the combination, but agrees that there might be something in it if a worldfamous conductor were to direct it for one concert. Deanna sets about getting Stokowski lor the orchestra, arid her methods provide the story of the film. Supports include a cartoon, and travelogues.

SHORTT'S THEATRE.

Joe E. Brown is the star in the musical comedy romance, "Sons o Guns, now at Shortt's Theatre. The picture is based on the rollicking Broadway stage hit of the same title by Fred Thompson and Jack Donahue, a colourful, tuneful comedy of World. War days, dealing only with the bright and hilarious side of doughboy life in the A.E.F. "Man Hunt," the second feature, combines tense,- exciting melodrama with hilarious comedy. There is a talented cast headed by Ricardo Cortez, Marguerite Churchill. William Gargan, and Charles (Chic) Sale.

REX THEATRE.

■ "Get- the picture—we can't screen abilis!" That's the order that starts John Wayne, as a newsreel cameraman, off on a series of hair-raising adventures in far-off and little-known Mesopotamia! That's the plot and. the locale of the i new Universal picture, "I Cover the War," now at the Rex Theatre. Wayne is seen as Bob Adams, ace newsreel cameraman, with orders to get motion pictures of Muffadhi, Arabian bandit and rebel, whom the British forces have been trying to find for years. Sandy Powell, Britain s greatest comedian, is the star of Can You Hear Me, Mother?" the second attraction. Famous on both radio and 'gramophone, on which "Sandys hilarious antics have delighted listeners' throughout the country, this production marks his film debut.

PALACE THEATRE, PETONE.

Dealing with the regeneration of a young doctor after he is forced by a freak of circumstances to abandon nis career and become a derelict, "The Man Who Found Himself," now at the Palace Theatre, presents powerful human drama against the highly modern setting of a big airport. John Beal has the starring . part. A superblywritten drama, brilliantly enacted by an imposing cast and set in the scenic grandeur- of the very summit.of America's timber belt, "Roaring Timber,"" starring Jack Holt, is the second attraction.

STATE THEATRE, PETONE. Kipling's colourful characters live glamorously, adventurously, and courageously on adventure's last frontier in "Wee Willie Winkie," now at the State Theatre, with Shirley Temple and Victor McLaglen in the starring roles. From the heart of mighty India, where all the world is wild and strange, where the British raj ends at Khyber 'Pass,- in the land of the Bengal Lancers, comes this glorious adventure of the Scottish Highlanders in action and of the.little girl.who won the right to wear their Plaid. .

GRAND THEATRE, PETONE,

Three of the screen's most popular saddle-mates, "Hopalong Cassidy," "Windy" Halliday, and "Lucky" Jenkins ride to adventure and romance tgain in "Rustlers' Valley" latest of fie popular Clarence E. Mulford action stories; which is showing at the Grand Theatre. Six well-known comedians^ have been assembled by Paramount for the screen treatment of the stage success, "Blonde Trouble," which is the second feature. They are Eleanore Whitney, Johnny Downs, Lynne Overman, Benny Baker, William Demarest, and El Brendel.

BROOKLYN THEATRE,

"The Holy Terror," starring the mischievous Jane Withers, will be the main feature at the Brooklyn Theatre tonight. Others in the • cast include Anthony Martin, Leah Ray, Joan Davis, El Brehdel, and Joe Lewis. Brian Donlevy and Francis Drake are featured in "Midnight Taxi," the second attraction. ■ There will also be screened a newsreel, comedy, .etc.

ROXY THEATRE.

TIVOLI THEATRE,

"Head Over Heels," starring Jessie Matthews, is showing at the Tivoli Theatre. It is a zestful comedy-romance set in the Parisian cabaret-world, of ' three young people and an actress, who has. home-wrecking tendencies. Jeanne, a cabaret singer (Jessie Matthews) meets a young sound engineer, Pierre (Robert Flemyng) at a broadcasting station and accepts an invitation' to lunch at his rooms, • .'here he lives with Marcel (Louis Borrell), an insincere young actor-philanderer. To the worry of Pierre, who has taken a'fond liking to her, she falls head over heels for 'Marcel, who, however, has become infatuated by an American film star, Norma JLangtry (Whitney Bourne). This leads to a quarrel in which Jeanne in a fit of jealousy upon seeing her happinc' snatched out of her grasp, rails Norma and causes such a scandal that the French Actors' Association bars her. from further cabaret appearances. The rest of the film makes some of the wittiest and most romantic screen entertainment yet filmed. Edmund Lowe and Madge Evans are the leading players in "Espionage," a new and unusually intriguing film, which is the second feature.

RIVOLI THEATRE.

"Ready; Willing, and Able," a comedy .with music made by Warner Bros, from the '.Richard' Macauley story of the same name is showing at the Riyoli Theatre. Co-starred are the twink-ling-toed Ruby Keeler and the famous young eccentric dancer Lee Dixon. The songs are by Johnny Mercer and Richard Whiting, and one especially— "Too Marvellous for Words"—promises to be a hit. The delightful Louise Fazenda has an eccentric role well fitted to her talents as a comedienne arid-torch singer, and Winifred Shaw is cast as a British musical comedy star. Other notables in the cast are Allen Jenkins, Carol Hughes, Hugh O'Connell, Teddy Hart, Shaw and Lee, ' the "piano-movers" from vaudeville, E. E. Clive, and Jane Wyman. Something altogether.new in the way of a '-'number" is a typewriter 30ft high, on the keys of which dancing girls spell out a love letter dictated to them" ■by Alexander. The girls were directed by Bobby Connelly. The story part of the picture was guided by Ray Enright.

KING'S THEATRE. The most talented of juvenile actresses, Shirley Temple, is at her best in "Heidi of the Alps," which is now screening at the King's Theatre. She has a charm all of her. own, and her acting in this picture, as it has been in all' her other successes, is superb. The story tells of the great attachment of an orphan (Shirley Temple) to her grandfather (the versatile Jean Hersholt), who. lives the life of a hermit in the mountain fastnesses far removed from civilisation. There are many complicated situations in which the hermit becomes involved, and on one occasion he breaks away from gaol in time to rescue Shirley from falling into the hands of. a wandering band of gipsies. Many of the scenes are brilliantly photographed, and with an excellent array of stars the picture is splendid entertainment. The supporting feature is "The Californian," adapted from a well-known story by Harold Bell Wright. It is an action-crammed Western .thriller that holds more interest than .the average picture of the type. Ricardo Cortez is in the starring role. The film depicts the loves, hates, and lives of the people of California in the days when ' bandits were a menace to the countryside. Cortez is shown as the devil-may-care Robin Hood of the Old West.

The extent to which circumstances can weave a'noose around an innocent man's neck is,dramatically portrayed in Paramount's "The Accusing Finger, a tense drama of i circumstantial evidece which is showing.at the Roxy Theatre, with Paul Kelly in the stary ring role. A jewel robbery, an excellent mystery story, and gay music are contained in 'Hideaway Girl," the supporting feature. In the cast are Shirley Ross, Robert Cumming, Monroe Owsley, and Louis DaPron.

NEW PRINCESS THEATRE.

All the musical hits of the stage production are presented in new and entertaining fashion in the film version of "Over She Goes," starring Stanley Lupino and Laddie Cliff, which i s showing" at the New Princess Theatre. Merry entertainment .aptly describes "Over She Goes." Smart.gags, capital fooling, lilting songs, and expert direction make this picture highly entertaining. The associate feature is "Kathleen Mavourneen," starring Sally O'Neil and Tom Burke, the world-fam-ous tenor.

KILB'iRNIE KINfiMA,

The glittering star triumvirate of Joan Crawford, William Powell, and Robert Montgomery are seen at the Kilbirnie Kinema in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's urbane and highly-polished screen translation of Frederic Lonsdale's stage success, "The Last of Mrs. Cheyney." It is a bright, amusing,' and diverting entertainment and the combined talents ,of Miss Crawford, Powel, and Montgomery, plus its excellent supporting players, raise it exactly to that standard which one would expec.t of so rich an assemblage of star power. George Formby's latest musical comedy, "Feather Your Nest," is the second.feature.

SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL BAY.

Kipling's colourful characters live glamorously,' adventurously, and courageously on. adventure's last frontier in Willie Winkie," which is showing at the Seaside Theatre, with Shirley Temple and Victor McLaglen in the starring roles. From the heart of mighty India, where all the world is wild and strange, comes this glorious adventure of the Scottish Highlanders in action and of the little girl who won the right to wear their plaid. "For Valour," co-starring Tom Walls and Ralph Lynn, is the second feature. The famous comedy co-stars both appear in dual roles.

REGAL THEATRE, KARORI.

The story of a love supremely courageous and unashamed endangering the nation's highest places and gambling life itself for a greater stake, "His Affair,",now at the Regal Theatre, provides Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck with the most important story either of these groat stars has ever had. , Bette Davis is the star in a gripping story taken from headlines that have flashed across the front pages of America's newspapers for months. This picture, declared by Miss Davis to give her the most powerful role she has ever portrayed, is "Marked Woman," which is the second feature.

EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY

Arresting ana spectacular melodrama adds particular vividness to Paramount's colourful production, "High, Wide, an'l Handsome" now at the Empire The-'.re. This film shows capable Irene Du.uie from^till another refreshing angle, and reveals Randolph Scott in a performance permeated with strength and virility. The picture has been frankly developed as entertainment in the broad and picturesque sense, Combining the speed and thrills of aviation with a modern mystery plot, "Reported Missing," with William Gargan and Jean Rogers in the leading roles, is the second feature.

CAPITOL THEATRE,

Kipling's colourful characters live glamorously, adventurously, and courageously on adventure's/last frontier in the Twentieth Century-Fox picturisation of his famed "Wee Willie Winkie," now at the Capitol Theatre, with Shivley Temple and Victor McLaglen in the starring roles. From the heart of mighty India, where all the world is wild and strange, where the British raj ends at Khyber Pass, in the land of the Bengal. Lancers, comes this glorious adventure of the Scottish Highlanders in action and of the little flirl who won the right to wear their plaid. "The Texas Rangers," starring Fred MacMurray, is the i second: attraction.. .i

DE LUXE THEATRE.

"SWING ALONG."

SUNDAY PICTURES.

BAND PERFORMANCE,

Combining all the best virtues of the recent cycle'of semi-crazy films, "Married' Before Breakfast," which is showing at the De Luxe, gives Robert Young the funniest part of his career. Cast as, a; debonair young investor with a flair for living honestly but without working, Young, invents a soap which displaces shaving; it can, he says, "do everything a razor can do except open cans." The soap is a flop; but one company on which Young tries to foist his product, dismayed at the possibility of losing their razor trade, pays him 250,000 ■ dollars for the invention. In a > burst of exuberance, Young distributes gilts lavishly tb all his friends. And as a final task he sets out to aid Florence Rice in her endeavours to marry a young insurance agent whose hopes of matrimony have been dashed by failure to sell a policy to a milkman. Young determinedly sets out on his quest of getting Florence Rice married before breakfast. And as he has less than twelve hours to work in, the fun becomes fast and furious. The film'is rich in humour, with fast-moving situations following each other in hilarious fashion. And through it all Young moves deliberately in one of the;finest parts of an entertaining career. Also on the programme is "The Westland Case," in which Preston Foster scores a notable Ijriumph as a detective in a mystery story of considerable merit. Good shorts complete)] an outstanding programme.

OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN.

Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor are the thrilling star combination in the new comedy-romance "Man in Possession," which heads the double-fea-ture programme showing at Our Theatre. Jean Harlow is cast as an American adventuress with a heart of gold inside a paper dollar casing. [The paper dollar casing comes first into evidence when she affiances herself to an English merchant in the belief that he is rich. He for his part engages himself to her in the belief that she is rich. Both beliefs are wrong. The merchant has a disgraced brother (played by Robert Taylor) who masquerades as Miss Harlow's butler, and the plot consists of the struggle between the brothers for. the lady's heart and hand.1 The associate feature is "Good Morning, Boys," starring Will Hay.-; :.■ ■ ■ ....■■■.

Tonight the J. C. Williamson musical Comedy Company, with George Gee as the principal' comedian, will present the clever London comic opera, "Swing Along," which scored a terrific success in Sydney, and which has yet to be staged in Melbourne. The play is said to be V>rimming over with excellent musical numbers, and it is rich in original and highly humorous comedy scenes; its settings and frocking are other features. Valerie Hay and William O'Neal have several excellent singing numbers, including "Unbelievable," "Another Dream Gone Wrong," "Love Song," and William O'Neal's exhilarating march song, "Swing Along." with' the full chorus, is said to be a rousing number. Percy Le Fre will again assist George Gee in the comedy scenes, and Donald Burr and Billie Worth both have important; parts to sing and act. Three nights only can be devoted' to "Swing Along," and on Wednesday afternoon and ' night, and on' Thursday night the company will make their final appearance in the delicious play, "Nice Goings On."

ROBERT BURNS ANNIVERSARY.

On Tuesday next, at 7.30 p.m., in the Elm Tearooms, Willis Street, the anniversary of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, will be celebrated. The [function is under the auspices of the [Wellington Burns Club (founded: in 1931 and affiliated to the World Federation of Burns Clubs and Societies). A special programme of music, song, and story, has been prepared, several wellknown local artists having been engaged for the occasion. Interspersed with supper and good cheer toasts will be honoured, the principal one being "The Immortal Bard." The haggis will be introduced by the recital of Burns's well-known ode. A short film of Burns's country will be shown, the pictures being, recently brought from Scotland by Mr. D. Robertson, of Wellington. Tickets at 3s 6d each are available at Nimmo's, Willis Street, and from members of the committee. Present sales indicate a large atendance, and patrons are requested to attend early.

The Port Nicholson Band has arranged a grand picture entertainment at the De Luxe Theatre tomorrow night. The main feature will be "The Squatter's Daughter." It is doubtful if1 any production during recent years has earned such glowing tributes from all sections of the community. A strong cast, is headed by the charming and talented Jocelyn Howarth, who will completely captivate every heart as the squatter's daughter. Grant Lyndsay, Fred. MacDonald, Katie Towers, and John Warwick are also in the cast. Also in the picture is Bidgee, a remarkable dog who carries out feats by merely directional gestures from her mistress. Intending patrons are requested to be early in order to secure a -seat, as another record house is anticipated.

The Regimental Pipe Band will give a performance at the Central Park Hospital tomorrow, commencing at 3 p.m.

RONA OLSEN LECTURES

Those who have not heard Rona 01----sen lecture should attend the Conference Hall, Dominion Farmers' Institute, tomorrow, at 7.30 p.m., when this noted international lecturer will speak on "What1 Life Has Taught Me." Written questions will be answered.