CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 70, 24 March 1938, Page 14

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS.

I REGENT THEATRE,;, ;> .. Fasfrmoving. comedy, of the .craziest and most: entertaining kind characterises 'j|Ever Since. Eye/! the Regent Theatne's lastest offering. The-two leading rdles are taken by Marion Daviesj and •. lMontg9raery.;; ■ Marion. Daviffc is the secretary cursed by an overissue of good looks, and Robert Mont jjomery is a young and erratic novelist who is very interested in the opposite sex. Patsy Kelly is in her very best form as the girl secretary's .room-mate, and,as her boy-ffl-iehd* ~ Alien Jenkins,Las\ usual, contributes his: full share to the lighter side ©f the picture. Louise Fazenda is cast las the dynamic publisher who has the difficulijob of.handling Montgomery's contribution' to the nation's literature. As a ghost-writer of schoolgirl stories, Frank; McHugh is we.ll up to uSual standard; J When the. pretty secre :ary,.rnade,:- up/as one of the typical stage type;'is given a job with the aoung, author, many really humorojus situations occur. Majestic theatre^ y. •■;'■ "Ttopper" concludes tonight' at' the Majestic Theatre. ■■}''■'•■':':': c r V" ' ■ "Bag City,".; starring ■ Luise "Rainer and Spencer 'Tracy, commences tomorrow.! ■■'?- •■;■:. ■• ■■'~'■ . ST. JAMES THEATRE. 7 '.[',; "Between T,wo ' Women" will : conclude its season tonight at the St. James Theatre; : "licndon: By .Night," starring George Murphy and Rita Johnson, commences tomorrow. %.'. -. _ ' NEW PARAMOUNT THEATRE. "danders of the River" concludes tonighjt at the New Paramount Theatre. Barbara Stanwyr*:, John, Boles, and Anrie Shirley appeal-, in "Stella Dallas, which begins at the' New Paramount tomorrow. It is ;a. - dramatic story, -of a \Moman who marries \ above her station, and who makes a: great,sacrifice for Hhe sake of her daughter. ' KING'S THEATRE. "Fit for a King" and "Dangerously Youts" conclude tonight at the Kings Thejatre. ' Two baffling murders,,the hectic pursuit* of the fancied killer through the sliaflQjry labyrinths of a theatre base-meritjita--clever." blackmailing ..scheme, anal" two attempts on the life of "the detective investigating the case;, comprise some of the many thrills _ ot "Forty i Naughty Girls," RKO Radios neST'detectivei: mystery :,film, Which • opefelomorrow at the King's Theatre Lik&the five preceding pictures based ortrStttart Palmer's popular stories of Inspector Oscar Piper and his schoolteacher aide Hildegarde Withers, the . new offering again presents James Gleason in the role of the crusty and boastful police officer whose blunders arei.corrected by his inquisitive aide s inttiition. All the action occurs inside a theatre within a few hours, one murderVbeing committed in the engenues dressing-room, and the other on the stage during a /'black-out" performance of the revue. As professional handlers of'high explosives, Harry Carey, John Beal, Frank M. Thomas, Richard Lane,, and others, lead*hazardous, lives-,-in "Danger Patrol," the second feature. The film also sketches a vivid picture of'the wives of these men, showing vividly • their reactions while waiting for their husbands to return from assignments. . REX .THEATRE. The most'hiiarious'-'achieyement of the of America's :• dean of all cotnics/is'Paramount's "Poppy, w. v Fields '■ films which*is .showing at the Rex ,* Theatre. Rochelle Hudson, Richard' Cromwell, Lynne Overman^ Cathlrine Doucet, and Rosalind Keith are-featured players supporting Fields. ZArie^Grey's stories have been film highlights i or: many years, and his latSfeloft, "Nevad?;-1 the second feature, -is no . exception. It has been dramatised by -Paramount; ; and has tarrylC'Buster") .Crabbe . 'Kathleen Burke*and Monte Blue,m;the cast. ; SHORTT'S THEATREi"Nancy Steele is Missing"; and 'The morrow. ■ The' picture! concerns the highly-spiced adventure and love affair of a duchess—a warm-blooded South American beauty who has married into an English .family of Jhe ; nobility, and whflse searchfordiversion after the death?.,of,v;hes,'.; husband^ shocks, her hifhTyf'proper British With MiEglret' Lindsayi and Glenda Farrell teamed as a pair of young women lawyers, "The Law in Her Hands, the second attraction, is gay with fun and vivid with swift and dramatic action. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. The mixture of comedy and drama which W. S. Van Dyke unfailingly injects into a mystery picture.is evident again in his latest effort, "After the Thin Man," the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film, which is showing at the Empire TBB&fee, with ;iW,illiam^ Powell and Myrww Lov?- in->"the- starring roles. Sequ*E to .^hat' memorable masterpiecfiißf ciriema mystery,,. "The Thin Man," "After the Thin Man" was writ-tenitw-the same author, DashieU Ham-m-ett;~and surrounds the inimitable stars with a sparkling cast of favourites, including, James Stewart, Elissa Landi, Joseph Calleia, Jessie Ralph, and Asta.the remarkable wire-haired terrier of "The Thin Man." : .. SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL BAY. Set against the majesty of the Rocky Mountain timberlands, the story of "Roaring Timber," now at the Seaside Theatre, tells of one man's battle against Nature's fury and man's treacnery for supremacy in the north woods. Jack^Holt has the leading role. .The associate attraction, "As Good As Married," a romantic comedy-drama, has John Boles, Doris Nolan, and Alan Mowbray in the leading role?. An excellent variety, of supports concludes thej-Bill.- ... / v*. . . ■ _. . ■ .: ... ■i ¥f TATE THEATRE, PETONE. ; "More' Than a Secretary" concludes tonight at the State Theatre. *The vogue of the popularity. an Western pictures now includes so rollickfng and stellar a team of comic sta'rsias Laurel and Hardy, who will be -seen at the State Theatre tomorrow in jtfre ieature-length comedy, "Way Outwest." "Way.Out West" is an ideal vehlelefor them; one of the most huffif&rous features they have ever presented. As a pair of inexperienced desert prospectors in a background of the coldur and thrills of the gay nineties, Laurel and Hardy romp through a succession of adventures and misadvenjjiresl that send', the audience into gafes of slaughter. IZ, \ ■ -, , XAIjAICE THEATRE, PETONE. TEe new Universal mystery drama, "The" Man Who Cried Wolf," now at the Palace Theatre, concerns a famous actor who commits "the perfect crime," only to discover that his own son is charged with the murder and later convicted. Lewis Stone plaws^the-leading1 dramatic role. His Son is portrayed by Tom Brown, wh'Ol shares' a .tender romance with Barbara Re*ad. .The second attraction. "Western Gtold," is a thrilling story of the early .days and features Smith Ballew, a new Western singing star, l GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. Depicting a iside of aviation never before revealed ;: on" the screen—the biftefr reckless careers of ■• "outlaw", flyers"'who risk-their lives+in iobsolete aeroplanes along the far-flung outposts of the-.'world—"Flight vFroniiGlory," starring Chester*, Morris,' is showing r at the . Grand Theatre. The deeply dramatic\ story of a young Irish girl- for whom life" and lov-e are. -twisWd and -almost destroyed by the Easter Week "Insurrection" of 1916 in Dublin, .gives .Barbara ."Stanwyck one of t.the richest roles of '*er.ftcareerdn t'The Plough and• the ££fars,"*th'e*secoi^tyattractiOn ) ,"

ciTY 'ANK SUBURBAN .THEATRES.. ■

PLAZA THEATRE. j t Breaking away.from his customary ■ type of role,. George Arliss, emerges t as a new personality in "Dr. Syn, - which is -now showing at the Plaza s Theatre. It is as no world-famed states,man, surrounded by pomp and ceremony, no stirring fanatic,, that he appears, but as a'shrewd, scheming, yet kindly old Kentish parson of 100 years ago. In those days the King's men combed the little Kentish ports for stores of hidden brandies and wines, brought by smugglers from France to evade the duties. 'A.s,_the parson of the village Dr. Syn conducts a profitable •business in- smuggling, and as a result his flock is endowed with more material blessings ..than' is the case in most of the seaside villages. The nis.tory of a famous pirate, Captain Clegg, is inextricably, interwoven with that of the village, and his.relationship_ to several of the characters, plays an important part in the final sequences. DE LUXE THEATRE. "Oh, Mr. Porter!" and "Outlaws of the Orient" conclude tonight at the De Luxe Theatre. "Mutiny of the Elsinore," starring Lyn Harding and Paul Lukas, and "Carnival Queen" commence tomorrow. STATE THEATRE. "Lancer Spy" wlil be shown finally tonight at the State Theatre. "The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel," starring Barry K. Barnes, commences .tomorrow. FRANK NEIL'S REVUE. Commencing with a matinee at the Grand Opera House on Saturday, J. C. Wiltiamsqn..Ltd., will present Frank Neil's new revue, "The; Wonder Show of World's Stars." The!principal comedian is Mr.* Jim Gerald,- who is,one of the best artists the Australian stage has produced. Local playgoers will remember hinrfor his excellent performances in ','The New Moon" and "The Belle of New York." Great interest attaches to the reappearance of Miss Ella Shields, who is known throughout the world for her brilliant male impersonations. Her artistry will be enjoyed in a number of neV song creations, specially written for her by famous song writers in London. The astounding performances of Gautier's comedy dogs created a sensation in Sydney and Melbourne recently,-and great interest is ,being taken in their appearance here. Don Galvin, the Mexican singing troubadour, has a good singing voice, and he accompanies himself brilliantly on the guitar and banjo.. Arne Hartman is regarded as one of the world's finest performers on the pianq-accordion, and he, too, has a good singing voice. Munro and the Adams Sisters are musical, dancing jugglers from New York, and Petillo and Pesco are clever acrobatic clowns. Janetski is an entertaining exponent of the xylophone, and U. ». Thompson «is a dynamic and original dancer. The company also includes Len Rich. John Fraser, Shirley Lawson, Max Reddy. Phyllis : Steadman, Grace Emerson, Lily Coburn/sand^the famous Sydney Tivoli Theatre Ballet. ROXY THEATRE. ' "Murder in Greenwich Village" and "It Happened In Hollywood" conclude tonight at the Roxy Theatre. A new male star is featured with Rosalind Keith in "Motor Madness, which opens tomorrow. He is Alien Brook "Motor Madness" tells the story of a young motor-boat racing driver who refuses a bribe to lose an important race •he is to drive *or hre sweetheart'sifather. Gail Patrick plays the dramatic lead in "Her Husband Lies," a dramatic story of a gambler who is forced to go back on hislword in order to save his loved ones, which is the associate film. '.;•■•■■ • KILBIRNIE KINEMA. "I'd Give My Life" ahdv"Merry-Go-Round of 1938" will be shown finally tonight at the Kilbirnie Kinejna. "Ginger" Jane Withers begins where the Wild West leaves off in "Wild and Woolly," which opens tomorrow, maing runaway trains,- getting her grandfather, played by Walter Brennan, into a duel scaring the wits out of her pais in a graveyard at midnight, chasing citygangsters on a careening stagecoach, and roping young lovers into romance, Jane makes Buffalo Bill look like a tenderfoot. Five new hit tunes are introduced in Jack Benny s new musical film, "Artists and Models wh eh, with Benny, Ida Lupino, Gail Patrick, and Richard Arlen, is the second attraction. NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. -- "Make- a-. Wish#and "Lovers and Luggers" conclude tonight at the New I Princess Theatre. ■ The conflict of elemental human passions, set against the background of the sea during the hazardous days of sailing ships and the unlawful slave traffic of the 1840's, provides one of the screen's greatest sea dramas in Souls at Sea," which commences tomorrow, with Gary Cooper and George Raft in the co-starring roles. For the love of a woman, Frances Dee, Gary Cooper willingly plays the role of murderer on the high seas and brings down upon his head the charge of manslaughter, with a trial which was the.high drama of two' continents, when it took place in Philadelphia in; 1842. The associatefeature is the Universal comedy ro-' mance, "The Lady Fights Back," starring Kent Taylor and Irene Hervey. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. The New Universal's brilliant com-edy-drama, "As Good as. Married," starring John Boles and Dons Nolan, is showing at the Regal Theatre. Boles plays the part of a successful architect, who is about to lose the major part'of his large income through taxes, marries his secretary, played by Doris Nolan, in order to reduce those taxes. The resulting complications make for rollicking comedy and tense dramatic siuations. "The' Mao Who FoundiHimself," starring John Beal and Joan Fontaine," is the associate feature. CAPITOL THEATRE. "Crimson Romance," now at the Capitol Theatre, is- a thrilling story of the Great War, in which two peacetime friends, a German and an American, find themselves fighting in the air against each other. Matters are complicated by the fact that both are in love with the same girl. Bickerings, squabbles, making-up, and then more squabbles! Such is typical of the lives of Dick and -Angela Shale, in "The Dominant Sex," the associate feature. Should Angela keep her job as a secretary, thereby helping with the family expenses? Or, should she settle down to domestic bliss, with a child, thus incurring more expense and less income? OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. The comedy-romance "The Moon's Our Home," starring Margaret Sulla- ' van heads the double-feature programme showing at Our Theatre at reduced prices. The story concerns a tempestuous screen actress and a he-man explorer-author, who start their love affair by developing an unmitigated hate for each other. They meet under assumed names, fall in love, and marry. Then fall out, and, relenting, try to fall in love again. A drama tingling with excitement and suspense is "Desert Gold," a Zane Grey story, which, with entertaining supports, complete the first half of the programme. EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS. The exhibition of Canadian contemporary paintings, now. open daily at the National Arf Gallery, ' Buckle Street, is attracting . crowds of interested visitors.' .This interesting.v..con6ction of water Colour and', .oil Jp.aintings, ■ represents fully'the wbrk'fwihich'iSib'eitig^ produced today by. Canada's foremost artists. A number of the pictures have been lent by the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. The exhibition will' remain on view at the National Gallery during the next three weeks, and in addition "to the d^y session's if will be open .on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7 to 9.30 o'clock..

TIVOLI THEATRE. *

"Saratoga" and. "Sinner Take AIL conclude tonight at the Tivoli Theatre. Continental romance of the1 gayest and lightest sort, "Cafe Metropole, starring Loretta Young, Tyrone Power, and Adolphe Menjou, which opens tomorrow, winds its amusing way against the background of gay Pans and the Continent's .most luxurious rendezvous, with Gregory Ratoff, Charles Winninger, and Helen Westley ioining the three stars in the excitement The lively course of "Cafe Metropole" begins, properly enough, in the spot of that name; where Adolpne Menjou, suave and. sophisticated, .presides deftly over the affairs of the restaurant and wonders how he can restore a borrowed 480,000 francs before the auditors arrive. Comedy situations resulting from a daughter s wellmeant but badly mistaken efforts to find a suitable bride for her widowed father, form the basis of "Make Way for a Lady," starring Herbert Marshall and Anne Shirley,.which is the second attraction.

RIVOLI THEATRE,

J"Feather Your' Nest," starring Geprge Formby, which is now at the Rivoli Theatre, has all. the merry swing of its predecessors, "No Limit" and "Keep Your Seats, Please," and' the song :numbers are "both catchy and comical. In "Feather Your Nest" the fun oscillates between George's work .as a gramophone recordist, and his mishaps in his, "very jerry-built ;nest," with hectic interludes at Turkish baths, the local hotel, and,' on a run-away motorcycle. Joe Cook.makes his', first appearance in a'full-lengthl motion picture feature in Paramount's "Arizona Mahoriey." a hilarious story of love on the western plains, which' is the associate feature. Cook rides on \a circus elephant to the rescue of Robert Cummings and J,une. Martel,, surrounded by bandits, with startling result?. '