CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 60, 8 September 1938, Page 15

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE.

From the pen of the author of "All Quiet on the Western Front" comes another gripping screen story, this time a narrative in which a nation's woes after the World War are overshadowed by one of the most human love stories to reach the screen. In the new picture, "Three 'Comrades," which is showing at the Majestic Theatre, Robert Taylor and Margaret Sujlavan' provide a poignant romance, with Franchot Tone and Robert Young also jn stellar roles. The story centres about Taylor, Tone, and Young, three young war veterans who face a chaotic future together in a country gripped by post*war disturbances. Taylor, the youngest, falls in love with Miss Sullavan, the love affair giving all three comrades a new interest in life. Taylor and Miss Sullavan, are married, and it seems as though fate has ofiered them a share of happiness at last. But life , decrees otherwise. Young is slain in a riot and Miss Sullavan suffers an illness on her honeymoon. When she faces an operation in. a disfsnt sanitarium, Tone sells his proudest, possession, a racing car, but Miss. .Sullavan dies, leaving Taylor and Tons %q face the future alone, \ ■ ST. JAMES THEATRE. ./'CQQQanut Orove" will.be shown finally-lonjght at the St, James ThjeatreVv •• .:' ■.■'". ■ •.■"..■ ! "Th£;Kage of .Paris," starring Danielle Darrieux f commences tomorrow.1 V?iARAMQUNT THEATRE. ; - Merrily WeLive'' concludes tonight at ihe Paramount Theatre. Two youngsters, head over heels in love, are rescued from making the worst mistake of their lives by a sentinjental old musician in "Stolen Heaven," Paramount's new romantic drama, which'will-have » return season at the Parsimount Theatre tomorrow. Handsome Gene Raymond and Olympe BradnaY the vivacious French girl who is being hailed as the "first star of. Is3B,'V head'a cast which includes •Glenda' "Farrell, r Lewis Stone, and Porter Hal]. Frieda Inescort in "Portia on Trial," the picturisation of Faith Baldwin's world-famous romance, "The Trial of Portia : Merryman," will be the supporting attraction. Portia, as the price of her son's name, was forced, seventeen years before, to forgo maternal claim on him by signing. false affidavits which presented her as a woman unfit for motherhood. Later, when Fate brings the two togethiey in highly dramatic circumstances, she acknowledges her birthright arid defies the world to challenge *% Old John QondQn takes up this challenge, John Condon, industrial and political magnate, ;whose word is sufficient to make or break men. He brings Portia before the Bar Association 113,-an effort to expel her from the Bar, but-she outwits him with a brilliant and dramatic coup which forms qne of the.high spots of the produce tion. ; , ~ NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. , "The Awful Truth* and. "Stand-In" conclude tohight at the New Princess Theatre; One; of the most brilliant • musical comedies in years will be the main attraction at the New Princess, Theatre commencing tomorrow^ It is entitled "Paradise for Two," and co-stars popur laf'Jack Hulbert, with his inimitable funning; dancing, and singing, and beautiful Patricia Ellis. The riotously funny story deals with a sanctimonious young millionaire who becomes innocently linked in romance with a chorus girl. Intrigued with the idea, he decides to play a game of his own and pretends to be a newspaper reporter covering the rumoured romance. He discovers that the girl is playing a hoax on the theatrical manager and proceeds, without revealing his identity, t*> aid herin the Illpeption. The result is greatly bewildering to'the girl and her associates, but highly amusing to the audienpe. The associate feature is Paramount Films' "Angel," starring Marlene Dietrich, Herbert Marshall, Melvyn Douglas, and Ed. Everett Horton. REX THEATRE. Swift-moving action, drama, comedy, and song are the ingredients that make up life hi a forest camp, which is the theme of Paramount's "It's a Great Life," which is showing at the Rex Theatre. The principal dramatic roles belong to Joe Morrison, Paul Kelly, Rosalind Keith, and William Frawley, but the picture acquires , balance through the work of Charles (Chic) Sale-and of three juvenile stars, Baby Leßoy.VDavid'. Holt, and Gloria Ann White;- Scott and Frances Drake have leading-romantic roles in the Paramount production of drama on the highways, "Toll of the Road" which is the associate feature. The story was inspired by a famous article which made a nation conscious of the traffiq toll some months ago, ROXT THEATRE. ■ "Tip-off Girls" and "Cassidy of Bar 20" conclude tonight at the Roxy The-. One of mankind's oldest ambitions, to be able to make perfect diamonds artificially in a laboratory, forms the plot for the latest "Bulldog Drummond" murder mystery, 'Bulldog Drummdnd's Peril," which opens tomorrow, with John Barrymore, John Howard, and Louise Campbell heading a cast of well-known dramatic players. What happens in the world .of learning when xhe class dumbell mheritsthe college through the peculiar •provisions of an old will and sets about; running it to suit herself forms the comic plot of "College Swing," the supporting feature. An all-star cast of Hollywood's ace comedy players is headed by Burns and Allen and Edward Everett Horton. SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL BAY, The love that springs Up between a white "goddess" who has never before seen a white man and a trans-Pacific flyer forced down on a desert island is the story of "Her Jungle Love,", now at the Seaside Theatre. Filmed in a blazing riot of natural colour, this: new Paramount picture co-stars Dorothy Lamour and Ray Milland. The associat?StracSon?"The Shadow," features Charles Quigley and Rita Hey worth. STATE THEATRE, PETONE. "Sweet Aloes," starring Kay Francis, is showing at the State Theatre. The picture, blsed on the smashing stage hit by Jay Mallory, was made for Kay TTrancis The intensely emotional situations of the Play offer her the finest dramatis opportunities of herrareer. and she rises to them with all the br-U----i^ntlrfctry for which she is famous. Thire te a^emarkably brilliant supporting cast which, includes such ?fSuf Players of stage ancT screen as iffic Knowles, Henry Stephenson, Frfda Sscourt, Helen Flint, Halliwell HobbesTZeffie Tulbury, and Elspeth < Dudgeon. •" GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. Death deals a hand at the gaming SeSance to solve a triple murder as hS xningles with the millionaire playiboys^bliewelled beauties, and gay adventurersi Behind the laughter and ■ Knte?ol"thoSsaids of Pleasure-seeking internationals, there is *™P£^3?£ stake in stock manipulation which : spells success for one man and nun for •another, % ■ PALACE TCHEATRE, PETONE. "Smart Blonde," which is showing at the Palace Theatre, is a combination mystery*newspaper-police thriller, costarring Miss Farrell as a wisecracking i'but brainy reporter and Barton MacLana as a hard-boiled detective-lieuten-ant. Romance in a new setting will be found in the Warner Bros, picture, "King of Hockey," the associate attraction. It is staged in the atmosphere of Madison Square Garden, New York, and'carries all the thrill, colour, and drama of the popular sport of iqe hodkey. Dick PurceM and Anna' JSagel bave the leading roles, _

CTIT AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

PLAZA THEATRE.

L The possibility of films centred ■ around the lives of Britishers on the ) North-west Frontier becoming tedious i is very remote if future productions, [ with that theme, are of an equally high i standard as "The Drum," now screen- ■ ing at the Plaza Theatre. The film, i entirely in technicolour, abounds m ■ thrills, drama, and humour, and gives ■ an excellent insight into the troubles ■ encountered by British regiments in l those, at times, troublous regions.. The ; story deals with an attempted rising ' of the natives in Tokot (an imaginary ■ State) by a fanatical prince (a role brilliantly enacted by Raymond Massey). > The success ' of this venture would . throw the whole of Northern India into > a religious war. A small British force, ■ under the command of Captain Car- , ruthers (Robert Livesy) and a. Juvenile ■ prince, Sabu—proper heir to the throne ; occupied by the fanatic—are the two main difficulties with which the fanatic ■ has to contend, and events prove that ■ the combination carries too many guns > for the insurgents.. There are many i fighting scenes, which are most reaiis- ; tic, and the many glimpses of Indian L life could not be improved upon, DE LUXE THEATRE. "Hunted Men" and "Heart, of Arizona" conclude tonight at the De Luxe Theatre: . . The exotic atmosphere of the Interior of North China—rarely if ever ' before shown in a motion picture and particularly timely today with China in the headlines—comes to the screen tn ''West of Shanghai," a melodramatic : thriller which commences tomorrow at the De Luxe Theatre. The play ret vplves around the possession and 1 ownership of an oil concession. Jim ■ Hallet, an American played by Gordon 1 Oliver, has discovered the field, bor- : rowed money to develop it, but it is ' about to be foreclosed on him because :he has not enough cash. Myron Gait 1 (Douglas Wood) and Gordon Creed : (Ricardo Cortez), financiers, are in a ' race for the property and arrive at the field together, to find that General Wu Yen Fang (Boris Karloff) isinppsses- ; sion of the adjacent village. It develops that Hallet has once saved General Fang's life, and Fang repays him by seeing to it that Hallet becomes the ', complete owner of the oil wells.. The 1 feminine romantic interest is carried by Beverly Roberts. The popular comedian, Joe E, Brown, has served out ', heaps of fun in his career, but rarely , has he been as generous with his ! helpings as he is in Columbia's "Wide '. Open Faces/ which is the second fea- , ture. As an amateur detective, Joe i can get in plenty of trouble, and his current story finds him in just such a ; role. .. STATE THEATRE. 1 "Kidnapped" will be shown for'the 1 last time tonight at the. State Theatre. i "Jqsette," 20th Century-Fox/s latest and gayest > love comedy, .co-starring Don Ameche, Simone, Simon, and Robert Young,; opens tomorrow at the State Theatre. This spicy, tantalising story is gayer than a Mardi Gras,.with: these three delightful stars. Don is more romantic than ever. Simqne is the tantalising little French coquette. And Bob is the ardent swain who won't take '"no for an answer. Three new song hits by Hollywood's ace writers are featured in the musical background of the film: These are "May I Drop a Petal in Your Glass of Wine?" "In Any Language," and "Where in the World?" Bert Lahr and Joan Davis, sensational new comedy team first seen in "Love and Hisses," head the featured cast of "Josette." The film is Joan Davis's first since she was voted No. 1 comedienne in a New York daily's nationwide fan poll. Paul Hurst, William Collier, sen., and Tala Birrell are included in the cast. TUDOR THEATRE. ; Another double^feature programme is the bill of fare for the Tudor Theatre. Sally Eilers, Ann Shirley, and Louis Hayward are co-starred in the leading feature, "Condemned Women, a dramatic filmisation of forsaken women. The associate film is a.comedy, "Maid's Night Out,", m which Allan Lane and Joan Fontaine head the cast. OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. As a singing comedienne, gay and vivacious, Simone Simon makes a triumphant debut in the bright and snappy comedy, "Love and Hisses, which heads the double-feature programme at Our Theatre. Simone sings a number of catchy songs with charm and vitality. Ben ' Bernie brings Simone over from Paris for his night club and tries to get Walter Winchell to boost her up in his daily news ses? sion over the radio. His hopes are shattered, however, when Walter puts over the air the most adverse criticism of the new "find." Simone's rise to fame is quickly stopped, but Ben is not beaten and arranges things so that Walter "discovers" her under another name. "Borrowing Trouble," starring the Jones family, is the second. attrac« tion. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. Eclipsing even their troumphs. in "Naughty Marietta" and "Rose Marie, Jeanette Mac Donald and Nelson Eddy are the stars in "Maytime," Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's lavish adaptation of ,the Rida. Johnson Young which opens tomorrow at the Kilbirnie Kinema. The story, taken from Rida Johnson Young's orig- ; inal play and adapted by .Noel Langley opens in 1905 with Miss Mac Donald' appearing in old lady make-up for the first time, trying to solve the romantic problems of Lynne Carver and Tom Brown-by telling the girl of her own life so she can choose between ' love and a career. The story then goes back to 1865 and, briefly, throws Miss Mac Donald as a prima donna, and Eddy, as a young singing student, together in a cellar cafe in Pans. They love and part because Miss Mac Donald already has promised to wed Barrymore who has been her benefactor and guiding hand to success. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. With Pat O'Brien starred, and such excellent players as Humphrey Bogart, Barton Mac Lane, Joseph Sawyer, and Ann Sheridan in supporting roles, the Warner Bros. First National melodrama "San Quentin" is showing at the Empire Theatre. While the story is laid in and about the famous penitentiary that juts into San Francisco Bay, it is not one of those sorrowful movies about condemned men and last hours and that sort of thing. It is simply a swiftly-moving melodrama dealing with the prisoners, the lives they lead —some good, some evil, even behind walls —and the officers who guard them. The first-class comedy, "Second Honeymoon" is the supporting featureREGAL THEATRE, KARORI. Sandy Powell's new hit, "Leave it to Me," is showing at the Regal Theatre. That this new vehicle gives the grand trouper—famous on music hall, stage, and radio alike —the finest opportuni- , ties he has ever had cannot be doubted. All that need be said about the story ' is that it concerns Sandy's activities as a special constable. Supporting the star is a very strong cast of talented Britisli players. Adventure and excitement are the keynotes of "Flight Into Nowhere," Jack Holt's latest Columbia drama, which is the associate feature. The film, enacted by a ster- , ling cast, is set against the trackless forests of the upper Amazon, with modern science pitted against jungle hoodoo. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. A new~'Philo Vance blood-chilling murder story, "Night of Mystery," now at the Capitol Theatre, is as exciting as all the other S. S. Van Dine screeij attractions. It successfully introduced a new Philo Vance and Sergeant Heath in the persons of Grant Richards and Roscoe Karns. Red-blooded action of the type that everyone has come to expect from "Hopalong" Cassidy Western stories is supplied in good measure in the latest of these outdoor romances, "North of the Rio Grande," which is the associate attraction.

TIVOLI THEATRE.

Cecil B. de Mille has used the broad panorama of the war of 1812 as background for his Paramount film, The Buccaneer," which is showing at the Tivoli . Theatre, Fredric .March is cast as the famous pirate chief, Jean Lafltte, whose love for I a belle of old New Orleans, Margot Grahame, and her country, the struggling young United States, makes him 30m with General Andrew Jackson in the defence of New Orleans against the British attack. Although he becomes the hero of the hour when the British are routed, March loses his honour and his sweetheart when it becomes known that his men sank the Ameri-1 can merchant ship, "Corinthian," with Margot's sister and a score of other prominent citizens aboard. Escaping from New Orleans with Jackson s help, he goes into exile with the girl who really understands and loves him, Franciska Gaal, an orphan-whom he had rescued from the sea. A highspeed re-nance carried on in a spooky atmosphere under the ever-present thfeafof desperate gangsters and glazing suns, and leavened with sme-sp«t-gySmedy situations forms> the basis nf "Seven Keys to Baldpate, tiusecond feature, with Gene Raymond. RIVOU THEATRE. Barking gangster guns, swing music, underworld intrigue, and a hectic romance are combined to provide a fastmoving drama entitled "Night Spot, Swat the Rivoli Theatre. An unusual hero is seen in the person of Allan {SSves^^Sfu-11/^ea^g by working in a night-club orchestra as a police undercover man. Lovely Joan Woodbury is cast as a hafd-work-ing secretary who also harbours^musical ambitions and it is her good fortune to obtain a singing jobin the same night club, which leads to a hectic romance with the young policeman and the subsequent nerve-tingling experiences at the hands of gangsters operating the night spot. Sally Eilers has the main role in "Nurse From Brooklyn," the second attraction. As Beth Thomas, the nurse, she is forced to depict the soul-searing emotions that sweep over a girl who finds she is losing her heart to the man she believes has shot her brother. Leading figures in the cast with Miss Eilers are Paul Kelly, Larry Blake, and Maurice Murphy. "STORM IN A TEAQUP.'* A good plot, amusing characters, and witty dialogue combine to make "Storm in a Teacup," now-being played by the Wellington Repertory Theatre at the Concert Chamber, one.of the outstanding comedy successes of recent years. The strong cast, under the direction of W. S. Wauchop, gives a good account of itself. As usual careful attention has been paid to -setting's, and some charming scenes have been prepared by W. J. Conroy and W. J. Johnstone. Constance Morice and Mary Richmond at.tend to properties, and some attractive furniture is used. George Colledge has charge of the lighting, the stage manager is J. R. Bennett, and the prompter Mrs. V. G. Webb. Pauline Shotlander is wardrobe mistress. The cast comprises Mrs. George Swan, Joy Hodgson, Ngaire Horton, 'Mrs. Night McCartney, A. Eaton-Hurley, Alan R. Harper, Alex Peacock, Eric Lawson, A. S. Farquhar, T. B. Campbell, George Cooper, Edgar Kain, W. F. C. Balham, Cyril Edgar, L. W. Thornton, and lan Robertson. The play will continue until the end of the week.