CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 63, 12 September 1938, Page 4

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

,-: REGENT THEATRE. '' As the young woman, loyal and true, who acts up to a code of which anyone might be proud in the face of disaster after disaster in her social life, Bette Davis, in "That Certain Woman" at the Regent Theatre, has wonderful opportunities of which she makes the most. At sixteen her fatal attractiveness and ambitions see her the wife of a gangster who pays the price of life for his brief job as the big shot. Disillusioned and wise, famous or. infamous tinder her own name, the young widow attends night school, and becomes the highly efficient secretary of an eminent barrister, who she thinks is ignorant 0f her past. Love comes to her for the first time with Jack, the son of a rich man, who hitherto has ruled his son s life in every act. When her employer, : who is a fine fellow, has plotted the wedding of the two, the father puts his > loot down, insults her, and rakes up " Bits of her past. When her husband •Virilts before the old man's bitterness, pride drives her from him, and her son fa born-after Jack has married again, In the easy American way. Back again fa the: barrister's office, there is now danger in their friendship, but both are loyal to their ideals until the unforeseen happens, and Jacks wife is Stippled. Henry Fonda and lan Hunter j|rei also in the cast. % ■ ———— ■ ■ I «T. JAMES THEATRE. by critics on both sides k>t the Atlantic for her superb artistry In both dramatic and comedy roles, Danielle Darrieux, radiant idol of the European screen, makes her American debut in "The Rage of Paris," Universal comedy-romance which is showIng at the St. James Theatre. The picture was filmed by Universal studios at a cost of more than one million .dollars under the same director, Henry Koster, and with the same technical experts who worked to perfect Deanna ' Durbin's first two screen hits. The story presents Miss Darrieux as the heroine of a whirlwind romance which involves both a handsome advertising man and a rich playboy. Douglas Fair-. banks, jun., whose recent performances have added new brilliance to a famous theatrical name, is co-starred with Miss Darrieux. The top flight Supporting cast is headed by two com«dy favourites, Mischa Aver and Helen JBroderick, and features Louis Hay ward. Z, MAJESTIC THEATRE. - The unsettled, hopeless outlook of the young returned men in the Germany of the. immediate post-war period •is forcibly depicted in the film version i>f Remarque's "Three Comrades," Which is now in its second week at the Majestic Theatre. It is the story of $hree proud, yet embittered, young pffieers who find the trying conditions ■of civilian life as members of a "poverty-stricken population almost as great a battle as the war itself. Taylor, as Erich Lohkamp, (Franchot Tone as Otto Koster, and Young as Gottfried Lenz are .fthe three, and of these Erich is the {least affected by the war. When he falls in love with Patricia Hollmann Sullavan)., a life of hope 3and happiness seems to be opening out him, but again tragedy steps 3n, as the young bride is a victim of a "lingering disease which finally means v jtleath. Gottfried is involved with a group which proves his downfall, but nevertheless tragedy and < are bravely faced by the I PARAMOUNT THEATRE. < The country's foremost woman barSrister, forced by circumstances to be a to her own son and later to idefend the murderess of that son's father, is the problem of Portia Mer;jrimeh (played by Frieda Ineseourt) in oh-Trial," which is the main ■jatti&ction at the Paramount Theatre. years before Portia had been forced to sign false affidavits which presented her unfit for motherhood and to forgo her maternal claim. Fate brings mother and son together, howr ever, and she acknowledges her birthright and defies the world to challenge it John Condon takes up the challenge and brings Portia before the Bar Association in an effort to expel her from the Bar, but Portia outwits him with a brilliant . and dramatic coup. •"Stolen Heaven," is the supporting attraction. Olympe Bradna and Gene , Baymond are cast as two jewel thieves forced to take refuge an a forest, where they meet a former famous musician (Lewis Stone), whose one ambition is to return to the stage again. Their attemps to fulfil the old man's hopes and at the same time escape from the police makes a very exciting and unusual- story. TUDOR THEATRE. A new style of screen courtship is previewed in RKO Radio's "Bringing Up Baby," which is showing at the Tudor Theatre. Katharine Hepburn arid Gary Grant, principals in the novel love affair, meet with many madcap adventures when they become entangled in a circus. Charlie Ruggles, May Robson, Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Cauett, and Fritz Feld also figure prominently in these escapades, with a large supporting cast to help pile up the merriment. Joe Penner and Lucille Ball are co-starred in another hilarious comedy, "Go Chase Your»elf," the associate feature. OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. Bright entertainment is offered at Our Theatre tonight when the 20th Century-Fox musical, "The Sky's the Limit," featuring Jack Buchanan, will be shown. It is a highly amusing comedy of gay love and laughter, with a sparkling background of song and dance. The second attraction, with a five-star cast, is "School for Husbands,' a sophisticated and polished comedy of trrors. The supporting programme is Of excellent variety. GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. The semi-tropical beauty of the Hawaiian Islands forms the background for "Hawaii Calls," Bobby Breen's latest musical starring vehicle, which is showing at the Grand Theatre. With the exception of scenes taking place aboard a passenger liner on its trip from San Francisco to Honolulu, all the action of this colourful screen-play transpires amid the luxuriant settings of the islands. Many of the best known spots of this great Pacific empire are seen in the film, including the famous Waikiki Beach, Honolulu's beautiful resort hotels, its picturesque Oriental quarters, and the fern-covered t.reas of the island of Oahu. STATE THEATRE, PETONE. 'Bluebeard's Eighth Wife," the Paramount comedy now at the State Theatre, brings Claudette Colbert and Gary Cooper together in a new screen partnership. The new comedy concerns a much married American multi-millionaire who marries and gets rid of seven wives only to be completely bested by the eighth, whom he marries for just another thrill. The cast of popular players includes Edward Everett Horton, David Niven, Elizabeth Patterson, and Herman Bing. PALACE THEATRE. PETONE. Bonnie's wedding isn't trouble enough, so Dad Jones, of America's famous Jones Family, adopts the toughest kid in town in "Borrowing Trouble," now at the Palace Theatre. /Then what a wedding it becomes! The bride wears racing togs, the groom wears a scared look, and the family wears itself out in a mile-a-minute procession with speed cops for ushers and a shower of gangster bullets for rice. The associate attraction, "Condemned Women," with Sally fillers and Anne Shirley in the leading roles, is a dramatic and thrilling story ft life in a women's prisw »

crrv apJd suburban theatres

PLAZA THEATRE. Apart from the excellence of the ■acting, its picturesque setting, and gripping story, "The Drum," now in its third week at the Plaza, is a film of the greatest technical merit and yet another triumph for the genius of the British film industry, Alexander Korda. With its setting amongst the wild and rugged hill scenery of the North-West Frontier of India, it portrays something of the risks and perils which confront the men who keep peace in that troubled area. It is predominantly amilitary film and every military detail is perfect—something which is not the least of Mr. Korda's achievements. It is a film in some ways reminiscent of "The Bengal Lancers," and it has all the appeal of one of the greatest film successes of recent years. It demonstrates, also, the remarkable progress made by the British film industry with colour photography. Only in colour could the bizarre and picturesque Eastern settings be adequately represented, and 'in this.respect the technical experts of London Films have done a splendid job of work. DE LUXE THEATRE. Some idea of the way inland China has been over-run by marauding bands of brigands who, forming themselves into petty armies under ruthless leaders, plunder the countryside, is given in "West of Shanghai," which is now showing at the De Luxe Theatre. Boris Karldff relinquishing his favourite "terror" roles in this film to realistically portray General Wu Yen Fang, commander of such a band of brigands, which captures six Europeans in the course of a raid on a rich village. Many strange events occur before a messenger can be dispatched to bring aid from a nearby Chinese army, and an exciting climax is reached in the fighting between the troops and the brigands for the possession of the village. • Supporting players m the cast are Gordon Oliver Douglas Wood, Ricardo Cortez, and Beverley Roberts. The supporting feature 'Wide Open Faces" brings another laughter-making Joe E. Brown film to the screen. It shows Brown as a timid drug store attendant who rounds up and smashes several desperate gangs of. criminals. The supporting programme is good. STATE THEATRE. l "Josette," a bright comedy sparkling with witty conversation and unusual situations, is now showing at the State Theatre. Simone Simon, the piquant French star, has a role which is»entirely suited to her. She, sings several new songs in her inimitable style Three new numbers which are destined to be heard often m the future are "May I Drop a Petal in Your Glass of Wine," "In Any Language," and "Where in the World? Robert Young and Don Ameche are cast as two wealthy brothers who are endeavouring to save their father from a matrimonial entanglement. Robert Young has one of his usual roles as the sophisticated young man-about-town who believes he knows all that is to be known about night-clubs and women. As the serious 1 younger brother, who has spent most of his life in his father's canning company, Don Ameche shows that a little ingenuousness can go further than?a lot of sophistication. A lively new comedy team is seen in Bert Lohr and Joan Davis, whose first appearance together was in "Love and Hisses. i ~ NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. . One of the most brilliant musical comedies in years' is the main attraction at the New Princess Theatre. It is entitled "Paradise for Two and co-stars popular 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 Paying a hoax on the theatrical manager and proceeds, without revealing his identity, to aid her in the deception. The result is ereatly bewildering to the girl and her associates, but highly amusing to the audience. The associate feature is Paramount Films' "Angel," starring Marline Dietrich, Herbert Marshall, Melvyn Douglas, and Ed. Everett Horton. REX THEATRE. Produced by Metrc-Goldwyn-Mayer "Sinner Take All," now, at the Ba Theatre, presents the ace trio of Bruce Cabot, Margaret Lindsay, and Joseph Calleia in dramatic roles. Cabot, as a former newspaper man turned lawyer, gives a fine performance; Miss Lindsay scores as the daughter of a millionaire publisher who is mysteriously murdered, and Calleia offers another of his excellent "menace" portrayals. "Reckless Living," Universal s fast-step-ping comedy drama of impetuous youth, which is the associate film, introduces a unique set of characters, whose breezy, rollicking antics provide hilarious entertainment from start to finish.- Featured in the production, in addition to Nan Grey and Jimmie Savo are Robert Wilcox, William Lundigan, Harry Davenport, Frank Jenks, Harlan Briggs, and Charles Judels. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. "Maytime" concludes tonight at the Kilbirnie Kinema. The loveliest adventuress that ever eyed a diamond and the gayest adventurer that ever stole a heart match wits for the world's most valuable, gem and match hearts in the world's most dangerous game in "Dangerously Yours, featuring Cesar Romero and Phyllis Brooks, which opens tomorrow. A love of danger and a dangerous love leads this new screen pair to a thrillpacked adventure that covers two continents. Gladys Swarthout, John Boles, and John Barrymore head the cast in "Romance in the Dark," the second feature. Miss Swarthout, in the role of the singer who must first turn housemaid and then princess to get her big chance, and Boles, the stage favourite who creates a bewitching Cinderella who later conquers his heart, sing their way to happiness. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. Mystery that will baffle most, solvers of detective stories, provides the thrilling action and drama for Jack Holt's new picture, "Under Suspicion," which is showing at the Empire Theatre. It is a stirring story of an assassination plot aimed at a wealthy motor-car magnate because he suddenly turns philan- i thropic and decides to give his plant away to his .employees. A romance between a wide-awake newspaperman and the daughter of the man he made famous, forms the theme of the new Victor Moore comedy-drama, "This Marriage Business," which is the associate film. Allan Lane and Vicki Lester have the romantic leads in this fast-moving plot laid in a small town. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. Eclipsing even their triumphs in "Naughty Marietta" and "Rose Marie," Jeanette Mac Donald and Nelson Eddy are the stars in "Maytime," which is showing at the Capitol Theatre. The* story 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 Paris. They love and part because Miss Mac Donald already has promised to wed Barrymore who has. been her benefactor and guiding hand to success. An added attraction is the appearance of the celebrated ventriloquist Yentr^K, J

TIVOLI THEATRE. "Second Honeymoon" . and "The Bride Wore Red" conclude tonight at the Tivoli Theatre. Eclipsing even their triumphs in "Naughty Marietta" and "Rose Marie," Jeanette Mac Donald and Nelson Eddy, America's favourite singing stars, come to the Tivoli Theatre tomorrow in "Maytime," Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's lavish adaptation of the Rida Johnson Young operetta, which was one of the memorable hits of the New York stage. The story 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 Paris. They love and part because Miss Mac Donald already has promised to wed Barrymore, who has been her benefactor and guiding hand to success. The associate feature will be "Bulldog Drummond's Revenge," starring John Barrymore and John Howard. RIVOLI THEATRE. A^spy drama, tense, realistic, and touching, with a true story as a background, "Mademoiselle Docteur," which is now showing at the Rivoli Theatre, is swift in movement and excellent entertainment. Dita Parlo, Erich yon Stroheim, ana John Loder give really excellent performances and lend much colour to what is essentially a dramatic film. Dita has the role of a charming young woman who joins a German's^y organisation to avenge th~ death of her fiance. As a spy she is extremely efficient, and eventually, under the guise of a Swedish Baroness on a humanitarian project, she finds herself face to face with a young officer of the British Intelligence Service. She falls in love with him and as a result her spying activities suffer, but her chief tells her that the Britisher is the man who killed her fiance. Believing this she robs her lover of some important papers and thus aids the Germans to bomb the town in which he is. "The Devil's Party," starring Victor McLaglen, is the associate feature. ROXY THEATRt. 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 Drummond's Peril," which is showing at the Roxy Theatre, with John Barrymore, John Howard, and Louise Campbell heading a cast of well-known dramatic players. What happens in the world of learning when the class dumbell inherits the 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 is headed by Burns and Allen and Edward Everett Horton. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. "International Settlement," a 20th Century-Fox film dealing with the adventures of a free-lance American pilot who finds himself in China's great metropolis as the city is engulfed in the maelstrom of conflict, is the main attraction at the Regal Theatre. War sequences on a scale unduplicated since the filming of "The Road to Glory" are used in this massive production. Chief roles are taken by Dolores Del Rio, glamorous screen beauty, George Sanders, new star "discovery," June Lang, piquant little star, and Dick Baldwin, handsome young player. Others in the notable cast are Keye Luke, youthful Chinese actor. seaside Theatre, lyall bay. The thrilling exploits of Government G-men, America's crime wreckers, as they swoop down on modern gangsters and the rivalry of two brothers on opposite sides of the law as they vie for the love of a beautiful society debutante, are the high lights of the Columbia drama, "When G-Men Step In," now at the Seaside Theatre. "Let's Make a Night of It," a spectacular musical film, which is the second feature, is essentially a gay, irresponsible production, containing something to charm all tastes. "BALALAIKA." ' The New Opera House continues to be filled to capacity during the presentation of "Balalaika," J. C. Williamson's latest musical show. This brilliant and spectacular operetta is remarkable for the excellence of the ballet work and of the dancing as a whole. The well-defined story, in which is more than the usual amount of sheer drama, also makes "Balalaika" an outstanding production. The story is that of a young Cossack officer, ohe of a band of comrades who, in the years prior to the Great War, meet at the Gipsy "Balalaika" cafe. He falls in love with a girl of the Imperial ballet, and despite the opposition of his father and that of the girl, is about to marry her when war is declared. After two years' service he returns as the Tsar's personal bodyguard, and is present in the capital when the revolution breaks out. A leader in the revolution is the girl's father. A complete reversal of social position follows, and when the leader, accompanied by his daughter, comes to Paris as the Russian Ambassador, the former Cossack officer is discovered as a gigolo in a Montmartre cabaret. The climax is brilliant and convincing. The part of the officer is played by Mr. George Hancock, an English baritone making his first appearance in New Zealand, and that of the ballet girl by Diana Ducane. The comedy parts are taken by Don Nicol, who is no stranger to Wellington audiences, and by a petite, vivacious American, Violet Carlson. Others who are prominently cast are Gaston Mervale (who, as the Count's father gives an outstanding performance), Yvonne Banvard, Cliff Clifford, Hori Thomas, and Clifford Cowley. There are some tuneful musical numbers, notable among which are "At the Balalaika" and "If the World Were Mine," and a full operatic orchestra under the baton of Mr. Fred Quintrell does full justice to the score. REPERTORY SEASON. The Repertory Theatre's "Storm in a Teacup" season was brought to a successful close on Saturday, the Town Hall Concert Chamber being packed. The large audience thoroughly enjoyed the comedy, and at the conclusion of the performance there were bouquets for the ladies and a little speech by Mr W. S. Wauchop. After .the performance the members of the cast and many interested members adjourned to the rooms of the society, where the president, Mr. W. Simm, cordially congratulated the cast and Mr. Wauchop on a most admirable and enjoyable performance. He had heard of nothing but praise for the performance on all sides, and that was something in a critical world. Mr. Wauchop replied, saying hSw much they had all enjoyed being concerned in the production of •'Storm in a Teacup," and that he hoped that there would be many more such happy performances m the future. WRESTLINgTnEXT . WEEK. The wrestling contest which is to be staged at the Town Hall next Monday night is one of outstanding interest It will bring together for the second time the two most prominent wrestlers in the Dominion, Dean Detton, the "Mormon Flash," who is the immediate past holder of the world title, and "Lofty" Blomfield, the New Zealand champion, and the Wellington Association has been extremely fortunate in securing a contest which has been eagerly sought by promoting bodies throughout the country. The first time the men met (at Auckland) Detton won through Blomfield being disqualified towards the end of the contest when the falls were all square and the referee's action m penalising the New Zealander so drastically has been strongly criticised. The match was productive of fast and exciting wrestling over the whole distance and Blomfield is certain that he can take the honours when he meets Detton again. Particulars are advertised. E. Johnston and Co., auctioneers, will sell pianos and radios at their mart, 8 Willeston Street, tomorrow, at 1.15 p.m. They will also sell office safes and furnishings at 1.30 p.m. Tomorrow at the Dominion Farmers' Institute, at 7.45 p.m., Rona Olsen will lecture on "Personal Bondage and Freedom."