CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 69, 19 September 1938, Page 4

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. , In "Second Best Bed," now being shown at the Regent Theatre, Tom Walls and Jane Baxter are the stars. Instead of each doing what the other likes, they please them-; selves. As an English country mag-] nate, a desirable bachelor hitherto im- j mune ' from the matrimonial loop, j Walls speaks his mind about the foot- i faults of a beautiful but spoiled and self-willed young lady on the tennis courts, and goes on to show that fie is determined to rectify the lady's, outlook on life generally. Both are something so new to each other that they ar,e married before they realise j it, and then the fun begins. Their friends do not see why they should drop their acquaintance just because they are married, and quite a lot of fun is brought in by quarrels over this. The chief humour of the picture is in the gentlemanly de-j tached sort of way Walls carries out the doctrine of "treat 'em rough." Jane Baxter is impishly vexatious and kittenishly shrewish. Greta Gynt and Carl Jaffe, as the ultra-free modern friends, and Veronica Rose, as the voluptuous village trouble-maker, are outstanding. Supports include a travelogue of Marakesh, in Morocco, and a vividly pictorial short of trawling in the North Sea. MAJESTIC THEATRE. A bright, quick-moving comedy in the traditional musical style is "Everybody Sing," now showing at the Majestic Theatre. Catchy melodies introduced by the latest in "swing" technique help to keep the audience in the best of humours. The story is that cf a crazy household in which the husband is a playwright of dubious success, the wife a juvenile lead of some twenty years' experience, the elder daughter a would-be singer of opera, and the younger daughter a quite involuntary "swing" expert. The cook is the household's chief creditor, and the housemaid also has forgotten when last she was paid. When, however, the backer refuses to function any more the younger daughter takes her "swing" talent to a night club to save the family. The show ends with that Paradise of Tin-Pan Alley, a success on Broadway. Fannie Brice, Billie Burke, Reginald Owen, Lynne Carver, Reg. Gardiner, and Henry Armetta have the main roles. The supports include a travel talk on Budapest, newsreels, and a splendid "Crime Does not Pay' featurette. ST. JAMES THEATRE There have been sensations of the screen in' recent years and some of them have been strong sensations and others merely fizzlers But Danielle Darrieux. the French star now making pictures in Hollywood and acclaimed as a sensation, is worthy of the name. In her first Hollywood picture, now showing for the second week at the St. James, she. makes an appearance notable for acting skill. The plot of the story of "The Rage of Paris" is well calculated to bring out her talents and in a romantic comedy involving the adventures of a handsome advertising man and a. rich playboy the entertainment is great. Douglas Fairbanks, jun:, whose recent work in films has shown him worthy of the name, is chief supporting star and he is most effective And the supporting cast, including Louis Hayward, Mischa Aver, and Helen Broderick, is excellent. Good shorts complete a programme which can be thoroughly recommended. TUDOR THEATRE. After a lengthy absence from the screen, Merle Oberon returns, more beautiful and talented than ever in "The Divorce of Lady X," a delicious and Mghly satisfying repast of wit and gentle- fun, which is showing at the Tudor Theatre. It is Miss Oberon's first appearance in technicolour. Partnered by handsome arid capable Laurence Olivier, the star gives a wholly delightful and refreshing performance, colour enhancing her already incomparable loveliness. A romance of young love struggling in a sea of hilarity is offered picturegoers in ''Meet the Missus," RKO Radio's new laugh feast co-starring Victor Moore and Helen Broderick, which ir. the second feature. ROXY THEATRE, I "Hawaii Calls," Bobby Breen's latest musical starring vehicle, is showing at the Roxy Theatre. As its name indicates, the story is laid _ m the Hawaiian Islands, and here, against the tropical luxuriance of the South Seas, were filmed the greater part of its scenes. "Flight Into No : where," the supporting picture, a powerful dramatic vehicle, produced by Columbia, tells of a headstrong young pilot who crashes in the jungle, and depicts his adventures and his strange jungle romance. Jack Holt is" starred and Jacqueline Wells is cast as his leading lady. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE, WORURN. "Radio City Revels," now screening at the Prince Edward Theatre, Woburn, is a dazzling tribute from Hollywood to the capital of radio, a glorious, uproarious musical show that glitters with all of the brilliance and glamour of the most famous show place on earth. Bob Burns, Jack Oakie, Kenny Beaker, Ann Miller, Victor Moore, and Milton Berle with Helen Broderick head the star array. Columbia's thriller, "Extortion," is also showing. Scott Colton and Mary Russell share the romantic spotlight in this mystery drama at an American college. STATE THEATRE, PETONE. Each recent year has brought to the screen a finer type of musical picture and 1938 is no exception. "The Firefly," Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's impressive adaptation of Rudolf Friml's memorable operetta, with Jeanette MacDonald in her seventeenth musical triumph, is Hollywood's new offering at the State Theatre. Allan Jones and Warren William are the star's leading men. "The Firefly" presents a powerful story of dramatic romance, as well as a vehicle for remarkable music. M.G.M. has gone the limit in its settings and in the artistry of presentation. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. Commencing today, Ramon Novarro makes his reapeparance on the screen in "The Sheik Steps Out," which is being shown at the Palace Theatre, Petone. It is the type of role he felt he could give his utmost to—glamour, a romantic setting, humour, and once again he sings Pagan love songs as he woos and wins a lovely daughter of luxury. Lola Lane has the leading feminine role. The struggles of a paroled convict to rehabilitate himself form the basis of the plot of "Prison Break," the second attraction, with Barton Maclane arid Glenda Farrell co-star-ring. WANTED TO SELL. 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CITY AND SUBURBAN FHEATRES

PLAZA THEATRE. Ambitious in every possible way, gay with songs and bright m dialogue, "Sailing Along," starring Jessie Matthews and half a dozen leading men, is likely i to attract large audiences to the Plaza Theatre, where it is now showing. AI brilliant new comedy team is seen in this film in Jessie Matthews and Roland Young, and although it is, perhaps, not I given the scope it merits, it is nevertheless an outstanding success. Of course. Miss Matthews sings and dances and she is given some splendid backgrounds for her performances. She is partnered in a number of her dancing scenes by a new star, Jack Whiting, and together they provide some remarkable entertainment. The supporting cast is really very good; Alastair Sim makes a splendid, if somewhat unusual, artist, Noel Maddison is a keen, though rather annoying, Press agent, jand the rest of the cast fits in splendidly. A good supporting programme includes a film on London's armed defence—well worth seeing in itself—l showing exactly what would happen in. the event of an attack on the city from the air. DE LUXE THEATRE. "The Lone Wolf in Paris," which is showing at the De Luxe Theatre, brings back to the screen Francis: Lederer, who plays the part of the de-j bonair gentleman crook to perfection. Paris and the colourful Graustarkian country provide a romantic background for this exciting adventure story, in which Lederer and Frances Drake share the honours. In addition to the two main stars, the cost in this excellent Columbia production contains such accomplished screen artists as Walter Kingsford, who plays to perfection the part of a designing grand duke, Leona ] Maricle, and Albert Van Dekker. An-, other strong feature of the programme is "Oh, Susannah." which stars Gene Autry. In this picture the popular singer manages to get in quite a number of vocal numbers, in spite of the j fact that he is mistaken for an escaped murderer, placed in gaol ready for hanging next morning, and chased by sheriffs on horses and in motor-cars, j STATE THEATEE. The popular Robin Hood of criminals, known to thousands of fictionlovers as "The Saint," is the central figure in the R.K.O. film "The Saint in New York," which is now showing at the State Theatre. The plot is an enthralling one. A large American city is dominated by half a dozen gangland chiefs, and although arrests are ! frequent, crooked lawyers and intimidation of witnesses render the police helpless and free the racketeers without conviction. It is to clean out this menace to freedom that the city fathers, in conference with the Com- j missioner of Police, decide to enlist the aid of "The Saint," whose reputation as a philanthropic criminal is worldwide. - Louis Hayward gives a fine performance as the reckless, wellspoken young criminal. Kay Sutton is excellent in the leading feminine part. On the supporting programme is a Walt Disney coloured Mickey Mouse cartoon, "Hawaiian Holiday," with Pluto and Donald Duck in support. NEW,PRINCESS THEATRE. j Claudette Colbert and Gary Cooper show what happens to a rich American who marries and divorces seven wives, only to be taken completely into camp by his eighth, in Paramount's "Bluebeard's Eighth Wife," which is showing at the New Princess Theatre. Ernest Lubitsch, master of the famed "Lubitsch touch," directed this urbane comedy of life among the I inhabitants of pleasure resorts. Hailed as the most astonishing motion picture plot ever to reach the screen, "The Devil Doll" is the associate feature. This is a most thrilling picture. The ominous-looking grey-haired woman in the film is none other than Lionel Barrymore in the most unique and amazing role he has ever played. REGAL THEATRE, KAROEL . A romance between an enterprising newspaperman and the daughter of a small-town marriage licence clerk whom he makes famous, is the basis of R.K.O. Radio's newest comedy offering, "This Marriage Business," which opens tonight at the Regal Theatre, Karori. Victor Moore, Allan Lane, and Vicki Lester head the cast. Thrilling death leaps by daring trapeze artists, savage animals, maddened to a frenzy, laughing clowns, and cold murder before thousands of witnesses, are features seen in Columbia's "The Shadow," a thrilling circus drama, which is also showing. Charles Quigley and Rita Hayworth are featured in the film with Marc Lawrence, Arthur Loft, Marjorie Main, and many more appearing in support. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. "I See Ice," starring George Formby, is showing at the Empire Theatre. This time they have made George a young photographer, more amateur than mature, who takes the train for Birmingham, but is so "carried away" on meeting petite Kay Walsh that he ar^ rives in London instead. Here George gets a temporary job as property man in a theatre, all of which is en route to the mammoth ice rink, and George's antics therein in his endeavour to qualify not only as an expert skater but as-an ice hockey champion. Taken from Rudyard Kipling's tale "Toomai of the Elephants," the jungle film "Elephant Boy," with the new boy star, Sabu, is the associate feature. OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. ♦ul? 6 J ensely human story of a love that affected nations is drawn vividly in the fictional drama of "Parnell" which heads the double-feature programme showing at Our Theatre. Clark Gable and Myrna Loy are superb in their respective roles as the fiery tosh leader and the beautiful Katie O'Shea, whom he loves beyond any fame or fortune political power might bring. The supporting cast is one of the most impressive ever assembled and includes Edna May Oliver, Billie Burke, and Edmund Gwenn. Ihe associate feature is "Saints ~ in Exile," starring George Bancroft and Wynne Gibson. SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL BAY. When the college she attends tries to throw Gracie Allen out, she turns around, takes over the place, and runs it to suit her own taste in Paramount's "College Swing," which is showing tonight at the Seaside Theatre, Lyall Bay. Others in the cast are George Burns, Martha Raye, Edward Everett Horton, Florence George, Ben Blue, Jackie Coogan, and Betty Grable. The latest adventure tale from the pen of that master of mystery stories, H. C. (Sapper) McNeile, "Bulldog Drummond's Peril," will be the associate feature. It tells of the war waged by a powerful diamond syndicate to prevent a chemist from manufacturing synthetic jewels in his laboratory. John Howard. John Barrymore, Louise Campbell, Reginald Denny, E. E. Clive, Porter Hall, and Elizabeth Patterson comprise the main players. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. Three sirens of swing In search of social security, "Sally, Irene, and Mary," find themselves side-tracked by love, laughter, and song in this uproarious rhythm romance, which is showing at the Capitol Theatre. The lovely trio, played respectively by Alice Faye, John Davis, and Marjorie Weaver, are looking for theatrical work, but the best their agent, Fred Allen, can do is to get them jobs as manicurists in a hotel. Victor McLaglen appears in "The Devil's Party," which is the second feature. A film of the fight between Louis and Schmeling and the widely-discussed film "New Zealand Marches On" is also being shown.

| TIVOLI THEATRE. i "Vogues of 1938" and "Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo" conclude tonight at the Tivoli Theatre. A story containing all the charm and drama of another "Seventh Heaven" will be shown at the Tivoli Theatre tomorrow. It is in "Stolen Heaven," Paramount's new musical drama co-starring Olympe Bradna and Gene Raymond. Prominent in the supporting cast are Lewis Stone, Glenda Farrell, and -Porter Hall. The story deals with a pair of young lovers, played by Olympe and Raymond, who try to live aown their dangerous past in a forest hideaway with a great musician whom the world has long forgotten. This man, played by Stone, has so strong an influence on them that they give up their plans to i escape the country and devote themselves to preparing for the old man's "comeback." On the eve of the festi-1 val, however, their past catches up ' with them in the form of Miss Farreil and Hall, their former confederates, I who arrive at the hideaway and plead with them to flee. All their normal \ instinct for self-preservation tells them j to flee with their ex-confederates, but their suddenly realised devotion to , Stone makes them stay and "face the | music." j PARAMOUNT THEATRE. In "Boy of the Streets," now showing at the Paramount Theatre, Jackie Cooper is shown as the leader of a gang of hoodlums, who is well on his way to becoming' a thorough-paced ruffian. Bred in a teeming tenement, with a shiftless father, and a mother whom the circumstances of life have converted into a drudge, Jackie's playground is the alley, arid his school a never-ending struggle for existence against poverty. The boy's battle against the temptations of back streets is very well developed, and the climax is especially well done. Maureen O'Connor supplies a delightful interlude with attractive singing of Irish songs. The supporting feature, "Hotel Haywire," with Leo Carrillo, Mary Carlisle, and Lynne Overman, is an enjoyable comedy without a dull moment A revival season of the picture that made Rudolph Valentino famous, "The Shiek," will commence at the Paramount on Friday night. j KILBIBNIE KINEMA. Most Wellington theatregoers have seen enough of George Wallace in person to know just how delightfully foolish he can be. In "Let George Do It," now at the Kilbirnie Kinema, he reaches a new peak as a light-hearted entertainer. George, in his actual stage performances, has the well-developed faculty of putting his foot into everything he touches, as it were, and in this picture there is not much at the beginning, anyway, that he does right. The plot does not lack for depth or variety, and there is sufficient in the first few feet to raise laughter which scarcely gets the chance to subside. The associate film is "Cocoanut Grove.'' REX THEATRE. In "The Spy Ring," now at the Rex Theatre, William Hall, playing the star role of Captain Todd Hay den, perfects a gadget that will convert any machine-gun instantly into a complete and marvellously-effective anti-aircraft device. "The Mutiny of the Elsinore," the associate film, is a thrilling adaptation of Jack London's most popular adventure romance of the same name. Paul Lukas, Lynn Harding, Kathleen Kelly, and Clifford Evans head tha cast. Appearing on the stage is Ventrix, a cever entertainer, and his pal Jerry.