CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 81, 3 October 1938, Page 4

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. , A bright, unusual comedy, redolent 1 of the glamour and romance of the ' mid-eighteenth century, is "The Great ' Garrick," now showing at the Regent . Theatre. The play is one which for lightness of touch and speed of move- , ment might well have been written by ' j one of those fashionable dilettante playwrights of the period whose facil- j . ity was responsible for the development of the drawing-room comedy. . The performance of Brian Aherne as David Garrick, whose acting earned for , the Drury Lane Theatre a permanent , place on the role of dramatic fame, is excellent. His affectation of the strained artificiality of the "grand man- ■ ncr" adopted by the gentlemen of the period was very well done indeed, espei cially when it is made clear that .under it all the great man is constantly , afraid of the laughter of the crowd. As I. the beautiful young French society girl who meets him under the strangest ! of circumstances and who deceived him as the most famous members of the ■ Comedie Francaise are unable to do, Olivia de Havilland achieves her greatest success to date. DE LUXE THEATRE. Thrilling and fast-moving entertainment is provided in "Sinners in Para- • disc," now showing at the De Luxe , Theatre. Madge Evans and John Boles ■ provide the romantic interest in the main roles, while Bruce Cabot, Marion \ Martin, Gene Lockhart, and Willie \ Fung are members of a large supporting cast. Briefly the story tells of the : departure from America in a giant • trans-Pacific plane of nine people who have urgent reasons for leaving the , country. Following a frightful storm • the aeroplane bursts into flames and crashes into the sea. The pilots are killed, but the others are washed ashore on an island, the sole inhabitants of which are a doc- . tor (John Boles) and his Chinese servant. From then on romance, tragedy, and humour take their course, and the film finishes on a very happy note. The supporting picture, "Little Miss Roughs neck," might almost be said to bring L into the limelight another Deanna Dur--1 bin. "The Roughneck," Edith Fell lowes, who is ably supported by Leo ■ Carrillo, is the victim of a publicity stunt to get her into films. She sings [ beautifully and is altogether a charmt ing personality. "Aunt Daisy's" film, t "Good Morning, Everybody," is an entertaining support. \ MAJESTIC THEATRE. ' "Mannequin," a drama of life in a t big American city, is now in its second 3 week at the Majestic Theatre. The ; story revolves about Hester Street, . a thoroughfare in the squalid slum . portion of the city. In a house in Hes- , ter Street lives a family of four. The r menfolk are apparently too tired to c look for work, and the burden of main- ' taining the family falls on the daughter. I- In order to get away from it all, she ' marries the boy with whom she had • been "walking out" for some years, only to discover that he is even more \ of a liability than the others. He mi troduces the girl to a millionaire who ' was a former resident of the street, ' and the millionaire is not slow in be- '- coming interested in the unsuspecting ; bait. As the girl in the case, Joan • Crawford gives a fine and convincing t performance which never loses its ; sincerity. Spen-cer Tracy is cast in ■ the role of the millionaire who rose , to power through his own initiative in : "trading a rowboat for a fleet of [ ships," as the dialogue has it. - KILBIRNIE KINEMA. - Constance Bennett and Cary Grant, t co-starred for the first time, and Roland Young as "Topper," achieve a joint triumph in the Hal -.Roach--j M.G.M. feature comedy, "Topper, which is showing at the Kilbirme ' Kinema. The screen play is sensa- ! tional and refreshingly novel in its 1 motivating theme. Adapted from 5 Thome Smith's book by Jack Jevne, Eric Hatch, and Eddie Moran, the Kerbys are shown as a rich, madcap couple who, after death in a car acci--1 dent, are low plane spirits with the J ability to mortally materialise and - dematerialise. The astounding advenr tures and ribald escapades in which i the gay ghosts involve "Topper," their t former friend, bursts all bounds of \ comedy. In the end they lift Topper from his smug existence, make him ! a happy human being, and joyously escape themselves from their earthbound existence. "The Big Broadcast of 1938" is the second attraction. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. "Checkers" and "Elephant Boy" conclude tonight at the Regal Theatre. William Powell is a perfect butler and Annabella is a perfect lady—and they are perfectly delightful together, co-starred in 20th Century-Fox's romantic comedy hit, "The Baroness and \ the Butler," which opens tomorrow at the Regal Treatre. The supporting • cast of Darryl F. Zanuck's newest hit • features Helen Westley, Henry Steph- : enson, Joseph Schildkraut, J. Edward : Bromberg, Nigel Bruce, and Lynn i Bari. "The Baroness and the Butler" '• provides a gay situation within a few , seconds of the opening of the picture and carries the light tempo through the | entire story. 5 CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. -In "Happy Landing," Darryl F. . Zanuck's newest musical of superlative splendour, which is at the Capitol Theatre, Sonja Henie scores her third I straight triumph on the screen—exactly ly as she thrice took the Olyriipics figure skating championships by storm. ' To motion picture audiences she repre--1 sents all the fresh, vibrant life of the • glittering open spaces of her home country, Norway. The underworld of Paris gives to the motion picture screen a new drama, "The Rat," which is the associate film. Ruth Chatterton has been teamed with Anton Walbrook, the international star, in this thriller i from the dimly-lighted haunt of notorious Paris criminals. STATE THEATRE, PETONE. T Any George Wallace show has been 1 sure of full houses in Australia and 1 New Zealand for years, but the Australian comedian with the nimble feet • and. the insecure nether garments has ' never done anything better than Cine- , sound's "Let George Do It," which . is showing at the State Theatre. George [ does most of it in his own inimitable manner, and the spaces in between1 are very capably filled by such ex- ' cellent supporting players as Joe ; Valli, Letty Craydon, Alex Kellaway, • George Lloyd, and Harry Abdy. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. • "Flight Into Nowhere," now at the 2 Palace Theatre, tells of a headstrong " young pilot who crashes in the : jungle and depicts his adven- • tures and his strange jungle • romance; also the thrills encoun--1 tered by the rescue party which ■ sets out to locate him. Jack Holt is » starred, while Jacqueline Wells is cast t as his leading lady. Dick Purcell also " has a very important role. The secj ond attraction, "Love on a Budget," 1 stars the well-known Jones Family in ; another of their excellent comedy 1 dramas. : GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. » Three top-ranking stars, Kay Fran- ' cis, Errol Flynri, and lan Hunter, appear in "Another Dawn," which is ' showing at the Grand Theatre. It : is a story about a small Bri- ; tish garrison in wild and . pictur--1 esque Irak, Arabia. Flynn and Hunter both love Miss Francis. One or the other has to sacrifice his life—and leave Kay to the survivor—in order that the garrison might not fall a prey to the bloodthirsty Arabs who surround it. One of them does. How they decide which one it shall be —how the hero goes forth to glory—and how the remaining one fares with the girl—all these things make up a tense fand gripping film.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

TIVOLI THEATRE. "In Old Chicago" and "Here Comes Carter" conclude tonight at the Tivoli Theatre. An original story by Erich yon Stroheim, once a distinguished Hollywood director, "Between Two Women," commences tomorrow. Franchot Tone, Maureen O'Sullivan, and Virginia ! Bruce are the stars. Tone, as an ambitious young interne, plays an effective • role with' an artistic depth of understanding. Maureen O'Suliivan is a nurse, unhappily married to a brutal surgeon, and secretly in love with Tone. :;Miss Bruce is a cool and beautiful heiress who comes into the hospital as a patient and goes j out as' an intended bride of the interne. The interne is faced with a choice between love and duty when his own marriage goes on the rocks, and he is summoned to operate on the husband of the nurse he really loves. If the man dies they can pick up the threads of life together. If he lives they are separated for ever. Tone performs a successful amputation and the man lives. "Dr. Syn," starring George Arliss, will be the second attraction. The story of "Dr. Syn" is full of action—it deals with the smuggling exploits of a well-known Kentish fishing village more than a hundred years ago and shows Arliss in a completely new type of role. PLAZA THEATRE. Very different from so many modern films in which smart dialogue takes the place of action is "Four Men and a Prayer," which is now showing at the Plaza Theatre. Here is action occurring in many countries of the world —England, America, India, Egypt, and the. Argentine—and action based upon a plot containing a welcome amount of mystery and adventure. • Heading the cast are Loretta Young and Richard Greene, an attractive newcomer to the screen, and the staunch favourite C. Aubrey Smith is also given a prominent part to play. The story deals with the disgrace of a colonel in the British Army, and his subsequent murder before he has the opportunity to clear his name. His four sons assemble from the four corners of the earth, and pledge themselves not only to discover the murderer, but also to remove from the family name the disgrace which has been unjustifiably cast upon it. Their quest take them to many lands in an endeavour to track down the leaders of a gang of armament dealers whom they are sure are responsible for their father's death. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. "Three Smart Girls,' 1 the picture in which Deanna Durbin, now one of the most popular of. the personalities of the screen, made her debut, has returned to the Paramount, where it should be certain of another very full season. The fun is fast and furious and reflects the youthful high spirits of the "Three Smart Girls" who form the central trio of the story. The songs sung by Deanna Durbin in this film have now become part of the popular repertoire, but there is, in addition to Deanna, a very strong supporting cast, featuring such wellknown players as Binnie Barnes, Alice Brady, Ray Milland, and Charles Winninger. Nan Grey and Barbara Read play the parts of Deanna's two sisters, and the three of them are an entirely charming and high-spirited combination. Those who did not see the "Three Smart Girls" when they first appeared and those who have already seen them, alike will welcome their return. There is a splendid supporting programme, which includes a mystery, drama, ''Making the Headlines," starring Jack Holt.. \. ... ~ ... : . ;_., ... , . .;; .;• ; .:-;.. STATE. THEATRE..,..-, ,V,;;'; Romance, aerial exploration, jealousy, and father and son. conflict comprise the quadruple themes of "Sky Giant,": R.K.O. Radio's thrilling new.drama of modern flying, which is at the State Theatre. With Richard Dix, Chester Morris, arid Joan Fontaine in starring roles, and Harry Carey, Paul Giulfoyle, and other favourites in the cast, the new offering deals, with activities' at a big aviation school, at which Carey, a stern disciplinarian, is commander. Dix is a noted pilot, acting as Carey's assistant, and Morris is Carey's son, a student at the school, while Miss Fontaine is the pretty cousin of one of the school.instructors. The romance and jealousy of the story grow out of the riyalry between Dix and' Morris over Miss Fontaine. And these, and Morris's strained relations with his father and his friendship with Dix, are all woven into the exciting climax when Dix, Morris, and Guilfoyle, flying into the Arctic to map out a new international air route, crack up in the Alaskan wilderness. NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. Now at the Princess Theatre is one of the funniest comedy pictures which the management have secured for many a long'month. .This is "Leave It to Me," the British hit, starring that inimitable Yorkshire comedian, Sandy Powell. That this new vehicle gives the grand trouper— famous on music hall, stage, and radio alike—the finest opportunities he has ever had cannot be doubted. All thatneed be said about the story is that it concerns Sandy's activities as a special constable. The associate feature Is Columbia Pictures' romantic comedy, 'Til Take Romance," starring Grace Moore arid Melvyn Douglas. REX THEATRE. Based on Peter B. Kyne's widelyread novel, "The Three Godfathers," now at the Rex Theatre, is described as a saga of the American desert. Most of its scenes, were shot beneath the blistering sun of the Calif ornian desert. In the principal roles are Chester Morris as young Bob, Lewis Stone as the philosophical Doc, and Walter Brennan, remembered as the patch-eyed rouseabout in "Barbary Coast," as Gus. The impact of a valiant girl's love against the inbred tiger-code of sinister waterfronts makes "Nurse from Brooklyn," the second feature,- one of the most unusual dramatic romances ever seen on the screen. Sally Eilers and Paul Kelly head the cast in the roles of the nurse and the policeman. They have strong support in the stellar performances of Larry Blake and Maurice Murphy. ROXY THEATRE. A thrilling 'story of gangdom's last stand against law and order, "Hunted Men," is showing at the Roxy Theatre. Lloyd Nolan is seen as a hunted gangster who takes refuge in a small suburban to escape the police who are hot on his trail, and stays there long enough to learn the way the other half of the world lives. The story of a gallant woman who died to right a wrong provides a thrilling theme for the new "Hopalong Cassidy" outdoor action picture, "Heart of Ari* zona," which is the second feature. OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. "International Settlement" .is the main attraction at Our Theatre. The film deals. with the adventures of a free-lance Anierican pilot, who finds himself in China's great metropolis as the city is engulfed in the maelstrom of conflict. Dolores del Rio, George Sanders, and June Lang, featured in the film, dramatically portray the group who find strange, romance in the strickent.city. Three new cowboy ballads are sung by Smith Ballew in the outdoor drama "Rawhide," the second attraction. Varied and entertaining supports complete the programme. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE, WOBURN. "Battle of Broadway," starring Victor ' McLaglen, Brian Donlevy, and Louise Hovick, and "Gun Law," with George O'Brien and Rita Oehman, a newcomer to the screen, are the main attractions at the Prince Edward Theatre.

RIVOLI THEATRE. "Condemned Women" and "Cocoanut Grove" conclude tonight at the Rivoli Theatre. Splendid in every sense of the meaning, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's lavish musical offering "Maytime," with Jeanette Mac Donald and Nelson Eddy in the starring roles, opens tomorrow. "Maytime" was a musical piece of gorgeous proportions when Rida Johnson Young's play was on the boards and it closely approaches the status of a musical masterpiece on the screen. In the supporting cast of "Maytime" John Barrymore plays a picturesque role as the temperamental impresario. In love with Nelson Eddy, a young singer, Jeanette Mac Donald, an opera star, actuated by a mistaken sense of duty, marries John Barrymore, the impresario, to whom she owes her career. When circumstances bring her and the singer together again, they realise that their love is stronger than before. Mad with insane jealousy the husband kills the singer. The tragedy answers the problem of the younger girl who is drawn between a choice of love and a career. Political racketeering and social climbing do not mix, Akim Tamiroff finds out, in his newest drama, "Dangerous to Know," which will be the supporting film. When he throws Off his lifelong mentor, Anna May Wong, for a beautiful member of the country cluo set, Gail Patrick, Tamiroff knots the rope that later strangles him in its noose. ST. JAMES THEATRE. The story of the greatest of Antarctic expeditions is told in the film, "Captain Scott's Last Expedition," which is showing at the St. James Theatre. Photography shows as no other medium could the terrific fight made by the members of the expedition against the forces of the frozen south. The magnificent photography is by Herbert Ponting, who accompanied the expedition. The last sledge party is shown making its way southwards. The im-. mortalsr—Scott, Oates, Dr. Wilson, "Teddy" Evans, and Powers —are brought to life again by the magic of cinematography. Superb scenes show fantastic ice caverns, huge icebergs, and strange natural architectures. High lights of the film*are the pictures of storms at sea, encounters with ferocious "killer" whales, strange birds, sea. lions, seals, and penguins. The most poignant scene of all is the discovery of the gallant party in the tent which they had pitched when they coitfd go no further. There is a foreword by Admiral "Teddy" Evans, and the splendid commentary is by Her-! Bert Ponting. TUDOR THEATRE. . Jack Buchanan, Maurice Chevalier, and June Knight are co-starred in G.B.D.'s hilarious comedy, "Break the News," which is showing at the Tudor \Theatre. Another comedy feature on 'the same bill is "A Trip to Paris," starring the Jones Family. SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL BAY. Eclipsing even their triumphs in "Naughty Marietta" and "Rose Marie," Jeanette Mac Donald and Nelson Eddy America's favourite singing stars, are at the Seaside Theatre in "Maytime." Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's lavish adaptation of the Rida Johnson Young operetta. Matching wits' on a transatlantic ship for a famous diamond, a beautiful young girl and a romantic adventurer keep just one step ahead of the law, but find they can't escape from their hearts in "Dangerously Yours," the second attraction. "THE STUDENT PRINCE." The romantic and colourful light opera, "The Student Prince," continues to draw crowded houses at the Grand Opera House. Wellington is fortunate in possessing an operatic society which can do the opera full I justice. This is one of the finest shows I the society has ever presented, and credit is due to the efficient manner in which it has been produced by Mr. Harison Cook. The stage effects are ! most successful, and the gay uniforms of the soldiers, together with the elabr ora.te dresses of the girls, make a strik--ing display. Revelry by noisy students has. a prominent part in "The Student Prince," arid it is all well and convincingly done. The chorus of students is excellent, particularly in "Gaudeamus" and in the drinking songs. The principal roles are capably filled by Alma Clegg as Kathie, Norrie Denton as the Prince, George Power as Lutz, and Ivan Smith as Dr. Engel. Mr. Smith's acting reaches a. high standard. The part of the Grand Duchess is taken by Kathleen Ainslie, the Princess by Norma de Fincham, and Ruder by Dudley Alexander. Graeme Dowling is a fery efficient Prime Minister. Others in the cast are Mollie Cook, Ina Small, L. M. Cachemaille, Ted Harvey, Arthur Haley, Vernon Small, and Laurie Gubb. The dancing of the "Schuplatteltanz," a unique ballet presented by Dorothy Parlette, is also well worth seeing. The orchestra and chorus are under the direction of Mr. John F. Woodward. The box plan for "The Student Prince" is at the D.1.C., and after 5 p.m. seats may be reserved by telephoning the Grand Opera House (55-160). The final performance takes place tomorrow evening.