CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 43, 21 February 1939, Page 6

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. The outlook of boys on life and their reactions as they grow up are portrayed in "The Boy From Barnardo's," which is enjoying a successful season at the Regent Theatre. Freddy Bartholo- : mew is cast, in typical manner, as a' priggish little snob, who finally emerges as a likeable fellow after having his faults knocked out of him. Used as a dupe by a gang of jewel thieves, he is Drought before a Magistrate who sends him to the home rather 4han to a reform school. The boys are a decent crowd, but Freddy tries his sneaking tricks, and gets thoroughly disliked. Many adventures befall him before he is a sailor aboard the finest ship afloat. Mickey Rooney is cast as the good-hearted Irish friend of Bartholomew, and Herbert Mundin is excellent in the role of Mr. Jelks, one of the instructors. MAJESTIC THEATRE. Some idea of the thrills and romance of newsreel cameramen is brought to the screen in a scintillating and, at times, delightfully humorous film, "Too Hot to Handle.'f which is screening for an extended season at the Majestic Theatre. Probably the most popular man and woman screen combination, Clark Gable and Myrna Loy, are in the starring roles, but it is not only the fact that they are in the title roles that has made the picture one of the most successful of the lighter type to be filmed for a considerable time. There is quite a strong love interest provided by two newsreel cameramen and a world-famous aviatrix. This adds zest to a film brimful of action and excitement. The trio nonchalantly board an aeroplane and flit from one country to another in search of news which, from the cameraman's point of view, is just in the day's work. ST. JAMES THEATRE. The struggle towards the end of last century between the farmers of the Californian plain's and the gold miners ia> the foothills whose sluicing was covering the new wheat fields with yello^: mud. and flooding out homes and farms is the theme of "Gold is Where You Find It," now showing at the St. James Theatre. The story also deals with. the. troubled romance of the-daughter (Olivia de Havilland) of one of the leading wheat farmers and a mining engineer (Claude Rains). As the struggle- between farmers and miners -grows in intensity, the lovers find their future threatened by the bad.feeling that has sprung up. Watching the sea of mud slowly destroying their wheat fields the farmers are with difficulty restrained from direct action while a fight for their rights is carried on in the law courts. The decision goes in their favour, and an injunction is granted against the mining companies. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. It is rare indeed that two such delightfully funny' productions as "She Asked For It" and "Pigskin Parade" are brought together on the one programme,, but it has happened at the Paramount. In "Pikskin Parade" Yale made a slight mistake when it invited Texas State University (100 students) to send a team for the big charity match, instead of the University of Texas (more than a thousand students); but the invitation, arriving almost simultaneously with a new coach and his matrimonial handicap, set the spring of ambition cascading. The climax is a battle in the snow with Yale, won by the unorthodox Texans 12-7. Stuart Erwin is the hero of the game, but before he makes his grand slam there is a banquet of fun and melody. "She Asked For It" is a gem of fast-moving comedy. For a grown man (William Gargari) to have to work is a tragedy, but when a rich uncle dies intestate and a healthy allowance dies with him something has to be clone. REX THEATRE. Jean. Hersholt, recently acclaimed for his outstanding performance in "The Country Doctor," is starred in "Sins of Man," which is showing at the Rex-Theatre. Don Ameche and Allen Jenkins head the supporting cast. An exceptional cast of screen favourites, headed by Claire Trevor and Jane Darwell, is featured in "Star for a Night," the associate film. An entrancing story of how Broadway's make-believe makes a mother's dream come true, the film also features Arline Judge and Evelyn Venable. EOXK THEATRE. The crack-up of a big transport plane in an .Alaskan wilderness while mapping a new air route to Europe, and the efforts of its crew to reach civilisation and saxety, offer much of the drama of "Sky Giant," starring Richard Dix, Joan Fontaine, and Chester Morris, which is the main feature at the Roxy Theatre. Romance and revenge are the twin themes of 'The jßenegade Ranger," RKO-Radio's newest starring vehicle for George O'Brien, whicM is 1 the supporting feature. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. .The latest Formby film. "It's in the Air," which is showing at the Kilbirriie Kinema, has as its background the Air Force where George finds himself "accidentally" in uniform, subjected to a bewildering discipline, and, as usual, making a hopeless mess of "everything." George dons sky-blue with the mistaken idea of saving his sister's airman sweetheart from exposure, and almost suceeds in wrecking the camp with his sublime, clumsy ignorance. Flood —unpredictable terrorist . and destroyer—is the background against which the powerful motion picture drama, "On Such a Night," which is the second feature, is laid. In this story six persons of divergent classes and interests are caught in the flood. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. "The Big Broadcast of 1938" and "The Mysterious Rider" conclude tonight at the Palace Theatre. Ever so often along comes a movie so amusing that no one cari help laughing at it from beginning to end. And into such a category falls "Marry the Girl,"; the Warner Bros.' farcecomedy, which commences tomori*ow. The cast includes Frank McHugh, Hugh Herbert, Mary Boland, Carol Hughes, Mischa Aver, the Gorilla Man, and Allen Jenkins. The associate attraction, "The Minstrel Boy," is a dramatic musical hit. '« STATE THEATRE, PETONE. "Love Finds Andy Hardy" concludes tonight at the State Theatre. Using for its hero the immortal British actor David Garrick, a gay •comedy -of that star and his times opens tomorrow, with Brian Aherne in the role of Garrick and Olivia de Havilland as Germaine, the girl with whom he falls in love. "The Great Garrick" is the title of the picture, which was produced for Warner Bros.' distribution by James Whale, under the banner and personal supervision of Mervyn Le Roy. GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. "Hollywood Hotel" and "Main Event" conclude tonight at the Grand Theatre. One of the most thrilling and delightful screen action romances for a long, long time is "Rose of the Rio Grande," which opens tomorrow. This exciting tale of a Mexican Robin Hood introduces to audiences the new screen sweethearts, lovely Moyita and the handsome, athletic singing star. John Carroll. The story of the greatest of Antarctic expeditions i's told in the film "Captain Scott's Last Expedition," the second feature. Photography shows as no other medium could the terrific fight made by the members of the expedition against the forces of the frozen south.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

KING'S THEATRE. The realisation of one of the greatest dreams of man—the building of the Suez Canal—is picturised in "Suez," the spectacular film which is now showing at the King's Theatre. Dug through the shifting desert sands, constructed Respite heartbreaking delays, hostile tribesmen, and, worst of all. base political scheming, the canal was, and still is, a great memorial to the foresight and genius of one of. the world's greatest engineers, Ferdinand de Lesseps Tyrone Power, although a youthful de Lesseps, has taken the part with enthusiasm. Loretta Young is the Empress Eugene, whom de Lesseps loves, but who denies him, and later marries Louis Napoleon. Perhaps the most attractive character in the film is Annabella, as Toni, granddaughter of a regimental sergeant, who loves Ferdinand and fights his enemies desperately to help him carry his project through. PLAZA THEATRE. "Prison Without Bars," which is showing at the Plaza Theatre, is an admirable picture. The show introduces to the New Zealand audiences Corinne Luchaire, youthful French star of great potential ability. The" film depicts, in its early stages, just how grim a girls' reformatory could become under a superintendent, who insists 'on treating the inmates more as animals than as human beings. Edna Best comes into the picture as the new superintendent, engaged to the school doctor (Barry K. Barnes). Naturally her unorthodoxy runs very much counter to established practice, and the film, on the one hand, develops her struggle to run the school on humane lines, and her devotion to duty which costs her her lover, and on the other, sketches the "reformation" of Suzanne (Corinne Luchaire), at once the most troublesome inmate, who reacts to kindness and complicates everything by falling in love with the doctor.

RADIO PROGRAMMES Today's radio programmes will be found on Page 15

DE LUXE THEATRE. Debonair Captain Hugh Drummond again brings off a coup in "Arrest Bulldog Drummond," which is showing at the De "Luxe Theatre. For the fifth time John Howard plays the part of Drummond, and he ia capably supported by a talented cast. The story concerns the theft by international agents of an amazing new war machine that sets off explosives as far distant as half a mile by means of rays, and the, murder of its semi-mad inventor. Because the victim is one of his. closest friends, Drummond postpones his 'wedding to Miss Angel and sets off onf the chase of rounding up the crooks and recovering the instrument. The associate feature^, "Campus Confessions" is a story woven around the building up of a university college to a high standard of athletic attainment. The supporting features include a newsreel about the death of the Pope, and or gan playing and singing by Reg Maddams and the Singing Usherette. STATE THEATRE. An insight into the inner organisation and graft used by big American gangs is provided in "Gangs in New York," an exciting drama which is the current attraction at the State Theatre. A notorious criminal is due to be released from gaol after a five-year sentence. A police officer (Charles Bickford), who bears a remarkable resemblance to the criminal/ offers to go into- the underworld impersonating the gangleader to obtain information that will help to clean up all the prominent criminals in New York. Using a subterfuge he gets "all the prominent gangs together and organises the bait for a big police trap Complications arise, however, with the arrival of the rfeal criminal, who has broken gaol, i The associate feature, "Where the West Begins," brings a new singing actor to the screen in the person of Jack Randall, who introduces five new songs in the picture. NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. In "Dad and Dave Come To Town," new Cinesound production, which is showing at the New Princess Theatre. Bert "Bailey again skilfully creates the "Dad"' we all know ana love. His old felt hat has changed in the city sequences for a glossy topper, and a flower in the buttonhole of his morning coat replaces the straws in his whiskers. For Dad has inherited an ultra-modern ladies' lingerie salon. The associate feature is universal's "Personal Secretary," starring Joy Hodges and William Gargan. TUDOR THEATRE. Transferred to the Tudor Theatre, "The Lady Vanishes" is now in its fifth week in Wellington. The setting is a Continental train, and the characters are of contrasting types —a dear, dithering old soul of an English governess (Dame May Whittey), two friendly Englishmen (Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford), a charming young girl (Margaret Lockwood). a cheery young composer (Michael Redgrave), a shifty lawyer, and his dubious woman companion, and a handful of sinister foreigners. OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. An exceptional double-feature pro-" gramme is showing at Our Theatre. "Love is a Headache," starring Franchot Tone and Gladys George, is a rollicking comedy of matrimonial errors, ending in a gay romantic revel. The second feature, "The Vampire Bat," stars Fay Wray and Melvyn Douglas and tells of the terror and superstitions of simple villagers. The supporting programme is of varied interest. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. The screen's first great saga of the men who plough the Arctic seas in search of Alaska's "silver horde" of salmon is told in "Spawn of the North," which is showing at the Capitol Theatre, with George Raft, Henry Fonda, and Dorothy Lamour heading an all-star cast. The screen demonstrates forcibly again that it can add new charm to the old beauty of the theatre, in "Madame X," which is the associate film. Gladys George is in the title role. SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL BAY, In the tangled lives of four inhabitants of a remote Alaskan " hing village is mirrored the heroic struggle for existence 'in America's last frontier region in "Spawn of the North," which is showing at the Seaside Theatre. "Portia on Trial," the delightful screen play adapted from Faith Baldwin's immortal novel of the same name, is the second attraction. - REGAL THEATRE, KARORJ. A mammoth fashion show of winter sportswear, staged on the ice rink of a huge metropolitan department store, is a highlight of Sonja Henie's newest picture, "My Lucky Star," which is showing at the, Regal Theatre. Richard Greene is also starred in the picture, in which Sonja plays a role requiring many costume changes daily as she displays the style originals of a Fifth Avenue shop. "School for Husbands," the second feature, presents husbands and wives with splendid opportunities of seeing themselves its others see them as well as pointing many a moral to those about to be married.

TIVOLI THEATRE. "Tovarich," the world-famous comedy dealing with an exiled Russian Prince and Grand Duchess, which has been playing on the stage all over civilisation for several years, is showing in film form at the Tivoli Theatre. Starring Claudette Colbert and Charles Boyer, it is the most massive and expensive production that Warner Bros, have turned out since "Anthony Adverse" and "The Charge of the Light Brigade." The director selected to handle the making of the immense production was Anatole Litvak, Russian-born genius. Anton Grot designed the settings for "Tovarich." The largest one, a copy of the Belleville section in Paris, covered two acres and cost £12,000 to build. "Judge Hardy's Children," third of the "Hardy Family" series, is the associate feature. The new family comedy, with Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker, and Fay Holden takes the family to Washington for hectic adventure in society and among the lobbyists. RIVOU THEATRE. The management of the Rivoli Theatre has lately departed from the orthodox routine of most picture houses by presenting novelty programmes. It has had "Horror Nights," "Krazy Nites," and "Surprise Nights," all of which have proved very popular. This time a new departure will be made by presenting new films, actually screening for the first time in a New Zealand theatre. The stars and titles are not divulged in the advertisements at all. Patrons are assured, however, that they have not seen the films before. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. A mile-a-minute romance interspersed with sparkling dialogue and situations, "The Lady Fights Back," is showing at the Empire Theatre. Given lavish production, and a fine cast headed by Irene Hervey and Kent Taylor, the picture swirls through a swift series of comic and romantic adventures. Movie fans have seen Leslie Howard andßette Davis together in a tragedy ("Of Human Bondage"), a melodrama ("The Petx-ified Foxiest"), and now they present themselves in a comedy. This picture, "It's Love I'm After," is the associate film. RUSSIAN BALLET. Another full house was captivated by the artistry of: the Russian Ballet at the Opera House last night, when the second performance was given, and it measured its appreciation in generous terms, the reception" throughout being spontaneous and enthusiastic. From the gay "Carnaval," with, Tatiana Riabouchinska as the capricious Columbine arid the talented Yura Lazovsky as Harlequin, to the exquisitely contrasted "Le Lac dcs Cygnes" and the gloriously spectacular "Cendrillon," the art of the modern | ballet was seen at its best. The charming Baranova's performance in the I second ballet was xmforgettable, while Anton Dolin's interpretation of the i prince was masterly, particularly in. the tragic climax. They both received a tremendous ovation. A feature of this ballet was the dance of the young I swans. It was a perfect miniature. The third piece was a literally dazzling spectacle. Riabouchinska excelled as Cinderella and the classical Paul Petroff made a perfect partner, while the ballet background was massive in its splendour and polished in its performance. The audience reserved special applause for the orchestra under the baton of Antal Dorati. i