CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 107, 9 May 1939, Page 6

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE.. Serving as an inspiration to all young people fired with ambitions to become great' actors and actresses, "Dramatic School" is showing at thi.) Regent Theatre. With an impressive cast headed by Luise Rainer and Paulette Goddard, "Dramatic School" takes the world into the little-known classrooms of a typical dramatic school m Paris, where! the daily life and struggles of two score dramatic students are revealed for the first time. Adapted from a popular European play, the story is woven around Louise Mauban-, a poor factory worker, and her determination to become a great actress. She labours i.i the factory at night to pay her daytime class dues, meanwhile living in an imaginary world to conceal her poverty. Romance enters the story when she is suddenly thrust face to ' face with the sweetheart of her dreams, a handsome and wealthy Marquis portrayed by Alan Marshal. MAJESTIC THEATRE. "Boys' Town." starring .Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney, is now in its second week at the Majestic Theatre. Based on the story of Father Edward J. Flanagan's Boys' Town, located twelve miles outside of Omaha, Nebraska, the role of the priest whose mission in life is to give home and shelter to needy boys affords Spencer Tracy an opportunity for one of the sincere, natural portrayals for which he has become deservedly famous. Seldom has Tracy found a rdle more suited to his personality than that of his quiet idealist, Father Flanagan, whose contention that "there is no such thing as a bad boy," leads him to build a monument of faith to boys the world over. Sharing honours with Tracy as Whitey, tough, unmanageable, and non-conform-ing is Mickey Rooney, cast, in one of the most dramatic roles of his career. ST. jame!s theatre. The progress of aviation from 1903 to 1938 is vividly depicted in technicolour ih "Men With Wings," which is showing.at the St. James Theatre. Aviation's forward march is exemplified in the picture by its effect upon three young Americans, who came in "on the ground floor" when the Wrights flew at Kitty Hawk in 1903 and retained "their practical interest in the years of boom and depression which followed. Fred Mac Murray typifies the pilot, now almost old-fashioned, who flies by instinct and extricates himself from many a tight corner by sheer audacity. Ray Milland is.a perfect foil as the man who can design a new plane as well as he can fly one, but takes no needless chances. Louise Campbell takes the leading feminine role, as the wife of Mac Murray, and she is largely responsible for the success of the picture. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. What with the stage appearance of "Aussie," the boxing kangaroo, a very good programme of supporting features, and the first screening in New Zealand of "The Arkansas Traveller," the Paramount Theatre this week offers entertainment which should please everybody. "The Arkansas Traveller" is the story of a wandering printer and journalist (Bob Burns) who cannot resist the call of the road but who gives up his hobo habits to help the woman owner of a small-town newspaper (Fay Bainter) and her pretty daughter (Jean Parker). Not only does he have to help, bring ihe paper" out but he also j. ref6rih_; trie son- of the crooked; Mayor,, fights the boy's father and his cronies, and. finally brings political peace to; the town. "Aussie," the kangaroo,' .and his trainer, Mr. Lindsay Fabre, who have just completed a most successful world tour, give an entertaining boxing bout and later "Aussie" comes among the -audience to make personal acquaintances. Also introduced is "Digger," a young kangaroo. NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. Telling a rousing story of romance at a vacation camp, "Having Wonderful Time," with Ginger Rogers and Douglas Fairbanks, Jun., in the co-star-ring roles, is showing at the * New Princess Theatre. The film has its principal setting at a mountain resort. Scores of working people from New York, pleasure-* seeking youngsters, young and old married couples, elderly gossips, young college men working their way at the camp, are gathered in a variegated group, and against this informal background the nfain theme of the film is presented. The associate feature is "Gangster's Boy," starring Jackie Cooper. ROXY THEATRE. Heralded as one of the year's most exciting pictures, "The Vampire Bat,' starring popular Melvyn Douglas, is showing at the Roxy Theatre. It tells of the amazing adventures of an Austrian sleuth in endeavouring to track down a series of ghastly murders in a little Austrian village. Robert Taylor and Eleanor Powell are co-starred in "Broadway Melody of 1938." the supporting film. STATE THEATRE, PETONE. "Stablemates" concludes tonight at the State Theatre. A sparkling cocktail of French j sophistication, American horseplay, and good old-fashioned romance is of- j fered in "Say It In French," Paramount's Milland-Olympe Bradna com- i edy, which opens tomorrow. Set against the background of New York's smartest spots, "Say It In. French" tells a rollicking story of the complications that arise when a young bride takes a job as maid in her husband's family in order to keep their marriage a secret. GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. "Little Tough Guys in Society" concludes tonight at,the Grand Theatre. William Boyd, George Hayes, and Russell Hayden, the familiar and wellliked saddlemates of many a "Hopalong Cassidy" outdoor action romance, return to the screen in a new Clarence E. Mulford thriller, "In Old Mexico," which opens tomorrow. The second attraction is "Illegal Traffic," starring J. Carrol Naish and Mary Carlisle. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. "Sergeant Murphy" and "Blondes at Work" conclude * tonight at the Palace Theatre. Although there have been many pictures made concerning Hollywood and film-making, "Fugitives for a Night," which opens tomorrow, is the first production immortalising the lowly Hollywood studio stooge. Frank Albertson and Eleanor Lynn are starred^ Edith Fellows's little street urchin in "City Streets," the second attraction, is her -first big emotional role—the greatest of her career. Leo Carrillo is also starred. KING GEORGE THEATRE, LOWER HUTT. i Robert Taylor, fresh from his triumphs in "A Yank at Oxford," comes | to the King George Theatre as the two- j fisted hero of "The Crowd Roars," drama of a boy from the wrong side of the tracks who rises to fame in the prize ring. Maureen O'Sullivan makes her second appearance opposite the star in the new picture, and others prominent in the Cast include Edward! Arnold, Frank Morgan, William Gargan, Lionel Stander, and Jane Wyman. DE LUXE THEATRE, LOWER HUTT Movie-goers who like their adventure spiced with comedy, thrills, anc romance will be drawn to "Fast Company," new romantic mystery, starring Melvyn Douglas and Florence Rice which is the current attraction at the De Luxe Theatre. The associate feature, "Panamint's Bad Man," stars Smith BeHew and Noah Beery.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

KING'S THEATRE. [ That there are other things in the i world more important than money is , the message in "You Can't Take It . With You," which is in its third week ;at the King's Theatre. The picture is .an outstanding one, and it is not diffi- ; cult to understand why it received the ■ I academy award as the best film of the i year. It has everything that makes I for the successful picture —an exceli lent story, good directing, and efficient , acting. Lionel Barrymore as Grandpa I i Vanderhof is seen in one of his J * greatest successes in a long and notable ] [ career on stage and screen, and ; another excellent characterisation is ■ that of Edward Arnold, another . veteran, in the part of the financier " Kirby. James Stewart and Jean Arthur ; provide the romantic interest, and they do it remarkably well. There is a par- ; ticularly strong supporting cast. PLAZA THEATRE. Bernard Shaw's masterpiece, "Pygmalion," which is battering long-run and gross receipts records in all English- . speaking countries, especialy in Amer' , ica, where its success is phenomenal, .is now in its eighth and final week of [ consecutive screening at the Plaza : Theatre. Thus "Pygmalion" establishes a new record for length of . run made by any talkin_. picture in ; any Wellington theatre. The popular- . ity of the film is unbounded, and mdi- ■ cations are that its final week will . bring laggards along in large numbers. . "Pygmalion," outstandingly acted by Wendy Hiller, Leslie Howard, Wilfrid Lawson, and Marie Lohr, and a long cast of distinguished players, is splen- ' did entertainment. DE LUXE THEATRE. . Entertainment of the most varied ' nature is offered at the De Luxe > Theatre, where two films and a genuine vaudeville, act compete for the public attention. ' The act, "The Royal Dogs, has to be seen to to.be believed. It consists of four highly-trained dogs and an acrobatic trainer. With very ' little in the way of a command. to guide them, the dogs one by one go ' through the most amazing evolutions, ' and finish up with a series of pyramids. ' The first half of the programme consists of the Mark Twain classic, Tom " Sawyer, Detective," in which the leadj ing roles of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn are very well taken by ' Donald O'Connor and Billy Cook. The ' film is* very well done indeed, and 1 breathes an air of the old Mississippi '. River steamboat days. Hopalong Cassidy rides again in "The Frontiersmen, a C. E. Mulford story. STATE THEATRE. * "Just Around the Corner" concludes \ tonight at the State Theatre. I "Peck's Bad Boy With the Circus' ■ and "Annabel Takes a Tour" commence tomorrow. TUDOR THEATRE. Tlie thrill and the heart throbs Of one of the world's fondest plays comes to the Tudor Theatre in Ronald Colman's performance of the dual roles in "The Masquerader." "The Masquerader" is the story of the young Canadian journalist who, finding that he is the living image of his dissipated, drug-crazed cousin, agrees to assume that political leader's place during England's great crisis. The associate feature, a first release film, is "The-.Hedleys at Home," the first in a new series of family films. > Heading the cast are Grant ■MitchelL Evelyn Venable, Alicia Adams, Robert Whitriey, Benny Rubin, and Louise Beavers. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. Otto Kruger gives the performance of his career in the title role of "Housemaster," the Associated British screen version of lan Hay's long-run-ning play, which is showing at the Kilbirnie Kinema. "Housemaster" is a bright and. breezy comedy with a sympathetic and human- note underlying its humour. "Jezebel," a: colourful and exciting romantic drama of the South of the U.S.A. shortly before the Civil War, is the associate feature. Bette Davis is co-starred with Henry Fonda. . # CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. "The Adventures of Robin Hood," a Warner Bros. Technicolor version of the famous story, and starring Errol Flynn, is showing at the Capitol Theatre. One of the most important pictures of the year, it has been acclaimed by critics as a masterpiece of screen entertainment. The frontier West in the days when its lifeline was the stage coach, which carried the mail and money of the community, forms the picturesque setting for Paramount's latest "Hopalong Cassidy" story, "Pride of the West," the second feature. A special matinee is advertised for .tomorrow. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. Catchy songs, magnificent settings, two famous band organisations, a swiftly-paced inside story of Hollywood life, a star-studded cast headed by Dick Powell and Louella O. Parsons, are some of the elements which make up what is one of the hits of the season—"Hollywood Hotel," the main attraction at the Regal Theatre. "Adventurous Blonde," the second feature, is the third in the series of "Torchy Blanc" newspaper-mystery-comedy dramas, featuring Glenda Farrell and Barton Mac Lane. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. "I'll Give a Million," 20th CenturyFox's newest comedy-drama, is showing at the Empire Theatre with Warner Baxter' starred and Marjorie Weaver cast as his romantic vis-a-vis. Also in the featured cast are Peter Lorre, Jean Hersholt, John Caradine, J. Edward Bromberg, Lynn Bari, and Fritz Feld. Warner Baxter plays the role of a wealthy man who tires of . fawning friends and voluntarily becomes a tramp. The Jones Family are seen in the -hilarious comedy "Safety in Numbers." REX THEATRE. Patsy Kelly knocks out Laurel and Hardy . . . Jack Haley and Rosina Lawrence crash studio gates . . . Mischa Aver and Lyda Roberti as scintillating movie stars . . . these are just a few hilarious high lights of the Hal RoachM.G.M. feature comedy "Pick a Star," which is showing at the Rex Theatre. Lionel Barrymore, always master of the character analysis in a screen portrayal, again touches the heart in his latest role as a fearless old country Judge in "A Family Affair," the associate film. OUR THEATRE, NEWTOWN. John Barrymore, George Murphy, Marjorie Weaver, and Joan Davis have the principal roles in "Hold That Coed," the main attraction at Our Theatre. John Barrymore is seen as a co-ed-chasing, budget-bouncing governor. Marjorie Weaver plays the role of his pretty secretary, in love with George Murphy, the football coach. Others in the cast include Jack Haley, Ruth Terry, and Donald Meek. Joan Valeric and Henry, Arthur share the thrills of car racing and romance in "Road Demon," the associate feature. SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL BAY. A thrilling story of a convict's desperate effort to escape following a ' "break" out of Alcatraz, supposedly America's most "unbreakable" prison, . opens the story of Paramount's new ■ screen drama, "King of Alcatraz," ; which is showing at the Seaside , Theatre. J. Carrol Naish heads the ! cast. William Boyd, George Hayes, ! and Russell Hayden head the cast ■of i "Pride of the West," new "Cassidy" film, which is the associate attraction.

RIVOLI AND TIVOLI THEATRES. How a benevolent rural doctor, unappreciated and unpaid by his pennypinching flock for more than twenty years, suddenly emerges as the hero of the hour, is dramatically depicted in "A Man to Remember," new screen drama featuring Anne Shirley, Edward Ellis, Lee Bowman, and William Henry, which is showing at both the Rivoli and the Tivoli Theatres. Cast as the kindly country practitioner, Edward Ellis's primary interest lies in the welfare of his little community rather than personal gain.., His ability i as a physician wins little respect,] except from impoverished farmers. Hounded by creditors, and turning I his back on bigger opportunities in ] order to send his son through medical school, Ellis's life is a humble one! indeed, the only ray of sunshine filter- j ing through his existence being his j affection for his pretty ward, and his ambition for his son. A community | crisis in which an epidemic of in-1 fantile paralysis is ready to swoop down on the town is his opportunity for unwittingly achieving the fame he so rightly deserves. The merry romantic adventures of a madcap heiress who runs away from her fortune and into a roving reporter who is out to get her story but comes back with her! heart, are gaily depicted in Hal Roach's "There Goes My Heart," the associate film, in which Fredric March and Virginia Bruce are starred. I "THE WOMEN." Sparkling dialogue crisply presented and unusually interesting settings are two of the principal factors in the success of Clare Boothe's brilliant modern satire on society, "The Women," which is to conclude its Wellington season at the Grand Opera House tonight. Heading the all-feminine cast of 40 players is Irene Purcell, the distinguished New York actress who has been seen in a number of successful films. Mary Dees, the late Jean Harlow's double, is another screen actress who is in the cast. Although the main parts are taken by Americans a number of leading Australian actresses appear. The story concerns the malicious gossip of a group of women, and tells how it drives the ' only sympathetic character in the play into the j Divorce Court. It is this gossip which affords Miss Boothe the opportunity to give full rein to her ability for writing brilliant dialogue. PAUL SCHRAMM. The first of three programmes which Paul Schramm, the world-famous pianist, will present in the Concert Cham- I ber of the Town Hall, Wellington, this week, will be presented tonight. Per- \ haps no artist has offered such variety in his programmes, for Paul Schramm has included many lesser-known works as well as many popular ones. The high light of each programme will, of course, be his interpretation ] of Beethoven, for which he has long since achieved renown. He has chosen J three great sonatas, the Sonata in A! flat major, opus 110; the "Waldstein" (Sonata in C major, opus 53); and the well-beloved "Moonlight Sonata." Other composers whose works will be played are Chopin, Mozart, Schumann, Brahms, Bach-Busoni, Liszt, Debussy (probably only at tonight's concert), Manuel de Falla, Ravel, and Prokofieff. AMERICAN REVUE COMING. About the "Hollywood Hotel Revue," which has played on Broadway and which will be presented by Sir Benjamin Fuller, in conjunction with Mr. H. Howard, in the Opera House, Wellington, on Friday, a South Island critic wrote: "The company sets a high standard of performance, and in no wise does it disappoint the audience;—quality works hand in hand with j quantity. Perhaps the most popular' items of a brilliant evening of enter-] tainment were the dances by the origin- \ ators of the Big Apple, in which something entirely new and jiovel met with the reception it deserved. On the comedy side the outstanding individuals were Marty May, ; whose, ..dry humour met with a furore of enthusiasm, and Bobby Morris and Murray Briscoe, each of whom has an entirely j novel and engaging personality, accompanied by witticisms and gags of a refreshing type. One of the premier turns of the evening was that of the acrobatic dancers Park and Clifford, whose feats of strength were a revela-; tion to the audience. Then there were Jack and June Blair, specialty dancers, whose character tap items were fully approvedT On the vocal side there was nothing lacking, and the company has a wealth of talent upon which to draw. Chief performers in this department were Magda Neeld and Robert Berry."