CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 49, 26 August 1939, Page 15

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. "The Dawn Patrol," Warner Bros.' new aviation story, is now in its second week at the Regent Theatre. A full15«.*Ued action drama, it marks the return of Errol Flynn to the adventurous type of role which made him famous. "The Dawn Patrol" is a story of British wartime aviation, a moving and exciting compound of the pitiful, heedless gallantry of youth, and the calmer courage of maturity. It relates the typical history of a squadron of the British Royal Flying 'Corps during a few fateful months of 1915—a period when the average life of combat pilots over the western front was only four and a half flying hours. It was a time when raw and hastily-trained recruits were, in a constant, deadly chain, sent forth to almost certain death as soon as- they reported for service. It tells particularly the stories of the only two Well-trained pilots in the outfit, CourtTiev- and Scott, played respectively by Flynn and David Niven. ■XXX'- ST. JAMES THEATRE. 'George Formby's fast growing reputation as one of the great screen com•edians of tod- is well justified by his :*hilarious • performance in "Trouble -Brewing," which is in its second week ■at St. James Theatre.. George plays the part of a newsboy compositor who cherishes ambitions of becoming a detective', and he gets his chance when, through the connivance of the editor's secretary (Miss Googie Withers), he is made, a crime reporter. The fun starts when George sets out to catch a gang of counterfeiters who are flooding the country with forged bank-notes. There are • many screamingly funny scenes. In these days of rumours of wars an item •in the supporting programme titled "Warning" will undoubtedly arouse' considerable interest. It has been- produced with the approval of the British Government an_, is a striking argument in favour of the need for preparedness in these trdublous times. .-•■■' * MAJESTIC THEATRE. j One of Mark Twain's best-loved stories is "Huckleberry Finn," the film version of which is in its second week at the Majestic Theatre. Huck Finn, the young vagabond who plays "hooky" from school, won't wear shoes, and smokes a corncob pipe, has gained a very high place in the affections of a great number of people, old and young. Richard Thorpe, the director who was responsible for transferring the story to the screen, has made an excellent job of it. All the colour, romance, and dreamy peace of the Mississippi, and the pathos, humour, and drama of its people, mixed as only Twain could mix them, are there. The acting throughout is natural, dignified, and of a uniformly high standard. Mickey Rooney, as Huck, gives a.splendid portrayal; his acting is sincere and restrained. Rex Ingram, famous negro actor, gives a very fine characterisation of the slave Jim, who is aided in his escape from his owners by Huck, who later saves him from being lynched by an angry mob. Supporting players include Walter Connolly,' William Frawley, Lynne Carver, Elizabeth Rioden, Jo Ann Sayers, Victor' Killian, and Clare Blankick. The supporting programme is excellent. It includes two newsreels, a technicolour cartoon, one of the amusing "Our Gang" series, and a clever Pete Smith specialty. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. Youth and its problems are interesting to adults when presented as they are in "Out West with the Hardys," which is showing at the Paramount Ti*eatre, i . wj.tlw..Lew4s, Stone,, ; Mickey Roojiey, Cecilia^ Parker,: and*. Fay Holdfeii In.' the main roles. A breakdown oVer a spring -cleaning induces Hardy, a metropolitan Judge, to take his family to a friend's ranch for a change, Half man and half boy, Mickey is scornful of the queer little ranch girl, his thoughts lingering on the society girl he has left behind. It is not long before he is in cowboy rig, but he finds much difference between dress and playing the part to match, and it is the little spitfire, half boy and half girl, who shows him his place. "Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm," with Gene Autry heading a music-mad but hard-riding bunch of fellow cowpunchers, gives plenty of action. and some good Camp crooning. "Marine Circus" presents the novel watering place on the Florida coast, which has a swimming pool full of richly-coloured fish, among which mixed bathing is a new sensation. The whole is watched by those with dry skins through plate glass windows at "fish eye" level. There is a 5001b cod, a black brute with jaws like a bulldog, blind, but with , a fine nose for food. The dinner bell is rung under water, and then the feeder, with a special diving headdress, has a hard time fending off dolphins, a huge turtle, the big black cod, and others. ROXY THEATRE. •A glorious successor to "Magnificent Obsession" anti "Green Light"—"White Banners" also adapted from a best-sell-ing novel by Lloyd C. Douglas, is showing at the Roxy Theatre. -It is . a moving tale, entertaining, and full of the idealistic fe ivour so. characteristic of Douglas's work. -Claude Rains, Fay.Bainter, and Jackie Cooper are starred. "Sudden Money" in the form of a sweepstakes fortune hits a typical modern family and causes a million-dollar riot in "Sudden Money," the associate film. ASCOT THEATRE, NEWTOWN. "So This Is London," featuring Robertson Hare, is showing at the Ascot Theatre. It is a brilliant comedy arising out of a story of rivalry between American and English business concerns. The supporting picture, "Inside Story," starring Michael Whalen and Jean Rogers, is full of action. It tells of two excitement-seeking reporters looking for the loneliest girl - in New York. They find her, and a story so sensational that they cannot publish it. A. splendid variety of supports completes the programme. STATE THEATRE, PETONE. "The Great Waltz," glamorous musical drama based on the life of Johann Strauss, is showing at the State Theatre, with Luise Rainer, Fernand Gravet, and Miliza Korjus, new opera star discovery, heading an elaborate cast. The story deals with the life and loves of Strauss, played by Gravet, his wife, Poldi, played by Miss Rainer, and the opera singer with whom •he was infatuated, enacted by Mme. Korjus. GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. Otto Kruger gives the' performance of his 'career in the title role of "Housemaster," the Associated British screen version of lan .Hay's longrunning play, which is showing at the Grand Theatre. The new Warner Bros. Cosmopolitan topical melodrama "Racket Busters," which is the associate film, has • Humphrey Bogart, Gloria Dickson, and George Brent in its leading roles. The fourth thrilling episode of "The Lone Ranger" is also being shown.. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. "My Son- is a Criminal," which is showing at the Palace Theatre, js the story of a retired police officer and of his gangster son. The former's unswerving and uncompromising attitude towards law enforcement, and . the latter's complete and unregenerate attitude towards "easy- money," bring the film to a neatly woven dramatic finish. .The second feature is "Fixer Dugan," starring Virginia Weidler and Lee Tracy.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

I. KING'S THEATRE. I One of the most unusual pictures in j years is "Five Came Back," a new j dramatic offering, which opened yester- ■ day at the King's Theatre, with an all- ■ star cast headed by Chester Morris, j Lucille Ball, and Wendy Barrie. The film deals with the plight of a group j of aeroplane travellers forced down in !a tropical jungle. While head-hunting ' I natives threaten to wipe out the whole 1 j party, romance and adventure and jealousy and heroism flourish among them, as the two pilots labour to repair the craft and fly it out to civilisation. ■ And when the survivors are ready to go. they discover that the crippled plane can carry only five of them —the others must stay behind and face cer- ■ tain death: Around this stark situation the film's cast and technical staff ; have woven a brilliantly developed ' piece of. screen-fare, grim, colourful, realistic, tender, and memorable. Two romances, the moral disintegration of two of the party under the strain, outstanding sacrifices from others who, in normal circumstances, would be considered public enemies, and a striking climax comprise unforgettable features of the picture. There is a first-class i supporting programme. s STATE THEATRE. ' Recent sensational exposures of tactics of foreign spies in the United '> States no doubt. inspired the produc- ; tion of "They Made Her a Spy," a! , dramatic and revealing film which is j ; now showing at the State Theatre.! Sally Eilers is cast as the sister of a young army lieutenant who is killed when sabotage is responsible for the premature explo- : sion of a new mortar shell which he has invented. Determined to unmask the men who are responsible for her brother's death, the girl offers her services to the United States Intelligence Department, is accepted, and is fortunate enough to make contact with the main gang of spies. The second film is "Swift Vengeance," a swift-moving crime story featuring Ace, the wonder dog. Tim„Holt and Virginia Weidler are in the cast. PLAZA THEATRE. The latest biographical film to be released in New Zealand "The Story of Alexander Graham Bell," now showing at the Plaza Theatre, is worthy of a high place in the list of such pictures. The story, which is that of a young man's triumph over adversity, is very well suited to picturisation. For one thing, the action extends over only a short period of years. The later achievements of Bell are merely indicated, as the young visionary, having invented the telephone and having won his case against a rival company which endeavoured to share the fruits of his invention, talks of other fields of man's conquest rather than exulting in his victory. For the title role, Don Ameche is at all times convincing. Henry Fonda, as the sceptical and at times complaining assistant, has a rather short | part which he plays with such briljliance as to steal the show at times. The best scene in the film, and one which will leave a lump iii many throats, is the one in which a deafmute child, trained with infinite patience by Bell, speaks to his father for the first time. As Bell's beautiful deaf wife, Loretta Young also plays her part well. The film is closer to the real thing than many film biographies, and there are few obvious distortions. A remarkable collection of newsreels on the same programme show the sinking., of...the Panay, the burning of-the Zeppelin Hinde'nburg, fighting in China, ahd' what must be some of the first "shots" of Japanesepursuit planes fighting the Russians oii the Manchukuo border. OPERA HOUSE. Without question "The Lambeth Walk," now showing at the Opera House, is one of the brightest films to be presented in Wellington for a considerable time. The picture has as its theme song the now famous Lambeth^ Walk tune, and one of the high lights is the dancing of the number by a huge crowd. Briefly the story describes how a bright young Cockney lad, played by Lupino Lane, is informed that he is heir to enormous wealth and a fine country house. He has to leave his Cockney habitat and his Cockney lady friend, superbly played by Sally Grey, and mingle with the aristocracy with rather alarming but exceedingly humorous results. Some of >the humour is perhaps risque, but nevertheless highly entertaining. .An additional attraction is the appearance in the picture of Seymour Hicks. There is an excellent supporting film, "Public Wedding," starring Dick Purcell and Jane Wyman, and there are some interesting short subjects. TUDOR THEATRE. Shirley Temple has her first technicolour production in Frances Hodgson Burnett's great classic, "The Little Princess," which has been transferred to the Tudor Theatre. She reveals all her charm and radiance in what is easily her finest film. The action is set in London during the reign of Queen Victoria: It tells how a child, left in school by her father as he hurries off to war, finds herself suddenly reduced from riches to extreme poverty and forced to endure the cruelty of the heartless schoolmistress, Miss Minchin. Sherlock Holmes matches his cunning ■with that of a giant, unearthly hound, in "The Hound of the Baskervilles," the associate attraction. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. The first air picture ever made in colour, "Men With Wings," is showing at the Capitol Theatre. Its big cast of over one hundred is headed by Fred Mac Murray, Ray Milland, Louise Campbell, Andy Devine, Lynne Overman, Porter Hall, and many other famous players. Racketeering methods of powerful gambling rings are dramatically disclosed in "Gambling Ship, the associate film, starring Robert Wilcox and Helen Mack. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE, WOBURN. Hilarity rpigns at the Prince Edward Theatre, where "Merrily We Live" is showing. Few comedies maintain the dizzy pace set in this picture, or have the ability of creating such continuous laughter as evoked by its co-stars, Constance Bennett and Brian Aheme. Jane Withers's fans are given an extra treat in "Little Miss Fix-it," the associate film, for the clever young star impersonates five screen personalities. DE LUXE THEATRE, LOWER HUTT. Brimming with human interest and rich with humour Bobby Breen's newest and most appealing motion picture, "Fisherman's Wharf," is screening at the De Luxe Theatre. The associate feature is a novel and tremendously exciting newspaper murder mystery, "This Man is News," with Barry K. Barnes and Valeric Hobson in the principal parts. KING GEORGE- THEATRE, LOWER HUTT. The true story of Father Flanagan's struggle to establish his home in face of prejudice and lack of money is m*v- . ingly told in "Boys' Town," s_rec_;-wg at the King George Theatre. Spencer , Tracy plays Father Flanagan, and i Mickey Rooney plays Whitey Marsh, a boy from the streets, who learns, when his gangster brother places him in Father Flanagan's care, that a boy has to be raally tough to be good.

TIVOLI THEATRE. "Topper Takes a Trip," which is showing at the Tivoli Theatre, is a sequel to last year's successful "Topper." In action it swings from New York to the pictorial brilliance of the French Riviera, where Topper proceeds to race from one jam to another under the stage management of Marion and her phantom hoaxes. The cast includes Constance Bennett, Roland Young, Billie Burke, Alan Mowbray, Verree Teasdale, Alexander D'Arcy, Franklin Pangborn, Paul Hurst, and Armand Kaliz. A father's love for his children, an ingenious political scheme, a schoolboy feud, a family quarrel, and a youngsters' plot to make their father an important man, all are prominent threads in the theme of "The Great Man Votes." new screen vehicle for John Barrymore, which is the associate film. RIVOLI THEATRE. Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Rosalind Russell, and Patric Knowles share starring honours in the new Warner Bros, comedy, "Four's a Crowd," which is showing at the Rivoli Theatre. The four persons with whose fortunes the picture is mainly concerned are a bright and fascinating newspaperman, played by Errol Flynn; a spoiled but charming heiress, played by Olivia de Havilland; a clever girl reporter, played by Rosalind Russell; and a rich playboy, played by Patric Knowles, who inherits a newspaper. A Mississippi River showboat of the present day forms the romantic setting for Paramount's new drama with music, "St. Louis Blues," a story based on one of the- world's best-loved songs, which is the associate film. Dorothy Lamour, Lloyd Nolan, Tito Guizar, Mary "Punkins" Parker, and Maxine Sullivan play the top roles. DE LUXE THEATRE. A good double-feature programme is now showing at the De Luxe Theatre. In the "Spirit of Culver," which is the main attraction, something is seen of the way in which America, as represented by its youth, views the future, and an indication is given as to the manner in which youth is disposed to make sacrifices to maintain the things in life worth preserving. Culver is a military school with the school spirit highly developed,* and it b.oasts of a record second to none. Its esprit de corps is the underlying motive of all its actions. Into this atmosphere, where tradition plays such an important part, comes a rebel, in the shape of a homeless war veteran's son whose only experience of life has been gained in bread lines. He outrages all the school decencies. In spite of the grudge he bears to organised society, however, the school atmosphere wins, and from being an outcast the boy becomes one of the school heroes. The main parts are i excellently taken by Jackie Cooper and j Freddie Batholomew, whose perform- j ances are first class. The second feature is "Queer Cargo," a maritime thriller j of the China Seas. It deals with a bold pirate, a pretty girl, a cool sea captain, and five pearls worth a fortune. The main parts are taken by John Lodge, Judy Kelly, and Wylie Watson. There is also showing the final episode of "The Lone Ranger." REX THEATRE. "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," Mark Twain's beloved classic, heads the programme at the Rex Theatre. Tommy Kelly plays Tom Sawyer. "Cjty Streets," a thrilling and exciting drama starring Edith Fellows and Leo Carrillo, is the associate film. NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. A new comedy team that bids fair to rival any screen combination of the past makes its debut in the persons of Robert Montgomery and Virginia Bruce, teamed for the first time, in "The First Hundred Years," which is showing at the New Princess Theatre. Presenting Montgomery in all his accustomed comedy deftness, the picture further offers Miss, Bruce what is certainly her most important role to date. The associate feature is Paramount Films' adaptation, of Clarence E. Mulford's "Renegade. Trail," starring the ever-popular Western hero "Hopalong" Cassidy, portrayed by William Boyd. ' KILBIRNIE KINEMA. The entire world knows that of all the truly great dramatic actresses that the screen has brought to the picturegoers of all nations, Elisabeth Bergner ranks among the first fiour. In "Stolen Life," which is showing at the Kilbirnie Kinema, the opinion strongly asserts itself that she comes very close to being the'peer of them all. "Keep Smiling," the associate film, is one of those screen tonics that come only once in a long while —an infectiously happy, lilting film with a perfect cast, headed by Gracie Fields. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. Forsaking comedy for a straight romantic role, Irene Dunne adds hew laurels to her already brilliant brow in "The Nearest Thing to Heaven," which is showing at the Empire Theatre. Charles Boyer is co-starred. "While New York Sleeps," the second of the 20th Century-Fox Roving Reporter series, is the second feature, with Michael Whalen and Chick Chandler again playing those newshounds who made their bow in "Time Out for Murder." REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. A romance that, is as gay as New Year's Eve and as modern as tomorrow, "Wife, Husband, and Friend," starring lovely Loretta Young and handsome Warner Baxter, is showing at the Regal Theatre. "The Count of Monte Cristo," the associate film, is a story that has thrilled millions and become immortal. No greater adventure has ever been written than this story of Edmund Dante, who was convicted without trial and condemned without mercy to twenty years in a dungeon. VOGUE THEATRE, BROOKLYN. "Bad Man of Brimstone," with a cast headed by Wallace Beery, Virginia Bruce, Dennis O'Keefe, Lewis Stone, Joseph Calleia, and Guy Kibbee, is the main feature at the Vogue Theatre. "Society Smugglers," starring Preston Foster and Irene Hervey, is the supporting feature. There are also selected supports. SUNDAY PICTURES. The thrilling action-romance picture "Midnight Menace," will be screened at the De Luxe Theatre tomorrow night, at 8.15. The story is first rate and very original, and has plenty of suspense and excitement. More than that it .is topical, for it is a serious attempt to tackle the problem of armaments at a time when the whole world is arming to the teeth. Searchlights, the roar of planes, anti-aircraft guns, the crash of bombs, are interwoven with a delightful romantic love story. Fritz Kortner, "ace" character-actor, Charles Farrell, and lovely Australian Margaret Vyner, the romantic co-tars of "The Flying Doctor," head a large cast. Proceeds are in aid of the Mayor's Metropolitan Relief Fund. "FAITH TRIUMPHANT." Tomorrow night, at 7 o'clock, in the St. John Ambulance Hall, 29 Vivian Street, Mr. V. R. Brown will present a magnificently produced sound film entitled "Faith Triumphant." This is the screen portrayal of the latter part of the Apbstle Paul's life, and begins with the disturbance at Jerusalem, his rescue by the Romans, and his declaration trial he is Roman born. The apostle relates the story of his conversion, but as the tumult is renewed he invokes his right to appeal to Caesar. Finally : comes his hearing before Felix and subsequently his defence before Agrippa. Triumphing over his foes, Paul is now destined to go to Rome, according to the vision he had received.. The film is a masterly and authentic exposition of the Biblical record, .