CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 18, 22 January 1940, Page 4

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. Those who enjoyed the stage version of "YeS> My Darling Daughter" in Wellington recently will find much of additional interest and entertainment in the screen adaptation of this successful comedy by Mark Reed, which is showing at the Regent Theatre. For those who missed the play the picture will provide equal diversion. Warner Bros. have.made the most of the romantic comedy opportunities of the play.and selected-a cast that leaves no room for criticism. Indeed, every player earns the highest praise for acting ideally suited to the part. "Yes, My Darling Daughter" is sophisticated comedy and demands a certain degree of broadmindedness without which its subtlety cannot be fully appreciated. It is the story of a toother's dilemma when her very "liberal". ideas are adopted by her daughter. Those two charming youngsters: Priscilla Lane and. Jeffrey Lynn, play the romantic roles with complete success. MAJESTIC THEATRE. ' , Robert' Donat, who gave the screen one of its finest performances as. the idealistic doctor of "The Citadel," onctj again reveals his consummate artistry and acting skill, in "Good-bye, Mr. Chips," film version of the celebrated James-Hilton novel, which ds showing for van extended 'season at the Majestic. - Theatre. The stOry Of "Mr. Chips" is the story of the, education "of youth : the; v world : over. Donat.'< plays.'the kindly schoolmaster whoepmes to a darge English ichobl as a, 1 young man and passes his entire life there. He becomes -the ideal. of the boys in his care, and when these boys grow up they send their sons back, to .."Mr: Chips." He meets and falls in love with a young and beautiful girl and when , she .ultimately dies the tragedy leaves "Chips" with a great human understanding and compassion. / ST. JAMES THEATRE, Service aviation' films can ..always be depended upon to thrill an audience, arid "Wings pf the Navy," now showing at the. Sk^mes Theatre, is no exception ,to ; the rule. Produced ;by the same studio that has presented several other well-remembered * air epics,, it. loses.no time in getting, into its stride as h far< as exciting air "•• sequences a!re concerned.: The story centres; round theinavaL air training establishment at Perisacpla, where the ybiing would-be pilots of the United. States Navy are sent; to try their wings.1 Here two brothers,, whpse. surname is a famous one in service' aviation, are thrown together in rivalry for the' same prize, and incidentally for.the same girli The elder- (George1 Brent)-is a famous designer and a lieutenant-commander in pursuit,. aviation. The younger (John Payne) starts,his naval career.in Submarines/ apparently intending to work' his way tip: . ■ ■■..'•'•■."'•.■.:.■ ■ v. a : /;■..' '•;' DE LUXE THEATRE. ..v, :: Thqse '.' who prefer a programme of hurnpur blended, with thrills will find an excellent mixture of "both hi th,e fare'at the De Luxe Theatre. "Boy Meets Girl" is a rapid-moving comedy with its location in Hollywood. The eccenixic,;. ridiculous -capers, of James Cagney; a scenario writer, in ;his efforts to'produce a plot for a-languish-ing .film company, are rewarded when a theme, is. inspired, by Susie,^-a; servant girl (Marie Wilson).1 Fast comedy marks the story from begining to end.; The/associate feature, "Women in the Windy'? which - provides the thrill element, is; reniarkable for the display of hair-raising aerobatics by Janet Steele (Kay Francis) in her efforts to secure a plane to fly in a big air race. . PARAMOUNT THEATRE. In "Man's Castle," which is showing at the Paramount Theatre, Spencer Tracy; and Loretta Young bring to t^he screen a glimpse of the lifeVof;tsome of, America's Unemployed waifs; The former, as .Bill, a. <»refree waif who air ways manages, to get the necessaries of life, meets Trina.s a girl who .cannot find work and is'oil the verge of starva-. tion. He tak£s her under his' wing, and after having found her. a meal marries her. 1 Thfey settle down in a shack on the -river front where the unemployed have built a ramshackle village of their own, -and all goes -well until Bill is seized with a desire to wander on through the country. The supporting feature is. "Blondie Takes a Holiday." : There is also a Charlie Chase comedy and a community sing, featuring melodies of Johann Strauss. TUDOR THEATRE. / Despite its sober theme —espionage arid sabotage in the air Zorce of a great nation—and its sombre title "Clouds Over Europe," now in its second week at ;the Tudor Theatre, is possessed- of a delightful melody of persiflage. Laurence Olivier is seen as.a debonair test-pilot who undertakes a dangerous flight, fully aware that it may be his last,"in order to help to solve a mystery about' aeroplane '■ disappearances, and Ralph' . Richardson,' as the Scotland Yard 'man -most interested in the solving of the mystery, gives a characterisation as sincere as it is pleasing. Blondie "Bumsfead 'is successful in regaining her husband's job for him—not without hilarious incident—in "Blondie Meets the Boss," the associate. attrac-tion;:;.;/.:-f.>: .■■"•..•-■.. "■. •. ■. ~, ■,-.. :•■ :/ ''■ .■:..■'■-■.■; •■.,. ': "REX THEATRE. .. _■■('• . / , A thrilling action drama of the China Seas, "Queer Cargo/ with John Lodge, Kenneth;Kent,*and Louis Borsell, heads the bill at the -Rex Theatre. .Also showing, is "The' Lost Jungle," with Clyde Beatty, the world's greatest animal trainer, starred. ROXY THEATRE. Infant charm/ .hilarious comedy, and romantic intrigue, are combined in a most effective manner in. UniversaPs "Unexpected Father," showing at the Roxy Theatre. The infant charm is supplied by Baby Sandy, the comedy comes largely from Mischa Aver, and the romantic intrigue is supplied by Dennis O'Keefe and Shirley Ross. One of the cleverest and wittiest film productions "since the invention of the cinema, is "The Cheat," the second fea-wre.';-written/ and produced and acted Dy one, man, : , Sacha Guitry, the wellknown French playwright and actor. ~ ■;;. -NEW; PRINCESS. THEATRE.. :.' A true picture—true in story and true •in detail. Such is "Mayerling," a Metropolitani Films release starring Danielle Darrieux and. Charles Boyer, which heads the bill at the New Princess Theatre; This famous rphiance is played in the actual surroundings in which it really happened. Paramount Films supply the associate feature, "Death Of a Champion." an exciting; murder mystery, starring Lynne Overman, ; PRINCE ED WARD THEATRE, WOBURN. Thrills, of war and aviation, hairbreadth escapes in .the South American wilds,"and a love story combine in an action-packed piece of entertainment in "Too HOt to Handle," co-starring Clark Gable and Myrna Loy, which is showing at the Prince Edward Theatre. "Pirate of the Skies," featuring Kent Taylor and Rochelle Hudson, is the associate film. :■■...■.. DE LUXE THEATRE, LOWER •■.■;:.-'- ' HUTTJackie Cooper and Freddie Barthoomew share co-starring honours . in their new Universal film, "Two Bright Boys," showing at the De Luxe Theatre. The second feature, "Straight Place, and Show," is based on a play ay Damon Runyon and Irving Caesar.' The comic story is spiced by a romantic triangle between Richard Arlen, Ethel Merman, and Phyllis Brooks, with the Ritz Brothers supplying the fun.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

KING'S THEATRE. i The reconstruction of the Royal Air l Force raid on the Kiel Canal area, at : the beginning of the war alone makes ; "The Lion Has Wings," now in its' : second week at the King's Theatre, well i worth seeing. The reconstructed sUe- • cessful bombing attack on* German s naval vessels is shown in all its vivid ■ realism,- and these scenes in the pic- • ture take on greatly added' interest i from the fact that the airmen shown » climbing out of their machines after • the attack are the actual air crews who ; carried out the job. The picture is a London Films production and Alexander Korda's, master hand is shown '■ in the early scenes which contrast the i freedom of in peacetime with ; the oppressive discipline of Nazi Geri many. Ralph Richardson and Merle : Oberon are starred.' STATE THEATRE. Boris Karloff, master of "horror" roles, plays a typical part in "The Man They Could Not Hang," which is showing at the State Theatre. He is seen as. Doctor' Savaard, a kindly and , enthusiastic scientist who has solved the problem of restoring life to the bodies of people thought by all ordinary laws to be dead. He has experimented successfully on all types of ■ living bodies except those of humans, 1 and it is when he is presented with the opportunity, willingly, offered by one of his young students, of carrying out ,the supreme test of his invention that he meets his undoing^ The associ- , ate feature is "Konga, the Wild Stal- '■ lion," a story that will appeal to, all , lovers of horses. There are many i excellent sequences ■• in . the film* arid Fred Stone, as a kindly old man who lives for his horses, vplays a congenial part. PLAZA THEATRE. It was inevitable that the Darryl F.; Zanuck production :of "Stanley and Livingstone" would, be. popular with ! picture patrons and would enjoy a , successful season at the Plaza Theatre. ; The picture reconstructs movingly the ■ thrilling discovery of Livingstone by • Stanley in the wilds of Africa. '• Aa ' Henry M. Stanley, the "New York ; Herald" reporter, Spencer Tracy gives 1 another outstanding characterisation. ■He is shown first as a -young man [ whose tenacity of purpose is such that ' risks mean nothing to him if there, •is a story to be got: It was small 1 wonder that' he braved the perils in | the heart of Africa and succeeded in ' his search for Dr. Livingstone. . The 1 great dramatic "moment when Stanley ; uttered those now famous wprds^ "Dr. 1 Livingstone, I presume?" is stirringly . re-enacted. ; • .''..'.' ■ '.'.' ASCOT. THEATRE. ■' '■, , - Popular. Gracie, Fields appears in "Shipyard Sally" at the; Ascot Theatre, with Sydney Howard, in a joyful blend of song and hilarity with the shipyards of Scotland as a background. Another attraction, "Old Iron," features Tom Walls in an entirely new and different role in a Ben Travers story. The supports' are well chosen and enters taining. • ■ ■ .; " ■'•■ .". '■■. r'.■■ ■".;.. EMPIRE THEATRE, BAY.V iExposing. the truei.fac.ts about, the >■ vanished girls of America, , "Missing Daughters, now showing at the Empire Theatre, is full' of?; suspense and action. In the starring roles are\ Richard Arlen and jtochelle Hudson: "Down on the' Farm," latest picture in the popular Jones Family series, is the second feature, arid it proves that even in the comparative tranquillity of country life, the Joneses can stir up more trouble, more fun and exciteriiesnt than all the neighbours put together. , ■ ;REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. • The gripping story of a- husband :handcuffed by • convention but yearning to break nis bonds so that he cari marry the woman,,;he really,, loves is the basis of the dramatic action in "In Nam^' Only," co-starring Carole Lombard; i Cary Grant, and. Kay Francis, which is showing at '.the Regal Theatre*. .Mystery goes merry when the Ritz Brothers, as three half-wit. detectives, get on the trail of something big as- an elephant and ten times as nasty in "The. Gorilla," the associate film. \. ■ ■■■■•'. •- •.■ ■;■■ ,-. '-~: ..; VOGUE THEATRE, BROOKLYN. Jane Withers, Arleeri Whelan, Richard Bond, Douglas Fowley, Warren Hymer,"*ahd George Ernest are starred in "Boy Friend,'! showing at the Vogue Theatre. '{Everybody's Baby," starring the popular Jones Family, is also showing. Selected supports complete a bright programme. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. "Man About Town," starring-Roches-ter, Jack Benny, Dorothy Lamour, Edward Arnold, Binnie Barnes, Isabel Jeans, Betty Grable, E. E. Clive, and Cecil Kellaway, is; showing at the Kilbirriie Kinema. The second feature is "My Son is a Criminal," starring Alan Baxter.and Jacqueline .Wells. SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL B/^Y. Recognised 'as- one of Europe's outr standing contributions to American fihns, Charles Boyer adds; to ..his lengthy roster of- hits another fine per- , formance in "The Nearest Thing ,to Heaven," which is showing at the Seaside Theatre .with Irene Dunne /costarred. The associate film -is-"The Lady and •= the Mob;" starring- Fay Bainter and Ida Lupino.' . CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR: Universal's, new Bing Crosby-Joan Blondell picture, "East Side of Heaven," is now at the Capitol Theatre. Bing is a cruising troubadour, and- Jdan, his sweetheart, is a hotel telephone operator. Mischa Aver is Bing's unemployed room-mate who has learned from, reading the stars that he should not even look for work until 1942. Glorious in its sweep of exciting adventure in north-west India, far r flung outpost of Empire, and moving in its depiction pf gallantry and heroism- is "Storm Over Bengal," the associate film. '; KING GEORGE THEATRE, LOWER HUTT. • Joan Crawford, Jarn^s Stewart, and Lewis Stone are the leading players in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer'si musical hit, "The Ice Follies," showing at the King George Theatre- In effect it is a "Great Ziegfeld onTee." There: jis an attractive supporting programme. , ; GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. : . The most timely. drama in months, "Spies of the Air," is showing at the Grand Theatre. It is packed with thrills and excitement. Barry K. Barnes arid Roger Livesey )are featured. "Going Places," Warner Bros.' comedy with music, starring Dick .Powell a'hd Anita Louise, is the second feature. PALACE THEATRE; E^TONE. The popular Western, star. Gene Autry, heads the'cast in the Western picture,. "The Big Show," which is showing at the Palace Theatre.' Supported by that clever comedian, Smiley Burnette, Gene Autry sings his way1 to new heights. . The supporting feature, "Panama Lady," stars Lucille Ball and Allan Lane. . STATE THEATRE, PETONE. Lusty outdoor drama of the pioneer west "Song of the Plains," is showing at the State Theatre. . The new pictures presents Nelson Eddy in. his most virile characterisation to date, and surrounds him with such veterans as Virginia Bruce, Victor McLaglen, Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold, Guy Kibbee, and Charles Butterwortn.