CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 34, 9 February 1940, Page 10

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. Unusual in conception and presents tion is "On Borrowsd Time," the filx which is now in its second week a the Regent Theatre. Simple in its storj the film deals with emotions rathe than spectacle, and demands much 0 the principals. "On Borrowed Time delves into fantasy to depict th. struggle for existence. Lionel Barry more has the leading part, an< handles it with skill and restraint. H< is cast as an old man who feels deatl creeping upon him, but fears to die les his grandson should fall into unkim hands. Anxious to gain custody of tin boy on the old man's death .is a sten aunt, motivated rather through desin of a liberal endowment left by th< boy's father. Grandfather, however champions the boy against the auni and at the same time fights Mr. Brink who is death masquerading in earthl: garb. Grandpa traps him in an ?.ppl< tree until he knows that the boy wil be happy. Playing the part of th< boy is Bobs Watson, who gives a fin< characterisation of the little chap wh< loves his kind old grandfather. bi: Cedric Hardwicke has the unusual rol< Df death. The picture, which is clever ly produced, is moving without beinj undu 7y sentimental, and Barrymore i: responsible for many welcome flashe: 3 f humour. There is a good sup porting programme. MAJESTIC THEATRE. "Good-bye, Mr. .Chips." starving Robert Donat and Greer Garson, i: still -enjoying a successful season a the Majestic Theatre. The storj covers a period of 50 years fronv 187< to 1920, and deals with the life of Mr Chipping ("Chips"), who joins the teaching staff of Brookfield College England.1 He remains in a rut unti the German master at the college induces him to go to the Swiss Alps rhere "Chips" meets Katherine (Greei Larson), who is on a bicycle tour witr a lady friend. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. Republic's "Man of Conquest" head: he new programme at the Paramouni Cheatre. The picture has been re•eived with tremendous enthusiasm b5 3ress and audiences alike in America Cngland, and Australia. A cast of Holly vood's most distinguished performers >nacts every scene most convincingly Richard Dix is Sam Houston, rem:arnated, colourful, aggressive, a mar. )f destiny. Joan Fontaine and Gai. 3atrick are also in the cast. "Man ol Conquest" takes into careful coniideration Sam Houston's life from the ime he dwelt with the Cherokee tribes tor a year, through his career m polljes, to his glorious campaign that resulted in an independent Texas. ST. JAMES THEATRE. The popular "San Francisco," staring Clark Gable, Jeanette Mac Donald md Spencer Tracy, is being shown a 1 he head of the new programme at the st. James Theatre. Gable's vigorous oles in "China Seas" and "Mutiny on he Bounty," and Miss Mac Donald's •utstanding success in "Naughty Marietta" and "Rose Marie" served as the nspiration to bring the two notable tars together for the first time. Gable >ortrays a big-time gambler of the lolden Gate city at the height of its nost glamorous period. Miss Mac)onald is a small-town ministers laughter who seeks adventure in San Francisco rises to fame in the music lalls and, later, in the legitimate heatre. TUDOR THEATRE. The main attraction at the Tudor 'heatre is "Stanley and Livingstone, "he picture, reconstructs movingly the hrilling discovery of Livingstone by itanley in the wilds of Africa. As Henry JL. Stanley, the "New York Herald' eporter, Spencer Tracy gives another aitstanding characterisation. He is hown first as a young man whose enacity of purpose is such that risks ne'an nothing to him if there is a tory to be got. The second attraction s "Frontier Marshal." Randolph Scott days the title role of the gun-fighting aarshal who brought the law to Tombtone, sharing top billing with Nancy Lelly. VOGUE THEATRE. BROOKLYN. "The Return of the Cisco Kid" is he main attraction at the Vogue 'heatre, Brooklyn. Warner Baxter, jynn Bari, Cesar Romero, Henry Hull, lenry Gordon, and Kane Richmond ake the leading roles. The popular ones Family will also be featured in The Jones Family in Hollywood." PRINCESS THEATRE. - Robert Taylor is the central charac--2r of "The Crowd Roars," which is t the head of the new programme t the Princess Theatre. In this film 'aylor is a prize-fighter who rises from iae slums to the championship of the 7orld. Maureen O'Sullivan once more hows herself the ideal romantic foil, incere, appealing, and forthright. And Dr competition there is her school hum, Jane Weyman, admirable as the londe rival of Taylor's affections, 'he associate attraction will be "Inviition to Happiness," starring Irene lunne and Fred Mac Murray. ROXY THEATRE. Hugh Herbert and baby Sandy share tarring honours as a brand-new omedy team in Universal's zestful film Little Accident," which will head the ew programme at the Roxy Theatre. ;ased on the famous stage hit of the ime title, "Little Accident" is de:ribed as a whirlwind comedy-drama, illy Gilbert, noted comedian, appears s an indignant and explosive waiter l Universal's "Rio," which stars Basil tathbone and Victor McLaglen, with igrid Gurie. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAYThe machinations of the German ?y system in America are revealed l "The Confessions of a Nazi Spy," rhich will be shown at the head of )e new programme at the Empire heatre, Island Bay, tonight. The icture is one that should not be dssed. The second attraction will be jroing Places," in which Dick Powell id Anita Louise arc starred. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. Pioneering a new type of screen )medy, R.K.0.-Radio stars Ginger ogers in "Fifth Avenue Girl," which ill be shown at the Re^al Theatre, tonight. 11. is no uproarious de of a sidewalk Cinderella who rings about a revolution among the iembers of a rich but unhappy New ork family. Three groat names comine to produce Universal's "When Tolorrow Comes." which is the second lature. The three are Producerirector John M Stnhl. and stars Irene unne and Charles Boycr. For the ist ten years Stahl's name has been rominently listed among' the great rectors of the screen. "CHARLEY'S AUNT." "Charley's Aunt" is a comedy thnt ill not grow old easily. Already some vo or three generations of theatro)ers have laughed unrestrainedly at 3 comical and dexterously contrived tuations, and in its Wellington season , the Opera House it is bound to ake many new friends and to renew, so, very many old acquaintances. Charley's Aunt" is fun for everyone, id for that reason ideal holiday onrtainment. As presented by the Cele-1 nty Comedy Company, headed by | on Nicol and Shirley Ann Richards, | c play has lost none of its old appeal, id apart from the absence of a mim;r of lines that have long since lost' eir significance, the production is :ry much the same as when it. was •st presented. The box plan opens i Monday at the D.I.C.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

{ TIVOLI THEATRE. - i "The Four Just Men," the powerful i Capad drama,' which heads the new t programme at the Tivoli Theatre was , made for a definite purpose. First it c exposes the spy menace in our midst 1 Secondly, these four courageous men are presented as symbols of the manes hood of the nation, and when they - discover a sinister plot to smash the 1 British Empire and place world 2 domination in one man's hands, they l acts as would any true Britisher in t similar circumstances. The second at--1 traction is "Climbing High." It is a 2 fast-moving, romantic farce, starring i Jessie Matthews and Michael Redi grave. KING'S THEATRE. } ■■ A refreshingly funny ana entertain--3 ing > him "The riouseKeeper's Daughl cer, ■' is the attraction on ihe curu-ni a programme at the King's Theatre, and ; brings to local audiences once again j a type of screen comedy that has been f too little to the fore in recent months. , Containing a bright cast, assisted by . the sparkle and thoroughness of Holly- , wood's production, the film makes an 3 ; instant appeal and provides a wel--3 come change. Joan Bennett takes the . part of the housekeeper's daughter. PLAZA THEATRE. , Loretta Young and David Niven who are starred at the Plaza Theatre ti m "Eternally Yours," have the most , i unique screen roles either has ever )■ played. Miss Young, in the realm of . legerdemain, accomplishes the bizarre » task of appearing and disappearing at , the merest behest of "The Great I Arturo," played by David Niven. • All-star support is brought to the . production by Hugh Herbert, valet and - confidant of Arturo; C. Aubrey Smith, I t a tolerant, he-man bishop; Virginia I Field, a magician's . assistant who has i been round and around; Broderick Crawford, a too-perfect suitor of Miss Young's; Raymond Walburn, a " finan- > cier whose bridal party almost starts ' a riot; Zasu Pitts, who flutters in and ; out creating impossible situations that only Arturo can remedy, and Billie - Burke as delightfully scatterbrained as ' ever. ; STATE THEATRE. L The humour of Laurel and Hardy has r triumphed in the most extraordinary . settings, but it is doubtful if this great; . combination has ever shone more bril- ; liantly than in "The Flying Deuces" . which is shown at the State Theatre. . 'The Flying Deuces" is one continuously irresistible jest. When one of them is all broken up by a disastrous ' love affair, the other naturally shrinks., with pain also, and it is a lugubrious' . pair that decided to forget by enlisting ,in the Foreign Legion. "Sued for ; Libel," the other half of the pro- ; gramme, is a thriller of the best type. ; Morgan Con way, Linda Hayes, and Kent Taylor are the stars. ; . : DE LUXE THEATRE. : Billy Halop and Huntz Hall, two of ■ the popular Dead End Kids, are united i with their traditional rivals, the "Little Tough Guys" in Universal's new dramatic comedy,. "Gall A Messenger," which heads the programme at the De Luxe Theatre. Described as entertainment which blends laughter, action, and suspense, the story deals with the adventures of a band of street kids j who go to work as messenger boys and i make good in spite of themselves. "The Forgotten Woman," a gripping; dramatic story starring Sigrid Gurie, will be the second attraction. ASCOT THEATRE. The Hardy family inherits a fortune in the new story of their adventures, "The Hardy's Ride High," showing at the Ascot Theatre. Andy (Mickey Rooney) soon learns that it takes more than a top hat and tails to become a man-about-town. "Call; of the Yukon," James Oliver Curwood's drama of the frozen north, starring Richard Arlen and Beverly Roberts, and an "Audioscopiks" and excellent supports complete the programme. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. "The Ice Follies of 1939," which will be shown at the Capitol Theatre, Mirarhar, tonight, deals with the story of a team of fancy skaters, portrayed by ' James Stewart and Lew Ayres. When Stewart marries Joan Crawford and adds her to the double act, trouble ensues. The loss of a" job in a skating rink causes the girl to seek employment on her own. The Jones Family in "Everybody's Baby" is the associate attraction. KILBIRNIE KINEMA. Irving Berlin's new - songs, Sonja Henie's sunny brilliance, Tyrone Power's gay romancing, Rudy Vallee's singing and Edna May Oliver's funone of the greatest combinations of talent ever gathered for one show, I makes Irving Berlin's "Second Fiddle," j which is to be shown at the Kilbirnie i Kinema tonight, the sensation of the preview critics. "The Gorilla," starring the Ritz Brothers, is the associate feature. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE, WOBURN. Earl Derr Biggers's famous charac- ' ter, Charlie Chan, is played for the ' ! first time by Sidney Toler in the 20th i Century-Fox mystery, "Charlie Chan • in Honolulu," which is being shown ! at the Prince Edward Theatre, j Woburn. "The Flying Irishman," RKO- j: Radio's picturisation of Douglas Corrigan's life story and his famous flight ( to Ireland, is the second film. KING GEORGE THEATRE, LOWER HUTT. Now showing at the King George Theatre, Lower Hutt, is the comeav •'Bachelor Mother," in which David Niven and Ginger Rogers are costarred. The supporting programme includes a recent issue of the "March of Time." GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. "The Little Princess" will be shown for the last time at the Grand Theatre, Petone. tonight. The glamorous atmosphere of Palm Beach, Florida, is the background fur "Everything's On Ice," a rollicking comedy romance, which will be shown tomorrow. John Trent, who, as Tail,spin Tommy, is the star of "Stunt | Pilot," which is the second featuie, | flies a Spad plane which was used dur|ing the war by William Wellman, the director. PALACE THEATRE. PETONE. "No Limit," with George Formby and Florence Desmond, and "S O S Tidal Wave" conclude tonight at the Palace Theatre, Petone. Two of the screen's leading dramatic players, Sylvia Sidney and Leif Erikson, play the chief roles in Paramount*; "One Third of a Nation," which wi'l be screened tomorrow. Ex-cowboy Buck Jones will be seen in his first i"city" role in "Unmarried," a Paramount picture, which is the second ■feature. i STATE THEATRE, PETONE. "The Sisters" will be shown finally tonight at the State Theatre, Petorie. Successfully combining for the first time adult and juvenile appeal in a motion picture fantasy, "The Wizard of Ov" will be shown tomorrow. Holly. wood believes that "The Wizard of Oz" basically served as the ideal fantasy for such an opportunity The book has been rend by eighty millions since it was written in 1900 and has always had as many grown-up readers as children. *