CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 98, 22 October 1940, Page 4

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. When a beautiful young woman criminal, who has been driven to crime by her own upbringing, meets for the first time a family where the customary ties of affection exist what happens? An answer to this problem is given in "Remember the Night," the attraction at the Regent Theatre. The young woman who lives on her wits and by the lightness of her fingers is brilliantly played by Barbara Stanwyck. The male lead, a young district attorney on the threshold of a brilliant career, gives Fred Mac Murray the op"portunity for a first-rate perfomance. MAJESTIC THEATRE. Clark Gable has a role almost ideally suited to his straightforward and virile type of acting in "Strange Cargo," now showing at the Majestic Theatre, in which he is once again co-starred with Joan Crawford. .The popularity of! Gable is not hard to' understand; despite the excellence of any cast which is assembled in- a film, his natural ability and personality invariably make him stand head and shoulders above the rest of the players. In "Strange Cargo" the supporting players are well chosen, including as they do lan Hunter and Peter Lorre. ST. JAMES THEATRE. There is a thrill, a laugh, and a new mystery in practically every sequence of "The Ghost Breakers," which is showing at the St. James Theatre. The heroine, Faulette Goddard, inherits a castle on an island off Cuba, and the story tells of endeavours of a desperate set of criminals to prevent her visiting her estate and to scare her into selling it. Bob. Hope, as a radio commentator,, is drawn into the picture and goes to Cuba with the. girl. In the gruesome and haunted castle, guarded by a weird old woman and her son, sliding panels, floating wraiths, mysterious, moans, and noises provide a sensational climax. OPERA HOUSE. Two entertaining pictures are being shown at the Opera House; both are excellent in their class. In "You're Only Young Once" the very human Judge Hardy and his family go to Catalina Island on annual vacation, and while Judge Hardy goes swordfishing, the young Hardys seek other pleasures in that gay place, and find them empty, but certainly broadening. The revival of Thorne Smith's "Topper" is altogether welcome, both to those who have seen and enjoyed it already and to those who should see it now. Roland Young, as Topper, the wife-pecked but successful banker who is led astray by the ghost of the "two mad Kirbys," plays quite his best of many good parts. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. j All the riotous colour and gorgeous beauty of the romantic South Seas are alive on the screen in Paramount's Technicolor production, "South of Samoa," which is showing at the Paramount Theatre. More glamorous and more gaily dressed than ever, Dorothy Lamour is the vibrant castaway on an uninhabited island, while her companion is a chimpanzee she has raised and trained. Then Robert Preston and Lynne Overman are forced to abandon the ship on her paradise shore. The tempestuous romance and the traitorous actions of J. Carrol Naish, Polynesian chief, who is chasing the sailors, mount up with suspense to the climax of a tropical typhoon. Supports include "Cavalcade of Academy Awards," showing flashes of all the best films and actors since 1927. I j ROXY THEATRE. j The entertaining adventures of a shipping magnate's son (Bing Crosby) ! and his mate (Bob Hope), who prefer the variety of the East to the dull routine of office work, form the material frpm which has been fashioned "The Road to Singapore," which is showing at the Rqxy Theatre. The; second big feature is. the latest production in the "Dad and Dave" series, "Dad Rudd, M.P." NEW PRINCESS THEATRE. A cast headed by such celebrities as Allan Jones, Mary Martin, arid Walter Connolly, twenty-eight of the unforgettable melodies written by Victor Herbert, and a rousing romance of the show world of the early 1900's, is on the bill of fare at the Princess The- i ate where Paramount presents its new musical drama, "The Great yictor Her. j bert." The Higgins Family appear j in the hilarious comedy,/ "The Coy- \ ered Trailer," which is the second feature. CAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. Hal Roach's hilarious comedy "Topper Takes a Trip." sequel to "Topper," is showing at the Capitol Theatre tonight with Constance Bennett and Roland Young as the featured players. The story concerns the mad antics of the players on the sunny sands of the French Riviera. The associate film is "That's Right, You're Wrong," with Kay Kyser and Adolphe Menjou. SEASIDE THEATRE, LYALL BAY. How a valiant young American frontiersman escapes from captivity with Indians and leads a daring rebellion against the British Crown that made history is unfolded in "The First Rebel,"showing at the Seaside Theatre. Columbia's "Coast Guard" is the second feature. STATE THEATRE, PETONE. Lionel Barrymore heads the cast in "On Borrowed Time," which is showing, at the State Theatre. As the lovable, old, outspoken Gramp, Barrymore marks a new milestone in his amazing record. It is Gramp who desperately fights Death in order to prevent the young grandson he loves from falling into the hands of a scheming and unscrupulous aunt. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. "The Man With Nine Lives" and "Married And In Love" conclude tonight at the Palace Theatre. Australia's laughter favourite George Wallace appears in "Gone to the Dogs," which will be the attraction tomorrow. This is George's. second Cinesound comedy. "Storm Over Bengal," a drama of India where gay, dare-devil British troopers defend a great colonial Empire, is the second feature, and stars Patric Knowles, Richard Cromwell, and Rochelle Hudson. GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. "Angels. Wash Their Faces" and "Buck Benny Rides Again" conclude tonight at the Grand Theatre. "Private Detective," Warner Bros.' thrilling melodrama, is the feature commencing tomorrow. Jane Wyman, Dick Foran, and Maxie Rosenbloom are in the starring roles. "Young Man's Fancy," with Anna Lee and Griffith Jones, a story of a marriage of convenience, is the second attraction. DE LUXE THEATRE, LOWER HUTT. "Charlie McCarthy, Detective," which is showing at the De Luxe Theatre, presents the wise-cracking wooden wonder as a night club entertainer who (with Bergen, of course) finds himself deep in a baffling murder mystery. Fred Mac Murray and Madeleine Carroll are together in "Honeymoon in Bali," the second feature. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE, WOBURN. Fred Mac Murray and Madeleine Carroll are teamed for the second time in Paramount's new comedy romance, "Honeymoon in Bali," which is showing at the Prince. Edward Theatre. Plenty of action and excitement for western fans is crowded into George ! O'Brien's new vehicle, "Legion of the [Lawless," the associate film.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

KING'S THEATRE. A gay and vivacious comedy-rom-ance, set against a brilliant background, "Irene," which heads the new programme at the King's Theatre, is all that was expected of it. In addition to being a glorious fashion show, it combines all that is best in light entertainment and it moves all the time at a lively, exciting tempo. The effervescent happiness of Irene O'Dare, played by Anna Neagle, is infectious. As the salesgirl who subsequently becomes the toast 0f a continent, she laughs and dances her way into the hearts of everyone, arid, as Alice Blue Gown she is irresistible. Ray Milland, Roland Young, and Billie Burke are also in the cast. PLAZA THEATRE. One of the greatest musical pictures of the year, "Lillian Russell," starring Alice Faye, Don Ameche, Henry Fonda, Edward Arnold, Leo Carillo, and Helen Westley, is" showing at ' the Plaza Theatre. Based on the life of the glamorous Lillian Russell, the toast of America in the golden nineties, the film revives many fine old songs, and Alice Faye is admirably suited to the main role, Among the numbers she sings are "After the Ball is Over," "The Band Played On," "My Evening Star," "Rosie, You Are My Posie," "Comin' Through the Rye," and "Brighten the Corner Where You Are." Supports include shots of Beaulivre and Beau Vite, top-line New Zealand horses racing at Randwick. STATE THEATRE. "The 39 Steps" and "Love Takes Flight" conclude tonight at the State Theatre. . . x A strangler strikes time and again with amazing rapidity as he furtively prowls the decks of a luxury liner! Audiences will strive in vain to identify him in the 20th Century-Fox film, "Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise," with Sidney Toler again in the title role, which comes to the State tomorrow. It is Chan's strongest and most baffling case and only he is able to solve it. Featured in the cast are such outstanding screen personalities as Marjorie Weaver, Lionel Atwill, Sen Yung, Robert Lowery, and many others. "Manhattan Heartbeat," the tender, understandable story of a young couple in love with no money to get married will be the second feature. DE LUXE THEATRE. ■ Popular Frank Morgan forsakes his usual type of comedy in "The Ghost Comes Home" now at the De Luxe Theatre, for a straight, human characterisation that derives comedy from the various catastrophies that befall him. He plays the part of a pet-shop keeper in a small town who fears everyone and everything until he is appointed by a boyhood friend to spend a million dollars on the old home town. Thenceforth the fun is fast and furious. The other feature film is "Waterfront," a melodrama of high quality and exciting entertainment, which brings to the screen a new and forceful, personality—that of Dennis Morgan. RIVOLI THEATRE. The ideal kind of film to drive away cares of any kind, "Lucky to Me," heads the bill at the Rivoli Theatre. Stanley Lupino and ' lovely Phyllis Brooks head the cast. Among others in the cast are Barbara Blair, David Hutcheson, and Gene Sheldon. To in-; crease the zest in this story of a honeymoon under difficulties, there is a dash or two of tuneful music and snappy dancing. . TheV'associate ■ attraction is "Return to.'Yesterday," starring Clive Brook. There is also an excellent sup-, porting programme. TUDOR THEATRE. Not since "Jesse James" has Tyrone Power had a role like that of "Johnny Apollo" in the drama of that, title which co-stars him with Dorothy Lamour at the Tudor Theatre. "Johnny Apollo" is the alias of a young college man, a banker's son, who turns mobster when the father he idolised is sent to prison and his wealthy.friends turn against him. The supporting film is "Lucky Cisco Kid," with Cesar Romero in the dashing outlaw role he has made famous. REX THEATRE. All the romance, colour, and gaiety of old Mexico.is brought to the screen in the musical romance, "Tropic Holiday," which is showing at the Rex Theatre. Ray Milland, Dorothy Lamour, Bob Burns, and Martha Raye head an all-star cast. A masked horseman who commits bold robberies and donates the proceeds to the poor, forms the theme of "The Mysterious Rider," Zane Grey's thrilling story, which is the second feature. ASCOT THEATRE. The screen adaptation of A. J. Cronin's famous story, "The Stars. Look Down," is showing at the Ascot Theatre. It stars Michael Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood in a tense drama of the British coalminer. Also showing is "Viva Cisco Kid," with _Cesar Romero and Jean Rogers in a dashing romance of old Mexico. The supports are splendid. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. Walt Disney's latest masterpiece, "Pinocchio," is showing at the Empire Theatre. The great master of the animated cartoon has used all of his skill in the production of this full-length feature, and the result is a realism that is amazing. Offering a double-barrel barrage of comedy, action, and romance, Mac West and W. C. Fields's new starring picture, "My Little Chickadee," is also showing. The production is unquestionably one of the most riotous entertainments to come out of Hollywood for some time. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. The motion picture treatment of Rudyard Kipling's novel, "The Light That Failed," starring Ronald Colman, and featuring Walter Huston, Ida Lupino, Muriel Angelus, Dudley Digges, and many others, is showing at the Regal Theatre. "The Light That Failed" is a powerful romance which takes place in London and the Sudan during the closing years of the last century. VOGUE THEATRE, BROOKLYN. Starring Gary Cooper, and with Andrea Leeds and David Niven heading an unusually important cast, Samuel Goldwyn's new adventure drama, "The Real Glory," is showing at the Vogue Theatre. The Paramount com-edy-mystery, "Opened by Mistake," featuring Charlie Ruggles, is the second feature. Selected supports complete the programme.