CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 113, 8 November 1940, Page 10

CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. Characters in Greek togas, sandals, and plumed helmets who wisecrack in the most approved American way; a duke whose office hours are from 12 00 to 12.05; a gaol which admits no one under the age of 16 without their parents; and twin brothers with twin slaves who give rise to all sorts of ' complications, combine to make The Boys from Syracuse," which is showing at the Regent Theatre, one of the i most unusual and most hilarious comedies released for a long time. The tale has it that the twin brothers, with their respective slaves, become separated in a wreck. One pair find their way back to their hometown of Syracuse and the others make Ephesus, where the brother does pretty well for himself. It so happens that the residents of Ephesus do not like the residents of Syracuse, and when the twins' father arrives in Ephesus in search of his sons he is received in gaol. According to the law he has to be hanged by the duke, who is very hurt because the old man is a good pinochle player. The antics and dilemmas of the twins when the boys from Syracuse arrive in search of the father carry the picture along at a merry pace and give rise to all manner of ludicrous situations. High lights include Allan Jones's singing, some remarkably clever "doubling" effects, and a chariot race. The cast includes Charles Butterworth, Eric Blore, Joe Penner, and Rosemary Lane. The supporting programme is entertaining. MAJESTIC THEATRE. "I Love You Again," which heads the new programme at the Majestic Theatre, brings William Powell and Myrna Loy together again in one of the funniest pictures of their entire careers and the first in some time without the "Thin Man" tag. The two are cast as husband and wife, but the fact that the marriage took place during an eight-year attack of amnesia on the part of Powell and iat he does not recognise either his" wife, his home, or any of his friends when he comes out of it s makes for hilarious comedy. Heading the supporting cast are such well-known comedy names as Frank McHugh and Edmund Lowe. McHugh is cast as "Doc" Ryan, Powell's friend and confident, and the only one to know about his sudden return from amnesia. ST. JAMES THEATRE. Affording Wallace Beery his most colourful and convincing characterisation since "Viva Villa! and teaming him with two other veterans, Leo Carrillo and Majorie Rambeau, "20 Mule Team" heads the new bill at the St. James Theatre. Saga of the Death Valley pioneers who dug borax and hauled it to the railroad, 162 miles away, by mule trains across blistering desert sands and through sun-baked canyons, "20 Mule Team" finds Beery outdoing any of his recent roles as Muleskinner Bill Bragg, best driver on the route by his own admission. As the Indian "swamper," Piute Pete, Carillo is at his peak. And as the hotel and saloon owner, Jessie Johnson, who throws Beery out despite the fact that he considers himself virtually engaged to her, Miss Rambeau comes nearer to filling the shoes of perfect comedienne than anyone else in the past half dozen years. DE LUXE THEATRE. "Dust Be My Destiny," the new film at the De Luxe Theatre, has John Garfield and Priscilla Lane in the starring roles, and although this is the third picture in which they have been teamed, it is the first one in which they achieve what promises to be lasting marital happiness. For . all its happy ending, however, the new picture carries the young couple over a hard and rocky road before they reach the end of the rainbow. Binkie Stuart, the curly-headed, blue-eyed little lass who started a new sensation ir child acting in "Rose of Tralee," comes to the screen again in "My Irish Molly," which is the second feature. Tom Burke, Maureen O'Hara, Phillip Reed, Marie O'Neil, and C. Denier Warren are the rest of the cast in an appealing human story blended with music in delightful settings. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. A keen sense of humour is the heritage of every Britisher, and despite the present dark days through which they are passing, British motion picture studios reflect the splendid spirit of the people by calling up George Formby to give the Empire a good hearty laugh when it is needed most. Thus, Associated Talking Pictures, of Ealing, England, present "Gunner George," in which George Formby joins the Secret Service, just for fun, to reveal the sunny side of international affairs. "Gunner George," which is showing at the Paramount Theatre, may be recognised as an invitation from the Motherland to "pack up your troubles" and get a laugh out of life again. Imagine the fun with George, banjo and all, in a foreign country in the midst of enemy spies. The joke of it all is that everybody "knows" he is a British agent, except George himself. The first half of the programme consists of surprise items. EMPIRE THEATRE, ISLAND BAY. Vincent Price, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nan Grey, John Sutton, Alan Napier, and Cecil Kellaway head the carefully-chosen cast in Universal's"The Invisible Man Returns," eerie mystery-drama now playing at tKe' Empire Theatre. "Geronimo," a thrilling story of American frontier fighting, is the second feature. QAPITOL THEATRE, MIRAMAR. "frudge Hardy and Son" brings Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, and the rest of the entertaining Hardy family to the Capitol Theatre tonight. Also showing is the screen version of Nathaniel Hawthorne's famous novel, "The House of the Seven Gables," with George Sanders -starred. VOGUE THEATRE, BROOKLYN. Based on the popular, best-selling Daphne dv Maurier novel, "Rebecca," starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine, is showing at the yogue. Jane Withers and Gene Autry are costarred in "Shooting High," the associate film. GRAND THEATRE, PETONE. "Brother Rat and a Baby" and "The Escape" conclude tonight at the Grand Theatre. Dramatising the roaring adventure and rich romance of the pioneering days in Australia in the early nineteenth century, "Captain Fury," costarring Brian Aherne, Victor McLaglen, and June Lang, will be the attraction tomorrow. "The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady" is the second feature. PALACE THEATRE, PETONE. "Pygmalion" and "The Inside Story" conclude at the Palace Theatre tonight. A new Gene Autry musical western, "Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm," will be the attraction commencing tomorrow. The second feature is an exciting drama "City of Chance." PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE. WOBURN. Drama in the skies and in the danger-infested jungles of a Central American country is projected in "The Marines Fly High," which is showing at the Prince Edward Theatre. "Outlawed Guns" is on the same programme. DE LUXE THEATRE, LOWER HUTT. Grime and punishment, innocence and vindication are the twin themes jof "Girls On Probation," showing at i the De Luxe Theatre. "Tear Gas Squad," exciting new Warner Bros. release, is the second feature.

CITY AND SUBURBAN THEATRES

KING'S THEATRE. Against the colourful and adventurefilled background of the Old West, in the days when justice was administered at the point of a gun and roystering Judge Roy Bean loomed as the "Law West of the Pecos," Samuel Goldwyn's "The Westerner," with Gary Cooper in the title role, heads the new programme at the King's Theatre. "The Westerner" features in the cast which supports Cooper such "notable players as Walter Brennan, Fred Stone, Doris Davenport, Lilian Bond, Forrest Tucker, and PauJ Hurst. The setting of the story is Vinegarroon. Texas, in the roaring days of the eighties when there raged a bitter and long-protracted battle between the cattlemen, original settlers of the land, and the homesteaders, who sought to till the land which they homesteaded under the law. PLAZA THEATRE. In R.K.O. Radio's "The Saint Takes Over," which is showing at the Plaza Theatre, George Sanders again plays the title role as the dashing but deadly killer who wars on crime overlords. Wendy Barrie has the romantic lead as a girl of mystery, while Jonathan Hale plays his favourite role as Police Inspector Fernack. When Fernack is framed by a gang of racetrack 'crooks and is suspended from duty pending trial for supposedly accepting bribe money, the Saint decides to come to his assistance and pay off an old debt. How the Saint, with the aid of the mysterious young lady, smashes the gangster conspiracy and clears the name of the police official leads to the story's excitir ? climax. STATE THEATRE. The programme at the State Theatre contains two features, both of which provide plenty of dramatic excitement. "Stage to Chino," which stars the popular George O'Brien and Virginia Vale, is a romantic tale of the old coaching days in America when routes lay across deserts and mountains. The other feature, "One Crowded Night," provides a tale which breaks away from the ordinary run of plots. It presents a cross section of a motor camp in the Arizona desert, the cabinsof which are occupied by a number of strange characters. Billie Seward and William Haade play prominent parts. STATE THEATRE, PETONE. Lightning action, thrilling romance, and exciting adventure are seen in "The Man In the Iron Mask," which is showing at the State Theatre. The film stars Louis Hayward and Joan Bennett.

TIVOLI THEATRE. Bing Crosby returns to the screen in a new comedy drama with music, a picture that is a glorious, singing cavalcade of show business. It is Paramount's "The Star Maker," which is showing at the Tivoli Theatre. The film is based on the amazing career; of the famed showman, Gus Edwards. Paired for the first time, Jean Parker and Richard Carlson are seen as the romantic leads in R.K.O. Radio's screen hit, "Beyond Tomorrow," the second feature. RIVOLI THEATRE. "I Stole a Million," starring George Raft and Claire Trevor, is showing at the Rivoli Theatre. "Joe Lourik," the role enacted by George Raft, is the man who- "stole the million." Warren William is featured in Columbia's "The Lone Wolf Strikes," the associate film, with Joan Perry, Eric Blore, Montagu Love, Alan Baxter, and Astrid Allwin. As the light-fingered rogue, William is winning a bright new fame which outshines even his own brilliant career. NEW PRINCESS THEATRE Sober facts are the basis of one of the most enthralling films ever screened —Mem (Kampf— My Crimes," which is the attraction at the Princess Theatre. Its parade of the facts of the rise of Adolf Hitler makes a film that outstrips all known tragedies. The second feature is "Emergency Squad," starring William Henry and Louise Campbell. TUDOR THEATRE. Combining colour, melody, and laughter, "Irene," the sparkling com-edy-romance, has been transferred to the Tudor Theatre. Anna Neagle, Ray Milland, Roland Young, Billie Burke, May Robson, and Arthur Treacher head the cast. The plot and the introduction of colour sequences have been skilfully handled. "Little Orvie," from Booth Tarkington's novel, is the second feature. ROXY THEATRE. Teaming " Annabella and Robert Young, "Bridal Suite" is showing at the Roxy. Never were two leading players more happily cast than this pair. Gloria Jean, famous twelve-year-old singer who made her debut in "The Under-Pup," is co-starred with Bing Crosby in "If I Had My Way," the associate film. REGAL THEATRE, KARORI. A quintet of comedians appear in support of Baby Sandy in the two-year-old star's first starring picture, "Sandy Is a Lady," which is showing at the Regal Theatre. The five funmakers are Mischa Aver, Eugene Pal? lette, Billy Gilbert, Edgar Kennedy, and Fritz Feld. The associate film is "Honeymoon in Bali," starring Fred Mac Murray and Madeleine Carroll.

OPERA HOUSE. A stirring dramatic document is contained in "The Mortal Storm," with Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Robert Young, and Frank Morgan, which has been transferred to the Opera House. The screen play, adapted from the novel of Phyllis Bottome, tells the story of a family torn asunder by political forces. It is a frank, truthful presentation, free from exaggeration or any attempt at sensationalism. Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart provide the love'interest. Frank Morgan, the actor, rather than Frank Morgan, the comic, won the most important role of his career as Professor Roth, famous scientist and teacher, who finds everything he possesses swept away in a single night. REX THEATRE. What happens when four devoted sisters fall in love with the same, man? "Four Daughters," the Warner . Bros, picture which is showing at the Rex, takes that as its theme and develops it into a richly human story. The associate film is "Shipyard Sally," starring Gracie Fields. ASCOT THEATRE. "All At Sea," the most laughable of all nautical comedies, is showing at the Ascot Theatre arid stars Sandy Powell and Kay Walsh. Also showing is "Charlie Chan in Panama." Sidney Toler and a strong cast present a thrilling detective story. The supporting items are splendid. •