COMEDY AND DRAMA

Evening Star, Issue 21630, 27 January 1934, Page 18

COMEDY AND DRAMA

OCTAGON'S NEW Bill The new programme which com-, menced at the Octagon Theatre yesterday is delightful. ‘Excess Baggage ’ and ‘ Scarlet River ; are the-two main films, and sandwiched between then is the eighth episode of The Last Special,’ for good measure._ The first is a comedy of the most hilarious nature, while the later is a drama of the ‘ Excess Baggage,’ the first film, is an extravagant one. Claude Alhster, the silly ass-cumblatant chump of ‘Three Live Ghosts 0 and many other English productions, assumes a colonel s uniform and a sillier demeanour, and sets the ball by hitting his general—Frank Pettingell, complete with flying plumes—on the head with a sherry decanter. He looks very dead, but the’colonel’s practical _ wife, temporarily suspending her knitting operations, pops him in a large trunk that is simply craving to house human remains. So off to a watering-place to dispose of the remains.. By some trick of fate, the trunks are changed at the station, and General Booster finds himself masquerading unconsciously—as the haunter. of a haunted room, the hauntea being one of those women who keep lap-dogs. Thereafter everything gets in a thorough tangle, the trunks change occupants at various times, the police are called in, and it’s 'altogether tod involved,; "but- very funny. ' Altogether it is one of the most farcial pictures that has been here for some time. , , . ‘Scarlet River’ is a gripping pic; turo dealing with_ the adventures which befell a young girl who runs her own ranch, but is prevented from making a success of it by the work of her foreman, who is in league with a band of cattle rustlers. , A moving picture production unit goes “ on location ’on the ranch, and the friendship which springs up between the girl and the leading actor soon ripens into affection. The girl is then kidnapped by the outlaws, but is_ rescued by the actor, who- brings his entire production unit and staff, into action. Tom Keene and Dorothy' Wilson are ,the two leading figures in this picture, in which there is no lack of fast actioh. The serial picture also provides a large quota of thrills, and finally leaves the audience in a state suspense, only to be alleviated by seeing next week’s episode.

thundering submarine thrills

•HELL BELOW’ BACK AT KING EDWARD ‘ Hell Below,’ the sensational submarine adventure' film, which caused such widespread comment when it was first released, starts a second season at the King Edward Theatre to-night, thus giving Dunedin filmgoers a chance to view what is said to be , the most thrilling marine spectacle ever to reach the talking screen. With a cast or the calibre of such famous celebrities as Robert Montgomery, Madge Evans, Jimmv Durante, Walter Huston and a supporting cast of thousands, it is a picture well worth seeing. Montgomery has what critics concede to be the outstanding role of his career. As the young lieutenant who falls hopelessly m love with a woman already married, he is precipitated into a scirring series of occurrences in which he disobeys the orders of his submarine commander in an effort to save, his freind, adrift at sea, and a target tor the guns of a squadron of airplames; is dishonourably dismissed from the service after unwittingly causing the entire crew-a narrow escape from a horrible death at the bottom of the ocean; and finally vindicates himself betore both his commander and the woman he loves with an heroic gesture. \\ alter Huston has another stirring role as the submarine commander, and the comedy is supplied by the_world-famed Jimmy Durante, Eugene Pallette, and Robert Young, as sailors-fond of a rough and tumble.