ENTERTAINMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 January 1937, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

“MOONLIGHT MURDER.” Music piles on mystery and mystery on music in the screen’s first operatic detective story, “Moonlight Murder,” amazing drama of the killing of an operatic tenor before an audience of 20,000 in the famous Hollywood Bowl. The picture is showing at the Opera House to-night and to-morrow. The story ’is laid almost entirely in the Bowl, during a gala performance of “11 Trovatore,” with lavish settings and hundreds of people. Chester Morris as the detective, and Madge Evans as Ips sweetheart, solve the mystery after everyone in the cast has been under suspicion. A strange lunatic, a weird Swami, two jealous Spanish dancers, and others supply conflicting motives; this action going on while a great opera .is in production. A notable cast includes Leo Carillo, comical and whimsical as the opera tenor; H. B. Warner as the vengeful maestro; Robert McWade as the comical detective captain; Katherina Alexander as the prima donna; Duncan Renaldo and Beni|a Hume as the dancers; Pedro de Cordoba as the Swami; Frank McHugh in the principal comedy role; Grant Mitchell as the doctor in the case; Charles Trowbridge and others. The operatic are staged with all the lavish pageantry possible at the Bowl.

“MY MAN GODFREY.” ’

On Friday, William Powell and Carole Lombard are together at the Opera House in “My Man Godfrey,” in which a whiffWcal butler in a New York family sooth)ss the fevered hangover brow of the mother; batters down the arrogance of one daughter; dodges the affectionate aims of the other with 99;J per cent, success; and saves the father’s fortune. Powell is cast in the title role, with Miss Lombard portraying the daughter Irene, known as the “dumbest debutante in New' York.” A strong supporting cast « includes Alice Brady, Gail Patrick. Jean Dixon, Eugene Pallette, Alan Mowbray, Mischa Auer and Robert Light.

REGENT THEATRE. Irvin S..,Cobb, America’s favourite story-teller and humorist, launches his starring career in this picture, which is blithely romantic, filled with comedy and romance suspense, mellow with its revelation of a grand personality. He is the king of the canningindustry, but the business- loses its zest when his closest competitor dies and leaves him without a rival. Cobb decides to go off on a European jaunt. He meets the children of his competitor in a. Parisian hot-spot, discovers they are a wild, irresponsible pair of youngsters, but is drawn to them because he once loved their mother. Rochelle Hudson, the daughter, resembles her. Johnny Downs, the son, is a Scape-grace. Returning to America. Cobb discovers his nephew, Norman Foster, lep. in charge of the business, is a conceited young puppy, and regards his uncle as an “old man.’’ Gobi) disappears, and turns up in Chicago under an assumed name, as the friend of Miss Hudson and Downs. With canny good humour, he insinuates himself into the good graces of the youngsters, proceeds to reform their wild ways, and takes over their business. which was being run into bankruptcy by the manager. Alan Dinehart. The old fellow arranges to have Miss Hudson work in his old plant. Then, with all the skill at his command, he proceeds to batter his nephew down under his competition. The three youngsters are brought together to learn what a sly deception he had, practised on them. Alan Dinehart, 1

Sara Haden, Donald Meek and Warren Hymer are among the Hollywood stars who were selected to play the im portant featured roles.

“CHARLIE CHAN AT THE CIRCUS.”

Keye Luke, talented Chinese actor, again portrays the role of Warner Gland’s son in “Charlie Chan at the Circus,” which comes on Thursday to the Regent Theatre. Luke proves a valuable aid to the wily detective in solving , a mysterious murder under the big top. “THE ISLE OF FURY.” One a fugitive—with a price on his head! the other—a man of mystery, spewed up by the sea, mercilessly pit brain against brawn for an outcast beauty—as jealousy and hate lash a. South Sea paradise of love. This is one of the double features at the Regent Theatre on Saturday. “THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS.” Fred Mac Murray holds the award for Hollywood’s busiest actor. Since entering films about a year and a-half ago, he has made ten pictures. His latest is “The Princess Comes Across,” at the Regent Theatre on Saturday. McKAY’S “GAIETIES.” , As the finale to a successful season, a full house was present at the Town Hall, last evening, when the Stanley McKay Company presented its concluding programme, “Here’s To Love and Laughter.” Mr Joe Lawman, bn behalf of the company, thanked the public for the record patronage given during the season. The company will open its Christchurch season this evening.