ENTERTAINMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 December 1937, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

OPERA HOUSE .

“The Last of Mrs Cheyney,” now showing at the Opera House, brings together for the first time the three stars who, singly, have recently contributed to the screen three of the year’s moist successful and' outstanding pictures, Joan Crawford, direct from “The Gorgeous Hussy”; William Powell, from “After the Thin Man”; Robdrt Montgomery, whose “Piccadily Jim” still remains one of the "high spots of 1936 screen entertainment. To this triple-star ca4t has been added an outstanding supporting cast that includes Frank Morgan, Jessie Ralph, Nigel Bruce, Colleen Clare, E'enita Hume, Ralph Forbes, Aileen Pringle, and Melville Cooper., A completely modernised story with a. deft adaptation promises to establish the screen version as an outstanding riot of laughter and complicated situations. To Miss Crawford falls the title role of the lovely American woman in whose hands gullible English socialities become easy victims of a plot to trick them out of a fortune in jewels. William Powell, as Mrs Cheyney’s butler, Charles, is revealed as the brains of the group of international thieves, but a lovable crook who makes unusual sacrifices to protect the good’ name of the woman he adores. Montgomery appears as romantic young Lord Dilling who uncovers the plot to fleece his British friends and who learns the true character of Mrs Cheyney when she chooses exposure as a thief raflier than submit *to his amorous advances.

REGENT THEATRE.

It takes all sorts to make a theatrical producer laugh, but Hugh Sinclair, player, touched a ticklish spot in weary Andre Chariot’s ribs when at a huge audition of “leading men.” He’s stormed the screen again in ‘Strangers on Honeymoon,” and this time it’s Constance Cummings who is the lucky girl. But he takes her through some uncomfortably thrilling experiences to happiness! To be finally screened at the Regent Theatre to-night at 8.

SIX SONG HITS

Al Dubin and Harry Warren, famed movie songsmiths, started working as a team on “42nd Street” and have written over 100 movie song hits since. Portly Al Dubin was born in Philadelphia, U.S.A., and once tended bar. When he was starting in Tin Pan Alley he would sell ordinary songs for a few dollars and then write English lyrics for such famous nationality tunes as “Dark Eyes,” “La Goldrina,” etc. Then he clicked and became a mainstay in the song-writing world. He was in on the first musical era in pictures (remember his “Tip-toe Through the Tulips” and “Painting the Cloud’s With Supshine”?). Harry Warren was born in Brooklyn, U.S.A. He played the piano in a Coney Island cafe. He gravitated to “Song Street” ' and worked there, particularly on his own songs. He, too, has written hundreds of songs since. Broadway shows claimed him eventually and he turned out I’evue numbers galore (among them “You're My Everything,” “Wouldja Like to Take aWalk?”). “42nd Street” teamed the two writers for the first time. The rest is history, as far as Dubin and Warren and musical movies are concerned. During 1935, their songs were played . more than any others on the radio.