ENTERTAINMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 August 1939, Page 12

ENTERTAINMENTS

OPERA HOUSE—Now Showing: THRILLING MARINE DRAMA: “THE STORM.” The emotional story of adventure and thrills in the lives of wireless operators on American merchant ships are revealed in the spectacular marine drama, “The Storm,” to be screened at the Opera House to-night and to-morrow, with top-flight performances being turned' in by the cast of popular stars which include Charles Bickford., Barton McLane, Preston Foster, Tom Brown, Nan Grey and Andy Devine. Filmed against the colourful background of giant ships and thundering storms at sea, the narrative possesses power and realism, that sweeps across the screen with unusual force thalt it unfolds itself as one of the most virile action dramas to come out of Hollywood in recent months. The drama revolves round Charles Bickford who is seen as a dare-devil wireless chief, who swears vengeance against McLane (who portrays the part of al battling ship’s captain) after Foster (who also plays the part of a wireless operator) has been abandoned’ to drown on a sinking freighter. Further drama shows Bickford's attempt to present his younger brother (played by Tom Brown) from following his own reckless mode of life on the seal, also endeavouring to keep him from marrying the ship’s pretty nurse (played by Nan Grey), who in the picture is called on to perform a surgical operation aboard a storm-tossed freighter with Tom Brown as her patient, while a doctor on shore directs the surgery by radio telephone. Impressive scenes show the explosion of a gasoline tanker in midocean, the crashing of a speeding ocean liner into an iceberg, and the drama in wireless rooms as ships light their way through typhoon and hurricane. Others prominent in the cast are Frank Jenks, Samuel S. Hinds, Florence Roberts and Joseph Sawyers.

N.Z. PREMIERE. “TROUBLE BREWING.” George Formby’s latest and funniest film “Trouble Brewing,” will have its New Zealand premiere at the Opera House on Friday, and will have an extended season. In these days of international troubles, taxation troubles, traffic trouble and imaginary troubles, life’s not what it used to be. So let’s put a laugh in life again and see George in “Trouble Brewing.” REGENT—Now Showing:, “SAFETY IN NUMBERS” and “GAMBLING SHIP.” “Safety in Numbers,” featuring the Jones family, gets off to a breezy start with Mrs. Jones —voted “The World’s Best Mother” in a radio contest—going on the air with a weekly broadcast, advising her listeners about domestic problems. The programme is a huge success, but meanwhile the Joneses get tangled up in some pretty serious domestic problems of their own —what with Jack planning to elope and Dad plunging his own and the whole town’s savings into a mineral water investment scheme which turns out to be a phony. How Mrs. Jones, with the whole family rallying to her side manages to save the situation from complete disaster offers an exciting climatic proof that there is indeed, “Safety in Numbers.” Jed Prouty, Shirley Deane, Spring Byington, Russell Gleason, Ken Howell, George Ernest, June Carlson, Florence Roberts and Billy Mahan have their usual family assignments, while Marvin Stephens, Iva Stewart and Henry Kolker complete the cast. The associate feature, “Gambling Ship,” is a timely, action-filled drama in which a special investigator uses motion pictures to trap a crooked gambling ring. Robert Wilcox, who plays an undercover man posing as a gangster; Helen Mack, as a beautiful young gambling ship owner; Ed. Brophy, as a comedy thug; Joseph Sawyer, as an ex-prizefighter and loyal bodyguard, and Irving Pichel, as a scholarly gang leader, have leading roles. Action starts off when a speed-boat explosion sets the stage for a gambling war that ends only after a series of mishaps and misunderstandings between a romantic pair, the investigator and the girl who operate a floating casino in open defiance of a powerful mob.

High-seas romance and an expose of red-handed racketeering in the gambling game provide dramatic highlights in the story. ’Phone 601 for all reservations.

Commencing Saturday, “BLOCKADE”

As timely as to-day’s newspaper headlines. The most daring story of all time. Be wise. ’Phone 601 and secure a good seat. CELTIC BALL ■ Celtic Rugby Football Club’s annual ball in Schaef’s Hall last evening was largely attended, by dancers from all parts of the district. The hall was effectively decorated in the Club’s colours, green and red. The Committee which conducted the successful supper arrangements was as follows: Mesdames J. Higgins, M. Kennedy, G. Jones, M. Clancy, J. J. Byrne, and D. Anderson. The men’s committee was • Messrs F. Saunders, D. Anderson, S. McDonnell. H. and G. Kennedy, J. Lynch, A. McElwain, R. Wasley, 0. Quinlan. W. Clancy, T. Harker, W. Butler, P. Browne, G. Fogarty. Music was supplied by Arn Beck’s orchestra, with Miss D. Mineall as vocalist. Messrs D. Mcßeath and S. Worthington were M’s.C. Miss Mae Bennington was chosen as belle of the ball by the judges, Misses J. Myers and N. Luke, of Wellington, and she was presented with a silver cup by the secretary of the club. Mr. G. Fogarty.