ENTERTAINMENTS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 19 December 1930, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

OjPE'RiA HOUSE ‘ ‘ TALKIES ’ ’ ‘ > 'CI-lASTNIG R AI NIBO|\VS ’ ’ It has been known for many months that. MetroHoMlwyn-lMaycr, producers of ‘ ‘ The .Broadway Melody, ” were making another big picture co-starring Bessie Love and Charles King. Public interest in this film lias, therefore, been quickened into a state of anticipation on (account of the widespread, success of “The Broadway Melody. ’ ’ Now the picture is here, with a. re a 1 “movie” title, “IChasing Rainbows.” ‘''Chasing R'ain'bows, ” an. all-talking, singing, dancing picture, will he shown at the Opera House on .Saturday at 2 p.m. and at 8)15 p.m., also on Monday, and no doubt the large army of friends miade by Miss Love and Charles King Will again roll up to see these players make love, quarrel, make up again, sing, dance, and so on. The production is reported to he most lavishly staged, supported by a gripping story and a thousand laughs. Seven popular composers were put to work on the melodics for the stage numbers and turned out such hits as “Love Ain’t Nothing but the Blues.” “.Lucky Ale —Lovable You,” ‘'‘Happy Days are Here Again,” “Everybody Tap”' and “!My Dynamic Personality.” Reserve at Miss Blake s, IPhone 2713.

GRAND THEATRE. •WITH BYRD AT THE SOUTH BOLE.” In tille <yic Paramount liliu, ‘"With Byrd ivt the South Pole,” which was screened at- the Grand Theatre last evening, the- audience- lives the daring: romance, and the unoottceivah-.e drama, ol' human courage that even Russell Owen’s vivid pen pictures, which were flashed to the newspapers of the -world, failed to portray. The film gives, as only a film could, a lull conception o£ a, colossal achievment in the.great unknown at the bottom of the world. It not only shows the living conditions of the men, the great scenic wonders of the Antarctic, hut it is a continuous •feature drama with suspense, adventure, danger, daring, romance and thrills. The humorous, human-interest incidents of the daring exploit are recorded in lull detail and the breath-taking plane flight over the Pblc. made by Admiral Byrd and three companions, is a living experience in

pictures. , . From tlie moment that Byrd and nis . party establish themselves at their | camp (Little America) 2.300 miles be- j yond the last outpost of civilisation, to . that thrilling moment when Byrd and Balchen set out in their giant Fokker plane to make the first flight over the South Pole ever attempted by man, < “With Byrd at the South Pole” re- J mains first and foremost a picture of < vital, vivid action. It is the first picture of the “bottom of the wond” ever photographed, and its educational value, is unique. Ecoited from New York Harbour by tlie liner Leviathan, Byrd’s ships leave on their great trek. Intimate glimpses are given of life on ship hoard, the vessels storm tossed like corks, and the battle, with the Antarctic ice pack before reaching their first objective — the Boss Barrier—on Christmas Day. The base site the expedition at the Bay of Whales is chosen and the work of unloading! is commenced. Little America, the cluster of huts for the 42 men and the radio station, is then established. The City of New York departs and leaves the party marooned on the isolated continent —isolated except 1»v whales, seals and penguins, Gould sets out on a, ’plane flight to carry out his scientific work hundreds of miles from the base, and after landing the. .party encounters a blizzard. Desperate endeavours are made to save the ’plane, but the blizzard increases .and the machine is lifted from its mornings and wrecked half-a-mile away from the camp. Wireless communication with the base fails and the party ere one their last rations when Byrd and his rescue party arrive in the giant Fokker. In tlie following long winter night—six months of darkness—-pre-parations arc made for the groat flight. With; the return of the sun Gould leaves oil a 400 mile emergency base

laying trek with dog sleds, and at the base of the. Queen Maud range finds the cairn left by Amundsen 17 years before. A fierce blizzard delays the flight for a week and then the final preparations are made. At the edge of the true Antarctic continent the real test begins. There is the plane’s long pull to get to the polar plateau through the on'ly pass the party knows, 10.000 feet above sea level. The ’plane is at its maximum height with its load and food is dropped to lighten the machine in emergency. Still the ’plane does not rise sufficiently and Byrd makes his momentous decision to. try an unknown pass. The party wins through and flies six miles beyond the pole. *" Then comes the hazardous flight back with a rising wind and barely eougih fuel, and the jubilation at Little America, over the achievment. During the long winter months,_ the men of the expedition were active*, and the record of their adventures are seen in vivid reality in the picture. It reoiiired a constant (struggle with the elements to live, and feats of daring heroism were everyday affairs. The film willows, too, the amusements and fun the men made, for themselves and | the funny incidents which brightened t and heartened them. The photography ;l is wonderful, not only in its clearness, i but also in the* fact that every phase of activity was filmed. While one cameraman was aloft, the other was , making ground scenes, and travelling 1 continuously with; dog teams., and 1 the scientific and educational value of the films cannot be *• nderestimated. J In a foreward to the picture. Rear Admiral Byrd pays tribute to the

heroism and achievements of Sir Rob-. ert Scott, Raoul Amundsen, and Sir Ernest Shack let-on and' acknowledges the advantages he and his party enjoved as tliei result of tlieir He also is .generous in his praise of New Zealand hospitality and of the ability of the New Zealand members of his party. “We came to New Zealand as cousins and we left there as brothers,” he said. “Throughout unbounded hospitality was shown every J member of tlie expedition.