ENTERTAINMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume L, 21 February 1931, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE “TALKIES.” CHEVALIER FEATURE. Claudette Colbert speaks perfect Parisian French without a trace of English accent. Maurice Chevalier, Parisian of Parisians, is the authority for this statement. And Claudette Coilbert s'peaksTSnglisli without a trace of French accent, as millions of stage and screen theatre-patrons who have seen and heard her will admit. The explanation of this unusual bilingualism is that Miss Colbert was born in France and lived there until she was in her early teens. Then she went to America with her parents and attended schools there until she made her stage debut a few years ago. In the intervening years, she mastered' English without acquiring; any suggestion of Fz-ench accent. Her complete mastei-y of the two languages provided her with the unusual opportunity of flaying the leading feminine role opposite Chevalier in both of Paramount’s English and French all-talking versions of “The Big Pond”, in which “the happiness man from Paris” is starring at the Opera House to-night and for a seaon of three nights. Also showing will be a film of The Napier-Hawke’s Bay disaster.

GRAND THEATRE “TALKIES,” TO-NIGHT’S FEATURE. Gus Van and Joe Sdhenck, famed vaudeville headliners throughout the world as “Van and Schenck,” made their debut as talking film stars in “They Learned About Women,” which opened! Hast evening at the Grand Theatre, and gave every indication that the well known song and dance team are as finished performers on the screen as they have proven themselves to be on the stage. The amusing antics of these two comedians a corking good film plot, catohv songs, and 1 Bessie Love as the leading lady, make utp' an A 1 combination. Others who give capable performances in minor roles include J. 0. Nugent. Eddie Gribbon, Francis X. Bushman, jr., Tommy Dugan and Benny Rubin. ELTHAM THEATRE. “BLACKMAIL.” Patrons at the Eltham Theatre tonight will be pleased with the quality of “Blackmail,” a fine British pi’oduction both in acting and speech. The sights of old London are alone worth seeing. The story is that of a great love vividly shown by a young detective who shielded his sweetheart from the law for a crime of which he know her guilty, at the price of his pledge to the service. The plot is very logically unfolded and tingles with a myriad of actionful scenes, poignant romance, and a drama that tears at the very heart-strings.