AMUSEMENTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 106, 19 April 1932, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS

COSY DE LUXE, HASTINGS “STRANGERS MAY KISS” Norma Shearer and Robert Montgomery, the combination of whose names spells success to any picture, score new triumphs in their latest Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer offering, “Strangers May Kiss,” which will show at the Cosy to-night and for an extended season to-morrow. The story, which is ultra modern, concerns a girl who longs to bo independent, and who falls in love with a young writer who holds similar views. Neither of them —the man in particular—believes in marriage. The girl, however, has a constant lover in Steve, a wealthy young man, who docs his best to prevent the girl from wrecking her life. Ths adventures of tho three are woven into a most gripping story, which leads up to the most unexpected of unexpected climaxes. Norma Shearer, as the girl, gives the most brilliant performance of her highly-succcssful career. Her frocking, every time she enters she wears a different creation —is, as usual, unrivalled. Robert Montgomery, more breezy and humorous than ever, plays tho part of Steve, the constant lover. He and Miss Shearer are a team that can bo seen time and time again. Noil Hamilton gives a sterling performance as the writer who will not submit to tho tics of marriage, and Marjorie Rambcau and Irene Rich both have important roles. The settings—the action takes place in New York, the Riviera and Paris —arc magnificent. Tho supporting bill includes the latest Laurel and Hardy comedy, “Beau Hunks.” It is easily their best effort, and should keep the audience in shrieks of laughter. MUNICIPAL THEATRE, HASTINGS “DRACULA” Fastnacht—tho night of evil; swirling fog, and wolves howling in tho mountain passes; a solitary traveller waiting at tho crossroads; the clatter of approaching hoofs, and a coachman with feverish eyes glowing above his great muffler. The traveller enters the coach, which continues on its headlong flight; but as soon as it is again under way, the driver disappears, and his place is taken by a giant but which flaps over the heads of tho galloping horses. Silence settles over tho misty landscape. The mysterious coach is swallowed up by the dense fog, and makes its way to the crumbling castle of the terrible Count Dracula, vampire! This is one of the opening scenes of “Dracula,” Universal’s strange motion picture drama which was adapted from the stage success of the same name, and which shows finally at tho Hastings Municipal Theatre to-night. Tho cast is headed by Bela Lugosi, who created tho fillo rolo of “Dracula” on tho stage, and other players appearing in prominent roles are Helen Chandler, David Manners, Edward Van Sloan, Frances Dado, Dwight Frye and Herbert Bunston. Tod Browning directed.

ARCADIA THEATRE, HASTINGS

“PUBLIC DEFENDER” TO-DAY

Radio Pictures, among tho most active in tho general plan to create something new, has been singularly fortunate in developing a startling new dramatic themo in Richard Dix’s “Tho Public Defender,” which will close a successful season at the Arcadia to-night. Tho picture presents Dix in another remarkable characterisation —that of a returned war hero who has been so keyed up by the tenseness and excitement of his battle experiences that civil life is impossible for him. Peace leaves him strangely disturbed and restless. Ho tries, like countlessthousands of other veterans have done, to reconcile himself to tho tamo pursuits of ordinary business, but ho can’t. He must live within the shadow of danger. It is like a drug conquering his brain. There are no more wars, and he can not fight legitimately, so he organises a punitive campaign of his own against the business systems and society swindlers who dreck banks, prey on the gullible and steal millions seemingly under the protection of the law. To do this he leads a double life; he makes the rounds of his exclusive clubs in his natural self, a rich, idle young man, searching information. At night he becomes a sinister avenger, descending on his victims and leaving a card reading: “Public Defender,” to remind thorn of their ultimate fate. < ‘ INDISCREET ’ ’ TO-MORROW. Glorio Swanson has an appealing role as “Jerry Trent,” tho modern miss in her latest United Artists picture, “Indiscreet,” which comes to the Arcadia Theatre to-morrow. As a young woman who has very definite ideas on how to treat men, Miss Swanson puts her modern ideas to work, and the result provides numerous dramatic situations that reach a climax when her fiance discovers her in a compromising position with a former admirer whom she is trying to prevent, from marrying her sister. “Indiscreet” is an original story written for the star by De Sylva. Brown and Henderson, the trio of famous song writers, who also are the pro duccrs of the film. A brilliant array of shorts has been arranged, including a song hit by Sir Harry Lauder entitled “Somebody's Waiting for Me.” The box plan is now open and patrons arc advised to book early at the Theatre shop. ’Phone 4336.