AMUSEMENTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 196, 2 August 1934, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

REGENT THEATRE “THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN.” “This Side of Heaven,” the new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer championship picture which screens to-night at the Regent Theatre, presents the problems of a typical middle-class family—the climactic events of all their individual lives crowded together in a seldomseen human screen document. Heading the impressive cast is Lionel Barrymore, supported by Fay Bainter, Mae Clarke and Tom Brown. The story deals with the shadow of imprisonment that hangs over Lionel Barrymore, who has been innocently involved in an em- , bezzlement in Iris firm, while the romances of his children and the high hopes of his wife in becoming a successful novelist pile themselves one upon the other and reach their climaxes simultaneously. Barrymore’s wife is played by Fay Bainter, noted stage star of footlight, successes. Mae Clarke proves her versatility as a talented actress by playing tho role of a school teacher, who almost marries Onslow Stevens, but discovers the mistake of her choice in limo to return to a young newspaper reporter. Mary Carlisle, who plays the younger daughter in the family, is remembered for her brilliant work in “Should Ladies Behave,” and scored her most recent success in “Three Cornered Moon.” STATE THEATRE ENGLISH COMEDY OPERA. Light-hearted philandering in a bright musical setting lifts “Waltz Time,” at the State this change, into the brilliant entertainment class. A. P. Herbert made a brilliant adaptation from Strauss’ light opera, and Gau-mont-British have made an outstanding picture of 'the delicious story. It carries the spectator through the gay carnivals and masquerades of Vienna, in a carefree story of light-hearted love. Its central figure is Rosalinde, wife of the author Eisenstein —a woman who finds her husband growing fonder daily of new faces, and so sets out to cure him. Tn that central role you will see Evelyn Laye, and no finer choice eould have been made. She brings to it an exquisite charm all of her own, and her personality will draw response from your heart as you sit enraptured by her entrancing vividness. Mention must be given to the comedy of Jay Laurier, another English stage favourite. In a secondary role he stands out as a beacon in the dark —an actor of great ability and screen promise. Two other notables in the cast are Fritz Sehulz and Gina Malo —the former a German tenor who portrays Evelyn Laye’s husband, and the latter a cosmopolitan young lady who fills the role of Miss Laye’s maid. Schulz has a most attractive personality, which combines with a fine voice to make him a star of undoubted popularity, while Miss Malo ranks as one of the most vivacious and pert of actresses. COSY THEATRE DAME SYBIL THORNDIKE In “Hindle Wakes,” the new Gau-mont-Gainsborough production at the Cosy, to-night, Victor Saville, the director, has produced a production ot which he might well be proud. “Hindle Wakes” is a drama of the Lancashire cotton mills and in a tender story graphically picturises the loves and hates of the simple Lancashire folk—their happiness—sorrows, al] combine to make this film one of the most thoroughly entertaining pictures in years. Tho impressive cast contains such outstanding names as Norman McKinnel and Dame Sybil Thorndike. “Hindle Wakes” derives its title from a very ancient Anglo-Saxon custom, essentially religious in its origin. The “Wake” of old time was an annual celebration to commemorate the completion or consecration of a parish church. As time went on, “wakes,” however, degenerated into fairs, and even so early as Edgar’s reign, 958975, records speak of their revelry and drunkenness as having become a scandal. Nowadays, the name of 'these festivals survives chiefly in Lancashire. ARCADIA THEATRE - HOMELY COMEDY ON FARM: “STATE FAIR.” “State Fair,” Fox Film’s production, with Janet Gaynor, Will Rogers. Lew Ayres, Sally Eilers. Norman Foster, Louise Dresser, Frank Craven and Victor Jory portraying the principal roles, comes to the Arcadia Theatrt to-night. Based on the Literary Guild prize novel by Phil Strong, a newspaperman who was born and raised on a farm, the picture gives a true and sympathetic insight into the characters of tho men and women who live close to the soil. While most of the action takes place in the festive setting of a state fair in a large city, it revolves about the adventures, romances and aspirations of a farm family. The members of this family, portrayed by Miss Gaynor, Rogers, Miss Dresser and Foster, are not “hicks” or the caricatures frequently placed upon the screen as “farm types.” On the other hand tliey are intelligent, attractive and well-read people such as actually inhabit most of the American farms to-day. Ayres, Miss Eilers and Jury are all cast as city people whose lives are joined dramatically with those of the country characters at the state fair. The other rural character of the story is played bv Craven, who portrays a philosophical country storekeeper.