AMUSEMENTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 269, 27 October 1934, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

COSY THEATRE THRILLS AND COMEDY Two first-class pictures will be screened at the Cosy this evening—“Murder in the Private Car” and ‘ ‘ Shipmates. ” The first is as full of thrills as any oldtime serial with the addition of up-to-date comedy supplied by Charlie Ruggles and Une Merkel. Ruggles’ efforts as a deflector of crime are amusing, but the play is essentially a thriller. Much of the action takes place aboard an elaborate private ear attached to a transcontinental flier from Los Angeles to New York. Clutching hands, screams in the dark, mysterious warnings, an escaped gorilla and other elements enter into the plot from time to time to add to the terror and the laughs. The plot begins to move with lightning speed when the rear ear i s detached from the train by unseen hands at the top of a steep mountain grade, and begins to roar backward down the hill, out of control. All the principals are in it. In the resultant pandemonium laughs and thrills follow each other so rapidly that the audience is completely hysterical. “Shipmates’’ has as stars Robert Montgomery and Dorothy .lordan. All Montgomery’s well known comedy tricks are exploited in a picture that shows him at his best. This is a unique programme and as it will be showing to-night and Monday only, early booking is advised.

ARCADIA THEATRE AIR THRILLS GALORE Air thrills galore, spectacular airplane crashes brotherly self-sacrifice and a glorious romantic adventure are combined in the colourful saga of barnstorming aviators thrillmgly filmed in “Flying Devils,’’ featuring Eric Linden. Arline Judge, Bruce Cabot and Ralph Bellamy at the Arcadia, tonight. Based on the stirring adventures of the intrepid air-stunters, “Flying Devils” is a realistic picture of the lives and loves of the exhibition fliers. Based on the stirring adventures of the intrepid air-stunters, “Flying Devils” is a realistic picture of the lives and loves of the exhibition fliers. The story centres about the romance of Bud Murray and Ann Hardy, youthful members of the troupe, who are thrown into each other’s arms, literally and figuratively, in a double leap from a plane in a single parachute.

RECENT THEATRE DUAL-ROLE MUSICAL Constance Bennett in a dual role, several catchy songs sung by this star, Franchot Tune in one of his best pails, and radio singers ot' the calibre, of Russ Columbo, Tullio Carminati, and the Boswell Sisters, should make ‘‘Moulin Rouge,’’ the Regent’s change tonight, one of the most popular talkies they have yet screened. Miss Bennett plays tho parts of the blonde wife of a suspicious husband and a famous revue star. Much of the action takes place back-stage ami the comedy is as hilarious as the drama is tense. The story is based on a French stage success of the same name, and serves to introduce Miss Bennett in her first dual role and as a singer of songs especially written for her by Harry Warren and AS Dubin, who composed the memorable &its in “42nd Street,” “Gold Diggers of 1933,’’ and “Roman Scandals.” Miss Bennett introduces two songs, “Coffee in the Morning and Kisses in the Night,” and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” Tullio Carminati sings “Songs of Surrender.” Choruses trained in modernistic dance routines by Russell Market, who originated the Roxyette in Radio City Music Hall, appear recurrently in numbers keyed to the underlying rhmthm of the pictuie. The picture is produced on an exceedingly lavish scale and marks Miss Bennett's debut in musicals. STATE THEATRE “OF HUMAN BONDAGE.”

The combination of one of the greatest stars of the stage and screen, Leslie Howard, and one of the greatest stories in modem literature, make RKO-Radio’s “Ot Human Bondage,” which opened by special arrangement for its New Zealand premiere at the State Theatre, Hastings, to-day, one of the most entertaining dramatic pictures to emerge from Hollywood this year. Leslie Howard desired to star m “Of Human Bondage,” and W. Somerset Maugham wanted a player of Howard’s fine histrionic calibre to play iu his story. These favourable production aspects combined with John Cromwell’s intelligent direction. Lester Cohen’s brilliant scenario and a flawless cast result in a colourful, enjoyable production destined for boundless success with lovers of the Maugham classic, Howard fans and the new host of movie-goers which the picture will attract. “Of Human Bondage” poignantly dramatises worthy Philip Carey’s great love for unworthy, selfish Mildred. The romantic action gams momentum as it rolls majestically to an absorbing

climax. Leslie Howard’s dramatic power and sympathetic interpretation excel anything lie lias done before. Bette Davis comes through with her greatest performance as Mildred. In other prominent roles, Frances Dee as Sally offers her finest portrayal since Meg in “Little Women,” and Kay Johnson portrays Nora with conspicuous aptitude. Strong characterisations are contributed by Reginald Denny, Reginald Owen and Reginald Sheffield.