ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 221, 14 August 1930, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

1 PALACE THEATRE. “THE GAMBLERS.” “The Gamblers?” an all dialogue drama, was greeted enthusiastically by last night’s audience at the Palace Theatre. It undoubtedly marks one of the most perfect achievements of the screen to date. Situations each ono vital and telling are recreated perfectly and rendered perfectly by tho players. Director Curtiz makes discreet use of his genius for giving scenes at different camera-angles, and in bringing out the divergent angles of thought. The story is that of two Wall Street financiers, a father and son, known as tho “gambling Emersons.” Tho son oversteps the law in loaning money, and is caught in his own net, and on the verge of a Government investigation. The prosecutor is married to his former sweetheart, who trades upon her husband’s love for her to cause him to free young Emerson from the charge of dishonesty. H. B. Warner, as the prosecutor, gives a performance of subtlety and restraint. Lois Wilson is vivid and convincing. Robards gives a manly portrayal of the hot-headed youth, whilo the veteran George Fawcett is equal to his reputation as tho elder Emerson. To Johnny Arthur, as a dishonest weakling clerk, the laurels must be given. The supporting programme includes an item by Harry Horlock’s Band; an all talking comedy, entitled, “The Two Doves”; a vaudeville sketch, “Dream Cafe,” by Jimmy Clemons; a singing act presented by Cliff Nazarro and the Two Marjories, and a Paramount Sound News. “HAPPY DAYS.” “Happy Days,” which opens next Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Palace Theatre, contains beautiful girls, spectacular drills, luxurious settings, gorgeous costumes, bewildering surprises, tuneful melodies, and side-splitting jokes. The artists include Will Rogers, Janet Gay nor, Walter Catlett, Charles Farrell, J. Harold Murray, Victor McLaglen, William Collier, senr., Edmund Lowe, Anne Pennington, George Olsen, Warner Baxter. A delightful love story is told. One of the pleasing numbers is “We’ll Build a Little W/orld of Our Own’ by Miss Gaynor and Mr Farrell, and one of the most mirth-provoking is by Victor McLaglen and Edmund Lowe, called “Vic and Eddie.” Othens appearing in specialities are Richard Keene and Marjorie White, Dixie Lee, supported by 60 beautiful dancers, and Sahuon Lynn and Ami .Pennington in a number called “Snake Hips, which has a background of gorgeous scenery and 50 • beautiful girls who sing and dance. REGENT THEATRE, i BANCROFT IN TALKIE THRILLER. The most sensational and thrilling pic-’ ture in a long time is George Bancroft, Paramount’s deep-chested star, in "The Mighty.” This Paramount production is a study in men. Bancroft starts off as tho gunman who lias much contempt for the law, so much contempt in fact that it takes four M.P.’s to put him in the army when he disregards a draft notice. He goes overseas a private, his valour secures many decorations and promotions for him and he emerges a lull-lieged major and a national hero. On his way back to his old haunts lie steps off to see the family of one of his mates and is offered the position of chief of police, which he accepts. Esther Ralston is the sister of his old pal, and knows his past, but he does not know this. They are in love. A big police picnic is given in honour of Bancroft, and his successlul clean-up campaign, in me course of this there are many exciting sequences. Machine-guns crackle, the officers attack with hand grenades, and all the modern implements of peace tiine war and Bancroft comes face to face with the villain. The rest of this thrilling story can be seen in “The Mighty” at the Regent Theatre to-night and finally to-morrow night. i • DE LUXE TALKIES. “DELIGHTFUL ROGUE” AND “CIRCUS KID.” A double-star programme will be presented at the Theatre De Luxe' again to-night at 7.45 o’clock. The first picture, the “Delightful Rogue,” the all-talking Radio picture, featuring Rod’La Rocquc, is the first sea story made in sound. It tells of the adventures and loves of Lastro, a pirate, who steals a millionaire’s yacht, Tho Golden Rule, and sets to plundering a gnoup of tropical isles. Rita La Roy, once a vaudeville singer and dancer, and now said to be on her way to stardom in Hollywood, is eeen opposite. La Rocque. She sings several original numbers, including “Gay Love” by Oscar Lovant and Sidney Clare, tho Radio Pictures song-writing team responsible for “My Dream Memory” in the “Delightful Rogue.” The second picture, “The Circus Kid,” is a nervetingling drariKi. Not only does it tell a gripping story of circus life outside of the “big top” in which Joe E. Brown has the featured role of a lion-tamer, who has lost his “nerve” and little Frankie Darroo plays “the kid,” with Helene Costello in the leading feminine role, and Lionel Bclmorc and Sam Nelson in other strong roles, but it also pictures a complete circus performance. KOSY THEATRE. “THE PATRIOT”—EMIL JANNINGS. “The Patriot,” now showing at the Kosy Theatre, deals with the reign of Mad Paul I. of Russia during the latter part of the eighteenth century. Paul was the son of Catherine the Great and his rule, though short, was one of the most amazing examples of tyranny that ever blotted a page in the world’s, history. Emil Jannings does his best work in ’this picture. Tho star believes it himself. Included in the cast are such favourites as Florence Vidor, Lewis Stone and Neil Hamilton, which will give a good idea as to what extent Paramount went to make this super-production a success. . Haunting tho dark coves of lower Manhattan, slipping, by way of the river in and out of the huge warehouses that lino the waterfront, taking rop’e and ship materials and selling them to skippers of outgoing ships—that is the life of “Tho River Pirate,” as told on the screen in the language of the criminal in the Fox Film production of the name, based on the story by Charles Francis Coe. “The River Pirate,’’ as directed by William K. Howard, is a revelation of the new side of criminal activ-. ity and wins new honours for victor McLaglen.