ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 252, 19 September 1930, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. “TRIAL OF MARY DUGAN." Norma Shearer, H. B. Warner, Lewis Stone and the remainder of the brilliant cast will finally appear in “The Trial of Mary Dugan” at the Regent Theatre tonight. “VAGABOND KING” OPENS TO- . MORROW. Dennis King, who has been hailed as the talking-singing screen’s newest apostle of romanticism, is, above all, a gentleman. While he was working on the production of “The Vagabond King,” at Paramount’s Hollywood studio, King was asked to tell his ideal of womankind. “First of all,” said the famous Broadway musical comedy singer, “she must be a blondo —that is, she must have a blonde personality. Many brunettes have it.” Nothing could have been more typically chivalrous of Dennis King, than those words. Blondes and brunettes will find flattery in them. And it is well that King’s opinion is so allinclusive, for he is to gain thousands of admirers among the blondes and brunettes before his great picture, “The Vagabond King,” is many weeks old. In “The Vagabond King,” Dennis King has a blondo leading lady. She is Jeanette MacDonald, of Broadway musical comedy fame, who ,sang, her way into the hearts of film enthusiasts everywhere with her y splendid portrayal of the role of Queen Louise in Maurice Chevalier’s “The Love Parade.” “The Vagabond King” Is based on the operetta of the same name which ran for more than a season on Broadway. The original Rudolph Friml songs will be heard again, . when the picture oomes to the Regent Theatre to-morrow. Others in support of Dennis King are Warner Oland, O. P. Heggie and Lilian Roth. The box plans are rapidly filling at the Central Booking Office.

KOSY THEATRE. FINAL SCREENING OF “FORGOTTEN FACES.” A most pretentious offering is now being shown at the ICosy Theatre. It is “Forgotten Faces,” the all-star Paramount production, which finishes its season to-night, as also does “Ladies of the Mob,” featuring Clara Bow. To-morrow’s new programme is headed by Emil Jannings in “The Last Command.” Jannings can always be relied upon to give one good entertainment, and some of his past works, including “Betrayal,” and many others are still fresh in the minds of picture-lovers. “Manhattan Cocktail” is the title of the second feature on the same bill, as Emil Jannings. The stars of this comedy-drama are Nancy Carroll, Richard Arlen and Paul Lukas. Besides a varied array of short subjects the last episode of the. ever popular serial, “Final ‘Reckoning,” will bo screened. Altogether Kosy patrons can depend on a good night’s entertainment with the above programme. PALACE THEATRE. “NO, NO, NANETTE.” That all talking and singing"" production of magnitude and genuine worth, “No, No, Nanette,” now showing at the Palace Theatre, is drawing large audiences and proving itself a type of entertainment quite to the taste of local picture patrons. It is an outstanding film and its popularity is well merited. There is' something ' different about the construction of this peture which places it in a class by itself. It begins as a farce comedy, and the smart dialogue, incidental to the initial sections, tickles the risible faculties of the audience and causes merry laughter. Gradually, and i quite naturally, the action of the. play expands into the realm of the theatre and theatrical life, and this gives scope for the introduction of some particularly expansive scenes and settings which lift the performance from farce comedy to a higher grade musical and spectacular entertainment. These sections are presented in radiant tcchnicolour. “I Want to Be Happy” and "Tea for T>vo,” retained from the original stage production, have boon augmented by several very catchy modern refrains with excellent results. Really good acting and singing on the part of the principals is another factor which helps to make "No, No, Nanette” excellent entertainment. The huge cast includes Bernice Claire, Alexander Gray, Lucicn Littlefield, Louise Fazenda, Lilyan Tashinan, Bert Roach, Zasu Pitts, Mildred Harris, Henry Stockbridge and Jocelyn Lee. Box plans are available at tho Central Booking Office Broadway, ’phone 7178. Intending' patrons arc strongly advised to make resor rations as early'as possible. DE LUXE THEATRE. “HARD TO GET.” “Hard to Get,’’ the all-talking and singing comedy showing finally to-mght at the De Luxe Theatre, concerns the adventures of a New York mannequin who each morning, on her way from her parents’ little flat to an exclusive • modiste shop, hunts for a rich man on Fifth Avenue. She finally chooses a poor one! Charles Delaney is the leading man. A comedy quartet consisting of Louise ‘Fazenda, James Finlayson, Jack Oakio and Margaret Bcaudinc supplies roars of laughter and a very likeable human touch to contrast with the exclusive modiste shop and its beautiful models. ‘ Edmund Burns makes a fine villain and Clarissa Solwynno has a most effective role. Tho picture, incidciitally is the first independent starring vehicle for Miss Mackaill, who was so popular in vari ous pictures with Jack Mulhall, and was cited by critics for her great performances in “The Barker” and “His Captive Woman” with Milton Sills. The supporting programme is made up of specially selected all-talking variety. “CRAZY THAT WAY”—SPARKLING COMEDY. Tho new Fox Movetone love comedy, “Crazy That Way,” which is tho feature at tho De Luxo Theatre beginning tomorrow at a mdtinee, is said to have become, under the able guidance of Director Hamilton MacFadden, an even more delightful piece of smart tomfoolery than trie original stage success from which it was adapted, Vincent Lawrence’s “In .Love With Love.” A splendidly chosen cast is headed by Joan Bennett, who achieved im mediate fame as tho feminine lead with George Arliss in “Disraeli;” Kenneth MacKcnna, currently. winning honours for his leading role in “Men Without Women ; Regis Toorncy, Lumsden Haro and others. Tho story . deals, with the younger 400 and their peculiar ideas of courtship, lovo and marriage. Miss Bennett is tho queen bee of the social, colony with. admirers a-plenty, and how she cajoles misleads and makes them misunderstand her forms the basic theme of a sparkling little comedy, finely enactod and superbly staged.