ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 223, 21 August 1931, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

PALACE THEATRE. “THE WIDOW FROM CHICAGO.’’ Heading the list at the Palace Theatre is First National’s melodrama hit, “The Widow from Chicago.’ 1 The second attraction is “Hot Heiress.” Tho picture is entitled to bo labelled allstar, including as it does Edward G. Robinson Neil Hamilton, Frank McHugh and Alice White. Neil Hamilton plays opposite Miss White in an interesting rolo that ends by making him a hero, though he just escapes the villain class. “The Hot Heiress” is one of the most hilarious and human comedies of tho year. Ben Lyon, celebrated for his fine work in “Hell’s Angels,” is featured with boautiful Ona Munson. BRILLIANT COMEDY CAST IN “STEPPING OUT.” A particularly strong cast has been assembled by Mctro-Goldwyn-Mayer for “Stepping Out,” a comedy of Hollywood marriage entanglements, which will be showing at tho Paalco Theatro to-morrow. Reginald Denny and Leila Hyams are cast as ono married couple, Charlotte Greenwood and Harry Stubbs ae another, and Lilian Bond and Merna Kennedy as the “gold diggers” who slip into the picture when the wives go for a holiday. Cliff Edwards and Richard Tucker, on the other hand, are tho men who entertain tho fed-up wives when they give their “bachelor husbands” “tho air” for a while. Tho story is laid in Hollywood, the theme being the backing of pictures as a speculation, with entangling results to the ladies of the piece. An elaborate swimming pool sequence, where the errant husbands hold their business conference by entertaining the picture girls, is a feature of tho settings, while the dialogue is particularly funny from beginning to end. AT THE REGENT. LAST PRESENTATION OF “SON OF THE GODS.” Dick Barthelmess and Constance Bennett will finally appear in “Son of the Gods” at the Regent Theatro to-night.

CHAPLIN’S “CITY LIGHTS” TO MORROW.

Some screen .observers have chosen to consider Charlie Chaplin’s “City Lights” as an experiment in silence. Chaplin himself sees nothing experimental about it, and even avers that tho results may go far toward eliminating excoss dialogue from others producers’ pictures, and even toward restoring non-dialogue pictures 'to grace. “City Lights” is the only synchronised picture of any importance made in Hollywood since the town went talkie. That Chaplin’s picture, silent except for a synchronised musical score, will bo successful is practically assured, becauso his name over any theatre would draw crowds, and “City Lights” represents the utmost in his pantomimic art —his defiant answer to the microphone’s usurpation of the screen. The subject of interesting conjecture now is how far its success will influence other producers in their use of sound and dialogue on the screen. ' The Chaplin studio is unique in Hollywood, being the only lot not cluttered with vault-like sound stages. No microphones swing over the sets where Chaplin acts and directs the minutest details of his pictures. There are no strained silences during scenes, as there are no sound stages; no hordes of mysterious electrical wizards reigning as -lords of the set. Tho studio is like a relic of the pretalkie era, when pictures were made in free and easy fashion, unmarred by electrical complications. Virginia Chcrrill, the girl chosen by Chaplin for his leading lady, has yet to bo seen on the screen, but ■ she has been well paid week after week for the delay in her debut. Two years ago she selected the evening dfess she would wear to tho premiere of tho picture, but Chaplin’s habit of working only when he chose, of taking and re-taking scenes for perfection, many of which never see tho screen, has allowed fashion to outstep the little gown. If she wore it now no doubt it would create a sensation, so out-model would it be and so radical have been changes in feminine styles. But the proof of the pudding is in tho eating. Rians arc now rapidly filling at the Central Booking Office, ’phone 7178.

CHAPLIN COAIPETITIONS.

JUDGED TO-AIORROW.

Tho most captivating, glamorous, entrancing figure tho movie has ever created is Charlie Chaplin, the funny figure known to all and sundry. And it is this great comedian’s make-up—the large feet, baggy trousers, cane and tricky moustache—that the children of Palmerston North are invited to mimic. Palmerston Theatres, Ltd., have planned an impersonation competition for Saturday, in addition to a special puzzle contest, and entries are rolling m for this novelty. Great interest will undoubtedly be evinced in the Charlie Chaplin display to bo judged at the Regent Theatre. An advertisement in this issue draws attention to the rules of the competitions.

KOSY THEATRE

GARY COOPER IN “FIGHTING CARAVANS.”

“Fighting Caravans,” the thrilling and spectacular drama of the battling pioneers who beat new trails across the North American continent, is the tremendous attraction at the Kosy Theatre. Gary Cooper and Lily Damita head an exceptionally large and forceful cast of well-known screen favourites in this epic picture of the forefathers of the west. “Fighting Caravans” has been filmed on tho same gigantic scale which made “The Covered Wagon” a never-to-be-forgotten screen presentation. WARNER OLAND IN “CHARLIE CHAN CARRIES ON.”

While there are many contestants for the title of tho best ingenue, or the best leading man, or the best comedienne on the screen, when it comes to selecting tho best portrayer of Oriental roles there is no choice. Warner Oland, who portrays the title role in “Charlie Chan Carries On,” the Fox mystery drama scheduled to open to-morrow at the Kosy Theatre, wins that distinction without an argument. Born in Umea, Sweden, Oland. went to America when a mere youngster and attended school in Boston, graduating from high school there, and received his first theatrical training at a dramatic school. During the next 20 years he remained before the footlights, specialising in Shakespearean i ..d Ibsen roles, and toured extensively, making several round-the-world trips with various travelling companies. Oland’s first screen roles were in four Theda Bara pictures for Fox Films in 1917. Subsequently he pltiyed in a number of I’athe serials, but bis first role' of importance was that of Charlie Yong in “East Is West,” with Norma Talmadge, in 1922. Alarguerite Churchill, John Garrick, Warren Hymer, Alarjorio White, C. Henry Gordon and Lurnsden Hare aro in the cast of this unusually entertaining