ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 201, 25 July 1934, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. “FEMALE.” George Brent gave Ruth Chatterton a duel: ivy during the production of the First National picture, "Female,” which is now at the Regent Theatre. And it was not in the script. It all happened in a scene in which Miss Chatterton invites Brent, one of her handsome young employees, for she is a big- business owner, lo a picnic parly of two, in order to make him fall for her charms. Brent, one of the strong outdoor types, is only impressed hv women who are feminine, the kind he can protect. In order to impress him with her helplessness, she steps into a canoe rather awkwardly, making it rock dangerously. The actor is supposed to steady the canoe, rocking on an artificial lake at ihe North Hollywood studios: fie made it rock the more instead of steadying it. The result was that Miss Chatterton lost her balance and was thrown into the water. The water was only two feet deep at the spot and Brent leaped in and helped Miss Chatterton to shore, suffering nothing hut a wetting. "Female” is a somewhat startling story in which Miss Chatterton plays the part of a super woman who takes her loves without regard to conventions. Others in the cast include Lois AA’ilson, Ruth Honnelly, Ferdinand Gottsehalk and Johnny Mack Brown, The picture was directed by AA’illiam Dicterle from a screen play by Gene Markey and Kathryn Scola.

STATE THEATRE. “MAROONED” AND “NIGHT OF THE PARTY.” For a really enjoyable night’s entertainment picture-goers should not miss the exceptionally fine programme that opens at the State Theatre to-day. Edmund Gwenn, one of England's greatest character actors, and the man who made Jess Oakroyd such a loveable, understandable figure in the screen version of J. B. Priestley’s “The Good Companions,” lias anotticr fine character part in “Marooned,” a British Lion production for Fox Films, from tho story by Michael Barringer. AA'ith most ot the action taking place in a lighthouse during a storm, “Marooned” tells the story of the efforts of an escaped convict to elude recapture. This film is iike nothing Hint has been seen before —its locale is unusual, its action is tense, it abounds in delightful comedy situations, and it thrills from start to finish. The second feature is the thrilling iutriguing mystery drama, written by Roland Pertweo and John Hastings Turner. The story is founded on the old party game of “Murder,” in which all present draw slips of paper from a bowl, on one being flic word “Murderer,” and one “Detective.” Tho “detective” announces his identity, tho “murderer” keeps his secret. The lights are put out and the “murderer” is allowed a certain time in which to “kill” some other guest —lights come on and the “detective,” by questioning the players and using his powers of deduction, must locate tho murderer. Roland Pcrtwcc and John Hastings Turner saw the possibilities of a perfect mystery story if, during such a game, a man really were murdered. The story was enhanced by tlio fact that they contrived, with the ingenuity of good authors, to give every guest' a valid reason for wishing to murder the ultimate victim, and the picture that Gau-mont-British has made from their story is one of the finest mysteries the screen has known.

KOSY THEATRE. “WHITE AAOiUA N.” “AA'hile AA'oman,” a dramatic feature with Charles Laughton, Carole Lombard, Charles Bickford, and Kent Taylor in the star roles, opens at the Kosy Theatre today. The production is an excellent one with an unusual theme and noteworthy for the excellent acting in an attractive background. Charles Laughton, as king of the river, a trader who has won power and affluence in Malaya, plays a queer role with great distinction. lie controls natives and a few white men with a manaical delight and scant regard for propriety. His chief hold upon his European assistants is knowledge of crimes they have committed. In those conditions Kent Taylor and Carole Lombard find themselves beset with danger and humiliation. They form an alliance and win their freedom in the midst of tragedy. The trading post is raided by an angry tribe and the mad king of the river pays the supremo tax. The supports arc interesting in themselves and include a -Mack Bennett comedy, Popeye Cartoon, Paramount novelty, British News, and episode 11, •“Perils of Pauline.”

PALACE THEATRE. “SON OF A SAILOR.” . Ifc takes two Browns to tell the story of “Son of A Sailor,” a Warner Bros, comedy hit now showing at the Palace Theatre to-day. One is Joe K. Brown, the star. The other is Johnny Alack Brown. They are not related, either in life or pictures. But in the course of the story, their paths cross and re-cross so many times that it takes half a dozen admirals and also tiie entire Pacific fleet to get them untangled. Joe K. Brown and Johnny Mack Brown are pals on the same aeroplane carrier and fall in love with the same girl before the picture lias run its merry course. But all that Joe, the hero, wins, is glory, with the romantic honours going to Johnny Mack Brown at the final fade-out. “Bon of A Sailor” is a riotous comedy in which Joe has the role of an over-imaginative sailor whose hoa-t----tul tongue and indiscretions lead him into thrilling escapades from which ho is only extricated by an unusual amount of dumb luck. In addition to a score of motion picture extras, Brown is supported by over 1000 sailors attached to the U.S.S. .Saratoga. Thelma Todd, who has so distinguished herself as a comedienne of high rank, has a leading feminine role; while a newcomer to the screen, Jean Muir, plays the romantic interest. The supporting programme will comprise newsreel, a comedy entitled “Mushrooms,” and a musical revue, “Rufus Jones for the President.”

CLEM DAWE’S REVUE COMPANY

“A bright snappy, and colourful entertainment, which evoked immediate cordial response from a house of capacity dimensions,” is how the Auckland Star described the opening performance there of Clem Dawe’s new revue company wilieh is to appear here in the Opera House in “Strike Up the Band” on Saturday afternoon and evening next and ill “The AA'hirt of the Town” on Monday night. The box plans for Hof li productions will be opened at the Central Booking Office to-morrow morning at nine o'clock. “Clem Hawo's facial and sartorial drolleries.” wrote the j same critic, “in combination with the i vivacious soubretlo talent of Dorothy AA’hile, supplied much of the comedy in {lightning character sketches and sallies of j jest, and merry mots. The ‘News Vendor revealed the versatile Clem in something move of a real character study, providing opportunities for Hie introduction of oldtime song favourites, with Joe Bhriner, a New York artist, disclosing a very pleasing baritone voice as the singer. As Sunshine. the Fireman ill the ‘M rial 1 urn Clem was at the top of his form in his role of eccentric comedian. Muriel O’Malley (contralto) and Ann Luciano (soprano) made a wonderful success with duets and songs. Cliff O'Keefe s *Cctlarar’ and ‘Drinking’ were especially fine | efforts that fully deserved the warm apI plnuso they received. Act another ex- [ colloid, voice, of a rich tenor variety, apI peared when Ralph Daly sang •'( hcrie in a song and dance scena. the particular attraction of this being the thrilling acrobatic dance efforts of llallulay and AA'atson. Then there was Gregory I van off with his singing violin and his own arrangement of popular melodies. A team of outstandingly brilliant decorative tap-dancers led by dainty Edna Moncrieff anil Edna Euseombe, ever and over again look the role of star entertainers, their “Main Trunk Kxpre-s’ and Toymaker s Dream’ being features of. the extrayaganza.” No loss tluiri 50 gifts will. Lo tl Iributed to the children in the audience at next Saturdnv afternoon’s performance ot “Strike Up the Band." including an, up-to-date bicycle for a girl or a boy, valued at over £B.