ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 281, 26 October 1934, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. “SCOTLAND YARD MYSTERY.” “Scotland Yard Mystery,” featuring those two admirable English actors, Sir Herald du Maurier and Mr George Ourzon, will be finally screened at the Regent Theatre to-night. The directors of a big life insurance company have been hit for big sums so frequently that they become suspicious, and are inclined to lay the blame on their own medical examiner, Dr Freeman, who happens to be engaged to the daughter of Inspector Stanton of Scotland Yard. Stanton takes up the case. lie gets to work, but strangely enough finds himself checkmated by someone with a preknowledge of his plans. At length ho secures a suspected accomplice in young Bailey, and is gaining valuable information from him when Dr Masters of Scotland Yard arrives and suggests that a whisky will help restore the terrorstricken youth. Bailey dies. Stanton then knows who is playing him false, and with the tenacity of a bulldog he tracks this smoothest of villains until the thrilling denouement “HOLLYWOOD PARTY.” Schnarzan fcho Conqueror, “mighty monarch of tho mudflats,” a film actor, is grandiose Jimmy Durante, whoso homo is his castlo —literally. Schnarzan lives among the spacious halls alone, except for a gross of liveried servants. To him comes his manager, Ivnapp, who warns him that his pictures are flopping because his public knows that tho lions ho acts with are all anaemic. Explorer Baron Munchausen is on his way from Africa with a cargo of allegedly fresh lions. But a bad rival producer is after the animals. They must beat him to it; Durante decided to hold a party. That is the prologue in the March-Haremiad “Hollywood Party,” which comes to the Regent Theatre tomorrow. It is as fast and funny as a three-ring circus. Such a party there never was before. Laurel and Hardy are there; so are Lupc Valez, Polly Moran, Eddy Quillan, a really big and. hot jazz band, and plenty more stars. This is not to mention Mickey Mouse and his “Hot Chocolate Soldiers,” whose presence in person is an hilarious camera joke. And there arc something over a thousand Hollywood girls, and also half a dozen now burlesqued songs. From the welter of the story there are some main points which one cannot resist untangling.' There is the Jaguar Woman (Lupc Velez), Schnarzan’s leading lady; he refuses to invito her because she is too rough at parties. The rival producer’s leading lady crashes the party on a commission *") bandit the lions. Schnarzan goes iir • > the library to discuss reincarnation ith some learned friends; in historical flashbacks wo see him as Adam. Laurel and Hardy’s arrival and the arrival of Mickey Mouse and his troop, and the invasion of the Baron and his create some of the best of the fun. . Ih° Jaguar Woman chases Schnarzan with a knife. After all this it may not be believed that the film is essentially “straight drama, but it is, with a logical story, even though into it is incorporated almost every conceivable form of entertainment. logether with the lion deal theme, there is a love story between Juiic Clyde and Eddy Quillan, and a burlesque love affair between Durante and Polly Moran. Laurel and Hardic’s roles run through the picture, and they figure in some very funny sequences with the Jaguar Woman, and 111 a nudist colony. At the very end of the film the audience is given a final surprise with which to leave the theatre. PALACE THEATRE. “DAMAGED* LIVES.” “Damaged Lives,” the most sensational film of recent years, which has been showing to packed houses at the Palace on Wcdncs-; day and Thursday, is a gripping and graphic human document, and is a courageous and praiseworthy presentation of the dangers of the “white scourge,” embellished by a movingly enacted drama which must rank as one of the greatest achievements in the annals of the screen. Emanating from Canada, produced at Hollywood and featuring some of Hollywood’s most famous stars, this film has a definite objective to point a moral and yet achieve this objective so subtly and cleverly that never for a moment is the wonderful entertainment value of the piclure allowed to suffer. “Damaged Lives’ will be finally screened at tho Palace Theatre to-night. “LILY OF KILLARNEY.”

An Irish musical that puts real Ireland on the screen with all its irresistible music and melodies conics to the Palace Theatre to-morrow and if the reception accorded this picture elsewhere is any guide the Palace Theatre will be (axed for room. This outstanding attraction will be “The Lily of Killarney,” which recently scored a pronounced success at the Majestic Theatre, Auckland. The story deals with impoverished lords, smugglers, huntsmen, beautiful colleens, jolly priests, and the characters are traditionally associated with Ireland, and is interpreted with favourite del songs, including “Killarney, * latlici O’Flvnn,” “The Moon Hath Raised Her Lamp Above,” “Believe Me If All 1 hose Endearing Young Charms,” “The Dear Little Shamrock,” “My Little Irish Gig, “Ireland, in Spring,” and “My Sheep Dog and I.” The rather irritating delays to the story in many musical films are not apparent 'in tire present production, as the songs arc all well sung, and the director, Maurice Elvoy, has relied for his accompanying effects not on artificially beautiful backgrounds, but on very skilful photography, lighting and grouping. The director lias obviously been at great pains to obtain Irish “types” and reproduce the atbiosphere of rural Ireland, but -tbe idol owes its success principally to tho spirit ot simple ancl unaffected gaiety achieved. Iho characters are all pleasing, and even the chief smuggler and the villain arc not, particularly villainous. John Garrick makes a handsome young hero, and Gina Malo is excellently cast as a peasant girl. Stanley Holloway is delightful as the beloved pi lost. Father O’Flynn, while others in the east include Leslie Perrins, D. J. \Y imams, Sara Allgood, Dennis Iloey and Dorothy A special attraction will bo the appearance of Juno Scott on .the stage in a presentation of national Irish dances, tins highly successful dancer has brought many dancing laurels to Palmerston North and her appearance on the stage, with the n “Lilv of Killarney,” should be a decided addition to an already highly entertaining programme.

KOSY THEATRE. “ON THE AIR.” “On the Air,” tho outstanding presentation of world-famous vaudeville and stage stars in a rare, radiant musical comedy, will concludo its season at the Kosy Theatre to-day. “LOVE BIRDS” AND “I’LL TELL THE WORLD.”

“Love Birds,” ono of tho most laughable of tho Suminervillo-Pitts comedies, commences to-morrow at tho Kcsy with “I’ll Tell tho World.” Slim Summerville and Zasu Pitts play the star roles in this roistering film, and the action finds them both, bitter enemies, buying the same California ranch through a swindling Ohio real estate agent, and beginning to squabble over ownership as soon as they arrive at the property. But the ranch building turns out to be a tumble-down structure six miles from nowhere in a trackless desert, unoccupied for years and totally without water. A strange occurrence brings several hundred people flocking to the property and a gold rush started within a few hours after their arrival. Then Slim and Zasu hit the high spots. Packed with the thrills of news correspondents in their mud quest for “red hot copy,” filled with laughter provoking episodes, and a hectic courtship, Universal’s “I’ll Tell the World,” starring Lee Tracy, will bo shown for the first time at the Kosy Theatre to-morrow with “Love Birds.” Tracy is in his glory as .Stanley Brown, staff reporter for the Allied Press, as ho dashes to northern Canada to get tho story of a disabled dirigible at the expenso of his rival, played by Roger Pryor, and he races to Europe to “horn in” on a revolution.

SPECIAL CHILDREN’S MATINEE. In order to cater for tho children a selected programme, which will include Tom Mix in “Destry Rides Again,” a Silly Symphony cartoon, and the final chapter of “Pirate Treasure,” will be screened at tho Kosy to-morrow at 10 a.m. Every child present will receive a free gift. STATE THEATRE. “SHE LEARNED ABOUT SAILORS.” Here are five good reasons to see Fox Film’s hilarious, comedy-romance, “She Learned About Sailors,” which has its final screening at the State Theatre to-night:—l, Alice Faye, beautiful blonde, playing the role of a smart girl who sings in a night club in an Asiatic Oriental seaport; 2, Lew Ayres, the champion heart-breaker of the U.S. Navy, who takes shore leave at this port and falls like a ton of bricks for the fair Faye; 3, Harry Grene as Jose Rubenstein, a South American impressario, visiting the same port, who besieges Faye with offers of an engagement in his hotel in South America; 4 and 5, Frank Mitchell ancl Jack Durant, America’s greatest knockabout vaudeville and musical comedy funsters, portraying Lew’s sailor' buddies. They take it upon themselves to regulate and straighten out the latter’s romantic tangles with Alice Faye, thereby causing no end of ludicrous complications. That’s the set-up, and from advance reports the film is one of the fastest, funniest and gayest films tp be released from Hollywood. To add to the hilarious comedy of the story, the film is tinged with spicy and zestful song numbers that promise to be real hits. Alice Faye sings “Here’s the Key to My Heart.” . “EVERGREEN.” A picture of unusual merit will be at the Stale Theatre to-morrow, Jessie Matthews and a strong case, including Sonnie Halo, Betty Balfour, Barry MacUay and many more, appear in “Evergreen,” a Gaumont-British adaptation of the famous C. B. Cochran’s brilliantly successful stage production. This elaborate screen play, which will be distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Fox Films, has been pronounced the most brilliant British picture of its type ever made. Direction, photography, acting and art direction together create a film of which any studio in the whole world might be proud. The story, too, is coherent as well as cohesive. In the prologue a famous music hall artist bids farewell, under dramatic circumstances, to the scene of many of her triumphs. Twentythree years later, her daughter, who has inherited her mother’s outstanding ability, impersonates her with such success that London, flocking to see her, is completely deceived. Emphatically “Evergreen” is a picture not to be missed. Every opportunity has been seized to present lavish spectacle; haunting melodies are generously distributed throughout the romantic! show. The following song hits will soon be on the lips of everyone : “In the Cool of the. Evening,” “Dancing on the Ceiling,” “Dear! Dear!” “If I Give in to You.” “No Place but Home,” “Tinkle ! Tinkle ! Tinkle !”

“When You’ve Got a Little Springtime in Your Heart,” “Over My Shoulder,” and “Just by Your Sample.” There are dances on the big scale; the story scintillates with comedy, while strong dramatic touches have llicir place. Victor Savillc. who has directed so many successiul Gaumont-British pictures, was responsible for “Evergreen,” and the remarkable quality of tho photography, which matches the excellence of the direction, earns a high tribute to tho great ability by Mr Glen McWilliams. The. supportinn- programme is really outstanding. Ivan Perrin, who has met with tremendous success during the last week,, will, continue to thrill patrons with his brilliant act- also assisting him will he I*rod Gedson’who will entertain on tho xylophone. Without hesitation the management recommends this programme as tho finest yet presented at the State. BULLS PICTURES. “FOOTLIGHT PARADE.” “Footlight Parade” is the all star attraction, screening at Bulls Talkies on I'nday and Saturday nights, and w rightly called the successor to “Gold Diggers ol 1933.” For outstanding song hits, beauty of dance ensembles and spectacular scenes “Footlight Parade” is a climax of Warner Bros.’ glittering parade of musical productions—tho greatest cast ever brought together for one picture. Four lug scenes featuring the song hits, “By a V atevfall, “Shanghai Lil,” “Honeymoon Hotel and “Sitting on a Backyard Fence, are only a few of the highlights of this mammoth production. Patrons are advised to book their scats and avoid disappointment. Watch Monday’s papers for details of extraordinary entertainment lo ho presented on Monday evening.