PALMERSTON PICTURE PROGRAMMES

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6519, 7 April 1931, Page 9

PALMERSTON PICTURE PROGRAMMES

AT THE REGENT. LAST NIGHT OF POPULAR CHEVALIER. That iuiraitablo and delightful French artist, Maurico Chevalier, will make his final appearance at the Regent to-night in his record-breaking singing romance, ‘'The Big Pond." ••GENERAL CRACK" TO-MORROW. JOHN BARRYMORE MAKES TALKING PICTURE DEBUT. To-morrow night's audience at the Regent Theatre should give an enthusiastic greeting to John Barrymore in his talking picture debut. The magnetism, resonanco and melodious inflections of his voice, the perfect diction, and the ease with which he gained mastery over this new medium of expression proved him to be the greatest acquisition to the talking pictures that has yet been made. This is the man who was accepted by critical audiences in New York and London in the most trying of all parts, “Hamlet," and the title role of “General Crack" gives wide scope to the genius that created so many masterpieces of characterisation on the stage and silent screen. General Crack, known also as mad Prince Christian, was a real character of the early eighteenth century. Born of a gypsy mother, his father being a member of the nobility, his after-life was a complex of many moods, the love of war, wine and women dominating. He became a soldier of fortune, selling his services to the highest bidder. Espousing the doubtful cause of Leopold 11. of Austria, after demanding half the gold of the Empire and the sister of the Emperor in marriage as his emolument —ho halts half-way to woo and wed a gypsy dancer. He takes her to the Austrian Court, meets and becomes madly enamoured of the Emperor’s sister-, Maria Louisa —but this is telling the story. There is not a moment when the suspense slackens —never, a halt in the golden flow of the exciting tale. Much of the picture is in technicolour. All is coloured with courage and romance. Mr. BarrymoTC’s tirst talkie will not be his last. Plans arc now open at the Central Booking Office. KOSY THEATRE. “COHENS AND KELLYS IN AFRICA." (The Story.) Cohen and Kelly are in a serious predicament. Their piano business has fallen off to an alarming extent due to the lack of ivory for the keys. Under persuasion of one Windjammer Thorn, a fast talking medicine man who claims to know all about ivory conditions in Africa, Colicn and Kelly with Mrs. Cohen and Mrs. Kelly, sail to the “Dark Continent" under the guidance of Thorn. Leaving the two women in a Zulu village, Cohen and Kelly trek through the jungle in search of ivory. In their alienee, Mrs. Cohen and Mrs. Kelly, walking in the neighbourhood of the village, arc kidnapped by two male gorillas. Two jealous female gorillas attack the party and confiscate the outer clothing of the two women. Left to the mercy of the jungle, they are captured by a roving band of nomads and carried into the camp of a sheik. In the meantime, Cohen and Kelly are attacked and cha»ed by a herd of elephants. They take refuge in a native village which thev find is ruled by Sam Ginsberg, formerly of New York. Ginsberg has introduced miniature golf to the natives. He informs the two hunters that he has a great storo of ivory and gives Cohen and Kelly an opportunity to win the ivory by playing a game of golf. Cohen defeats Ginsberg’s pro. by a miraculous stroke. After the game, Cohen and Kelly learn, by the native telegraph system, that their wives are in the harem of an Arabian sheik. They visit the sheik’s camp where they have to win back the affection of their wives, Mrs. Cohen and Mrs. Kelly having fallen for the sheik. With tons of ivory for their piano keys, the party returns to America.

PALACE THEATRE. “A DEVIL WITH WOMEN.” VICTOR McLAGLEN. The feature picture at the Palace,, “A Devil With Women,” -null be screened for the last time to-night. Tomorrow there will be a complete change of programme. Snow Country Thriller. Willard Mack, prolific writer of stage and screen thrillers, is responsible for the story of “Men of the North,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture opening to-morrow night at the Palace Theatre, which alone insures it if containing novel situations, suspense and an extremely dramatic climax with an unexpected ending. This time Mack has chosen the Canadian North-west for his locale and has built his narrative around tho pursuit of a fugitive from justice by the Mounted Police. Among the unusual details are races on skis and dog-sleds, an exciting fight in a snow-bound cabin and the ■ filming of an avalanche which plays an important part- in the outcome of the plot The picture, which w r as filmed in the Sierras, abounds in picturesque scenery of the North country. Heading the cast of the production are Gilbert Roland and Barbara Leonard. Other players include Arnold Korff, Robert Eliott, George Davis, Nena Quararo and Robert Graves, Jr. The picture was directed by Hal Roach, producer of LaurelHardy and “Our Gang” comedies, who deserted the field of laugh-making to show his hand at serious drama.