ENTERTAINMENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 11 September 1937, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

! CURRENT ATTRACTIONS ! |“LOST HORIZON,” a brilliant ! COMPELLING PICTURE NOW AT | THE MAJESTIC. SEASON CON;j CLUDES TUESDAY. Anyone who hncl ideas that the preliminary notices respecting "Lost Ilori- • i/.on" were verging on the extravagant 'will have their ideas completely dis- ■ I polled after witnessing tins .unusual motion picture. It is a brilliant, eom- .! polling work, and far removed from ! anything the screen has over presented Ito date. “Lost Horizon ’ stands in a I class apart and should be seen by j everyone. It combines all the elements I which appeal, amazing adventure, susj ponse, comedy, drama and beauty, Its l aclionful opening and the effect proj cured as the principals of James Hilton’s arc hurled by plane over the un- | charted regions of Tibet will grip the j most blase. To those whose thoughts i cherish ideals the doctrine of the in- | habitants of Shangri-la will become a | treasured memory, and the utterances | of the High Lam;* will find a warm rejeeption. After viewing “Lost Horizon” i one is tempted to wonder what produc- | ers will try next. It is certain that j this opus will mark a very high standard to maintain, and one leaves the | theatre pondering over the magnitude I and impressiveness of the whole proi duction and its many facets, indeed | one becomes imbued with the desire to : Ro again and feast the eye and ear on | a production the motion nature i.ndus- | try and the Majestic management mry |be justly proud of. Anyone who s not j completely earlhbound will revel in following the adventures of a small | group of white people—shanghaied via ! olane into the inaccessible reaches of | Shangri-La (an earthly paradise). I There, under the guidance of native | humanitarians they undergo a change of character—and readily adopt the spiritual covenant of Shangri-La—sum-med up in two words—Be Kind. This is the substance of the story—which is embroidered with romance, thrills, j comedy by-plays—and dovetailed together in a series of gorgeous settings Colman. of course, is flawless in the leading role. And he has polished support from Sam Jafl'e, as the High Lama from Jane Wyatt, as the woman who loves him; from such able players as John Howard. Margo. H. B. Warner and Edward Everett Horton. In photo granhv and camera effects. "Lost Horizon” dramatically preserves the myrtic mood ot its story. Certain sequences for sheer camera mystery, provoke spontaneous applause. As for director Capra, his finish and artistry never ; has been so vehemently demonstrated jas in “Lost Horizon.” He i ,v. kes a witching mood and sustains t through two hours of frantic action and tense suspense. ITis production ; s one Unit must not be missed. An interesting bracket of >"t subjects includes the second R.'.gpy tes* *>t Christchurch. Patrons are advised tin, I the season definitely concludes on Tuesday. STATE: NOW SHOWING FOR ONE WEEK: “GIRL IN A MILLION” The dazzling musical "Girl in a million,” opened yesterday to huge audiences, and all Nelson is excited to think that after previous disappointements C.ey will at last have an opportunity of seeing a picture which for sheer enjoyment has never before been equalled. Sonja | Heine, queen of the silvery skates, must | be seen in order to realise the superbi ness of this brilliant Olympic champion. Worthy of mention in the autstanding supporting cast are the Ritz Bros., the greatest screen comedians, who will keep you in convulsive laughter, and Borrah Minevitch and his moutli organ band who besides being world champion players provide comedy unseen before in screen fanfare Altogether "Girl in a Million is most assuredly the most brilliant of musical productions. With a hundred gorgeous girls in sensational ice-revels amid a dazzling winter wonderland of breathtaking beauty it’s a wonder show with a east that includes, in addition to SonIja Henie, the Queen of the Silvery j Skates. Adolphe Menjou. Jean Hersholt. j Ned Sparks. Don Ameche, the Ritz j Brothers, Arline Judge, Borrah Mine- | vitch and his gang, Dixie Dunbar, Leah Ray and Shirley Deane. The daughter o T a Swiss innkeeper. Sonja Henie is being trained by her father, Jean Hersholt. to capture the Olympic figure skating championship. Sonja attracts the interest of Don Ameche. a young j American newspaperman investigating |a neighbourhood mystery, who sees in! j her unusual material for a human interest story for his paper Sonja also interests, professionally the fumbling ! but glib tongued manager of a vaude- ! ville troupe. Adolphe Menjou. stranded ;in Hersholt's hostelry In Menjou’s ! group are the Ritz Biothers. Arline | Judge. Borrah Minevitch. and his gang, j Dixie Dunbar. Lea/i Ray Shirley Deane and twelve beautiful girls Menjou induces Sonja to join hi.-, troupe and arranges a contract in St Moritz for the dazzling ice ballet he has envisioned. Realising ihat such an appearance will disqualify her for (he Olympic title so close to her father s heart, Don Ameche ' flies to St. Moritz, hi riving in the I middle of the ballet, which he disrupts by abducting .its star. Sonja wins • the Olympic title, but when Hersholt , hears that she has skated professional- | ly. he returns the medals to the com- ■ mittee Don Ameche, with the assistance of his assistant. Ned Sparks, isi! able to prove that Sonja is guiltless The resourceful young reporter proves c to Sonja’s satisfaction that they were * meant for each other. F atrons are re- 1 minded of the already huge demand for 1 seats, and are advised to reserve immediately at Begg's. c

REGENT: NOW SHOWING, DICK FORAN, HIE SINGING COWBOY IN "TRAILIN’ WEST” AND “FLYING HOSTESS”

The present attraction at the Regent is another big variety programme, and will be screened for two more nights. to-night and \ Monday. There is in addition to the j gramme There is in addition to tne ! two fe-'ures an excellent evenings array of shorts, and the combined pro- ■ gramme makes an excellent evening's | entertainment. A; 745 the Bth chap- I ter of tne serial. "The Phantom Rider j will be screened, and this week's episode is titled "The Night Attack " Additional short subtects include Springboks v All Blacks which will be screen j cd on Saturday and Monday only, a j Universal newsreel and an outstand- j ing crime detective short "You I Can t Get Awa.v with It." The j picture to be screened before the interval is "The Flying Hostess.' and this features Wiliiam Gargan. Judith Bar- i rett, William Hall and Andy Devine ] The story deals with the adventures ol ! the air hostesses on the trans-continen- j tal airlines, and it is packed full of j action and thrills from the first to thej final scene. ‘Trailin' West” is the main j feature, and this stars Dick F’oran, "the j Singing Cowboy ’ Koran sings two: songs written for the pn duetion by M j K Jerome and Jack Scholl One is a ] ballad. "Moonlight Valley” and tlm ; ether -i stirring marching song “Drums of Glory ’ f oran has the role of , secret service operative commissioned j

:by Lincoln. lo fight single handed | against the robbers of the plains. Robbed of his credentials he prevents the hold-up of a gold shipment by the government and is ordered to be shot after - court martial by army officers, who think he is an accomplice of the guerillas He is eventually saved by Paula Stone, who is also in the secret service and working in disguise as one ol the women in a dance hall. The two had met before, although neither knows the other is an operative until the smashing climax when Foran is treed and the crook who is working inder his credentials is arrested as one of the leaders of the guerilla bandits. Gordon Elliott has the part of the bandit chief, who uses the credentials of Foran lo get information from the government on gold shipments, though the actual theft of the papers was accomplished by an aide, played by Henry Otho Patrons are advised that it is essential to book, plans for the three days being at R. Thomas's. Trafalgar street.