ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20668, 13 September 1930, Page 15

ENTERTAINMENTS.

STRAND THEATRE,

' Two splendid films of a widely-differing typo combine to make an exceptionally entertaining programme at the Strand Theatre this week, both tho productions meeting with an excellent reception by an appreciative audience last evening. The many problems which faco a woman who marries a man who has been previously married and who has a soil aro presented in " Second Wife," a drama which contains many original elements. ,At the opening of the story Walter Fairchild, whoso first wifo has been dead for a number of years, is about to marry again. Ilia prospective bride, who dislikes his homo, with all v its associations of tho dead woman, is warned that she will not be happy with a step-child in the house, but finally marries. In order to make her happy Fairchild sends his son to school in Switzerland, and tho pair live happily for a year. Just as his wifo is in need of him Fairchild is called to Switzerland to see his son, who is in a critical state with typhoid fever and is calling for him. Faced with a most difficult problem, Fairchild makes his decision, only to find that it lias lost liim his wife's love. How he finally regains happiness makes an interesting denouement. Conrad Nagel is splendidly cast as tho husband, his characterisation showing delicacy and depth of feeling. Lila Leo is successful in (he equally difficult rolo of tho wife, while others of nolo in tho cast aro Hugh Huntley and Mary G'arr. Totally different entertainment is provided by " Beau Bandit," an outdoor film depicting lifo in'the West in the early days. Rod la Rocqtic is seen as a Mexican bandit, half desperado and half incurable romantic. His exploils form tho basis of a story which is filled with unusually fast action, and there is not a dull moment in the picture. In addition to tho thrilling incidents a thread of bright comedy runs through the story, tho debonair villainy of Montero, tho bandit, giving riso to many amusing scenes enlivened with droll dialogue. Although his part is of a type ho has not previously attempted, Rod la Rocqno is admirable, making tho picturesque bandit a living creature. Doris Kenvon, who has the principal feminine role, gives a graceful performance, and she is heard in moro than one fascinating song. A pleasing feature ot (he production is tho background of the open desert, many beautiful glimpses of tho famous Mojavo Valley being given.

NATIONAL THEATRE,

" Swing High," the Pathe production which is being shown at the National Theatre, lias as its background the glamour and uncertainty of life in the circus. Produced on an elaborate scale the picturo contains a cast of 16 principal players. Outstanding among these are Chester Conklin and Ben Turpin, whose ludicrous antics in the days of the silent picturo never failed to entertain audiences; Helen Twelvetrees, a charming actress who exhibits remarkablo agility as a trapeze artist; and Fred Scott, a comparative newcomer to the screen. Resides a story rich in drama and pathos tho film includes some remarkablo scenes during a circus performance, the feats of skill and daring on tho trapeze being particularly effect ive. The story recounts the varying fortunes of a side-show singer who persistently .follows a large circifs company until lie is given employment by the manager as a result of his daughter's persuasion.

MAJESTIC THEATRE.

Besides the picture of chief interest, "The Fainted Angel," tho programme which has commenced a season at tho Majestic Theatre includes an array of entertaining supporting items, prominent among which is a film oT the sinking of tho Tahiti. In " The Painted Angel Bfllie Dove is seen as a Broadway night club hostess and is given an opportunity to show her ability both as a singer and a dancer. Edmund Lowe, who achieved such success in " What Price Glory," " The Cockeyed World," and more recently " The Bad One," appears in tho role of tho manager of tho cabaret. A Universal News reel, a bright and original farce in which Clark and McCullough provide some genuine humour, and " Tho Undersea Revue," a colourful scena, comprise tho remainder of tho programme..

LONDON THEATRE

" Charming Sinners," which is being shown at the London Theatre for a return season, is a successful adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's play, " The Constant Wife." Four noted players, Ruth Chatterton, Mary Nolan, Clivo Brook and William Powell give splendid performances in the principal roles. Possessed of an easy, natural manner, Miss Chatterton is cast as tho wife of the erring Dr. Robert Miles, a part played by Clive Brook, who carries on a mild flirtation with tho pretty young wife of a devoted business man. The means adopted by " Kathryn " to make her husband mend his ways are both novel and entertaining.

PLAZA THEATRE.

Ono of tho brightest comedies brought to the screen, "The Cuckoos," is now enjoying a successful season at the Plaza Theatre. Tho film includes many humorous situations, and tho dialogue throughout is highly amusing. The plot concerns the activities of a pair of bogus magicians, who visit a Mexican town and invade a garden party. They become involved with a party of belligerent gipsies, and their subsequent adventures form tho basis of a clcvcr film.

ROXY THEATRE. Anna May Wong, the gifted Chinese actress, is seen in " Flame of Love," which heads the double-feature programmo at tho Boxy Theatre. Besides displaying marked ability as a dramatic actress the principal appears in some gorgeous dancing scenes. Tho second picturo is "Song of Soho," with Carl Brisson. Both productions are British. "Ladies of Leisure" heads the next change of programme.

CAPITOL THEATRE,

"Tomplo Tower," a mystery melodrama with Ronald Colnian as principal, heads tlio current programmo at the Capitol Theatre.

EMPRESS THEATRE.

"The Girl Said No" heads the programme at the Empress Theatre, Newton, this afternoon and this evening.

CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE,

"Seven Keys to Rnldpate" and "Vagabond Lover" will bo shown at the Crystal Palaco Theatre, Mt. Eden, this afternoon and this evening.

GREY LYNN CINEMA. "Officer O'Brien" will be screened at tho Grey Lynn Cinema this evening.

BRITANNIA THEATRE,

Warner Baxter appears in "Tho Arizona Kid" at tho Britannia Theatre this evening.

PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE. "Paramount on Parade" is being shown at the Prince Edward Theatre.

TUDOR THEATRE. "Tho Sky Hawk" leads the programmo at tho Tudor Theatre this evening.

DELTA THEATRE

Ronald Colman has tho part of a debonair amateur dotectivo in "Bulldog Drummond." which will bo shown at the Delta Theatre this evening.

VICTORIA THEATRE,

"Paris Bound" and "Courtiu' Wildcats" aro being screened at the Victoria Theatre, Devonport.

REGENT TfIEATRE,

Tho brightest of comedy is provided in " Caught Short," which commenced a season at tho Regent Theatre last evening. It is a Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer pictures, in which appear thoso two inimitable comedy players, Mario Dressier and Polly Moran. With such a combination it was ■inevitable that the picture should provo 0110 of tho funniest imaginable. From tho very start it is a succession of (lie most comical situations. It opens with the two principals as landladies of establishments on opposite sides of a street. Their dabbling on the stock market results in their sudden rise from comparative poverty to financial independence. Their prosperity comes by way of innumerable quarrels, in which lies the source of most of tho delightfully humorous moments. It is in making themselves ridiculous, in a manner solely their own, that Marie Dressier and Polly Moran achieve most of their success, but there is a subtle humour in many of the episodes and in most of the remarks to show them in a different light. Tho boarding house atmosphere is used as an effective contrast for the luxurious settings of iho "hotel in which the two landladies instill themselves after their financial success, but the comedy is the same bright and refreshing comedy as before. The plot of tho picture is concerned .argely with the success of Polly Moran on the stock market, her efforts to convince tho doubting Mario Dressier, and tho romance between tho former's son and tho latter's daughter. They quarrel on innumerable occasions, but there comes one even more bitter than tho others to cause the rupture of relations between tho two children. When Polly Moran leaves with her son for tho seashore, Marie Dressier finally succumbs to tho lure of Wall Street, and she, too, is inordinately successful. She follows to tho summer resort with her daughter. There the quarrel between the women and their children continues, resulting in preparations for tho marriage of the young man to a pretty actress. Just as they aro about to bo married tho stock market collapses, the two widows are united in grief, the actress deserts her prospective husband, and tho lovers are re-united. Charles Morton appears as the son and Anita Page as the daughter, both with considerable success In tho supporting cast there are a number of notable players, who, as boarders, are particularly amusing. " I'm Spanish Now," a burlesque number, is sung and danced by Mario Dressier in a boarding house party scene, which is among the most humorous of tho production, and a secorld number, " Soinebody," is sung by Charles Morton. Tho supporting programme covers a wide variety of entertaining subjects. A Gus Edwards " Colourtono Review" shows in a novel manner th& national songs and dances of many countries, and there is a Patho production, " Three Aces," in which golf, polo and boxing champions are seen in action. An amusing Aesop's fables cartoon, " Sky Skippers," a Hearst Metrotone news film, numbers by an American quartet and " Scenic Gems of (ho Hauraki Gulf," a picture in which many popular places about the gulf arc shown, complete the programme.

CIVIC THEATRE.

Will Rogers, tho noted American comedian, is the principal in "So This is London!" a Fox Movietone production which opened a season at tlio Civic Theatre last evening. The picture deals with serious I international complications on a small scalo, and ends with a complete amity between "England" and "America," which the audience, stricken by long-continued laughter, must heartily endorse. While tho play revolves around Mr. Rogers, as Hiram Draper, a wealthy American who decides to pay a business visit to England, it has a deeper interest than that awakened by his native wit and superb acting of the part of the self-made man whose rough exterior hides a heart of gold. The romantic love story of Draper's son and the daughter of Lord Percy Worthing does not run smoothly, and it counts for more with his father than the business on which he had embarked, while tho consequonces threaten to be very serious for tho section of the English aristocracy concerned. Miss Irene Rich is charming and effective as the mother of Junior Draper, who is determined to marry Elinor Worthing, in spite of the opposition of his father, who could 6ee nothing good in tho English. Lumsden Hare gives a remarkable characterisation of the pompous Lord Percy Worthing, equally opposed to Americans "and particularly to the idea of his daughter marrying one. These conflicting elements produce many piquant and humorous scenes. From the highly farcical scenes in which Hiram and Mrs. Draper act up to Lord Percy's conception of-- uncouth dollar-loving Americans there is a change to incidents in which romance and genuine feeling prevail. Will Rogers is always delightful, and ho runs the gamut of the human emotions, touching the heartstrings of his audience or rousing them to uproarious laughter with equal facility. The folly of preconceived notions and the remarkable change in viewpoint which personal contact can effect is shown in a delightful way in "So This is London!" When the English lord and the American—after insulting each other, shooting with each other, and reconciling the lovers whom they earlier swore to keep apart—finally drink together and sing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," no one in the audience can help endorsing the sentiment. Thi3 rich feast of entertainment is supported by two newsreols, further exciting adventures of "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit," and fcho "Horoscope of People Born in February."

MUNICIPAL CHOIR.

The Municipal Choir will give a concert in the Town Hall this evening, when choral worfcs by Morloy, Cesar Franck and Mendelssohn will bo. included in the programme. Miss Kate Campion will sing airs from operas by Tschaikowski and Gounod and Slater's "Buy My Roses." Organ solos will be played by tho city organist, Mr. Maughan Barnett. Mr. Kdgnr Randal will be choir organist and Mr. Leo Whittaker will be at tho piano.

POPULAR CONCERT.

Selections by the Lyric Orchestra and vocal it-ems by well-known artists will bo given at a concert at tho Lyric 'lheatro to-morrow evening. A motion-picture, "Poppies of Flanders," will be shown.

ORCHESTRAL CONCERT,

An orchestral concert will ho givcil by an orchestra conducted by Mr. Howard Moody at 1 lie Civic Theatre to-morrow evening. Vocal items will ho given by assisting arLists, and "Tho Circus of Life," a powerful silent picture of Russian life before the revolution, will bo shown.

ORGAN RECITAL.

Works by Widor, Bach and Gigout will ho included in tho organ recital at tho Town Hall to-morrow afternoon. The city organist, Mr. Maughau Barnett, will also play Rubinstein's Wedding March from Feramors and a transcription of Beethoven's well-known variations on tho duet from Paisiello's "La Molinara."

TUTANKHAMEN."

As a pyramid builder and master of tortures, Mr. Dan Flood, tho well-known entertainer, is in his clement in the forthcoming revival by tho Auckland Amateur Operatic Society of "Tutankhamen," which will open ut His Majesty's Theatre on Thursday, September 25. Since his first appearance, hero ho has had the experience of a world tour with professionals and it is expected that his humour will ho a triumph. Tho theme of tho story is tho curso that is said to fall on nil who have interfered with the tombs of the old Egyptian kings. Tho curso is most awe-inspiring when thrown by Miss Ethel Rao, who plays tho part of "Tji." It is said that Miss Rao reaches dramatio heights seldom attained by amateurs.

ST. JAMES' THEATRE

An opportunity of hearing tho great Irish tenor, John McCormack, is one that few music-lovcrs would caro to miss. But when this is coupled with a charming romanco laid in an Irish setting, as wa3 the case with "Song 0' My Heart, 1 ' which commenced a season at St. Janies* Theatre last evening, there remains nothing but to see the picture. Undoubtedly tho chief attraction of "Song 0' My Heart" is the singing of John McCormack. In all, ho contributes 11 excellent songs during tho screening of tho picture. The story is based in Ireland among musicloving people and it is the tale, for the most part, of a gifted singer who has retired to tho quiet life of a country village. Songs and singing, therefore, are part and parcel of the fillm and a most attractive selection is that contributed by McCormack. Tho recording of the songs is excellent on tho whole i}nd with the additional advantago of being able to see the singer one is able to enjoy all tho charms of an actual concert. Two outstanding songs are "The Rose of Tralee" and "Little Boy Blue," the latter, being a delightfully-rendered story-song illustrated .appropriately by a nursery scene. The film opens in a small viljagc, whore Scan O'Cailahan, a famous singer, who has given up a brilliant career owing to a broken romance, spends his time in brightening the lives of tho simple village folk with his glorious singing. The part of the girl who figured in his romance, and who was forced into a loveless marriage, is excellently phiyed by Alice Joyce. She has two children, Eileen, a sweet girl in her teens, and Tad, a delightful youngster of some nine or ten years. These parts aro played with engaging sincerity by Maureen O'Sullivan and Tommy Clifford. Sean at length decides to return to the stage and give the world the benefit, of his wonderful voice. He leaves tho village to make a cowert tour in America and is acclaimed by tho critics as a genius. Incidentally, a scene showing his appearance in his opening concert serves as a delightful background against which some half-dozen songs are placed. On tho very night of his triumph, however, a cablegram from Ireland informs him that the woman for whom he had so long cherished affection has died, leaving her children to his care. Forsaking aU his prospects of success, he immediately returns to Ireland, whero he acts as a beneficent guardian angel to the two orphans. This is tho slender plot upon .which a sumptuous musical feast is laid. A subsidiary action deals with tho romance of Eileen and her lover, Fergus, excellently played by John Garrick. Comedy is supplied by two entertaining villagers, Peter Keegan and Dan Rafferty, these parts being in tho capable hands of J. M. Kerrigan and Farrell Macdonald. The film as a whole is well prqduced and the treatment of the scenes ia very artistic. Tho supporting programme is thoroughly in keeping with the standard of the main picture. Chief among the items is an excellent "Mickey the Mouse" sound cartoon. Tho title of this adventure of Mickey is "The Barnyard Concert" and it possesses endless scope for humorous treatment. A Tiffany technicolour production, "In a Chinese Temple Garden," gives an attractive dramatic rendering of KeLelby's well-known orches. tral tonc-pocm. A Fox movietono newg reel completes the programme.

LYRIC THEATRE

Two splendid full-length pictures will bo shown at the Lyric Theatre this even, ing. Ann Harding, a talented actress ol the legitimate stage, who has achieved considerable success in talking pictures, is the principal in "Her Private Affair," a powerful drama of modern life. Ia "Fashions in Love," Adolpe Menjou gives a polished portrayal in the leading rola. He is seen as a gay philanderer whosa engaging manner attracts a young woman who imagines herself to be in lovq with him. . j

TIVOLI AND RIALTO.

Two enjoyable films dealing with widely different isuojects are now showing at th« Tivoli and Rialto Theatres. The principal attraction is "Love Comes Along,'* a picture dealing with the adventures of a blase young woman who finds love in an unexpected manner. The leading players are Dolores Del Rio and Edmund Lowe. Tho second film is "Woman to Woman." In both pictures tho dialogue is excellent, and tho sound effects particularly clear.

SANDRINGHAM CINEMA,

Ono of the finest English talking pictures yet made, "Under the Greenwood Tree," will be screened at the Sandringham Cinema to-day. Based on Thomas Hardy's notable book, it reproduces with great beauty and accuracy rural life at tho opening of last century. The principal is John Batten, an Aucklarider, who has made a namo for himself on the English stage. Tho second attraction is "Painted Faces."

BOHEMIAN ORCHESTRA

Tho Bohemian Orchestra will give its third concert of the current season at the Town Hall on Thursday, September 25. The programme will includo excerpts from the works of Wagner,, Hayan, Cherubini and Alfred Hill. The soloists for the occasion will be Miss Joan Laird, vocalist, and Master Harold Tabernerj violinist.