ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20791, 6 February 1931, Page 17

ENTERTAINMENTS.

CIVIC THEATRE. A most unusual and exciting storv is unfolded in "Scotland Yard," the melodrama which will be screened for the y time at the Civic Theatre to-day Ihe main theme is the attempt of an impostor to usurp another man's place in society, including the affections of his wife, and in order to conform to tho unusual nature of the story, the principal, Edmund Lowe, takes a dual characterisation. As Dakin Barolles, a notorious thief, he brings to the screen a masterful portrayal *of an unscrupulous man of the underworld, matching his wits against the power of Scotland Yard. As Sir John Lasher, he is the personification of gentlemanly charm, culture and poiso. Joan Bennett, as Xandra Sir John Lasher's wife, is charming in the principal ferninine role. William K. Howard, who directed "GoocF Intentions" so effectively, has shown much skill in the direction of this, his latest picture. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. " Young Woodley," the screen version of the John Van Druten play, which aroused a storm of discussion among critics the world over when it was originally presented, will have its initial show-, ing at St. James' Theatre to-day. Dealing convincingly with the love of an adolescent schoolboy for the beautiful young wife of his master, the theme is skilfully interpreted by the cast of accomplished English players who portray the central characters. Frank Lawton plays the part of the eighteen-year-old David Woodley who, in the last term before he " goes up" to university, conceives an idealistic passion for his housemaster's wife, is detected and expellod because in an ungovernable rage he attempts to kill two schoolfellows who jeer at his infatuation. Lawton is equally as convincing as he was on tho stage. As the young wife who realises the hopelessness of tho boy's love'for her and her affection for him, Madeline Carroll, a gifted English actress, who was formerly a school teacher, imparts considerable dignity and charm to a difficult role. TIVOLI AND RIALTO THEATRES. Amazingly realistic scones of the strange and barbaric life of the centre of the "Dark Continent" are depicted in "Africa Speaks," the talking picture record of the Paul Hoefler Colorado African expedition, which will bo shown at the Tivoli and Rialto Theatres this evening. The expedition completely traversed central equatorial Africa, visiting tribes that had never before seen white men. Ono of the most thrilling episodes ever seen in pictures takes place when in the course of a lion hunt-, one of the native bearers falls a victim to an enraged lioness. The visitation by a ravenous swarm of locusts, which leave 3 a trail of denuded vegetation in its wake, is, perhaps, tile most unusual of a series of remarkable scenes. Other.sights captured for the first timo by the talking picture camera are the lake of flaming flamingoes; the flight of a herd of terrified bison at right angles to the path of the locusts, which devour every particle of vegetation, leaving nothing but gaunt, bare branches; and the hideous "duck-billed" wqmen of Übangi, who distort their lips as a sign of beauty by the insertion of increasingly large discs of wood. MAJESTIC THEATRE. An amusing story of the "education" of a young man about to inherit an estate of £87,000,000 is told in the Paramount comedy-drama, "Safety in Numbers/' which will open a season at the Majestic Theatre to-day. Charles "Buddy" Rogers is given a typical role as the rather ingenuous young man whose guardian uncle, deciding that the youth needs to become ased to the wiles of the world, sends him 4o New York to be the-guest of threo young Follies girls. Although the intention of the uncle had been to let the girls show him how hard women's hearts are, events turn out differently and an unexpected climax results, STRAND THEATRE. Adapted from the stage success, "Hawk Island,"• the Radio Pictures' film "Midnight Mystery," should thrill audiences at the Strand Theatre to-day, when it will commence a. season. Betty Compson and Lowell Sherman are in the two leading roles, and the supporting cast includes a number of other prominent artists. The story concerns the adventures of an illassorted party in a castle on a storm'beaten coast. All the action takes place within one night of electrifying adventure. The second attraction is an amusing comedy, in which Robert Montgomery and Dorothy Jordan take tho chief parts. A pleasing romance runs through tho story. A feature of the picture is the number of catchy songs included in the musical score. J t ROXY THEATRE. The story of a would-be social reformer, himself not above reproach, who has tho tables turned on him by a gay party of young people, provides much of tho humour in " Dumb-bells in Ermine," which heads the current programme at the Roxy Theatre. Robert Armstrong and Barbara Kent take the leading roles. Unusually dramatic entertainment is supplied by the second attraction, " The Love Racket," in which Dorothy Mackaill takes the leading role. The picture is based on a noted stage production, " The Woman on the Jury," and it shows in a realistic manner the unexpected repetition in a woman's life of a tragic incident.

EPSOM REGENT AND ALEXANDRA. "Dixiana," a story set among the picturesque days of the Southern States of America before the Civil War, will be shown at the Regent Theatre, Epsom, and the Alexandra Theatre this evening. Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey provide abundant comedy, while in the principal role the vivacious actress, Miss Bebe Daniels, makes a charming heroine. The action of the story moves rapidly and the interest of the audiences is held throughout. The culminating point of the story is most impressive, the spectacular scenes being filmed in technicolour. -LYRIC THEATRE. A stirring atory of a modern Robin Hood of the Russian steppes is told in "The Rogue Song," which will be screened at the Lyric Theatre this evening. Lawrence Tibbett, ono of the leading artists of the New York Metropolitan Opera Company, is in the leading role. CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE. An idyllic story of love in the South Seas forms the basis of " The Sea Bat," which heads the current programme at the Crystal Palace Theatre. Thrilling scenes of the underwater fights of divers with monsters of the deep are added points of interest in the film. " Danger Lights," an exciting film of railway life, will also be screened. EMPRESS THEATRE. 41 Dumb bells in " Ermine," a bright comedy, and " The Love Racket,'' in which tense drama predominates, will be screened at the Empress Theatre this evening. LUNA "PARK. The numerous and diversified tions of Luna Park continue to draw large crowds to the well-known entertainment which will close for good on Saturday. There is not only the personal pleasure of receiving thrills from the devices, but there is always the fun of watching others enjoy themselves. The park is open every ovening and a matinee is held on Saturday afternoons. A special bus from Queen Street is provided.

REGENT THEATRE.

"Canaries Sometimes Sing," the comedy of manners which will open a season at the Regent Theatre to-day, has just completed a very successful run at the Grand Opera House at Wellington. An entirely British production, the piece is the talking picture version of the play by Frederick Lonsdale, one of England's leading light dramatists. Two of his comedies, "On Approval" and "The Last of Mrs. Cheyney," have already been exceptional successes as talking films, and it is stated thai his third play to be filmed is even more suitable for the screen. Tom Walls and Athole Stewart are the two husbands in the marital tangle, which provides much of the amusement of the story, while Yvonne Arnaud and Kathleen Nesbit take the parts of the wives. Brilliant dialogue and amusing situations are responsible for keeping audiences contiuually in amusement. PLAZA THEATRE. Al, Jolson, whose performance in "The Singing Pool" was so enthusiastically received,, is the principal i n "Big Boy," tho Warner Brothers and Vitaphone production, which will head the splendid double-feature programme commencing at. tho Plaza Theatre to-day. As a likeable negro jockey, the artist is seen in a different type of role from usual, but he is equally as entertaining as ho was in his former picture. Action and humour are among tho factors which contribute to the undoubted success of the film, and the principal is heard in a number of appealing songs. Entirely different in type, but no less entertaining, is " The Way of All Men," an impelling drama of the reactions of ten men and a woman under stress. Based on Henning Berger's European success, the story deals with the dramatic situation which develops when a motley collection of people from every walk of life—a minister, a former actor, a confidence. man, a stock broker, an attorney, a saloon keeper, a bartender and a young millionaire are among them—are faced with tho prospect of almost certain death. NATIONAL THEATRE. Depicting tho salient features of the Crimean War and incorporating a delightful romantic interest, " Balaclava," the epic British talking film produced at Elstreo under the active supervision of the British War Office, will continue a successful Auckland season at the National Theatre to-day. Although tho charge of the Light Brigade, immortalised in verse by Lord Tennyson, occupies a prominent place in the action of the story, care has been taken by the producers not to allow the actual incidents of the campaign to dominate the action of a plot which is brimful of dramatic strength and emotional appeal. From the opening scene, in which a young officer of the 93rd Highlanders is provoked to a duel with a tyrannical sergeant of the 15th Hussars through tho latter's merciless treatment of a private, the story moves swiftly.