ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20819, 11 March 1931, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE. British humour is- presented- in its most entertaining form in '• A Warm Corner," the hilarious farce which will close a successful season at tho Regent Theatre tomorrow. Mr. Leslie Henson, the noted London stage comedian,revels .in the part of a self-made and blundering manufacturer of an infallible corn plaster. His arrival at Lido, the fashionable European watering place near Venice, is the prelude to a succession of uproariously funny episodes. Miss Connie Ediiss,' th(S 'accomplished character, actress who won ; jnany admirers when she toured New Zealand a few years ago, makes an admirable foil for Mr. Ilenson's humour, as a pompous woman of mature years, whose opinions are always at variance with those of tho rich manufacturer. Miss Ruth Chatterton, tho talented emotional actress of "Sarah and Son" and " Madame X," is again partnered with Clive Brook in "The Better Wife," which will replaco " A Warm Corner" on Friday. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. A comedy-drame of an unusual typo, " The Princess and the Plumber," will.be shown again at St. James' Theatre today. Sot in a mythical kingdom in south-eastern Europe, the picture is a fantasy in which the fom'anco between a young plumbing engineer who poses as a duke, and the beautiful young princess of the little state,, provides opportunities for many delightful scenes. A musical score that includes a number of appealing lyrics and choruses is a feature of the production. Charles Farrell and Maureen O'Sullivan are the principals. Oi} Friday,' the powerful drama " Outward Bound," based on Sutton Vane's sensational stage success, will open a season. Its reception in England arid America was such that it was shortly after translated into most of the European languages, repeating its success throughou the Continent. The cast chosen for the screen version is a notable one, and critics state that tho play has gained by its transfor. enco to the screen. STRAND THEATRE. • John Gilbert; who will bo remembered chiefly for his portrayals on the, silent screen opposite Greta Garbo, is no longer the suave and sophisticated lover he was formerly. In " Way of a Sailor, the invigorating story ot the British mercantile marine, which is proving popular at the Strand Theatre, ho appears as a virile and care-free seaman who roams tho suven seas in search of adventure in. company with another engaging character, played by Wallace Beery. Claudette Colbert, the appealing actress of " Tho Big Pond" and " Manslaughter," makes a charming leading lady.-in "Young Man From Manhattan," to be shown on Friday. Charles Ruggles is in the title role. PLAZA THEATRE. Tho frozen wastelands of Alaska form the background for an engrossing drama in " The Silver Horde," the film version of tho widely-read novel by_ Rex Beach, which is holding the attention of large audiences at the Plaza Theatre,' Ihe spirit of tho Alaskan fishermen who eked out a precarious existence on the treacherous fishing grounds has been _ perfectly captured by the producers and is capably interpreted by the Into Louis Wolheim, Raymond Hfitton, Joel McCrea, Evelyn Brent, Jean Arthur and Blanche Sweet. . \ ' MAJESTIC THEATRE. Sir Gerald Du Maurier's dramatic stage play of post-war London social life, " The Dancers," convincingly transferred to the talking screen by the Fox studios, in being shown at the Majestic Theatre under tho title " London's Gay Youth." Miss Lois Moran, the attractive artist of " Not Damaged," givos an appealing characterisation as a young woman of wealth who plights her troth to a fervent but penniless! youth who £oes to Canada to earn his fortune. : During his absence the girl is cfiught up in the mad swirl of false gaiety of social • life and when her fiancee returns Unexpectedly her sincerity prompts her- to confess her unfaithfulness. " WHITE HELL OF PITZ PALU." One of the most amazing pictures ever filmed, " The White Hell of Pitz Palu," will open a season at the Majestic Theatre on Friday. It tells a gripping story of three people at tho mercy of tho terrific forces of a storm in the high Alps of Switzerland. The picture was filmed by a continental company on the mighty Palu peak and the spectacular photography gives a vivid idea of the terrific avalanches find crevasses that make the lesser known parts of the Alps so deadly for all except the most experienced alpinists. The human story unfolded contains an inspiring romance. LYRIC THEATRE. Excellent entertainment is. provided by the double feiature programme at the Lyric Theatre. The first attraction is . "The Big Pond," in which the charming Wrench actor, Maurice Chevalier, is given a role that- suits him, perfectly, The ; picture abounds in humour, while numerous song numbers are added 1 attractions. 3n "Strictly Unconventional,"" the- second main picture, a witty story of modern h e is told. Lewis Stone, and Catherine Dale Owen play the leading parts.

TIVOLt AND RIALTO THEATRES. The carefree spirit of the South Seas is captured delightfully by " Hell Harbour, the well-produced film which will be screened at the Tivoli and Rialto Theatres this.evening;. " Anybody's War," which will also be shown, is an hilarious comedy in which Moran and Mack, the " Tv.'o Black Crows," appear. TUDOR THEATRE. Bright comedy abounds in "Up the River," to bo screened at the Tudor Theatre this evening. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE. A stirring story of the sea is told in "The Sea Wolf," which will be shown at the Prince Edward Theatre to-day. VICTORIA THEATRE. "Mamba" and "Spring is Here," combining drama and light musical comedy, will be the attractions at the Victoria Theatre this evening. SANDRINGHAM CINEMA. "Ladies Love Brutes" and one of the amusing Laurel and Hardy comedies will be screened at the Sandnngham Cinema Theatre this evening. BRITANNIA THEATRE. Tho attractions at the Britannia Theatre (his evening will be "Tho Devil's Holiday " and " Her Man." GREY LYNN CINEMA. " The Cohens and Kcllys in Scotland," at the Grey Lynn Cinema this evening, is one of the most amusing of tho wellknown series. .' CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE. Tense action, humour and a splendid musical score are combined in tho screen version of the musical comedy, " The Desert Song," which will be shown at the Crystal Palaco Theatre this evening. CAPITOL THEATRE. "Wild Company," a picture with a cleverly conceived story, will be shown at the Capitol Theatre this evening.

: CIVIC THEATRE. jp. G. Wodehouse, the popular English humorist, has given of-his best in "Those Three French Girls," his first dialogue picture written specially for the. screen, which is delighting audiences at the Civio Theatre. No more suitable actor than Reginald Denny, the accomplished English comedian, could have been chosen for the lending character as the boisterous and somewhat irresponsible nephew of the Earl of Appleton, whose frivolities in Paris land him in prison. His adventures there with two Slightly inebriated Americans, played by Cliff Edwards and Ed-. ward Brophy, and three vivacious French damsels (Fifi. Dorsay,. Yola D'Avril and Sandra Ravel) pftvido the bulk of the comedy in which the film abounds. Miss Billie Dove, the beautiful actress of innumerable . silent pictures, makes an attractive figure of the central feminine character 'in " .Sweethearts and Wives," which will be shown together with /• " Courage." a moving story of mother love, on Friday. ... ROXY THEATRE. Constance Bennett, the acomplished actress of " Common Clay," gives a restrained dramatic portrayal of a society heiress in " Rich People," which is ono of the two full-length pictures to be shown at the Roxy Theatre to-day. As a young woman whom wealth places high on the social scale above tho man she loves, Miss Bennett has been allotted-a difficult role, but she brings to it tho same sincerity which marked her performance in her last picture. The supporting cast includes Polly Ann Young, a sister., of Loretta Young, Robert Ames, Regis Toomey, Ilka"" Chase and John Loder. Tense 'drama characterises " The Racketeer," the second picture, which concerns the hopeless love of a leader of the underworld for a' woman of high social standing. . NATIONAL THEATRE. In " Monte Carlo," tho lavish Paramount musical romance which will be shown at" the National Theatre again to<lav, Ernst Lnbitsch, tho accomplished director of " Tho Love Parade, has pioduccd a photoplay of high artistic merit. Among the many, novel touches ho has introduced are the. singing of a song by Jeanctte MacDonaJd in the train winch is carrying her to freedom, in with tho motion and noise of the locomotive. EMPRESS THEATRE. The noted English character /ictor, Cyril Maude, takes the role of an eccentric and hot-tempered but loveable old gentleman in " Grumpy," which will be screened at the Empress Theatre this evening.