ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20827, 20 March 1931, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE.

STRAND THEATRE.

ST. JAMES' THEATRE.

ROXY THEATRE.

I CIVIC THEATRE.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. >

NATIONAL THEATRE. , r v

PLAZA THEATRE.

TIVOLI AND RIALTO THEATRES.

The romance of the beautiful and impetuous milliner, Jeannette Vauhernier, who later commanded the favours of Louis XV. of France, has been vividly transferred to the talking screen in "Du Barry, Woman of Passion," which will succeed "The Better Wife" at the Regent Theatre to-day. No more gifted actress than Miss Norma Talmadge, one of the most talented of silent picture actresses, could have been chosen for the part of the woman who is torn between the love of an ardent commoner and the luxury bestowed upon her by the King and his retinue. In spite of the affection she feels for the handsome Cosse do Brissao, a young private in the King's Guards, Jeannette is swayed by the adulation of the nobility which frequents the notorious La Gourdan gambling saloon. Young princes and ola dukes aliko clamour for her favours. At the opera one ovening she is seen and openly admired by the King, who plans her marriage to the eiffete Comte Du Barry, but although she has every manner of luxury lavished upon her, the woman yearns for the love of the dashing de Brissac. The King upbraids her for her ingratitude, and, against the advice of the Minister of State, plans a gorgeous fete at which the chief attraction is to be the hostile and revolutionary de Brissac. Incensed by the action of the Facto de Famine, which has raised the price of brea.d to an exorbitant figure by purchasing all the available supplies of grain, tho populace is on (he verge of rebellion and tho King's prodigality in arranging the fete goads the mob to desperation. The populace storms the palace gates and Jeannette is taken to prison with tho cry "The Guillotine for Du Barry." Tho final scenes form a thrilling climax to a narrative of real dramatic strength. Tho notable cast includes William Farnum, as the egotistic Louis XV., and Conrad Nagel, in the part of the idealistic Cosse d« Brissac, who renounces the cause of the revolutionists when his pleas for Madame Du Barry's life are unavailing and who prepares to meet his death at the guillotine with her.

"Men of the North," which will bo screened at the Strand Theatre to-day is an exhi]arating adventure-romance of the snow country of the Canadian NorthWest. The plot traces the varying fortunes of Louis the Fox, a French-Canadian trapper wrongfully suspected of robbery, his adventures on the blizzard-swepi; fastnesses and the rescue of his pursuer at the risk of his own life and freedom. Roland Young is an impelling character as the hunted trapper, and Miss Barbara Leonard, who contributed a delightful study as the secretary of "Sam's" father in "Son of the Gods," makes a thoroughly charming heroine. Magnificent settines of the high sierras form the majestic background for the fast-moving picture and thrilling dog-sled races and ski-jumping help to carry the action along at a swift pace. The film was directed by Hal Roach, the creator of the numerons "Our Gang" and Laurel and Hardy comedies. The production is the first talking picture to be released simultaneously all over the world, having also been made with different casts in French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Will Rogers, aptly describedj a:s "thi*! world's cheeriest philosopher," yho gave Auckland filmgoers some taste of hi:s comic artistry in "They Had to See Paris" and "So This is London," has been eagerly awaited in "Lightnin," which; will commence a season at St. James' Theatre today. In the part that Horace Hodges made famous on the London stage, he appears as the bibulous landlord of a hostelry through which runs tha frontier of, the "divorce .State" of Nevada, a situation which presents obvious difficulties to sheriffs and divorce seekers alike as part, of the hotel is within the law and part of it is' not. That alone is sufficiently amusing. The bulk of the comedy comes from the pointed and homely wit at the expense of matrimonial relations in general, an atmosphere eminently suited to the sly art of Mr. Rogers. He receives splendid support from Louise Dresser, in the part of his pompous wife, with whom "Lightnin* Bill" is forever in conflict, Jason Robards, and a number of players who give some deft charactersketches of various types of divorceseekers.

As a swashbuckling soldier of fortune who needs very littlo encouragement where women are concerned, Vict-or McLaglen is an engaging character jn "A Devil With Women," now at the Roxy Theatre. He imparts to his portrayal the same vigour and whole-heartedness which characterised his performances in "What Price Glory?", "The Cock-eyed World" and "The Black Watch." The fastmoving story is set in a picturesque mythical Central American republic and the plot has as its pivot the attempts to smuggle machine guns and ammunition to the revolutionists. McLaglen has the part of a customs guard who is an attraction to all the beautiful women in the district where he makes his headquarters. ,

CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE. Many of the strange sights of equatorial Africa are captured by the talking picture camera for the first time in "Africa Speaks," at present at the Crystal Palafle. Theatre. The second picture is "True to the Navy," with Clara Bow. TUDOR THEATRE. Vivienne Segal and Louise Fazenda appear in " Bride of the Regiment " at the Tudor Theatre this evening. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE. " Son of the Gods," with Richard j Barthelmess, and " Mountain Justice i comprises the two main films at the Prince ! Edward Theatre to-day. VICTORIA THEATRE. " The Thirteenth Chair " and " Troopers Three " are being shown at the Victoria Theatre this evening. LYRIC THEATRE. "The Sea Bat," which heads the doublefeature progranuno at the Lyric Theatre this evening, is a tropical romantic drama. " Pardon My Gun " is an invigorating ad-venture-romance. EMPRESS THEATRE. "Rich People," with Miss Constance Bennett, and "The Racketeer," a gripping melodrama, are' the main films at the Empress Theatre this evening. MOUNT ALBERT DE LUXE. , . Bert Wheeler and Robert Wciolsey appoar in "Half Shot at Sunrise" at the Mount Albert De Luxe Theatre this evening. WEST END THEATRE. Mr. George Arliss is splendid; in "£)israeli" at the Yiest End Theatre this ingALEXANDRA THEATRE. "Grumpy," featuring Cyril Maude, will be shown *it the Alexandra Theatre this ' evening. EPSOM REGENT THEATRE. Cyril Maude gives a splendid characterisation in "Grumpy" at the Lpsom «» gent Theatre this evening.

Mr. Edgar Wallace, the celebrated author and playwright, known the world over for his innumerable "thrillers," has given of his best in "The Yellow Mask," whish will open a season at the Civics Theatre to-day. Produced at Elstree, tho film version of his noted stage success ii:l canibly interpreted by accomplished Englifj.) artists, prominent among whom ar<» Lupino Lane, the inimitable comedian of tbo London stage; Dorothy Seacombe, a charming and gifted actress; Warwick Ward and Winnie Collins. Although thik nature of the plot is essentially melo-. dramatic, it cimbines the mystery of thi> cor ventional "crook" drama with tho broad humour and entrancing melody of u musical play The playwright has worked out his plot logically, and the interest of the audience is raised to a high pitch aj o)ie startling occurrence succeeds another, Coaling with the audacious theft in London of valuable crown jewels, the story ij- rich in gorgeous settings amid tho luxury of fashionable London society life. In addition to glimpses of the night life of tho West End, there are scenes of the changing of the guard at the Tower of T,o:idon and other traditional events associated with London. Commencing at tho afternoon session to-day, a musical sketch, "You Learn About Women from Me, J " wiil be presented on -the stage by Chan. Kelt and Ivor Woir, of New York.

Edward Everett Horton, the timid city rum with a falso reputation as a horstimn in "The Hottentot,"-and the reputed authority on flying of the "Aviu--1o::," gives a characteristic portrayal of jit " turning worm" in " Wide Open," which is to commence a season at the Majestic Theatre to-day. Ho appears us n prosaic book-keeper in a city gramophone concern, who conceals his invention of an improved gramophone needle ;ird a new method of accounting thi"Ouj;h feir of the derision of his follow employees. His strange inferiority complnx is heightened by the mortifying and persistent advances of the unprepossessing office stenographer, portrayed by the inimitable Louise Fazenda. And the fact that an amorous interlude between t' no two people has been reproduced on a record by the office " bully" for the enlightenment of the remainder of the staff does nothing to add to his composure. Followed by Agatha and tire threat of b:reach of promise the unfortunate man seeks refuge at his home, where he finds a charming girl sheltering from a rain storm and the story soon develops alo;ng the lines of true romance. Miss _ Patsv E.uth Miller again makes a delightful leading lady in support of Horton. '"The F.oad to Paradise," with Loretta Young; and Jack Mulhall. is the second picture.

" French Leave," which will open; a season at the National Theatre to day, begins as a comedy and ends on n note of hilarious farce. Produced in England at the Elstree studios, the uproarious wartime skit is said to be even more am|i.siag than " Splinters," shown in Auckland some months ago. The quandary of a young officer whose wife, halving grown lonely,* arrives at the Front rf-o meet her husband, has been used ail ;t.he tapis of a ludicrously funny picture. Th® general and his retinue, which includes fche young husband, are billeted at a French country inn, where the pretty wife, posing «is a French maid, becomes the centre of Jidmiration for the group of infatuated f.oldiers. In spite of his discomfiture the young man does not dare confess the truth for fear of the wrath of the general. The principal players are Miss Madeline Carroll, of"Flscape" and "Young Wood-' ley," as Juliette, Haddon Mason, in the role of the jealous husband, Arthur Chesney, who makes a splendid general, and Sidney Howard, the ardent but scorned orderly.

I Described by a critical London journal as " The most gloriously British film which has reached the screen," John Galsworthy's " Escape," at the Fliifca Theatre is meeting with an appreciative reception ■ from Auckland filmgoersi, Sir Gerald Du Maurier, the noted actor-play-wright, re-creates for the screen ft role fie made famous on the stage as the cultured, and refined English clubman who is made the victim of a cruel fate and is convicted on a charge of manslaughter. He brings light and shade to a difficult role trays the gradual transformation in the life of the debonair- Englishman. His defence of a woman when , she is accused of an offence by a detective, a scuffle in which the police officer is accidentally killed; the gentleman's imprisonment; his daring escape; and the harbouring of him by women of every class are all episodes in the- intensely dramatic story.a>- .

Henry King's "The Eyes of the World,'' in which the director has used the piotorial values of the settings to convey varying moods in the narrative, vrill.vb® shown at lithe Tivoli and Rialto Theatres for the first time this evening. Una Merkel invests with considerable charm the difficult role of a young girl embittered wifh life through the vengeance of her cruel step-mother. Fate has given her little happiness in life until she comes into contact with Aaron King, a struggling young painter. This part is taken by John Holland, a young actor <\ho first attained prominence in " Hell Harbour." The picture as a whole is full of drama and great human interest.

REFORM LEAGUE CONCERT. A varied selection of items will!■ be given at a concert to be held in the Lewis Eady Mall by the Eden branch of the New Zealand Political Reform Uafiue to-morrow evening. Miss Sarah bts.cpoolo will sin? "One Morning Very lEarly and "I Did Not Know"; Mr. NWUe Walker (violin) will plav "Hej Ifcj, by Drrlla, and the of Wieniowski: and items will also he given by Miss M. Home, Miss Peggy Holmes, Misi' Cecelia Pringle, Miss 0. Stepbeiifon, Mrs. H. Armstrong Kevin, Mr. H. Burry, Mr. H. Jessop and Mr. A. L. Griffiths.