ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20866, 7 May 1931, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE. • " Playboy of Paris," in which the engaging French actor Maurice Chevalier acts and sings with his customary irresistible charm, will be shown at the Regent Theatre for the last time this evening. Ho has the part of a millionaire-waiter who is forever endeavouring to keep his menial occupation a secret front his innumerable feminine admirers. Ihe musical score includes two entrancing songs, " My Ideal " and " It's a Great Life if You Don't Weaken." • In a part designed especially to suit his particular accomplishments, Chovalier romps through a succession of piquant episodes, in which his magnetic personality and whimsical charm are just as evident as they were in his former successes, "The Love Parade," " The Innocents of Paris" and " The Big Pond." " FEET FIRST." Harold Lloyd, tlio inimitable comedian whose unique typo of humour was seen in its most entertaining form in " Safety Last," his first talking picture, again blends comedy and thrilling action in " Feet First," to replace " Playboy of Paris" at the Regent Theatre to-morrow. As an ambitious assistant in a large shoe emporium, whose plan to pose as a millionaire in order to impress a beautiful girl with whom he has become infatuated, Lloyd has the type of role at which he excels. His efforts to "crash" a fashionable society ball are only the prelude to a succession of uproariously funny episodes, in the course of which he finds himself on board the transpacific liner Malolo without a ticket; is forced to conceal himself in a mail bag, only to be carried in it on a ship-to-shore aeroplane;, and is finally deposited in a precarious position on a painters' scaffolding high above the buildings of Honolulu. Then follow the breath-taking escapades many feet above city streets which characterise every film in which the comedian appears. " CITY LIGHTS." Unprecedented eagerness to see ChSrles Chaplin's film " City Lights," which has created a sensation wherever it has been presented, is being shown by Auckland fttmgoors. It will commenco a season at the Regent Theatre on Friday week and will be shown only for a limited time. The box plans will be opened at the theatre this morning and indications are that booking will be exceptionally heavy. Mr. Chaplin has retained all the characteristics of the whimsical tramp ho has endeared to millions the world over and the film is notable for the fact that there is no spoken dialogue. ST. JAMES* THEATRE. It would be difficult to suggest more appropriate principals than Miss Marie DresSler and Wallace Beery for the titleroles in " Min and Bill," the waterfront comedy-drama which continues to delight large audiences at St. James' Theatre, where it is approaching the second week of its season. Writing of the film in a reputable English journal a critical reviewer says: "As the sharp-tongued proprietress of a wharfside ' joint,' Miss Dressier is given an opportunity to run the whole gamut of her unique ability, from screamingly funny farce through all the stages of her practically, but most unemotionally, expressed affection for her foster child, to a moment of supremely beautiful tenderness. Her tigerish pro tection of the girl from her grasping, dissolute mother at the swift, tragic end, is a masterly piece of dramatic cha*- ( acterisation. As to Wallace Beery, no praise can be too high for his sea-cap-tain, perennial lodger and indomitably faithful friend. It i.s a perfect performance of quiet humour and implicit power." LONDON THEATRE. "The W Plan," the distinctive English film which will close a season at the London Theatre this evening, is a thrilling story of the activities of spies during the war. It traces the frustration of a German plan to pierce the English defences by means of a secret underground tunnel. Clive Brook and Evelyn Brent are the leading players in "Slightly Scarlet," the Continental adventure-romance dealing with the activities of a master jewel criminal, to be shown at the theatre tomorrow. The romantic interest of the is well sustained throughout and the film also abounds in suspense and excitement. Paul Lukas, who, since his appearance in this picture, has, reached the top flight of talking picture artists, has the part of the criminal leader. Claudo Allister, the duke of "Monte Carlo," and Eugene Palette keep the comedy element at a high point. PLAZA THEATRE. Catering more especially for children, the management of the Plaza Theatre will present Zane Grey's engrossing outdoor adventure-romance "Fighting Caravans" for a season commencing to-day. An added attraction at the main afternoon session will be a stage performance by Clancy's performing dogs and monkeys and an act by Charles Valentine, -ventriloquist. "Fighting Caravans" is a . fast-moving, racy narrative of the adventures which befall Clint Belmet, a care-free young scout for a gigantic caravan train. It is this role which allows Gary Cooper, the engaging actor of "The Virginian" and, more recently, "The Texan," to wear picturesque clothes and generally to perforin those feats of daring and heroism at which he excels. No more beautiful actress than Lily Dainita, the French artist who appeared opposite Ronald Colman in "The Rescue," could have been chosen for the part of a young woman who is made the victim of an hilarious subterfuge. Character studies - are contributed by Tully Marshall, Ernest Torrence and Fred Kohler.

STRAND THEATRE. The beautifully-photographed pioneering epic of the early settlement of Kentucky, "The Great Meadow," will have its final screening at. the Strand Theatre this evening. The principals are Eleanor Boardman, John Mack Brown and Gavin Gordon. Sophisticated comedy-drnjna is presented in its most delightful form in "The Boudoir Diplomat," the amusing story of the love affairs of a philandering nobleman in a tiny European kingdom, which will succeed "The Great Meadow" tomorrow. It is notable for the return to screen prominence of Miss Betty Compson, one of the most gifted of silent-pic-ture artists. Others in the cast are lan Keith. '!iss Jeanefle Loff, of "King of Jazz," Mary Duncan, Lawrence Grant and Lionel Belmore.

CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE. Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey are even more amusing in "Hook, Line and Sinker," at the Crystal Palace Theatre this evening than they wero in "Half Shot at Sunrise" and "The Cuckoos." "Queen High" will also bo shown. EMPRESS THEATRE. Walter Huston, 0. P. Heggie and Dorothy Revier appear in "The Bad Man" at the Empress Theatre to-day. A second picture is "Maybe It's Love," with Joe E. Brown and Joan Bennett. EPSOM REGENT THEATRE. "Monte Carlo" and "Oh, For a Man" will be shown at tho Epsom Regent Theatre this evening. LYRIC THEATRE. Clemence Dano'i mystery play "Enter Sir John,"-and "Lovin' the Ladies," in which Richard Dix appears, are tho main films at the Lyric Theatre -this evening.

CIVIC THEATRE. " Sin Takes a Holiday," the subtly humorous satire of modern social conventions, to be presented at the Civic Theatre for the last tiimo this evening, is dis tinguished the artistic manner of its production and tho excellence of the acting of an. imposing array of accomplished artists. Miss Constance Bennett, of " Son of the Gods" and " Common Clay," makes a charming, leading lady, and Kenneth McKenna and Basil Rathbone, both English artists, act their parts to perfee tiori. •• THE BACHELOR FATHER." "The Bachelor Father" is the ingenious title of the film version of the David Belasco stage comedy success in which the delightful comedienne Marion Davies goes to the Civic Theatre to-morrow. She makes, a whimsical character of a young woman of no culture —a nonentity, of Hogan's Alley"—who " crashes" the exclusive society of London and finally, wins tho love of a wealthy Englishman and the affection of her " bachelor father. Miss Davies will be remembered for her delightful portrayal in the satire of the social life of the end of last century, "In the Gay Nineties." A number of talented English stage players «ppe al j in prominent supporting roles. C. Aubrey Smith well known on the London stage, was especially chosen tor the part of the aged English peer. Ralph Forbes, of " The Lady of Scandal," is splendid as the leading man, and others in the cast are Doris Lloyd, the spy of " Disraeh and the genuine aunt of Charley s Aunt"; David Torrence, the detective of "Raffles"; Edgar Norton, the butler of " Common Clay"; Halliwell Hobbes and Elizabeth Murray. Tho winner of yesterday's street competition was Mr. \\ el's, of Morningsidc. MAJESTIC THEATRE " Men On Call," the drama of the perils and hardships endured by the United States coastguardsmen, which is to close a season at vhe Majestic theatre this evening, enables the resourceful actor Edmund Lowe to add yet another type of characterisation to his already varied list. Ho appears as a petty officer in the service who regains the affection of a formei lover by his dauntless courage in an ocean rescue. All the picturesque charm of ancient Bagdad lives again in the lavish screen version of " Kismet, which wil be presented to-morrow. Otis is splendid as " the rascal of Bagdad a beggar by trade and a king by inclination—whose ambition is realised for a brief space. The cast of gifted supporting artists includes Miss Loretta loung and David Manners, of "The Truth About, Youth;" Sidney Blackmer, who was last seen in " Sweethearts and Wives." as the , truant husband; Ford Sterling, the comedian, whose best performance was in "Sally;" Bfancho Fredarici, the dowdy stenographer of "'J he Office Wife; Montague Love and 'I lieodore Von Eltz

NATIONAL THEATRE. The successful season of "The Santa Fp Trail" will be brought to a conclusion at the National Theatre to-day. In it, Richard Arlen, the young actor of outdoor roles, takes the part of a pioneer ranchman who is forced to "trek" with his herds and flocks through countless dangers in search of the wonderful virgin country he has been told of. To-morrow: "The Silent Enemy," a picture of an unusual type and of absorbing interest, will open a season. Filmed among the primitive Indians, it gives a thrilling picture of savage life., through which a love story of rare charm is woven. All the players are Indians, who act amid the very ravines, plains and villages where they have spent their lives. Most had never serti a camera before the filmng of the picturo was commenced. TIVOLI THEATRE. William Powell, whose portrayals of S. S. Van Dine's Philo Vance, the Sherlock Holmes of American. detective fiction, won him many admirers, gives a fine performance in "Shadow of the Law, at the Tivoli Theatre. In a role somewhat similar to the part he played in "Street of Chance," the actor appears as a young man who is made the victim of cruel ciicumstanco and a woman s vengeance. "French Leave," a delightful English farce, will head the programme commencing to-moiTOW. RIALTO THEATRE. To see "Let's Go Native," which is proving popular at the Rialto Theatre, is to sample a delightful American farce set to entrancing music. Miss Jeanette Mac Donald, who will be remembered as the princess of "The Vagabond and the queen of "The Love Parade, shows her aptitude for light comedy as an ultra-modern modiste who becomes ininterested in a scheme to take a party of musical comedy artists to the Argentine. To-morrow "Grumpy," in which Cvril Maude re-creates his famous character foi tho screen, will be shown. KINGSLAND ENTERTAINMENT. A performance will be given by Malzoni, hypnotist, magician, violinist and ventriloquist, in the Jubilee Hall, Kingsland, this evening.