ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21049, 7 December 1931, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

MAJESTIC! THEATRES. Otto Harbach and! Jerome Ke-irn, rioted stage...lihrettists, wrote the story- and composed the music for the novel espionage drama of the war, "Men of the Sky," which seems assured of great Buccess at tile Majestic Theatre. The film gives a splendid insight into the methodn adopted by both the French and the German intelligence services even before the actual conflict. Irene Delroy acts with charm and grace as the heroine and Jiick Whiting brings youthful freshness to the part of the hero. Several catchy songs are introduced in the gorgeous cabaret scenes of Paris night life. Charlie Murray and Charles Sidney aro very amusing in a comedy which is prominent among the supporting items. TWO NEW FILMS FOR MAJESTIC. To celebrate the sixth anniversary of the opening of the Majestic Theatre, the management has secured films representing the best produced by the two Hollywood studios whose films will he shown during the 1932 season. Fox, producers of "Daddy Long Legs" and "IVansatlantic," have maintained a high level in "The Spider," in which Edmund Lowe and Lois Moran appear. "Sidewalks of New York," the second film 0:1 the programme. to follow "Men of the Sky" on Friday, came-from the Metro-Gold wynMayer studios. STRAND THEATRE. Roberts Rhinehart's Vi'idely-read novel, "Lost Ecstacy" has lost none of its essential appeal by its transil'eremce to the talking screen as "I 1 Etke This Woman," now being shown at the Strand Theatre. Gary' Cooper, as the taciturn cowboy with an underlying determination, and Carole Lombard, in the part of a capricious city girl, both act well andl present the problom o:l: a hasty marriage sincerely and with conviction. An innovation to be instituted on Wednesday in the continuous screening from 10.30 a.m. of a fine double-feature programme. The opening films will be "Bachelor Father," with Marion Davies and C. Aubrey Smith, and "Passion Flower," in which Kay Francis and Charles Bickford appear. REGENT THEATRE. "East of Borneo," now in the second and final week of its season at the Regent Theatre, uses the dangers of the junglo as a vivid background for a vital human drama of love and regeneration. It presents an amazing succession of scenes of unloosed savagery among man and beast almost unbelievablo in their stark realism. There are a terrifying encounter between a defenceless native and ferocious tiger, a race for his life by another nativo in a crocodile-infested river which gives him scant chance of escape, and the eruption of a mighty volcano, the lava of which gradually obliterates the tiny village at the foot qf. the mountain. The plot of the story is skilfully interpreted by Rose Holbart, an austerely beautiful actress, Charles Bickford and Charles Renavent. Cecil B. de Mille, one of the most notable directors in Hollywood, was responsible for tho latest version of '-'The | Squaw Man," to succeed "East of BorI neo" on Friday. CIVIC THEATRE. ! An authentic English atmosphere has been preserved in "Born to Love," the i vivid emotional drama in which Coni stance Bennett, the gifted actress of j "Common Clay," plays a difficult role ! with distinction. It should prove popular at the Civic Theatre, where it is being shown this week. Not only does j Miss Bennett give a superb performance, : but all the other artists act well. Joel | McCrea is splendid as the idealistic hero j and Paul Cavanagh, an accomplished Eng- | i list actor, is suitably urbane as a some- | what harsh military officer. A lovable ; character is portrayed by Frederick Kerr, j the veteran actor of "The Devil to Pay" | and "Raffles." Lewis Milestone, the in- ; dividualistic director of "All Quiet on the ! Western Front," has scored another trii umph with his film version of "The' Front i Page," the impelling drama of ruthleSs tactics of American journalism, to replace '-'Born to Love" on Friday. It is satire at its best. ST. JAMES' THEATRE, "My Wife's Family," now being shown at St. James' Theatre, :is undoubtedly one of the most uproariously finny films which has yet reached the talcing screen. No ono who sees this hilarious comedy of an ever-suspicious mother-ii-law's confusion between a "baby grand" and a "grand baby" will fail to be heartily amused by the strange antics of the illassorted household. Each character is a masterpiece of comic artistry. There are tho grossly misunderstood young husband, played by Geno Gerrard, his incredulous wife (Muriel Anechs) and the domineering mother-in-law of popular imagination, cleverly caricatured by Amy Veness. Jimmy Godden, of the 1923 Elsie Prince company, makes a welcomo reappearance as an itinerant charlatan doctor, and there is also a most amusing cross-eyed village policoman. TIVOLI THEATRE. The romance of modern air travel is captured perfectly in "The Flying Fool," tho engrossing English aviation film now being presented at the Tivoli Theatre. The story is splendidly acted by Henry Kendall, Benita Ilurao and Ursula, Jeans. EPSOM REGENT THEATRE. Robert Woolsey is very funny as a quack side-show proprietor in "Everything's Rosie," which will head tho double-feature programmo at the Epsom Regent Theatre this evening. The other film is "Rango,' 1 an artistic jungle film. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE. Two splendid films will bp shown again at the Prince Edward Theatre to-day. They are "Shipmates," in which Robert Montgomery appears as a somewhat renegade sailor, and "Going Wild," with Joe E. Brown. CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE. Wallace Beery, the gruff sailor in "Min and Bill," plays, tho part of a Chicago slaughterman turned racketeer in "The Secret Six," the ruthless satire on tho prohibition situation in the United States, to be shown at tho Crystal Pr.laco Theatre this evening. RIALTO THEATRE." Grim satire is the dominant note of "The Secret Six," tho crime film which will head the programme at. the Rialto Theatre to-day. Wallace Beery, Lewis Stone, Jean Harlow, Clark Gable and John Mack Brown are the leading players. LYRIC THEATRE "Follow the Leader," a musical comedy, and "Reaching for the Moon" (Bebe Daniels and Douglas Fairbanks) comprise tho films at the Lyrie Theatro this evening. TUDOR CINEMA. Tom Walls is most amusing in "Canaries Sometimes Sing," Frederick Lonsdale's sparkling, comedy of manners, to head the programme at tho Tudor Cinema this evening. ORGAN RECITAL. A well-chosen selection of organ works was given by Mr. Maughan Barnett, city organist, at a recital in tho Town Hall yesterday afternoon. Compositions by Tschaikowski, Bach, Schubert, Wesley and Benedict were included in the pro- : gramme. * I

NATIONAL THEATRE., Conan Doyle's engrossing mystery, story, "The Speckled Band," has been, brought to the screen by the Elstree studios. Interpreted by a remarkably fine cast of English players, it is being presented at the National Theatre this week. It is without question one of the most impressive English dramas which has yet been screened in Auckland. Sherlock Holmes, the famous detective of fiction, is skilfully portrayed by Raymond Massey. The part of Dr. Watson is ably impersonated by Athole Stewart. The other principal role, the sinister and unscrupulous Dr. Rylott, is played with an appropriately menacing air by Lyn Harding. The atmosphere of suspense has been deftly sustained by the director.