ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21111, 19 February 1932, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

MAJESTIC THEATRE,

A well-balanced entertainment is provided by the two full-length pictures which opened their Auckland season to an enthusiastic audience at the Majestic Theatre last evening. In the more .outstanding of the two, " Ambassador Bill," Will Rogers again proved himself to be ono of the best spokesmen for the homely, rugged and good-naturpd American spirit. As in his earlier successes, " They had to Stfa Paris" and " So This is London/' he portrayed a Western American in a foreign land, trying his hardest to accommodate himself to strange manners without losing his real personality. This time tho settings are laid in Sylvania, one of the well-known type of mock Central European kingdoms, so popular since Anthony Hope's well-known romances. Rogers arrives'by aeroplane just as a revolution is breaking out,-and it is typical of tho humour of the film that as he hears the bursts of gun-fire below him, he naively regards them as salutes of welcome, and is vastly honoured when |he finds that their number exceeds the customary 21 given to the President of the United States. His blunt, over-riding of court etiquette causes many exceedingly amusing scenes which, however, contain far more subtle humour than they might have done in the hands of'a less clever director than Samuel Taylor. It is not long before the new ambassador finds that tlie court is dominated by a sinister figure, Prince Polikoff, played excellently by Gustaf von Sciffertitz, who manipulates everything to his own ends. Through him the king has been induced to abdicate and his eight-year-old son is a mere figurehead. Rogers sets out earnestly to reconcile the king and queen, and to oust tho prince. The, way iri which he carries out his ends supplies a really exciting plot to a picture which could nevertheless stand most successfully by its humour alone. As it is, the combination of drama and wit make the film outstanding. In supporting roles, Marguerite Churchill, Greta Nissen and tho young lad, Tad Alexander, add much to tho interest of the picture. The second film, " The Maltese Falcon," has all tho elements of tense melodrama and it grips audiences from start to finish. A band of utterly unscrupulous individuals engage in a sheer battle of wits for the possession of an invaluable model of a falcon, said to be made of gold, covered with jewels, and to havo been originally the property of the Knights of St. John. The interplay of plot with counter-plot makes the action of the film exceptionally fast, and there is not a dull moment. Events move rapidly up to a most unexpected climax, which is perhaps more logical in its conclusion than the majority of melodramas. Bebe Daniels is again responsible for a powerful characterisation of an alluring role, and although she dominates the cast, very fine portrayals are given by Ricardo Corfez, Una Merkel. Thelma Todd and Walter Long. To add to the entertainment of the evening, the programme includes an Australian news reel, which covers a wide variety of interest. " THE CHAMP " FOR MAJESTIC. "Wallace Beery alone is excellent. Jackie Cooper by himself is great. Together they are magnificent." So writes a noted English critic concerning "The Champ," the remarkably fine film to be shown shortly at the Majestic Theatre. He, goes on: "The film has moments when it would almost draw tears from a stone. . . . The love between the dissolute father (Mr. Beery) and the devoted boy (Jackie Cooper), the only, fine thing - in their sordid existences, is also the. finest thing in the film, lifting it completely out of the class of manufactured 'sob-stuff to which it might otherwise belong."

REGENT THEATRE! "Street Scene," which will head the new programme at the Regent Theatre today, is a production of intensity and drama. Elmer Rice adapted his successful stage play to the talking screen and the wider scope offered has enabled the dramatist to reveal with a broader sweep the laughs and tears that characterise the lives of people in tenements in the slum districts of New York. Produced by King Yidor, whose practised hand is evident throughout, the film is notablo for the talented actine; of Sylvia Sidney, Estelle Taylor and William Collier, junr. Most of the original stage cast are also included. Some aspects of "Street Scene ' are gay, more often pathetic. It presents a moving panorama of life. "Street Scene" deals more with the lives of the .people in the street than the street itself. There is the girl who suffers because her mother is unfaithful; a cruel, insensitive father; a. cynical Jewish socialist trying to interpret life; voting love trying to rise above squalor and misery. The whole gamut of human emotion is traversed in masterly fashion. The cajnera bares the secret lives of the people in ( a tenement house. The audience is swept away with the reality of the film as the murmur of traffic, the scream of syrens and the roar of the "elevated" railway are heard through the medium of the talking screen. The supporting programme is admirable.

LONDON THEATRE. Jeanette Mac Donald and John Garrick form a delightful romantic pair in "The Lottery Bride," the lavish Rudolph Friml operetta, to head the new programme at the London Theatre to-day. There is an entrancing musical score. Refreshing humour is contributed by Joe E. Brown and Zasu Pitts. STRAND THEATRE. . "Devotion,", which will head the new programrpe at the Stranri Theatre to-day, is an entrancing story set in The Temple, London. Ann Harding, who performs a Cinderella role, gives a convincing performance, while she is ably supported by Leslie Howard. LYRIC THEATRE. Clark Gable and Joan Crawford appear together in " Laughing Sinners," to head the programme at the Lyric Theatre this evening. BRITANNIA THEATRE. "Riders of tho Purple Sage" (George O'Brien) and" Man of the World " (William Powell) will bo shown at the Britannia Theatre this evening. TUDOR CINEMA. " This Modern Age," with Joan Crawford, will bo the main film at the Tudor Cinema this evening.

TIVOLI AND EMPRESS. Gene Gerrard, the comedian of "My Wife's Family," whicl? scored such a signal success recently, is the principal of " Let's Love and Laugh," which heads the current programme at the Tivoli and Empress Theatres. EPSOM REGENT THEATRE. Ramon Novarro and Madge Evans make an appealing romantic pair in " Son of India," to nead the programme at the Ep&om Regent Theatre this evening. CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE. " Lonely Wives," a delightful comedy, in which Edward Everett Horton is the chief comedian, will be shown again at the Crystal Palace Theatre this evening. The leading ladies are Esther Ralston, Laura la Plante arid Patsy Ruth Miller.

PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE. Loretta Young and Frank Albertson air the principals in " The Truth Abon' Youth," to head the programme at tne Prinro Edward Theatre, to day. It is an essentially modern story.

PLAZA THEATRE.

"Tilly of Bloomsbury," the British Dominion comedy, which was shown for tha first time yesterday, is assured of a successful season at the Plaza Theatre. Writ-' ten by lan Hay, and said to eclipse eyen "The Middle Watch" and "My Wife's Family," the film includes a cast of talented performers. Phyllis Konstam, who acts the title role, adds-further lustre to a successful screen career, while Sydney Howard is at his inimitable best. He will be remembered for his part in "Splinters," another British Dominion comedy. The story is replete with human interest and lan Hay's genial humour is interpreted skilfully. Directed by' Jack Raymond, tho story deals competently with the romance of a girl from Bloomsbury, a district of London, and a scion of a noble family, the heir to a fortune. After meeting at a skating rink, "Tilly of Bloomsbury" and Richard Mainwaring, heir to a title, become engaged. Incensed at the cold reception accorded her by ■tho youth's mother, Tilly conCocts a story of entirely imaginative "connections," town houses, yachts, butlers and hunting estates. In a rash moment the giil invites the MainwaringS to her "town house" and proceeds to put her lower-class family through an intensive cfcurse of training in deportment and high society manners. Nevertheless, the girl's mother, Mrs. Welwyn, has considerable difficulty with her "aitches. When the stage is set, Stillbottle (Sydney Howard) appears as a broker's man who "gets what he comes for." Tilly secures him as the family butler. Then the fnn begins. With the arrival of the Mairiwarings tho atmosphere becomes comically tense and tho whole fabric of makebelieve collapses. The way is r>o.ved, however, for a happy ending. The. supporting programme is of a high standard. .

ST. .TAMES' THEATRE. Joan Crawford gives an outstanding portrayal in "Possessed," which will be tha main attraction on the new programme at St. James' Theatre today. Adapted from the stage success, "The Mirage," by Edgar Selwyn, the film throughout shows the producing talent of Clarence Brown, who has many recent successes to his' credit. Drama is the keynote of the production and the dynamic personality e>f Joan Crawford grips the audience.in many of the tense scenes. The story concerns the sacrifice of a factory surrenders her chance of happiness so that the man she loves may attain to the governorship of his State. Clark Gable, who has experienced the most phenomenal rise to sci'een fame in recent years, contributes an excellent performance as_. a lawyer, who, because of a love affair with the factory girl, is made the butt of insidious propaganda in an election fight, involving the governorship of his State, i Joan Crawford's interpretation of a girl who rises- from obscure poverty to the position of society hostess is finely done. The actress wears many beautiful frocks throughout the production and her rendering of an appealing new song is also a feature. While at the height of her affluence, the girl realises she *is an obstacle in her lover's political career afid decides to renounce him. This precipitates an intense Climax. A Laurel and - Hardy comedy is included in the excellent supporting programme. , -

CIVIC THEATRE. Hilarious characterisations are contributed by the famous Marx Brothers in "Monkey Business," which will _bo screened for the first time at the Civic Theatre to-dav. The plot is comical and ingenious and" the featured players loss no opportunity in turningto account the many adroit situations thai abound. A feature of the production is the delightful music dispensed by Harpo. who wields a harp with magic fingers, while, not to be eclipsed, Chico extracts lilting melodies from the piano. "Monkey Business ' engulfs the audience with laughter from the start. The scene opens on board a transatlantic liner, where the. four Marx brothers are discovered as stowaways in barrels labelled "kippered herring. The culprits then make a bee-line for the safest place on the ship—the captain.s cabin. Groucho. with inimitable bluff, poses as the captain, runs the ship, eats the captain's breakfast, and, to cap all, accuses the captain of being a stowaway. But the situation gets out of hand even for the quick-witted Groucho, who takes refuge in the cabin of a gangster and immediately makes love to the gangsters wife. Complications ensue with breathless rapidity. Harpo and Chico impersonate t"3 ship's barbers with hilarious results. Further comedy is provided by the ruses of the miscreants to avoid the dull-witted ship's mate. Gibson, who is out for their blood. When the ship arrives in port the newspaper men arrive to interview the passengers. Groucho interviews the newspapermen instead. The production ends on an appropriate note when the Marx brothers are involved in a desperate tattle with gangsters and rescue a beautiful girl by comical subterfuges.

NATIONAL THEATRE. The demure actress, Nancy _ Carroll, gives a delightful performance in '"Personal Maid," which is the main attraction in the new progVamrne aty the National Theatre. Offering a characterisation similar to that which pained her praise in .'.'Smiling Thru'." the actress, in the role of a modern Cinderella, is capably supported by Tat O'Brien, who appeared with distinction in "The Front, Page," Gene Raymond and George Fawcett. Unliko the Cinderella of the fairy talc, Nancy Carroll goes in quest of her prince, and as the plot unfolds JJie spectators are assured of unusual entertainment. Tho subordinate features are ipteresting. A EOXY THEATRE. "Maker of Men," in which Jack Holfc and John Cromwell form a splendid team, and "The Secret Witness," in which William Collier, jun., and Una Merkel appear, comprise the major entertainment at tho Roxy Theatre to-day. Marian Marsh, who created such a favourable impression in "Sveng;>li. gives a deft portrayal 03 the. heroine in "Maker of Men, ' while Jack Holt gives another of the virile characterisations for which he is famous. "The Secret Witness" is a thrilling mystery drama, and the principals deserve lavish praise for the restrained performance lliev achieve. Interesting supports are included in the programme. EIALTO THEATRE. "Guilty Hands" (Lionel Barry mora) and " Transgression " comprise the entertainment at the Rialto Theatre this evening.