ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21277, 2 September 1932, Page 16

ENTERTAINMENTS

PLAZA THEATRE Seldom has it been the privilege of Aucklanders since the advent of the talking pictures to witness such a remarkable film as "Symphony of Six Millions," which made its appearance before an enihrallcd audience at the Plaza Theatre last evening. It is truly a remarkable production requiring more than words to convey the excellence of the acting. Ricardo Cortez and Irene Dunne have the leading roles. The splendid photography and stage settings help to place this film as an outstanding masterpiece in the history of motion pictures. Deep emotion, represented to the audience with a masterly touch that only such a writer as Fannie Hurst could achieve, is the keynote of the film, and for its setting it has the New York Ghetto and other parts of the city. A child's ambition to be a great surgeon in order to help some of the suffering and misery in the world, is the theme, and how this ambition is thwarted and misdirected until realisation comes with overpowering force is well portrayed by Ricardo Cortez. Opposite him, Irene Dunne plays the part of a cripple, a life-long friend of the man who becomes # the famous surgeon, and a force which ultimately succeeds in bringing him back to what he had always wished to be. As the Jewish father and mother, Gregory Ratoff's and Anna Appel's acting is equally as brilliant as that of the two stars. The story concerns the rise to fame of a young Jew from the slums of New York, urged on by his constant ambition to be a great surgeon. As his brother, Magnus, Noel Madison plays the part of one who defines everything in terms of commerce, and it is this which makes the surgeon give up his good work in the slums so that the family may live on a better income. With his days fully taken up attending to the petty wants of rich and neurotic people, the surgeon cannot spare the time to go back to the children who miss him so much in the slums. Jessica, the beautiful but crippled girl, comes to see him and denounces him as having sold his birthright. After an unsuccess- ! ful operation on his father, Felix realises the falsity of his work among the rich, and swears never to touch another instrument. But Jessica, with calm heroism, shows him that it is possible to return to his former work bv making him perform a most dangerous operation on herself. "Symphony of Six Millions" needs no recommendation, only those who miss eeeing have let slip an opportunity which will be difficult to recapture. The supporting programme consists of a Pathe New s depicting among other interesting items tha work of a deadly hurricane at British Honduras. There is a fantastic comedy woven around an imaginarv kingdom entitled "Rule 'Em and Weep," and a Film Curiosities by Walter Futter.

CIVIC THEATRE First produced as a stage play in 1914, then as a silent film in 1919, the latest film version of "The Miracle Man" will open a season at the Civic Theatre today. So great was the success of the silent film that it was looked upon as doubtful whether the producers would be able tn reproduce the triumph on the talking screen. That this has been done, and more, is proved by the way in which the production has been received by eminent critics overseas, one of whom says:—" 'The Miracle Man' is the most genuine film of the week, because of its clean inspirational emotion, its liberal use of silent action and because it is not overcrowded with dialogue. As the girl crook, Miss Sylvia Sidney adds materially to the distinction she has won in 'Street Scene' and 'An American Tragedy.' Mr. Chester Morris, of 'The Big House,' gives a cleverly pointed performance as the leader of the crooks. Mr. John Wray makes a fake paralytic a sensationally realistic character. Mr. Hobart Bos worth plays with infinite dignity the part of the faith-healer, which he took up after the death of his friend, Mr. Tyrone Power. Apart from these players, Sir. Irving Pichel, Mr. Boris KarlofT and Robert Coogan are excellently cast."

NATIONAL THEATRE Age and childhood have two first-class interpreters in "Chic" Sale and Dickie ' Moore, and audiences will welcome their joint appearance in "The Expert," which •will open a season at the National Theatre to-day. This film has a strong humaninterest appeal that should find a ready response from all film-goers. The story deals with an old man's troubles in adapting himself to the routine of a typical suburban home after spending his life amid the freedom of the less socially controlled existence in a quiet country centre. The old man tries his best to fit into the household smoothly, "but without success and finds his only cheerfulness in company with young Dickie. Edna Ferber, who wrote the story, has balanced it splendidly with pathos and humorous detail and from all angles the film is one that will make an impression as pleasing entertainment. ST. JAMES' THEATRE Intense, vivid, action-drama is said to constitute the chief interest in "While Paris Sleeps," the Fox picture with the ever-popular actor, Victor McLagleu, which will open a seasoir at the St. James' Theatre to-day. McLaglen is seen in a role of great sympathy and poignant appeal, as the father of a young girl cast adrift on the streets of Paris while he is serving life-imprisonment in a French penal colony. The story is- an original one, written by Basil Woon, a. Writer with ; a wide knowledge of Paris and its under- | world, and presents for the first time many of the little-known sections of this romantic city. The young debutante, Helen Mack, has the main feminine part and others in the cast are William Bakewell, Jack La Rue, Rita La Roy and Lucille La Verne. CRYSTAL PALACE AND RIALTO Lionel Barrymove and John Barrymore appear together in " Arsene Lupin," the well-knit mystery film now being shown with " Helpmates" (Laurel and Hardy) at the Crystal Palace and Rialto Theatres. Karen Morlcy, one of the most accomplished of the younger generation of screen artists, is a fascinating leading lady. ROXY AND TIVOLI THEATRES Hobart Bosworth, William Boyd and Ginger Rogers, a delightful soubrelte, are the leading players in " Carnival Boat," which heads the programme at the Roxy and Tivoli Theatres. A second film is " Travelling Husbands." with Evelyn Brent, Frank Albertson and Constance Cummings. The pictures represent a wellbalanced programme of drama and comedy. LYRIC THEATRE " Shanghai Express," with Marlcne Dietrich, Clive Brook and Warner Oland, heads the Lyric Theatre progrartime. BRITANNIA THEATRE Joan Bennett's " The Trial of Vivienne Ware" and " The Lash," with Richard Barthclmess, are the Britannia Theatre films. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE " Private Lives," by Noel Coward, with Norma Shearer and Robert Montgomery aa principals, heads the programme at the Prince Edward Theatre. COMMUNITY SINGING Two community singing gatherings will be held in the Lewis Eady Hall to-day. At the luncheon hour " Uncle Tom" will be the song leader. In the evening the Community Singing Committee will hold a gathering. <

MAJESTIC THEATRE William Powell, better known in Auckland lor sophisticated characterisations, plays in a highly convincing way in the sheer comedy of the Warner Brothers' production " High Pressure," which successfully began a season yesterday at the Majestic Theatre. Mr. Powell has, for him, the decidedly unusual part of a company promoter who, by intense enthusiasm for a project which appeals to him, is able to launch remarkably successful concerns and so earns a wide reputation in American business. It is not surprising then, that Gar Evans, the keen promoter portrayed by Mr. Powell, should'become enthusiastic when Ginsberg, a financier, approaches him with the object of founding a company to manufacture artificial rubber. Ginsberg has purchased the process of a German professor, but, unfortunately for Evans, the directors and the staff of the company, the shareholders and himself, he does not find out. until ail financial arrangements are completed for manufacture, that the "professor" is insane and his honours in education were purchased for 17 dollars at an insignificant American university. The finds much amusement in the antics of George Sydney, well known as the "Cohen" of "The Cohens and Kellys" films, and the breadth of Jthe financial imagination of Evans, who is prone to embark upon colossal schemes if he receives adequate encouragement from _his fiancee, played by Evelyn Brent. Everything goes wonderfully well with the new company and the sale of the shares begins to trouble the rubber trusts until Evans and Ginsberg suddenly realise that they have no proof that rubber can be manufactured by the process, and, what is more, the inventor is missing. It is not until newspapers begin to inquire into the status of the company and the State authorities, egged on by the rubber trusts, are making investigations that the inventor is found. And ihen there comes the realisation that the inventor is deranged. The complexity of the situation gives full scope to Mr. Powell and Mr. Sydney in exceptional comedy roles, and they are assisted in the lively humour by Frank McHugh, Evans' assistant, Guy Kibbee, the amusing if irresponsible president of the company, and Luis Albcrni, the leading stock sales, man. While Mr. Powell and Miss Brent are involved in a tangled romance, there is also interest in the acting of two young players, Evalyn Knapp and Ben Alexander. The supporting programme, consisting of a T. E. M. Newman travel film of South America, a Vitaphone comedy, "Naggers Go Shopping," a Fox Movietone News, and a Merry Melodies cartoon, is especially interesting.

REGENT THEATRE Said to be one of the finest examples of what the screen can do with & great novel, when intelligent men are behind its adaptation, the film version of,, the novel by Sinclair Lewis, "Arrowsmith," will open a season at the Regent Theatre .to day. Helen Hayes, who recently triumphed in her first screen appearance in "The Sin of Madelon Claudet," plays opposite Ronald Colman in the role of the devoted wife, who risks her life for her husband's career. The combination of these two accomplished artists is reputed to be one of the screen's most beautiful achievements. The story of "Arrowsmith" is the story of one man s devotion and ambition in the battle of humanity against the death-dealing plagues which have always been the scourge of mankind. It sweeps from the mid-western countryside to a tropical island in the West Indies, where Dr. Martin Arrowsmith and his colleagues go to do battle against the "black death." His relations with the little nurse he marries as a struggling country doctor, continuing through the picture, -weave a broad current of romance in its stirring scenes. STRAND THEATRE A story of a woman who is abandoned by her lover on the outbreak of war, "Frail Women," with Mary Newcomb and Owefi Nares, heads the present programme at the Strand Theatre. One of the best characterisations in the production comes from Edmund Gwenn, as a bookmaker. The attraction to follow "Frail Women" at the Strand Theatre is "Westward Passage," with Ann Harding.

LONDON THEATRE The comic artistry of Sydney Howard finds full expression in "Tilly of Bloomsbury," which will commence a season at the London Theatre to-day. Filmgoers who laughed at the antics of this popular comedian in "Not So Quiet on the Western Front" and "Old Soldiers Never Die," should not miss seeing this picture. EPSOM REGENT THEATRE " Hell Divers" (Clark Gable and Wallace Beery) and " Her Love Affair" {Dorothy Mackaill) are the films at the Epsom Regent Theatre. : TUDOR CINEMA " The Cheat" (Tallulah Bankhead) is the main film at the Tudor Cinema.