ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21401, 27 January 1933, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

RECENT THEATRE The Marx Brothers are up to their usual antics in "Horse Feathers," which will be shown for the first time at the Regent Theatre to-day. It is a worthy successor to "Monkey Business," their last film, which enjoyed phenomenal success wherever it was presented. If anything, their humour in "Horse Feathers" is more satirical and invested with a deeper subtlety. Each member of the quartette exploits his individual type of comedy to the full,, and the result is versatile entertainment. Harpo, who has lost none of his skill in extracting enchanting music from the harp, still has his shock of fail' hair .and is as funny as ever. He still smiles vacuously and has not lost his disconcerting habit of darting to and fro. An entertaining feature of the film is a delightful burlesque of a musical comedy ballot in which whitebearded professors appear instead of chorus girls. Groucho appears as the president of Huxley College and he introduces some amusing and unorthodox reforms into the curriculum. Ho decides that the football team is in need of new talent and searches for players in a "speakeasy." From this point the burlesque is very clever. He enlists the aid of a dogcatcher and a bootlegger and what they lack in football prowess they make up in misplaced zeal. The comedy is interspersed with musical items for which the Marx Brothers are famous, and the numbers rendered on the harp and the piano are executed with artistry. Thelma Todd, who also appeared in "Monkey Business," lias a typical role as the "college widow," for whose affections there is keen competition. There are outstanding shorter films, including a. British Paramount Newsreel; a camera record of the arrival of the Southern Cross at New Plymouth; tlie third test cricket match between England and Australia, showing pictures of Woodfull and Oldfield being struck by fast balls; a cartoon; a Mack Rennett comedy; and a film of the .30 finalists in the recent screen tests.

ST. JAMES' THEATRE Sir Charles Ivingsford Smith will make a personal appearance at St. James' Theatre this evening when he will deliver a short lecture on his flying experiences. A special film, " Across the Pacific in the Southern Cross" will be screened in addition to the presentation of " Air Sfail," one of the finest aviation pictures to reach the screen. The play opens at a remote aeroplane mail base in the Western mountains of the United States. The aviators of the base are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Joe Barnes, a flier who is lost in the fog. A note of drama is struck when the pilot is guided to the aerodrome by radio only to crash—fatally. But the mail must go through and Mike Miller takes off in another machine in spite of the blinding fog. It is only one thrilling episode in a film that is exciting throughout —a fitting saga of those who risk their lives in tho air. " Air Mail " was appro-./ priately brought to New Zealand in the Southern Cross. Pat O'Brien, Ralph Bellamy and Russoll Hopton play the leading roles. MAJESTIC THEATRE " The Maid of the Mountains " will begin an extended Auckland season at the Majestic, Theatre to-day. The entrancing musical numbers in which the play abounds are splendidly rendered in the talking picture version so skilfully produced by British International Pictures. No better player to enact the role of the gay Baldasarre, the debonair bandit, could be found than Harry Welchman. His experience on the legitimate stage stands him in good stead as he gaily sings his way from love affair to love affair, from adventure to adventure. Ho is capably supported by Nancy Brown, whosa inter-: pretation of "Lovo Will Find a Way" is very appealing. Inimitable comedy Js supplied by Gus McN T aughton, whose attempts to master " William Tell" on the accordion are very funny: He is aided and abetted /by Wallace Lupino. There are excellent, shorter films.

NATIONAL THEATRE

Joe E. Brown, " the comedian with the cavernous mouth," maintains his reputation for hilarious comedy in " Fireman Save My Child," which will open a season at the National Theatre to-day. lie is seen as a fireman with a penchant for baseball, but he is ready to drop his bat whenever the fire alarm rings, which is often. He turns professional and joins one of the major baseball league clubs, but he is more interested in the manufacture of a firefighting invention than in the game. It is all very funny. Accomplished acting is contributed by Evalyn Knapp, Guy Ivibee, Richard Carle and Dickie Moore. The other attractions are of universal interest.

ROXY AND TIVOLJ THEATRES, • /•• • Directed by Irving Cummings from the story by Keene Thompson, "Man Against Woman " is attracting large audiences to the Rosy and Tivoli Theatres.. " Hidden Gold " (Tom Mix) is also shown. " Man Against Woman " provides an ideal film for the acting of Jack Holt, who was so convincing in "Flight," "Dirigible" and "War Correspondent." Among.the minor players are Lillian Miles, Walter Connolly and Gavin Gordon. Since his splendid performance in "Destry Rides Again," the return of Tom Mix to the screen has been awaited with interest and his appearance in "Hidden Gold" fulfils every expectation. " Hidden Gold" is a typical Western film.

STRAND THEATRE Pat Hanna and George Moon are the principals in " The Diggers," which heads the current programme at the Strand Theatre. It is one of the best productions to come from the Australian studios and includes a brilliant list of supporting players in which Edward Warrington has been allotted a part. The supporting features include the topical series, " The News of the World." CRYSTAL PALACE AND RIALTO A dramatic story of life in a lumber camp in the American backwoods is vividly unfolded in "Salomy Jane," which heads the current programme at the Crystal Palace and Rialto Theatres, Charles Fan'oll and Joan Bennett are the principals, "Women Love Once" is also screened at the Crystal Palace, while the other film at the Rialto is "Vice Squad." LONDON THEATRE The British film. " Murder at. Covent Garden " will be shown for the first time at the London Theatre to-day. Dennis Neilson Terry is in the cast. " The Message," which is also screened, completes an entertainment that for sheer excitement and baffling mystery it would be difficult to excel.

EPSOM REGENT THEATRE An excellent programme is presented at the New Regent Theatre, Epsom, where Warner Baxter gives a sterling performance in "Amateur Daddv." Also shown is "The Cabin in the Cotton," a drama enacted in the Southern United States. ALEXANDRA THEATRE The main attraction at the Alexandra Theatre, Green Lane, is '' Emma," which is notable for the acting of Marie Dressier. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE A splendid all-British programme is being presented at the Prince Edward Theatre, where " The Perfect Lady," with Betty Amans, is the main film.

PLAZA THEATRE The talking picture version of Monckton Hoffe's celebrated play, "The Faithful Heart/' which is now screening at the Plaza Theatre, provides another example of the excellence of British production. Finely directed by Victor Savile, the film, which is produced by the Gainsborough organisation, combines the qualities of- accomplished acting and good photography with a story which should hays fin immediate appeal, to Auckland audiences: In the noted characterisation of Blackie, Edna Best, whose reputation as a stage performer is a sufficient recommendation -for her ability, gives a charming performance which lends much interest to the story. Hers is no easv part, for actually she has to appear as the original Blackie, a barmaid in a Southampton waterfront inn. and then as Blackie's daughter. There is much poignance in her story. The story begins in the inn, where Waverley Ango, played by Herbert Marshall, ' a ship's officer, returns after a voyage of. 3000 miles. Amusingly, he begins a mock hostility with the barmaid, and he earns what is moro or less a distinction by persisting in calling her Blackie. During his stay in port, the hostility changes into a romance, picturesquely enacted in surroundings redolent of the. spirit of the sea and Britain's mercantile power. In the actual life of the inn, there is a good deal to cause amusement, for the establishment is not without its quaintly humorous habitues. Ango is eventually called hurriedly to sea again, and it is then that Blackie has a premonition that she will pot see him again. Her gloomy prediction is true, for the next that is seen of Ango is nearly 20 years later, when, as a lieutenant-colonel of thu South African Forces, he receives the Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace During the years of his absence, Blackie has died, Ango, after leaving England, engaged in farming in Africa, before serving in the Great War. It is thfl publicity accorded his winning the Victoria Cross which brings to him the daughter ho had not seen previously. Ango is in a dilemma. He is encaged to marry a London society woijjan, played hv Anne Grey, and is undecided liow to devote his future 'to" her and to his daughter. Neither woman wants to share Ango's affection, and his .daughter decides, not without the promptings of Miss Grey, that the easiest solution is for her to emigrate to .Canada and to forget her father. Ango realises what this would mean to him, and prevents his daughter from following her intention. Automatically, his marriage prospects end. The story ends with Ango back with his daughter in his old Southampton surroundings, preparing once more for a life at sea. There is an interesting supporting programme, the principal item being a musical performance on the stage by the accomplished musicians, the Bridges Trio. The piano, the violin, the guitar and the xylophone are used, and the performers provide novelty numbers by playing simultaneously at the piano and then at the xylophone. An Ideal Sound CmemaEazine provides a variety of interesting subjects. CIVIC THEATRE Splendid entertainment is promised at the Civic Theatre to-day with the initial showing of "Tess of the Storm Country. Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor, the delightful romantic pair of "The First Year" and other films, head a not.able cast, including Dudley Digges, Claude Oillingwater and June Clyde. Alfred Santell directed the film for the Fox Studios, and he has- blended tenderness, romance and pathos with the genius of an artist Janet Gaynor is seen in a new type of role as the motherless daughter of a New England sea captain. The has spent her childhood sailing with her. father, and the pair 6ettfe down in a cottage on the Maine coast between a ramshackle colony .of fishermen and the summer home of a millionaire. For years the millionaire has tried'lo have- tho fishermen ejected from their'settlement" and signalises the advent of the girl and her father by having them prosecuted as trespassers. A , feud immediately ' begins between the families. Ben Letts, the domineering leader of the fishermen, gives the captain and his daughter shelter in the settlement and initiates them into the illegal but profitable business of net fishing for mackerel. Then disaster overtakes them with the sudden arrival of the game warden and his officers. Revolver shots are exchanged and one of -the officers is killed. There follows the trial of the girl's father for murder and the desperate efforts of the millionaire's son (Charles Farrell) to secure his release. It is gripping drama An interesting supporting programme precedes the main film. '