ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23023, 28 April 1938, Page 19

ENTERTAINMENTS

ST. JAMES' THEATRE The historical drama "Mario Walewska" will again head tho programme to bo presented at St. James' Theatre to-day. Greta . Garbo and Charles 1 Bayer have tho main roles, the latter being cast as the French Emperor Napoleon. " BROADWAY MELODY " The latest Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical, "Broadway Melody of 1038," will open its season at St. James' Theatre to-morrow. The film fully maintains the reputation for brilliance of spectacle and presentation established by its predecessor under the same title and even marks an improvement 011 that film in general interest. Kleanor Powell and Robert Taylor, who were east opposite each other in tho earlier production, again have the main roles, and they are supported by a cast of individual merit. Two newcomers to cinema audiences are Sophie Tucker and Charles Igor Gorin, who sing widely different types of song. A player who will ho remembered for his humorous characterisation as a collector of different kinds of snores in tho preceding film is Robert Wildhack, whose intermittent appearances were among the highlights of the comedy sequences. Ho has another eccentric part this year as a connoisseur of sneezes. The film also contains a number of new songs with popular appeal, and spectacular ballets add to its brilliance. A delightful blend of romance, music and comedy, tho picture offers pleasing entertainment. PLAZA THEATRE The English comedian Jack Buchanan appears in "The Sky's the" Limit," which is at the head of the programme to bo presented at the Plaza Theatre again to-dav. After the success of "That Girl From Paris" the reappearance of Jack Oakio iu a comedy role is certain to rouse interest, and "Hitting a New High," which will have its first screenings at the Plaza Theatro to-morrow, offers ample scope for his talent. The soprano Lily Pons is also seen in a typical role, and she sings several songs in tho course of the film. Miss Pons is another actress with real comedy ability and her light-hearted characterisation in the present production will win her much applause. Eric Blore is another with many admirers, as also is Edward Everett Horton, who is cast as an impresario. In the rolo opposite Miss Pons, Gene Raymond gives a good performance, while Eduardo Ciannelli plays a sinister part with great effect.

MAJESTIC THEATRE The programme to be screen again to-day at the Majestic Theatre comprises the films "The Awful Truth" and "Paid to Dance. 1 ' Irene Dunne and Cary Grant appear in the former production. An outstanding doublefeature programme is to commence screenings at tba Majestic Theatre tomorrow. The pictures are "Daughter of Shanghai" and "Cafe Colette." In tho former' picture Anna May Wong has the main role, as a Chinese girl who turns detective in order to discover the murderer of her merchant father. In tho course of her investigations sho contrives to uncover tho activities of a smuggling ring, tho members of which aro eventually brought to justice. The story has also a pleasing romantic interest. Tho second film, "Cafe Colette," is an exciting mystery story. Greta Nissen and Paul Cavanagb liavo the main roles. They aro cast, as an international spy and a member of the British Secret Service respectively, and the film centres round the activities of an international spy organisation which is trying to gain possession of the formula of a new explosive. A romantic touch adds interest to tho film. CIVIC THEATRE The brilliant musical production "Happy Landing," with Sonja Henio and Don Ameclie in tho leading roles, will be presented for tho last time at tho Civic Theatre to-day. Ably supporting them are Jean Hcrsholt, Ethel Merman and Cesar Romero. Olio of tho "March of Time" series is a feature of tho associate programme. To open a season at the Civic Theatro to-mor-row is the romantic comedy "Second Honeymoon." A Darryl F. Zanuck production, the picture, which is released by Twentieth Century-Fox, has Tyrone Power and Loretta Young in the principal parts. This is the fourth time they have appeared together, their earlier successes being "Ladies in Love," "Cafe Metropole" and "Love is News." Lyle Talbot and Claire Trevor head the cast of supporting players.

MAYFAIR THEATRE Tho double-feature program mo to be presented at the Mayfair Theatre again to-day comprises tho pictures "Paradise for Two" and "Stand-In." .Tack Hulbert appears in tho former production and Leslie Howard and Joan Blondell in the second. The eminent Irish baritone Tom Burke is cast in tho title* role of "Father O'Flvnn," which will be screened at the Mayfair Theatro to-morrow. Others in tho cast are Jean Adrienne, Robert Chisolm and Henry Oscar. The film is a musical production in a rural setting and derives its title from the song of the same name. Also to be shown is tho only official record of the Catholic Centenary celebrations held recently, "Credo," which is an outstanding piece of pictorial history embracing the whole of tho commemoration.

CRYSTAL PALACE AND RIALTO The historical drama "Victoria tho Great" is tho main attraction at tho Crystal Palace and Rialto Theatres tonight. Anna Nuagle gives a brilliant performance as tho queen who ruled through one of the most critical periods in the history of Great Britain. Variety is tho, keynote of tho supporting programme. STRAND THEATRE Jane Withers gives another brilliant performance in a congenial rolo in "4o Fathers " which will bo presented with "Thank You, Jeeves" at the Strand Theatre to-day. The second film is from the novel by P. G. Wodeliou.se, and the inimitable Arthur Treacher has tho part of the butler. David Niven also appears. STATE THEATRE " Tho Prisoner of Zenda" is tho main item of entertainment to be shown at the State Theatre to-night. Ronald Colman has tho main role, and Madeleine Carroll also appears. STAR CINEMA "Pick a Star" will bo shown with "Criminal Lawyer" at the Star Cinema to-day y Lee Tracy and .Margot Grahams appear in the latter film. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE Irene Dunne and Cary Grant have tho leading roles in "Tho Awful Truth" which will be screened with "Behind tho Miko" at the Prince Kdward Theatre to-night. ' 1 ASTOR THEATRE The t}vo films to be presented at the Astor Theatre this evening are "Knight Without Armour" and "Dangerous Number,'*

REGENT THEATRE The Deanna Durbin production "Mad About Music" will continue a successful season at the Regent Theatro today. The girl singer appears as a schoolgirl iii Switzerland whoso invention of an imaginary father in order not to bo different from the other pupils leads to unforseen complications. Gail Patrick and Herbert Marshall have important roles. ROXY AND TIVOLI THEATRES Preston Foster, Whitney Bourne, Cecil Kellaway and Donald Meek aro the leading players in "Double Danger," which will bo screened with "Dancing Feet" at the Roxy and Tivoli Theatres to-day. The first film is an exciting variation on the theme of the "Raffles" stories, that of the ostensibly law-abiding citizen who uses his respectability as a clonk for nefarious activities. Foster appears as a writer of mystery stories with a more profitable sidolino in jewel robbery. In the particular theft covered in tho film lie is opposed by Whitney Bourne, who has the same diamond collection in view. Tho interest common to both is only discovered at the end, and it is the writer who eventually secures the booty. The second attraction is the musical film "Dancing Feet," and has Joan Marsh, Ben Lyon, Eddie Nugent and Isabel Jewell in. the main roles. Joan Marsh is cast as tho self-willed grand-daughter of a wealthy business mail roused by the latter's opposition to her proposed marriage to Lyon. She takes a position as a hostess in a dance hall where she meets Eddie Nugent, who is trying to start as a radio performer, but has not the necessary money. The pair fall in love and go into partnership as a dancing team, but their initial performance is almost ruined by a last-minute tiff. The final scenes, however, show the radio programme as a brilliant success. EMBASSY THEATRE Considerable interest attaches to the first screenings of the latest picture to be made by the operatic soprano Grace Mpore, who has tho loading rolo in "I'll Take Romance," which will open a season at the Embassy Theatre today. Sho is cast as a temperamental singer wjiosp refusal to fulfil the terms of a contract' has involved an opera company in an awkward situation. Tho company commissions Melvyn Douglas to persuade Miss Mooro to honour tho agreement, but in spite of tho fact that they fall in love, tho agent is forced to kidnap the singer in order to secure her acceptance. During the preliminary scenes he lias of necessity concealed bis identity, and his attempts to unfold tho story of his duplicity with as little friction as possible provide a laughable final sequence. Miss Moore sings a number of songs in the course of tho picture, one of them being a "swing" item as a duet with Melvyn Douglas. Among the operatic selections presented are the duet from Puccini's "Madame Butter-, fly" and the Gavotte from "Manon."

TUDOR CINEMA Nan Grey and Kent Taylor are responsible for the gaiety and humour cf "Love in a Bungalow," -which is the xnain feature at tho Tudor Cinema tonight. VICTORIA THEATRE Two entertaining films will be presented at the Victoria Theatre tonight. They are "The Perfect Gentleman" and tho thrilling mystery story "Moonlight Murder."