ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23356, 26 May 1939, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE A thrilling mystery story is told in "Ambush," the crime melodrama which is the main attraction on tho now programme at the Majestic Theatre to-day. Tho leading roles are taken bv Lloyd Nolan, as a truck driver, and Gladys Swarthout, as a bank employee, both of whom are forced to help a criminal escape from justice. The latter is a mild-mannered little gentleman.to all appearances, but the skill with which he organises a bank robbery and the ruthlcssness with which lie destroys all who would hinder him in his flight show him to lie a very dangerous criminal. In keeping with his rather timid demeanour, his chief weapon is an umbrella, which he wields with wonderfid dexterity. Ernest Truex is outstanding in this part and it is largely due to his performance that the suspense is maintained so splendidly throughout. A groat climax is reached when one by one the other members of tho gang drop out from the scene and tho leader is left alone with his captiYes to struggle against tho closing polico net. Other roles in the film are taken by William Frawlev as a detective, and Broderick Crawford, while two favourites of the past, Polly Moran and Raj'inond Hatton, have minor parts. "Wallaby Jim of tho Islands" is the second film. CIVIC THEATRE The 1938 Academy award winner, "You Can't Take it With You," will commence its Auckland season ±o-day at the Civic Theatre. Leading roles are taken by Lionel Barryniore, Jean Arthur, Edward Arnold and James Stewart. The supporting cast includes such well-known players as Mischa Auer, Samuel S. Hinds, Spring livington, Ann Miller and Halliwell Hobbes. Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name, "Yon Can't Take it With You" concerns the crazy antics of the Vanderhof family, all retired and intent on living their lives in whatever manner they choose. Barryniore breathes the breath of gusty life into the person of old Grandpa Vanderhof. Then there is Edward Arnold as Vanderhof's antithesis, tho money-grubbing munitions millionaire, Mr. Kirby. His son, Tony, is sympathetically played by James Stewart. However, the strangely pleasant philosophy of -the Vanderhof's, and their obvious enjoyment of life, eventually convert the bleak and forbidding Mr. Kirby, and the picture concludes.with a delightfully happy and farcical scene which makes the audience unwilling to leave in the desire for more of the infectious ,fun. REGENT THEATRE Excellent entertainment, is provided in the exciting mystery story "Fast and Loose,',' which is the current attraction at the liegent Theatre. The main roles of the two Sloanes, who combine a love of thrills with an unusual detective instinct, are taken by Robert Montgomery and Rosalind Russoll. while Reginald Owen and Joan Marsh are also in the picture. A cartoon, "Mama's New Hat," and a further "Crime Doesn't Pay" item are included on the supporting programme. ST. JAMES' THEATRE Few pictures are so moving as the splendid drama "Boys' Town," which.is to continue its successful season at St. James' Theatre to-day. Spencer Tracy,, winner of the Academy award for his performance in. this picture, appears as the humanitarian Father Flanagan, while the fine young actor Mickey Rooney is also prominently cast. MAYFAIR THEATRE j"" Samuel Goldwvn's thrilling film ver-, sion of one of the greatest of modern stage plays, "The Masquerader," featuring Ronald Cohnan and Elissa Landi, will commence a season at the Mayfair Theatre to-day. Ronald Colman plays a double part, reminiscent of his recent dual role in "The Prisoner of Zenda." The story begins when John Chilcote, estranged from his wife, Eve, is in the last stages of dissipation from drink arid drugs. MakingNi critical speech in jfhe House of Commons, he collapses, stumbling home through the London fog, he collides with his double, whom he installs in his place on the Government and in his home. The many strange problems which beset the main characters make an intriguing story. "The Mnsquerader" was directed by Richard Wallace, director of such successful film, plays as "The Shopworn Angel." The second picture on the programme is a family story, "The Headleys at Home." STRAND THEATRE One of the most popular of the. famous Savoy operas is brought to the screen in the film "The Mikado," which will commence a season at the Strand Theatre to-day. The leading roles are taken by Kenny Baker, wellknown American tenor, and Jean Colin, whilp the, full chorus of the, D'Oyly. Carte opera company 1 will also be heard in many numbers. ' < • • STATE THEATRE "Too Hot to Handle." the film to be shown at the State Theatre to-day, is full of breathless incidents showing the eventful lives of those employed in securing pictures for the newsreels Clark Gable and Walter Pidgeon are rival cameramen, and at the same time are both candidates for tho affections of a woman aviator, played by Myrna Lov, while most of the humour is provided by Leo Carrillo.

STAR CINEMA Light entertainment is given in the film "Service do Luxe." in which Constance Bennett and Charlie Ruggles appear, to-day's attraction at the Star Cinema. The second picturo to be screened is the exciting melodrama - "Pirates of the Skies," with Kent Taylor and Rochelle Hudson. BRITANNIA THEATRE The popular juvenile actress Jane Withers has the leading role in "Miss Kix-it," which, together with a thrilling crime melodrama. "The Last Warning." will lie screened at the Britannia Theatre to-night. The latter film is one of the well known "Crime Club" series. CAPITOL , THEATRE Walt Disney's technicolour masterpiece "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is the main film to be shown at the Capitol Theatre to-night. A comedy, "She Asked for It," is also on the programme. GREY LYNN CINEMA An hilarious comedy, "There's Always a Woman," presenting Melvyn Douglas and .Joan Blondell in the principal roles, is the main film at the ■ Grey Lynn Cinema to-night. The second picturo, "Thin Ice," contains an entertaining story charmingly told. PRINCESS THEATRE Splendid entertainment- is offered at the Princess Theatre to-night, when the attractions will bo "The Young in Heart," with Roland Young, and the melodrama "Invisible Menace." LONDON CINEMA A contrasting programme is offered at the London Cinema to-day, the two pictures being "Let's Make a Night of It" and "Night Key." The celebrated actor Boris Karloff has the leading part in the second production.

PLAZA THEATRE j • Farce at its best is provided in the •amusing film "Topper Takes a Trip," which continues to attract large audiences at the Plaza Theatre. Roland Young again appears as the mild little banker, Sir. Topper, led into all sorts of trouble by Mrs. Kerby, who is still trying to do her "good turn" with the aid of her power of invisibility. Constance Bennett is in the latter role, while Billie Burke and Alan Mowbray are other prominent members of the outstanding cast. EMBASSY THEATRE Errol Flynn, Olivia do Havilland, Rosalind Russell and Patric Knowles snare acting honours in the hilarious new Warner Brothers comedy "Four's a Crowd," which opens to-day at the Embassy Theatre. The extremely modern stor3 r moves rapidly throughout with a swift succession of novel and humorous complications. The four persons with whoso fortunes the film deals are a bright and fascinating newspaper man, played by Errol Flynn, a spoiled but charming heiress, played by Olivia do Havilland, a clever and smooth-tongued girl reporter, portrayed by Rosalind Russell, and a rich playboy who inherits a newspaper, Patric Knowles. Also prominent in the many amusing sequences is Walter Connolly as a rapacious buccaneer of the modern business world. He is also the heiress' grandfather. The newspaper man, Bob Langsford, occupies himself trying to secure some of the old man's millions and court the two girls simultaneously. But the heiress cannot make up her mind whether she loves Bob more than the rich playboy, while the girl reporter is determined to capture Bob for herself. These complicated feelings and the old man's determination to kep his millions and his granddaughter provide the essence of "Four's a Crowd." The picture reaches an uproariously funnj - climax with a double, wedding at Gretna Green. Additional humour is provided by Hugh Herbert, Melville Cooper and Herman Bi:ng, while a wire-haired terrier almost causes a riot every time he appears. The usual high standard of Embassy supporting films is maintained by thfe selection t chosen to accompany this picture. ROXY AND TIVOLI THEATRES A dramatic exposure of a new type of crime in the United States is containedin the thrilling Warner Brothers production "Accidents Will Happen," which 1 together with "Homicide Bureau," will again be screened at the Roxy and Tivoli Theatres to-day. Two players new to the screen are featured in the first picture, Ronald Reagan and Gloria Blondell. "Accidents Will Happen" deals with the efforts made by special investigators to uncover criminal organisations which are known to exist, throughout the United States solely for the purpose of defrauding insurance companies. It exposes the methods used by the criminals, the fake accidents which they stage, the self-inflicted_ injuries usod for making insurance clai ms, and the pseudo-physicians who magnify the injuries. The. second film, "Homicide Bureau,"' reveals the methods used by an unscrupulous international munitions syndicate which victimises honest scrap metal dealers by forcing them to sell to a gun-running organisation. It presents Brnce Cabot as a fighting police lieutenant, whoso zeal is somewhat curbed when he arrests a | criminal on a charge of, murder, only to have his evidence destroyed by tlie police department's lovely new scientist, portrayed by Rita Hayworth. Together, however, > they are instrumental Sin tracking down" the men responsible for the deaths of. dealers who had refused •to sell;their metal. - ■ PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE • George Formby's riotous comedy "'lt's in the Air" is the main attraction on the new programme at the Prince Edward Theatre-to-day. It tells in entertaining fashion of adventures in the Air Force, with xhe principal singing several new songs. The second film is "The Lone Wolf in Paris," with Francis Lederer and Frances Drake, a fine light mystery picture. There is a splendid supporting programme, including a news reel and a "Stooge" comedy, while community singing should be a papular feature. ASTOR THEATRE Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen appear in "Letter of Introduction," which, together with a bright modern comedy, "The First Hundred Years," "will be shown at the Astor Theatre tonight. Robert Montgomery and Virginia Bruce have the chief roles in the latter production. , ." , . CIVIC THEATRETTE The action-filled picture "King of the Royal Mounted " will head the entertaining programme at the Civic Theatrette };o-day. Also to be presented is the- drama of the kidnapping wave, " 'Nancy Steele is Missing," Victor 'McLaglen hav-. ing a vigorous leading role in this production. Special concessions are available at all three sessions to-day. CRYSTAL PALACE, ALEXANDRAThe hilarious comedy "It's Love I'm After" will be presented with "Charlie Chan in Honolulu" on the fine programme at the Crystal Palace and Alex-* andra Theatres to-night. Leslie Howard has another pleasing comedy role in the first picture, in which ho appears with Bette Davis, while Sidney Toler assumes the role of the Chinese detective in the second film.

TUDOR CINEMA One of the popular Judge Hardy films, "Judge Hardy's Children," heads the programme to be shown "at the Tudor Cinema to-night. Mickey Rooney and Cecilia Parker have the chief roles, while fine performances are given by Lewis Stone and Fay Holden. BERKELEY, MISSION BAY Considered by many to be the most uproarious of all modern comedies, "Merrily We Live." with Constance Bennett, Brian Aherne and Billie Burke prominently cast, will be shown at tho Berkeley Theatre, Mission Bay, to-night.