ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23382, 26 June 1939, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE Tho latest Donnna Durbin film "Throe Smart Girls Grow Up" will 0011(111110 its season to-day nfc tlio' Recent Theatre, The other two members of the trio are Nan Grey and Helen Parrish. both oT whom give polished performances. The principal male members of the east, are William Luudigan and Robert Ciimmings. while Charles Winninger again portrays the girls' absent-minded father. ST. JAMES* THEATRE Superbly adapted from Dr. A. J. Cronin's story, the Metro-Goldwyn-Maver produerion "The Citadel" will continue its season to-day at the St. •lames' Theatre. Robert Donat and Rosalind Russell give clear-cut characterisations as Dr. Andrew .Manson and his young wife Christine, while Ralph Richardson is magnificent as Phillip Denny. .Manson's greatest friend. Rex Harrison gives a clever portrait of a "society physician" who panders to wealthy hypochondriacs. While the film, like the book, is notable for its exposure of certain questionable medical practices, it leaves the great ideals of the profession unscathed. A coloured cartoon is included on the associate programme PLAZA THEATRE The story of the frail little craft which did so much in the Great War to track down German submarines is dramatically unfolded in the thrilling film "Submarine Patrol," which will again be shown at the Plaza Theatre to-day. Among the numerous thrilling scenes of the picture is a night attack on an enemy submarine in the Adriatic. A tense atmosphere prevails as the patrol boat is towed through a mine field by a row-boat to sink the F-boat at its base. A popular English actor Richard Greene has the rnlo of the patrol vessel's engineer, while east opposite him is Nancy Kelly. MAJESTIC THEATRE Two outstanding films. "Little Tough Guys in Society" and "St. Louis Blues. ' have been chosen for the opening programme at the newly-reno-vated .Majestic Theatre, where they are being shown daily to large audiences. "Little Tough Guys in Society" tells bow a band of slum youths contrive to be invited to a beautiful country home where the owner's son is in need of the company of other boys as part of his special treatment. The influence the beautiful surroundings has on the "little tough guys" and the manner in which thev are | converted from crime makes an absorb- | ing story. The second film has a large j and talented east, including the famous j Hall Johnson negro choir and the ! "King's .Men" quartet. STRAND THEATRE The film version of a true incident which captured the imagination of the j world last year, when Douglas Corrigan ; flew the Atlantic to Ireland "by misi take." is the current attraction at the {Strand Theatre. An R.K.0.-Radio production. the film is entitled "The Flying Irishman," and Douglas Corrigan | plays himself iit the main role. The ! picture follows his real life story from | the days when he was a struggling mechanic up to the time when be purchased a 10-year-old aeroplane and set out on bis famous flight. A strong supporting cast.' including Robert Armstrong and Eddie Quillan. has been | assembled round the principal charac- - tor. EMBASSY THEATRE An English film which was shown before Their Majesties at a Royal command performance, "Stolon Life." beads the excellent programme at the | Embassy Theatre to-day. Leading roles ! are taken by Elisabeth Bergner, who j plays a dual part. Opposite her is Michael Redgrave, who scored a pronounced success in "The Lady Vanishes." Prominent on the outstanding cast of associate players is Wilfrid Lawson. who will be remembered for his performance as Dustman Doolittle in "Pygmalion." The supporting programme includes a magnificent musical production, " Tan n h a use r." STATE THEATRE William Powell and Annahella have the principal roles in the bright modern " comedy "The Baroness and the Butler," which heads the entertaining programme to be shown again to-night at the State Theatre. The associate film is "Stolen Heaven." in which Olynipe Bradna and Lewis Stone appear. The first, chapter of a thrilling Western serial, "Wild Bill Hickok," heads the supporting programme. STAR CINEMA Charles Laughton, Franchot Tone and (.'lark Gable give memorable characterisations in the groat sea saga "Mutiny on the Bounty." which heads the programme at the Star Cinema to-day. The main film on the supporting programme is a musical comedy, "Every Sunday Afternoon," with Judy Garland and Deanna Durbin prominently cast. The first chapter of a new serial, "Wild Bill Hickok," will also be shown. CRYSTAL PALACE, ALEXANDRA A fine technicolour film. "Kentucky," is the main attraction at the Crystal Palace and Alexandra Theatres tonight. Richard Greene and Loretta I Young have the romantic leads, while i Walter Brennan is prominent in the ' supporting cast. BERKELEY, MISSION BAY An entertaining musical comedy j "Stranded in Paris" is the main nttrac- j , tion on the enjoyable programme to be j , shown again at the Berkeley Theatre. Mission Bay, to-night. A March of Time" newsreel is included on the supporting programme. j I LONDON CINEMA The rotund Lancashire comedian i Snnd.v Powell appears in the hilarious comedy "I've (Jot a Horse," which, i together with a musical comedy J "Thanks for Everything," will be 1 shown at the London Cinema to-day. 1 ( PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE * Melvvit Douglas and Florence Rico '■ are cast as amateur sleuths in the witty modern comedy "Fast Company," which will continue its season at the Prince Edward Theatre to-night. A comedy. "Wide Open Faces." with Joe E. Brown, is the associate feature. VICTORIA THEATRE Mickey Roone.v again appears as tho c irrepressible Andy Hardy in the hilari- ( ous Metro-Gold wyn-.Maver comedy "Love Finds Andy lllirdv," which will ' be shown at the Victoria Theatre lo- * night. "Exposed" is the associate film. I . . , BRITANNIA THEATRE lan Hay's great comedy success "Housemaster" is tho principal nttraction at the Britannia Theatre to-night. Otto Kruger gives an outstanding per- . formnnce in the title role. Also show- , ing is a drama "The Toy \\ ile." GREY LYNN CINEMA One of the greatest comedy successes of recent years, "Housemaster," by tho, celebrated humorist Jan Hay, heads J the outstanding programme which will j continue its season at the Grey Lynn t Cinema to-night. "Service do Luxe" is a the associate film. fi

CIVIC THEATRE The inimitable Lancashire comedienne Gracie Fields has the chief role in the hilarious comedy "Keep Smiling," which is at present having an extended season at the Civic Theatre. Prominent in supporting roles are Roger Livesey, last seen in "The Drum." and Edward Rigby, who appeared as Robert Taylor's servant in "A Yank at Oxford." Miss Fields i< cast as the leader of an unemployed concert party reminiscent of Priestley's '"good companions." The ellorts of the troup to iind work in the face of much unfair opposition makes an entertaining story. Having a concert stage as a setting for many of the scenes, the film gives Gracie Fields many opportunities to sing.

ROXY AND TIVOLI THEATRES d Two exciting melodramas, "Trouble ■- in Sundown" and "North of Shangd hai." comprise the entertaining • proh gramme to he shown again to-day at P the Rosy and Tvioli Theatres. The first x attraction, set against the popular onta door scenery of the "wild west." has 0 the well-known Western player George *' O'Brien in the principal part, that of . s a young rancher who reaches the little town of Sundown just in time to save , s the lather of his sweetheart from being lynched by an angry ehowd. The rancher, Clint, finds that the man he has rescued is suspected of robbing the bank of which he is president, and killing the night watchman. Popular , opinion is sure that he is guilty because ho was the only man in town who knew the combination of the safe. Clint rt hides the bank president away from l"j the fury of the misled mob and sets 0 out to prove his innocence by trapping „ the real criminals. The manner in which j- j lie accomplishes this in the face of almost overwhelming odds makes a ~ thrilling climax. The associate attrac--0 tion "North of Shanghai" has as its t setting an interior town in war-torn r | China. .James Craig is cast as a newsreel p cameraman who meets a girl reporter, t played by Betty Furness. Together they uncover an amazing plot to blow up the city's arsenal. With the aid of a secret society—a Chinese tong—they set to work to outwit the criminals e ! and so save the city. Many exciting s i developments occur. ( > | v j MAYFAIR THEATRE Set against the background of a famous American military academy, - the United Artists' production "The 1 3>uko of West Point" is the current 1 attraction at the Mayfair Theatre, r Presenting Louis Havward in the main • role, that of an Englishman who enters ' the academy, the film is considered by many to be America's answer to "A ' Yank at Oxford." In spite of his excellence at sport, however, the "duke," as lie is nicknamed, makes himself una popular by his supercilious manner. The story of his return to favour is bound up in the. splendid sporting scenes of the film. Supporting Louis Havward is a strong cast of associate . players headed by Tom Brown and .Joan Fontaine. i ' " CAPITOL THEATRE Made with the co-operation of the ~ British Admiralty, the thrilling Herbert Wilcox production "Our Fighting Navv" is the principal film at the Capitol Theatre to-night. "Breaking 1 the Ice" also will be shown. t TUDOR CINEMA ~ "Merrily We Live," with Constance Bennett, Brian Aherne, Billie Burke and Bonita Granville giving polished 1 performances in the main roles, is the ! main film on the enjoyable programme { at the Tudor Cinema to-night. i