AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20708, 4 May 1929, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

REGENT THEATRE. A well-balanced programme, alternating between stirring drama and light-hearted comedy, is provided for the entertainment of patrons at the Regent Theatre this weelc. The principal film is “ Four Walls,” featuring John Gilbert and Joan Crawford, and is an amazingly realistic drama of the underworld and of the regeneration of a whilom shining light in gangdom. As the young gang leader, who, spending four years in prison, has an opportunity to gain a true perspective of life, John Gilbert gives a portrayal that is little short of masterly, and easily upholds his reputation of being one of the foremost screen actors of the day. Playing feminine lead, Joan Crawford blonds striking beauty with amazing talent to form a characterisation which can be said to be the best of her career. As a siren of the underworld who loves the young gangster, and, even after he has served a term in prison through her machinations, attempts to regain his affection, she plays, a part that is particularly appealing, and one that cannot help but enhance her reputation as a dramatic actress. The story opens in a cheap basement cafe in Greenwich Village where Benny Horowitz, leader of the "Gas House” gang, with his man Monk and his girl Frieda, is confronted by Duke Roma, leader of the "Black Rat” gang and- two of his friends. Benny resents Roma’s attentions to Frieda, and orders him opt of the cafe, but as they are going out Roma draws his gun, Benny is the quicker, however, and seriously wounds his rival. He then escapes to the garage of which'he is manager, but is there arrested by the shrewd Sullivan, and is sent to prison for four years. Whilst in prison Benny comes to see life from a different point of view from that to which he has been accustomed, and when he is released resolves to be a better protector to his mother and to Bertha,' who loves him. They welcome him home, and he finds that through Bertha’s activities his old job at the garage still waits for him. -Monk and his gang pay a call and Monk tufts Benny that Frieda is how his girl. Benny replies that he ia going straight and is through with' Frieda, but when she arrives a few minutes later he finds''it .difficult to resist her lure. He makes good at his job and does.his best’to keep away from Frieda, but circumstances are. too strong for him and he finds hiraselt again' .falling under her spell. Monk git-ea a big party at the cafe and invites Benny, and after at first refusing the _latter cannot resist the temptation to return to his old haunts. While at the party Frieda taunts him by announcing ■ her engagement to Monk, and Benny finds -himself forgetting his determination to gj etraight. The “ Black Rut ” Bang raid the cafe, and Benny carries Frieda to ealety on tho roof. Monk follows them. . and there is a fight, but Frieda intervenes to save Beany’s life. In the tussle Monk accidentally falls off the roof, and is ■ killed. Again Sullivan interviews Benny in the Horowitz home, and attempts to bluff him into a confession that he killed Mcnb, by saying that Frieda has given him away, Benny sees through the ruse, however, and gives Sullivan little satis- ■ faction, and,when Frieda herself appears SuUivan is none the wiser Leaving the ’room he listens to their conversation, an d thus discovers their innocence, finally . leaving them to their uappineas. . Supporting the principals is e strong cast‘headed by Carmel Myers, Vera Gordon, ■Robert Emmett O’Connor. Louis Nath’•eaux, and Jack Byron. The second feature is a oomedy entitled "My Friend ■from India,” with Franklin Pangboru and Elinor _ Fair in the leading . roles, It is a story of an amazing deception, and is replete with laughs from the very commencement# . Franklin Pangborn appears as Tommy r Valentine, a rich globe-trotter, who, when on the point of leaving his hotel, meets Barbara and her socially ambitious aunt. Ha saves the girl from being run over by traffic when her heel becomes caught in some tram rails, but she is whisked away again by her aunt before Tommy can find out who she is; Acting on the advice of 1 the hotel porter, he goes to Swapai, an alleged Indian fortuneteller, for inside information, but discovers that he is a fraud. He goes to the office of a Chinese lottery, end there runs into Charles. BarbnraVbrpther, who is bolding the winning ticket in the lottery which is just drawn, Rolice paid the place, and Tommy and Charlie escape and take refuge in a women’s gymnasium, where, donning women’s athletic garb, they ape mistaken for two new girls who, are expected. The police again run them to earth, but they once more make their escape, and finally reach the home of Barbara’s aunt, where the latter discovers them next morning. She thinks Tommy is Charlie's friend,: an Indian prince, a character who has been previously invented by Charlie to explain his protracted absences from the house. She at once arranges a reception as a' means of raising her own status on the Social scale, and the resultant complications provide ample opportunity for the chief comedian to display his talents. Order is at last regained, and Tommy finds i Barbara, who confesses that she loves him Tht supporting cgst includes Ethel Wales, Louis Nathegux, Jeannette Hoff, pnd Tom Ricketts. There are several excellent suporting pictures op the programme, while the. incidental musiq Supplied by the Regent Orchestra, under the’baton of Mr Neville Ravel, ia of a particularly high standard.

STRAND THEATRE. The Strapd Theatre seems to have taken a new lease of life, and has become a ' favoured place with picture lovers. The most recent addition to a notable list of good pictures is “ The Woman Disputed,” which has had a very successful run and ■hows no sign of losing. interest with the public. The production is one of the best that has come from Hollywood for some time, and it is said of the picture that it is a straightforward, if somewhat grim, chapter from the Book of Life transferred to the screen with the greatest of truth and fidelity. Gilbert Roland and Arnold Kent have the principal male roles opposite Miss Talraadge, who is seen ag a street girl named Mary Ann Wagner, who has great ambitions. She meets two army officers—Paul Hartman, of the Austrian Army, and Nika Turgenov, a Russian officer—and this acquaintance changes / her whole outlook on .life. Both men fall in love with the girl,' though she is . not aware of it at first, and, though they have been great friends previously, their friendship is called upon now to stand a greater strain than it can, bear. War breaks out, and, before going, the Russian tells the girl of his love, and discovers that she is already, pledged to Hartman The Russian goes off his head with frenzy, and means to “get even” with his rival by fair means or foul. He has his chance when the girl falls, a prisoner, into his hands, and devises a terrible torture. The girl is placed in the, scale of life gnd death, and prefers the latter to submitting to the Russian’s proposals. However, a rescue is effected, the Russian dies, and after nil misunderstandings have been removed Hartman and the heroine are seen locked in each other’s arms. “The Woman Disputed ” is easily amongst the best pictures seen. empire THEATRE. The laughter and gaiety bprp of good, clean, wholesome comedy kept thq large house at the Empire Theatre last night in the best of humours. It was a thoroughly "enjoyable programme throughout, every single item being very obviously completely to the taste of the audience. The occasion was the screening of the new bill which will be offered for the ensuing ■week. Though both of the featured films were comedies, there was no surfeit of farce, but rather a judicious admixture of ’ fun. and romance —ingredients welcome, and even necessary in practically all entertainment. The principal attraction . was, without doubt, the delightful tale which Clara Bow enacted so beautifully in the star role of the Paramount picture, “Three Week-ends.” This talented s and personable actress’s fame is something more than mere box office publicity. She ill ways gives her public good measure, flowing over, and for this reason the least

notable of her productions is assured of universal acceptation .before the first scene is shown. “ Three Week-ends ” Is on the same level as her previous pictures, and is full of the vivacity, charm, and refreshing frankness that characterises all her work on the screen. There will be few who see her in “ Three Weekends" during the coming week who will not readily agree with the general opinion of her success as a star entertainer. Leatrice Joy provides moat of the diversion in the second film, "Eve’s Leaves,” and she is effectively supported in the leading male role by William Boyd. An additional feature, and one that has now become an institution at this popular playhouse, is the excellent budget of local news that is contained in the Weekly Gazette, These pictures, all of which are produced in the most approved style, cover a wide variety of happenings in the city throughout the past few days. The University A v. Alhambra Rugby football match at Carisbrook is the subject of many interesting feet of film, and such events as the laying of the foundation stone of the new Schvyn College and the ceremony of placing the coping stone on the new Town Hall come in for the correct amount of attention. “ Three Week-ends ” is a story of youth and its inevitable impulsiveness and endless misunderstandings, but, like all good stories, the ending is a happy ouo, at least for the two principals who really matter, Gladys O’Brian (Clara Bow) and Jim Gordon (Neil Hamilton). Clara Bow makes all the fun, and introduces the greater part of the romance also, the hero and the convenient millionaire (Harrison Ford) being kept quite busy enough giving her sufficient openings for the exercise of her surprising energy and her peculiarly charming manners. Gladys O’Brian lives in a tenement flat with her father and mother, and after about 18 years of it is heartily sick of the constant disagreements, ranging from wordy battles to free fights, which seem to be the common round of the neighbouring tenants. Determined ■to ensnare some \ eligible and wealthy young man, she is attracted by a splendid limofisine and an immaculately-clad youth whom she takes to be one of the sons of wealth. She was not to know that he was merely one of the hired servants of wealth, and the situation becomes more than 'complicated by the fact that love at first sight is mutual. The first weekend is. interesting, the second romantic, and the third exciting, finishing up on a delightfully humorous note. The picture is well produced, the story is irresistibly told, and the casting is good. “Three Week-ends ” should certainly be seen. "Eve’s Leaves” concerns a young lady whose life on her father’s tramp steamer leaves no time for the cultivation of the adorning graces of femininity. She never misses them until a romantic old sea cook lends penny thrillers and love stories that sets her : dreaming of Prince Charming. She cannot at first understand why the first young man she is attracted by exhibits no sign of reciprocal interest. The kindly cook tells her she lacks sex appeal, and provides her with a guide to the cultivation of that very necessary female weapon, and as a result the determined, young lady changes her dungaree trousers and flannel shirt for less modest but more revealing attire. The effect is devastating and leads to a series of complications in . which a certain Chinese bandit chief figures prominently. Farce is let loose in the final scenes in uproarious fashion, and the film struggles on to a dramatically humorous conclusion through a long succession of fights and chases from which the young couple emerge at a hastily improvised altar.

OCTAGON THEATRE. . When a picture becomes well set in public favour there ia no necessity to replace it with something possibly not so good—-that is ■ the reason why the third Fox movietone has been retained at the Octagon Theatre for a further term. The “ talkies ” are evidently growing in favour and their novelty and popularity is not likely to decline, Amongst a mass of interesting matter the patron hears the last speech delivered by the Ring prior to hia unfortunate illnesa. The occasion ia the opening of the new bridge at New-caetlc-on-Tyne, and hia Majesty, accompanied by Queen Mary, ia not only seen, but heard performing the ceremony. For a full two minutes bis Majesty speaks, every word coming from the reproducer with astonishing clarity. So perfectly is the voice synchronised with the movements and gestures pf the speaker that the whole scene is brought before the audience, so that they might actually be attending a similar event in their own city. The cheers of the immense crowd present and all the incidental sounds are also reproduced with startling fidelity. General Godley is also in evidence and his heard and seen welcoming some American visitors to Gibraltar, Along with his voice is ■ heard the clatter of traffic and the cries of the polyglat crowd. “In a Music Shoppe ’• is a novel departure, and illustrates'an episode in the life of Stephen Collins Foster, > who composed the wellknotim plantation ditty “My Old Kentucky Hoipe.” The little pjayet presents many pleasing and attractive features. The Roxy Theatre Orchestra, with its 110 i performers, lends interest and beauty to The Red Dance,” which is exceptionally well placed. Dolores del Rio and Charles Farrell are seen in the leading roles. The plot centres round incidents in the Russian Revolution, and Miss Del Rio takes the part of Tasja, a Russian girl, whose mother and father were tortured by the Cheka for no other reason than that they taught the villagers to read. The mother dies, the father is thrown into prison, and Tasia swears revenge. Then comes into the picture the Grand Duke Eugene, a haughty aristocrat, who, by all the laws of the Soviet, should be her deadliest enemy. And so he is until his charm and gallantry and the fact that his sympathies are really, with the people, completely overcome the girl’a enmity. She loses her heart to this man, and after further adventures the pair find their happiness.

GRAND AND PLAZA THEATRES. The new programme, installed for the “™, lme 1 yesterday, i s quite a worthy addition to much that is interesting in the moving picture world, and patrons ot the Grand and Plaza Theatres will have no reason to complain of the change The prominent, picture is “The Luck of the Navy, > stage play that created rather a furore when produced at His Majesty’s Theatre several years ago. The screen version is likely to prove even more popular than its stage original. Miss Evelyn Laye, famed for her beauty, and Mr Henry Victor are the stars in a very strongly filled cast, and play the Parts ■> of Cynthia Eden and Lieutenant Clive Stanton, R.N., respectively. Incidental to an absorbing story there are terrific hand-to-hand fights, a dazzling ballroom scene, a mobilisation of the fleet, and many other attractions. The story tells how Admiral Mnybridge, his ward Cynthia, and her heather, Wing, await the return of Ciiv- Stanton, a nephew of the admiral’s. Louis Peel, a young foreigner, puts in an appearance, and rather upsets matters. He is in love with Cynthia and jealous of Stanton. Louis incurs a debt and cannot repay the moneylender (Briggs). Then arises the question of buying Louiu over by obtaining a certain tracing, a copy of which he obtains from the dock yard. Louis is not at ease after his treachery, and is on the point of making a_ confession when there is a breakdown in the wireless, which prevents him getting into touch with H4OB, the man who is to receive the plan. The English Fleet returns. Biere is a big ball, and Stanton declares his love for Cynthia, who is nothing loth to accept the young Englishman. Jackie Coogan, the child actor, is the mainstay of the supporting picture, “Johnny Get Your Hair Cut.” Jackie takes the part of a little oprhan boy whose ambition is to become a successful jockey. He becomes the pivot of some thrilling adventures, rescues a little girl, who is the daughter of a famous horse owner, and becomes the hero of the hour.