AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22022, 3 August 1933, Page 16

AMUSEMENTS

GRAND THEATRE

The double-feature programme which has proved such a popular draw at the Grand Theatre during the past week will continue its Dunedin season to-day. “ Ebb Tide,” a powerful drama of London’s dockland, the principal feature, deals with the love story of a rollicking, carefree sailor who finds on his return from a long voyage that his sweetheart, as the result of her participation in a street fracas, has been imprisoned. He visits her in prison, and promises to take care of her when she comes out, but in the meantime, a peculiar twist of fate places him in the position of guardian to a young girl. Thus is formed the inevitable triangle, and complications ensue when the sailor’s sweetheart comes out of gaol and finds that he has fallen a victim to the charms of his ward. From this stage the action becomes highly exciting, and events move swiftly to a somewhat unorthodox but entirely satisfactory climax. For the interpretation of the story, the producers have assembled an unusually competent cast, and the three leading players, Joan Barry, George Barraud, and Dorothy Bouchier, all give powerful and convincing renderings of their respective parts. The supporting feature, “ Strictly Business,” is a diverting comedy, abounding in wholesome humour, and built around a logical plot. In it Car! Harbord, Betty Ammon, Percy Parson, and Molly Lamont are the leading players. The box plana are at the theatre and at Messrs Chas. Begg and Co.’s.

“RICH AMD STRANGE."

Fred and Emily, husband and wife of eight years standing, are suddenly confronted with untold wealth, and, throwing caution to the winds, embark on a world tour, to visit the strange places of the earth, where many queer adventures befall them. Hitherto Emily has idolised Fred, but under the magic spell of moonlit nights at sea, she falls violently in love with a Commander Gordon, with whom she cannot help contrasting the sham she has for a husband. His obvious passion for a foreign princess on board further incriminates him in her eyes, and she plans to leave the ship with Gordon. But it is not until she is on her way to his plantation that she learns that the princess is nothing more than an adventuress after her husband’s money. Regardless pf her own happiness she returns to him to find that the “ bird ” hag flown, leaving them both penniless. Their subsequent adventures while returning to England in'a cargo boat which is wrecked, and their timely rescue by a Chinese junk, provide endless thrills for all filmgoers who see “Rich and Strange,” commencing at, the Grand Theatre tomorrow, and not on Monday, as formerly stated. Add to this a,director of Alfred Hitchcock’s calibre and a cast which includes Henry Kendall, Joan Barry, and Percy Marmont, and there is a unique entertainment.

ST. JAMES THEATRE

“Sally Bishop” is the attraction at the St. James Theatre at the present time, and the final screenings will be held today. Harold Huth and Joan Barry have the leading roles in the production, which is highly entertaining and characterised bv an absorbing story. Benita Hume and Kay Hammond have the main supporting roles. The plot is based on an unconventional alliance between a young lawyer, who hesitates to commit himself to marriage, and a young woman wdio loves too much to worry about conventions. There is an excellent supporting programme of short subjects, and the box plans are at the theatre, at the Bristol, and at Jacobs’s.

“SAY IT WITH MUSIC.”

“ Say It With Music,” another excellent British film, will be screened at the St. James Theatre for the first time tomorrow. The picture is a novel one, for it hag as its principal performers the members of Jack Payne’s Dance Band. This band is well known wherever dance music is played, so the picture, which shows the band in action, should be verypopular, especially as the band is a most interesting one to watch. Several tuneful numbers are played, including “Say It With Music,” “ Love is _ the Sweetcst Thing.” and “Good Morning, Mr Sun.’" Jack Payne acts attractively, and has a pleasing and natural manner. The film does not depend on the playing of the band alone, for the plot is based on an interesting story by William Cooper, concerning the rise to fame of a poor composer. While driving to the theatre, Payne knocks this man down, and finds he is an old war-time friend, whom he has not seen for many years. He finds that the composer is almost penniless, so plays one of his friend’s compositions. Its skilful interpretation by the band achieve a great success, and brings recognition that has been long denied. Percy Marmont is excellent as the composer, and he is ably assisted by Joyce Kennedy, gvbil Summerfield, and Evelyn Roberts. The film is skilfully directed and recorded. It further reveals the wealth of talent on which the British studios _ are able to draw in their search for pictures of first-class entertainment value.

STRAND THEATRE

“ Tiger Shark,” the romantic and thrilling film which has, during the past week, attracted crowded houses to the Strand Theatre, will have its final local_ screening to-day. The plot is laid against the background of the tuna-fishing industiy of the Pacific, and tells in graphic fashion the hazards with which the fishermen are faced through the depredations ot the dangerous tiger shark, h rom a spectacular point of view alone, the production is well worth seeing, and some of the scenes are the result of photography that is nothing less than amazing. A delicate thread of romance is woven into the action and is capably interpreted by a strong cast with Edward G. Robinson and Zita Johann in the lending roles. Inc box plans arc at the theatre and at the Bristol.

“ UNDER-COVER MAN

“ Under-Cover Man,” a screen play centring around a thief who gambles his own life and the life of the girl lie loves to hunt down the murderers of his father* will be the next attraction at the Strand Theatre, with a cast headed by George Raft, Nancy Carroll, Roscoe Earns, Lew Cody, and Gregory Ratoff. “UnderCover Man ” is a story of a gang of bond thieves who operate on a big scale. Raft is east as such a crook. Hut when his father, a receiver for stolen bonds, is murdered, he turns against his own kind, and sets out to have revenge. To this end, he offers his services to the police as an “ nnder-covcr man.” to pass himself off as a member of the underworld, and work secretly in co-operation with the authorities. Miss Carroll, whose brother, a bank messenger, has been killed in a bond robbery by the same gang, ioins Raft to gain her own revenge, and the results that follow when their combined forces get under way are rapid and dramatic.

EMPIRE THEATRE

George Wallace in “ Harmony Row,” his latest production for Ell'tee Films, has proved very popular at the Empire Theatre this week. The film is excellently produced and the well-known comedian makes the most of the many opportunities for clever comedy which are contained in the story. Wallace appears ns a policeman, and manages to crowd enough complications and misadventures into his life to daunt most men in blue. He is supported in the cast by Thelma Scott, Gertrude Boswell, Marshall Crosby, and John Bobbie. Another attraction at this theatre is the- singing and playing at the organ of Mr Knight Barnett, who is enthusiastically received at his every appearance. The box plans arc at the theatre and at the Bristol.

“ SAILOR’S LUCK.”

In “ Sailor’s Luck,” which will be commenced to-morrow at the Empire Theatre, James Dunn and Sally Eilers prove once again that they are one of the best romantic teams on the screen. The promise they gave in “ Bad Girl ” is fulfilled in generous measure by their joint performance in “Sailor’s Luck.” Dunn plays the role of a happy-go-lucky “gob,” always ready to fight, hut always naive in the ways of the world. Sally Eilers, as the girl who is responsible for it all, is the perfect foil. They meet quite accidentally, as is usually the ease with a sailor and a girl, and from then on the action is hectic and hilarious. Duun re-

sents the attentions that other men pay to Miss Eilers, but the girl happens to be the kind that provokes attention. After a series of misadventures and a separation provided by both the United States navy and a quarrel of their own, the two are reunited in a climax of rare entertainment. Frank Moran, that old “ white hope ” of the prize ring, has an important part. Raoul Walsh, the guiding genius of both “ What Price Glory ” and “ The Cock-eyed World,” directed “ Sailor’s Luck.”

OCTAGON THEATRE

There is the usual double feature programme at the Octagon Theatre this tfeek, the main item being “Humanity,” which tells the story of the sacrifices a doctor was prepared to make for his son. It is an absorbing tale which the picture tells, and the parts are all well acted. The second attraction is “Handle With Care,” a comedy production in which the principal roles are taken by James Dunne, El Brendel, and Boots Mallory. The two pictures together make up a very interesting evening’s entertainment. The box plans are at the theatre and at the Bristol.

“WORLD, FLESH, AND DEVIL.’’ “ The World, the Flesh, and the Devil,” which commences its season at the Octagon Theatre to-morrow, is a story that deals with the greedy practices of an unscrupulous lawyer, who stops at nothing to gain a fortune he has no legal right to. Many new twists are introduced into the story, which divorces the plot from anything of a stereotyped or hackneyed nature. The characters are excellently portrayed by a cast of English players, headed by Harold Huth and Isla Bevan. Many exciting moments are introduced which possess a good measure of thrills. Four internationally famous cowboy champions appear in Tom Keene’s latest starring R.K.0.Radio Picture, “ The Cheyenne Kid,” at the Octagon Theatre to-morrow. They are Kenneth Cooper, of Pendleton and Cheyenne; Bordon James, and Buff Jones, trick roping kings, and Bill Murley, champion relay rider.

REGENT THEATRE

To-day will provide the final opportunity of witnessing “ To-night is Ours,” the delightful romance that has headed the programme at the Regent Theatre during the past week. The story tells of the attachment that springs up between the princess of a minor Balkan State and a young Parisian, and goes on to chronicle in an entertaining manner the tale of their parting, and subsequent reconciliation. In the hands of such competent leads as Frederic March and Claudette Colbert, the story loses nothing in the telling, and the subsidiary parts are handled by n competent supporting cast. A varied and interesting programme of short subjects is shown. The box plans are at the theatre and at the Bristol. .

“ SMILIN’ THROUGH.”

“ Smilin’ Through,” that delightful play that has captured the hearts of the world, will be presented at the Regent Theatre to-morrow. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which produced this drama, reveals perhaps the finest array of artists the screen has yet seen. The combination of Norma Shearer with Frederic March, Leslie Howard, Ralph Forbes, 0. P. Heggie, and Beryl Mercer, represents as brilliant an assemblage of artists as could be wished for. Norma Shearer in this production turns away from the sophistication of her past roles. In her dual characters of Moonyeen and Kathleen she attains an ethereal charm as the one and touches new dramatic heights as the other. In going back to pure romance she brings freshness and the mellow tenderness that arises from the revisiting of memorable places. It is the Norma Shearer of old in a refreshened mood.

KING EDWARD THEATRE

Slim Summerville and Zasu Pitts are the starred players in “ They Just Had to Get Married,” the production which heads the current programme at the King Edward Theatre. It is uproarious comedy from beginning to end and these popular comedy players give a very good account of themselves in the parts of servants who are suddenly bequeathed an immense sum of money by their employer. There is«nn excellent supporting cast, and the supporting programme of short subjects is an excellent one.