AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22057, 13 September 1933, Page 14

AMUSEMENTS

GRAND THEATRE “ Girl Crazy ” is the feature of the programme at the Grand Theatre this week, the principal players being that popular comedy pair. Robert Woolsey and Bert Wheeler, who are assisted by charming and talented little Mitzi Green. “Girl Crazy” is sheer unbridled farce of the most attractive kind, played at a fast pace and full of incident, variety, and humour. There is not a dull moment in the film from beginning to end, and all classes of audiences will enjoy its gay nonsense and spirited fun. The story is an involved one, but that does not concern the audience very much since the principals romp their way through the plot in the. most abandoned fashion, interpolating bright and sparkling humour which has all the appearance of being impromptu and improvised rather than carefully studied beforehand. Woolsey and Wheeler are cast in roles admirably suited to their special talents, and they provide an excellent evening’s diversion. A young gentleman of fortune finds himself in a western town at the urgent invitation of a young man about town who has been recalled to the parental roof because his father has the idea that he is girl crazy. He invites his city friend home for the purpose of livening up the old town, the young city friend proves to be Woolsey, who arrives “ out west m a taxi driven by Wheeler. From the time these two meet in the story the fun follows quickly and regularly and the him moves rapidly forward through a maze of nonsense and complication to its excellent conclusion. The supporting programme is a good one,, excellently varied, and covering a wide rangs of topics. Hie box plans for the season will be found at the theatre and at Messrs Charles Begg and Co.’s. “WHAT PRICE HOLLYWOOD?” The next attraction at the Grand Theatre will be “What Price Hollywood? ” in which Constance Bennett has the leading role. With a galaxy of celebrities in support, Miss Bennett unfolds the intricacies and intimacies °f the inner and more notable circles of the him capital. Lowell Sherman, Neil Hamilton, Gregory Ratolf, Louise Beavers and others aid the star to present an authentic characterisation of Hollywood life. The action traverses the thorough 1 are ot social life coupled with a delightful tale. Malibu Beach, the Brown Derby Restaurant, glittering Hollywood Boulevard. Agua Caliente, a Chinese Theatre premiere and the princely estates of Beverly Hills partake of the film footage to enhance the story. Moreover, every phase of the talking picture making is frankly revealed. The story of “ What Price Hotlywod ” was written by Adela Rogers Hyland, one of the city’s own residents who was enabled to cull the most familiar angles of Hollywood. Concerning itself with an ambitious girl who “ crashes ” the studio gates, the plot depicts the spectacular rise of a waitress who enchants a famed director and producer to gain rank on the screen. Interwoven, is an ultra-modern note of romance and whimsical comedy. ST. JAMES THEATRE “ The Midship Maid,” starring that most delightful of ingenues, Jessie Matthews, is proving a very real attraction at the St. James Theatre at the present time. This competent little. player simply breathes personality, and no film in which she appears could ever be a complete failure. In the case of “The Midship Maid,” however, she is fortunate not only in the content of the story in which she appears, but also in the excellence of the cast which has been found to support her. The storv is the result of the combined efforts of lan Hay and Commander Stephen King-Hall, and the plot centres around a concert on board H.M.S. Dreadnought, which furnishes the opportunity for the introduction of some very tine comedy of the most riotous and uproarious kind. Playing in the cast with Jessie Matthews are Nigel Bruce. Edwin Lawrence, Fed Kerr, and A. W. Baskcomb. The picture is full of incident and good, wholesome comedy, and cannot fail to please the most exacting type of audience. There is a good supporting programme ot short subjects covering a wide range ot interesting and topical events, and the box plans for the season will be found at the theatre, at Jacobs s. and at tnc D.I.C. “HER FIRST AFFAIR.” “Her First Affair ” one of the latest films to arrive from England via Australia, achieved outstanding- success at the Mayfair Theatre, Sydney. It will be the feature film to be shown at the St. James Theatre on Friday. The Sydney Mm ning Herald writes: “Her hirst Affair is excellent, popular entertainment. It is bright gay, and colourful, and has an appeal to all classes of picturegoers. It introduces for the .first time to Ne Zealanders two of the most beautifu screen stars in England—lda Lnpino and Diana Napier. Miss Lupmo is a menib of the famous Lupmo family, and was selected by Alan Dwan, the director, on account of her beauty,.and Dian ,^ a for her brunette fascination. The pro duction is upon an elaborate sea e a ballroom scene with a fancy ball in lull swing being the best thing of its kind contributed to the screen. George Curzon Harry Tate, the well-known London comedian, and Muriel Aked supply a choice brand of comedy. STRAND THEATRE An attractive Wild West flavour is communicated to the current progimm at the Strand Theatre by the featured film “Wild Horse Mesa,’ a screen adaptation of Zane Grey’s well-known novel. Randolph Scott and Sally Blane are the central figures in this invigorating and highly entertaining production and they contrive to give a very good account of themselves in roles which are both strenuous and picturesque. The story is lull of action and thrills and deals with the attempts of horse dealers to capture the wild horses of the West and sell them. How they are foiled in tins by a friend of the Indians is graphically told by the two principal players. There is a good supporting programme and the box plans will be found at the theatre and at the D.I.C. “ CABIN IN THE COTTON.” Acclaimed by overseas critics as another such epic of the screen as Birth ot a Nation ” is Richard Barthelmoss s latest starring vehicle “ Cabin in the Cotton, adapted from the widely-read novel by Harrison Kroll. Bartheluiess cast as the son of a poor “ Share Cropper, the “poor whites” of the Mississippi country, with which the story deals. His leading ladv, Dorothy Jordan, is also cast as the child of a share-cropper— and thenscenes are said, to be anions the tcncleiiht and most beautiful since 10l able Dav id of the silent days. The cast suppoi ting Barthelmess includes Bette Da'm Dorothy Jordan. Henry B. Walthall. I I j Marshall. Edmund Brcwo. Ben ton Churchill, David Landau, William Lo Maine, and Clarence Muse. REGENT THEATRE Ramon Novarro and Helen. Hayes are the featured players m .1 lm wmDaiwbter.” the current attraction at the Regent Theatre. They work very we.l together and succeed in presenting an attractive interpretation ol the absoibing and thrilling story on which (lie him is based. The story denis mainly with the exciting and momentous days of Hie revolution in China which sounded the death knell of the Mancbn Dynasty. Helen Haves has a remarkable role which she handles with distinction, one ot the features of her characterisation being hei astonishingly effective make-up. Kamon Novarro brings his usual intensity and earnestness to Ids part and as a result makes an outstanding success ol the portrait be lias (o draw. There is an excellent supporting programme and the box plans will be found at Hie theatre and at the D.I.C, “CHRISTOPHER STRONG.” Until “A Bill of Divorcement” was screened, Katherine Hepburn was unknown. But from the moment of the premiere of that great success, she was made. She is said to give a striking performance in “ Christopher Strong,” the kincina version of Gilbert Frankau’s in neb-discussed novel, which will he presented at the. Regent Theatre on Friday. As the worldfamous aviatrix. Lady Cynthia Barrington; she is superb, and she has strong support from a talented cast.

OCTAGON THEATRE • [ In “ The Great Jasper,” which is the current feature at the Octagon Theatre, the principal player is. Richard Dix, who demonstrates once again the ability and personality which has earned him a wide public in the past. The success of the film rests largely on his ample shoulders and he does himself every credit. He appears in the role of a driver of horse at a time when modern inventions were taking the place of old methods. The foundation of the plot is interesting and the story is well worked out. In addition to the main attraction there is a Charlie Chaplin picture. The box plans are at the theatre and at the D.I.C. “ZOO IN BUDAPEST.” “ Zoo in Budapest,” reported as one of the most unusual pictures ever portrayed on the screen, will be shown at the Octagon Theatre on Friday. It is the first independent production by Jesse L. Lasky under the banner of Fox Film. The story, built around the activities and the atmosphere of a great zoological park, deals with the romance of a young man who has lived all his life among the animals, and a simple, unsophisticated orphan girl who comes to the zoo for a lesson in natural history. The two meet for the first time, and. drawn by an unknown urge, find themselves strangely,. in love with each other. But back of this gentle theme of young love lies the terrifying pattern of caged beasts, their hates and hungers, their loves and lusts, the source from which the plot gains its momentum and is said to move from one overwhelming thrill to another. EMPIRE THEATRE “ Luxury Liner ” is the attraction of the Empire Theatre this week. It is an unusual type of film excellently produced and well played. The action of the story takes place during the six days required for the voyage from Bremen to New York and the film provides an extraordinarily interesting insight into the lives of passengers on the great liners of the world. A feature of the supporting programme is the display of spring fashions by. a special troupe of manikins, an item which is remarkable not only for the exquisite character of creations displayed but also for striking staging and mounting. Mr , Knight Barnett provides the usual pleasing interludes of music and song. The box plans are at the theatre and at the D.I.C. “THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY.” Commenting on “ The Crime of the Century,” which will be shown for the first time at the Empire Theatre on Friday, an overseas critic writes:—“This is a film which no connoisseur of the detective story can afford to miss. Better detective stories have been translated into moving pictures, but never, perhaps, has a story in this category been presented with such conscientious clarity.” Jean Hersholt is seen as a prominent doctor who walks into a police station and begs to be locked up before be commits a murder he has planned. .He is accompanied by the police to bis home, where the murder takes place under their eyOs. There will be an excellent programme oi shorter films. KING EDWARD THEATRE The wild animals of the African jungle, roaring, snarling, shrieking, and trumpeting,‘ stalk through “Nagana,’ the thrilling Universal romance which will be screened at the King Edward Theatre today. Wild savages and wild beasts form the background of a story a tempestuous love affair between the doctor in charge of a scientific expedition and a notorious woman of the world. “ Nagana ” thrills with its dangerous animal "scenes, with the ruthless cruelties of African savages, with its highly dramatic storv and with the appearance or Tala Birell. Featured with Miss Birell is Molvyn Douglas.