AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22295, 22 June 1934, Page 16

AMUSEMENTS

GRAND THEATRE " Channel Crossing," a Gaumont-British picture, directed by Milton Rosmer from a story by Angus MacPhail and W. P. Lipscombe, will be the main new feature at the Grand Theatre to-day. The strong, dramatic story is interpreted by a care-fully-selected cast, headed by Matheson Lang, as a multi-millionaire financier, and Constance Cummings as his secretary. Anthony Bushell is her lover, who is responsible for tragic happenings. Edmund Gwenn enjoys a feature role as a passenger—a. Lancashire man of substance, paying his first visit to France. Max Miller, really an actor but making believe that he is a commercial traveller, is another leading figure in comedy scenes, cieverly interspersed with the drama. Others in the cast are Dorothy Dickson; Nigel Bruce, Douglas Jeffries, talented artists all. The story is of dramatic and tragic happenings on a cross-Channel run between Dover and Calais. The plot covers the failure of an international financier to overcome the consequences of an issue of false scrip and, at the same time, to face the tragedy of his rejection by the woman he loves —a tragedy deepened by his realisation that she loves the man whom he had nearly murdered. The denouement is thrilling in the extreme. The picture, which is released by Fox Films for the Gaumont-British Corporation, is distinctly unusual in treatment, and is brilliantly handled. STATE THEATRE Invested with a human understanding that delves deeply into the hearts of its people, ■ Fox Film's latest release, " As Husbands Go," will be shown to-day at the State Theatre. Rachel Crothers, who is responsible for such hits as " Let Us Be Gay" and "When Ladies Meet." again proves herself to be a master _ in the art of writing. Her play from which the picture was taken was a success on Broadway, and Fox Film has really done credit to itself in producing it so well for the screen. Falling in love with a young Englishman in Paris, a young wife returns home, determined to ask her husband for a divorce. The husband's kindness and devotion prove too much for her to penetrate. The situation becomes all the more embarrassing when the lover arrives. The husband, discovering that the Englishman is the one his wife loves, befriends him, and decides to learn what kind of a man he is. The young man's admiration for the husband becomes so great that he comes to the conclusion he is doing him an injustice, and departs. The wife, realising her mistake, decides to confess, but the husband, in a sympathetic manner, suggests that he understands, and refuses to let her tell. They once again take up their interrupted happiness. Warner Baxter, in the starring role, is said to give' an even better performance than he did in his last three triumphs—" Penthouse," " Paddy, The Next Best Thing," and " 42nd Street." Helen "Vinson, who plays opposite Baxter, gives a performance that is easily her best. The other members of the cast, who are Warner Oland, Catharine Doucet, G. P. Huntley, jun., Frank O'Connor, Eleanor Lynn, and Jay Ward, acquit themselves with distinction under the direction of Hamilton MacFadden. ST. JAMES THEATRE Great interest has been taken in the first screen appearance of the celebrated stage actress, Irene Vanbrugh, who has her first "talkie" role in "Head of the Family," which will be shown at the St. James Theatre to-day. Besides offering a story.of powerful dramatic appeal, the picture has the additional value of a number of popular and famous players in supporting roles, including John Stuart, himself a star, Arthur Maude, Pat Paterson—recently given a contract by a major Hollywood studio—-and D. A. ClarkeSmith. "The Head of the Family Vis also important because it brings to the screen a subject that has not hitherto been attempted by a British studio, depicting the effort of the older generation which, from its traditional security and serenity, finds itself faced with the necessity of adapting itself to new conditions wrought by the post-war period. Irene Vanbrugh has the role of the head ot such a family, whose inspiration and courage successfully steers her husband and her children through the storm of domestic and financial difficulties that overcome them at a moment when their security seems most assured. The drama concerns the rivalry of two great steel magnates— Powis Porter, whose conservative ideas precipitate his-ruin, and Stanmore, of the newer school of business, up-to-date in his methods and ruthless in his determination for success. Even after Stanmore has accomplished Porter's downfall he cannot complete his victory; of buying him out. Porter refuses to sell the valuable process that once brought him success, despite his straitened circumstances. Guided by his wife, he successfully weathers the storm, but not before incidents of the most dramatic kind have brought the story to its thrilling and exciting climax. OCTAGON THEATRE The programme which is being presented this week by the management of the Octagon Theatre "for the entertainment of its patrons includes two long films. They are "The Ninth Guest" and "Brief Moment." In the former the leading roles ar e taken by Genevieve Tobiu ami Donald Cook, while Carole Lombard and Gene Raymond are featured in the latter. "The Ninth Guest" is one of thdse mystery stories which retain their general popularity with motion picture audiences. A mysterious summons to a supper in a room high up in one of New York's tallest buildings results in the presence there of eight guests. Their consternation can better be imagined than described when a. voice, apparently coming, from nowhere, announces that each shall die that evening. The terror of members of the party is intensified by the fact that barred windows and doors prevent the escape of any individual. Cut off thus from help, isolated from the rest of the world by the very height of the building, the eight are thrown into a panic._ A series of dramatic and intensely exciting incidents follow, and before the climax is reached five out of the eight have either been murdered or have committed suicide. The solution of the mystery is one that can hardly fail to hold the attention of the most blase member of the audience. "Brief Moment" is an entirely different type of picture. In it Carole Lombard is cast as a cabaret performer who is faced with the knowledge that her husband, a son of one of New York's wealthy families, is becomiug involved in a series of intrigues that are ruining him socially as well as morally. The young man (played by Gene Raymond) is concerned with very little else but keeping up with the doings of the fast set with which he has become involved, and the efforts of his wife to win him back to a saner way of life are in vain. She appeals to his father to help her in her struggle to redeem her husband, but even this fails of its object, it is only when the girl in despair returns to her cabaret work that the man is brought to see the error of his ways. The picture reaches an eminently satisfactory conclusion, with everybody happy. The outstanding piece of work in the picture ip that contributed by Miss Lombard, who gives a particularly skilful portrayal, while Raymond makes a convincing job of his role. The supporting players also give creditable performances. The box plans are at Begg's, M'Cracken and Walls's, and the theatre. EMPIRE THEATRE "Should Ladies Behave?" That is the question which will be asked and answered at the Empire Theatre to-day when this picture will have its first screening. Lightly accepting the responsibility of doing justice to such a subject, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, though they obviously thoroughly appreciate the difficulty ot their undertaking, contrive, by delicate handling, to leave the title question undecided until the curtain. With the course of the film carefully plotted, the characters well limned, and an undeniable presence of comedy, everything possible has been done to perfect this talkie. in' broad outline it is reminiscent of " When Ladies Meet," a highly successful film. If anything, thotwh, " Should Ladies Behave? " emerges the better from the comparison, for even though a trifle more startling in theme and title, the cast ot the present film is definitely superior. Lionel Barrymore. once more with distinguished and brilliant ease, contributes the masterly performance that has come to be expected from him. As the crabbed

and slyly sympathetic Augustus he is the outstanding character in the film. Next to Barrymore id Alice Brady. Her role is more exacting, and she has more to do than Barrymore, but, nevertheless, her acting is always flawless, while her unfortunate Malapropisms are a feature. Mary.Carlisle, whose bouncing in and out of love causes the disturbances which form the basis of the plot, is a promising young actress who should have a future ahead of her. The latest Laurel and Hardy comedy will also be shown. REGENT THEATRE Spectacularly staged, and featuring Eddie Cantor in the leading role, " Roman Scandals " will commence its second w ; eek of showing to-day at the Regent Theatre. The whole show has been most lavishly mounted, the various scenes in Rome being in particular a triumph of the producer's art. There is one beautiful scene of many of America's most lovely girls—mainly blondes — sold in the slavemarket; and there is another in the women's bathing quarters of the Imperial Palace, that presents the Goldwyn girls in a soug and dance sequence during which Cantor sings about love and beauty. As a grocery boy in West Rome, Oklahoma, Cantor is turned out of town through upsetting the Mayor's unscrupulous plans, and dreams himself back in Ancient Rome in the days when Valerius wore the Imperial robes and oppressed the poor while the Empress Agrippa plotted to kill him. Captor is sold as a slave, rescued by a friend of the people (David Manners), threatened with torture, appointed official foodtaster to the Emperor—a job that is never held by the same person for more than about two hours —involved in a plot to save a beautiful British slave (Gloria Stuart) from his royal master, chased out of the women's toilet rooms and finally out of Ancient Rome back to West Rome, Oklahoma, where he succeeds in proving that the Mayor of that town is the counterpart of Valerius, who enriched himself at the people's expense. Cantor's exit from the Imperial City is the funniest thing on record, besides being even more, thrilling than the chariot race in "Ben Hur." "Build a Little Home" is the outstanding song of several bright numbers. For mirth, melody, spectacle, and originality, "Roman Scandals" is one of the outstanding films of the year, and it is supported by a really excellent list of "shorts," including a new Walt Disney Silly Symphony in colour. This is entitled "The China Shop," and is remarkable for the beauty of its pastel shading.' The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. STRAND THEATRE What is said to be one of the most startling "crashes" ever seen on the screen occurs in " Cross Country Cruise," the comedy-drama which opens to-day at the Strand Theatre, with Lew Ayres in the starring role. A giant passenger bus, in which a criminal is fleeing from officers of the law, careers at breakneck speed along a road in the desert, when suddenly an aeroplane bearing the officers lands in the road ahead of it and blocks the way. Without slackening its pace the bus crashes headlong into the plane . and hurtles into an irrigation ditch. And Alan Dinehart, the murderer, is not the only passenger on the bus, for it also carries June Knight, whom he has forced to accompany him as a hostage. This is only one of the exciting scenes in this modern screen drama, which follows the adventures of the bus from the time it leaves New York City until it completes its run in San Francisco. Unusual attractiveness is brought to " Cross Country Cruise" by the fact that the background is contantly changing, and interesting sections of the entire country flash past the windows as the great bus continues on its way. The supporting cast, in addition to Miss Knight and Miss White, includes Alan Dinehart, Minna Gombell, Eugene Pallette, Robert M*Wade, Arthur Vinton, and many others. KING EDWARD THEATRE Ann Harding, who has had many roles of the type that may be described as sophisticated, is cast in the principal feminine part of "The Woman in His House," which is now showing at the King Edward Theatre. The story is one that allows the brilliant American actress full scope for the display of her abilities. . Dealing with the relations that exist between a man and two women, with Miss Harding as the one who, although not the wife, is, nevertheless, the real companion of the man, it gives her the class of role which she handles best, as she has proved in half a dozen pictures within the last two or three years. Playing opposite her is Lesli& Howard. This Englishman, in Hollywood, has established a most enviable reputation by his recent work in talking pictures, and any film in which these two great players are associated may be taken as being well worth seeing. The supporting cast is also a strong one. The programme of short subjects has been well varied, and includes a comedy, a cartoon, "Jolly Fish," and a Pathe News gazette. ■