AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22353, 29 August 1934, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS

GRAND THEATRE Irene Dunne and Clive Brook have the leading roles in “ If I Were Free,” which will be shown at the Grand Theatre today. “If I Were Free ” is extraordinarily refreshing in that it presents Brook in a role which allows a complete display of his artistry in handling subtly witty lines. His performance is perfect throughout. Miss Dunne excels in her portrayal which co-ordinates beautifully with her personality, and she gives the whole picture .an emotional depth which never fails to hold the rapt attention of the audiences. “If I Were Free” describes a very modern love affair. Miss Dunne as Sarah and Brook as Gordon are married unhappily to their respective mates. Suddenly, they discover a new hope in life when they meet each other. Then come the complications to their happiness. Brook’s life is threatened by the ravages of a war wound. Sarah s husband, divorced in order that she may go to Brook, attempts to blackmail her, and Brook’s wife refuses a divorce, as she wishes to profit by his renewed climb to wealth and position. There is a surprising, yet very logical, ending to the picture. “If I Were Free ” is entertainment of an excellent variety. In its featured roles are prominent players such as Nils Asther, who is an elegant villain, an exponent of suave screen blackguardism with his portrayal of Miss Dunne’s husband; Lorraine Mac Lean, who has the part of Brook’s wife: Henry Stephenson, Vivian Tobin, and Laura Hope Crews. The picture is directed by Elliott Nugent. John Van Druten wrote the story in the London stage hit, “Behold, We Live.” To-night’s and to-morrow’s evening sessions will be commenced at 7.45 instead of 8 o’clock. The box plans are at Begg’s and the theatre. — ' i i REGENT THEATRE “Fugitive Lovers,” the current attraction at the Regent Theatre, starring the personable and popular actors, Robert •Montgomery and Madge Evans, is a moving picture in more than one sense of the word, the novelty of motion in this case being the background which changes across America from New York to Los Angeles as a transcontinental bus speeds on its way. One need not be too particularly concerned about the likelihood of the plot, the entertainment value of it seems to be the standard of judgment, and, if this be conceded, the production must be allo\£ed good marks. The dramatic quality of the incidents is strong and frequent touches of comedy are interspersed with a deft _ hand. The everchanging background is also an effective means of giving a thrilling tenseness to the interest. Excitement commences when a daring escaped criminal boards a transcontinental char-a-banc on which are travelling a chorus girl and a brusque gangster who has constituted himself the girl’s suitor, irrespective of her wishes. One only need to glance from the gangster to the escaped criminal to realise that the new arrival is going to share the romantic interest with the heroine in the future, and so it proves. But there can be no waning of interest as gradually the net closes about the escapee. Skilful direction has extracted all the possible entertainment that the theme can give. A notable supporting programme includes a news reel, showing graphic scenes of the recent Indian earthquake disaster, ; a travel film of Dutch Guiana, and a comedy. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. “RED WAGON.” AN EPIC CIRCUS ROMANCE. Undoubtedly one of the most outstanding productions in the annals of motion pictures, the British International film of : Lady Eleanor Smith’s famous “ lied Wagon ” is to be presented at the Regent Theatre on Friday next. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales attended the first public showing of this film (which was made at Elstree under the direction of Paul Stein), when it was given a royal premiere at the Regal Kinema, Marble Arch, London, in aid of the Prince of Wales’s Builder Fund of Toe H., raising over £12,000. Against panoramic backgrounds of Britain’s beauty spots, “Red Wagon,” a virile story of the loves and hates of half-primitive people of the open air, unfolds. It represents a triumph in perfect casting, for the motley of circus and gipsy characters which make up the human fervour of this remarkable story are chosen from the peoples of several nations. Joe Prince, the American-born circus owner, is played by Charles Bickford; Zara, the blonde Continental tigertamer, is portrayed by the lovely Norwegian, Greta Nissen; while Joe Prince’s gipsy wife and her nomad lover are played by Raquel Torres, the Mexican, and Don Alvarado, the romantic half-Spanish son of globe-trotting parents. There is the renegade Englishman, played by Anthony Bushell; and the simple-hearted Irishman, represented by Frank Pettingell; the suave German, played by Paul Graetz, and the fresh little Cockney elephant keeper, sketched by the versatile Alex Field. It is a story of the peoples of the world; oddly assorted and often oddly illmatched; struggling, labouring, and often fighting among themselves in their search for adventure and the meagre rewards which their ingenuity could wring from the simple public of the British countryside. Red Wagon,” the most costly film made for many years, is claimed to be the most sensational success to come from the Elstree studios.

OCTAGON THEATRE An absorbing story of a mother’s sacrifices for her son is embodied in “ The Night Club Queen,” which heads the current programme at the Octagon Theatre. The leading role is played by Jane Carr, well known on the starve, who appears as the mother who is forced into night club life in an endeavour to give her son the education that his father, through physical disability, is unable to provide for him. The part of the father is played with distinction by Lewis Casson, who gives a particularly convincing portrayal

of the crippled barrister who, with the assistance of his wife, aims to equip his son for the career that was denied himself. The mother invests in a tea shop, but the venture is a failure, and when her position is becoming desperate she is approached with the suggestion that she should turn the place into a night club. Her unscrupulous partner manages to win her consent by withholding from her the exact nature of the club’s activities, until it is too late for her to retract. On boat race night the son goes to the cabaret with some friends, and there meets a charming dancer with whom he falls in love. Then one night the club is raided and mother and son learn fqr' the first time the naturc_ of the business in which they have been involved. _ There is a dramatic denouement, in which the woman’s partner is shot, the climax coming in a very effective court scene in which the woman is defended by her crippled husband. The supporting programme is a varied and interesting one. The box plans are at the theatre, M'Cracken and Walls’s, Begg's, and the D.I.C. “THAT’S A GOOD GIRL.” The main attraction at the Octagon Theatre on Friday, “That’s a Good Girl,” is based upon the famous'stage success which Jack Buchanan produced and starred in at the London Hippodrome. The film is musical, as was the original, but with the exception of “Fancy Our Meeting,” retained from the stage show, all 'the music in the picture is specially written. Musical director of the film, and composer of the new music, is Philip Braham, author of “ Limehouse Blues' and other famous popular numbers—a musician who can copy, .compose, conduct, and orchestrate —a most rare combination of accomplishments. The story introduces one Jack Barrow, played by Jack Buchanan —an impecunious young man-about-town dunned by creditors and besieged by bailiffs, who suddenly hears that he can claim £500,000 in the South of France from an aunt he has never seen. The one stipulation which qualifies the bequest is that he must take with him, when he goes to claim the money, some attractive and distinguished young men, this being to protect Aunt Helen’s ward, Moya, who also inherits £500,000, from the attentions of fortunehunting gigolos. Jack Buchanan is supported by a first-class cast, including Elsie Randolph, who re-creates the role she played In the stage version. Vera .Pearce plays Berata; Garry Marsh is Francis Moray; William Kendall is blithely vacuous as Timothy; Dorothy Hyson makes an attractive Moya; Kate Cutler is the aunt whose word is law; Anthony Holies and Frank Stanmore play other significant narts. Much of ihats a Good Girl ” is set in the South ot France, and to ensure complete authenticity in these scenes, and to add to the pictorial value of the film, a British and Dominions unit spent a considerable time at Antibes with Jack Buchanan and all members of the cast. ST. JAMES THEATRE Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy continue to attract good audiences to the St. James Theatre where “Sons of the Desert is being screened. Laurel and Hardy at their best are always a little better than anyone expects them to be. _ they have always sonic fresh variation or their familiar selves to exploit, some surprise to spring, even when the box of tricks seems to have been run through. This is all true of “ Sons of the Desert. This is not the first time in comedy that two friends have deceived their wives in order to enjoy a run off the chain together; but these two move to the deception, bring it off, have their ridiculous fling, and return, congratulating themselves too soon, to meet catastropne on the doorstep, as if the idea were fresh as daisies. But this is the first time such a pair has looked so ridiculous, in the rig of the great American order ot Sons of the Desert. This is the only chance of seeing Stanley aiding and abetting Oliver to get himself ordered away on a health trip to Honolulu, and the only chance of seeing them both make indescribable play with a tub of hot water and other medical accessories. There is an excellent supporting programme. The box plans are at the theatre, the D.1.C., M'Cracken and Walls’s, and Jacobs’s. “FASHIONS OF 1934.” With a grand display of the latest fashions in dress for both men and women, “Fashions of 1934,” which will be presented at the St. James Theatre on Friday, is assured of strong public patronage. One of the latest productions of Warner Brothers, it makes splendid entertainment of an unusual kind. William Powell, the suave and debonair actor of several S. S. Van Dine murder cases, gives a delightful performance in the leading' role. The very latest Parisian modes of dress are displayed by a number of beautiful manikins. The method of display is a novel one. A beautiful interior setting of a large and elaborate cafe set for a manikin parade is the opening scene. The lights fade out and a circular platform with framed pictures of men and women of the past stands out at the end of the room. Powerful lights are concentrated on one picture at a time within the circle. The portrait is raised like a curtain, and a pretty manikin in the latest style of dress is revealed. The portraits are to illustrate the strong resemblance of modern fashion with that of a century ago, it being claimed that stylos change in cycles. Bette Davis has the leading feminine role, while others in the cast include Gordon Westcott, Frank MTlugh, and Reginald Owen.

EMPIRE THEATRE No fewer than five of Walt Disney’s best musical cartoons are included in the current programme at the Empire Theatre and this entertainment alone makes the show well worth the money. “ Babes in the Wood,” “ Lullaby Land,” “King Neptune,” “ Building and Building,” and “ Mickey’s Good Deed ” pi e the titles of the films selected and each one of them as an outstanding one of its

kind. Mickey Mouse is undoubtedly the most remarkable film favourite of all time and it is seldom indeed that one has the opportunity of following his antics in more than one short picture ou any programme. The fact that the school holidays coincide with the arrival of this programme in Dunedin is decidedly fortunate as it is an entertainment of special interest to children. The long picture is “ Palooka,” which tells a story of a lovable but rather “ dumb ” lad from the country who goes in for professional boxing, rises high and suffers a hard fall, all to the tune of the most hilarious of complications. Jimmy Durante and Lupe Velez head the cast. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.G. " BOLERO.” Screen patrons will have their first opportunity to see Sally Rand depict her world-famous “Fan Dance” in Paramount’s “Bolero,” which will have its initial screening on Friday at the Empire Theatre. It is George Raft’s latest starring picture, and, besides Miss Rand, Carole Lombard and Frances Drake are featured. Miss Rand plays the role of Annette, one of the beautiful dancing partners who help a w'orld-famous dancer on his road to fame. The picture, in which Maurice Ravel’s famous music is also presented, was directed by Wesley Rugglek Raft is shown as a hard, ruthless youth, whose all-consuming ambition to be a famous dancer fails of results until he gets a beautiful partner. One after another he discards them as they outlive their usefulness, refusing always to become emotionally tied to anyone, -he partner who brings him to the top is Carole Lombard, and for the first time in his life he falls in love. At the height of his success the World War intervenes. How it affects the relationship between Raft and Lombard and their happiness brings the story to stirring heights. STRAND THEATRE It need only be said that the principal film at the Strapd Theatre this week is one which stars 'Victor M'Laglen and Edmund Lowe to assure patrons that the film, “No More Women.” will provide ample entertainment, full of thrilling action and vigorous humour. It is many years ago now since this pair first appeared together on the screen to make a success which a long series of successors has added to rather than detracted from. This time the two rivals are seen as divers on a salvage ship which is searching to locate a sunken treasure ship. The numerous under-water scenes showing the work of the divers and the operations of another party in attempting to get the loot first provide the chief thrills of the film. The fact that the owner of the ship is charming Sally Blane, who seems to regard Lowe with more favour than M'Laglen, provides the storm centre which brings about typical physical and verbal battles. There is a good supporting programme. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. “LONE COWBOY.” Jackie Cooper is the star of a new kind of “Western” picture, “Lone Cowboy,” which will be shown at the Strand Theatre on Friday next. It is t story of a wide-eyed, eager youngster from the tenements of Chicago, who wanders over the wild, expansive p.ains of Nevada with a cold-eyed killer, in addition to Jackie, the Paramount picture has a supporting cast headed by Lila Lee, Addison Richards, John Wray, and Gavin Gordon. Jackie Cooper plays the role of Scooter O’Neal, a Chicago youngster who has always dreamed of living in the Wild West, among the cowboys, Indians, and broncos of story books. His dream is fulfilled, but the boy arrives under the most inauspicious circumstances, and his thrilling adventures with the hardened killer bring the picture to an exciting conclusion. STATE THEATRE “ Evergreen,” unquestionably the finest musical film ever to have left the British studios, is the current attraction at the State Theatre. One of ttie principal reasons for its unqualified success is the brilliant performance given by Jessie Matthews. Her radiant personality, charm of manner, and lively vigour combined with the delightful naturalness of her work, in which she contrives to avoid all noxious emphasis and exaggeration of any kind, make her presentation one of the most attractive ever seen. Shu is given excellent support by Sonnie Hale, whose variety of mannerisms, facial and vocal, and boundless energy, fit him perfectly for the role he assumes. A newcomer to the screen is Barry Mackay, who plays the juvenile lead opposite Jessie Matthews, but he shows that he has undoubted talent and infuses a great deal of humour into his role as the supposed son of the women he loves. “ Evergreen ” is set in two periods. In the first the audience sees Harriet Green, played by Jessie Matthews, the idol of the music hulls, who is giving her final performance before leaving the stage of the old Tivoli Theatre, to marry the Marquis of Staines. The night before the wedding, however, she receives a message from a man who has an evil influence over her, and disappears, leaving her baby daughter in the oare of her dresser. Time passes and the daughter applies for a position in the chorus of a show which is being produced by one of her mother’s old friends. So great is her resemblance to her mother that she is instantly recognised, and a publicity man hits upon the idea of passing her off before the public as the original Harriet Green, “ a star at 60.” Secret rehearsals take place and the public is given guardedly-worded information concerning the return of Harriet Green, and crowds flock into the theatre on opening night, no one suspecting the deception. The impersonation is not” without its pitfalls, however, for Harriet (the girl’s name is the same as her mother’s) is accosted by her father on the first night of the show and informed that unless he is given a certain sum of money ho will expose her deception. She is tired of the impersonation, however, and decides to expose the deceit herself, so she dashes on to the stage and dances in a manner impossible

at her supposed age. Police action follows, but she emerges triumphantly from the trial, and returns to even greater successes on the stage. There is an entertaining supporting programme. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg s.

KING EDWARD THEATRE

Janet Gayuor and Warner Baxter will be seen in their latest film, “Paddy, the Next Best Thing,” which will be shown at the King Edward Theatre to-day. The two stars were last seen together in “ Daddy Long Legs ” and their success was so groat that they were again assigned to complement each other. The cast that Fox Film has gathered around its two stars is one of the most notable even seen on the screen. It has Walter Connolly, star, of the Broadway _ stage, Harvey Stephens, Margaret Lindsay, Mary M'Cormic, Joseph M. Kerrigan, Fiske O’Hara, Claire M'Dowell, Merle Tottenham, Roger Irahof and Trevor Bland. The locale of the film, directed by Harry Lachman, is the rugged coast of Ireland. The screen play from Gertrude Page’s novel, was written by Edwin Burke who is. also responsible for the dialogue direction.