AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22568, 11 May 1935, Page 18

AMUSEMENTS

STATE THEATRE It would be unreasonable to expect a comedian always to be at the top of bis form, particularly a player like Jack Hulbert, who is not remarkable for evenness of performance, but bis hundreds of admirers will forgive him for not being at his best in " The Camels are Coming, and will be more than willing to be amused by the scatter-brained farce in which ho appears. The' fault, however, is not in Hulbcrt, but in a film which does not perhaps provide him with the first-rate songs and comic speech which are meat and drink to him. There is plenty ot brisk action, of which he makes the fullest possible use, but he must have amusing things to say and do and sing if he is to maintain the standard be set lnmselt in " Falling For You" and " Jack Ahoy. But for any failings the film may have there are many generous compensations, one of the chief of them being the Egyptian background to the story against which Hulbert appears as a debonair air force officer engaged in a wild harumscarum campaign against drug traffickers in the desert. Another compensation is the superb prelude which takes the form of a grave newsreel into which Hulbert bursts in best style, suddenly upsetting all the pomp and circumstance of a great occasion and completely disturbing the dignity of a serious news-picture. It is impossible to prevent the eyes from straying very frequently away from the comedian to the interesting scenery—the cities and monuments of Egypt, the desert, the pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Nile —and when such diversions fail and the attention wanders back to Hulbert it is only a short time before the grace and fascinating charm of Anna Lee, a little lady with a real flair for comedy and whirlwind tactics which suit the high speed at which Hulbert always works. Hulbert's faculty for getting intro trouble and then right out of it again in almost the twinkling of an eye has never been better demonstrated than in this film. He never minds how hard or how far he falls as long as his downfall contributes some hilarity to the picture, and when he tries conclusions with a camel he is at his funniest. Many exciting incidents are cleverly burlesqued, and at times the film reaches unusual comedy heights. Excellent use is made of his attractive singing voice, and it is when he is singing that his audience is reminded how much better the picture would have been if a few more song numbers could have been interpolated. The air " The Campbells are Coming recurs several times, and there is genuine merit in the rendernur of that really exhilarating number "Who's Been Polishing Up the Sun," which may almost be said to provide the whole tune and tempo of the production. " Sons of the Sand " is a choral number which is heard often throughout the film, and it is always well sung. On only one occasion do the comedian's amazingly plastic- and graceful limbs .get an opportunity of whirling in those acrobatic rhythms in which he delights. All the supporting players are overshadowed by Hulbert, with the possible exception of Anna Lee, but good work is done by Peter Gawthorne in the role of a fire-eating army commander, and Allan Jeeves is excellently cast as a rascally sheik. One ot the stars is undoubtedly an almost human camel, which, under Hulbert's persuasive direction, does everything but talk, and at time« it even tries to do that. Ino supporting programme of short subjects is a good one. with a particular interest for Dunedin audiences inasmuch as there is included in the Fox Movietone Newsreel a series of intimate "shots of the famous quadruplets with their proud parents. The programme offers S°od. wholesome amusement, and will, no doubt, be more than usually popular during the coming week. The box plans for the season will be found at the theatre and at Messrs Chas. Begg and Co. s.

EMPIRE THEATRE "Down on the Farm," the locallyproduced, all-talking picture, has nowentered upon an extended season, winch, to judge by last night's attendance, should be as successful as the past week. The production has much to commend it as a record of the ordinary activities on a New Zealand farm, although there has been some necessary exaggeration in order to produce definite types. As was to be expected in so considerable an initial venture in the motion-picture industry, numerous technical difficulties were encountered, but these have been met in a manner which reflects credit on those responsible for this sphere of the production. For the most part, the settings of the film are on the wide, picturesque expanse of the Taieri Plain—one of the most attractive regions of Otago. The actual location. is the well-known homestead of Mr B. S. Irwin at Woodside. A large cast was occupied in the making of' the film, and, considering that the majority of the players had only some amateur theatrical experience to work on, they have done- remarkably well. Miss Daphne Murdoch, who has the star role, handles it well. Mr Sidney Lock appears as an English farmer, and Mr Stuart Dick as a Cockney farm hand, and both of these roles are capably filled. Mr Dick has to provide much of the comedy, and, with the assistance of Miss Erana.Newbold, keeps the audience in a simmer of laughter. Others prominent in the cast are Angus Gorrie, Miss Elsie M'Peak, Miss Roma Gair, Miss Audrey Watson. Mr G. Claridge, Mr Joe Lee, Mr Bert Nelson, and a quartet of four juveniles—Ra Hould, Joe Grey, Eron Reicl, and Leila Murdoch —who impart a freshness and vigour to the story which is wholly acceptable. The film was produced by Mr Stewart Pitt and Mr Lee Hill, with the expert supervision in the sound work of Mr Jack Welsh. There is a good supporting programme. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C.

REGENT THEATRE There is no doubting the power to entertain and to thrill of " Lives of a Bengal Lancer," which commenced a season before large audiences at the Regent Theatre yesterday. This is a thoroughly exciting film; it is crammed with action from start to finish, and some of its scenes arc among the most picturesquely gripping that have ever been seen on the screen. Inspired by Captain YeatsBrown's popular autobiography, " Bengal Lancer," but sufficiently adapted to the requirements of the talking screen to afford ideal entertainment while retaining a certain amount of authenticity, the production provides a graphic picture of military life on the turbulent north-west frontier of India. It is to the credit of the Paramount studios that they have produced a convincing film dealing with a particular and traditional aspect of Brit- ' ish military life. With the grey, for-' bidding mountains of the Indian frontier as its background, the patterned romance of India for its colour, and the life of the 41st Regiment of the Bengal Lancers far its story, this remarkable picture is Kipling's India alive again for the youth of to-day. In situations which are essentially melodramatic the fault of overemphasis never occurs, and there is no hiatus in a swiftly-moving plot which carries the audience on a wave of breathless suspense from the beginning to the end. It captures the very spirit of the thing, and is a worthy dedication to the handful of British soldiers who police a frontier which is always simmering with unrest and intrigue. Gary Cooper has probably the finest role of his career ns a young Scottish-Canadian officer of forbidding personality- who at heart is almost a sentimentalist. Franchot Tone, as a brother officer. a!«o gives a fine performance. The story deals with two officers, M'Gregor (Gary Cooper) and Forsythe (Tone), who become involved in trouble when they champion the cause of voung Stone (Richard Cromwell), who has just been sent out from Snudhurst, and is the son of the colonel of the regiment (Sir Guy Standing). This stern old martinet, "Ramrod" as M'Gregor calls him, who puts everything aside for his duty, ignores the presence of his son, and when the latter is captured by Mahomet Khan, a hostile hill chieftain, he will not endanger the safety of the regiment to rescue the boy. M'Gregor and Forsythe, staunch friends ! as ever, net out on rescue bent to the hillside stronghold, where the three of them are tortured by a diabolical Indian prince whose Oxford education seems merely to have stimulated his enthusiasm for refined tortures. Under the test the young subaltern's nerve breaks, and he discloses a regimental secret which launches a revolt of the tribesmen. In a stirring scene the Bengal Lancers ride to tire attack, a hopeless one as they j know. M'Gregor and the other two escape from their prison and rush to the am- ' munition store. M'Gregor is shot, but

before collapsing he manages to fling a torch into the gunpowder, and in the confusion and terror of the explosions that follow the British cavalry makes a triumphant entry and Stone regains his honour by making a gallant and successful effort to kill the Khan. The picture ends on the parade ground, where the Victoria Cross is awarded to the dead M'Gregor whose courage saved the Lancers. It is a fitting conclusion to a memorable film. Others in the cast who contribute to the success of the film are C. Aubrey Smith, as the major, and Kathleen Burke, who supplies the only feminine interest. The supporting programme is also a roost entertaining one. The box plans arc at the theatre and the D.I.C. STRAND THEATRE A double-feature programme of considerable merit is being screened at the Strand Theatre. It consists of two fulllength films and one of Ripley's " Believe It Or Not" series. The first of the big pictures is "A Lost Lady," which deals with an old problem in an unusual and unexpected way. Barbara Stanwyck has the title role —that of a young girl happy in her engagement to a prominent society man. Two days before the wedding her fiancee is killed by the husband of a woman with whom he has had an affair, and the girl is mentally prostrated by the blow. She goes to the country to escape from herself, and suffers an accident, with the result that she meets Dan Forrester, a middle-aged lawyer, w-lio falls in love with her. They agree to marry, though the girl makes it plain that she does not love the man. Happiness comes to'them, but another man comes between them and it appears as though tragedy must ensue. The ending is cleverly brought about, however, in a most satisfactory manner. Miss Stanwyck is particularly good in a difficult role. The other feature is " The Life of Jimmy Dolan," with Douglas Fairbanks, jun., and Loretta Young. Dolan is a successful boxer who accidentally kills a man and then pretends to be dead. He escapes to the country and there meets some delightful people and he falls in love with a beautiful girl. The mortgage of the farm is called up, and they are unable to pay, so Dolan undertakes to fiarht a man known as "The Killer" for the prize of 500 dollars a round, and the main interest in the picture centres round this fight, which is realistically and. dramatically staged. Dolan is recognised l>v a representative of the police, and it appears as though bis dreams are shattered. The ending, however, is all that could be desired. The box plans are at the. theatre and the D.I.C. ST. JAMES THEATRE No other picture that has been seen in Dunedin has created the records that have been made by " Viennese Nights," which opened its fifth Dunedin season at the St. James Theatre. This is not to be wondered at, for the film has every element of popular entertainment that should be possessed by, the first-class screen production. Filmed in technicolour against a background of life in the gay city of Vienna in the latter half of the last century, the picture lacks nothing on the score of appeal to the eye. And, taken all round, it is doubtful if any other film has combined so much music that has been so universally popular. It is a simple story. Three youths go to join the army at Vienna. One is the son of a baron, and becomes an officer; the other two are drafted into the regimental band. The officer and one of the bandsmen meet and fall in love with the same girl, through a misunderstanding and the scheming of the girl's father, who longs to see his daughter a baroness, it is the officer who wins his suit. The brokenhearted lover goes to America and there devotes himself to finishing a symphony the original inspiration of which had been his love for the girl wdio was now another man's wife. Fifty years pass. The baroness is an old woman, the musician is dead, when their grandchildren meet and fall in love. The boy produces the symphony upon which bin grandfather had worked for so long without success, and it is with the theme of this in her ears that the white-headed baroness closes her eyes for the last time, dreaming that she and her Otto are sitting again in the park in Vienna. During the screening some splendid songs are introduced, several of which are now known throughout the English-speaking world. Vivienne Segal and Alexander Grey are the featured players, and vocally each is admirably equipped for the role. The supporting programme is suitably varied. The box plans are at the theatre, the D.I.C, M'Cracken and Walls's, and Jacobs's. GRAND THEATRE Combining powerful acting with the story of one of the most popular of recent novels, "The Fountain," which is at present being screened at the Grand Theatre, is a notable production. Ann Harding again has a role which reveals the wealth of her artistry, and it is not too much to say that her performance as the heroine in this drama of love and intrigue makes the picture an emotional gem. The triangle situation has here a new and sustained interest, rising to a level where love is eclipsed by a woman's sense of duty. The picture makes heavy demands upon Miss Harding. Only her dramatic ability and her talent for sympathetic interpretation have enabled her to make a convincing and lovable heroine. She depicts the conflict of emotions of one who is married to a man she cannot love and has a burning affection for another. It is a doubly intolerable situation, and an actor might shrink from trying to make a likeable figure of the husband in such a set of circumstances. But Paul Lukas does it. He attains a quality of character when he returns a mere shell of a man with war wounds that he inspires all around him. Although he is seen only in the last quarter of the picture, he is one of the big successes of it. Brian Aherne has the difficult part of the third one in the triangle, and plays it well. The scenes, mostly of a well-to-do home in Holland, are picturesque, and the events which lead up to the climax of the unusual love affair are handled admirably to keep up the interest. The box plans are at the theatre end at Begg's. OCTAGON THEATRE Two pictures, either of which would provide a first-class evening's entertainment, comprise the bill presented this week at the Octagon Theatre. " The Warren Case," which occupies the latter half of the programme, is a screen version of Arnold Ridley's amazing stage play, " The Last Chance," which, when first produced in London, scored a triumphant success, and those who witness it as a film production will readily admit that it has lost nothing by its transference to the screen. It has, in fact, everything that goes to make a good picture—a powerful plot, a brilliant cast, and a background that is as novel as it is suitable. For his hero, the author has gone to a huge newspaper office and chosen its star criminal reporter, who, at the time the story opens, is very much out of favour with those in authority. A brilliant criminologist, but erratic at times to the point of madness, he is given his final chance to make good. There ' was a time, he is reminded, when he made his own opportunities, and he is given a plain hint that lack of opportunity will no longer be an excuse for his failure to give of his best. Tt is around this warning that the story hinges, and from it springs "The Warren Case." which is to prove a ninedayfi' wonder to London and a baffling mystery to Scotland Yard. It is nil very cleverly clone, and the tense atmosphere is sustained right up to the amazing climax. Richard Bird as Lewis Bevan, the reporter, presents a character sketch that is nothing short of brilliant, and in a particularly diffieult part he is always natural and convincing. Diana Napier and Nancy Burne are also well cast, and the subsidiary parts are capably handled. "The Fortunate Fool," a delightful comedy-romance, is the supporting feature, although such is the quality that it will prove just as much to the taste of the audiences as does the other picture. It is a jolly story of a wealthy young author who, besides being an amateur philanthropist, is also a sad prevaricator. His philanthropy introduces him to some queer companions, and his departures from the truth get him into some remarkable tangles; but, notwithstanding all this, he emerges from it all as carefree as ever and much happier, although during his wanderings he loses his fiancee, a good deal of his self-assur-ance, and his faitli in human nature. The box plans are at the theatre, M'Cracken and Walls's, and Begg's. '

MAYFAIR THEATRE Studded with beautiful revue numbers and photographic wonders, " I Am Suzanne! " will appear on the screen of the Mayfair Theatre to-day. It offers a perfect setting in which Lilian Harvey, the internationally famous star, is said to shine with a greater brilliance than ever before. The film, with its background of Parisian night life and the Podrecca Piccoli Marionettes, offers Miss Harvey a splendid opportunity to display her versatility, and she takes full advantage of it. the story of "I Am Suzanne!" concerns itself with the love of a young dancer and a young member of a declining family of puppeteers. With softhearted marines, obstreperous blondes, and cruel, hard-hearted jungle natives, " Come On, Marines! " is the second film. Richard Arlen, Ida Lupino, Roscoe Karns, Grace Bradley, Monte Blue, and Toby Wing make up the major part of the cast. "Come On, Marines!" is a picture revealing the adventures of a company of marines which has been sent into the Philippine jungle to rescue a number of marooued children. When the marines find that the children are really fully grown debutantes they take a different outlook on their work and provide the audience with enjoyable entertainment. The box plans are at the D.I.C. GREEN ISLAND KINEMA ■ Through cameracraft and mechanical ingenuity the motion picture screen becomes a gigantic kaleidoscope in the presenting of spectacular musical ensembles in " Dancing Lady." the new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, which will be shown at Green Island to-day, with Joan Crawford and Clark Gable costarred. In one of the scenes each of the chorus beauties, revolving through a maze of mirrors, can be seen 30 times at once. In other scenes complete changes of costume and setting are witnessed, as though by magic, right before the eyes of the spectator. The most colourful scene of all, perhaps, is in the finale, in which Miss Crawford dances through an impressionistic number of modern tempo. In this scene, it is said, some 8000 dancing figures appear upon the screen. With this production will be shown " Renegades of the West," an exciting picture of exploits among range desperadoes. Tom Iveene, Betty Furness, and Rosco Ates head a well-balanced cast.