AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22790, 27 January 1936, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

EMPIRE THEATRE A film that combines almost everything that theatregoers could wish for is “ Broadway Melody of 1936,” which is now in the second week of itg season at the Empire Theatre. The story of the play is most satisfying itself. The comedy and touches of romance are excellent, and throughout the singing and dancing are superb. Miss Eleanor Powell, undoubtedly the foremost woman tap-dancer in the world, makes a brilliant debut as a leading lady. Her tap-dancing—and there is much of it —is amazing. But her skill does not end there. She is equally good at ballet and song, and she acts with rare maturity. There are no fewer than four other outstanding dancing performers, including Vilma. and Buddy Ebsen, whose novelty tap-dancing items are perfect. Nick Long, a capable acrobatic dancer, also acts ■well. Jack Benny, as a newspaper columnist, is very good. Together with Sid Silvers as “ Snook,” hie assistant, he provides comedy which will keep any audience amused. Una Merkel is one of the few well-known actresses who appear in the picture, and her performance . is, as usual, flawless. One of the best of the many good comedians who appear in this film is Robert Wildhack, who has reduced snoring to a fine art. The story is about a girl (Eleanor Powell) who comes to New York to make good as a dancer. She calls on an old school friend (Robert Taylor), now a theatrical producer, but he does not recognise her. How she finally persuades him to let her star in bis new show is onehalf of the story. The other concerns a feud between the producer and a newspaper columnist, wno at first prints sarcastic references to Lilian Brent (June Knight), who is backing the show, lout finally is instrumental in helping Eleanor Powell to get the part. There is also an unusually interesting programme of short features. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. STRAND THEATRE The story of the love oc two sisteis for the same man is told in “ Smart Girl,” which is now showing at the Strand 'Theatre. Ida Lupino as Pat Reynolds, the young girl who outwits the unscrupulous oil brokers, is excellent in a role which suits her to perfection, while Kent Taylor, as Nick Graham, the unsuspecting tool of the oil concern and object of the girls’ affections,-, plays his part convincingly. Joseph Cawthorn keeps the audience in laughter as Pat’s employer, and serves as the deus ex machina that removes all their troubles. The other film in the programme is “Jennie Gerhardt.” It is a moving drama dealing with the unswerving love of a woman for a man and the mental anguish and bitterness the woman suffered to preserve that love. The outstanding feature of the film is the acting of Sylvia Sydney. This is her second starring appearance in a film version of a Theodora Dreiser novel. She has beauty and charm and is a good actress with a pleasing voice. In the role of , a beautiful girl, daughter of poor parents, enmeshed in a set of ‘ circumstances . which compel her to be content only with the crumbs of happiness her portrayal is excellent. The cast is a large one, including Donald Cook, a new' star, who promises to figure prominently in the future if his acting in this film can bo taken as any criterion, Mary Astor, Edward Arnold. H. G. Warner and Louise Carter. The story covers a period from early in this century to recent years, and the costuming details have not been neglected. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. STATE THEATRE i The principal attraction at the State Theatre is the appearance for a short season of Miss Gladys Moncrieff and Mr Gil Dech, who have on numerous occasions previously delighted large audiences in Dunedin with their artistry and musicianship. Miss Moncrieff sings a large number of songs with her customary charm and grace, her engaging personality and rich vocal gifts completely winning the hearts of her audienfies. Mr Gil Dech. who also plays several pianoforte solos with a high ■■ degree of musicianly skill, provides sympathetic and artistic accompaniments to Miss Moncrieff’s numbers. The principal picture on the programme is “Redheads on Parade,” an entertaining production of the musical variety. Brunettes and verb ous types of blondes have formed thd theme of numerous pictures, but this film sets out .to sing the praises of the redheaded girl, and an amusing story relates the. history of a new’type of hair dye which quickly provides the desired auburn locks. The film deals with the production of a picture, "Beauties on Parade,” which is in danger ,of abandonment for financial reasons. The producers conceive the idea of securing the backing of the manufacturers of the dye, and in return offer greatly to increase his sales by changing the title of the picture to “ Redheads on Parade.” A he samedetrhl heads on Parade.” At the same time they acquire a new leading lady in the person of the inventor of the dye, charmingly played by Dixie Lee. John Boles is well cast in the chief male role, and he is ably supported by Jack Haley, Raymond Walburn, Herman Bing, Alan Dinehart, William Austin and a bevy of beautiful “red-heads.” Several tuneful and attractively staged song numbers are introduced in the film, including “ Lovely Lady.” “I Found a Dream,” “I’ve Got Your Future All Planned,” and “Redheads on Parade.” Some unusual photographic effects, which change the actors’ clothes from black to white and back again, are a feature of the spectacular dance scenes with which the picture concludes. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg’s. /

REGENT THEATRE Captain Marryat’s immortal story of the sea, “ Midshipman Easy,” is brought to the screen in an exceptionally vivid manner at the Regent Theatre this week. The film is a perfect example of the producer’s art. and the story as told in the film is every bit as thrilling as the original, following as it does Marryat’s classic of youthful daring in the days of Nelson with remarkable fidelity. “ Midshipman Easy ’’ is a tale of youth and high adventure, of storms at sea, desperate fights and last-minute rescues, of crashing broadsides and boarding parties, of encounters with Sicilian brigands and of beauty in distress—and running through it all is the delightful, infectious humour of a young midshipman who went to sea in Nelson’s navy, firmly believing in the equality of man and willing to argue the point with all and sundry. To re-create effectively characters known and loved by so many readers must have presented a serious problem to the producers, but the casting i s a triumph for all concerned. Every character seems to fit into his or her role with brilliant results. Undoubtedly Hughie Green, the young English radio and variety star, takes the major honours as Jack Easy, the lad who went to sea looking for adventure and found more even that he expected. Next to him comes Robert Adams as the big negro, “ Mesty,” and as the bullying bo’sun the celebrated comedian Harry Tate has a part which gives him plenty of scope to demonstrate his talents. Margaret Lockwood, Roger Livesey and Denis Wyndham also play a big part in making the film the outstanding production it is. There is a good programme of supporting pictures, and the box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. “ THE LEGION OF VALOUR.” A film which i s said to maintain suspense very well is “ The Legion of Valour,” which will be shown on Friday at the Regent Theatre. The most exacting picturegoer should be satisfied with this film, which provides intensely exciting entertainment. “ The Legion of Valour ” is the latest of the screen plays dealing with the exploits of the American Federal agents who are specially trained to track down and ruthlessly exterminate the bands of organised criminals who for so long have terrorised the country. It is said to be the best of the series, far exceeding for thrills the original “ GMen.” The film is notable for its excellent cast. On the side of law and order are Richard Aden, Harvey Stephens and Erie Linden as the three G-Men who risk their lives many times in a series of daring encounters with gangsters. ' Opposed to them is as villainous a band as could be desired, with Bruce Cabot excelling a s their leader. Included on the associate programme at the Regent Theatre will be an exciting wrestling match, “ Pardon My Grip,” in which Jimmy Londos, Man Mountain Dean, Everett Marshall. A. Coleman, Ray Steele

and Howard Cantonwine will take part, a Walt Disney Silly Symphony entitled “ Cookie Carnival,” and an excellent organlogue by Jesse Crawford. ST. JAMES THEATRE Herbert Marshall and Sylvia Sydney give outstanding performances in “Accent on Youth,” the intriguing comedy-drama which is now being shown at the St. James Theatre. In this production the humour is more or less ironical. It is an ironical situation for a playwright to be forced to live through the bitterness of a, dramatic romance which he had himself conceived. The fine acting of Herbert Marshall —virtually the outstanding point in the whole production—is based on this ironical attitude to the strange development of his play in real life. Marshall has the right touch for this sort of work—his quiet, deliberate voice and slow smile intensify the effect. Sylvia Sydney has a difficult assignment in playing the role of , a misunderstood young woman who is more or less thrown about callously by men who love her, but who cannot decide whether their love runs to the length of marriage. She is the young secretary to the successful playwright (Marshall), and it may have been auto-suggestion that made her fall in love with him (in spite of his 50 years), after he had written a play about the love of an ageing man for a youthful girl. The romance developed beyond suggestion and the playwright found himself face to face with the reality of his stage problem. He cannot solve it. She dives deep and marries another man. Her husband symbolises the youth which the playwright advised her to seek. She finds that youth canuot attract her. It is a problem play, after all, more than a comedy romance. But a good one, nicely acted and of course with a leavening of comedy. There is an entertaining supporting programme. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. OCTAGON THEATRE Those who like plenty of variety in their picture entertainment will find sufficient to interest them at the Octagon Theatre this week, for included in the new programme are two first-class films. The main attraction is entitled “The Clock Strikes Eight,” which must be considered one of the most exciting pictures seen in Dunedin in recent times. The film begins with a suicide, afterwards found to be a murder, then another murder 'with a singer strangled while giving a song over the telephone, then more attempts at murder, and finally a time bomb which destroys the murderer and finally provides the happy ending. The picture, however, is not made up entirely of murders, for in between them and : exciting detective work there are two

romances, much very good comedy and some good singing and dancing, which make it infinitely better entertainment than the usual run of straight mystery pictures. Arline Judge, Kent Taylor and Wendy Barrie take the leading parts, and they are assisted by several good artists. The second film on the proframme is “Circus Clown,” in which Joe 1. Brown, the versatile comedian and clever dancer, provides laughs and thrills with a rapidity that takes the audience all too quickly through the delights of a big circus and the life of its principals. The box plans are at the theatre, Begg’s, and M’Cracken and Walls’s. GRAND THEATRE A music hall mind-reader who develops powers of “ second sight ” when he is in the presence of a certain girl is the unusual character who plays the leading part in a fascinating film, “The Clairvoyant,” which is now being screened at the Grand Theatre. Based on the novel of the same title by Ernst Lothar, it rises through thrilling sequences to a cleverly produced climax, in which the clairvoyant is saved by the girl from a tragic end. Claude Rains and Fay Wray take the leading roles, and are supported by a fine cast of British players, including Jane Baxter and Donald Calthrop. The main picture is supported by an excellent programme of shorter films, the principal one being “ Car of Dreams,’” in which the inimitable English comedian Robertson Hare has the leading role. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg’s. MAYFAIR THEATRE Bing Crosby is featured with W. C. Fields and Joan Bennett in “Mississippi,” which heads the double-feature programme at the Mayfair Theatre. The film has been adapted from Booth Tarkington’s play, and tells the story of a youth who falls in popular estimation in a Southern town when he refuses, to fight a duel. He then joins an acting troupe and gradually develops into a notorious gambler and a gun-fighter whose name is feared along the whole Mississippi. The picture is notable because of the excellent acting of W. C. Fields, whoso character portrayals are winning increasing recognition for his undoubted screen ability. The other picture on the programme is “The Dragon Murder Case,” in which Warren William makes bis debut in the role of the famous detective Philo Vance. Eugene Pallette is again cast in the role of Sergeant Heath, who is always wanting to lock people up on the slightest suspicion, and others in the cast arc Margaret Lindsay. Lyle Talbot and Dorothy Tree. Tli£ mystery around which the film is built concerns the disappearance of a young man who dives into a pool and fails to come up.