AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22835, 20 March 1936, Page 16

AMUSEMENTS

ST. JAMES THEATRE “When parents divorce—what rights have the children”? This is the question asked, and answered with dramatic intensity, in “Age of Indiscretion,” a drama of children, of separation and law courts, which opens at the Stf James Theatre this afternoon. The new picture, with Paul Lukas, Madge Evans, May Hobson, Helen Vinson, and little David Jack Holt involved in the main action, is a graphic echo of several famous court cases of recent times. Delving into the intimate facts, it has produced a gripping piece of human interest entertainment touched with high drama. May Robson plays a dominant character as the millionaire mothcr-in-law, battling with her millions to wrest a child from the arms of his father following a separation. Lukas, as the fighting father, has one of the most interesting parts in his career. Despite the magnitude of its theme, it abounds in deft human touches —the love of the boy and “ Flush,” the famous spaniel of “ The Barretts of Wimpolc Street.” An excellent associate programme includes an Our Gang comedy. “Little Papa,” a delightfully coloured cartoon, “ Poor Little Me,” and the latest Metrotone and Universal News service. The box plans are at the D.I.C. and Jacobs’s. OCTAGON THEATRE “Invitation to the Waltz,” which will commence a'seacon at the Octagon Theatre to-day, has a very engaging story, and the cast is headed by Lilian Harvey, the charming leading lady, who has a role that is said to fit her like a glove, and exactly the same may be said of the handsome young man -who plays opposite her, Carl Esmond. Carl is not unknown to filmgoers, for it was he who played the juvenile masculine lead in the Richard Tauber film, “ Blossom Time.” Carl Esmond, whose real name is Karl Simon, is distantly related to Johann Strauss, the famous composer. In “ Invitation to the Waltz” he plays the part of Max, a dashing young adjutant to the Duke of Wurtemburg, and his rival to the hand of Jenny, the dancer. “ Broken Dreams.” the second film, is an emotional story of paternal love versus the love of a woman. A father deserts his baby boy when the mother dies in childbirth, hating the infant whose right to live has cost the life of the woman he loved so much. How the boy (Billy) is reclaimed by his father after six years, and how a strong affection was gradually established between the two, with Billy overcoming the prejudice and jealousy of his fashionable stepmother, supplies drama that is as absorbing and moving in its appeal as any production of its type to come to the screen. Buster Phelps has created in “ Billy ” a boy character that ranks with the outstanding creations of Jackie Cooper, Dickie Moore, and other star bov actors. Randolph Scott. Paramount leading man, was borrowed for the role of the father. Dr Robert Morley. and Martha Sleeper, who has appeared in numerous M-G-M features, plays the stepmother. The box plans are at Chas. Bcgg’e and the theatre. GRAND THEATRE “ Charlie Chan in Shanghai ” is the current attraction at the Grand Theatre. Though this is the ninth film featuring Warner Gland as the famous Oriental detective, there can be no suggestion that the picture-going public is wearying of his exploits. Wherever the venue of his sleuthing is, there is always something so new and attractive about the film showing him at work that makes each crime and each successful conclusion out of the ordinary. Yet, also, the theme of the story is much the same as usual. There is a charming heroine whose fiance is placed in a very doubtful position, there are attempts on the life of the master detective, and there is a happy reunion. But with Charlie Chan dominating the film the watcher docs not realise that the story and the action are not new. There is. however, one most interesting introduction. In many of the previous films photographs have been shown of the multitudinous family of the detective, but in “Charlie Chan in Shanghai” one of his sons gives him considerable help, and on at least one occasion saves his life. It would be unfair to divulge any of the developments of the plot, which holds the interest throughout. Charlie Chan is not; in the least deceived by the tangle of false clues which inevitably leads the police investigators astray. With Charlie Chan in the principal role there is not much time to devote to the other actors: that they arc not particularly noticeable is because of the high standard of acting throughout. Charlie’s son, Keye Luke, makes a good butt for the charming humour of the great man, and the romance is provided by Irene Hervey and Charles Locher. The box plans are at the theatre and at Begg's. EMPIRE THEATRE No film tan who enjoys a good laugh should miss the opportunity of seeing the Stanley Lupino film “ Honeymoon for Three.” which comes to the Empire Theatre to-day. Here, it is said, is some really brilliant comedy, punctuated by several bright song hits and a number of spectacular ballets. The comedian has a role after his own heart —in fact, he wrote the story himself. He is Jack Denver, a happy-go-lucky fellow whose uncle is the leading banker of England, and who, consequently, has never been known to do a day’s work in his life. But one day Uncle Wilfred tells Jack he must go to work in the morning. This announcement creates a sensation in the ranks of society, wiiose leaders decide to see the unfortunate lad oif in a proper manner by giving him a party, which is the undoing of tne guest. lie goes off home in a sorry state, and finds himselt in the wrong house—in a pretty girl’s flat. Complications set in when his uncle discovers that her father is M. Daumery, the most powerful banker in France, and his most influential business associate. Both bankers decide that the pair must marry. Jack agrees, but the girl, Yvonne, does not approve of him at all. Accordingly she insists on honeymooning to America to get a divorce, and her fiance, Raymond, goes along with them. On the liner all sorts of complications set in. with hilarious results. Opposite Lupino is Aileen Marson, who is cast as the bride who takes her boy friend along on her honeymoon. Jack Melford is the other man. The box plans arc at the theatre and the D.I.C. STRAND THEATRE. “ Sing Sing Nights,” which comes to I he Strand Theatre to-day, is a novel film in that the murder takes place right at the opening of the picture. It is not the usual question of finding someone who killed the man, Floyd Cooper, for no fewer than three men come forward to confess. The difficulty arises from the problem of eliminating the two innocent men, for it is quite obvious that if tile three of them shot at Cooper only one bullet actually killed him and the other two wore shot into the corpse. Each man was adamant that he killed him, and accordingly the three were sentenced to death. But the weight of public opinion rises strong against the injustice of executing (wo men who were obviously innocent. Accordingly flic governor, under pressure, decides on a last-minute attempt to elucidate (lie matter and calls in an eminent criminologist, Professor Varney, who has invented a sensitive instrument called a lie-detector, which, recording a graph of the pulse beats, determines when the person being investigated is lying. Sally Ellers, Raymond Millaml, Henry O’Neill, and Katherine Alexander are pro-' niincntly east in “Alias Mary Dow,” the second film. The story tells of the kid napping of Mary Dow and the taking of her place by Sally Gates, a waitress, who poses as the missing girl to save a man’s dying wife. The climax comes when she traps (he man who had kidnapped the child whose place she has taken. The box plans are at the D.I.C. and the theatre. STATE THEATRE The screen version of “ The Three Musketeers," the magnificent novel by Alexander Dumas, opens at the State Theatre to-day. Against an authentic background of seventeenth century France with the intrigue-ridden court of Louis XIII, tlie dark streets, the duelling grounds behind the Luxembourg, the ambushed road to Calais, (he story, familiar to millions, rushes to its powerful climax in a series of thrilling escapades. Walter

Abel, coming as s new personality to the screen with a distinguished stage record on Broadway, portrays d’Artagnau with fiery conviction. His brilliant interpretation of the role fulfils completely its requirements of chivalry, reserved tenderness, and fighting spirit. Out of his Gascony chateau he rides to challenge high adventures and offer his sword to the King. In quick-won. comradeship with the three best blades in France —Athos, Porthos, and Ararnis —he plunges valiently into defence of his Queen’s honour, threatened by the powerful Cardinal Richelieu. Margot Grahame, Paul Lukas, Heather Angel, and lan Keith are also prominently cast. The box plans are at (he theatre and Begg’s. REGENT THEATRE A comedy is a good start for any venture, and “When Knights Were Bold,'* which will he screened to-day at the P.egent Theatre, augurs well for the future of General Film Distributors, Ltd., a new British film company which is making pictures in England with stars of international reputation. And a comedy with Jack Buchanan in the lead is an even better start, for there can be no doubt about his appeal, both at Home and abroad. Critics state that this is Buchanan’s best screen performance. He is more sportaneous, more lively than ever before. Yet he omits none of his old popular tricks —his comedy songs and his tap-dancing. Ho works them all into a bright story about a modern young man who inherits a castle and becomes so obsessed with his relatives talk about the Middle Ages and the deeds of daring of his medieaval forebears that, when lie receives a bump on the head he goes to sleep .and dreams himself back into the bad old days. He finally rescues his cousin, the lovely Lady Rowena from the hands of his rival, the blackguard Sir Brian Ballymoat. When he awakes he finds his dream has come true —in iso far as tlm gratitude of Lady Rowena is concerned, at least. “ When Knights Were Bold ” can be recommended to those pic-ture-goers who admire Jack Buchanan and w’ho like typical British comedy. The supporting cast is headed by Fay Wray, Kate Cutler, and Garry Marsh. There is an outstanding supporting programme. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.LC. MAYFAIR THEATRE “ Oil for the Lamps of China ” is the feature of the current programme at the Mayfair Theatre. Pat O’Brien and Josephine Hutchison have the leading roles. A young man, played by ,Pat. O’Brien, sent by his company to one of the most backward areas of China, is fired by enthusiasm to do his job thoroughly and courageously. He sees in the selling of oil a means of bringing civilisation to the country, and works with a determination fostered by this idealism and his personal ambition. After' three years he goes to Yokohama to meet his bride from America. She does not come, and by a strange chance he meets a young woman (Josephine Hutchinson), who, through the loss of her father, has lost hope as he has. They agree to marry, merely as partners in the adventure an<l opportunity which his work offers. It is only later that they fall in love. They have a baby, but it dies because its father was called away to stop an.oil fire when his help was most needed by his wife. This incident is a key to the tone of the whole picture. The supporting programme is a diversified and interesting one. The box plans are at the D.I.C. DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME. “Kentucky Kernels,” which will commence a season at the Mayfair Theatre tomorrow, is laid in a realm where fierce feuds are common, and provides Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey with plenty of opportunity to display the hilarious type of comedy for which they are famous. The popular pair arc seen as two vaudeville magicians who become involved in a family fend when their ward inherits a vast Southern estate. Thus Wheeler and Woolsey inadvertently step into a feud with an opposing clan. When Wheeler falls in love with the daughter of the hostile leader of the enemy, Woolsey attempts to reconcile the foe. “Now I’m a Lady,” the second film, features in the lending role Mae West. As Cleo Borden, the belle of a Western American cattle town, Miss West wins the heart of a wealthy ranch owner, but he is shot on the day of their wedding and Cleo inherits his fortune. She is in love with an Englishman, but finds that her lack of culture and refinement prevents the attraction from bijing mutual. As a result she is determined to become a “ lady.” and leaves for the gay society life of Buenos Aires.