AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23055, 4 December 1936, Page 19

AMUSEMENTS

GRAND THEATRE Jack Hylton's band, which is probably one of the best-known light musical organisations in the world, is the central feature of " She Shall Have Music," which is at present attracting large audiences to the Grand Theatre. The film is an excellent example of the modern type of screen musical comedy, and apart from its entertainment value, it is interesting for the advances in British film technique which it typifies. There is plenty of gay and catchy music, faultlessly played by Jack Hylton's band, and the film is further enlivened by a series of dances in the styles of different nations of the world. Some of the scenes are spectacular in the extreme, and they hold the attention of the audience from start to finish. When the story opens Jack Hylton's band is about to embark upon a cruise,in the South Seas, where it is to give a world-wide broadcast as publicity for the shipping company which owns the vessel. First of all a stop is made at Paris, where the band entertains with an opera, in which life in several different countries is portrayed. Later they set sail again, but their plans are frustrated by men in the employ of a rival shipping company, and the' band finds itself marooned in mid-ocean. Nevertheless, they manage to get out of the difficulty, and before long they are back in London charming audiences with their music. Throughout the story there runs an attractive romance, in which June Clyde and Brian Lawrence are the principals, and this is brought to a suitable conclusion. The other film on the double-feature programme is "First Baby," which tells what happens when the mother-in-law interferes in the affairs of a young married couple. Johnny Downs and Shirley Deane are featured. The box plans are at the theatre and at Begg's. EMPIRE THEATRE Clark Gable and Jeanette Macdonald are associated'in the leading roles of " San Francisco," which will commence the third week of its run at the Empire Theatre to-day. Depicting the glamorous night life on the Barbary Coast prior to the terrible earthquake of 1906. the film reaches a thrilling climax in which some of the most realistic earth quake scenes yet screened are presented. Clark Gable, Jack Holt, and Spencer Tracy have the leading roles, and all three players give outstanding performances. Clark Gable, as Blackie Norton, has seldom been seen to better advantage, while Spencer Tracy's sympathetic portrayal of Father Mullen is one of the features of the film. The leading feminine role is played, by Jeanette Macdonald, who is given splendid opportunities for her beautiful singing voice. In several .excellently produced scenes from Faust, in which she is assisted by an outstanding baritone and an equally impressive bass, Miss Macdonald presents some of the finest operatic numbers heard on the screen for some time. Her rendering of the tuneful theme song, " San Francisco," also is very attractive. An excellent selection of shorter films is headed by the novel three-dimensional film, "Audioscopiks. The box plans are at the theatre and at the D.I.C. "EARTHWORM TRACTORS" Joe E. Brown, the large-mouthed one. will be the star of "Earthworm Tractors," the next change at the Empire Theatre. STRAND THEATRE Brimful of youthful spirit is "Too Many Parents, to be screened for the first time locally this afternoon at the Strand Theatre, and there is just that relieving vein of pathos that will make the kiddies "parent-conscious, and the parents, perhaps, a little more attentive and understanding. Were the production merely a series of laughs—and there are many of them—it might become wearisome; but there is a sympathy of treatment and refreshingly ingenuous iuvenile talent that win the support of child and adult. Freckledfaced Clarence is heir to a great deal of money, and knows it. He bullies his board of directors, has policemen to guard him; everything he needs, m fact. He accepts a bet that he cannot stay in a military academy a week, and that is just where all the fun starts. The supporting programme is headed by another full-length film. "Meet Nero Wolfe," which stars Edward Arnold and Victor Jory. The plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. STATE THEATRE With more than 20 prominent players on its roll, an imposing cast of allstar calibre has been assembled for "The Ex-Mrs Bradford;" RKO Radios romantic mystery drama, to be shown at the State "Theatre this afternoon. William Powell and Jean Arthur play the starring roles. Comedy is provided by Eric Blore, seen as Powell's butler, and James Gleason, portraying a police inspector. Robert Armstrong, Ralph Morgan, Lucille Gleason, Grant Mitchell, and Erin O'Brien-Moore have important roles. Powell and Miss Arthur are appearing together for the first time since they did " The Greene Murder Case" in 1929. The married Gleasons, James and Lucille, are doing their first picture together since "The Shannons of Broadway." Jimmy Gleason and Armstrong, who teamed with signal success on the stage, also are united for the first time in a long period. And Lila Lee is making her first motion picture appearance in more than a year. Los Angeles is the locale of the story, which presents Powell as a physician who becomes so deeply involved in a murder case that he must solve the mystery to save his own neck. The plans are at the theatre and Begg's. REGENT THEATRE " China Clipper," which will be seen at the Regent Theatre to-day. is perhaps the most realistic presentation of an aviation picture that Dunedin has seen. To begin with, it is reported to be accurate. Commander Frank Wead. famous flying ace, who tells the story, and William I. Van Dusen, of PanAmerican Airways, see to that. Then it is dramatic, both in theme and detail. It is the tale of a man who nearly sacrificed his life happiness to reach an ideal—drama in itself, while the individual scenes heighten the effect. The quality of the scenes is. of course, the quality of the actors: and the actors are among the first flight. Pat O'Brien is the man who lives for this ideal of spanning the Pacific Ocean by air, and who drives all men ruthlessly to that end. Beverley Roberts is his wife, and her impersonation of the wife neglected by her husband and well-nigh broken by his ambition, is described as superb. Ross Alexander and Humphrey Bogart are two flying "aces" who help O'Brien to bring his plan to success. The " grand old man " of the film is the late Henry B Walthall, who designs the ships that will fly the Pacific and who never gives up hope. He dies just before his first plane lands in Manila—and curiously enough he died himself just after the picture was completed. The array of supports provided by the management is headed by a novel arrangement of literary personalities entitled "Shake, Mr Shakespeare." An amusing .porcine comedy and suitable news reels round off the bill. Plans are at the D.I.C. and the theatre. ST. JAMES THEATRE

A picture embracing the activities of G-men is "Public Enemy's Wife," which will open at the St. James Theatre this afternoon. The story centres about the life of a beautiful and cultured young girl who falls in love with a handsome and magnetic youth and marries him, not knowing he is one of the leaders of a band of the country's most dangerous crooks and killers. She comes to a sharp awakening when her husband is finally convicted of a crime, and she is sent to prison as his accomplice. As she is leaving the prison before her husband he informs her that he will kill any man who comes between them. She thinks he is safe enough in prison, gets a divorce, and falls in love with

a rich playboy at Palm Beach. On the eve of their marriage the killer escapes and heads south to carry out his threat. Learning of this, the playboy fakes a tumble from his polo pony to get out of the match. But the ace G-man persuades the girl to go through a pseudo ceremony with him, hoping in this way to trap the killer. From then on there are gun battles and kidnappings, and other thrilling episodes which lead to the climax. Pat O'Brien has the part of the ace G-man. Margaret Lindsay plays opposite him as the wife of the killer. A programme of short subjects will also be shown. Box plans for the season are at the D.1.C., Begg's, Jacobs's, and the theatre. OCTAGON THEATRE All the colour of the period of the American Civil War is brought to the screen in Shirley Temple's latest picture, "The Littlest Rebel," which is to commence to-day at the Octagon Theatre. In this production Shirley Temple maintains the position she has won in the hearts of filmgoers the world over. The film introduces her as the child of a devoted couple in well-to-do circumstances, and beloved by the slaves in her southern home. In the midst of a party being given by the little hostess to her young friends the war breaks out, and her father (John Boles) rides away in charge of his company. The Yankee advance ends in the sacking and burning of the home and the refuge of the mother and girl, still followed by their faithful slaves, in a swamp. It is the attempt by Shirley's father to see his stricken wife alive that leads to his capture and sentence to death as a spy. With him is sentenced a Yankee officer (Jack Holt), vho has attempted to assist his escape. How Shirley saves both of them is a most appealing bit of work. Also screening is " Everybody's Old Man," starring Irwin S. Cobb. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg's. MAYFAIR THEATRE Spectacular scenes and lavishlyarranged ballets are features of Eddie Cantor's latest starring picture, " Strike Me Pink," which is at present enjoying good patronage at the Mayfair Theatre. The musical side of the picture is of a bright nature, and enables the famous comedian to reveal an unbounded supply of wit and humour. He is cast as an insignificant man who follows the trade of tailoring. Being of an ambitious nature, he takes a correspondence course in personality and soon finds himself manager of a big amusement park. In this position he makes good progress until he comes up against a gang of unscrupulous gamblers who are. desirous of obtaining money from his amusement park by underhand methods. Cantor romps through the film with his usual gaiety, and Sally Eilers, in the feminine lead, gives him excellent support. The box plans are at the theatre sweet shop and the D.I.C. " CAPTAIN JANUARY " "Captain January," which is to be screened at the Mayfair Theatre tomorrow, is a Shirley Temple picture with a nautical tang about it. Shirley plays the part of the orphaned daughter of an opera singer, lost in a wreck off the rocky Maine coast, where Shirley, who was washed ashore when a baby, is given a home by Guy Kibbee. a lighthouse-keeper. As a merry, light-hearted child of six she is the old man's sole light and joy in his old age. Slim Summerville, as the captain's companion, aids in the upbringing of the child, "Star." as she is known. The dramatic episodes surround the efforts of a truant officer (a typical Sarah Haden part) to take "Star" away from Kibbee and place her in a school, and the subsequent loss by Kibbee of his job as a lighthouse tender. The associate feature will ho "Mr Deeds Goes to Town."