AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23687, 20 December 1938, Page 14

AMUSEMENTS

CURRENT PROGRAMMES EMPIRE THEATRE Such stage and screen favourites as Allan Jones, Judy Garland, Fanny Brice, Reginald Owen, Billie Burke, Reginald Gardiner, and Lynne Carver join hands to contribute a wealth of musical and acting talent to "Everybody Sing," showing at the Empire Theatre. There have been countless musicals before, but "Everybody Sing" has the distinction and originality of being the screen's first "swing" musical, and under the deft direction of Edwin L. Marin it literally swings across the screen with a lilting, ingratiating, and happy-go-lucky quality which establishes a warm intimacy with audiences. Allan Jones lends superb voice to such songs as the quartet from " Rigolet/to," "On With the Show," " Cosi, Cosa," and "The One I Love." Judy Garland, playing the "swing-struck" daughter of the family, sings "Swing, Mr Mendelssohn," "Down on Melody Farm, "Sweet Chariot," and "I Wanna Swing." Then there is the inimitable Fanny Brice as the maid, with a number all her own entitled "Quainty, Dainty Me." The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. " SWISS MISS » Special interest is attached to the opening at the Empire Theatre on Frlday of the new Laurel and Hardy feature-length musical extravaganza, " Swiss Miss," due to the fact that this is the picture which introduces to American screen audiences, the Viennese singing star, Delia Lind. J-he blonde and vivacious Miss Lind was brought to America by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Observed by studio scouts m a London play, she was prevailed upon to make a film test, and the result was a long-term contract. She has been a European film and stage favourite for a number of years, scoring ui such successes as "Maritza," "The Count of Luxemburg," "Casanova, and "Pirandello." Possessed of a rich soprano voice, Miss Lind,, together with Walter Woolf King, introduces five new songs in "Swiss Miss, the work of the London and Broadway song writer, Phil Chang. In the new picture she plays the actress-wife of Kins, who enacts a temperamental composer, jealous of his wife's success in the theatre. The composer flees to an alpine retreat, his wife pursues him, and Laurel and Hardy, as a pair of mouse-trap salesmen working in the hotel, are complicated in the matrimonial upheaval. GRAND THEATRE Lawrence Tibbett, famous' star of sfage and screen, sings three new songs in the film "Under Your Spell," which is at present enjoying good patronage at the Grand Theatre. The story is built round the boredom of a famous singer and the impulsiveness of a hotheaded heiress, and Tibbett and Wendy Barrie make the most of their opportunities It is all very bright and gay, and there is action aplenty, and an Imple-supply of humour, to which Arthur Treacher contributes a full measure. "Variety Hour," a picture with an imposing array of vaudeville talent, is the second feature The famous radio comedians. Clapham and Dwyer keep the fun moving at a merry pace in this amusing comedy. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg"s. "PAINTED DESERT" A sinister plot to ruin a young westerner and his feminine partner and force him to relinquish a million-dol-lar tungsten mine, comprises the basis of "Painted Desert," newest George O'Brien starring vehicle coming tomorrow to the Grand Theatre. Together with the pretty granddaughter of the old prospector who originally found the mine, the yo«ng cattleman borrows enough money to put up a stamp mill and start developing the property. But a crooked promoter, anxious to get the valuable lode himself, launches a well-planned campaign to defraud the rancher and get the mine away from him. The campaign leads to some of the most thrilling scenes ever filmed, with the stampede of a mule train carrying ore from the mine, a cattle stampede a strike of the miners and a daring scheme to blow up .the mme itself as some of the highlights of the film. Added to this is the scene of dynamiting an entire mountain top away,.Revealing what goes on under the glitter and veneer of Hollywood picture-mak-ing " Fugitives for a Night," the second film, presents a new screen team in the persons of Frank • Albertson and Eleanor Lynn, featured in a romantic drama of an unusual kind. Miss Lynn portrays a publicity girl at a large film studio and Albertson is a young man who acts variously as a companion, bodyguard, chauffeur, call-boy, and jack-of-all-work for his screenstaremployer. STATE THEATRE A bright comedy, sparkling with witty conversation and unusual situations, is " Josette," now showing at the State Theatre. Simone Simon, tne Piquant French star, who has become so popular with audiences during her short screen career, has a role wnicn is entirely suited to her. She sings several new songs in her inimitable style Robert Young and Don Amecne are cast as two wealthy brothers wno are endeavouring to save their father from a matrimonial entanglement. Robert Young has one of his usual roles as the sophisticated young man-about-town who believes he knows all

that is to be known about night clubs and women. As the serious younger brother, who has spent most of his life in his father's canning company, Don Ameche shows that a little ingenuousness can go further than a lot of sophistication. A lively new comedy team is seen in Bert Lahr and Joan Davis, whose first appearance together was in " Love and Hisses." The box plans are at the theatre and at Begg's. " CAREFREE" A film romance embellished with Irving Berlin melodies, R.K.O. Radio's "Carefree" will be shown on Friday at the State Theatre. It brings that world-famous team of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers together once more. Because Miss Rogers keeps breaking off her wedding date with Ralph Bellamy, the latter asks Astaire, a psychiatrist, to fix up any lurking inhibitions the lady may have on the subject of marriage. The pretty patient complicates matters by falling in love with Astaire instead of with Bellamy. When the psychiatrist fails to respond, the actress starts a hectic scries of madcap adventure, the doctor meantime falling in love with her himself, only to find that he has a new resistance to overcome. The supporting cast is headed by Luella Gear and Jack Carson. REGENT THEATRE A bright, unusual comedy, redolent of the glamour and romance or the mid-eighteenth century, is " The Great Garrick," now showing at the Regent Theatre. The play is one which for lightness of touch and speed of movement might well have been written by one of those fashionable dilettante playwrights of the period whose facility was responsble for the development of the drawing-room comedy. The performance of Brian Aherne as David Garrick, whose acting earned for the Drury Lane Theatre a permanent place on the roll of dramatic fame, is excellent. His affectation of the strained artificiality of the " grand manner" adopted by the gentlemen of the period was very well done indeed, especially when it is made clear that under it all the great man is constantly afraid of the laughter of the crowd. As the beautiful young French society girl who meets him under the strangest of circumstances and who deceived him as the most famous members of the Comedie Francaise are unable to do, Olivia de Havilland achieves her greatest success to date. There are good supports, and the box plans are at the theatre and thp D.I.C "THAT CERTAIN AGE" For the first time since she appeared on the screen, Deanna Durbm will have as accompanist an orchestra composed entirely of children of her own age. The musicians, some 16 of them, were chosen some time ago by Charles Previn, music director of Universal studios. The juvenile orchestra will be heard in "That Certain Age," Deanna's new picture, coming on Friday to the Regent Theatre, when the children play the accompaniment of two of Deanna's selections, "Romeo and Juliet Waltz," by Gounod, and Leo Delibes' " Les Filles Des Cadiz," which the singer renders during the presentation of a juvenile play in the picture. Joe Pasternak, the producer Edward Ludwig, the director, and Previn are said to be delighted with the progress of the young musicians, declaring them fit for professional performances on any stage. Special Christmas screenings will take place during the week-end. ST. JAMES THEATRE Kenny Baker, though a crooner, fs an artist in his own way, and even those who dislike crooning will not be justified in refraining from visiting the St. James Theatre this week. The " local boy makes good "theme is employed in "Mr Dodd Takes the Air," which is the current entertainment, but, unlike most pictures of the kind, the local boy prefers to revert to type and eschew the bright lights of Broadway. Claude Dodd is a born electrician, and is never happier than when he is replacing a fuse or repairing a wireless set. He has a purely local fame as a baritone singer, and Pewamo plumes itself upon his ..contributions to its annual strawberry festivals. The inevitable happens. Hiram F. Doremus (Ferris Taylor), an exPewamoan, who has built up a fortune as a mattress manufacturer, sees the possibilities in the boy's voice in connection with his broadcasting hour, and invites him to New York. Up to this point the story is largely conventional, but it then takes a novel turn. The box plans are at the theatre, the D.I.C, and Jacobs's. "HOLLYWOOD HOTEL" Tuneful melodies, magnificent settings, two famous band organisations, a swiftly-paced inside story of Hollywood life, a star-studded cast headed by Dick Powell and Louella O. Parsons, are some of the elements which make up what is said to be a hit of the film-musical season, "Hollywood Hotel." which will be the Christmas attraction at the St. James Theatre. Inclusion in the picture of an entire broadcast of the most famous of all U.S.A. radio programmes necessitated enormous expenditure, but Warner Brothers went out of its way to make one of its most spectacular and successful productions. Dick Powell presents one of the best roles of his career and sings tunes that have already gained popularity in America. Opposite him play two of the famous Lane Sisters —Lola as a temperamental movie queen who refuses to appear at a premiere for her producer, and Rosemary as a little, unknown waitress who is called in to double socially for the star. Ted Healy, Hugh Herbert, Alan Mowbray, Mabel Todd, Johnnie Davies, Benny Goodman, and his ! famous swing band and Raymond Paige i and his orchestra are included in the j cast

STRAND THEATRE Nan Grey and Donald Woods have the leading roles in "Danger on the Air," which is now being screened at the Strand Theatre. It is a murder mystery with a new twist and a fine climax. The other picture is "Prairie Thunder," in which Dick Foran, the "singing cowboy," is starred. The story takes one back to the days when cowboys and Indians was the favourite juvenile game, and it is full of thrills from start to finish. It tells of the adventures of Rod Farrel, a scout, whose job it is to keep the United States cavalry at an outpost informed of activities in the area, and he discovers a renegade white man who is urging the natives to revolt to prevent the coming of the railway. There are many fights and j? pleasing romance. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. OCTAGON THEATRE "Joy of Living," now showing at the Octagon Theatre, is the latest production in the new American tradition of "crazy" films, and it makes no mistake about its craziness. The story is that of a highly successful Broadway revue singer, who is one of a long line of old troupers. Unfortunately the rest of the family move in on their successful relative. The result is that, although she is earning the equivalent of £2OOO a week, it is insufficient to keep up with the extravagances of the family. At the same time, certain members of the family are jealous of her success. All is. not so well until a young man who owns a Pacific island and a. tramp steamer, among other things, sets out in pursuit o£ the singer. The pursuit leads him at first into various police headquarters, but eventually their place is taken by night clubs. Irene Dunne is as sparkling, and as vivacious as ever in the role of the revue singer. Opposite her as the Young Lochinvar of the tramp steamer is Douglas Fairbanks, jun. The programme is completed by newsreels, the latest Dipnne quintuplets picture, and a Silly Symphony, " The Moth and the Flame." The box plans are at the theatre and at Begg's. — "SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS" The musical background of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," which will have its Dunedin premiere at the Octagon Theatre on Thursday night at the conclusion of the screening of the current programme, is an important part of the production. Frank Churchill, Leigh Harline and Paul Smith worked on the synchronisation of the score to the plot, and among them they did an excellent job, states one reviewer. Their songs include a number of catchy tunes, such as " The Wishing Well Song," " Some Day My Prince Will Come," and the Dwarfs' marching song. The latter will probably sweep the country just as Disney's "Who's Afraid of the Big. Bad Wolf," from "The Three Little Pigs." had everybody singing, whistling and humming. Entire audiences seem to fall under the magic spell which Walt Disney and his staff of clever magicians weave with great artistry on the screen. The spell begins with the first appearance of the lovely little heroine, the Princess Snow White, as she sings her song of desire at the wishing well to an astonished and amusing audience of doves, and continues on through the well-known episodes of the Grimm brothers' fairy tale. MAYFAIR THEATRE Laurel and Hardy sing a duet with variations, preceded by a swing dance of the gay nineties vintage, in the Hal Roach-M.G.M. feature-length comedy, "Way Out West," which is screening at the, Mayfair Theatre. It is a long time now since these two irrepressible comedians started their team, and it will certainly be a long time yet before their popularity wanes—that is, if they keep on making pictures so humorous as "Way Out West." Good measure is provided in this double-feature programme, for the associate picture is " Daughter ,of Shanghai," in which Anna May Wong the Chinese actress, appears in a thrilling story of the alien smuggling racket. ■ Altogether, the programme is a thoroughly satisfying one Ihe box plans are at the D.I.C. and the theatre. "LAUGHING IRISH EYES'* "Laughing Irish Eyes," which will be shown at the Mayfalr Theatre tomorrow, tells a rollicking story of a young Irishman, Phil Regan, who is brought to America as a ring champion. His greater delight, however, is his fine tenor voice, and Evelyrt Knapp, as his coquettish but spitfire admirer, artfully steers him from the prizering into contracts for love and music. J M. Kerrigan, noted for his spirited Irish portrayals, and Mary Gordon, who was memorable as the Irish mother in "The Irish In Us," are other featured players, while Ray Walker, as the sports-radio commentator, Eddie Bell, gives an energetic performance. Curiosity, one of the mainsprings of that complex delicate mechanism called human nature, is what makes people seek education, do crossword puzzles and devour mystery stories in book and screen form. The latest mystery film to reach the public, Universale "The Man Who Cried Wolf," will be the associate feature. The leading characters in the picture are Lewis Stone, Barbara Read and Tom Brown. The latter pair provide the romantic interest i» the production.