AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23886, 14 August 1939, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

THE CURRENT PROGRAMMES ST. JAMES THEATRE "Dramatic School," with Luise Rainer starred, is now screening at the St. James Theatre. It is a fine, gripping story, unusual both in theme and treatment, and its entertainment value is high. Associated with Luise Rainer are Paulette Goddard. Alan Marshall, Henry Stephenson. Anthony Allan and Lana Turner. Luise Rainer has gained warm applause for her splendid performances in earlier films, notably " The Great Ziegfeld " and " The Good Earth," but she scales new heights in this latest r»roduction. The story tells of a girl who is studying hard to become an actress. To pay her fees through a dramatic school, she works at night in a meter factory. Naturally romantic, she creates a shadow world and a shadow lover. Unfortunately she mentions the lover to a fellowstudent, and, even more unfortunately, she names a living person. Romance steps in, and for a time her stage ambitions are forgotten. There is an unexpected twist to the story, and the climax is a fitting conclusion to such a fine story. The associate attraction is an amusing English comedy, "While Parents Sleep." The box plans are at the theatre, the D.I.C. and Jacobs's. STRAND THEATRE Timeliness has been the watchword of the Warner Studio ever since it first set a new fashion in screen entertainment with " Public Enemy " and " Little Caesar," and "Racket Busters," which is now at the Strand Theatre, carries on that tradition of live pictures about live topics. Humphrey Boeart George Brent. Gloria Dickson Allen Jenkins and Walter Abel are in the leading roles. The film depicts the ruthless methods emploved bv a sinister racketeer, played by Bogart. to exact tribute from the trucking business of a great citv It tells of the efforts of a special r#<??cutor. played by Abel, to end the racket But mainly it tells of the heroic fight against the mobsters put up by a small number of truckmen and how eventually this fight is succesful when Brent, first a leader in the fight and then forced by domestic troubles to make peace with the racketeers, takes up the battle again when the racketeers endeavour to cut off the whole of the city's food supplies. " Girl's School," with Ann Shirley, Nan Grey and Ralph Bellamy in the leading roles, is the second attraction. Box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. EMPIRE THEATRE Anna May Wong, filmdom's favourite Chinese actress, gets mixed up with gangland's worst hoodlums and comes out the winner once again in her latest picture, " King of Chinatown," now at the Empire Theatre. Cast in the role of a woman surgeo: Miss Wong faces a dramatic dilemma when called upon to save the life of Chinatown's most vicious racketeer, knowing that he is her father's mortal enemy and a cold-blooded murderer as well. After her professional code has forced her to perform the necessary operation an exciting series of events, in which she plays no small part leads to the breakdown of the gang and the realisation of her intense ambition to send an ambulance corps to war-torr China The cast includes Akim TamirofT J Carrol Naish, Roscoe Karns. Anthony Quinn and Phi'ip fhn There is an excellent programme of short features, and box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C

GRAND THEATRE "Beauty for the Asking" is the title, of the comedy-romance being screened at the Grand Theatre. The principal roles are played by Lucille Ball, Frieda Inescort. Patric Knowles and Donald Woods. There is a certain amount of drama in the plot; too, and the combination makes for excellent entertain--ment. Lucille Ball plays the part of a young beauty culture .expert who thinks she is in love with the handsome Patric Knowles. He jilts her, however, and marries a wealthy heiress. His marriage is a cruel blow to the girl, but she determines to stand on her own feet and prepares to put a beauty perparation of her own on the market A new development of the eternal triangle theme develops from the coincidence that the woman who sponsors her product is none other than Frieda Inescourt, the heiress married by Knowles. The position is an awkward one, but everything solves itself satisfactorily with the help of Donald Woods, who has always been the voung beauty expert's trusty suitor. Jack Randall has another virlie Western role in "Land of Fighting Men," the second film. Box Wans are at the theatre and at Begg's. STATE THEATRE Lovers of heart-warming,. rugged, red-blooded action, flavoured by a leavening of wholesome humour and pleasant romantic interest, are well catered for at the State Theatre, where "Gunga Din' is drawing consistently big houses. Inspired by Kipling's immortal poem, the film is centred in India, where the British Imperial Forces are engaged in extending the influence of the virile and growing Empire. Three typical reckless high - tempered British non-commissioned officers share the spotlight with the native water carrier, Gunga Din, and their adventures 'orm the theme of the story Victor McLaglen, Cary Grant, and Douglas Fairbanks, jun., who are ideally suited physically for theii parts, portray the non-coms., with Sam Jaffe playing the part of Gunga Din and Joan Fontaine having the feminine lead. The film is " big " in every sense of the word, and the actors play right up to the best of their abilities always to keep the interest of the audience. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg's. REGENT THEATRE "Invitation to Happiness," which is now enjoying a season at the Regent Theatre, is a film with a deep dramatic content—a production which has elements of entertainment which should appeal to everyone. The background Tor the story is the boxing ring, but this is no mere "fight story.!' Irene Dunne and Fred MacMurray..who have proved their acting ability in many films, have the leading roles, and there is a first-rate supporting cast, which includes Charlie Ruggles in a big role which he handles with confidence. A well-tried character player is William Collier, who appears as Miss Dunne's father, and he bodies the part forth into quiet, genial reality. Worthy of mention, too, is the part of the young son played by Billy Cook He has more than a little responsibility in the drama, but he is effectively natural When a small-time boxing promoter calls on a former friend who has become wealthy and asks him to buy a h* 1' interesl in the contract of his latest protege whom he expects to do great things the request turns out to be an " invitation to hapoiness " for the magnate's daughter. The request is granted and the heiress and the young boxer discover a deep and mutual interest in each other despite certain fundamental differences which make their first meeting a stormy one. There are interesting supports, and the box plans arc at the theatre and the D.I.Q. ■ i

MAYFAIR THEATRE A double bill ; offering really' outstanding entertainment is- being screened at the "Mayfair Theatre. "Young Dr Kildare," with Lew Ayres in the title role, is "the story of a young medical graduate setting out on his career. It.is altogether different from the usual run of hospital films, the main factor being, perhaps,' that no nurse enters the plot." A feature of the film, which is the first of a series, is the performance of Lionel Barrymore as a crusty old diagnostician who enjoys a peculiar independence in the huge hospital where young Dr Kildare serves his interneship. Instead of settling in his small home town and entering practice, Kildare has* an ambition to serve humanity in some greater, way, and so to the large institution he goes where the manner in which he solves the problem of a young society girl whom the experts would have put into an asylum earns him a coveted position as Barrymore s assistant. "Strange Boarders,' the second film, stars Tom WauYandßenee St. Cyr, a brilliant young French, actress. The story is at once thrilling and amusing, dealing with the adventures of a secret service man who is dragged off on his wedding night to upset a ring of spies. Box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C.