AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23954, 1 November 1939, Page 13

AMUSEMENTS

THE CURRENT PROGRAMMES STATE THEATRE In translating Emily Bronte's famous novel, “ Wuthering Heights,” to the screen Samuel Goidwyn has produced his greatest triumph. The picture, which heads the bill at the Slate Theatre, has been acclaimed the most outstanding picture so far of 1939 because of its compelling artistry, its beauty, and dramatic power. Emily Bronte, the lonely spinster who wrote ” Wuthering Heights,” died 91 years ago at the age of 30, without ever knowing that her book would become one of the imperishable treasures of English literature, and that she had given to the world a haunting, tragic love story that would thrill generations whose grandmothers were then unborn Merle Oberon, Laurence Olivier, Flora Robson, David Niven, Geraldine Fitzgerald, and Hugh William head the cast. There is a good supporting programme. The box plans are at the theatre and at Begg’s. EMPIRE THEATRE The Hardy Family have probably Won a pre-eminent place among screen families in the general esteem they have won, and one of the best of the series. Out West with the Hardys,” is the current attraction at the Empire Theatre. Lewis Stone is excellent as the kindly and understanding Judge Hardy, and the irrepressible Mickey Rooney provides much of the entertainment with his romantic troubles. Virginia Weidler has a part well suited to her as the thorn in Mickey's flesh. The supporting programme, which includes another instalment of the Buck Rogers serial, is a first-class one. The box plans arc at the theatre and the D.I.C. REGENT THEATRE Above the great orchestras playing the music of Johann Strauss in “ The Great Waltz ” at the Regent Theatre a--e heard the golden tones of what is acclaimed the world’s most valuable violin. This is the Da Vinci Stradivarius, declared by experts to be the finest example of the ancient violin maker’s art, owned by Toscha Seidel, eminent concert artist, who was soloist for Important numbers in the musical score of the picture. Symphony orchestras of 90 pieces play the music of the famous Johann Strauss, .while the beautiful Miliza Korjus, Viennese songbird, rpakes her screen debut and sings her wdy to stardom. Two first-class players take the principal roles, Fernand Gravet and Luise Rainer being cast as Strauss and his wife. The excellence of the picture is reflected in the packed houses to which it has been screened. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. “HONOLULU” “ Honolulu,” an enjoyable musical comedy in which Eleanor Powell, one of the finest novelty dancers in the world, plays the leading role, will be opened at the Regent Theatre on Friday. The adventures—ro-, mantle, amusing and otherwise—experienced by a “ movie" idol when he changes places with a Hawaiian plantation owner in order to snatch a quiet holiday form the theme of “ Honolulu.” Robert Young, who is featured opposite Eleanor Powell, gives an entertaining portrayal of the actor and his “ double,” the plantation owner. The actor, glad to get away from the overwhelming adulation of his fans, is having a peaceful time on a liner when he meets and falls in love with a cabaret dancer, Miss Powell. All goes well until he discovers that the planter has a fiancee and is also faced with an embezzlement charge. George Burns and Grade Allen, the popular comedians, head the supporting cast. Eleanor Powell is seen at her best in “ Honolulu,” and with Hawaii as an exotic background for several of her dances, her performance proves irresistibly captivating One of the most attractive of the dance sequences is " Hymn to the Sun," a most impressive presentation. There is an irresistible air of gaiety about the whole production, and from the amazing art of Eleanor Powell to the clever clowning of Grade Allen, every factor tends to accentuate the enteitalnment value of the film. Box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. STRAND THEATRE Claude Dampier, Clapham and Dwyer, Brian Lawrence, the Mills Brothers, Evelyn Dali, Nat Gonella and his Georgians, Mantovani and his Tipica Orchestra, are among the more noteworthy of the many featured performers in “ Sing as You Swing,” which heads the current programme at the Strand Theatre. English variety at its best is seen in this production, which gallops along at a lively pace, humour, melody, spectacle, and romance being admirably blended to create a particularly entertaining film. The second production is ” One-third of a Nation,” in which Sylvia Sidney and Leif Erickson are the featured players. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. “BOY TROUBLE” The chief “ trouble" in Paramount’s “ Boy Trouble,” opening on Friday at the Strand Theatre, is played by a youngster who in the space of less than a year has risen from obscurity to the position of one of the screen’s best-known juvenile players. He's Donald O’Connor a discovery of Producer-director Wesley Ruggles, whose " finds ” number some of Hollywood’s top personalities. Cast as the boy jockey in Ruggles's recent Bing Crosby picture, “ Sing You Sinners,” O’Connor won further fame as the portrayer of the youthful Fred Mac Murray in “ Men With Wings." A vaudeville trouper since almost the day he was born, the boy star feels more at home behind footlights or camera than any place else, One of the most exciting episodes in the highly dramatic crime film, " Undercover Doctor,” which is also on the programme, is a sequence where Broderick Crawford, as public enemy number one, is fleeing from the police. The latter are certain of catching the criminal. Hoping to make a clean sweep, they trap Crawford into betraying the undercover doctor. It would be unfair to give the story away, but this much can be told: J. Carrol Naish is a brilliant but weak-willed surgeon who, because of drink and laziness, feels his ambitions thwarted., His nurse, played by Paramount's film discovery, pretty, talented Janice Logan, leaves him, hoping that he will be brought to his senses. On the trail of gangster and surgeon is Lloyd Nolan Assisting him is Robert Wilcox as an associate Federal officer. Director Louis King has skilfully manipulated the cast and story, thus bringing out the exciting and dramatic qualities of “ Undercover Doctor.”

ST. JAMES THEATRE “ Trouble Brewing,” the George Formby picture now showing at the St. James Theatre, is about the best Formby picture to date. George sings three songs in his own inimitable style, and plays his “ Banjolele ’’ with even more vim and vigour than that to which we have been accustomed. George Formby is a comedian who can usually make a laugh out of the poorest of material, but when he has a plot such as this one to work on he is at his very best. The whole picture is completely crazy and completely enjoyable, “ The Warning ”is outstanding on the supporting programme. The box plans are at the theatre, the D.1.C., and Jacobs's. “SHE MARRIED A COP” Admirers of Phil Regan, the star of “ Laughing Irish Eyes,” will be well catered for at the St. James Theatre, where Republic’s “ She Married a Cop ” will be opened on Friday. Regan has never been in better voice, nor in more engaging mood, and he is heard to advantage in three songs—” l Can’t Imagine,” “ I’ll Remember," and “ Here’s to Love.” Starred opposite Jean Parker, he is at his best as the light-hearted policeman, who, unsuspecting, is drafted into service at an animated cartoon studio as the sound track voice of “ Paddy the Pig.” When his initial screen effort is unrolled before his colleagues on the force he is naturally the victim of some pretty strong “ ribbing,” which he receives with ill grace, particularly in view of the fact that he has just married the lovely perpetrator of the deception Jean Parker is lovely and winsome in her role, and Jerome Cowan scores as the disappointed suitor. Other supporting roles are ably handled by Dorothea Kent, Benny Baker, Barnett Parker, Horace MacMahon, Oscar O’Shea, Mary Gordon, Muriel Campbell, Peggy Ryan, and Richard Keene. ” The most glamorous woman in the world ’’— that’s what Gabriele d’Annuzio, Italy’s famous poet, lover, and soldier-of-fortune called Isa Miranda, Ray Milland’s leading lady in “ Hotel Imperial.” Paramount’s gripping drama which will also be on the programme. Miranda, who for nearly two years has done nothnig but prepare for “ Hotel Imperial,” he. first American film, plays a dazzling international beauty, whose siren-charms have a vital effect on the fortunes of war. Milland, her, costar, plays a romantic Austrian army officer who is turned into a national hero by her love. Others figuring importantly in the production, under the direction of Robert Florey, are Reginald Owen, who plays a gruff Russian army officer and would-be portrait painter; Gene Lockhart, a genial hotelkeeper in a Central European frontier town; and J. Carrol Naish, who plays a spy and traitor. Screening at every session will be the fourth episode of the Buck Rogers serial. “ The Sky Pilot.” GRAND THEATRE A feast of entertainment is in store lor patrons of the Grand Theatre during November, when the theatre will celebrate its seventh successful anniversary under the banner of Amalgamated Theatres, Ltd Special programmes have been selected, embracing comedy, music, and mystery, and the first “ Climbing High," co-starring Jessie Matthews with Michael Redgrave, will be screened to-day. The “ dumb ” wife in “ Three Men On a Horse ”, is Tucker McGuire, and now she plays the part of Jessie Matthews’s not-so-dumb girl friend in “ Climbing High.” Tucker was born in Winchester, Virginia, and when she was 17 years of age told her family she was going to be an actress A year later she went to England for a holiday, and arrived at Oxford just in .time to take Sir John Martin Harvey’s fortnight course in acting. Back in America site determined to go on the stage, and finally got a part in ” Death Takes a Holiday.” Then she had seven “ flops ” in a row. It was “ between flops,” as she puts it, that Tucker got the job of being kissed by Clark Gable. He was in New York doing a personal appearance and wanted a girl for his sketches: she was supposed to ask him for his autograph, get him to kiss her, and then faint. She did it six times daily for a fortnight, and had the satisfaction of being the most envied girl in New York. Boris Karloff is starred as a doctor in the supporting feature, “ Juggernaut." The story concerns a plan which proves to be too big for Karloff and an adventuress who has her husband poisoned by him. Karloff’s role is not entirely unsympathetic, as he is a scientist who needs money to complete an experiment which will confer a boom on mankind. Others in the cast are Monya Goya and Joan Wyndham. Box plans are at the theatre and Begg’s. MAYFAIR THEATRE Producing satisfactory screen fare by their cavorting, dancing and clowning are the " little tougli guys ” of ” Little Tough Guys in Society,” which will head the double bill opening at the Mayfair Theatre to-day. Smartly paced by three brilliant comedy stars—Mischa Auer, Mary Boland and Edward Everett Horton—this comedy affords hilarious situations as the boys ride roughshod through the realm of frosty socialites on a Long Island estate. The story concerns Mary Boland, a socialite mother who is worried because her spoilt son, Jackie Searl, wants to spend his whole life in bed. Upon the advice of Mischa Auer, a stupid psychiatrist, ghe invites a group of underprivileged boys from an East Side settlement house to be guests at her fashionable home. The idea is that the boys will awaken her son to the joyous possibilities of youth. In a thrilling climax, when a thief tries to rob the place, the alley boys capture the thief and prove their regeneration, "Wives Under Suspicion ” is a drama which has as its theme the fact that many men who love their wives neglect them. In this case Warren William is a district attorney, and Gail Patrick is the wife " under suspicion.” Box plans-are 1 the theatre and the D.I.C.