AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24372, 9 August 1940, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS

THE NEW PROGRAMMES REGENT THEATRE So popular has the musical production, " Balalaika," proved during the past week that it will to-day start an extended season at the Regent Theatre. The new romantic team of Nelson Eddy and Ilona Massey is featured in this delightful film of Russia before and during the revolution. Based on the London stage musi-

cal success by Eric Maschwitz, " Balalaika " is a vigorous story affording Eddy orie of the most impressive roles of his career, as a gallant colonel of the Cossacks, who falls in love with a cafe" singer, only to learn that she is the daughter of a revolutionist who is plotting the assassination of his father and himself. The love affair seems to be bound for an unhappy ending, but the Russian revolution changed many things, and, rank no longer holding any significance, the bars separating the two are torn aside. The well-known "At the Balalaika" and " Tanya," sung by Miss Massey and Nelson Eddy, accompanied by a male choir singing " Silent Night," will not easily be forgotten. An excellent performance in a minor role is given by Charles Ruggles as a romanticallyminded batman. There is a strong supporting programme, and the box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C STRAND THEATRE " Black Friday," heralded as the newest idea in horror pictures, with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi in the starring roles, comes to the Strand Theatre to-day. Said to be different from previous horror films both in story and technique, " Black Friday " finds both the stars and their supporting players appearing without the " weird " make-up effects they have used in the past. " Kid Nightingale," which will support " Black Friday," presented a problem similar to Robert Taylor's fight films, because John Payne, like Taylor, is too handsome to have received many punches. Wily Callahan helped the situation with Payne by pitting against him the good-looking and as yet unmarked young heavy, Bill Haade. Haade ; was in the Taylor fight film, too, and has had plenty of moving picture fight experience. Box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C. OCTAGON THEATRE " Stanley and Livingstone," one of the most outstanding films of its type to be shown in Dunedin for a long time, will begin the second week of its season at the Octagon Theatre to-day. Starred with Spencer Tracy, twice a winner of the academy award, In the Twentieth Century-Fox film are Nancy Kelly and Richard Greene, heading an outstanding cast, which includes Walter Brennan, also an award winner, Charles Coburn, Sir Cedric Hardwicke (as Livingstone), Henry Hull and Henry Travers. In 1869 the publisher of the New York Herald gave Stanley, his ace reporter, the assignment to find Livingstone, one of the most daring and hopeless tasks in the history of journalism. In November of that year he achieved the impossible and found his man; but Livingstone claimed that he was not " lost" and refused to be " rescued." After Livingstone's death Stanley returned to finish his great work. He endured many hardships in his explorations, which resulted in the partition of Africa by. the European Powers. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg's. GRAND THEATRE The lugubrious Gordon Harker once more appears as that unusual Scotland Yard sleuth, Inspector Hornleigh, in this week's programme at the Grand Theatre. In this ingenious and entertaining mystery Hornleigh goes on holiday, but his hopes of rest and recreation are soon dashed by crime and murder. With him is teamed an even more lugubrious actor, Alastair Sim, as his assistant. The action of the story moves along smoothly, and there is a constant flow of quiet, unobtrusive humour. Occasionally there are interludes of sheer farce, but the imperturbability of Harker and Sim serves only to make this more hilarious. The ever-popular Jones Family add another chapter to .'their history in "Too Busy to Work," which is the associate feature on this entertaining programme. . This time it is commercial difficulties and not civic troubles in which the family is involved, lor father has neglected his drug store business with serious results but once more they win through. Added to the old favourites is Joan Davis as an eccentric country cousin. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg's. STATE THEATRE A novel which created some of the most virulent controversy in the United States for some time was John Steinbeck's stark drama based on the lives of a group of migratory ranch workers of California, "Of Mice and Men." The Broadway play based on the novel evoked even more interest, and scored a signal success over a long season. Seeing a " box-office hit," Lewis Milestone, a producer at Hal Roach's studios, adapted it for the screen, and " Of Mice and Men " will make its local debut at the State Theatre to-day. Starring Burgess Meredith, Betty Field, and Lon Chaney, jun., it unfolds a richly emotional and tensely dramatic story of the migratory ranch workers of California. "Of Mice and Men " tells the exciting story of George and Lennie and Mae on Aguora Ranch in California. George and Lennie have travelled together for years, the former devoted to his partner, whose brute strength and weak mind have invariably upset their " best-laid plans." But at long last it seems that their dream is to come true —they have found the money to buy a small farm of their own and to live " off the fatta the lan'." They have not counted on Mae. the only woman on the ranch, married to Curley, the owner's son, and it is Mae who turns their happy dream into stark tragedy. There is an interesting and up-to-the-minute supporting programme. Box plans are at the theatre and Begg's. EMPIRE THEATRE Humphrey Bogart, one of the screen's most successful actors, who portray villainous characters, has a weird role in " The Return of Dr X," which should thrill patrons of the Empire Theatre during the coming week. The notorious fictional character, Dr Xavier, returns to life in " The Return of Dr X," and Bogart in the title role turns in a performance which has all the qualities to make it complete. The story, which is rather ghoulish, concerns the activities of this man back from the dead, who commits murders to get blood for his body. A wave of murders and disappearances leads Wayne Morris, a young newspaper reporter, to a hospital, where lie meets and falls in love with an attractive nurse, Rosemary Lane. Here he becomes suspicious of Dr X, who is assistant to a laboratory scientist, John Litel. Miss Lane disappears, and, with the help of Dennis Morgan, Morris solves the intriguing mystery. The supporting programme is one which includes fast-paced vaudeville. " You're Next to Closing" is a merry mixture of snappy song and dance turns, trick dog acts, specialty dancing and acrobatics. " Eddie Le Lange and His Band " present some novel and lilting numbers. " Scalp Trouble," a Porky Pig and Daffy Duck cartoon; " Sophomore Swing," a Broadway brevity, with an up-to-the-minute musical comedy background; episode 5 of " The Green Hornet," and pictures of the world's latest news. Box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C

ST. JAMES THEATRE Mischa Aucr, the lackadaisical comedian who has " stolen " scenes from many films during the past year or two, has the position inverted in his latest production. An attractive girl—aged about 15 months—who. after one previous picture, has become an adept of this art. attracts more than her fair share of attention in " Unexpected Father," which heads the new programme at the St. James Theatre to-day. Baby Sandy is her name, but she has a male role. The comedy comes largely from Mischa Auer, who proves for the second time that he is a perfect running mate for Sandy. The romantic intrigue is provided by Dennis O'Keefe and Shirley Ross, with Donald Briggs always in the offing as the " other man." The Universal film, " They Asked 'for it," with William Lundigan, Joy Hodges, Michael Whalen, Isabel Jewell, and Lyle Talbot, will be in support. Miss Hodges has the role of a girl reporter who outsmarts the police and a band of crooks to solve a mystery and win her man. Michael Whalen will be seen as the handsome young attorney whose quick thinking saves his own reputation and the life of pretty Isabel Jewell, who has confessed to murder " just for a thrill." Box plans are at the theatre, the D.I.C, and Jacobs's. BABY CONTEST FINAL Commencing to-day, approximately 55 theatres throughout New Zealand will screen the pictures of Baby Otago and Baby Auckland, the finalists in the St. John centennial baby contest, which has attracted such interest during the past few months. Patrons of these 55 theatres, including the St. James Theatre, have only one week in which to make their decision as to the respective merits of the champion infants of the North and South Islands. Otago's entry is Baby Llewellyn Gwynne, aged 15 months, who is the son of Mr and Mrs W. Gwynne. MAYFAIR THEATRE A bright tale of American college life and a Joe Penner comedy are at present being screened at the Mayfair Theatre. " Brother Rat " is a tale of a military college and is more dramatic than romantic in its action, although the story concerns a young cadet who defies the regulations and marries. How the situation is worked out makes appealing entertainment. Wayne Morris and Priscilla Lane have the leading roles. " The Day the Bookies Wept " is the title of the second feature. The box plans are at the theatre and the D.I.C.