AMUSEMENTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18530, 17 October 1934, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

OPERA HOUSE LAST NIGHT: “STRICTLY PERSONAL” The season of “Strictly Personal” has bean extended to to night, when it will be finally screened. Any amount of fast and exciting action is contained in “Strictly Personal,” which has .an unusual theme. It is intriguing and rich in romance. The inner workings of “The Lonely Hearts' Club,” where the lonely of all ages and both sexes, I'ot a fee, can find compamoflship, and. possibly wives or husbands, are exposed. The story tells of an escaped convict and bis wife, and the daughter of a fellow-convict whom they shelter. The convict runs a “get acquainted” club of the better type. A confidence man comes from out of the past and recognises the proprietor. He forces the proprietor to take him into partnership, and converts the establishment into a nohe-too-scruplilous meeting place for persons of amorous disposition. There is a cleverly-conceived climax in which the confidence man attempts to eairv off the convict's ward and tlirow the.blame of the murder on the convict himself, but his career is ended by a bullet just as he is about to catch ail aeroplane for Mexico. The story is hacked iip by the splendid performances of Edward Ellis, Marjorie Rambeau, Dorothy Jordan. Louis CalItem, and Eddie Qttillan. There wiTl he no pictures to morrow. “Below the Sea” and “Sundown Trail” will commence on Friday.

KING'S THEATRE RICHARD DIX IN ”HIS GREATEST GAMBLE” Cast hi an emotional vole which promises to bring new histrionic honors to this virile star, Richard Dix brings to the screen the characterisation of a wastrel father, whose great redeeming trail is the protective love be bears his little girl. His anxious ami pathetic guardianship over her, even when separated from her in prison, provides great suspense in bis new starring] vehicle", “His Greatest Gamble,” which this afternoon started a three-day season at the King’s Theatre. It is relieved at the end in a sensational episode of self-sacrifice in which he scores a laudable paternal triumph. A gamester and scapegrace, Richard Dix as Philiji Eden nevertheless removes his eight-year-old child from her mother’s custody because he distrusts her rearing. Father and daughter's gipsy-like companionship and wanderings are interrupted by a tragedy, the, accidental killing of a woman with whom Phillip is involved, and he goes to prison. The child’s mother regains the little girl and proceeds to bring her up in an artificial atmosphere to become a_ social snob. News of this torments Philip in prison. How finally, at the point when the girl has become so apathetic and so dominated by her mother that she is about to break off an engagement with her true lover, Philip breaks out, crosses seas in a dash to his old homy, confronts the girl, lashes her spirit into rebellion, go to make the big sequence of this drama. Culminating liis mission, Phillip hands the. girl over to her lover, regardless of being exposed as a fugitive, and goes back to prison knowing lie may never see her again, but happy in the thought that he has saved her. That gifted child actress, Edith Fellows, plays the daughter in the early scenes; Dorothy Wilson plays the daughter in the adult episodes. Erin O’Bt'ien-Moore is the selfish mother. Bruce Cabot is the girl’s worthy lover. Shirley T Grey is the ill-fated woman with whom Dix has an affair.

REGENT THEATRE “MURDER THE PRIVATE CAR*': HILARIOUS THRILLER A comedy of thrills is the feature picture which opens at the Regent to-day. Charles Ruggles nad Una Merkel provide the humor, and the thrills just happen. Concerning a girl who is discovered as the heiress of a railway magnate after years of separation, the story works through a kidnapping attempt to a journey, by those most concerned, from Los Angeles to New York. The olticial guardian of the heiress is murdered on the job, while Ruggles is busy on his self-appointed task of “deflecting.” Everybody plays tip to the situations excellently, while Ruggles chips in with irrepressible fun. The heiress heroine is played by Mary Carlisle, who is pretty enough to grace any production, and her “boy friend” is the handsome Russell Hardie. The wreck of a circus train is another sequence of thrills and laughs, when Ruggles gets badly mixed up with an assortment of beasts, and the subsequent frightening moments when a gorilla invades the private car another thrilling spasm. Every now and then Ruggles, with unexpected sangfroid, saves the principals from imminent death. No slack moments are in the film to allow of momentary boredom. A bright and snappy revue, “What Price Jazz,” in the supporting, programme, is full of cheerful music and beautiful damsels, and there is a diverting comedy of “Our Clang.” The whole show is decidedly refreshing.

—“That’s a Good Girl,’’ Saturday—- “ That's a Good Girl,’’ one of the most successful Loudon musical comedies in the last 10 years, stars the popular Jack Buchanan at the top of his form. This is a true to type musical comedy, replete with delightful humor, haunting music, clever dancing and bright acting, the kind of show that is sure to please the most exacting of patrons. It commences next Saturday, and the plans are alreadv in keen demand.

MAJESTIC THEATRE SALLY EILERS AND RICHARD ARLEN IN “SHE MADE HER BED’’ A bunc.li of wild anitnals; exciting horse races; a pitched battle between ftn enraged tiger and a man; and a racing lire which burns down an entire tourist camp are Several of the most potent elements that bring a thrilling entertaining climax to “She Made Her Bed," which commenced to-day. The leading players are Richard Arlen, Sally tilers, Robert Armstrong and Roscoc Ates, with Grace Bradley, Charley Grapewirx and Arleh’s eight-month-old Son, Richard Ralston, completing the supporting placets. The Arlen baby was given the role originally intended for T.nby I.e Roy, but that youngster had grown so much, ftotn the time he was cast until the picture went into pro duction, that he could not he used. “She Made Her Bed” depicts a dramatic romance between Richard Arlen, racehorse trainer and one-man medicine show, and Sally Eilers, ns I.ttra Gordon, the wife of a brutal animal trainer. Grace Bradley, ns it vamp, makes love to Lttra’s husband until he turns an enraged tiger loose in the house. After a raged tiger loose in the house. After a and his true love move away into happier surroundings. Added* attractions nre "New Dealers,” a comedy; “Plying Trapeze,” a "Popeye the Sailor” eartoon, a screen song, and newsreels.