AMUSEMENTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19135, 2 October 1936, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE "KLONDIKE ANNIE" AND "UNWELCOME STRANGER" Mae West frets religion—temporarily, anil Mona Barrie. "Klondike Annie" which commenced to-day at the Majestic Theatre, accompanied by "The Unwelcome Stranger," with Jack Holt That is the theme of "Klondike Annie." is a picture that will intrigue all admirers of this star. .Mac West- this time has a role that calls for real histrionic ability, but although there is strong drama in the film. .Miss West herself — her familiar poses and inimitable ''wisecracks"—i.s always tlie. centre of interest. A strong cast supports the blonde star—Victor -MeLaglcu as the hard-bit-ten Bull Bracket!, skipper of the iramp steamer .lava Maid. Philip Reed as Jack Forrest, the representative of law and order in the Alaskan, gold-rush town of Nome, and Helen Jerome Rddy as Sister Annie Alden. one of a baud of missionaries who rue lighting a losing battle in the godless gold-fields. The second feature is of an unusual type. Jack Holt, a stalwart Columbia, star, enacts his favourite role in this picture.

"The Unwelcome Stranger." Holt, who is regarded as one of the best authorities on horses in Hollywood, is cast, as the owner of a si nek farm where i acehorses are bred and trained. A beautiful Australian, Mona Barrie. is featured as Holt.*s wile, witli Jackie Seavle and Frankie Dano. talented hoy actors,.and Bradley Page and Ralph Morgan, in the supporting cast.

REGENT THEATRE

"ME, DEEDS GOES TO TOWN

Once again the genius of Frank Capi'a has asserted itseli' and brought to the screen a picture of the highest calibre. To his last three films—" Lady for a .Day," "It. Happened One Night." and

'Broadway Bill," each of them line enough to' warm the heart of an ordinary director for the duration of Ins professional life—is added now "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," which, opened to-day at the Regent. Theatre with Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur in the important roles. It is an enchanting film, merry, romantic, intelligent, in the inimitable Capra manner. It brings a new and charming Gary Cooper to his innumerable "fans." 'and it 'finds in Jean Arthur a star of the first magnitude, lovely, clever, ami sparkling. "Mr. Deeds (iocs to 'town" tells the story of a young man in a- small town who falls heir io 20.C00.0C0 dollars left by an eccentric uncle. Longfellow Deeds does not want to be bothered with the money; lie (Wants to be lefl alone in Mandrake Palls, where he is having a good time playing, the tula in tlie village band ami serving as a volunteer fireman. However, he is brought to New York by his late uncle's attorney and dropped iii the midst of a number of grafters—the attorney among I hem—who are likelv to leave Deeds as little of the fortune as possible. Of. course, bis advent into'the metropolis is a field 1 day for the newspapers. One clever editor assigns Babe Bennett the task- of getting the story on Longfellow : she does, but she also'succeeds in falling in love with him and allowing him to fall lor her. Her stories bring Deeds such nnhappiness that he decides to give the 20.000,000 dollars away to needy folk. Immediately the attorney, who sees visions hi the money gelling away from him altogether, has Deeds arrested for insanity.' and l tben the fur Hies with a vengeance. KING'S THEATRE "THE KING STEPS OUT" Exceptional musical talent does not automatically make a film "star." but in "The King Steps Out," which opened a season ai the King's Theatre to-day. si model example is offered of a charming voice and- captivating personality receiving the proper exploitation for screen popularity. The two recent pictures in which Miss Grace Moore appeared were light comedies in which serious opera was mingled. The present film sets 011 l Io lie a romantic operetta, full of \'\\n and .fancy, and it achieves its aim to perfection. The story of the emperor who falls in love with a princess whom he thinks to be of humble birth is not new, but what matters is the fresh value given by the producers' interpretation. Josef von Sternberg, the director, has made scene follow scene with smoothness. Miss 'Moore repeats her success in "One Night of Love" and "Love Mo For Ever." Her acting has a subtlety unusual on the screen and a spontaneity which marks her as a charming comedienne. The music is by Fritz Kreisler. It embodies the'slow section of "Caprice Viennois," arranged for the voice, fragments of other familiar violin compositions and a series of soprano solos which have been drawn from Kreisler's .opera "Cissy." which was 'staged in Vienna several years ago. The melodies, as sung by Miss Moore, are examples or quality anil technique. The music is light, but it fits in perfectly with the <'l»'Citv of the story. Kxcellent supporting performances are given by Franch'ot Tone as the Emperor Franz Josef of Austria, and by Walter Connolly. The latter presents a brilliantly comic portrayal as the beer-urinlunfi Duke of Bavaria, described by his caustic wife, as "a grease-spot on the pages of history." In its class, "I he King Steps Out" is magnificent entertainment. The supporting items arc equally good. ________>