AMUSEMENTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19136, 3 October 1936, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

KING'S THEATRE “THE KING STEPS OUT” One of the most popular artists on the modern screen, Grace- Moore, is seen at her best in “The King Steps Out, the main film being presented for an extended season before large audiences at the King’s Theatre. Miss Moore, whoso best- known picture in recent years was, perhaps, “One Night of Love, has another part which allows her ample opportunity to display her vocal ability. She is further fortunate in this film to have the. support of such a. player ns Franehot Tone. As with Miss Moore, Frnnehot Tone lias become increasingly popular wifii film-goers the world over, and hi.si latest portrayal in “The- King Steps Out” is said to even further enhance his reputation. The theme of the film is slight, but. always compelling interest. The'music is by Fritz Kreisler, whose name is the guarantee of success. In addition to the special box office arrangements, the ushers have been supplied with necklaces oi Richleau pearls. Something new in motion pictures —a romantic 'comedy boasting authenticated historical, backgrounds—is said to ho offered in the screen's first dancing romance filmed nil in. the new teehnieolotir. “Dancing Pirate.” which comes to the King’s" Theatre next ''Friday. The stars are Charles Collins, Frank Morgan, and Steffio Dunn. MAJESTIC THEATRE “KLONDIKE ANNIE” AND “UNWELCOME STRANGER” Mae West, now at the Majestic in “Klondike .Annie,” has a role that calls for real histrionic ability, but although there is strong drama in the film. Miss AVest herself—her familiar poses and inimitable ‘‘wisecracks”—is always the centre of interest. A strong cast supports the blonde star---Victor .McLaglen as the hard-bit-ten Bull Brackett, skipper of the tramp steamer -lava Maid. Philip Reed as Jack Forrest, the representative- of law and order in the Alaskan gold-rush town of Nome, and lielen Jerome Eddy as Sister Annie Alden, one of a band of missionaries who are lighting a losing battle in the godless goldfields. Ibe 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 oil horses in Hollywood, is east as the owner of a stock 'farm where racehorses are bred and I mined. A beautiful Australian, Mona Barrie, is featured ns Holt’s wife, with Jackie Sbarle and Frankie Dario, talented hov actors, and Bradley Page and Ralph Morgan in the supporting cast.

REGENT THEATRE

“MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN”

“Mr. Deeds Goes to Town,” the film of the year, to date, according lo a, London writer, is now at the Regent Theatre. Frank Capra has woven a cunning design out of the rough threads of simple emotion. This screen play has the quality of Chaplin at his peak. It is so deceptively simple. Mr. Longfellow Deeds, small town boy, inherits £4.090.000 and comes to town to see what good be can do. At once he is swampgd- in the rush of crooks, society fools/lug business pirates and “smalltime” ai l venturers. ’I hey try to have him bulged insane to grab Ids millions. Finally. Mr. Deeds tells the judge all about'it. Ho tells him that, society is rotten, sophistication a poor sham and clever men plain fools. Mr. Deeds is a. Little Man against the world. A little man triumphant. Gary Cooper lias the part, of his career. This role puts lum ahead of his rivals. When lie opens Ins mouth in the courtroom the screen comes in life. A superb scene. Capra knows the plain things that make great entertainment. He knows the trick of a phrase. He has one here—'“pixilated.’ It means walking in the vain without a hat arid feeding doughnuts to horses and placing the Dombone when you want to think. Everyone's, a- hit, pixilated, lint so few know it. A great film? It could lie called great, but that, sounds dull. It has humanity, great charm, a sense of iustire. Tt laughs in the face of hypocrisy. Tt is rather like n gust of fresh air. BLIND INSTITUTE BAND OPERA HOUSE CONCERT The hand and concert party of the New Zealand Institute for the Blind, which is giving a programme in the Opera House, Gisborne, on October 10 and' 16, is bound to attract a big audience, not only because of its brilliant musical performance, tint because of the great physical handicap so cheorlully ami manfully overcome. Commenting on its performance the Wairarapa Standard says- “The event will long he remembered by those who had the privilege of attending. Every item was a masterpiece, and the audience went into raptures as tlu> seemingly- impossible was efficiently performed by members of the company, and encore after encore was the order of the evening. Ibe Waikato Times said: -“The dance band- of the company has the distinction ol being one of the best, bands of its type in Auckland, and judging by its performance, one should have no cause to doubt this fact.”