ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 20834, 24 July 1929, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE RfiGENT. “ALIAS JIMMY VALENTINE”. PROVES 4 POPULAR. For the past fifteen years, “Alias Jimmy Valentine” has been, perhaps, the most sensationally and perennially successful play on the stage. For over a generation, young and old alike have thrilled, laughed and cried over the story of the dashing young crook who outwits the police forces of half a dozen cities, only to give himself away at last by cracking the safe in which is imprisoned the sister of the girl he loves. Now Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has taken the story and made it into a "talkie” of great dramatic power. William Haines, who gained his first reputation as the premier, wisecracker of the screen, brings to “Alias Jimmy Valentine” a sense of comedy that has been mellowed and softened by experience. To assist him in his laughs, Karl Dane and Tully' Marshall, two of the most experienced laugh-getters of the screen, contribute what is perhaps the best performances of their careers. The three of them bring a new idea to the screen that of a comedy trio instead of a comedy team. Their work together is a sensation. As leading lady, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer selected Leila Hyams, who was chosen by Henry Clive, the noted artist and illustrator, as the most beautiful blonde in Hollywood. Haines plays the young master cracksman who goes to rob a small town bank, but stays to start life afresh. He gets a job in the bank and finally becomes a cashier. Incidentally, he falls in love with the president’s daughter. His only enemy, Detective Doyle (Lionel Barrymore) arrives in town and exposes Haines, but his employer refuses to believe the accusations of Haines’ past, when a most dramatic climax takes place. The supporting talking and singing short subjects are all excellent particularly the Gus Edwards Revue which besides being a “talkie” is also done in natural colours. The programme will be continued till Saturday. CIVIC PICTURES. CHARLES (BUDDY) ROGERS, MARY BRIAN AND CHESTER CONKLIN IN “VARSITY” AND PATSY RUTH MILLER IN “BEAUTIFUL, BUT DUMB.”

"The trouble with you is, you’re beautiful but dumb! Dumb about life! The way you dress says ‘hands off’ to every man —and still yo uexpect your boss to fall in love with you!” So said Mae, the blond art editor with a different “date” every night, after listening to Janet’s tearful story of how she overheard Jim Conroy, owner of the advertising agency in which the girls work, say to a client, "Janet is a good secretary but I’d as soon think of fallng in love with a filing case.” And Janet nods her head in slow agreement as Mae continues sternly, "What’s more, you wear working clothes to work!” and permits her friend to lead her to a beauty parlour.” Jim’s reation to the new Janet and the ups and downs of their romance form the story of "Beautiful But Dumb,” the Tiffanp-Stahl production released by Famous Lasky Film Service Limited, starring Patsy Ruth Miller, which is one of the bright features to. be screened at the Civic to-night. This gay little comedy proves that Patsy Ruth Miller is a very subtle comedienne. She parks her sex appeal backstage long enough to give the piquant situation of an “office machine” in love with the boss a ftdl fling. And as one critic has it: "You'll howl when the office flapper gives the dumb bell lessons in love.” Buddy Rogers, proved by the immensity of his fan mail and the patronage he draws to theatres, to be the most popular of the masculine screen stars, has an ideal role in the college story “Varsity, his remarkably attractive, personality being vividly presented to use in the role of Jimmy Duffy, the college boy, at Princction. All the college scenes have the additional interest of having been taken at the famous University itself. James Duffy is the child of a drunken father from whom, the mother being dead, he was taken at a very early age and brought up in a home for waifs. The father (Chester Conklin) becomes janitor at the college and saves money for his boy to be educated there, but keeps his identity from Jimmy at the earnest advice of the custodians of the home. His pride in his fine boy makes him long to reveal his secret, while love urges him to watch over the youth’s career and to save him from the curse which had been his own downfall. Mary Brian comes in as the pretty cowgirl in a Wild West Show to aid Chester’s meritorious design. When Jimmy has been tempted beyond his strength and commonsense, and is on the verge of complete ruin, the father risks his life to save him. Few people will rise dry-eyed from the final scene where the janitor parts from his boy without letting him into the secret, but the good little bride runs back to comfort the sore old heart by letting him know that she shared it—-a subtle and clever touch. Another breezy Christie comedy with' the intriguing title "Are Scotchmen Tight?” is also on this bill. MAJESTIC. RONALD COLMAN IN “THE RESCUE,” ALSO MABEL POULTON IN “VIRGINIA’S HUSBAND.” Using Joseph Conrad’s masterpiece, “The Rescue,” as the vehicle for his first appearance as an individual star for Samuel Goldwyn, Ronald Colman will appear before his public in a new light when “The Rescue” comes to the Majestic Theatre today. The hero of "Beau Geste” and “Two Lovers” now has a role of the sea and desperate intrigue among the natives of the Malay Archipelago. Herbert Brenon, the same director who made Colman in “Beau Geste,” wielded the megaphone for this United Artists picture, and Lily Damita, Samuel Goldwyn’s new French find, plays opposite Colman as the beautiful Mrs Travers. There is every opportunity for beauty of setting and matchless drama in the plot of “The Rescue.” In the midst of Captain Tom Lingard’s lawless affair of honour involving the throne of a Malayan prince, blundered an English yacht, fatefully stranded in the midst of what was to be the dark theatre of war. Of the three white passengers, only the owner’s wife understood the situation —and Lingard. On him fell the decision—to save the whites and ruin his enterprise—or let the natives have their way with them and fulfill his debt to the Malayan prince. And love! To Lingard this woman —“imperfectly civilized”—her husband said —came as the first blinding flash of all woman could mean to man. Integrity—the duty of a white to his countryman in the South Seas, the never-broken word of King Tom to a native. His whole career —and this woman. The inevitable climax of “The Rescue” is unguessable. Ronald Colman is said to have never appeared to better advantage than as the daring wanderer of the sea — “King Tom,” in this thrilling romantic drama. Screen night-club orgies have become sterotyped. We all know the American super film, with its inevitable highkicking cabaret scenes. , Into “Virginia’s Husband,” the all-British film also opening at this theatre to-night a screen adaptation of Mrs Kilpatrick’s successful stage play, Mr Harry Hughes, the director, has introduced a novel night club scene. Virginia, the heroine of the film, played by pretty Lilian Oldland, takes her old-fashioned auntie to her first night club, and auntie is so taken up with her food and her niece’s domestic problems, that she refuses to be unduly shocked! The night-club in question takes the amusing form of a prison with broad arrows, convict waiters, and warders, all mixed up in an amusing “hit ’ at this type of haunt! Mabel Poulton, as a "baby, vamp” in this scene, flirting naughtily over a glass of champagne with Pat Aherne, has an altogether different role to anything she has ever essayed before, and she is as delightful as ever. Ena Grossmith, Charles Dormer, and Tewlass Llewellyn are other members of a splendid cast, and Marie Ault gives one of her best character studies as “auntie.”