ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 21195, 23 September 1930, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

’ “THE COHENS AND KELLYS IN I SCOTLAND." 1 ’ FINAL SCREENING AT MAJESTIC THEATRE TO-NIGHT. The same riotous team of comedians who shook the world with laughter in the original and memorable Cohens and Kellys . . . George Sidney.and Charlie Murray playing the bagpipes begorrah I are again making ) Southland picture-goers scream with laugh- • ter at the rollicking Irish-Jewish-Scottisn . comedy, “The Cohens and Kellys in Scot- . land,” at the Majestic Theatre, where it . screens for the last time to-night. For the . fourth time George Sidney was Cohen and Vera Gordon was Mrs Cohen. And for the foiirth time Kate Price was Mrs Kelly. But she found herself married again to her first husband in the “Cohens and Kellys” series, having been wedded to two other Kellys in the interim. For Charlie Murray, the Kelly of “The Cohens and Kellys,” the first of the famous series, again appeared in the role of Kelly. In the second picture, “The Cohens and Kellys, in Paris,” Miss Price had J. Farrell MacDonald for spouse. In “The Cohens and Kellys in Atlantic ■ City,” Mack Swain played the role. “Which of all the Kellys do I prefer for a screen husband ?” replied Miss Price, in answer to a question. “It’s poor taste in a' woman to make comparisons among her husbands, past or present. Besides, it’s impolitic. I love all the Kellys." This programme includes some fine all-talking, singing and dancing short subjects, which take up the whole of the first part. Book at the Bristol. “ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN ' FRONT.” Once in a very long time there comes to the screen a picture before which all critics of motion pictures must stand silent - —a picture which proclaims that the screen possesses inherent in no other medium of artistic expression; a picture which will appeal with equal strength to the intelligence and to the emotions. Such a picture is “All Quiet on the Western Front,” Universal’s super-production of Erich Maria Remarque’s famous novel which opens for an extended season at the Majestic Theatre next Saturday. “All Quiet on the Western Front” is primarily the story of youth—the youth of all nations—in war. It is the story of one youth who symbolizes in himself the fate of all youth—comrades and foeman—cast into the flaming maw of war. In “All Quiet on the Western Front” thousands of men go down to death in the inferno of battle —to show the effect upon the soul of young Paul Baumer. To this same end others are maimed and tortured by the wounds inflicted by shot and steel. To this end thousands of shells whine and scream across the fields of Europe, which the hate of man has turned into the living grave of youth. By chance, and the genius that guided the pen of Erich Maria Remarque, the Central figure of “All Quiet on the Western Front” is a German. But nationality means nothing. The hero is an “unknown soldier” of all nations —the epitome of all youth that suffered and died in the war or suffered and came back, but not the same, to a world that had passed them by. The story of “All Quiet on the Western Front” is poignant in its simplicity. It is a story of Paul Baumer, transformed from a schoolboy in a German village to a soldier in the trenches of the Great War. “All Quiet on the Western Front” is beyond the power of words to describe. Young Lewis Ayres gives a superb performance—simple, moving, naive —in the role of Paul Baumer. Louis Wolheim is magnificent at Katczinsky, hardbitten veteran, benevolent protector and instructor of bewildered schoolboy soldiers. John Wray gives an unforgettable performance as the martinet Himmelstross. Plans are open at the Bristol Piano Co., Dee street, or ring 738 for reservations. ■

: THE CIVIC TALKIES. NANCY CARROLL IN “HONEY”—DE- ' LIGHTFUL PRODUCTION WITH POPULAR CAST. “Delightful” aptly sums up the latest talkie success entitled “Honey,” whicfi should attract another big audience to the Civic to-night. The action , sparkles throughout; most of the comedy is supplied by little Mitzi Green, who is a born comedienne. The cast includes Naricy Carroll, Skeets Gallagher, Lilian Roth, Harry Green and Zasu Pitts. Brielly the story concerns Olivia Dangerfield, who, to make ends meet .leases) the family mansion, to a wealthy American widow, who has a charming daughter named Cora. The non-appearance of the butler and cook whom she had engaged causes Olivia to fill the bill, while her brother, Charles, acts as butler. Unaware. of their identity the widow expresses satisfaction with their work. Complications follow, however, when she learns through Doris the housemaid’s mischievous little daughter, that Cora and the butler have been seen together, also her intended son-in-law and the cook. She discharges the cpok, but graciously asks her to stay on and make preparations for a party ta which the engagement of Cora will be announced. This is in .the nature of a bombshell for Olivia, but the widow receives a bigger one when Doris discloses the cook’s identity. When the excitement dies down Cupid takes a hand and three knots are tied. Perhaps one of the most striking musical numbers is the Jubilee, in which a large number ■ of negroes take part. Pretty Nancy Carroll sings a dainty song entitled “In My Little Hope Chest” and later in association with the principals she sings a quaint number bearing on domesticity. The supporting ! features include two comedies, News Reel and Sporting series. THE REGENT. CECIL B. DE MILLE’S FIRST TALKIE—“DYNAMITE”—AN OUTSTANDING PICTURE. Smashing effects, spectacle, drama and thrills —these are all combined in Cecil B. De Mille’s first sound and dialogue picture, “Dynamite.” The new medium has proved no impediment whatsoever to the De Mille ability to achieve sensationaP'theatrical results. Even at this date he is bound to be reckoned a pioneer in talkies because of some of the remarkable things that his picture presents. The plot relates, to a society girl’s wedding to a man sentenced to be hanged in order to fulfil the terms of a will. De Mille is at home, of course, with a glittering idea of this sort. The reality of the plot is not overwhelming, but the situations are exceptionally good. There is a constant contrast between giddy cocktail parties on the one hand, and the sordid experience of the hero in prison and his life as a worker in the mines. The earlier portion is colourful and rapid in : action, with a smooth shifting of scene that sets a pace for variety in photography and synchronized effects. A very brief , court-room sequence ivell carried out introduces' the plot. The action quickly swings to the girl arguing with the executors of

the will,' declining to be married according to their wishes because she is waiting for the husband of another woman to secure a divorce. On the heels of this comes the aero race, with the wife and the girl entering the competition to find out how much the price of the husband’s freedom will be. Then there is the marriage in prison, followed by the revelation of who really committed the crime, and the released man’s visit to the home of his wife, culminating in a terrific battle between them. The marriage scene is especially effective. Conrad Nagel, Kay Johnson, Charles Bickford and -Julia Faye are the leading players. Miss Johnson reminds of Anna Q. Nilsson. As an actress, especially as regards the use of her voice, she is exceedingly fine. Bickford makes a forceful impression on the cave-manish part he plays. Nagel is very excellent. Nearly all of the drama centres around these three. As the screening of this picture takes practically the whole evening 'patrons are advised to be seated early.