ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 21274, 20 December 1930, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE. ENTERTAINMENT DE LUXE. MATINEE AND TO-NIGHT. A programme that has all the earmarks of one hundred per cent, entertainment value will be presented at the Majestic Theatre for a short season commencing at the Country folks’ Special Gift Matinee today at 2 o’clock. Gary Cooper, recently seen and heard in the title role of “Ihe Virginian,” is doing his gallantries again in a thrilling play, “Only the Brave.” For many a feminine heart the foregoing statement, brief as it is, will no doubt be sufficient recommendation to this newest offering. But in case there are any doubters, it must be added that “Only the Brave” shows Cooper to a better advantage, far better, than his previous satisfactory best. There is something about this tall, manly Montana youth that seems to mark him as the most perfect type. He is virile and gallant, but yet not given to thunderous outpourings. of unseemly emotions. His quiet courage inspires hero-worship in the hearts of all who behold him and fear him in his masterful work upon the talking screen. Paramount chose wisely when it selected Mary Brian as the sweetheart of Gary. Cooper in this picture. Their tremendous success as the lovers in “The Virginian” found great favour with film fans everywhere. “Only the Brave” is from an original story by Keene Thompson. It is an adventure of the old South in the days of the Civil War. Gary Cooper is a captain of cavalry .on. the Union side, who, embittered .because his sweetheart has jilted him, volunteers for spy duty. Accordingly he is sent behind the Southern lines with a packet of false dispatches. His plan is to be arrested and to have the false dispatches discovered by the enemy, who will then be misled to a fatal 'movement of troops. But he meets Mary Brian and the plot then becomes a scries of adventures in which Love and Duty fight for eminence. The ending is a happy one. The accompanying all talking and singing short featurettes, too, are of an exceptionally high calibre, so that intending patrons can be assured of an evening’s entertainment literally packed with good things from beginning to end. Plans are at the Bristol, or ring 738 for reservations. “ALF’S BUTTON.” GREAT BRITISH COMEDY AT THE REGENT. BOTH MATINEE AND NIGHT. The world famous characters of the equally famous English cartoonist and caricaturist, Bruce Bairnsfather, are probably just as well-known amongst the younger and the older generation as many of our generals and commanders who figured in our recent unpleasantness with another nation. Bairnsfather, himself, saw front line service, and it was probably a couple of old Cockney “die hards” who originally gave him the inspiration to sit down and draw, or rather create, inimitable Old Bill and his “cobber,” Alf. Bill and Alf have graced the pages of hundreds of magazines in England, Australia, America and even the Continent; the screamingly funny antics of the pair have been exploited in book form and on the silent screen, but they get their first chance to do a bit of talking to the world in general in British Dominions’ all talking and singing Cockney extravaganza, “Alf’s Button,” which is now convulsing audiences at the Regent. The roles of Old Bill and Alf are respectively played by Alf Goddard and Tubby Edlin, while the large English supporting cast include Folly Ward, Nora Swinburne, Humbertson Wright, and Cyril, brother of Victor McLaglen, of "CockEyed World” fame. The story of “Alf’s Button,” written by W. Darlington, revolves around Alf’s discovery of one of his tunic buttons which has the power of creating, to use an expression typical of Alf, “a spook who will do anything the blinkin’ master of the button likes to bid.” In this case the master of the button is non other than our old friend, Alf. Alf decides that Eustace is a perfectly fit and proper name for a law-abiding “spook” to carry, and so the great one among all Djinns becomes plain Eustace. Safe transportation back to Blighty and his girl, Liz, is all that Alf expects of the button, but Bill, forever of an extravagant turn of mind, gets to thinking of Eastern splendour, palatial edifices fit for a flock of Indian princes, fabulous riches, girls, pretty girls—and then some! Bill suggests a harem —especially built for himself and Alf. So a harem comes to a light on the Flanders field with Eastern beauties here, there and everywhere, and Bill in a scented bath with a beauty to rub his back, another to —n’everything I “Alf’s Button” is another concrete, or perhaps celluloid would be more appropriate, proof that the British film industry, in the matter of story selection and general production technique, is going ahead in leaps and bounds. “Alf’s Button” does not only possess comedy of the rarest variety, but a certain amount of singing and dancing of the highest order as well. _ “AFRICA SPEAKS.” AMAZING PICTURE AT THE CIVIC. MATINEE AND NIGHT. “Africa Speaks,” which is to have its first screenings in Invercargill at, the matinee and night sessions at the Civic to-day' is the first sound and talking pictures ever made in the darkest regions of the Dark Continent. The picture was made by the Colorado-African Expedition, under the leadership of Paul F. Hoefler, noted African explorer. Mr Hoefler and his party left Denver bound for Africa on July 18, 1928, and returned at the end of 1929 feverridden and weary, but with their work well done. The party made the first complete Central African coast-to-coast journey on record. They travelled through the very heart of wildest Africa and made the entire (rip by motor truck. “Africa Speaks” is an amazing picture! To see it is to know why the Smithsonian Institute has decided to keep it as an infallible record of life in the Dark Continent. Every man, woman and child should see it; it is not only their pleasure, but their duty. It is not only authentic, instructive, and sweeping in its scope, but is a truly great adventure. The weird cries and savage howls of the beasts and natives and the throbbing tom-toms of the tribesmen are the natural sounds that penetrate the stillnell of the strange unknown. Audiences wherever,., this wonderful and enthralling picture has been screened, .Jrave gasped breathlessly, -and literally clung to their seats, while the hushed exclamations of amazement could be felt. And then the Masai warriors, called to arms to avenge the killing of the native boy and one of their tribe, seek the lion with spear and shield, and make strange guttural sounds and to the accompaniment of the repetitious tom-toms surround him and attack him. Eventually man and beast are found in hand-to-hand combat, again in close range of the camera. All of this takes place in the regions of Tanganyika, where most unusual “shots” of the “king of beasts,” “at home” and “abroad” in search of prey, have been secured. Another part of the picture shows the greatest swarm of locusts that has ever plagued any part of the earth. The heavens are black with countless millions and the sun is entirely blotted out. When the sky is again clear, the land is pictured barren and the trees bare. This is truly phenomenal, and leaves you filled with awe. You visit the duckbilled women, whose lips encompass a saucer, and you hear the strange legend that brought about this disfiguring custom. You meet the pygmies who eat handfuls of salt and practice trial marriage. You hear zebras bark, and watch the impalla leap high into the air. The scenic marvels of the journey are in remarkable clear-cut photography.