ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 21429, 25 June 1931, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE MAJESTIC. “MEN OF THE NORTH.” GRIPPING DRAMA OF THE SNOWS. For all those people who like virile redblooded drama, "Men of the North,” which commenced its Invercargill season at the Majestic Theatre yesterday afternoon and evening, cannot fail to appeal. In this picture Gilbert Roland proves himself to be one of the most capable of present day actors, and he is given able support by Miss Barbara Leonard, Robert Elliott and other members of the cast. Roland makes a very natural French-Canadian, every intonation of his accent being excellent. The settings of the snow-clad lands of the North make a fitting background for. the story, which has an appeal of its own, and the blizzard scenes are outstanding for the clever manner in which they have been conceived and recorded on the film. A story of the land of snows—the FrenchCanadian settlements of North America, “Men of the North” opens with the robbery of a quantity of gold from a miner returning to the settlement from his claim. A man is seen struggling with the miner, and he jumps from the sledge, leaving the dogs to take their unconscious master to his destination. The scene then shifts to a long shed where Monsieur le Fox comes in laden with good things for his guests. There is dancing and the party is a very merry one. Then there comes a beautiful girl from Montreal, and she is taken to the party to see the dancing. Louis the Fox is smitten by her beauty, and he pays so much attention to her that he incurs the jealousy of the little half-caste girl, who has so far been in receipt of his favours. Then there enters the majesty of the law in the person of Sergeant Mooney, of the Royal North-West Mounted Police, to whom news of the robbery has come. Inquiries elicit the fact. that none save Louis has left the settlement during the evening and he says that he went out only to get the food for the supper. After he goes to his shack, Louis is followed by the half-caste girl, whom he sends away, but she, fearing that he intends to receive the visiting girl, makes a hole in the wall and sees him putting some gold into a hiding place, but she does not then realize the significance of this. Again, in the morning, Louis arouses the dark girl’s wrath by taking Nedra, the girl from Montreal, to the top of the hill to see the view, and she decided to tell the sergeant what she knows. There follows a thrilling chase in the teeth of the blinding blizzard, and the whole of the mystery of the gold is eventually solved. The supporting features comprise an everpopular Metrotone News Reel, an interesting Burton Holmes’ Travelogue in which this wanderer takes the audience on a trip through the beauty spots of Ireland, an entertaining Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Colourtone Revue and a Charlie Chase comedy, one of his funniest to date, entitled, “The Pip From Pittsburgh.” The programme will bo repeated this evening.

THE REGENT. "THE ROYAL BED”—LOWELL SHERMAN, NANCE O’NEIL AND MARY ASTOR. Delightfully humorous satire! Splendid dramatic plot! Thrills of a revolt against the King! Those are the refreshing elements in Radio Pictures’ satirical comedy, “The Royal Bed,” which opened at the Regent theatre yesterday. It is Lowell Sherman at the peak of his directorial art, and at the height of his acting career. As the henpecked King, dominated by his “Queen,” a part splendidly played by Nance O'Neil, Sherman displays his -keen sense of humour, his irony and his personality in a manner which eclipses his former efforts. The story is charming, adapted from Robert E. Sherwood’s stage success “The Queen’s Husband.” It is laid in a mythical monarchy in the North Sea. Robert Warwick returns to the screen as Prime Minister. Mary Astor is beautiful as Princess Anne, the’ King’s daughter. The Queen, for political purposes, arranges the ’marriage of the Princess to a dissolute Prince, then leaves for a tour of America. Then mischief breaks . . . the revolt starts ... the King aserts himself and the situations from then on are tense, thrilling, dramatic and humorous. Anthony Bushel), as the King’s secretary and the princess’s sweetheart, is excellent, while others in the cast, Alan Roscoe, Gilbert Emery, Frederic Burt, Carrol Naish, Hugh Trevor and Desmond Roberts, give commendable performances. ’ The film shows a decided freshness of treatment which instantly marks it as one of the most ingenious offerings of the season. Radio Pictures took few liberties with the original play, and the result is a highly commendable production of widespread appeal. The supporting subjects include the comedy, "Too Hot To Handle,” in which the irrepressible Louise Fazenda has the principal role; an Audio Review, Cartoon and News Reel —all of them good! THE CIVIC TALKIES. "FAST AND LOOSE”—ENJOYABLE STORY OF YOUNG MODERNS. Fast-stepping, and presenting a new angle on present-day youth with its laughing gaiety, its scorn of conventions, its freedom and constant joy. “Fast And Loose,” the Paramount picture now at the Civic is most enjoyable entertainment. The story of “Fast and Loose” concerns the love of a rich boy for a poor girl and a rich girl for a poor boy. Both eventually marry their opposites, but not until they are made to see there is no such thing as class distinction. Miriam Hopkins is the rich girl and Charles Starrett is the poor auto mechanic. When she first meets him it is at the beach and, clad only in a bathing suit, his poverty is not so apparent. Later Miss Hopkins meets him when she calls for a mechanic and, despite the shock, she loves him and wants him to marry her. This he will not do because of the class inequality. In the meantime, Henry Wadsworth, the • rich son of Frank Morgan, falls in love with Carole Lombard, a chorus girl. Morgan, thinking the girl is after the boy’s money, plans a meeting with her and takes the suspicious brother-in-law, Herbert Yost, along for Carole’s girl friend, Ilka Chase. This little party, however, is broken up when the son and daughter appear and suspect the worst. The place is raided, the young people get out of hand, and are taken to gaol, where the whole family meets to settle the affair. Here it is discovered , that money you have or haven’t doesn’t make any difference—love is what counts and all is settled satisfactorily.

EMPIRE PICTURES, RIVERTON. On Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2.30 and 8 p.m., “The Cohens and Kellys in Africa’’ will be presented at the Empire Theatre, Riverton. The story deals with the Cohen-Kelly expedition into the heart of the Dark Continent to hunt ivory to boost ’ their needy business fortunes. Needless to say, Mrs Cohen and Mrs Kelly accompany their husbands and become involved in many of the escapades to which the party falls heir. Take this hilariously thrilling African trip with the Cohens .and Kellys and enjoy their breath-taking, wild adventures with wild beasts, savages, sheiks, and dancing girls. Imagine it! Th'e Cohens and Kellys in Africa! Chased by lions! Run down by a herd of wild elephants! Snapped at by hippos! Captured by cannibals! Kidnapped by gorillas! Lost in a harem!