ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 21581, 19 December 1931, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE MAJESTIC.

‘•TTNEASY VIRTUE” AND “HOW HE LIED TO HER HUSBAND”—A STRIKING ALL-BRITISH PROGRAMME.

British entertainment at its best will be presented at the Majestic Theatre to-day, when Sir Benjamin 'ahd. John Fuller will present two 1 all—British productions from the famous British International Picture studios at Elstree, London. “Uneasy Virtue”' adapted from the story by Harrison Owen and Bernard Shaw’s brilliant satire “How He Lied to Her Husband.” Wives who have husbands who take them too much for granted will find an object lesson in how to jerk their husbands out of apparent indifference in "Uneasy Virtue.” The story relates how Dot Rendell, annoyed by the complacency of her husband, engages in a flirtation with a philanderer, and is revealed as having been with him in an unoccupied bedroom by a burglar who is caught there. Much to her indignation, however, nobody—her husband included—will take the story seriously, declaring her above suspicion. She thereupon announces her intention of running away with the philanderer, much to his ambarrassment. So the unwilling lover approaches the complacent husband and persuades him to imitate the husband of another lady at the house-party and turn extremely jealous. This he does, to his wife’s delight and the philanderer’s great relief. This delightful domestic comedy, which is brimful of witty dialogue and piquant situations, is brilliantly acted by such famous artistes as Fay Compton, Edmund Breon, Francis Lister, Margot Grahame, Garry Marsh, Adele Dixon, Donald’ Calthrop and Dodo Watts. The other feature picture “How He Lied to Her Husband,” is full of all the usual Shaw wit and surprise situations and the dialogue is most daring and clever. It concerns a middle-aged husband and wife and a young poet who is passionately in love with the wife. ’ The end is so surprising as to take one’s breath away. The production itself was superintended by Bernard Shaw and the cast includes such popular English players as Vera Lennox, Edmund Gwenn and Robert Harris. The latest Rathe London Gazette will be screened in support to the two feature pictures, which makes an excellent all-British entertainment. The box plans are at the Bristol and theatre, where big booking is proceeding. THE REGENT. ZANE GREY’S “FIGHTING CARAVANS” (GARY COOPER, ERNEST TORRENCE, TULLY MARSHALL). MATINEE AND NIGHT. At both afternoon and evening sessions to-day the Regent will present Paramount’s spectacular epic of the Empire Builders, “Fighting Caravans,” Zane Grey’s own immortal story of the fight- to conquer the West, brought to the talking screen. Filmed against the majestic backgrounds of the California High Sierras, "Fighting Caravans” is the most thrilling talking picture ever presented. It carries on the tradition instituted by “The Covered Wagon,” and, in itself, is tremendously bigger, with all the added advantages of the talking screen to make it live. This heart-gripping story is recognized as the greatest achievement of that beloved author Zane Grey. As big as all outdoors, it stands as a permanent memorial to the courageous daring of the men and women it tells about. It reaches back across the years, and brings to thia modern world a vivid, stirring narrative of the white man’s fight to maintain his hard won hold upon the danger ridden, wealth-laden West. It tells the story of a breed of men that has long since disappeared, recounts their hardships, their loves, their appalling discouragements and their indomitable courage. “Fighting Caravans” pictures all this with compelling realism, against the everchanging, awe-inspiring panorama of the untamed frontier. Into its exciting theme, Paramount has injected the same feeling of romance and adventure that made Grey’s story a living thing. Gary Cooper, as the young, devil-may-care scout; Lily Damita, the beautiful French girl who, in two silent’ pictures, swayed the hearts of a million people; Ernest Torrence and Tully Marshall, continuing the humorously pathetic characterizations that everyone who saw "The Covered Wagon” will never forget, are only a few of the central characters who stand out as this majestic drama unfolds ’ itself. On the supporting programme is a Paramount British News reel

showing intimate scenes of Ghandi’s arrival in London, sensational shots of the disaster which overtook Kaye Don s speed boat, and many other incidents of note and interest. THEATRE ROYAL, WINTON. TO-NIGHT—‘SARAH AND SON.” “Sarah and Son,” Timothy Shea’s great best-selling novel of mother-love, will be seen in its talking filmized version at the Theatre Royal, Winton, to-night. Ruth Chatterton, of “Madame X” and “The Laughing Lady” fame, is starred m the central role of Sarah Storm, the impoverished young wife-mother who, stimulated by a burning ambition to raise herself from obscurity and to regain the baby boy who had been spirited sway from her by her worthless husband, finally achieves fame and glory as an operatic star and eventually is re-united with her son. How she accomplishes the final step of her plan furnishes some of the most tense and exciting scenes the talking screen has yet riven us. Fredric March, the romantic fed of “The Wild Party” and of “The Marriage Playground,” is here cast as the lawyer who falls in love with Miss Chatterton, and helps her to win both lomance and the fulfilment of her plan to retrieve her son. The role of the little boy is played by Philippe de Lacy. The villainous husband is played by Fuller Mellish, Jr. Six short subjects go to supply a fine programme.