ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 21822, 27 September 1932, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT.

"HUSBAND’S HOLIDAY.”

CLIVE BROOK, CHARLES RUGGLES, VIVIENNE OSBORNE.

Family life—its joys and disappointments, its excitements, its human drama, its laughing hours—all these are presented with facile directorial touches and skilful artistic strength in “Husband’s Holiday,” the Paramount talkie, featuring Clive Brook, Charlie Ruggles, Vivienne Osborne and Harry Bannister, which is to open at the Regent to-night. A picture of families and for families, “Husband’s Holiday” gets off to a quick start, and holds its pulsating tempo for more than an hour of gripping, enchanting entertainment. Clive Brook is seen as the romanticminded husband who yields to the charms of a beautiful young woman, Juliette Compton. With a last spark of fair-mindedness he tells his wife, Vivienne Osborne, about the affair. He suggests that they get a divorce. Amazed and shocked, his. wife is at her wits’ end. But she has courage enough to tell Brook that he may expect no divorce co-operation from her. She brands the affair as a passing fancy, too trivial a thing to wreck such a substantial institution as their marriage. Later, Juliette meets Vivienne. The two women discuss their respective love for Brook. Juliette lies about her relations with him, and forces Vivienne to say she will grant the divorce. That evening when Vivienne tells Brook of her changed decision he is taken back. He begins to suspect that she herself has someone new to love. This puts him into a mental torment. At a party on the eve of the proposed wedding, Brook’s distracted attitude brings Juliette to a realization that they can never make a go of marriage. She takes poison and nearly dies in a hospital. To appease theii - children, Dickie Moore and Marilyn Knowlden, Brook spends Christmas with liis family. _ To him and Vivienne the traditional joys of the season are a hollow mockery. Something must be done to terminate the affair with Juliette. Something must be done to revive Vivienne’s old love for her husband. The finale settles this dilemma in a truly joyful manner, and all ends happily for the family that had been so close to moral disaster. The supporting programme includes a Paramount News, Paramount Pictorial, comedy, cartoon and nature study. “Love in Plant Life.” Plans are at the Bristol. THE MAJESTIC. “THE WOMAN IN ROOM 13.” A POWERFUL FILM. A former husband’s cruel thirst for revenge provides the dramatic conflict of “The Woman in Room 13,” a film featuring Elissa Landi, which ,is now showing at the Majestic. This is a picture in which all the wonderful dramatic powers of the charming Elissa Landi are given the fullest scope for expression, and in the fullest measure of artistry she takes advantage of her opportunities. As an example of clever emotional acting allied to a story full of thrills, this picture is outstanding. The heights of tense drama reached are perhaps equalled only by the moments of delightful humour in which the story abounds. For Miss Landi’s acting no praise can be too great, her remarkable restraint and naturalness enabling her to give a performance that picturegoefs will remember. A feature of the presentation is the dramatic ending, which strikes home with swift surprise. Miss Landi plays the part of a woman who secures a divorce from her scheming husband, played with skill by Ralph Bellamy. Happy in a new marriage with Paul Ramsay, portrayed in likeable manner by Neil Hamilton, she becomes forgetful of the past. Her former husband, however, gathers together threads from her new life, and taking advantage of the unusual circumstances of a concert singer’s murder, schemes to wreck her newly-found happiness. She and her husband in turn are accused of the murder, which takes place in room 13 of a fashionable apartment-house. Hex - husband makes a confession, and the grip of the law fastens upon him. Her former husband remains silent while the law takes its course, but, owing to her cleverness, light breaks through the clouds which threaten to rob life of all that it holds dear. An excellent supporting programme is also shown. THEATRE ROYAL WINTON. “THE SPIDER.” Romance! Intrigue! Mystery. These are the dominant notes in “The Spider,” thrilling Fox mystery melodrama opening at the Theatre Royal, Winton, for a two-night season to-night with Edmund Lowe and Lois Moran in the romantic leads. Drama is from the famous play of the same name by Fulton Oursler and Lowell Brentano. While Edmund Lowe as the lightning fingered magician, and Lois Moran are struggling to extricate themselves from the filmy .web of suspicion which a master mind of intrigue has spun around them, there are plenty of laughs supplied to relieve the tension by El Brendel who is drawn into the coils. William Cameron Menzies and Kenneth Mac Kenna directed “The Spider.’’