ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 22040, 13 June 1933, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

WORKSHOP THEATRE.

ORPHANS’ HALL TO-NIGHT.

The Invercargill Operatic and Dramatic Society will open its three-night season in the Orphans’ Hall, Earnslaw street, this evening when three one-act plays will be presented. The plays selected are G. B. Shaw s The Man of Destiny,” J. W. Bell’s “Symphony in Illusion,” and “The Distant Drum,” by Malcolm Harrison. Tne Man of Destiny” concerns an episode in the life of that ambitious “little corporal” Napoleon, who, in his own estimation was not susceptible to the wiles of women, but who in this instance most certainly was. “Symphony in Illusion” is a play of a most unusual type, and all its characters are women. Mere man is the subject of their discussions, however, and it is only at the very end of the play that the author discloses his plot. “The Distant Drum” is also a play with a climax which is most unexpected, and concerns two men, a maid, a negro servant and a superstition. The tom-tom plays a most significant part too, and the play is most intriguing from rise to fall of the curtain. The season opens this evening and will run for three nights on ly—to-night and again on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Late reservations may be secured by telephoning 2068. THE MAJESTIC. “THE MUMMY.” AN AMAZING FILM. Again completely riveted to the screen at the Majestic Theatre last night were hundreds of pairs of eyes during the filming of “The Mummy,” a production which is everything it is claimed to be—and more. Based as it is on the keynote of suspense, the picture is often distinctly nightmarish in effect, but its conception and the manner of its achievement give it the right to be regarded as an arresting mystery, while the reception that it has been given everywhere proves that once in a while at least the public does like having its hair made to stand on end. From a technical aspect, this gripping film discloses some excellent work and the photography is particularly good. All the mystery, intriguing beauty, splendour and spectacle of the days of the Egyptian Pharaohs are embodied m this amazing drama of reincarnation, which, conceived by Nina Wilcox P ut " nam and Richard Schayer.and adapted to the screen by the eminent British writer of the occult, John L. Balderston, deals wtih an ancient sacrilege committed by a High Priest of Osiris and a Priestess of Isis. A British archaeological expedition unearths the mummy of the Priest who had been embalmed alive as a penalty for his crime. When a sacred scroll is unearthed, the mummy comes to life, bringing to the modern world his ancient occult secrets. He discovers the reincarnated soul of his unholy love in a beautiful Anglo-Egyptian girl, and his efforts to carry her back through the ages so that their love may be consummated provides one of the most singular and strangely fascinating themes of any recent screen drama. The film is replete with spectacular sets of Ancient Egyptian splendour executed by the noted stage designer and artist, Willy Pogany. Costumes and relics of the past enhance the unusual beauty and effectiveness of “The Mummy,” which presents the great make-up artist, Karloff, in the starring role of the reincarnated mummy. His uncanny make-up is his greatest achievement, surpassing the unforgettable monster of Frankenstein.” Zita Johann, alluring Hungarian actress, and David Manners P ro " vide the love interest of to-day, which struggles against the power of the past, exemplified by Karloff. Arthur Byron, Edward von Sloan and Bramwell Fletcher enact the other important parts in the film under the direction of Karl Freund, whose artistic camera eye is evident throughout “The Mummy. Providing well balanced relief to the featured picture are the shorts, which generous and varied, are of the usual high Majestic standard. The whole programme is sound screen entertainment. CIVIC THEATRE. DOUBLE FEATURE PROGRAMME. “THE FLYING SQUAD” AND “ALMOST A DIVORCE.” Edgar Wallace’s stories have already contributed several thrilling films for the screen, but there have been none more full of stirring incident than The Flying Squad,” the British melodrama at the Civic Theatre. This time the insidious traffic in drugs was chosen by Edgar Wallace as the theme around which to weave his baffling plots and counter-plots. In selecting The ing Squad,” Scotland Yard’s most brilliant detachment, Mr Wallace was given abundant material for constructing a thrilling story, and his knowledge of police methods unknown to the general public, has made the resultant picture even more enthralling. The story is based on the machinations of an international band of criminals who have been able to evolve a system of drug distribution which has baffled the police for years. Utterly unscrupulous in their methods, they have descended even to murder in their efforts to escape detection, and it is a murder which eventually put the mobile force of Scotland Yard on to their trail. To reveal the story of an Edgar Wallace film is to spoil the enjoyment, but it is sufficient to say that there is not a dull moment in the film from the time the action commences to the final unexpected denouement. “Almost A Divorce” is the second picture on the programme. Wives—what would you. do if you were to leave your husband and return to your mother, then set out on a reconciliation trip only to find a blonde baby occupying your swain’s knee? This is the very embarrassing predicament that presents itself to Nelson Keys and Margery Binner in British Dominions’ latest alltalking production, “Almost A Divorce,” which stars Sydney Howard besides the inimitable Keys. The production is a scream from the first to the last reel and it probably contains more laughs than a dozen other so call ed “screams” that come to mind. This talkie also introduces for the first time Miss Margery Binner, the latest “find” unearthed for the talking picture screen by British Dominions Films Ltd. in their search for fresh talkie talent. Howard and Keys are better than ever and make grand use of the excruciating complications and frolicsome situations. There will be no pictures to-morrow night as the Theatre is otherwise engaged. Commencing on Thursday for two days only, “Tiger Shark, the latest directorial creation of the man who made “The Dawn Patrol,” “The Crowd Roars” and “Scarface,” opens at the Civic Theatre, starring Edward G. Robinson, with Richard Arlen and Zita Johann featured. “Tiger Shark” is a sensational drama of the tuna fisheries, and the men who make their living in the shark-infested fishing grounds, far off the Mexican coast in the Pacific Ocean. For the first time in the history of the screen, the hazards of the tuna fisherman’s life are shown, with all the wealth of authentic realism made possible by the modern motion picture camera. For weeks the actors and technical crew of the First National studios lived aboard a big tuna fishing boat, hundreds of miles off the coast of western Mexico, where

the most stirring scenes of this unusual drama were enacted in locations never before visited by motion picture explorers. The result is a picture that offers thrills and experiences never before recorded on a motion picture screen, besides a powerful story of love, friendship and hate among the rugged, fiery-tempered fisher-folk of the Pacific coast. Zita Johann, one of Broadway’s most brilliant younger actresses, has the leading feminine role opposite Robinson. THE REGENT. “TESS OF THE STORM COUNTRY.” JANET GAYNOR AND CHARLES FARRELL’. In view of the enthusiastic reception accorded “Tess of the Storm Country” at the Regent, an extension of the season to Wednesday night with special matinees each day has been arranged. Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor, the romantic pair of “The First Year,” appear together once more, and it says much for their versatility that they are convincing in roles which differ widely from the parts in which they are usually cast. “Tess of the Storm Country” is gripping entertainment. Janet Gaynor plays the title role as Tess, the motherless daughter of a sea captain, who settles down with her father in a cottage on the Maine Coast. They at once incur the enmity of a millionaire land owner, who ejects the pair from their cottage. The girl and her father are sheltered by Ben Letts, the domineering leader of a colony of fishermen, _ who are sworn enemies of the millionaire, a part excellently interpreted by Claude Gillingwater. Ben Letts initiates the captain into the illegal, but profitable occupation of net fishing for mackerel and, against her father’s wishes, the girl goes on one of the illegal fishing expeditions. It is then that she rescues the millionaire’s son (Charles Farrell) from drowning and, on learning his identity, she refuses his thanks. But the fishing expeditions have a tragic sequel when the fishermen are caught red-handed by the game warden and his officers, among whom is Dan Taylor, the fiance of the millionaire’s daughter, Teola. A shooting duel ensues in which Taylor is fatally wounded, and the father of Tess is accused of murder. It is then that the film reaches great dramatic heights. The millionaire’s son, who is in love with Tess, makes desperate efforts to prove her father’s innocence, and in his absence further complications occur. Teola is discovered by Tess attempting to commit suicide, and binds Tess to secrecy, which forms a barrier between the girl and the man she loves. In the final scenes the tangled threads of the plot are cleverly unravelled. The shorter films which precede the main attraction are of outstanding interest. The Australian Cinesound Review features the Sydney Show and Randwick races, showing the Australian champions, Winooka, Rogilla and Peter Pan in action. Worlds News, travelogue and a film of the Australian Air Force complete a fine bill.