ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 22076, 25 July 1933, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

CIVIC THEATRE. THE PICTURE WONDERFUL. “42nd STREET.” This afternoon and evening and again on Thursday will witness the last screenings of "42nd Street” as the Civic Theatre is otherwise engaged on Wednesday. “42nd Street” is the distilled, effervescent essence of Broadway—but it’s more than that. It’s a vivid, gripping, dramatic story of that mysterious world behind the scenes of a theatre—but it doesn’t stop there. It beats and pulses to the rhythm of nimble dancers’ tireless feet, and the irresistible intoxication of tuneful music dispensed by the flower of metropolitan orchestras. The drama of men and women struggling, loving, hating—torn between the insistent demand of ambition and the longing for something finer and more lasting than anything ambition can give—is unrolled before your eyes, so cunningly that the spectator becomes as absorbed in it as if it were not the oldest, the truest drama in the world. There is the romance of young love and youthful enthusiasm running through the varied pattern of the story like a bright golden thread that will take the most hardened theatregoer by the throat before its climax is reached. And while the romance and the drama are revealing themselves and developing against the kaleidoscopic background of dancing beauties and haunting music and the lashing voices of overworked, nerveracked stage directors, there is an added experience in store for you that only comes rarely, even in these days of new faces every week upon the changing motion picture screen. For, in addition to everything else, “42nd Street” brings you the thrill of watching a new star make her appearance on the celluloid horizon. Ruby Keeler, talented wife of Al Jolson, is the new star’s name—the sparkling, eager little sprite who plays the role of Peggy—and if it’s the first time you’ve heard her name, it won’t be the last. This young lady is on her way to the heights of motion picture fame. The other brilliant members of one of the biggest and finest casts ever assembled for a motion picture of any description have dazzling records of achievement behind them. It will be no news to any seasoned theatregoer that Bebe Daniels, Warner Baxter, George Brent, Guy Kibbee, Ned Sparks, Una Merkel, Ginger Rogers, Eddie Nugent, Robert McWade and a score of others come through with performances such as only they can give. But it’s a thrill and a surprise when an unknown girl steps into an important role in a picture like “42nd Street” and not; only holds her own with veteran players, but carries off individual honours in her first important picture. That’s what Ruby Keeler does, and that’s perhaps the most important reason you can’t afford to miss seeing this picture. And there are the 150 hand-picked beauties who comprise the choruses of the show that is being fashioned during the course of the picture. There are the breath-taking, living panoramas that Busby Berkeley evokes with his army of lovely girls in a score of choral and musical numbers. You’ll go out of the theatre humming at least one of Al Dubin’s original compositions for the picture. The usual Civic programme of shorts are. all extremely entertaining. THE MAJESTIC. “HARMONY ROW.” GEORGE WALLACE TRIUMPHS. “Well, what did you think of it?” the manager of the Majestic asked the reporter whose pleasant duty it was on Monday evening to review “Harmony Row.’’ “A credit to Efftee, a triumph for George Wallace and glorious entertainment,” was the reply. But a far more striking tribute to the popularity and personality of Australia’s greatest comedian were the ceaseless ripples of laughter which flowed through one of the largest audiences that the Majestic Theatre has been asked to accommodate. The fame of George Wallace and the infectious charm of “Harmony Row” had created such, a demand for seats that patrons had to be regretfully turned away. From the moment the inimitable George appeared on the screen the audience was prepared to laugh at his every gesture. He has obviously won for himself a place on stage and screen which any comedian would envy; and in the homely setting of “Harmony Row” he revels with delight, transporting his audience to realms of wholesome mirth. When he decides to add to the prestige of the Victorian police force by enlisting as a constable he is placed on a beat where “tough citzens” show scant respect for the law and still less fox' a new “cop.” George’s expressive face is given full play as one desperate situation after another crops up. The way he proves that discretion is the better part of valour is riotously amusing; but the sergeant finds it necessary to remove him to a less troublesome and more elite part of the city. But even there his lot is not an easy one, ghosts and thieves in a haunted house providing a setting which he exploits to such advantage that the audience rocks with laughter. Finally to test his courage the sergeant arranges a boxing match in which George meets Slogger Lee. George gives away many stones in weight and wants to call the fight off after he has shaken hands and, as he puts it, make friends again. But romance inspires him and scores an amazing victory. While George Wallace is undoubtedly the star attraction the able assistance rendered by the other members of the cast greatly assist to make the film a memorable one. The supports, principally from the Efftee studio, are well worthy of the feature picture. A descriptive film of the coral reefs of the Great Barrier islands is of absorbing interest. There is a very fine vaudeville entertainment from Efftee; and two Universal News contain a wide variety of subjects, including magnificent ski-ing. THE REGENT. W. W. JACOBS’ “THE MONKEY’S PAW.” CHARLIE CHAPLIN’S "EASY , STREET.” The inimitable mime of the silent screen, Charlie Chaplin, is back this week in one of his most successful favourites, “Easy Street,” which heads the supporting programme at the Regent to-night. Although many, of the adults of to-day laughed at this same picture in their youth, they will enjoy it again none the less, because there never has been anyone but Chaplin who could attempt what he does and make such a success of it. His miming is most exquisite and his interpretation of comedy unrivalled. “Easy Street” has been modernized with music and sound effects. “The Monkey’s Paw” which heads the programme is quite an exciting melodrama and a particularly well produced version of the story by W. W. Jacobs. Typically English, the spirit and atmosphere of the story have been caught with remarkable fidelity. Tho story, which is marked by an unexpected happy ending, centres on a monkey’s paw supposedly possessed of magic powers. Brought back from India by an old soldier, the paw is supposed to grant its holder three wishes, the catch being that after the granting of the wish the person concerned will regret having expressed the desire. He tells the story to an old crony and his wife and son, and. the first-named decides to try at achieving a lifelong ambition. He wishes for j

£2OO, and the amount comes to him but as compensation on the death of his only son, who is suddenly killed at the electricity plant where he works The boy’s death. - drives the mother to a point of distraction and she demands that the father exercise the prerogative of a Second wish and ask that the dead person be restored to life. He knows that the machinery has so mangled the boy that he is unrecognizable and is averse to doing so. However he does make the wish and sure enough the lad’s familiar knock is heard on the door. Fearful of the consequences should his wife see her mangled son, the old man then makes a third wish that the boy die again. From that point the story takes an unexpected turn and in due course comes to a logically happy ending. There is a wealth of interesting material in the supporting featurettes from the comedy of a Walt Disney Silly Symphony to a tour of India, synopses of the world’s news, and a glimpse through the pages of a pictorial magazine. During the rest of this week English productions will be screened —on Wednesday “That Night in London” and on Saturday Ralph Lynn’s latest, “Just My Luck.”