ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 22214, 5 January 1934, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT.

“SHOULD A DOCTOR TELL?”

ALSO “THAT’S MY WIFE!”

Not one, but two star pictures, making one of the most outstanding programmes yet presented at the Regent, have been providing excellent and varied entertainments at this popular house. The first picture “Should a Doctor Tell?” is an absorbing drama dealing with the vexed problem whether a doctor should always regard as strictly private confidences entrusted to him by a patient. The opening scenes in the film are set in a Court of Law in London during the hearing of a case in which a Harley Street practitioner is an important witness. When counsel for the prosecution questions the doctor regarding certain admissions allegedly made to him by a patient who is involved in the case, the doctor decides to adhere to his professional principles even though it means defying the Court. “A doctor’s consulting room is as sacred as a priest’s confessional, declares the doctor in refusing to answer the questions put to him. He cannot be persuaded to continue his evidence and is fined for contempt of Court. As scene follows scene a romantic story is unfolded, the climax being reached when the doctor is again confronted with the problem Should a Doctor Tell?" This time he has to decide between parental love and professional duty, and many highly dramatic incidents occur before the picture is brought to a pleasing conclusion. Bright, sparkling and replete with clever comedy “That’s my Wife!” is an entirely different and also a delightful picture that provides entertainment of a distinctly attractive nature. The story tells of a wealthy Yorkshire manufacturer who indulges in a hectic flirtation with a young married woman, with the result that he involves himself in a tangle which promises more trouble than he is prepared to meet. In his anxiety he rushes to a firm of solicitors of which he imagines, his nephew is a partner, and begs him to extricate him from his difficulty. As it happens the nephew's connection with the firm is purely mythical,. and he is, as a matter of fact, proprietor of a beauty parlour. The complications that ensue lead to a chain of hilarious incidents, in which Frank Pettingell as the manufacturer and Claude AUister as the nephew are seen at their best. It is unfortunate for the nephew that he is involved in a love affair of his own, but he sets to work. with a will, and manages, after considerable difficulty, to save the situation. The plot is slender, but the capable acting of the principals makes the production diverting in the extreme, and from beginning to end there is not a dull moment. “BLARNEY STONE.” TOM WALLS’ NEW COMEDY. THE REGENT SATURDAY. “The Blarney Stone,” the newest Tom Walls comedy which comes to the Regent on Saturday next, matinee and night, is in itself a breath of Old Ireland, personified by the delightful fooling and delicious brogue of the master comedian himself. The story, concerns the humorous and dramatic happenings that befall an Irish gentleman, who apparently is possessed with the good fortune of having kissed “The Blarney Stone” and resultingly has incurred some of the good fortune the stone is reputed to exude. This luck serves in later years to save him from being embroiled with the Sinn Feiners in his native Ireland and meeting a very quick demise at their hands, to giving him an irresistible attraction that made him the centre of many admiring feminine glances which as a true son of Ireland he quickly took .advantage cf, his mellow tongue being able to say more nice things to the minute than any charming young lady’s head could possibly hold without visibly turning in favour to her flatterer. Anne Grey is the beautiful lady of the piece and makes a perfect foil for Tom Walls. This production is the star’s greatest individual starring triumph since “Rookery Nook.” Walls occupied the dual position in the production of director as well as star. His directorial genius is well known in film circles, so it was to be expected that the finished production is the success it undoubtedly is. Specially-chosen allBritish featurettes will also be showing. CIVIC THEATRE. LAST NIGHT OF GRACIE FIELDS. “THIS WEE KOF GRACE.” One of the most successful seasons at the Civic Theatre for some time will finish to-night, when Gracie Fields will appear for the last time in “This Week of Grace.” Brimful of comedy, a little pathos, plenty of delightful songs, sung as only Gracie Fields can sing them, the whole is really entertainment for everyone. Gracie Fields has not been seen to better advantage in any of her previous offerings. Her songs, “A Happy Ending,” “Heaven Will Protect an Honest Girl,” “Mary Rose” and “My Lucky Day,” are all sheer delight. A great cast of comedians supporting the star includes Henry Kendall, John Stuart, Frank Pettingell and Minnie Raynor. Anyone who loves, a real good laugh, plenty of fascinating and haunting songs, and a clean and entertaining story’ must not miss this picture. COMMENCING TO-MORROW. THE FIRST 1934 GAINSBOROUGH. “KING OF THE RITZ.” The bright, joyous and sparkling character of the Gainsborough production, “King of the Ritz,” which is the next attraction at the Civic Theatre, is admirably suited to the occasion, being the first of the new supply for 1934. It ripples with subtle and clever humour from beginning to end, its dialogue is irresistible, and its characterizations are diverting in the extreme. Those who visit this popular picture house during the week can rely on outstanding entertainment of the most , attractive kind. The sound reproduction is exceptionally fine, particularly in the musical numbers which are freely sprinkled through the production. It is many a week since the Civic Theatre or any other theatre in Invercargill offered more generally acceptable fare, and the encouraging fact about the film is that it is British. It represents a serious and effective challenge to American enterprise and those who see it during the season will be compelled to agree that the British studios . have reached the stage of equality. with, if not superiority to, the American. article. Stanley Lupino is irresistible. He is an ideal exponent of the clever wit with which this film abounds, and he makes the fullest possible use of every opportunity which its inimitable lines afford. Betty Stockfield appears in an entirely new light, and finds a role which suits her to perfection. She registers a far more striking success in the part of Betty Cooper than ever she has achieved before, and as a result she will have earned for herself a

very large admiring public. “No Matter What You Do” and “I Don’t Want to be the Duke of Terribel” are musical features which will be very popular. They make a distinct impression, and it has to be admitted that the sound apparatus in use at the Civic Theatre presents such numbers in the most attractively effective fashion. Musical comedy demands good sound, and “King of the Ritz” has that advantage at the Civic Theatre. The supporting cast is an excellent one, among the most prominent players being Henry Kendall, always a prime favourite. Hugh Wakefield, and others, including a very competent and artistic ballet. “King of the Ritz” is a film that cannot fail to be universally enjoyed. It is not like most musical song and dance shows, depending entirely on spectacle for its appeal. The dialogue is fast and well put together, and in its exceedingly humorous lines there is subtlety and shrewd penetration. It is a film that should certainly be seen. Another attraction in this programme is the exceptionally fine selection of short subjects which makes up the supporting programme. Two Fox Movietone Newsreels are on the bill and they show, among other things, the recent hurricane storm and n°°° s along the entire East Coast of the United States of America; quaint Dutch customs; the Japanese mighty aerial war manoeuvres over Tokio, a most impressive scene; remarkable scenes o the French Catholics at the shrine of St. Anne D’Arvay; a race between dogs with monkeys as jockeys; the wrestling match between Sammy Stein ana Jim Browning at Los Angeles; the Nippon turf race for the Emperor s Cup; the British aerial squadron’s start for Finland on an extended cruise; and the sensational and appalling crash of the famous Italian air ace, De Pinedo, m his attempt to create a new long distance record from New York. Lucky Gym,” the Ideal Cinemagazine on the programme, shows some special demonstrations of physical exercises designed to reduce weight and also to cure certain physical very interesting item shows up-to-date machinery converting by elaborate processes dirty waste paper into clean, crisp white cardboard. Also shown is’ a very fine “Tap Dancing exhibition by nine expert girls. This will aPP to young and old alike and is without doubt a beautiful performance The management is to be congratulated on securing a very fine British Gaumont short called “Oxford University, which will also be screened. For 10 minutes historical Oxford is brought before the audience. An announcer traverses in detail the historical associations ot every building within the grounds which comes into view and makes a most interesting and absorbing survey of the many notable men of history who have studied within the shelter of its walls. The now famous “Bridge of Sighs” is specially singled out for mention, and one seps. also the Quadrangle of Corpus Christi ana many intimate glimpses of its notea colleges and churches. The box plans are at the theatre and at Begg s. THE MAJESTIC. “STRANGE INTERLUDE.” PACKED HOUSES WATCH ENTHRALLING FILM. , Not for months has such a deeply stirring film as “Strange Interlude

been shown in Invercargill. Now concluding its season at the Majestic Theatre, it is a picture which plumbs the very depths of human emotions and strikes deep into the hearts of all who see it. Clark Gable and Norma Shearer are seen together again in a triumph of magnificent acting, and it is a story vzhich does not lack a gripping moment from the first “curtain” to the final fade-out. The story relates how, grief-stricken over her fiances death in the war. Nina Leeds is bitter against her father who prevented her from marrying Gordon, killed two days before the Armistice. By way of atonement she goes to a sanatorium for disabled soldiers, where her promiscuity as a nurse becomes a hospital byword. The death of her father calls her home, accompanied by Dr Ned Darrell and Sam Evans, a young man who is in love with her. At home, her devoted ‘faithful dog,” Charlie Marsden, is waiting for her. Dr Darrell tells him that Nina will Jose her balance unless she is married. Since the devoted Marsden is unattractive to Nina as a husband, Darrell suggests the healthy Sam Evans as a suitable man for her. Charlie is persuaded to advise Nina, and she marries Sam, hoping to find mental stability in wifehood and maternity. Later Nina bitterly learns she must renounce her dreams of motherhood, for Sam’s mother tells .*er that there is a taint of insanity in the Evans family. But, because she knows that a child is the one thing necessary to make Sam happy, Mrs Evans urges Nina to choose a eugenic mate and thus give him a child. Many months pass before Nina meets Dr Darrell again and explains the disaster of her marriage. Mutual attraction draws Nina and Darrell together They become lovers and she bears his son, vzhich Sam believes to be his own child. Although Nina now knows herself to be violently in love with Darrell, he leaves her in order not to break up her home and ruin Sam’s happiness. From this point the film is fraught with deepest drama, leading to an unexpected climax. Not the least interesting part of this exceptional picture is the innovation of the dramatis personae speaking _ their thoughts aloud. Not only are their conversational remarks given to the audience, but every message conveyed to their brain becomes audible, thereby greatly increasing the psychological effect of the drama. The supports are full of merit, with speed boat racing described by the inimitable Pete Smith as an outstanding feature. “RIO RITA.” RETURNING TO INVERCARGILL. GLORIOUS MUSICAL COMEDY. The famed Ziegfeld production “Rio Rita,” with its glorious technicolour sequences and beautiful music, returns to please patrons at the Majestic on Saturday. The new copy of the great musical comedy is really better than before and the interest that is being manifested by the public assures the return visit being a most popular one. Bebe Daniels, in the leading role of Rita, scores a veritable triumph in a part played with assurance and graceful poise. Her singing in the melodious solos and duets falls sweetly on the ear. and the first notes suffice to bring home the fact that she is an accomplished vocalist. John Boles plays the opposite role as the manly hero, and his fine tenor carries the spirit of the

story along with perfect harmony, the resonant qualities losing none of their virtues in the sound reproduction. Together, these two players give an air of romantic attraction which is the .making of the musical comedy. A brilliant performance is given by Robert Woolsey as a most erratic lawyer, and. his principal client, Bert Wheeler, a bigamous bootlegger, is another wonderfully comic figure. Into every scene of this musical play the camera has imparted a generous sweep of action that it would be impossible to aspire to on any stage. There is no limit to the elaborate grandeur of the settings, and while the Mexican background remains mostly in evidence it has been possible to introduce a subtle blending of singing and dancing choruses without in any way interrupting the tenor of the story. A tale is unfolded of the adventures of a Mexican bandit, courageous and daring in his actions, who proves almost too elusive for his pursuers Rita, a beautiful senorita, spends many anxious hours endeavouring to cover up the misdeeds of her errant brother, Don Alvarado, and at the same time, repelling the advances of the principal villain of the piece, whose price of freedom for Don Alvarado is the sacrifice of her love to himself. The Texas Rangers add an animation and liveliness with their horseback dashes and relentless pursuits of bandits and brigands. There are traditional musical comedy situations with the mash of misunderstanding covering the eyes of hero and heroine, only to be torn off in time for the most satisfactory of endings. “Rio Rita” comes to the screen in a manner which dwarfs the stage presentation, and it is a picture which should suit every taste.

EMPIRE THEATRE, RIVERTON.

“BEST OF ENEMIES.”

BRIGHT AND BREEZY COMEDY. Every now and again there appears something “different” in cinema entertainment —something “just a little brighter” that makes a general appeal to all audiences. The latest picture to come within this class is “The Best of Enemies,” a Fox production, which will be screened at Riverton to-night and to-morrow. Marion Nixon, Frank Morgan, Joseph Cawthorn (the famous dialect comedian) and Greta Nissen are in the principal roles. Frank Morgan and Joseph Cawthorn are the best of enemies because of their radical differences over prohibition. When Morgan seeks to buy the lease on Cawthorn’s beer garden so that he can erect a skyscraper, Cawthorn runs him out of his establishment. The enmity extends even to the children, who have been playing together. Each father forbids his child to associate with the other. Prohibition arrives, however, to destroy Cawthom’s business, and he returns to his native Germany,. where years later the young couple again meet and romance develops. Then the fathers meet and the old enmity again becomes apparent to the discomfiture of all the principals and the enjoyment of the audience. At the fade-out they are still the “Best of Enemies.” GORE REGENT THEATRE. Showing at the Gore Regent Theatre on Saturday and Monday is a rollicking British production “Let Me Explain, Dear,” with the non-stop laughing comedian Gene Gerrard. Claude

Hulbert and Viola Lyel are also in the cast. Gene Gerrard’s latest offering, “Let Me Explain, Dear,” is the funniest and most hectic farce _ ever screened. His efforts to “explain” to his wife just why he slept away from home, and what he was doing, with a £lOOO necklece in his pocket are extremely funny. There is a good supporting programme.