ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 22499, 8 December 1934, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT. BARBARA STANWYCK IN “GAMBLING LADY.” ASSASSINATION OF KING ALEXANDER. Taking the gay and sporting role of a professional gambler who plays the game of life with a courage few persons possess, even to tossing away love to save her husband from a crime of which she knows he is innocent, Barbara Stanwyck gives a brilliant performance in the leading role in “Gambling Lady,” an unusual and thrilling dramatic romance which is coming to the Regent to-day. The picture has its first setting in a casino, where Jennifer Lee (Barbara Stanwyck), known to most of her friends as Lady, earns her money by combining honesty with an uncanny card sense inherited from her father, who has committed suicide as the only way out of trouble with a “crooked” gambling syndicate. From the ordinary type of gambling house, she is promoted to the better class, and plays with the city’s most influential men. Here it is that she meets Garry, but for a long time, with the difference in their social positions in her mind, she refuses to encourage him. He is persistent, however, and eventually persuades her to marry him. They proceed to Europe on a honeymoon, and there “Lady’s” luck holds, her winnings at Monte Carlo being on a grand scale. Trouble stalks abroad, however, and in the meeting between Sheila Aiken and Garry, “Lady” foresees complications. This situation leads up to a remarkably well-produced climax. The scene in which “Lady” challenges Shiela to play cards is dramatic and amusing at once. Shiela, who has cast aspersions on “Lady’s” past, discovers that the latter’s skill is as remarkable as her luck, and swiftly her jewellery, her money and more valuable possessions are won from her. It is at this stage that discord enters into the scheme of things, and it appears that Garry and “Lady” can no longer pretend that their marriage is successful. Indeed, things go so far as divorce proceedings, but a change comes which considerably alters the complexion of their lives and the necessary happy ending is reached. Of particular interest is a Paramount newsreel, which graphically shows the assassination of King Alexandra of Yugoslavia in the streets of Marseilles. The King’s arrival off the steamer is shown, and also his progress through the lined streets. Then comes the uproar of the crowd, and the surrounding by the dense mass of his car. The circumstances of the tragedy have been well caught by the camera. The picture can be classed as an historical document. There is also on the programme a Metro Colourtone Revue “Kiddies’ Revue,” a Cinesound Review and an entertaining variety film.

CIVIC THEATRE. “ASSASSINATION OF KING ALEXANDER” AND “MURDER IN TRINIDAD.” i An air of mystery and excitement is skilfully blended in the screen version of John Vandercook’s novel, “Murder in Trinidad,” which commences its season at the Civic to-day. Set against the picturesque background of Trimdad, the British Crown colony off the coast of South America, with its dense tropical jungle, and its treacherous swamps and quicksands, the film provides entertainment of an unusually interesting character, and is enlivened by the fine acting of Nigel Bruce. Shortly after the arrival at Trinidad of Bertram Lynch (Nigel Bruce) he discovers that his young assistant, who has been working secretly on the island for a month beforehand, has been murdered, and almost immediately afterwards has a narrow escape from death himself when an unseen assailant throws a knife at him while he is walking through the Embassy gardens. With the murder added to his work of investigating the diamond smuggling, Lynch sets about a thorough overhaul of the constabulary system of the island, and immediately discloses what seem to be suspicious circumstances in connection with the administration. Then, as a bolt from the blue, comes the inexplicable murdei of the governor of the island, and Lynch enlists the aid of Gregory Bronson, the governor’s nephew, in his task of unravelling the mystery of the murders and of running the smugglers to earth, for he is convinced that they are the people responsible for the crimes. Lynch and Bronson decide to explore the treacherous Caroni swamps, for Lynch is convinced that some hiding place exists in the maze of quicksands and jungle which is so impenetrable that no one ever attempts to pass through it. By means of a ruse, in which they pose as two desperadoes escaping from the law, they enlist the assistance of a negro who lives at the edge of the swamp in a deserted village known as Teachtown, after the famous pirate who at one time roved through the Caribbean Sea, and Queechie, the negro, leads them over a cunningly concealed path of stepping stones through the swamp until they reach a piece of dry land apparently in its depth. Here their guide deserts Lynch and Bronson, who shortly afterwards are discovered by two rough-looking men who have been out hunting. They continue their masquerade as escaping law-breakers, and are hailed into a small clearing in which stands what is obviously the haunt of the smugglers, and are accepted by the leader as criminals, thereby securing their admission into the ranks of the desperadoes who exist in the hiding place. The plot thickens when they discover that the girl and her father are both living m the smugglers’ camp, and also that there is a means of escape from the spot by way of the sea. In the absence of the leader on some secret expedition along the coast, Lynch and his assistant search his hut, and have just discovered irrefutable proof that he is one of the diamond smugglers when he returns, and is knocked unconscious by a stone thrown by Bronson after he is unsuccessful in his attempt to kill them with a knife. Leaving the unconscious man, Lynch and Bronson escape in the dark and manage to find their way to a creek, where they steal a. boat and make their way back civilization. Securing a fast police launch, they are returning to the scene of their adventures when they see the smugglers motor boat, and in a thrilling chase, in which the leader of the gang, seeing that capture is inevitable, endeavours to run the other boat down, they capture the craft, but only after the smuggler has been shot by a person on the police launch. This is not what Lynch wanted, as the smuggler was his most valuable piece of evidence, provided he could make him talk, and the wounded man is rushed back to hospital, where the most exciting and mystifying events ensue, the whole mystery eventually being cleared up m the last few scenes of the story. There is an excellent supporting programme, including newsreels, a travelogue, a clever cartoon and special pictures oi the assassination of King Alexander.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. I MARION NIXON AND WILL ROGERS. ' “TOO BUSY TO WORK.” Will Rogers, frequently described as the best known personality on the screen, the intimate of kings and queens and the companion of captains of industry, comes to the Majestic Theatre to-day in the role of a tramp. The picture is “Too Busy To Work, his

most recent Fox production. It tells the story of a penniless vagabond, who searches the country far and wide in the hope of finding his wife and daughter and the man who stole them while he was fighting for his country in the World War. Eventually, he stumbles upon his daughter and the “other man” and learns that his wife has long since been dead. The action he takes is, perhaps, not what the ordinary man would do under similar circumstances. In the greater number of his screen portrayals, Rogers has enacted the role of a father. In real life he is the ideal type of parent, bestowing every comfort on his three children, Will, Jun., Mary and Jimmy, the youngest of the trio—everything except a telephone. Rogers refuses to have a telephone in his home, though he has every other requirement of a modern residence. The celebrated wit and humorist is as afraid of a telephone as he is of evening clothes. There is a phone in his dressing room, a pretentious bungalow at the studio, but he seldom answers its ring. I just don’t want to be bothered,” is the way he explains his strange obsession. Rogers employs a secretary who occupies an office in a downtown Los Angeles building and she makes all of his engagements and attends to most of his personal affairs. “Too Busy To Work,” prepared for the screen by Phillip Klein and Barry Connors, is based on Ben Ames ’Williams’ widely read story, “Jubilo.” A special Paramount News subject is a film depicting the assassination at Marseilles of Kind Alexander of Yugoslavia and M. Barthou. Various scenes show the arrival of the king at the French port, his landing, and the procession proceeding along the street crowded with cheering throngs. The assassin is seen to rush out and shoot, and then Lieptenant-Colonel Picot spurs forward, and can be seen wielding his sabre in no uncertain manner. The ensuing confusion is shown, and a limp figure is carried in front of the camera.

THE WALL OF DEATH.

SOUTHLAND SHOW. At the Christchurch Show the public viewed for the first time an exhibition of driving a motor cycle on the “Wall of Death.” All patrons appeared to be spell-bound. “The Wall of Death is a huge wooden structure some 18ft high and 30ft. in diameter, and is built like a huge gasometer. Inside at the bottom is a small sloping track, from which the sides rise up absolutely perpendicularly. The rider sets his motor cycle going on the bottom track, and then attaining high speed with a deafening roar of an open exhaust, he gradually climbs the perpendicular wall to within a few inches of the top. Not satsified with this he releases his hold of the handlebars, and while riding without any control from the handlebars he snatches a handkerchief held out to him from the audience. Next, his daredevil lady partner, “Miss Thelma, mounts the machine and once again it careers madly around the small starting track—the reckless girl takes a firm hold—and once again the machine zooms to the top of the “wall,” the public being held spell-bound at the amazing spectacle. After performing many hair-raising stunts he takes his Baby Austin racing car, and after careering around for a few moments he drives the car right up the perpendicular wall. This appears to be almost impossible for any human being to accomplish but the death riders will perform these feats at the Southland Show.

DANCE RECITAL. MISS HOFFMAN’S PUPILS. Lovers of juvenile fancy dancing will no doubt be eagerly awaiting Miss Lola Hoffman’s first recital. Her pupils, who range from two years of age upwards, have by skilful and systematic training attained a very high standard. Miss Hoffman, who made her debut as a juvenile dancer at the tender age of two years before a Rotorua audience, has studied the graceful and fascinating art ever since. Hence her ability to instil into her present pupils with such success that same graceful art. Notable items to be presented will be dainty solo dances by Mary George, Ngaire Wilson, Isla Cooke, Daphne and Valerie Willcox, Baby Pamela Helm, Lorna Wootton, Marjorie Tuson, Beulah Schroeder and Daphne Jordan. Among the ballets will be “The Teddy Bears Picnic,” the Sitting Ballet, Sports Ballet and “The Happy Landing” ballet Toe Ballet” and “The Fountain of Youth. Special features will be the two-year-old baby tap dancer, Beverley Duncan, and the amazing contortionist, Pat Tuson. The whole programme promises to be bright and snappy, and patrons are advised to book early to avoid disappointment, as seats are filling rapidly and there promises to be a packed house.