ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 22487, 23 January 1935, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE. ZANE GRETS POPULAR NOVEL. “TO THE LAST MAN.” Experience has proved that the Cinema going public become tired of attending a cycle of entertainments that represent the social whirl and other indoor productions and no doubt the introduction of a splendid story of the outdoors will be welcomed by patrons of the Majestic Theatre, when one of Zane Grey’s popular novels will be presented in film form commencing with to-day’s matinee. Majestic mountain tops and fertile valleys, rushing streams and purple skies form the natural setting of Paramount’s “To the Last Man,” with Randolph Scott, Esther Ralston, Buster Crabbe, Jack Laßue and Noah Beery in leading roles. Realizing the rare quality of this story, Paramount spared no expense in production. In addition to the imposing all-star cast, the producers sent the entire company of more than one hundred and fifty players, to say nothing of engaging thousands of . head of cattle, to the actual location of the Zane Grey novel. There, for more than a month, the cast underwent the hardships of the original pioneers; “To the Last Man,” as its title implies, is the story of two feuding families. A member of one of the clans decides to end the bloodshed and takes his family to the West. The other family, relentlessly determined to settle the struggle, follows, and, in the mountain fastness of Arizona, the old feud is resumed years later. In the interim, the daughter of one of. the enemies and the son of the other have grown up. When they meet, their identities unknown to each other, they fall in love, complicating the battle between the clans which goes on relentlessly despite all their efforts to put an end to the bloodshed. The picture was directed by Henry Hathaway, who has a number of the better outdoor romances to his credit. The featurettes on the programme. will comprise, Paramount’s latest newsreel, a Mack Sennett comedy, Betty Boop cartoon, and the British news. The usual matinee will be held this afternoon with extra matinees on Thursday and Friday afternoons.

“TREASURE ISLAND.” Everyone who has spent youthful hours of thrilling adventure in reading Robert Louis Stevenson’s great romance “Treasure Island” will be grateful to the producers' of the film version which opens at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday evening. It revives for adults that same feeling of freedom from the humdrum world as they sometimes experienced before prosaic affairs claimed them, while for boys and girls Jim Hawkins will be a hero such as any would dream to be. It is seldom that the elusive spirit of a famous work of literature is captured so perfectly as the film has reproduced the atmosphere of courage, suspense and high adventure. The vivid characters of the book come to life with a reality which is due not only to the brilliant acting of a noted cast, but also to the painstaking direction which has ensured that every well-remembered detail of the classic is retained. The book is usually thought of as a boys’ tale, yet its appeal is to everyone who has ever dreamed of sailing the high seas on a dangerous quest, and matching his wits and courage against a pirate crew. No liberties have been taken with the story. The sinister Billy Bones strikes the keynote of mystery and danger when he arrives at the peaceful Benbow Inn to terrify the villagers with his ditty, “Yo, Ho, Ho, and a Bottle of Rum,” and when the secret of his strange fear of a certain one-legged sea-farer is seen to be bound up with a story of. buried treasure and pirate crews the action never slackens for. a moment. Lionel Barrymore is in his element as Billy Bones, while Wallace Beery is equally well cast as Long John Silver, the. smooth-tongued buccaneer, who remains a sympathetic character in spite of his bloodthirsty exploits and his trickery. Jim Hawkins is, of course, the hero ,and Jackie Cooper makes him a very manly and appealing little figure. Lewis Stone is splendid as Captain Marryatt, while "Chic” Sale is rightfully repulsive as the blind but brutal Pew. The motley crew of ruffians are all there, and even Long John Silver’s parrot acts well in character.

CIVIC THEATRE. EXTENSION OF SEASON. .JAN KIEPURA IN “MY SONG FOR YOU.” “My Song for You,” which is to be shown for two more nights at the Civic Theatre, bids fair to rival Jan Kiepura’s first film, “Tell Me To-night.” Kiepura shares the romance of the story with delightful Aileen Marson, romance for the most part filled with gaiety, and certainly always wholesome. There is no stint of romantic ballad or operatic aria, and the boyish enthusiasm of Kiepura proclaims him to have great ability as an actor. The story tells of the attraction of the great tenor Gatti (Jan Kiepura) to Mary Newberg (Aileen Marson). Infatuated, he ignorer a radio engagement in order to dine with her, and the situation is saved only by the resource of Charlie, his secretary (Sonnie. Hale), who in this connection presents one of the funniest scenes in modern, comedies. Gatti, discovering that Mary has other admirers, is piqued, and, a’ quarrel ensuing, the tenor and his Mary part. But realizing that he does not know where to find his inamorata again, the lovelorn one organizes a special concert, and he advertises the fact that the proceeds will be given to charity if a certain girl will come forward and say to which charity they should be devoted. Thus does Gatti find his Mary again, and thus it comes about that ultimately she discovers her love for him and rejects her fiance —who thoroughly, deserves it. In the course of the action Jan Kiepura gives a superb rendering of Gounod’s “Ave Maria” as well as “Celeste Aida” and other excerpts from Verdi’s famous opera, together with the song “My Song For You,” the melody of which is interwoven, wholly or in part, with various phases of the progress of the story. The picture is finely presented, with novel scenes such, as a concert at a swimming pool, in which half of the audience listens from the water, while the landing stages and the gallery are crowded with fashion-ably-attired folk. Spectacular settings are numerous, and several beautiful scenes, taken on the Riviera, further enhance the quality of this picture, of which the producers may well be proud. There is an excellent supporting programme. The box plans are at the theatre and at Begg’s.

COMMENCING FRIDAY. THE SHOW OF 1000 AND 1 - SURPRISES. “STAND UP AND CHEER." One of the .most spectacular musical productions ever to come from Hollywood makes its appearance on the screen of the Civic Theatre on Ffiday, “Stand Up and Cheer!” Fox Film’s latest release, abounds and brims over with so great an abundance of song, music and visual wonders, that everywhere audiences are held spellbound to the very last turn of this musical materpiece, Produced by Winfield

Sheehan in association with Lew Brown, the film is a truly magnificent piece of work that Hollywood can well pride itself on having accomplished. The film is produced on so stupendous a scale that it would be impossible to list all its multiple wonders ■ here. Among the outstanding, however, are hundreds of dazzling girls, a vocal chorus of 500, a thousand players, 335 scenes, 1200 wild animals and five bands of music. Five breath-taking ryhthmic revues were created from this host of music, girls and stars. Each revue is lavishly and elaborately staged against large and beautiful scenes that fairly take your breath away. The song numbers that set the fast tempo of these scintillating revues, are all authentic hits that should have the world singing and dancing for the remainder of the year. Although musical in theme, the film embodies a simple and charming story that holds your suspense throughout. The large cast assembled for this mammoth show, includes such stellar screen stars as Warner Baxter, Madge Evans, James Dunn, John Boles, Nigel Bruce, Ralph Morgan, Shirley Temple, Arthur Byron and Stepin Fetchit. To lend a hand to the splendid work of these stars, the supporting cast is studded with radio and stage personalities, among whom are Sylvia Froos, “Aunt Jemima,” Jimmy Dallas, Nick Foran and Mitchell and Durant Hamilton MacFadden, who directed from the original story idea by Will Rogers and Philip Klein, does a splendid piece of work. Sammy Lee staged the dance numbers to the tunes of. “Our Last Night Together,” “Baby Take a Bow,” “I’m Laughing,” “Broadway’s Gone Hill Billy” and “Out of the Red,” all written by Lew Brown and Jay Gorney. THE REGENT. "GIVE HER A RING.” BRIGHT, SPARKLING MUSICAL COMEDY. A sparkling English musical comedy abounding in clever dialogue and with melodious songs and happy choruses is “Give Her A Ring,” the British haternational Pictures production, which is to be at the Regent this afternoon and evening. As with most musical comedies, “Give Her A Ring” does not hinge on any substantial plot, but an amusing combination, of wrong numbers and the results of snappy exchanges with subscribers by the operators of a rather musical telephone exchange provide sufficient excuse for some diverting situations in, which Clifford Mollison, as the director of the telephone company, and Wendy Barry manage to find rorance. Mollison aids his unconventional courting with some timeful songs, and his scenes with Zelma O’Neal, as Trude, a modiste with a taste for champagne suppers and meeting someone who would keep her in the style to which she had never been accustomed, were screamingly funny dancing and singing numbers. The story briefly is that two lonely men, one married, each invites out a girl on the strength of a good voice over a chance telephone, and each couple arrange to meet at the same spot. As might have been expected, the girls each meet the wrong man. The director of the telephone company and the operator, neither knowing the other’s position, are mutually attracted, but the other pair, a combination of a light-pocketed gallant and a modiste with very expensive tastes, leads to some very witty dialogue, amongst the brightest spots of the picture. After the evening, the inevitable happens. Because of the original mistake in meeting, each girl thinks she has been out with the other man, and when the telephone starts to ring the next morning, and the wife of the married one answers, it is an end to romance for the time being. The manner in which the tangle is finally unravelled in the best musical comedy style, is too good to be revealed. Quite unknowingly, Clifford Mollison discharges the girl for whom he is searching everywhere,, and discouraged and disconsolate, she sets off on a bicycle trip to a distant town. At the last minute, as might have been expected, the misunderstanding is amusingly straightened out, and the picture ends with an exciting and hugely funny chase after the runaway by three most inefficient members of the telephone staff, who have provided asides of comedy throughout the picture. “Give Her A Ring” is clever entertainment of the best British type. A feature of it is a restaurant scene in which good photography and better scenery combine to make a splendid setting for the comedy situations which abound. The supporting programme is an exceptionally good one, with a Maoriland movielogue providing a new insight into several of New Zealand’s famous spots. Lance Fairfax, well-known to New Zealand audiences, sings “The Deathless Army,” and other musical offerings of note are provided by Charlie Kunz, pianist, Jack Simpson, xylophonist of Jack Payne’s band. There are also items of particular feminine interest included in. the wide range covered.

EMPIRE PICTURES, RIVERTON. “THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII.” . “The Private Life of Henry VIH” was produced in England by London Films, with an all English cast and directed by the Hungarian Alexander Korda. Inis attraction has probably been more talked about and discussed than any other picture. It is due for screening to-day (Wednesday/ and Thursday a 8 p.m. In every technical branch i- is superb—production, photography, lighting, direction and continuity; equal the best, while the humour is neither English nor American, :but universal. In acting, especially on. the part of Charles Laughton, portraying the Bluebeard of kings who had six wives, the picture has no rivals. We have the greatest confidence in recommending this United Artists’ programme to our many patrons. '