ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 22510, 19 February 1935, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT.

“WAKE UP AND DREAM.”

SPARKLING MUSICAL PRODUCTION.

Only once in a while does one have the opportunity of witnessing such a sparkling and altogether exhilarating film as “Wake Up and Dream,” the feature attraction which closes a season at the Rqgent Theatre this evening.' From its very verve and dash of action this gay concoction of laughs, song?, tinkling melodies, thrills and excitement, tempered here and there with a little pathos, must of necessity make a very wide appeal to theatregoers. Roger Pryor, well-remembered for his great success in a similar film a few weeks ago, has many opportunities of exploiting his careless charm of manner in this vehicle which portrays the efforts of three vaudeville artists to “keep the wolf from the door.” This trio—two men and a beautiful girl—have plenty of ability, but their difficulty lies in convincing theatre managers of this fact. Charlie Sullivan (Roger Pryor) is full of bright ideas, but unfortunately they do not always work out for the best. The star artist of the trio, Paul Scotti (Russ Colombo), possesses a wonderful singing voice and Sullivan takes a chance by introducing him to a theatre manager as the new leading man from New York. Scotti is a sensation—until the real man arrives! Then the trio depart hastily. To raise money Sullivan walks a tight-rope stretched across a street, 20 storeys from the ground. He walks across from the roof of one building to that of another, to receive 200 dollars from a publicity agent; the thrilling scene is reminiscent of Harold Lloyd’s daring and is one of the highlights of the film. From this on the picture is packed with excitement, romance and unusual complications so that the audience is kept guessing as to what the next turn in the clever plot will be. Though the production ends happily, it is on an unusual note. Altogether it is a delightful film and one full of joyous entertainment. Russ Columbo, one of America’s leading vocalists, is heard in three new entrancing numbers: “When You’re In Love,” “Too Beautiful For Words,” and “Let’s Pretend.” All are well above the average dance tune. June Knight is charming in the feminine lead, and makes an instant appeal. The supports are both interesting and varied, for in addition to a budget of topical news films there is an entertaining “Stranger Than Fiction” featurette. A hilarious comedy depicting the misadventures of a romantic couple at the Chicago World’s Fair completes an exceedingly enjoyable programme.

“ADVICE TO THE LOVELORN.” “Advice To The Lovelorn,” the latest production of Joseph Schenk and Darryl F. Zanuck’s 29th Century Pictures, will be the feature attraction at the Regent Theatre on Wednesday. The popular Lee Tracy is seen in the starring role, as the young reporter on a Los Angeles daily whose propensity for hard liquor causes him to miss the biggest story of the year by sleeping through an earthquake. As suitable punishment, his editor derates him to the humiliating post of “agony” column conductor. Tracy attempts to retaliate by giving the wildest advice that ever appeared in a newspaper column, with the result that he brings down upon his head the wrath of frantic mammas and wronged ladies and gets himself embroiled in several highly dramatic situations, some of which develop comedy and some, alas, highly tragic consequences. Pretty Sally Blane plays the sweetheart for whose sweet sake Tracy tries to worm his way out of the humiliating job. Featured with Sally are Isabel Jewell, Paul Harvey, Judith Wood and May Boley. Sterling Holloway, C. Henry Gordon, Jean ' Adair, Matt Briggs, Charles Levinson, Adalyn Doyle, and Etienne Giardot complete the impressive cast. The supporting picture is an underworld thriller, featuring America’s most virile he-man of the screen, George Bancroft, who returns to popularity in “Blood Money,” a highly dramatic romance of society and the underworld. It exposes the bail bond racket and provides a lot of thrills. Frances Dee, Chink Chandler, Judith Anderson and Blossom Seely are featured with Bancroft.

CIVIC THEATRE. JACK BUCHANAN IN “THAT’S A GOOD GIRL.” Jack Buchanan need be no more than characteristic to please his admirers, but in “That’s a Good Giri” he has fortified himself with an unusual number of really good “gags.” His adventures as a harassed fellow accidentally rushed into the chorus of an opera are as funny as anything he has ever done. He finds himself amongst a crowd of Cromwellian soldiery, marching and counter-marching, losing his boots and losing his gloves, and hooking everything in range with his halberd. In another scene, where he is pursued round the garden of a villa on the Riviera by Elsie Randolph, as a private detective, he has had the daring to resort to one of the earliest comedy “gags” of the moving pictures, and the result fully justifies his experiment. In “That’s a Good Girl,” Mr Buchanan is in his element in the kind of entertainment which has made his reputation on the stage; musical farce, with more farce than music. “That’s a Good Girl” provides plenty of catchy musical numbers presented in Jack Buchanan’s inimitable style. SHIRLEY TEMPLE IN “BABY, TAKE A BOW.” Shirley Temple is the star of “Baby, Take a Bow,” which will be shown tomorrow at the Civic Theatre. The work of this five-year-old girl is really astonishing. She possesses the grace and intelligence of a grown person and a personality that will carry her far. In “Stand Up and Cheer!” she was delightful in a little sketch With James Dunn. In “Baby, Take a Bow,” she has an important part running the full length of the picture, and she gives a truly remarkable. performance. Every gesture, every line is delivered with unstudied grace. This is not to belittle the performances of the grown-up actors in the cast. James Dunn and Claire Trevor are excellent as Shirley’s parents. Alan Dinehart has his amusing moments as the blundering detective who is dogging Dunn’s heels. The picture is a comedy-drama centring around Shirley Temple and her young parents. Its theme is James Dunn’s struggle for happiness in spite of the handicap of a prison record. Claire Trevor is the young wife who believes in him. Little Shirley is their adorable baby daughter who lends merriment to the action and turns a trick in the nick of time that makes her the heroine of the story. After her overnight success in “Stand Up and Cheer!” little Shirley has become one of the outstanding personalities on the screen. She has an important part in the picture, and is responsible for much of the comedy. James Dunn and Claire Trevor, who have been teamed in three pictures, are together again in "Baby, Take a Bow,” as Shirley’s parents. It is a sparkling comedy-drama that gets under way in

the first few scenes, and maintains a rapid tempo to the exciting finish. The story deals with the struggle for happiness and success of a young man just out of prison, a girl who marries him because she believes in him, and the result of their union, an adorable baby girl who is the pride and joy of their hearts. Into the picture enters an escaped convict and the theft of some valuable pearls from the home of the boy’s employer. Suspicion and the persecution of a self-styled detective cloud the happiness of the little family. The . drama becomes tense as the criminal, passing the little flat, gives the baby the pearls to avoid being caught with the stolen property in his possession by pursuing officers. The denouement grows more exciting as the criminal returns and takes the jewels and the baby to cover his escape. After an exciting sequence of events the gems are recovered, the culprit captured, and Shirley is the heroine of the hour, with a goodly reward in prospect and the removal of all suspicion from her daddy. A great deal of comedy and human interest has been injected into the scenes showing the camaraderie and affection between daddy and baby, and the episode of the child’s birthday party affords Shirley another opportunity to show her talents as a singing and dancing entertainer. There will be a strong supporting programme. The box plans are at the theatre and Begg’s. THE MAJESTIC. “THE BLUE SQUADRON.” Those who have seen aviation pictures and have been disappointed at the unreality of them will be pleasantly thrilled by “The Blue Squadron,” an all British romance of the air, which is at the Majestic Theatre. The story is a simple one superbly acted without the exaggeration that leads to pathos, and the aviation details are technically correct no doubt because of the co-oper-ation of the Italian Air Force, with which the plot deals. In the stirring epic Esmond Knight plays the part of Captain Carlo Banti, of the Italian Air Service, who is so misguided as to take his best friend’s fiancee, Elene, acted by Greta Hansen, for a motor ride. Elene wants to drive, and Carlo lets her: the car is consequently incapacitated, and the two have to pass the night at an inn. Colonel Mario Spada, the girl’s lov.er, places the worst construction on this innocent act, and the estrangement between him and his friend is only aggravated when Carlo succeeds in out-classing him in the air force manoeuvres. Mario, in saving the life of a mechanic, is so severely injured that he cannot undertake a height-record attempt in a plane of his own design; he is replaced by Carlo, and this is additionally galling. But when Carlo crashes on an alpine summit, Elene takes the opportunity to explain, and, despite a howling storm, Mario takes off to rescue his old friend. There is in this film a great deal of excellent aero-photography, mountain scenery, and a splendid series of shots of two skiers running downhill with news of the aviator’s crash. The photographs of the pilot drifting down in his parachute against a lofty wall of granite and ice were the outstanding features of the camera-work. This tense and spectacular love story is one of the best screen romances of the year. The varied supporting programme of travel, comedy and music enhances the value of the programme. “CONVENTION CITY.” Comedy and hilarity will be the keynote of the entertainment at the Majestic Theatre on Wednesday when “Convention City’’ commences. This new First National comedy rises above others of that type and provides one of the greatest laugh-provoking spectacles to be seen on the local screen for some time For one thing, ten stars fill the leading roles, and with such names as Joan Blondell, Adolphe Menjou, Dick Powell, Mary Astor, and many other well-known and popular players there are vast possibilities which, needless to say, are fully realized. At the opening “Convention City” sets a fast pace, which never slackens for an instant until the final scene. The first glimpse of the principal characters reveals them en route to Atlantic City for a salesmen’s convention. From then on until they straggle to the train once more at the finish of the week’s roystering there is much action and surprise. Several individual stories are woven into the main thread of this gay narrative which suggests to wives what their husbands might be doing when they are supposedly hard at work organizing their 1 businesses. As a result the theme becomes all the more involved as the action progresses. As a cast for this picture First National compiled one of the most impressive lists of names that have come from Hollywood for many months. In addition to those already mentioned there are Patricia Ellis. Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert, Hobart Cavanagh, Grant Mitchell and Gordon Westcott.

CLEM DAWE’S REVUE COMPANY. BRIGHT ENTERTAINMENT. “A bright, snappy, and entertainment, which evoked immediate cordial response from a house of capacity dimensions,” is how the Auckland Star described the opening performance at the J. C. Williamson Theatre there of Clem Dawe’s new revue company, which is to appear here in the Civic Theatre for a season of five nights commencing on Monday, February 25 with a matinee on Wednesday, February 27. “Clem Dawe’s facial and sartorial drolleries,” wrote the same critics, “in combination with the vivacious soubrette talent of Dorothy White, supplied much of the comedy in lightning character sketches and sallies of jest and merry mots. “The Ministering Angel” and “The New Car” were most mirth-provoking of half a dozen such contributions, all of which were enthusiastically received. “The News Vendor” revealed the versatile Clem in something more of a real character study, providing opportunities for the introduction of old-time favourites, with Joe Shriner, a New York artist, disclosing a very pleasing baritone voice as the singer. As Sunshine, the Fireman in the “Trial Turn” Clem was at the top of his form in his role of eccentric comedian. But Clem Dawe is only one of the attractions in this outstandingly brilliant band of-revue artists. Muriel O’Malley (contralto) and Ann Luciano (soprano) made a wonderful success with duets and songs. Their singing with Miss O’Malley at the piano was enthusiastically received, particularly with the number entitled “Woman in a Shoe,” and the song scena “Tales of Old Ireland” left a lasting pleasant impression for its picturesque character. Cliff O’Keefe’s “Cellarer” and “Drinking” were especially fine efforts that fully deserved the warm applause they received. Yet another excellent voice of a richer tenor variety appeared when Ralph Daly sang “Cherie” in a song and dance scena, which was one of the most impressively beautiful of a number of fine settings included in the production. The particular attraction of this item was the thrilling acrobatic dance efforts of Halliday and Watson, two specialists who give beauty to the acrobatic variety of dance without any loss of effectiveness, and also preserve the same feature in ballroom dancing. Then there was also Gregory Ivanoff with his singing violin and his own arrangement of popular melodies. A team of outstandingly brilliant decorative tap dancers led by dainty Edna Moncrieff and Edna Luscombe, over and over again took the role of star entertainers, their “Main Trunk Express” and “Toymaker’s Dream” were features of the extravaganza.” The box plan opens to-morrow at Begg’s. i