ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 22729, 4 November 1935, Page 12

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT “IN CALIENTE” “In Caliente,” which is at present showing at the Regent is a lavish and spectacular production' replete with melodies that woo the ear and linger in the mind. As the title implies; the picture has its setting in Agua Caliente, the well-known tourist resort in Mexico, where tired Americans gather to discover the truth that to frisk a little with lighter footsteps and bounding heart along the flowery ways of attuned gaiety is to sip the finest elixir of life. No words can colour too highly the beauty of Agua Caliente with its glorious sunny days and romantic balmy nights. Here there are a hund-. red diversions to interest blase travellers—excellent racing, lavish swimming pools and wonderful golf courses. And then, of course, there is the gay and carefree night life. The camera captures this atmosphere of happiness and gaiety, and in the talkie, there are many striking shots of Agua Caliente, which may well be termed the winter playgound of the U.S.A. The story opens in New York where Pat O’Brien, the editor of a monthly magazine, is rapidly becoming a dipsomaniac. The business executive of the publication, Edward Everett Horton, is very concerned about his editor’s mode of living, and so, when a glamorous blonde decides that she will marry the literary man, he decides to send him for a vacation. Together they board an aeroplane and fly to the great spaces washed with sun in Mexico. At Agua Caliente, where they take up their headquarters, O’Brien falls in love with a very charming Mexican dancer, played by Dolores Del Rio. Horton, however, views this unexpected development with extreme disfavour, because in the past, O’Brien’s amours have always ended in trouble. The blonde in New York soon finds out where O’Brien is holidaying, and as she is determined not to let him slip out of her life without a struggle, she proceeds to Agua Caliente and arrives just as the editor and the dancer have sworn eternal allegiance to each other. Of course the arrival of the “other woman” complicates matters, and for a time, it seems as if O’Brien’s first real love affair is to end in disaster. But fate is kind, and after an unexpected turn of events, Horton goes off to find happiness with the blonde, while O’Brien and the dancer decide to face life together. Altogether this production is well-conceived, well-acted and well-produced. The large cast all give first-class performances. O’Brien, as the impulsive literary man, who after many amorous adventures in New York, found true love beneath the eternally blue skies of Agua Caliente, is excellent. Horton makes the most of his role of the business friend harassed by the wild ways of the editor. He is really funny, and his dialogue contains some very witty lines. Dolores Del Rio, the Mexican that caused the smart New York editor to murmur strange things about love and life, dances divinely, wears clothes beautifully and at all times looks most charming and attractive. There are some very spectacular song and dance sequences featured in the picture, and the “Lady in Red” number, especially, should shortly be a favourite with bathroom baritones. “In Caliente” provides first-rate entertainment. It has been produced on a lavish scale, and as a spectacle alone, is worth seeing. The first-half of the bill of fare is composed of a well-chosen selection of pictures. There is an interesting Australian news reel, two diverting cartoons, a bright and snappy musical short and a comedy that is genuinely humorous. The Regent is at present screening one of the best all-round programmes that has been shown in Invercargill for many a long day. THE MAJESTIC. “A BACHELOR GIRL’S BIOGRAPHY.” BRILLIANT COMEDY-DRAMA. Married men and single womerij young men and maidens, in fact everyone in the Majestic theatre on Saturday evening received rich entertainment from “A Bachelor Girl’s Biography,” a brilliant comedy-drama featuring Ann Harding, Robert Montgomery and Edward Everett Horton. It is one of the gayest, wittiest, and most interesting pictures that have been released this year and with such a gifted team in the leading roles the acting is above reproach. The theme is by no means banal, the dialogue is sustained in its brilliance and there is plenty of action and incident. Ann Harding has the role of a young American girl who finds scope for her artistic talent abroad and who returns to the United States to be featured by the newspapers, feted and generally fussed over, not because she has proved _ a great painter but because of her liaisons with great men in Europe. Among the newspapermen who seek an inter-, view with her is Robert Montgomery who as editor of a popular, low-brow magazine strives his utmost to show up the shams of society and politics. In the biography of this bachelor girl he sees a great opportunity to ride his hobby horse, particularly as one of the men in Ann’s early life, Edward Everett Horton, is now seeking election to the senate, backed by a sententious but influential father-in-law-to-be. The plot revolves round the efforts of Edn ward to prevent publication of the biography lest his chance of political preferment be ruined and the determination of Robert to expose the shady side of the alleged puritan politicians, While there is plenty of dramatic interest in the film it is more light-hear-ted than serious and from start to finish is delightful entertainment. It is rather a new role for Ann Harding but she comes through with flying colours She is unquestionably one of the ablest and most attractive actresses on the films. Robert Montgomery has to be rather more serious than usual but there is-plenty of scope for his insouciance and his many admirers will be thoroughly satisfied with his performance. Edward Everett Horton takes part in no film which he does not adorn and in a somewhat difficult pari he shares the triumph of Ann Harding and Robert Montgomery. Audiences will have to go back a long way be-* fore they can recall such a refreshing and amusing story, which by reason o] being far removed from the beaten track and by the scintillating quality of the dialogue is entitled to rank in the first flight. The first half is short but good. It commences with a Metrotone British news with some splendid pictures of Royalty. Then comes _ 5 Fitzpatrick travelogue of Ireland in technicolour which is the most natural yet seen, as may be gauged from ths colour of gorse and rhododendron Then to bring laughs to the lips thers is a Charley Chase comedy of domestic complications which are subtle rather than slap-stick, clever rathel than clownish.