ENTERTAIN MEM'S

Southland Times, Issue 22896, 22 May 1936, Page 12

ENTERTAIN MEM'S

STATE THEATRE "THE BLACK ROOM” AND “SILK HAT KID”

Horror was never made more entertaining than in “The Black Room,” Boris Karloff’s latest “thriller,” which is the main feature on the programme at the State Theatre and which concludes with the 7.45 session to-night. Gregor, the elder of twin brothers, is ruler of the castle, while his brother, Anton, is away travelling, and there spreads through the countryside stories of mysterious disappearances and hints of vile happenings associated with the sinister Gregor. That is the grim opening of the story which, through its many reels, produces thrills unnumbered, until finally Gregor dies, impaled upon the knife with which he has murdered his brother. And the mystery of “The Black Room” is finally solved. An excellent supporting cast includes Marion Marsh, Colin Tapley and Robert Allen. A picture of fast-moving dramatic action along with a thrilling and dangerous romance is how previewers have described “Silk Hat Kid,” which will be screened in addition to “The Black Room.” An excellent cast includes Lew Ayres, Mae Clarke and Paul Kelly. FIRST SCREENING IN NEW ZEALAND. “PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER.” Commencing to-night (Friday) at a special midnight matinee for its first screening in New Zealand, “Professional Soldier,” starring Freddie Bartholomew and Victor McLaglen, will be shown at the State Theatre. Freddie Bartholomew, the great child star, who became world-famous overnight for his magnifcent performance as “David Copperfield,” is cast as the boy king of a mythical European country. Fast-mov-ing and amusing, the story has everything to offer the blase filmgoer. Freddie Bartholomew and Victor McLaglen are brought together for the first time. The story centres round a mythical kingdom, a boy king and a soldier of fortune. The professional soldier, McLaglen, sells his mercenary sword to a band of revolutionaries who are plotting—in the genial, haphazard manner of all revolutionaries—to kidnap the king. But when McLaglen learns that the royalty is the youthful Freddie Batholomew he experiences a change of heart and refuses to help the rebels in their rebellious plans. The ingenuous king and the hardened soldier become fast friends. And then the plot thickens. Royalists arise, seize the king and throw the blame on to the revolutionaries, who are still darkly plotting. McLaglen is thrown into gaol, but escapes in time to commandeer a machine-gun and ensure a happy ending.

REGENT THEATRE. GITTA ALPAR IN “I GIVE MY HEART.” A GLORIOUS VOICE. Apart from its intriguing loveliness, the screening of “I Give My Heart,” at the Regent Theatre has a real interest for music lovers and the theatre-going public generally by reason of the appearance in the stellar role of Gitta Alpar, acknowledged as one of the most radiant and accomplished prima donnas of recent times. One is sometimes sceptical of the lavish praise bestowed on artists of high rank, but in “I Give My Heart” Gitta Alpar substantiates the critics not only by her beauty of voice, but by her presentation and superb artistry. “I Give My Heart” is a feast of song set in all the magnificence and regal splendour of Louis XV’s. court in its heydey. One of the most intriguing and novel sequences in the film is in the king’s palace, where, to express the growing love between Dubarry and Louis, some of the best known of Watteau’s famous paintings come to life, the figures in the paintings changing to the king and his favourite. As they pass from one painting to another Gitta Alpar’s voice is heard to full advantage in several of the numbers in which the screen play abounds. In the balcony scene her flute-like notes are claimed to rival even the famous Galli-Curci, while her engaging manner has all the charm for which her countrywomen are noted. The entire musical score of the original stage play is used in the film, which will delight all those who can enjoy good music, while there is infinite entertainment in the unfolding of the intriguing story, which is not without its comedy at times. An excellent cast is associated with Miss Alpar in the interpretation of the romantic tale, and includes the ever-popular Owen Nares, as King Louis, Margaret Bannerman as the Marechale de Luxembourg, Arthur Margetson as Count Dubarry, Patrick Waddington, Iris Ashley, Hay Petrie, Gibb McLaughlin and Hugh Miller. The programme which supports the main feature is varied and interesting and includes Lance Fairfax, the popular baritone, singing “Life’s Balcony.” HOPALONG CASSIDY AGAIN. “THE EAGLE’S BROOD.” Hopalong Cassidy is coming again to the Regent Theatre on Saturday in Clarence E. Mulford’s “The Eagle’s Brood.” In this picture “Hopalong” has become a man of the law, a peace officer in the great South-west who can use his head as well as his hands. Jimmy Ellison, a new western star, is seen in the role of “Johnny Nelson,” youthful “pal” of “Hoppy,” who idolizes him and for whom “Hoppy” is continually trying to keep out of scrapes. Together they ferret out a band of “bad-men” who have held the town of Hell Centre in a reign of terror and through strategy they succeed in wiping them out and restoring law and order to the community. Others in the cast include William Farnum, veteran star of stage and screen, Addison Richards, George Hayes, Joan Woodbury, Frank Shannon, Paul Fix, Al Lydell and Dorothy Revier.

CIVIC THEATRE. FILMS AND VAUDEVILLE. BRIGHT ENTERTAINMENT. Novel and wholly delightful entertainment was provided at the Civic Theatre again last evening. Vaudeville trials introduced to a packed house some of Invercargill’s outstanding concert performers. The object of the trials is to foster local talent and from the large number of entries received it would seem that this aim is likely to be achieved. The numbers presented were bright and well varied. The audience acted as judge. The competitions will be continued to-night, the finalists appearing on Saturday evening. But the enjoyable vaudeville numbers do not exhaust the entertainment content of the current programme at the Civic Theatre. On the same programme is “Horse Play,” one of the most laughable films ever shown on an Invercargill screen. The inimitable Slim Summerville and his colleague, the huskyvoiced Andy Devine, head the cast. They are seen first as impecunious

ranch-owners in the wildest of America’s Wild West. But they inherit a million dollars and depart for London on a search for a girl named Angela. The search leads the two bewildered cowboys into London society and a pageant at an English castle. What follows brings the audience to the verge of hysterics and the film to an uproarious climax.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. “BONNIE SCOTLAND.” LAUREL AND HARDY’S LATEST. Scotland and the kilt have provided many laughs by comedians and it was to be expected that Laurel and Hardy should some day become, McLaurel and McHardy, as they do in “Bonnie Scotland,” which opens at the Majestic Theatre to-day. The change of name, however, does not mean a change . of character, or a loss of their own inimitable kind of humour. Laurel is still wondering, useless, and talkative, and Hardy still hides his inefficiency by a blustering pomposity. The kilt merely provides them with an added fringe of fun, for it is the sight of these two playing about like overgrown children —in a way that many other comedians attempt without achieving anything like the same side-splitting situations —that makes the film. Somehow or other Laurel and Hardy have to be got to Scotland. So they break out of gaol to stow away on a cattle boat, so that Laurel may claim an inheritance, in Scotland. Instead of money he receives only,a snuffbox and an ancient pair of bagpipes. Then, when Hardy has lost his trousers, they enlist by mistake when trying to get a free suit of clothes, and before they know where they are find themselves in a Scottish regiment in India. Most of the fun takes place in barracks. It is a delight to see how Laurel’s inability to keep step sets a whole column of marching . men jiggling and dancing; to hear the pipers’ playing of “The Campbells are Coming” change subtly into the wellknown Laurel and Hardy theme, and announce their approach to the fort; and to find them throwing beehives at a mob of enraged natives who are thirsting for their blood.