ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 22993, 12 September 1936, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

CIVIC THEATRE MUSICAL COMEDY AND DRAMA The outstanding impression left by “My Heart is Calling,” the GaumontBritish picture, starring Jan Kiepura, which heads the double-feature programme at the Civic Theatre to-day, is one of beauty. Beauty of music, vocal and instrumental; beauty of personality and graceful self-expression; beauty of scene. The fine voice of Jan Kiepura was never used to better advantage in a popular number than, in the theme song “My Heart is Calling You,” while his rendition of “You, Me and Love” has assuredly established world-wide popularity for an attractive song. In Marta Eggerth, GaumontBritish has given the picture-going public another accomplished actress for which the screen is the bettre. It would appear that no Jan Kiepura picture could be completely satisfactory without that vigorous laughter-maker, Sonnie Hale. On his capable shoulders rests the lion’s share of the comedy and in “My Heart is Calling” the action practically turns upon the rapid succession of eruptive brain-waves possessing the soul of the irrepressible Rosee in his struggles to keep his professional head above water. A most intriguing picture title is that of “Brown on Resolution,” which is the other attraction at the Civic Theatre today. The subject is not, as might at first be imagined, a picturization of how to become a prince of commerce or emperor of finance. This Mr Brown is no academic pundit airing a psychological theory. He is just plain Albert Brown, able seaman, of the British Navy. Nor is this resolution that quality which parents urge their young to acquire, the better to fight the battle of life. Resolution is the name of one of the lonely Galapagos Islands in the Pacific; and it was on that island of Resolution that plain Albert Brown, A. 8., fought the fight of his life putting plenty of resolution into his single-handed attempt to shoot the entire crew of an enemy cruiser. The picture, in short, is a spectacular naval drama, adapted from C. M. Forester’s well-known novel of the same name and produced with remarkably extensive co-operation on the part of the British Admiralty. John Mills, in the role of Albert Brown, presents the young seaman as an unaffected, well-balanced fellow, full of the joy of life, utterly free from “side,” unconscious of his own bravery. His pal “Ginger” (Jimmv Hanley) provides comedy touches in several of their scenes together. Miss Betty Balfour gives a carefully-graded study of character development, from girlhood to maturity. STATE THEATRE. JANE WITHERS IN “GENTLE JULIA.” “Gentle Julia,” which begins a season at the State Theatre to-day, gives theatre-goers who have previously enjoyed the antics and comedy of Jane Withers another opportunity of seeing this versatile young star. As in “Ginger,” Jane and Jackie Searle make an excellent pair as juvenile entertainers, and in “Gentle Julia” they are more to the fore than ever. Jane Withers gives her best performance to date as Tarkington’s precocious little “smarty,” who runs her family’s affairs. The millions who have read and loved the book will find it. brought to life in this picture. A drowsy backwater town in Indiana about 1912 is the scene of the picture, but underneath its sleepy surface it seethes with excitement over the romances of Marsha Hunt and the unpredictable pranks of little Jane Withers. With Tom Brown playing a likeable country lad, and George Meeker, the city “smart man,” as the leading contestants for Miss Hunt’s hand, the picture follows the erratic course of love. Jane gets involved in the romance when she takes time off from her uproarious feud with Jackie Searle to help Tom Brown discredit Meeker. Their tactics involve breaking up an old-fashioned lawn party with a deluge of insects, and other stunts that are bound to earn them trouble and dislike. Some of her plans miscarry, with ludicrous and embarrassing results. But in the end Jane proves herself right about Meeker, and succeeds in getting rid of him. The climax of the picture is devoted to a hilarious chase that winds up with Tom Brown and Miss Hunt at the altar, and Jane taking the credit for it all. The excellent cast of leading players is supported by Harry Holman, delightful as Jane’s grumpy grandfather; Francis Ford, in another of his inimitable character roles, and Hattie McDaniels. But the picture belongs to Jane from the time she determines to have her Aunt Julia married until the final, scene, when she holds down the “villain” while the ceremony goes on. The film is grand entertainment for young and old. There is an excellent and varied supporting programme.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. “A NIGHT AT THE OPERA.” THE MARX BROTHERS. The Marx Brothers ruin an opera, in their latest concoction of farce, ‘A Night in the Opera,” which begins a season at the Majestic Theatre to-day. The picture is built around an interesting story and some truly brilliant singing by two Broadway stage favourites, Kitty Carlisle and Allan Jones. The action romps along at a sprightly pace as Groucho, Chico, and Harpo go into the grand opera business in Italy, dash across the Atlantic, and stage an opera in New York. Otis B. Driftwood, business manager for Mrs Claypool, a wealthy widow travelling in Milan, hopes to marry her. He has promised to introduce her into society and as a first step he presents Gottlieb, who is director of the New York Opera Company and who persuades her to invest two hundred thousand dollars in the company. He then signs up Rodolfo Lasspari, who is considered the world’s leading tenor. Ricardo Baroni, who has been singing minor parts in the same company, really has a better voice, but has never had a chance to prove what he can do. Both he and Lasspari are in love with Rosa Castaldi, the pretty young soprano, but she loves only Ricardo and has great hopes for his voice. Tomasso, Lassparri’s dresser, hates his employer, who beats him, but he is very fond of Rosa and Ricardo. Another person interested in Ricardo is Fiorello, who used to study music with him. Lasspari fixes it so that Gottlieb signs Rosa too, and they all embark for New York. Ricardo bids Rosa a fond farewell and then he and Fiorello and Tomasso stow away in Driftwood’s trunk. It is not long before they are recognized as stowaways. There are three bearded Greek aviators on board, who are famous all over the world because of their daring exploits, the three stowaways enter their cabin, dress in the aviators’ clothes and paste on their beards. Subsequently the real aviators are found and when an immigration authority is sent out to capture Fiorello, Tomasso «and Ricardo, they take refuge in Driftwood’s hotel room. From this stage the fun is fast and furious, and the picture reaches a climax with the brilliant singing of Kitty Carlisle and Allan Jones.

REGENT THEATRE. “THE TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE.” FILMED IN NATURAL COLOURS. The promise of something unusual and outstanding was more than fulfilled at the Regent Theatre yesterday when capacity audiences marvelled at the beauty of “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine” and thrilled at the splendid entertainment that it offered. For the first time truly natural colours are seen on the screen. The glorious vistas of the high Sierra Mountains, with their pine forests, their golden autumn foliage, and their mirror-like blue lakes achieve a memorable, a tireless beauty. There is none of that curious fogging which used to beset colour photography in the old days. The whole production is as near to nature as it possibly can be. But “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine” is much more than a scenic film decked out with a wisp of a plot. The simple story, by John Fox, jun., is dramatic. It has sympathy and it has been endowed with a rare delicacy in the acting of the whole cast. Miss Sylvia Sidney in the leading feminine role has never before given a performance to touch this one, nor has she ever looked so charmingly young and captivating. The spirit of the woodland seems to have entered into her personality. Indeed, -she is the ideal June Tolliver, coquettish, loyal and fierce. Fred McMurray and Henry Fonda are also perfectly cast as the young engineer and the handsome country lad respectively. Beulah Bondi brings to Aunt Melissa, selfless and prematurely aged by hard work, a tenderness of expression which is beautiful and rare, and Nigel Bruce has a part that is eminently suited to his flair for quiet comedy. Little Spanky McFarland represents the very essence of childhood’s wide-eyed outlook on the world. The story may not adhere strictly to the book, but it is near enough to please the most fastidious picture patron. The plot needs little retelling. It concerns the feud between the Tollivers and the Falins, who have hated one another and killed on sight for nearly 50 years, until the feud has become a religion. Into this world of fanaticism comes Jack Hale, an engineer, who wants to exploit a coal deposit in the hills, which are practically owned by the two families. He at last gets the consent of the two parties. June Tolliver falls in love with Hale, just as the boy Dave, who has been adopted by the Tollivers, is in love with her. June wishes to learn to read and write like the people in the towns, and matters come to a head when Hale gives her a lift in his buggy into Gaptewn, his action being misinterpreted by Dave, who goes after Hale. He is waylaid by the Falins, however, and the feudal hate breaks out afresh in a terrific fight. Reprisals follow, and when the Falins blow up a bridge little Buddie Tolliver is killed. This brings the film to an interesting climax, in which all ends happily. The supporting programme is an excellent one, a short film dealing with the collie dog being of particular interest. There are also two newsreels and a delightful coloured symphony _ entitled “Somewhere in Dreamland.” The box plans for the season are at H. and J. Smith’s, Rice’s Regent shop and the theatre. ST. JAMES, GORE. “CAPTAIN JANUARY.” Shirley Temple will again cast her spell on Gore audiences in “Captain January,” which comes to-day to the St. James Theatre, Gore. Shirley plays the part of the orphan daughter of an opera singer, lost in a wreck off the rocky Maine coast, where Shirley, who was washed ashore when a baby, is given a home by Guy Kibbee, a light-

house keeper. As a merry, light-hearted child of six she is the old man’s sole light and joy in his old age. Slim Summerville, as the captain’s companion, aids in the upbringing of the child, “Star,” as she is known. The dramatic episodes surround the efforts of a truant officer (a typical Sarah Haden part) to take “Star” away from Kibbee and place her in a school, and the subsequent loss by Kibbee of his job as lighthouse tender. The climax is a per-fectly-timed one. One has almost given up hope for “Star” in the hands of the truant officer when a delightful turn of events leads to her rescue, and the end could not have been more delightful, although it differs here from the book. REGENT THEATRE, GORE. DOUBLE-FEATURE PROGRAMME. Two enjoyable pictures will be shown at the Regent Theatre, Gore, to-night and on Monday. Betty Balfour, who won fame in silent films with her series of Squibs impersonations, is the star of a new presentation of this popular subject. The new talking picture version of “Squibs” is based upon the old stories, but it is a new and more spectacular Squibs that picture-goers will see. Catchy songs, elaborate sets and dance ensembles have been added to the human story of the little cockney flower seller. “Love Before Breakfast,” starring Carole Lombard, is full of hearty laughs. The ocean sequences are irresistible, with more laughs than there are toots in a steamboat whistle. The battle in the night club is a scream for those who like lheir comedy “with a sock” in it. This afternoon at the matinee, “Squibs” will be screened; also chapter eight of the serial, “The Roaring West,” cartoons, etc. EMPIRE PICTURES, RIVERTON. “Circus Clown,” starring Joe E. Brown, will be screened at Riverton to-night. This picture is full of thrills from start to finish. It also features “The Flyfeig Codonas” (amazing “aerialists”), “Poodles Hanneford,” “The Picchiani Family” (equestrian troupe) and “Namie Ward” (a sensational trapeze artist).