ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 22994, 14 September 1936, Page 12

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE JANE WITHERS IN “GENTLE JULIA” Audiences at the State Theatre on Saturday saw an exhilarating romantic comedy—and. Shirley Temple's most serious screen rival. The romantic comedy was provided by “Gentle Julia,” the screen version of Booth Larkington’s famous book, and Jane Withers, the young star of the picture, revealed herself as one who will make Shirley Temple look to her laurels. As a lovable little vixen who turns her hand to patching up a romance, the irrepressible Jane Withers is seen at her best. A drowsy, homely town in Indiana is the scene of the picture, but underneath its sleepy surface it seethes with excitement over the romances of flirtatious Marsha Hunt and the pranks of Jane Withers. With Tom Brown playing a likeable country lad and George Meeker the suave city “bad-man,” the picture follows the erratic course of love. Jane Withers becomes involved in the romance when she relaxes from her uproarious feud with Jackie Searle —the “bad boy” of Our Gang comedies—to help Tom Brown to discredit the villain. The villain is attempting, in time-honoured villainous fashion, to win Marsha Hunt for her money. His attempts are nearly successful, but Jane Withers’s frustration tactics are not without merit. She breaks up a garden party with a deluge of insects, writes anonymous letters and even descends to blackmail. The climax is devoted to an hilarious chase that winds up with George Meeker being foiled on the altar steps and Tom Brown taking his place. Those who find pleasure in quiet laughter should ont miss “Gentle Julia,” and those who desire an interesting insight into the news of the world will find much entertaining information in the supporting programme. Two cheerful comedies add to the lighter side of the first half. MAJESTIC THEATRE. “A NIGHT AT THE OPERA” Possibly there- are some people who are not admirers of the Marx Brothers, but that these are in the minority was proved by the large and enthusiastic audience which did not fail to be amused by the ridiculous fooling of these three clever comedians in their latest production “A Night At The Opera” which was presented at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday evening. Teams have become very popular in motion picture production and among the most successful must be placed the Marx Brothers. They can ape the musician, the circus clown and the hero of adventure with such ease and zest that they cannot fail to provoke roars of laughter. As a background for their hilarity, “A Night At The Opera” has quite an interesting story with swiftlymoving scenes, some laid in Italy, others aboard a trans-Atlantic liner, some of the streets of New York, and, yet others in the Metropolitan Opera House. The theme of the picture is the action of the three brothers—Groucho, Harpo and Chico —in going in for the grand opera business in Italy. Then follows their mad dash across the Atlantic as stowaways, and their ultimate arrival in America in the most novel circumstances. Groucho hustles his way through the film as Otis B. Driftwood, business manager for Mrs Claypool, a wealthy widow and patroness of opera. Harpo is first discovered as the dresser of a particularly detestable singer, and Chico becomes the self-appointed manager for a promising tenor, who is in love with a beautiful soprano. Witty dialogue and drollery are combined with glorious operatic arias in which one is allowed only a moment of operatic thrill before some side-splitting diversion occurs. Supporting the Marxes, in addition to Allan Jones and Kitty Carlisle, who are cast as the young lovers, are Walter King, also in a singing role; Seigfried Rumann, Margaret Dumont, Edward Keane, and Robert Emmet O’Connor. An enjoyable supporting programme includes a travelogue in colour of life in Tokyo, a “Chic” Sale comedy entitled “Important News,” and news reels featuring the Test match between the All Blacks and Australia at Wellington. REGENT THEATRE. “THE TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE.” GLORIOUS NATURAL COLOUR FILM. Filmed entirely in natural colours and hailed by overseas critics as one of the most outstanding pictures to come from the Paramount Studios, "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine,” which was shown to a large audience at the Regent Theatre on Saturda.v night, deserves fully the rich praise that it has been given by those who have seen it. In this simple, but dramatic, story of the Old West, natural’ colours are seen. Colour is never'predominant in the film and there is no harshness of tone. So imperceptible is the changing of scenery and season that the attention of the audience is never distracted from the story. The story is set in the high Sierra Mountains, with their mirror-like lakes, pine forests and delightful rustic landscapes. The story is western without tire customary .exaggerated characters of the average pictures of the west. It deals with the feud between the Tollivers and the Falins, who have hated one another and killed on sight for almost half a century until the feud has become, not merely an obsession, but a religion. Into this struggle between the conflicting families comes Jack Hale, an engineer who, desiring to exploit a coal deposit in the hills, obtains the consent of the two families, who own practically all the country. June Tolliver falls in love with Hale just as the boy Dave, who has been adopted by the Tollivers, is also in love with her. Inspired by a suggestion of Hale’s, June decides to educate herself so that she may read and write after the manner of other people, and Hale gives her a lift in his buggy to Gaptown. Up to this stage, Hale has not shown that he reciprocated the girl’s affections, but his actions are misinterpreted by Dave who, on learning of June’s departure, sets out after Hale. Rumour of his approach spreads rapidly and the Falins waylay the adopted son of the Tollivers and the feudal hate breaks out afresh in a terrific fight, in which Hale joins against the Falins. On his return to the engineering camp Hale finds his headquarters in flames. A new camp is erected, however, and the railroad appears. The Falins strike again and blow up a bridge, resulting in the death of little Buddy Tolliver. Following this pathetic incident, Dave again goes on the warpath and the film reaches an interesting climax. The acting of the entire cast in this story is good. Fred Mac Murray is admirably cast as the tall young engineer and Henry Fonda, as the handsome country lad, fills his role capably. Sylvia Sidney, in the leading feminine role, has never before given a performance to equal this one nor has she ever looked so charmingly young and captivating. The supporting programme, too, is excellent. There are two Paramount newsreels, a short film

dealing with collie dogs and a delightful coloured symphony entitled “Somewhere In Dreamland.” CIVIC THEATRE. DOUBLE FEATURE BILL. Delightful singing, rich comedy and stirring drama are the ingredients i which go to make the success of the double feature programme which evened at the Civic Theatre on Saturl day. The main feature is “My Heart Is Calling.” starring Jan Kiapura and Sonnie Hale. The outstanding impression left by this picture is one of beauty. Beauty'of music, vocal and instrumental: beauty of personality and graceful self-expression; beauty of scene. The line voice of Jan Hiepuia was never used to better advantage in a popular number than in the theme song “My Heart is Calling You,” while his singing of “You, Me and Love” has assuredly established world-wide popularity for an attractive song. In Marta Eggerth, Gaumont-British has given the picture-going public another accomplished actress for which the screen is the better. 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. On the lonely island of Resolution plain Albert Brown, A. 8., fought the fight of his life putting plenty of resolution into his singlehanded 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 wellknown novel of the same name and produced with remarkably extensive co-operation on the part of the 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” (Jimmy 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..