ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 23379, 10 December 1937, Page 13

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE OUTSTANDING PROGRAMME FINALLY “Craig’s Wife,” the Pulitzer . Prize play featuring Rosalind Russell and John Boles, and “Escape From Devil’s Island,” with Victor Jory and Norman Foster, will be shown for the last time at the Majestic today. JEAN HARLOW’S LAST FILM “SARATOGA” TOMORROW Thrills, laughs, drama and romance mingle in a cross-section of American racing life in “Saratoga,” Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer’s drama of the turf which brings Clark Gable and Jean Harlow to the Majestic Theatre tomorrow. Written by the authors of “San Francisco,” Anita Loos arid Robert Hopkins, it is full of thrills, such as the great race that is a main part of the story. Miss Harlow and Gable hate, fight and finally love in a romance now whimsical comedy, now tense drama. Jack Conway’s direction is as skilful as it was in “Libelled Lady,” and Lionel Barrymore contributes one of his outstanding characterizations as 'the old racehorse breeder. “Saratoga” tells the story of the daughter of a rich horse owner and a bookmaker, her father’s friend, whom she hates and fights, then loves. Intrigues over “ringing” bets, plot and counterplot behind the scenes in the paddock, and finally the sensational racing climax worked out on a new dramatic twist, keep the picture packed with action. Against this action the romantic story is developed. Una Merkel and Frank Morgan appear as a new and very hilarious comedy team, Walter Pidgeon plays a fine part, and Cliff Edwards adds laughs and a song. George Zucco, Jonathan Hale, Hattie McDaniels, Frankie Darro and Henry Stone are among the principals. Location sequences filmed at race-tracks and the great stock farm are among spectacular details of the story. An “Our Gang” comedy, Pete Smith Sports Slant, Travelogue, Metrotone and Cinesound News make up an excellent programme. Plans are on view at H. and J. Smith’s and Rice’s Majestic sweet shop. REGENT THEATRE “BRIDES ARE LIKE THAT” “DRAEGERMAN COURAGE” “Draegerman Courage” is the title of the exciting and dramatic Warner Brothers’ production which heads the current programme at the Regent Theatre. Set against the background of a Western American gold-mining town, the film concerns the activities of Andre Beaupre, who is in charge of the rescue operations. The title is taken from the name of the German scientist, Dr Draeger, who invented rescue equipment that has minimized losses of life in mine disasters. Barton Mac Lane takes the role of the “Draegerman” Andre Beaupre. The second full-length production is “Brides Are Like That,” based on the paly, “Applesauce,” by Barry Conners, which was one of the hits of the stage. It carries a unique and most unusual plot, and concerns the love affair of a presentable young college man with a great gift of flattery, but who much prefers sponging on his uncle to doing any hard work. There is an exceptionally talented cast which is headed by Ross Alexander, Anita Louise, Joseph Cawthom, Gene and Kathleen Lockhart and Richard Purcell. GAY CONTINENTAL COMEDY A new star, with a genius for quiet comedy and fast romance, has appeared. He is Fernand Gravet, screen idol of the Continent, whose first American picture, “Romance in Paris,” opens at the Regent Theatre tomorrow. His fame abroad is understandable after seeing this picture. He is handsome, tall, darkhaired, broad-shouldered and thoroughly masculine. He has a warm and friendly personality and an excellent speaking and singing voice. In “Romance in Paris” Mervyn Leßoy’s first picture as a producer for Warner Bros., M. Gravet plays the role of a wealthy, spendthrift former king Alfred VII, who falls madly in love with an independent little American chorus girl, portrayed by Joan Blondell. The king loves the chorus girl, she turns up her nose at him, and the merry mad fun is on. Edward Everett Horton is magnificently humorous as the worried uncle of the profligate king. Norman Krasna, author of several screen hits, and Groucho Marx, the comedian, wrote the script. Combine all that with the masterful direction of Mervyn Leßoy and the result is grand entertainment. CIVIC THEATRE “WINDBAG THE SAILOR” STANLEY HOLLOWAY AND VAUDEVILLE STARS The tremendous popularity of the comic school master Will Hays and his company of comedians on radio and screen makes all his offerings successful. Laughter is the keynote of his great success. His picture “Windbag the Sailor” is funny in quite a different way and the big crowds which assemble to see it wherever shown get their full quota of laughs. There is comic adventure as Will Hays and his merry company are wrecked and cast up on a cannibal isle. It is a Will Hays picture and the comedy is typical of him. “Windbag the Sailor” begins its season in conjunction with a splendid musical vaudeville film “In Town Tonight” featuring an all-star cast of English vaudeville stars. The cast of this musical revue looks like the “who’s who” of vaudeville and radio. Firstly Stanley Holloway, then Arthur Prince and Jim, the world’s most famous ventriloquial act, Dave Apollan and his band, Keller Hall, the Dynamites, the Three Radio Rogues, the Seven Thunderbolts. Howard Jacobs, Tassa Deane, and a host of dancing acts, acrobatics and vaudeville artists —all British and all well known in England.

This forms an associate feature on the programme presented tonight at the Civic Theatre at popular prices.

STATE THEATRE

“WAIKIKI WEDDING”

BING CROSBY AMID PALMS

Music, romance, laughter and a spice of adventure in a setting of moonlit seas and tropical palms—this is “Waikiki Wedding,” a joyously carefree entertainment which is now screening at the State Theatre. Its huge cast is headed by Bing Crosby, Shirley Ross. Bob Burns and Martha Raye. Hollywood has gone with striking success to Hawaiian shores as the scene of a musical comedy with an original twist— Hawaii with its modern city life on the one hand and its traditional native life on the other. It was a happy choice, this land of a musical people, and the themes of the film’s abundant music are the dreamy love tunes and rhythmic dances characteristic of its people. And so the film takes a turn for the good away from the stereotyped and

finds "freshness in fresh fields. It bubbles with fun—the wistful boyishness of Birig Crosby, the slow-drawled, dry wit of Bob Burns, and the exuberant, violent antics of Martha Raye. Crosby, in the role of a Press agent, arranges an Hawaiian holiday for Miss Ross, winner of a competition organized by his employers. Miss Ross, however, is dissatisfied, and threatens to return home. Realizing this would ruin his campaign, Crosby takes it upon himself to make Waikiki glamorous. This he does with a vengeance. He falls in love with Miss Ross in the process, and when she discovers that Crosby had tricked her she is heart-broken. Then Crosby has to win her back all over again, and the way in which he does this furnishes some genuine high comedy. The photography is beautiful and there are a number of native ceremonial dances which, it is said, will be long remembered. In particular there is a native wedding and a barbaric drum dance performed by Miri Rei, the Tahitian dancer who proved the sensation of the Ziegfeld Follies several years ago, which, it is claimed, can be classed among the most effective motion picture scenes captured by the camera. The music includes “Blue Hawaii,” “Sweet Is the Word for You,” “In a Little Hula Heaven” and “Okolehao,” by the celebrated pair, Robin and Rainger. Included in the fine supporting programme is the latest Popeye the Sailor cartoon.

THEATRE ROYAL, WINTON

Fredric Marsh has given the screen some wonderful portrayals in the past but never has he risen to such heights as in the title role of “Anthony Adverse.” His Anthony is a living, breathing person, stepping out of a book into real life on the screen. “Anthony Adverse” is a dynamic production, filmed on a colossal scale from the famous novel by Hervey Allen. Fredric Marsh has the leading role, while others in the cast include Olivia de Havilland, Edmund Gwenn, Claude Rains, Anita Lousie, Louis Hayward, Gale Sondergaard, Billy Mauch, Donald Woods and Henry O’Neill.