ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 23499, 4 May 1938, Page 13

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “THE GENTLEMAN FROM LOUISIANA’’ Packed with thrills, laughter, glamour and surprises, Republic Pictures’ “The Gentleman From Louisiana,” co-star-ring Eddie Quillan and Charlotte Henry, opens at the Majestic Theatre today. Laid against a background of New Orleans, New York, Epsom Downs and Saratoga, this Jerry Chod-oroy-Bert Grant story has been faithfully transferred to the screen by Irving Pichel, director, actor and writer In the role of a Southern charmer, Charlotte Henry of “Alice in Wonderland” fame, blossoms into beautiful womanhood. There will be no more childish roles for her after this. She appears opposite Eddie Quillan, who drops his usual comedy mantle for a handsome love-stricken swain. Another surprise is “Chic” Sale, usually associated with sympathetic historical characters. In “The Gentleman From Louisiana” he plays the role of a race tout who worms himself into others confidences by posing as a Deacon — further proof of this actor’s amazing versatility. “The Gentleman From Louisiana” is the story of the sensational “kingpin” of all jockeys—Tod Sloan—the best jockey that ever threw a race, and how he double-crossed the girl he loved—because he loved her, and then staged a comeback in a bloodtingling, pulse-racing, whirlwind finish. “Diamond Jim” Brady, Lilian Russell, Steve Brody, all parading past the cameras again, ripping the lid off the inside story of the sport of kings, with Eddie Quillan and Charlotte Henry riding to romance with the matchless drama of Derby Day! Get ready for a swift-moving comedy about the funny things that can happen in a radio station. The picture is Universal’s romantic laugh provoker, “Behind the Mike,” which is the associate picture. Latest Universal News will also be shown. Plans are at H. and J. Smiths’ or Rice’s Majestic shop. Telephone 738. CIVIC THEATRE TWO BIG FEATURES CONCLUDE TONIGHT The Civic Theatre concludes its mid-week bargain-price programme tonight. There are two big feature pictures on the bill, the first being Darryl Zanuck’s dynamic drama of modern America, “Show Them No Mercy.” This is a gripping story’ of a nation’s war on crime, interspersed with moments of hilarious comedy and tender romance. Rochelle Hudson is teamed romantically with Edward Norris, while Bruce Cabot and Cesar Romero are prominently cast as leaders of the outlaws. When the heroine and her husband blunder in on the hideout of criminals waiting for the alarm of their crime to blow over, they become prisoners. Their "captors force the husband to pass some “hot” money and discover it is marked. As the net of the department of justice closes about them they become terror-stricken and the powerful climax reveals how a gentle girl can become a killer in defence of those she loves. Hundreds of feet of short realistic scenes, gleaned from the work of hundreds of newsreel men, were used for the crime and war scenes. These slices of actual' life show police at work, police cars in screaming pursuit, underworld raids, newspaper offices working at full speed, aeroplane views, trains in motion—everything that contributes to the excitement of a film. With the combined talents of playwright and technical expert, the producer has combined these into a series of impressions that contribute terrific force to the man hunt. The second feature is a thrilling comedy-romance introducing Paul Cavanagh as one of the most charming and dashing rogues ever created.

REGENT THEATRE “MY DEAR MISS ALDRICH” “Annie Laurie,” Laurel and Hardy in “A Perfect Day,” Pete Smith telling the “Romance of Radium,” and “My Dear Miss Aldrich,” make a very bright and attractive programme at the Regent. Whatever your views as to the equality of men and women in the world outside the home, “My Dear Miss Aldrich” will amuse you. It makes no effort to instruct./ Produced at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, this clever comedy features Edna May Oliver, Maureen O’Sullivan and Walter Pidgeon, formerly of Broadway. “My Dear Miss Aldrich” was directed by George Seitz. The cast is uniformly good. Edna May Oliver, as a puzzle addict, is seen in the most amusing role of her career. Others who score include J. Farrell MacDonald as a city editor; Janet Beecher as a militant feminist; Rita Johnston, Roger Converse, Brent Sargent, Charles Waldron, Guinn Williams and Paul Harvey. Miss O’Sullivan portrays a school teacher who inherits a newspaper and straightway arrives to assume command. Pidgeon is the managing editor, so opposed to women in business life that he refuses even to hire a girl reporter on his staff. That is the situation. It goes without saying that the new owner not only proves her ability as a newspaper woman but works her way into the heart of the hard-boiled managing editor. It is first-rate comedy entertainment and the audience was highly enthusiastic. DEANNA DURBIN COMING ON FRIDAY “Mad About Music” is proving to.be the most popular of Deanna Durbin s pictures and in the cities has broken all attendance records, bettering even the staggering figures put up by such outstanding pictures,.as “Maytime,” “Rose Marie” and other big successes. Deanna Durbin has certainly captured ( the hearts of picture-goers. . In. Mad About Music” Miss Durbin is presented with a fine cast of players, which includes Herbert Marshall, Gail Patrick and Arthur Treacher. The story of the film is a simple but appealing one. It concerns a little girl in a Swiss girls’ school, separated from her mother, a film star. She invents a father to boast about at school, and when challenged to produce him, she “adopts” a travelling bachelor (Marshall). He falls in with this mild deception, but when he leaves Switzerland she follows him on the train. When they reach the big city Deanna tries to get an interview with her mother, but finds difficulty. Finally, in a pleasant climax, the three characters are umted. The singing in the film is its main attraction, one of the best numbers being Gounod’s “Ave Maria,” in which Deanna sings with the Viennese Boys Choir. She also presents several popular numbers, the most appealing of which is “I Love to Whistle,” a tune that is becoming more and more, widely known in the city. “Mad About Music” is a fitting sequel to the two brilliant successes, “Three Smart ,Girls and “100 Men and a Girl,” in which Deanna scored outstanding triumphs. There is p’enty of gay comedy in the present film, and the photography and settings are excellent. The supporting programme is fully in keeping with the

mam attraction. The box plans are at H. and J. Smith’s, Rice’s Regent rhop, and the theatre.

STATE THEATRE “CREDO” AT 2 O’CLOCK TODAY CATHOLIC CELEBRATIONS “Credo,” the eagerly-awaited graphic pictorial record of the historic celebrations which marked the centenary of the Catholic Church in New Zealand, commences at the State Theatre at 2 p.m. today. The evening performance at 7.45 will be, preceded by St. Catharine’s Girls’ Choir on the stage. The significance of the celebrations is emphasized in a manner which would be difficult with mere words, and personal glimpses, and in many instances, brief remarks, of the more prominent members of the Catholic hierarchy in New Zealand and overseas who were present form an excellent introduction to the film. The stirring scenes of devotion, commencing with the solemn pontifical Mass which opened the celebrations and concluding with the largescale presentation of the religious drama, “Credo,” have all been made the subject of expert camera work and sound technique, and the result is a panorama of inspiring magnificence which brings vividly to the eye the great witness of faith made by thousands of New Zealand Catholics. The procession of the sacred host through the streets of the city, the huge Masses for men and women at the specially equipped Western Springs stadium, the special children’s Mass in the open air, which was attended by many thousands of young people, are all included in this record. For a time the scene of the film shifts from the Queen City to Hokiahga, where tributes were paid to the memory of Thomas and Mary Poynton, who were instrumental in having the first Catholic missionary, Bishop Pompallier, sent out to the then struggling colony of New Zealand. A touch of picturesque colour is given to the film by the participation in it of the representatives of the Maori race who took so large a part in the celebrations in North Auckland. The “Credo” play is a vividly conceived production that finds excellent reproduction on the screen. The supporting picture is a delightfully refreshing comedy, “Love On A Budget,” starring America’s famous family of funsters, The Jones Family. As this programme screens for two days only, a great demand is being made for reservations from all parts of Southland, and patrons are sincerely recommended to book immediately at Begg’s or the State Theatre. Telephone 645.

THE EMPIRE, RIVERTON The screen offering at the Empire, Riverton, tonight, “She’s Dangerous,” features Tala Birell as the “dangerous” female of the species. She sets a trap for a gang that has stolen a large sum of money. When the net closes Tala herself is caught in the snare. Dramatic dynamite lets go with a roar when a dangerous woman double-crosses destiny within the grim walls of the death chamber. It is an amazing story of astounding vengeance.