ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 23512, 19 May 1938, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE “DOUBLE OR NOTHING” “Double or Nothing,” which opened at the Regent Theatre yesterday is best described as a comedy musical of the sort bound to please Bing Crosby fans and all who enjoy the lighter and more humorous side of film fare, for it is well produced and includes acts, adagio dance, freak pantomime, and many songs. The story is slight but it is rich in material with both new and old faces to add to the enjoyment, while Bing’s romance with Mary Carlisle at her best gives an agreeable fillip to the fun. In addition there is a “Sing Band’ consisting of thirty voices which accompanies the orchestral numbers, something novel and entertaining. A cranky will leaves a fortune to the first of four people successful in doubling a legacy of five thousand dollars within thirty days. Naturally relations try to prevent success, Samuel Hinds being chief sinner in this respect while appearing a cultured gentleman, fortune going >:o him if the four cannot succeed in doubling the money. The four are selected from finders of scattered hundreddollar bills honest enough to return the bills. Martha Raye is an old strip tease artist who constantly reverts to her act unconsciously, producing great laughter. Benny Baker and Andy Devine are well up in the comedy line, Andy in a novel golf sequence making a try for the prize. The chief amusement results from the efforts of the four people to add to their capital of five thousand dollars, some of the ideas being highly diverting and original. Bing’s night club pulls it off eventually though he has the whole of Hinds’s family scheming against him, even Mary Carlisle who, while her heart is the crooner’s, is loyal to her father. A water carnival introduces novel and brilliant effects with fountains and a canoe ballet. MAJESTIC THEATRE TWO EXCITING THRILLERS Columbia’s thrilling story of the motor-racing track, “Speed to Spare,” featuring Charles Quigley, Dorothy Wilson and Eddie Nugent and “Carnival Queen” a carnival and circus play featuring Robert Wilcox and Dorothea Kent will conclude at the Majestic today. HOPALONG CASSIDY TOMORROW “TEXAS TRAIL” Those three buddies of the range, Hopalong Cassidy, Windy Halliday and Lucky Jenkins, bring a new exciting adventure story to the screen in Paramount’s “Texas Trail,” which comes tomorrow to the Majestic Theatre. This new Hopalong story is built around Cassidy’s effort to round up a herd of wild horses for the Army during the Spanish American War, while a gang of rustlers try to stop his attempt. How he outwits the rustlers and brings his mission to a successful close makes one of the most thrilling yams ever depicted by this favourite Western character. William Boyd, George Hayes, Russell Hayden and Judith Allen are in the cast; while Dave Sellman directed the picture. “Night Club Scandal,” which appears next as the associate feature at the Majestic Theatre presents John Barrymore as a successful physician who murders his wife and Lynne Over man and Charles Bickford as the reporter and detective who run him down. The picture tells a fast and furious tale of the attempt as a “perfect crime” and how the tenacity of the sister of a falsely accused man and the intelligence of an alert reporter bring the attempt to failure. The film was directed by Ralph Murphy for Paramount. This picture will not be screened at the matinees, but a special programme of shorts will be presented. “Popeye the Sailor,” Betty Boop cartoons, a comedy, sports thrill and “Radio Patrol” serial will support “Texas Trail.” Plans are on view at H. and J. Smith’s and Rice’s Theatre Shop. Telephone 738.

STATE THEATRE 10.30 P.M. SESSION TONIGHT BOBBY BREEN’S NEWEST The British technicolour film, “Wings of the Morning,” starring Annabella, John McCormack, Henry Fonda and Leslie Banks, screens finally at the State Theatre at 2 and 7.45 p.m. today. A special gala premiere screening of Bobby Breen’s latest musical, “Make a Wish” will commence at 10.30 tonight, concluding at midnight. All the elements of a thoroughly entertaining motion picture are combined in Bobby Breen’s new musical starring vehicle, “Make a Wish,” the principal production for RKO Radio release. Foremost among its attractions is the sweetly tender voice of young Bobby himself, who sings several numbers written specially for the picture by Oscar Strauss, noted Viennese composer. Another Strauss song is sung by the lovely Marion Claire, radio vocal star, who makes her screen debut in this production. A new Basil Rathbone, essaying his first completely romantic screen role, shares the love interest with Miss Claire, though their romance is complicated by the fact that the young lady is engaged to Ralph Forbes. The strong comedy element in much of the story is in the capable hands of a large group of popular comedians, the explosive Henry Armetta, Leon Errol, Donald Meek and Leonid Kinskey. “Make a Wish” was directed by Kurt Neumann, who has been in charge of the filming of all Breen pictures. The original was written by Gertrude Berg, author, director, and leading player in “The Rise of the Goldbergs” and “House of Glass,” two of radio’s most popular serials. One of the best supporting programmes ever presented at the State includes the first of the 1938 series of “March of Time,” featuring “War in China.” The first of Walt Disney's 1938 Mickey Mouse series, “Hawaiian Holiday” will also be screened. REGENT THEATRE, GORE For the first time in the history of a Gore theatre a Hollywood star is to appear in person on the stage and on the same programme appear as the star of the principal film presentation. Caesar, the world-famous Hollywood dog star, who packed the St. James Theatre, Auckland, to capacity for four weeks, the St. James Theatre, Wellington, for three weeks, the Majestic Theatre, Christchurch, for two weeks and had a successful season at both Dunedin and Invercargill will open his Gore two-day season at the Regent Theatre today In addition to his stage performance Caesar makes an appearance in “Trailing The Killer,” of which he is the star. Also showing is “Headline Woman.” ST. JAMES, GORE The equality of women gets better than an even break in “My Dear Miss Aldrich,” the amusing comedy which Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer provides at the St. James Theatre, Gore, today. With Edna May Oliver, Maureen O’Sullivan and Walter Pidgeon topping a first-rate cast, this picture ranks as one of the better

laugh films. It tells the story of a school teacher who inherits a newspaper. The managing editor, strong in the belief that no woman is fitted for work beyond the home, attempts to block her at every turn until, of course, he falls in love with her. Miss O’Sullivan has just been selected as co-star with Robert Taylor in London in “A Yank at Oxford.” Pidgeon, in reward for his excellent acting, has been signed to a long-term Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer concern. Every member of the cast excels in his respective role. SECOND COMMUNITY SING BRIGHT PROGRAMME FOR TONIGHT A bright entertainment has been arranged for the second community sing of the season at the Civic Theatre tonight in aid of the Mayor’s Relief Fund and the Plunket Society. Since their beginning last season, the community sings have been extremely popular with the public and a very big sum of money has been raised for charitable objects. The leaders of the sings, Messrs Charles Trim and P. Linton Hodge, have begun their second season with an abundance of new ideas for items of particular appeal and features which will prove most novel and enjoyable are promised for the succeeding concerts. Tonight’s programme is a very full one with items by the sing leaders, Miss Kathleen Derbie and her pupils, Messrs Howard Moody and Rutherford, with a surprise item calculated to cause much amusement. Day sale tickets may be bought at Matheson’s. REPERTORY SOCIETY’S PRODUCTION “SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER” Since its foundation some years ago the Invercargill Repertory Society has by the general standard of its work gained encouraging support from the Invercargill public. This support has encouraged the society to present Oliver Goldsmith’s famous comedy for a season of five nights, beginning next Saturday in the Victoria Hall. “She Stoops To Conquer” is notable for its style, its humour and its dramatic power and for that reason has remained a favourite since it was first produced in 1773. The heroine of the play, Kate Hardcastle, is a part which gives Miss Pat McCarthy full scope for her talents. She will be remembered for her work in “Sixteen” last year. The chief male character, Tony Lumpkin, is in the capable hands of Mr E. G. F. Furby. Tony’s high spirits and ringing heartiness are infectious, but at the same time he has a streak of cunning in his make-up and is responsible for involving his mother and her household in many amusing situations. Mr G. C. Dunn will be seen as Squire Hardcastle. The squire is a portrait of a fine old English gentleman with his love of everything old, not even excepting an old wife who still affects to be young and fashionable. The part of Mrs Hardcastle will be played by Miss Beth Manson. Her ward. Miss Neville, gives Miss Beth Hoyles a fine part and one which she exploits to the utmost. Mr A. McCarthy will be seen as Sir Charles Marlow, and Mr G. Williams as his son. Mr D. A. Highet has the part of Hastings, a friend of Marlows. It is these two, Hastings and young Marlow, who mistake Mr Hardcastle for a landlord and his house for an inn and so open the amusing series of errors. Other parts are taken by Mr L. B. Smith, Mr P. Nichol and Miss Marjorie Fitzgerald.