ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 23734, 4 February 1939, Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE “WE’RE GOING TO BE RICH” ■With its locale “down under,” as the players term Melbourne, “We’re Going to be Rich,” which screens at the State Theatre daily at 2.0 and 8.0 p.m., will introduce England’s favourite commedienne, Gracie Fields, with two hardfisted champions battling for her favours, Victor McLaglen and Brian Donlevy, in a fast-moving, exciting tale of the gold-rush days of Australia’s eighties. With McLaglen in his finest role yet as a somewhat irresponsible devotee of the “get-rich-quick” idea of getting on in the world, and with Gracie Fields as his devoted showgirl wife, “We’re Going to be Rich” presents a broad lusty story of life on the goldfields. These two stars are set in two points of a triangle, which is completed by Brian Donlevy in the principal featured role. Life in the eighties in Australia and South Africa is vividly paraded before the audience to the accompaniment of six new song hits and a stirring “trek” song of the veldt territory. The film opens fast and maintains its stirring tempo until a smashing climax. Gracie Fields, hailed by no less a showman than C. B. Cochran, has a quality in her work that transcends all barriers of race, class and country. The most popular of British radio, screen and variety stars today, she sings her way through a long list of sparkling numbers in this film, including “Walter, Walter,” “Ee, by Gum,” “Two Little Lambs,” “There’s a Tavern in the Town,” and “The Sweetest Song in the World.” A specially selected supporting programme includes the Fox Movietone special showing the huge loss of life and property in the Victorian bush fires. This short shows appalling scenes of flame and destruction as Victoria is ravaged in the worst disaster in Australia’s history. Box plans are at Begg’s or thp State Theatre, telephone 645. “SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” begins at the State Theatre for positively five days only on Monday, February 13. Advance box plans are now on view at the State Theatre. Country patrons may reserve by posting 2/3 for each seat required to the State Theatre.

CIVIC THEATRE “DINNER AT THE RITZ” “THE £5 MAN” In a picture as tensely exciting as she is excitingly lovely, Annabella, the girl whose loveliness swept her to overnight stardom, plays the most dangerous game a beautiful girl in love ever chose in “Dinner at the Ritz,” new world picture released by 20th CenturyFox. Paul Lukas, David Niven and Romney Brent are featured in the cast supporting Annabella, which also includes Francis L. Sullivan, Stewart Rome, Norah Swinburne and Tyrell Davis. A lovely, carefree girl one day and a daring adventuress the next, Annabella whirls from the brilliant salons of Paris through the gaming rooms of Monte Carlo to a luxurious private yacht in the Mediterranean in a daring search packed with thrills. When a Paris banker is mysteriously killed and his bank wrecked, Annabella forsakes her quiet existence to hunt the men responsible, aided by Romney Brent, an American reporter-sleuth. She masquerades as a gay adventuress, complicating her romance with handsome David Niven, but nothing can stand in the way of her determination to avenge the murder. . “The £5 Man,” the associate feature,

is an ingenious mixture of thrills with secret passages, sliding panels and all the ingredients of a thriller, combined with delightful humorous incidents. Judy Gunn and Edwin Styles have the leadihg roles.

MAJESTIC THEATRE “OUR FIGHTING NAVY” TIMELY EMPIRE DRAMA With the world in its present state of turmoil the release of “Our Fighting Navy,” which opened at the Majestic Theatre yesterday and which will screen again today and on Monday is as timely as the moment, for this action-packed story' which thrillingly depicts the triumph of right over the cause of might, also powerfully demonstrates the strength and preparedness of the Empire’s safeguard. This picture will screen at both the matinee at 2 p.m. and the evening session. The film was produced with _ the cooperation of the British Admiralty and the story behind the making is as exciting as anything on the screen. When Herbert Wilcox decided to make the picture he realized that he would have to find a dramatic human story to set against the background of the navy. He chose “Bartimus”—himself a naval officer and the best known among the present-day writers of sea stories—-to prepare the story. Simultaneously with the completion of the story civil war broke out in Spain and the navy had to go to the rescue of British subjects and refugees endangered in the general disorder. Bluejackets found themselves playing the role of mother, nursemaid and universal protector to these unfortunates—and this was almost exactly the story which “Bartimus” had written. The film depicts the invaluable work which the British Navy does in peace time—safeguarding , trade routes, going to the aid of those in need, upholding the prestige of the nation—a story which has never before been told on the screen. The plot is set in a mythical South American Republic where revolt breaks out, compelling the President to take refuge in the British Consulate.

“Our Fighting Navy” will be supported by “King of the Newsboys,” starring Lew Ayres, Helen Mack, Alison Skipworth and Victor Varconi at the evening session, but it will not be shown at the matinee at 2 p.m. It tells of the rise of a newspaper boy from the slums of New York’s Hell’s Kitchen to the most glamorous penthouse in America’s largest city and of his fall from his castle in the air to the normal environment of suburbia. Latest Cinesound News will also be presented. Plans are now on view at H. and J. Smith’s departmental store box office, Rice’s Majestic Theatre confectionery or Majestic Theatre, telephone 738. THE GREAT NICOLA Most of his many years of worldwandering, Nicola has spent in the Orient, the home of magic and mystery. In addition to colourful experiences beyond number, Nicola, the master magician who commences a short season at the Regent Theatre today has acquired a fascinating collection of rare presents; gorgeous Japanese kimonos, gifts from royal Nippon, rare Indian embroideries, valuable objets d’art, bits of carved ivory and jade, not to mention an elephant given him by an admiring Indian maharajah. Upon one z occasion, the boy Emperor of China presented Nicola with a magnificent diamond ring in return for a rabbit which Nicola obligingly had produced from the sleeves of the slanteyed youngster. The ring is heavy gold, interestingly carved, the stone a flawless diamond nearly two carat in size. The youthful Emperor seemed to feel that the diamond for a rabbit—particularly >a magical rabbit, which emerged from an empty sleeve, was a fair exchange. Box plans are at Begg's.