ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 23736, 7 February 1939, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “MISSING WITNESS” One of America’s greatest problems in the pursuit of justice is to get witnesses subpoenaed to give evidence against public enemies (racketeers and gangsters) in court. “Missing Witness,” the feature picture on today’s programme at the Majestic, gives a detailed account in stoxy form of this important problem. It shows the threats against the very lives of witnesses, against the safety of their children and against the security of their businesses. It shows how honest men will even lie in the witness box for fear of injuring those near and dear to them, through threats delivered and executed should they intend condemning society’s enemies. Officers of the law also find that very often a witness that they know will secure for them a conviction is mysteriously missing. The picture shows how the finding of such a. witness invariably results in the desired conviction,- and places behind prison bars yet another menace to society. The associate feature, Paid to Dance,” exposes the dance hall racket. The custom in the larger American cities of paid dancing partners in 10 cents a dance” dance halls, has been the foundation of one of the worst menaces to American morals. These girls are faced with the problem of making themselves popular with the dance-hall clients in order to earn more both for themselves and for their employers. A girl who cannot earn big money loses her job. The profession is, therefore, regarded in an unfavourable light and the girls become marked women” and are permanently ostracised from social respectability, although the real blame is attributable to the idea rather than the individual. This is. a programme that no patron should miss and plans are now on view at H. and J. Smith’s Department Store box office, Rice’s Majestic Theatre confectionery or at the theatre, telephone 738. . The latest Universal Newsreel will introduce the programme.

STATE THEATRE “WE’RE GOING TO BE RICH” . - “We’re Going To Be Rich,” starring Gracie Fields, Victor McLaglen and Brian Donlevy, has been such an outstanding success that it has been decided to hold this picture over for two final screenings today at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Gracie Fields is at her brightest and best in this rollicking comedy of the early gold-rush days in Australia and South Africa. TOMORROW’S PROGRAMME “BREAK THE NEWS” Jack Buchanan is well enough known to Invercargill audiences to make them fully cognisant of the fact that when he is starred in a. musical production it- has an immediate claim to excellence. Buchanan has an engaging personality and an infectious smile, while his musical attainments are of a high order. All are well to the fore in his latest starring vehicle, “Break the News,” which will be presented to Invercargill- audiences today at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the State Theatre. In company with the inimitable Buchanan, Maurice Chevalier makes a welcome return to the screen in this film. Once a star among the greatest stars, Chevalier has not been quite as prominent as formerly, but in this film he shows again that his day is by no means gone, and his acting ability and musical talent are paramount in this amusing comedy. There is an excellent array of featurettes. The box plans are at Begg’s or 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 next, 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 but telephone reservations cannot be accepted for this special. REGENT THEATRE “DAD AND DAVE COME TO TOWN” BERT BAILEY ON THE STAGE There has not been a more popular picture released in New Zealand than “Dad and Dave Come to Town,” with which the Regent Theatre is to reopen as a picture house next Saturday. An extra attraction will be the personal appearance on the stage of Bert Bailey himself, who has made the character of “Dad” so popular with all classes. His greatest success, and the most phenomenal success of Australian stage and screen was, of course. “On Our Selection.” For 28 years Bert Bailey played Dad in this Steele Rudd play. And the passing of the years has not diminished, but increased, the popularity of his characterization. In “Dave and Dad Come to Town.” the new Cinesound production, again he skilfully creates the “Dad” we all know and love.

CIVIC THEATRE “WITHOUT ORDERS” “THE GREAT IMPERSONATION” Previously most flying films have depended for thrills on the splintering wreck of aeroplanes. This lias incurred the wrath of established air lines, which point out that crashes seldom occur on scheduled flying routes today, and that the emphasis on accidents discourages air travel. In RKO Radio’s new picture of commercial aviation, “Without Orders,” the tense emotional moments have been obtained without resource to crashes. Instead, the drama is derived from the conflicts between two rival pilots and the difficulties of flying treacherous air routes, with a climax in a breathless struggle aboard a big air liner lost in a storm. Robert Arm--strong and Sally Eilers have the romantic leads with Vinton Haworth as Armstrong’s professional rival. With many of its scenes taken aboard a big transport aeroplane and over the cloudcovered Sierra Madres, the film is said to be one of the most exciting aviation pictures ever yet made. For the associate feature Universal Picture Corporation presents the popular author, E. Phillips Oppenheim’s supreme spy adventure novel in a thrilling drama of the counter measures employed by the British Government in combating foreign agents with Edmund Lowe taking a double role, supported by Valerie Hobson, Wera Engels and Henry Mollison.

ST- JAMES, GORE Deanna Durbin sings three numbers, two written especially for her and two classical offerings in her new Universal picture, “That Certain Age,” now showing at the St. James Theatre, Gore.

REGENT THEATRE, GORE

I Beginning at the Regent Theatre, Gore, today, is Darryl F. Zanuck’s production, “In Old Chicago,” with Tyrone Power, Alice Faye and Dori Ameche in the leading roles.