ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 23824, 23 May 1939, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “CHINA SEAS”

“China Seas,” which comes to the Majestic Theatre today, is one of the most powerful, colourful and dramatic screen presentations of recent years. The cast is an exceptionally strong one, the story a full-blooded one, and the scenes magnificently dramatized. Love and intrigue, heroism and cowardice, a pounding typhoon, and a raid by Malay pirates—these are mingled in a picture which has not one dull moment, and not one false note. Clark Gable is the captain of the ship which trades in the turbulent waters of the China Seas. Jean Harlow is the typical adventuress of the Orient, with the single exception that—she really loves Gable. Wallace Beery is the brains behind a conspiracy to rob the ship of her big gold consignment. Lewis Stone is a former ship’s captain who, through cowardice, has been derated, and has had to accept a mate’s berth on Gable’s ship. How these people—and many more on the ship—react when primitive passions are released, is graphically portrayed by brilliant acting and skilled photography directed by a master mind. The typhoon scenes are most realistically pictured. The pirate raid is another excellent piece of work, with Gable and Lewis Stone acting superbly. That bugaboo of big corporations, the ambulance chaser, is hilarious!-/ highlighted in “The Chaser,” the other J Metro feature on this programme. The story deals with the unique profession of chasing ambulances with both fun and profit in view, and sustains laughter from the opening sequence to a fadeout that is at once startling and hilarious. Romance enters the picture in the attraction of Dennis O’Keefe, the ambulance chaser in person, to Ann Morriss who, unkown to him, is a spy in the pay of the Street Railway Company which has suffered most from O’Keefe’s activities.

CIVIC THEATRE ———" ■■■ “CHINA CLIPPER” “THE INVISIBLE RAY” Tonight and tomorrow night only the Civic will present two special action features on their 6d and 9d programme. An enormous black pit in the jungles of Africa, luminous death lurking in its depths, forms the background for highly interesting scenes in “The Invisible Ray,” the first thrilling attraction with Karloff and Bela Lugosi in the starring

roles. Karloff, a scientist, discovers that this great cavity has been created by a falling meteor, impregnated with an unknown element a thousand times more powerful than radium. Protected by a lead mask and long leaden gloves, he secures a small portion of the deadly glowing substance, which he names Radium X, and which he later employs with terrible effect against enemies who have stolen his wife and the secret of his great discovery. A horrible fate, however, is his, as in working with the powerful chemical, his entire body is affected by its poisons and his hands and face are luminous in the dark, while his fingers carry death to any living thing he touches. The wild setting of the pit and its surroundings forms one of the largest and most colourful scenes since the advent of talking pictures, and represents the very ultimate in the accomplishment of studio technical departments. “Invisible Ray” was directed by Lambert Hillyer, and the cast supporting Karloff and

Lugosi includes such talented players as Frances Drake, Frank Lawton, Beulah Bondi, Walter Kingsford and Violet Kemble Cooper. The second action-feature, “China Clipper” starrring Pat O’Brien, Beverly Roberts and Humphrey Bogart, is a mighty drama of the daring conquest of the world’s far-flung airways and is from a story by Commander Frank Wead, who wrote “Submarine D 1.” Box plans for tonight and tomorrow are at Beggs or Civic. Telephone 1744. Prices are 6d and 9d.

REGENT THEATRE BETTE DAVIS IN “JEZEBEL” In “Jezebel,” a picturesque and exciting romantic drama of the Southern States of the United States shortly after the Civil War, which is having its final showing today at the Regent Theatre, Bette Davis is co-starred with Henry Fonda, George Brent and Margaret Lindsay. Miss Davis, who won the Academy Award for this film, declares that this is the best picture part she has ever had. She is a wilful, spoiled, tempestuous young Dixie belle who achieves the name of the wicked biblical character Jezebel because she defies southern tradition. She breaks hearts with dashing unconcern. She smokes, she prefers juleps to sherry—in short she is a modem miss in an oldfashioned setting. She has two favourite suitors, one a conservative young banker, played by Fonda, and the other by Brent The period is that of the great yellow fever scourge in New Orleans in the early 1850’s. Costumes, settings, dialogue and all the other atmosphere conditions of the day are faithfully reproduced.

“THREE LOVES HAS NANCY” JANET GAYNOR IS BACK There are laughs in plenty in “Three Loves Has Nancy,” which will have its initial screening at the Regent Theatre tomorrow. Janet Gaynor is at the top of her form as Nancy, the small-town girl who goes to New York to look for her fiance, and is over-whelmed by a multiplicity of suitors, while Robert Montgomery and Franchot Tone have laugh-making roles as two rival claimants for her hand. Montgomery, as a novelist, becomes involved with an (actress. Through the aid of Tone, his publisher, he is sent on a lecture tour of the south. There he meets Miss Gaynor, small-town girl, on her wedding day. When the bridegroom fails to arrive from New York she goes to find him, and is on the same train with Montgomery. He casually tells her that if she gets in trouble in the big city to look him up. To his surprise and consternation she is waiting at his penthouse apartment when he arrives. Not knowing what to do with her, he lets her cook for both himself and Tone, who shares the apartment. Tone falls in love with her, and Montgomery, not realizing that he also loves her, tries to break off the match. The ensuing complications provide the basis for what is reported to be one of the funniest comedies of the season. STATE THEATRE “THE LADY VANISHES” One of the most attractive entertainments of recent months is screening finally today at 2.0 and 8.0 at the State in “The Lady Vanishes.” The setting is a Continental train, and the characters are of contrasting types—a dear, dithering old soul of an English governess (Dame May Whitty), two friendly Englishmen (Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford), a charming young girl (Margaret Lockwood), a cheery young composer (Michael Redgrave), a shifty lawyer, and his dubious woman com-,

panion, and a handful of sinister foreigners. The sudden disappearance of the old lady gives rise to an- unusual series of incidents which are as amusing as they are thrilling. The latest “March of Time” is included among the supporting programme.

“STRAIGHT, PLACE AND SHOW” THE RITZ BROTHERS One of the funniest comedy riots for this year is the Ritz Brothers’ new starring picture, “Straight, Place and Show,” commencing at 2.0 and 8.0 tomorrow at the State Theatre with Richard Arlen, Ethel Newman, Phyllis Brooks and George Barbier, lending spirited support. The story opens at one of America’s big race tracks, and before you can say “Hi-ho Hysteria!” they’re off—and we don’t mean the horses! Betting their shirts on a racehorse named Playboy, the Ritzes are even more surprised than the horse when he romps in a winner. They decide to keep betting on Playboy until they have enough to retire on. Richard Arlen, however, gambles his happiness with lovely Phyllis Brooks on the

chance that Playboy won’t win another race in three months. Jealous because he believes Phyllis cares more for Playboy, whom she owns, than for him, Richard promises that if Playboy wins he “will build him a stable right off the bedroom.” If Playboy loses, Arlen is to become the new owner. Playboy loses and Arlen turns him over to the Ritz Brothers, who plan to enter him in the big sweepstakes. When Phyllis learns of this she breaks off her engagement to Arlen and tries to buy Playboy. But the Ritzes have promised not to sell him. In order to raise the entry fee, and incidentally to insure Playboy’s winning, the Ritzes engage in some tall and hilarious promoting on the eve of the big race, getting themselves involved with what Damon Runyon. the author, would call some very desperate characters indeed. But even a Runyon gangster is no match for Jimmy, Harry and Al, and when it’s all over bedlam is the winner by three lengths at least. Ethel Newman sings two catchy new songs in this film. Box plans are at Begg’s or State. Telephone 645. ST. JAMES, GORE “Housemaster,” the Associated British picture which begins at the St. James Theatre, Gore, tonight, is one of the best and brightest British films ever to be produced. The cast includes Otto Kruger, Diana Churchill and Phillips Holmes. REGENT, GORE

The main attraction at the Regent Theatre, Gore, today and tomorrow will be “The Gateway.” There will also be an excellent programme of supports.