ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 23893, 11 August 1939, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

MAJESTIC THEATRE “ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT” Every human emotion is portrayed most realistically in Universal’s picturization of Erich Remarque’s sensational condemnation of war. “All Quiet on the Western Front.” There are moments of romance and charm, there are episodes of comedy, there are abundant thrills but throughout the picture the producer, in keeping faithfully to the book, has seen to it that the whole picture works up to the most definite climax. A climax which demonstrates the bitter hopelessness, drudgery and futility of war. It begins by showing a group of representative young German students with nothing in their minds but kindness and love for their fellow men, with no thought to kill or to be killed and with no antipathy towards their fellow men of other nations. Stage two shows the beginning of the Great War and how eloquent agents of the Fatherland persuade these youths of the honour and glory and treasures to be gained by going to war for the Fatherland and slaughtering the barbarous Allied aggressors. Stage tlu;ce depicts the realization of the youths of the lack of honour and glory attached to this wholesale slaughter and unnatural livelihood and the killing of men and being killed by other men in a war, the reason for which they do not understand. The climax of the picture shows the last, lone member of that school of boys with his mind warped, his romantic ideas crushed and his general views on life and the leaders of his country mutilated. “All Quiet .on the Western Front” is a story that no one, from child to grandparent, should fail to see. The courage and foresight which prompted Universal to recreate this picture is mote than justified by the frantic tension of all nations bordering on war again today and is dedicated particularly to the youth of New Zealand upon whose shoulders rests the responsibility of preparedness After seeing “All Quiet on the Western Front” it should be quite obvious to everybody that the deep despair of defeat suffered by the characters in the picture might easily be that of your brother, husband or sweetheart. “All Quiet on the Western Front” tells a story you will never forget or want to forget. The Supporting programme includes Chapter 7 of the “Lone Ranger,” a Western serial entitled “Wheels of Disaster,” and latest current issue of the Cinesound News. The advance interest in the screening of “All Quiet on the Western Front” is shown by the advance bookings. Intending patrons are warned to make the earliest possible reservations for today and Saturday, as it is quite obvious that the capacity of liie Majestic will be over taxed. Plans are now on view at H. and J. Smith’s departmental store box office, Rice’s Majestic confectionery or Majestic Theatre. Telephone 738. STATE THEATRE “PYGMALION” TUESDAY For the past four days reservations have been pouring into the State Theatre for Bernard Shaw’s comedy sensation, “Pygmalion” which begins its Invercargill season at a special gala premiere at 10.30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 15. “Pygmalion” is one of the best films ever made, and that, it is considered, is giving the picture no ] more than its due. The film, adapted ; from the famous Shavian play, tells a strange story. As the outcome of a crazy bet a cheap little flower girl is transformed into a society debutante.Wendy Hiller, a name little known in the screen world plays the role. Her performance is astounding. As the unkempt, untutored flower girl she is more than realistic. She is the character she portrays. Under the tutelage of Leslie Howard she is transformed and her transformation to a society girl is a marvel of superb acting. Howard has played brilliantly in many pictures, but this must be his greatest success. As the professor of phonetics who brings about the change he is cast in one of the best roles of his career. Box plans for each session of the entire season of one week are on view at the State Theatre and immediate reservations are sincerely advised. Telephone State, 645. BEGINNING TODAY “FISHERMAN’S WHARF’ Brimming with human interest and rich with humour, Bobby Breen’s newest and most appealing motion picture, “Fisherman’s Wharf,” screens at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. today at the State Theatre. With young Bobby as the star and featuring Leo Carrillo, Henry Armetta, Lee Patrick and Slicken the famous acting seal, at the head of its supporting cast, the film stands apart as a screen vehicle Bobby himself, as the rough, happy-go-lucky son of Carillo, a Sicilian fisherman of San Francisco, has never been seen to. better advantage; in his new role he displays talents only suggested in his past performances. With a song on his lips and a pair of clenched fists, he sails into this new characterization with a vitality and a virility not before revealed. Gone is the goody-goody boy; he now stands on his own two sturdy feet and lets fists and quips fall where they. may. Another factor which places this picture above previous Breen films is the fact that the story locale offers a unique background. Laid against a setting of San Francisco’s colourful Fisherman’s Wharf and the famous Golden Gate Bay area, the film for the first time projects the picturesque and gay life of what is frequently called the American Mediterranean. Many of the scenes show a number of San Francisco’s famous landmarks—the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Treasure Island, home of the 1939 Exposition, and the Ferry Building. Interesting, too, is the fact ' that Victor Young, noted orchestra conductor, is credited with the musical setting. Also, that Frank Churchill, of “Snow White’ musical fame, created one of the sets of medleys Lyrics were prepared by Paul Webster, who helped Bobby on his rise to fame with the words for one of his early hits, “Rainbow on the River.” Numbered among the film’s supporting players, Slicker, the famous acting seal, plays no little part in the unfolding of the comedy. Slicker, who first gained fame with his role in “Spawn of the North,” is Hollywood’s highest-priced animal actor, his trainer, H. W Winston, of Pacific Grove, California, having been paid a salary of 1000 dollars a week for the seal’s work in the film. “Fisherman’s Wharf” sums itself up as not only a different type of Bobby Breen photoplay, but one that has proved itself superior in every respect to any of the youngster’s previous efforts. Special suports include the latest “March of Time, a Walt Disney cartoon, “Brave little Tailor,” a Leon Errol comedy and so on. Box plans are at Begg’s or the State Theatre, telephone 645. THEATRE ROYAL, WINTON “The Bad Man of Brimstone,” as you’ve guessed by now, is a motion picture of the days when the West was America’s wilderness—when there was more fighting but with more fairness

in the methods. But this is no ordinary Western picture of bad men and unbelievable heroes. Only rarely does Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film pictures of this type, but when they do it is a saga—a classic of its kind. Here we have a story written by Maurice Rapf and the man who directed the picture, J. Walter Ruben, who gatehered his material directly from the famous Wyatt Earp, the West’s most picturesque and forceful law officer. Wallace Beery is the star—in his most colourful role since “Viva Villa.” CIVIC THEATRE “LONE WOLF SPY HUNT” “LET US LIVE” The Lone Wolf, that debonair rogue whose light-fingered knavery made him the bane of police officials throughout the world, returns to the screen in the person of Warren William tonight at the Civic Theatre. Ida Lupino is cofeatured with William in the new Columbia film, “The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt.” Hollywood has already hailed “The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt,” not alone because it marks the return of a beloved literary and cinema figure, but because the new film is both splendid and timely entertainment. “The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt” is set in Washington, where foreign agents are active. The Lone Wolf, once an international criminal, has reformed and lives as a bachelor with his motherless eight-year-old daughter. Miss Lupino is seen as the daughter of a Senator. Her designs upon the Lone Wolf’s state of single-blessedness keep him fairly busy, until he suddenly becomes enmeshed in another type of adventure. An old companian-in-crime, Ralph Morgan, heads the spy ring, and for revenge implicates the Lone Wolf in the theft of Government plans. Serious drama, acted with punch and power, is the characteristic of “Let Us Live,” the second feature. It has been stated on good authority that 30 per cent of the people in prison are innocent of the charges preferred against them. This gives a factual background to the plot of this film and adds to its value. Henry Fonda and Maureen O’Sullivan are engaged, and Fonda, who is a taxi driver, takes Maureen to church, waiting for her outside. Just around the corner from him tragedy is afoot several gangsters murdering the guard of a movie theatre while they rob the house, then making their getaway in a cab. The police pull in every driver who drove that partiuclar kind of taxi, Fonda among them, and as Alan Baxter is Fonda’s room-mate, they get him also. In the manner of reality, some of the theatre employees swear to them as two of the gang; Maureen’s evidence is discredited, and the men held for trial. The police are anxious to get a conviction, not caring very much as to the correctness of the finding, so the victims are tried and sentenced to be electrocuted. Meanwhile Maureen is moving heaven and earth to get evidence to save the innocent youths, and even manages to get something that changes the mind of one of the police, Inspector Ralph Bellamy, who becomes convinced that she is right, and he resigns in order to follow the fresh clues, but it is only on the very day of the execution that they find the gang and the stolen stuff. The police arrest three men, and then the theatre employees identify them as the real crooks. Plans are at Begg’s or Civic Theatre. Telephone 1744. • REGENT THEATRE “SWEETHEARTS” FINAL SCREENINGS TODAY Ever-popular Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald continue to thrill big crowds at the Regent Theatre in their latest vehicle, “Sweethearts,” which is to have its final presentations today, This is the first film in which they have co-starred that lias a modern setting, but the enthusiasm with which it has been received by all audiences to date indicates that it is proving just as popular as in any of the costume productions. Another novel feature about “Sweethearts” is that it is in technicolour and through this all the beauty and charm of the several spectacular dancing sequences is brought out. It also enhances the beauty of Miss MacDonald herself, with her glorious golden hair, and emphasizes the attractiveness of the many gowns she wears. The story is of a temporary breach in the 'happy martial relations of Nelson Eddy and Miss MacDonald, as a pair of famous musical comedy players. Much of the humour comes from those renowned comedians, Frank Morgan, Herman Bing and Mischa Auer. CLIVE BROOK’S RETURN In its day a popular stage play, “The Ware Case,” which will be the attraction at the Regent Theatre tomorrow, is given new entertainment life by skilful direction and realistic characterization. None may argue that the story is not ingenious, and in its latest guise its basic suspense and drama are adroitly emphasized. The acting, too, is etremely effective with the portrait of the hedonistic Sir Hubert admirably masking the lead-up to the surprise climax. It is, in short, a murder mystery which holds the interest throughout, and one happily replete with many light-hearted touches. Clive Brook is immaculate as Sir Hubert, and reveals a keen sense of character as the impecunious dandy to whom money is merely the means to a pleasurable end, His friend Michael is sensitively handled by Barry K. Barnes, with Jane Baxter a fine sympathetic figure of the wife. Associated with the main feature is “Royal Banners Over Canada,” a complete and official film m technicolour of the King and Queens tour of Canada.