ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 30 December 1929, Page 13

ENTERTAINMENTS

EVERYBODY’S TALKIES.

“CLOSE HARMONY” POPULAR.

Starring Nancy Carroll and Charles Rogers, “Close Harmony,” Paramount’s all-talking, singing and dancing production, was greeted by capacity audiences at its two presentations at Everybody’s Talkies, New Plymouth, on Saturday. Nancy Carroll, star singer and dancer in the palatial Babylon Theatre, meets and falls for Buddy Rogers, who is trying to get bookings for his jazz band at the Babylon. Nancy persuades Harry Green, manager of the Babylon, to give them a try-out. They are a success, but Green, who has a liking for Nancy, finds out that she is in love with Buddy} and so he gives Buddy notice of release, and signs up u Oakie and Gallagher, big-time harmony singers, in place of the jazz band. When the singing team arrives Nancy plays up to each. They get jealous and the team disbands. In the meantime Buddy misinterprets Nancy’s’ “play.” She later reveals to him that it was a plot of her own to get the big team out of the way, when Green would book Buddy. But Buddy makes her admit to the singers that she “framed” them. The singers make up their quarrel. Buddy’s band gets another chance from Green. They go on. There is a flat note sounded by one of the players. Buddy grabs his trumpet from him and plays it himself. Then he plays other instruments, and the audience thrills. Green is impressed and offers Buddy and his band a long-time contract. Buddy, and Nancy are overjoyed, and reunited ’in love. The well-varied sound support include “Now and Then,” a clever comedy, “What is ‘lt’ ” ? (featuring Elinor Glyn), and “Daisy Bell” (a Paramount novelty singing cartoon). This programme will be repeated tonight and at a special matinee to-mor-row at 2 p.m. PEOPLE’S TALKIES. “THE" LETTER.” In “The Letter,” the all-talking picture that commenced a three-night season at the People’s Talkies, New Plymouth, on Saturday night before a crowded house, the story tells of Leslie Crosbie (Jeanne .Eagels) and her husband, Robert (Reginald Owen), who live in a bungalow on a rubber plantation in the country near Singapore. They are a pair of conventional English colonial married folk. One evening Robert goes into the city on business and Leslie at once sends a ’letter to Geoffrey Hammond (Herbert Marshall), a dissipated bachelor on a neighbouring plantation. The arrival of the letter interrupts a love scene between Hammond and a Chinese woman, Li-Ti (Lady Tsen Mei), and he goes to the Crosbie bungalow at once. There he is shot and killed by Leslie. In court Leslie tells of the shooting, of how Hammond was drinking and attempted to force his attentions on her, and of how she killed him in self-de-fence. It is a cool and perfectly convincing account, impressing the conviction that the jury on the morrow will return a verdict of not guilty. That evening Leslie’s lawyer, Joyce (O. P. Heggie), a friend of the family, learns that the Chinese woman who lived at Hammond’s house, is in possession of the letter sent him just before the shooting.- The Chinese woman sends word that she will accept 10,000 dollars for the letter. However, you must see the picture for the amazing climax. There is an excellent programme of talking, singing and sound featurettes. OPERA HOUSE. TWO BIG FEATURES TO-NIGHT. “Looping the Loop,” a U.F.A. production, and “Where East is East,” a M.G.M. special, will head a fine programme commencing a three-night season at the Opera House, New Plymouth, to-night. “Looping the Loop,” apart from being the greatest circus picture since “Variety,” is credited with some of the most talented players on the Continent in the east. Among these is seen in the featured roles Warner Krauss, who is acclaimed the cleverest character actor in Europe since Jannings. Jenny Jugo, who plays opposite him, is also a proved favourite on the Continent, and gives a fine performance in the picture. Grim adventure in a tropical wilderness,' and a still more grim conflict of human emotions, love and retribution, are the elements that make great drama out of “Where East is East,” Lon Chaney’s new thrill drama. It is a mystery story gripping as any of the famous star’s fantastic vehicles —and still it is the tenderest of love stories. It shows such thrills as desperate hand-to-hand, battles with beasts of the jungle, but far more dangerous is the grim conflict of human souls- and the spectacle’ of a man, driven by desperation, to deadly retribution. Lloyd Hughes and Lupe Valez head the supporting cast. There is a gazette to open, and the Opera House Orchestra will be in attendance.