ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1930, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

EVERYBODY’S TALKIES

‘■FROZEN JUSTICE."

■ Lenore Ulric, the celebrated star who makes her talkie debut in “Frozen Justice,” which commenced a three-night season at Everybody’s ‘ Talkies, New Plymouth, on Saturday last, scores an emphatic hit. What makes her triumph even more significant is the complex character that she portrays, that of a half-caste Alaskan belle, an unfaithful wife, an exotic,' voluptuous beauty with a tempestuous firc-and-ice nature, a role which most actresses find it difficult to portray. Directed by Allah Dvyaii, “Frozen Justice” is a' skilfully contrived melodrama which has its most important action amid the roaring cafes and dance halls of' the Yukon when the Gold Rush was in full swing, and bizarre adventurers came to it from all corners of the globe.. Louis Wolheim gives an excellent portrayal of a hard-boiled bruiser with the proverbial heart of gold; and Ullrich Haupt is a villain par excellence. The story ia one of betrayal and revenge and the study of the con- ■ flicting desires and impulses in a woman of mixed blood heritage. The supporting programme included Fox Movietone, News/“Pussie Willi©” (Oswald Cartoon), “Old Tunes for New” (remarkable musical novelty) and “Knights Out” (an alltalking comedy starring Clark,and McCullough), ' ' • “RIO RITA?’ .

There’s a, new phase of. the theatrical business in the making. Broadway producers are beginning to wonder about “stage ' rights’’ to .screen .productions for the first time. One of the films that has brought about this new point of view bn the exchange of stage and screen material and talent is “Rio .Rita,” the all-talking, all-musical extravaganza Radio Pictures has made from the Ziegfeld hit. For Radio Pictures, it is admitted on every side, has out-Ziegfelded. Ziegfeld for splendour and. spectacle in. the presentation • of H’arry Tierney’s operetta. The immediate reaction to . the rich production value in the film ?‘Rip Rita,” its new' music, . new sets, new costumes and wealth of colour and beauty, is that Broadway stage. producers soon .will be seeking “stage rights”. • to the bigger screen invading Broadway for its ideas and taleiA. ■ There were several figures connected with the screening of “Rio Rita” who were associated in the original stage production. Harry Tierney, who wrote the score, was one. Citor Baravalle, who directed it, was another. Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey, who played their original comedy roles in the Radio Picture version; Helen Kaiser and Kay English, former Ziegfeld show girls, and others of the cast of Radio Pictures’ “Rio Rita,” all have been in several of Broadway’s most successful musical comedies. All declared the RKO “Rio Rita” was tile most gorgeously dressed production they had ever seen. To Max Ree, art supervisor of Radio Pictures, goes much of -the credit for the splendour with which “Rio Ritji” was produced. An architect and a picture director, Rec’s sets and costumes, many .of which were photographed in colour, were the’ most sumptuous —and the most costly —that ’ have been built thus far in the new era of talking pictures. “Rio Rita” commences a special six-night season at Everybody’s Talkies on Wednesday, May 21. There will be matinees daily at 2 p.m., and the box plan opens' at Colliers on Friday next., ■ PEOPLE’S TALKIES. - " BIG TWO-STAR PROGRAMME;- ' ‘ “The Long Long Trail” and .“Strange cargp,” two all-talking ■ pictures that commenced a three-night season at the People’s Talkies- on Saturday last, were both hugely enjoyed-by the big audience present. “The Long Long Trail” features the popular Hoot Gibson.'in the part of a riding, fighting, bashful cow-’ boy who gets an unjustified, reputation for hard drinking through his-playful habit of shooting up a town. How he makes good gives everyone many laughs and thrills. Sally Eiliers/supplies ' the romantic interest. “Strange Cargo” fea--tures a cast of 14 'distinguished stage stars, including Lee Patrick, June Nash, George Barraud and.. Claude King.. The story tells of a party o English people who are crossing the equator in. a prince; ly yacht miles from land, and out of the path of other vessels. Strange things’ begin to 'happen, lights flicker and go up and down, the compass acts strangely, several members of the crew grow_ rebellious, and, suddenly, ' in. the saloon filled with guests, the owner is mysteriously murdered. That is some of the headlights of “Strange.. Cargo,” which is undoubtedly, one of the finest talkies yet seen and heard here," A Universal talking newsreel opens the programme. . ’ Y “SUNNY -SIDE UP.” '■ “Sunny. Side Up,” commencing at the People’s Talkies on Wednesday next for a special season of‘ six nights and six matinees, 4s the story of a rich young man and a poor young, girl, the rich young man’s impossible mamma, jand his sharp-tongued, innocent-looking fiancee. The last two women range

themselves against the romanticists, but when Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor are determined to have a private ro« manceof theirown, riot all the mammas and jealous fiancees in the world will stop them. Everybody will love this pair of favourites, will delight in their singing, their dancing, will watch the path of true love with interest and. caught breath. “Sunny Side Up” is a grand and glorious picture, and the man«> agement of the People’s expresses confidence that the public will endorse what all the critics and all the other publics have said, namely, that “Sunny JSide Up” is the finest musical and. terpsichorean talkie that Hollywood has ever done. Appearing with Fafrrell and Gaynor are El Brendel and Marjorie White, comedians, Sharon Lynn, Mary Forbes, Frank Richardson and Joe Brown. Some of the ensembles are entitled as follow: “Keep Your Sunny Side Up,” “You’ve Got Me Pickin’ Petals Off Of Daisies,” “Turn on the Heat,” “You Find the Place and I’ll find the Time’ ’and. “It’s Great to be Loved on -a Bra’, Bright, Moonlicht Nicht." The box plans are now open at Collier’s, where seats should be reserved. ■ -';