ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1931, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT PROGRAMME. “THE BIG HOUSE” SENSATION. “The Big House,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s drama of ptffiitentiary riots, commencing a season of three nights at The Regent, New Plymouth, to-night, might be compared to the biggest of pictures. ■ Three central characters work out a dramatic story against seething hates and a prison riot quelled with machine-guns and . tanks. A sympathetic' love story of a boy and a girl is adroitly woven into the play. The three central characters are played by Chester Morris, Wallace Beery and Robert Montgomery as three cell mates in the penitentiary. Friendship, jealously, the corrosion of souls and regeneration through love and turmoil lire elements of the picture. Leila Hyams plays the heroine, and the cast includes Lewis Stone. Karl Dane, George Marion, J. C. Nugent, De Witt Jennings and Claire MacDdwftll. Mote than a thousand ex-servicemen took part in the prison scenes. A special supporting programme will include “Who Killed Royer,” another comedy starring the talking dogs, a further series of earthquake scenes, “China’s 01’ Man River” (Burton llolmes travelogue) and Metrotone Nows. NOTED STAR AT EVERYBODY’S. ’ BARRYMORE’S INITIAL TALKIE. America’s most distinguished star, John Barrymore, whose voice from the’ stage has delighted two. continents, speaks from the screen for', the first time as the star of “General Crack,” Warner Bros. Vitaphone special commencing a ihreO-riighi season at Everybody’s. New Plymouth, to?night. In the title role of “General Crack,”' adapted by . Walter Anthony from the George Preedy novel, Barrymore enacts the sori of a gypsy princess and a ildbler man, who becomes the; greatest military leader of his tliiic. The role of Genr eral Crack —the ■ mad Prince Christian—is a constant conflict between inherited traitsj The story is laid in middle Europe during the early? part of the eighteenth century. In addition to making his initial bow as General Crack, Barrymore plays the father of'his character in the prologue, and enacts his father’s ghost in later fecches. Numerous scenes in “General Crack” are filmed in beautiful technicolour. A varied supporting prograinnie- will include ‘‘Who Killed Rover” (a two-reel comedy starring the amazing talking dogs), Movietone News 'and a second series of earthquake scenes iii Hawke’B Bay. .